Saga Dawa Festival Tour
Tour Code:TF-05
Price: Contact us for price
Destination:Potala Palace, Jokhang,Namtso Lake
Saga means fourth and Dawa refers to month in Tibetan. It is on 15th April of the Tibetan calendar. According to Tibetan Buddhism tradition, April in Tibetan calendar is a month with frequent Buddhist activities. This festival is celebrated for whole month and is one of the most significant festival celebrated in Tibet. Tibetans believe that it would accumulate immense of merits during that particular day by giving generosity, stop killing animals and stop eating meats. Cham dancing and other religious activities dominate the occation. The festival is called "qiong ren jie" in chinese which means poor people's day because Tibetan peoples'generosity to the poor people is well known.
Detail itinerary
Day 1 Arriving in Lhasa by train or by airplane.
Our agency will arrange a local Tibetan english speaking tour guide and a driver to receive you from the airport or train station to your reserved hotel in Lhasa.
Day 2 Visiting Potala Palace, Jokhang and Barkhor street.
In the morning, you are going to visit the famous Potala Palace, which is the land mark of Lhasa and is recently considered one of the seven wonders of the world. Afternoon, visit Jokhang Temple which is grouped into world cultural heritage list by the UNESCO. Then explore the famous old Barkhor street, enjoy shoping traditional Tibetan things around the street. Overnight in Lhasa.
Day 3 Exploring Drepung monastery and Sera monastery.
Drepung Monastery is situated at the foothill of a mountain and was founded by Jamyang Choeje in 1416. The monastery is divided into two different colleges. The Ganden podrang is famous among them as it is the government centre during fifth Dalai lama and later moved to the famous Potala Palace during fifth Dalai lama.
In the afternoon exploring the Sera Monastery which was founded in 1419 by Tsongkapa, disciple Jamchen Choeje. The whole monastery is divided into two colleges. You can also see monks debaiting there in the courtyard at around 4-5:30 in the afternoon. Overnight in Lhasa.
Day 4 A free day is serving for you to celebrate the festival.
A free day is serving for you to celebrate and experience the the festival. You wil get good knowledge on the way of worshiping and offerings in Tibetan Buddhism. You can contribute some amount of money to poor peoples begging along the circuits. Or you may can liberate some lifes into the Lhasa river for earning virtue.
Day 5 Driving towards the Yangpachen hot spring and the sacred lake Namtso (240km)with good black asphalt surface
Namtso is Tibetan word, means Heavenly lake situated in Damxung county with about 240km from Lhasa. The lake is 70km long, 30km in wide,35m and is second largest lake in china. The melted snow and ice of the Nyenchen Thangla mountains forms the water supply of Namtso. Through this journey you can see the most famous ice-capped Nyenchen Thangla mountain ranges and Yangpachen geothermal power station and hot spring pool. Also pesture land where the nomads gaze their animals and you feels like the whole pesture is dotted with yaks. Drive back to Lhasa in the afternoon. Overnight in Lhasa.
Day 6 Drive to airport or train station to leave Tibet.
Your tour guide and driver will drop you to the airport or train station and you are leaving unforgetable Tibet.
