8-Day Tibet Winter Blue Ice Tour Daily Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Lhasa | Rest and Acclimatize
Distance: Airport or railway station to hotel transfer | Meals: None | Accommodation: Senge Kangqiong Grand Hotel in Lhasa
Arrive at Lhasa Gonggar International Airport or Lhasa Railway Station, where your local guide meets you for the transfer into the city. The drive gives you an easy first look at the Lhasa River and the open plateau landscape before check-in.
Nothing else is scheduled today. Settle into the oxygen-equipped hotel, drink water and keep the first evening quiet while your body adjusts to Lhasa's 3,650-meter altitude.
CHIBET Travel Advice: Mild headache, tiredness or shortness of breath can occur during the first days at altitude. Eat lightly, avoid strenuous exercise and tell your guide if symptoms become stronger rather than improving.
Day 2: Lhasa – Basum Tso – Nyang River Valley – Nyingchi | From Plateau to Forest
Distance: Approx. 390 km | Meals: Breakfast, Nyingchi Stone Pot Chicken Dinner | Accommodation: Kaiyuan Mingting Hotel in Nyingchi
Leave Lhasa after breakfast and travel east toward Nyingchi. The road follows sections of the Nyang River before crossing Mila Pass at about 5,013 meters, then gradually drops into greener valleys and forested slopes.
The main stop is Basum Tso, an alpine lake enclosed by evergreen forest and snow mountains. Spend time along the shore and around the small island linked by a wooden bridge, where the lake feels much more sheltered than the open plateau west of Lhasa.
Continue through the Nyang River Scenic Area to Nyingchi. In the evening, the group sits down for the included Nyingchi Stone Pot Chicken, a local specialty served hot after the long drive.
Day 3: Nyingchi – Lulang Forest – Ranwu Lake – Bomi | Winter Along the G318
Distance: Approx. 380 km | Meals: Breakfast | Accommodation: Hengxin Zangwang Hotel in Bomi
Head out from Nyingchi toward Lulang and climb over Sejila Pass. Forest spreads across the slopes below, and when the weather is clear the pass can open a distant view toward Mount Namcha Barwa.
The road then continues through the alpine scenery around Lulang before reaching Ranwu Lake. In winter, the lake can look steel-blue or partly frozen beneath snow-covered mountains, depending on temperature and recent weather.
Continue east to Bomi and check in for the night. This puts the group in position for tomorrow's glacier day without adding another long transfer in the morning.
CHIBET Travel Advice: Mount Namcha Barwa is often hidden by cloud, even in winter. Treat a clear view as a bonus rather than a guaranteed part of the day.
Day 4: Bomi – Laigu Glacier – Yalong Glacier – Nyingchi | Into the Blue Ice
Distance: Approx. 300 km | Meals: Breakfast | Accommodation: Kaiyuan Mingting Hotel in Nyingchi
Today's focus is Laigu Glacier, one of the strongest winter blue-ice experiences on this route. Around Laigu Village, several glaciers feed clear glacial lakes, and cold weather can reveal floating ice blocks, fractured blue surfaces and deep crevasses.
From the village viewpoint, look across the wider Laigu Glacier Group, which includes the Meixi, Yalong, Ruojiao, Dongga, Xiongjia and Niuma glaciers. Rather than one isolated tongue of ice, the glaciers spread through an entire high-mountain valley system.
Yalong Glacier is the largest of the group, stretching roughly 12 kilometers from the Gangrigabu Mountains toward the valley. Its long ice flow, blue crevasses and high ice walls give a better sense of scale than a roadside glacier stop.
After the glacier visit, turn west and return directly to Nyingchi. There is no overnight stop in Lulang today.
CHIBET Travel Advice: Blue ice, frozen-lake conditions and access close to the glacier vary with weather and local safety controls. Follow the guide's instructions and do not enter closed ice areas.
Day 5: Nyingchi – Kading Valley – Lhasa | Back Across the Plateau
Distance: Approx. 460 km | Meals: Breakfast | Accommodation: Senge Kangqiong Grand Hotel in Lhasa
Leave Nyingchi in the morning and stop at Kading Valley Scenic Area beside the Nyang River. The narrow gorge is filled with forest, steep cliffs and clear mountain streams, a last look at eastern Tibet's wetter landscape before the drive west.
The main feature is Tianfo Waterfall, which drops nearly 200 meters down the cliff. Local tradition links natural rock shapes beside the waterfall with a seated Buddha and other Buddhist figures.
Continue west across the plateau and arrive back in Lhasa in the evening. The forest gradually thins during the drive, and the wider, drier valleys around the capital return.
