TTC-T-06: Tibetan New Year of Losar Festival
In ancient times when peach tree was in blossom, it was considered as the starting of a new year. Since the systematization of the Tibetan calendar in 1027 A.D., the first day of the first month became to be fixed as the day of New Year. On the New Year's Day, families unite "auspicious dipper" is offered, and the auspicious words " Tashi Delek" are greeted. This day is also an occasion, when Tibetan families reunite, to expect a fortune in the coming New Year ad it is known as Losar. The festival starts from 1st to 3rd of the 1st Tibetan month. Doors are painted with religious symbols; specially made tributes are offered to family shrine; On the New Year's Eve, Tibetan eats barley crumb food with their families. After dinner, it is time of the Festival of Banishing Evil Sprits! Torches are lit and people run and yell in order to get rid of evil spirits from their house. Before the dawn of the New Year's Day, housewives fetch their first bucket of water to prepare breakfast. After dressing up, people open their doors and go to monasteries. On the third day, the prayer flag, which was hanged up in the last year, will be replaced with new one. Other folk activities will be held to celebrate the events.
Festival Date:
January 1st - 15th of Tibetan Calendar.
Please contact us for the exact dates on Gregorian calendar.
| Tour Style: | Small Group Tour |
| Start: | Chengdu |
| Finish: | Chengdu |
| Duration: | 9 days |
| Area visited: | The central Tibet |
Highlights:
- The traditional Chinese teahouse at People's park.
- Potala Palace
- Jokhang temple
- Barkhor Bazar
- Ramoche temple
- Chaqi monastery
- Sera monastery
- Drepung monastery
- Nechung monastery
- Samding monastery
- Giant Panda Sanctuary
Altitude:
Chengdu: 500m
Lhasa: 3650m
Please contact us for pricing information.
Detail program:
Day1: Arrive in Chengdu
After arrival in Chengdu airport, pickup and transfer to your hotel, assist to check in. Relax in the rest hours of this day by having one visit to the traditional Chinese teahouse at People's park.
Altitude: Chengdu: 500m
Day2: Chengdu to Lhasa.
Fly to Lhasa, the guide will meet you at the airport, and transfer you to Lhasa city with about 1h30 driving (100 km). On the way, we'll visit to Nie Tang Buddha, a Buddha image engraved in the mountain face. Afternoon an easy walking visit to Luophuk lingkar - the summer palace of Dalai Lama.
Altitude: Lhasa: 3650m
Day3: Lhasa
In the morning visit Sera monastery, where a very important Vojara festival of horse Bhuda will be held, meanwhile it will display the huge Thangka and visit golden Vojara by holy monk. This day thousands of hundreds people coming early in the morning for queue up; In the afternoon, Visit to Chaqi monastery, which is supposed to help to make people wealth; Then go to Nyechung monastery of oracay protector of Dalai Lama, in the afternoon attending to the ceremoney, after celebration drive to special resident hourse to join the group of Tibetan to dance and sing together with local Tibetan.
Altitude: Lhasa: 3650m
Day4: Lhasa
Visit Potala Palace, Jokhang temple and Ramoche temple.
Potala, the winter palace of the Dalai Lama. Stunningly dominating the skyline of Lhassa atop the crest of Marpo Ri hill, the seventh-century Potala is considered Lhasa's most holy destination for a pilgrimage. Winding up the hill, a stone path leads to the 14-story, 1000-room. Each day, thousands of pilgrims give the prayer wheels lining the path a clockwise spin as they make their way up to the entrance.
The Jokhang Monastery is the home of the statutes of the revered Buddha, Shakyamuni. While all Buddhist statutes are magnificently robed in colorful brocade adorned with pearls, turquoise, coral, and silver, solid gold bowls of holy water rest before Shakyamuni as well as offerings of yuen (money) and khatas (scarves) left by pilgrims.
Altitude: Lhasa: 3650m
Day5: Lhasa
Today is our Tibetan New Year day, The Tibetan calendar comes from 1027.A.D. The first day of the first month of the Tibetan calendar became New Year's Day. This is the most grand and important festival in Tibet. According to the custom of tiebtan of which to do praying at the first day of the year, alomst all peopel will gather to Jorkhang temple to pray for a new start of a year; In the afternoon, visit to Drepung monastery. Drepung once housed 10,000 monks, If we're lucky, we'll quietly ease into a dark columned hall to see and hear the lilting, booming chanting of the sutras, or perhaps sit under a willow tree and watch as the monks engage in theatrical debate.
Altitude: Lhasa: 3650m
Day6: Lhasa to Drak Yerpa cave and back to Lhasa
Drak Yerpa cave: Built on a hillside with more than 80 meditation caves, Drak Yerpa is described as the "life tree" or spiritual axis of Lhasa. The site had a powerful spiritual heritage, having been visited by Songsten Gampo, Padmasambhava, Yeshe Tsoygel, Padampa Sanggye, and Asisha. It was the home of several hundred hermits, monks, and nuns. Tucci in 1949 describes it: "Yerpa appeared suddenly before my eyes as a bend of the road, a cascade of small white buildings along steep overgrown cliffs. One could have thought one was not in Tibet. Giant junipers and tufts of rhododendron topped a thick tangle of undergrowth, brushwood and grass victoriously fighting the hard barrenness of rocks. The cliffs were riddled with burrows and caves, some of which were so high up on the fact of the abrupt hill that it would have been risky to climb them." For those with a particular interest in Tibetan Buddhism, Drak Yerpa hermitage is one of the holiest cave retreats in Ü region. Many ascetics have sojourned here and contributed to the area's great sanctity. The site is deeply peaceful and has stunning views.
Altitude: Lhasa: 3650m
Day7: Lhasa to Samding and return to Lhasa
Like mountains, lakes are considered sacrosanct by the Tibetan people. Yamdrok Lake is one of four such holy lakes, the others being Lhamo La-tso, Namtso and Manasarovar. It is revered as a talisman and is said to be part of the life-spirit of the Tibetan nation. The largest lake in southern Tibet, it is said that if its waters dry, Tibet will no longer be habitable. The lake has nine islands, of which one houses the famous Samding Monastery. This monastery is interesting, as it is the only Tibetan monastery to be headed by a female re-incarnation. Since it is not a nunnery, its female abbot heads a community of about thirty monks.
Altitude: Lhasa: 3650m
Day8: Lhasa to Chengdu
Drive from Tsetang to Lhasa Gangkar airport, by flight from Lhasa to Chengdu, after arriving in Chengdu, transfer to Chengdu Giant Panda Research Base, one of the most important centers in the world for the conservation of the Giant Panda.
Altitude: Chengdu: 500m
Day9: Chengdu to the airport for departure
After having breakfast, check out of your hotel and transfer to airport for your departure (transfer timings will depend on the flight schedule).
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