6 Days Birdwatching Tour in and Around Lhasa

Day 1 Arrive in Lhasa [B]

Take flight & train into Tibet. Upon your arrival, local guide will meet you and transfer you to Lhasa. On the way, you can enjoy the heart-beating highland view along the Yarlong Tsangpo River (the longest river in Tibet). The rest time is free for relax and more oxygen. 

Day 2 Lhasa Sightseeing [B]

Today, you'll have a tour to Lhasa's cardinal landmark-Potala Palace, a structure of massive portions. Its towering image already appearing on various occasions, but your first sight of the Potala will still be an awe-inspiring moment. It takes at least a good 2-hour to visit those rooms, halls and chapels. In the afternoon, we will drop a visit of the Jokhang Temple, the spiritual center of Tibet. Everyday, pilgrims from every corner of Tibet trek a long distance to the temple. The temple is the product of Han, Tibetan and Nepalese architectural techniques. Then we will visit Barkhor, the oldest street in a very traditional city in Tibet.

Potala Palace
Jokhang Temple

Day 3 Lhasa Sightseeing [B]

Morning, you’ll visit Drepung Monastery, once world's largest monastery with about 10,000 monks. Walking up to the hill is a pleasant thing, an easy break from the solemn ambience inside the halls and chapels. At the plat roof of hillside, you can have very good views of the whole Lhasa city and the distant mountains. In the afternoon, you’ll go to Lalu Wetland National Nature Reserve, one of the city’s most beautiful natural landscapes. Located on the western side of Lhasa, the wetland is often called the “Lung of Lhasa” and provides a refreshing contrast to the city’s temples and historic sites. Take a leisurely walk along the wetland paths, enjoy views of the reeds, grasslands, and distant mountains, and watch local and migratory birds in their natural habitat. Overnight in Lhasa. Overnight in Lhasa.

Drepung Monastery
Lalu Wetland National Nature Reserve

Day 4 Lhünzhub County Black-necked Crane Birdwatching Day Trip [B]

Full-day birdwatching excursion to Lhünzhub County, north of Lhasa, one of the most important wintering areas for Black-necked Cranes on the Tibetan Plateau. From late October to April, hundreds of cranes migrate from northern Tibet to the Lhasa River Basin, with Linzhou’s marshes, riverside wetlands and harvested barley fields forming key feeding grounds. Focus on the early morning “out-of-roost” and late afternoon “return-to-roost” periods, when crane flocks fly low, feed in fields and sometimes perform courtship displays (especially in March). Your guide will take you to selected viewpoints along the valley to maximize sightings while keeping a respectful distance. Overnight back in Lhasa.

Lhünzhub County
Black-necked crane

Day 5 Lhasa & Alpine Forest Birdwatching Day Trip [B] 

Drive south-west of Lhasa to Shugseb Nunnery in Qushui County, about 50–65 km from the city (around 1 hour each way). Set in a mountain bowl and surrounded by alpine shrublands and cypress groves, the area is excellent for high-altitude forest and scrub birds. Look for Tibetan Eared Pheasant, Tibetan Snowcock, Grandala, Tibetan Snowfinch, Tibetan Rosefinch, and various laughingthrushes and warblers. Combine birding with a visit to one of Tibet’s largest nunneries, enjoying the quiet spiritual atmosphere and unique architecture. Return to Lhasa in the late afternoon for overnight.

Tibetan eared pheasant
Tibetan snowcock

Day 6 Departure from Lhasa [B]

Transfer to Lhasa Gonggar Airport or railway station for your onward journey. If your flight is in the late afternoon, you may have time for a final short walk in a city park (e.g. Dzongyab Lukhang Park) or along the river to tick off any remaining target birds.