Day 6: Lhasa | Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street & Tibetan Local Experiences
Distance: Local sightseeing in Lhasa | Meals: Breakfast, Tibetan Welcome Dinner | Accommodation: Senge Kangqiong Grand Hotel in Lhasa
Begin at the Potala Palace and take the stairways steadily. Inside, former living quarters, chapels, murals, scriptures and memorial stupas give more context to the palace than its famous exterior alone.
Later, continue to Jokhang Temple, the spiritual center of Tibetan Buddhism, before walking onto Barkhor Street. Pilgrims circle the temple along the traditional kora while shops and old courtyard buildings keep the surrounding lanes busy throughout the day.
Authentic Tibetan Cultural Experiences:
Stop at a local teahouse for Tibetan sweet tea. The atmosphere is informal and everyday, with local customers sharing tables and dropping in throughout the afternoon.
A Tibetan dress photoshoot is also arranged around the old quarter. Traditional clothing, hair styling and makeup are prepared before the photographer works with you around selected lanes and Tibetan-style backdrops.
In the evening, meet the group for a Tibetan welcome dinner and try local dishes together after the day's sightseeing.
CHIBET Travel Advice: Remove hats and sunglasses before entering temples, do not touch religious objects unless permitted, and check with your guide before taking photographs indoors.
Day 7: Lhasa – Yamdrok Lake – Gangbala Pass – Lhasa | Holy Lake Day Trip
Distance: Full-day round trip from Lhasa | Meals: Breakfast | Accommodation: Senge Kangqiong Grand Hotel in Lhasa
Leave Lhasa in the morning and climb toward Gangbala Pass. From the high road, the first wide view opens over Yamdrok Lake, with bright blue water winding between dry ridges and distant snow mountains.
Descend toward the lakeshore for a closer look at the water. Tibetan villages, grazing yak and sheep appear along the route, so the lake changes from a broad panorama at the pass to a more immediate landscape near the shore.
After the visit, return the same way to Lhasa for the final night. This route does not continue west to Shigatse.
CHIBET Travel Advice: Yamdrok Lake is much higher than Lhasa and can be windy even on a clear day. Keep a warm outer layer with you and move slowly at the viewpoints.
Day 8: Depart Lhasa | Tour Ends
Distance: Hotel to airport or railway station transfer | Meals: Breakfast | Accommodation: None
After breakfast, check out of the hotel. Your driver will transfer you to Lhasa Gonggar International Airport or Lhasa Railway Station according to the confirmed departure schedule.
There is no sightseeing scheduled today. The tour ends with the departure transfer from Lhasa.
8-Day Tibet Winter Blue Ice Tour Date and Package Price
Tibet Winter Blue Ice Tour Cost (Based on Travel Time)
| Travel Time / Tour Price |
Dec. 2026 | Jan. 2027 | Feb. 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 pax | $1178 | $1178 | $1178 |
Note: A single room supplement applies to solo travelers who request a private room.
2026-2027 Tibet Winter Blue Ice Tour Departure and Availability
| Arrival Date | Price | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Dec. 2026 | ||
| 2026-12-20 | $1178 | Check Availability |
| 2026-12-25 | $1178 | Check Availability |
| Jan. 2027 | ||
| 2027-01-01 | $1178 | Check Availability |
| 2027-01-05 | $1178 | Check Availability |
| 2027-01-10 | $1178 | Check Availability |
| 2027-01-15 | $1178 | Check Availability |
| 2027-01-20 | $1178 | Check Availability |
| 2027-01-25 | $1178 | Check Availability |
| Feb. 2027 | ||
| 2027-02-01 | $1178 | Check Availability |
Tibet Winter Blue Ice Tour Inclusions:
- Hotel accommodation based on twin-sharing, including the listed hotels in Lhasa, Nyingchi and Bomi
- Group vehicle, driver and scheduled transfers throughout the tour
- English-speaking local Tibetan guide
- Tibet Travel Permit and required local travel documents
- Entrance fees and sightseeing shuttle buses for all listed attractions
- Daily breakfasts, Nyingchi Stone Pot Chicken dinner and Lhasa Tibetan welcome dinner
- Tibetan sweet tea and traditional Tibetan dress photoshoot in Lhasa
- Bottled water and oxygen support during the Tibet journey
- Local operator liability insurance and vehicle passenger insurance
Tibet Winter Blue Ice Tour Exclusions:
- International and domestic flights or train tickets to and from Lhasa
- Lunches and dinners not listed
- Single room supplement
- Tips and personal expenses
- Optional activities and other personal purchases
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.