- Day 01: Arrival in Lhasa by train or air and transfer to downtown Lhasa, 3650mts. Lubhum Tsang Boutique hotel or similar
Arriving in Lhasa, the ancient holy city of Tibet and Our Tibet travel guide and driver will be welcomed you at the railway station and transfer to the hotel. Rest in the afternoon.
- Day 02: Sightseeing tour in Lhasa, Potala Palace, Jokang temple, Bharkor Bazar. Lubhum Tsang Boutique hotel or similar
After breakfast, travel to Potala Palace which will take you 10 minutes from your hotel. THE POTALA PALACE is considered one of the great wonders of the world. It is held sacred by Tibetans as the former residence of successive Dalai Lamas, and is one of Tibet's most holy pilgrimage sites. A palace was originally built in the 7 th century by King Songtsen Gampo, and was believed to have been nine stories high, but around the 9th century, it is believed to have been destroyed by a big fire. The present Potala Palace was constructed by the great fifth Dalai Lama in the 17 th century after he became ruler of Tibet. The Potala Palace is divided into two sections, the White Palace (completed in 1653) and Red palace (completed 1694). It has more than one thousand rooms and is thirteen stories high. The White Palace was secular in nature and mainly used for government administration, whilst the Red palace was mainly used for religious functions and still has numerous chapels, including those containing reliquary stupas of the successive Dalai Lamas which are richly decorated in gold, silver and semi-precious stones. Afternoon, visit Jokang temple and Bharkor. JOKANG TEMPLE the Jokang is Tibet’s most sacred temple, the main point of pilgrims from the entire Tibetan plateau. Located at the heart of the ancient town of Lhasa, it was built in the 7 th century by the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo’s queen Bhrikuti on a site identified by Queen Wencheng according to her geomantic calculation. The temple is 3 stories high and it is constructed with enormous chapels including the most sacred statue of Budhha Shakyamuni, enshrined. It has around 70 monks nowadays. ANCIENT BHARKOR STREET is the most sacred pilgrimage site in Lhasa and it is full of pilgrims from down till dusk. There are four huge prayer flags situated in Bhakor street which surrounds the Jokang, known respectively as Gadhen Dharchen in the northeast, Juyak Dharchen in the west, Kelsang Dharchen in the southwest and SharKyaring Dharchen in the southeast. The Bharkor street is the most active market in all Tibet and it is possible to purchase traditional Tibetan artifacts, religious implements, antiques, modern goods, books, music, clothing, spices, fresh meat and vegetable.
- Day 03: Drepung and Sera monasteries. Lubhum Tsang Boutique hotel or similar
After breakfast, drive to Drepung monastery which will take you 15 minutes drive from your hotel. DREPUNG MONASTERY is the largest monastery in Tibet, built in the 15 th century by Jamyang Choeje who is one of Tsongkapa’s foremost disciple. The monastery is beautifully located up in a hill at the distance of 7 Km from the old section of the city and it is the biggest monastery in Tibetan Buddhism. The monastery has four main colleges with numerous small chapels and house chapels, known as Khangtsen in Tibetan. There are around six hundred monks nowadays. Afternoon, visit Sera and Norbu Lingka. SERA MONASTERY was founded in around 15th century by Jamchen Choeje who is another famous disciple of Tsongka pa and it is the second largest monastery of Tibet. There are three big colleges with numerous chapels and house chapels. The most attraction to visit this monastery is to see the monks debating which hold from 3-5Pm everyday apart from Sunday. NORBU LINGKA is the first summer Palace which was founded by the seventh Dalai Lama in 18 th century and the first Palace Kelsang Podrang was also constructed as the same name as the 7 th Dalai Lama, Kelsang Gyatso. The eight Dalai Lama Jampel Gyatso (1758-1804) did more initiated work on the Norbulingka, expending the gardens and digging a lake which can be found south of the new summer Palace. The thirteenth Dalai Lama (1876-1933) was responsible for the three Palaces in the north west corner of the park and the fourteen the Dalai Lama built the new summer Palace in 1956. Nowadays there are some monks who are taking care of the Palace.
- Day 4: Drive Lhasa-Yamdrok lake-Gyantse-Shigatse.(3900Mts/350Km ) Mansarovar Hotel 3*** on BB
You will start your tour at around 8 am from your hotel and then drive towards Gyantse through 3 big mountain passes, Gampa La, Karo La, Simila respectively. Karola is the highest pass among them which is over 5000Mts with it's most beautiful glaciers, beautiful Yamdrok lake emerged as coral color from the top of Gampala pass. Drive along the beautiful Yamdrok lake and Karola glaciers. Arrival in Gyantse during your lunch time, visit Palchoe monastery and Kubum Pagoda stupa. Continue your journey to Shigatse by passing one of the biggest farming lands in Tibet where people grow barley, wheat, different kinds of vegetables.
- Day 05: Drive from Shigatse to Lhasa (3650Mts/ 280KM ) Lubhum Tsang Boutique hotel or similar
You will start your tour at around 9.30Am from your hotel and drive along the Bharmaputra river with a landscape of sandy hills, villages, and Rulak Yungdrung ling at the otherside of the river. You will have lunch in a small town called Nyenmo which is the border point between Shigatse and Lhasa . Free afternoon for shopping.
- Day 06: Arrive in Kathmandu & transfer to downtown (1,300m/4,264ft/20Km) Hotel
Arrival in Kathmandu and meet our representative at the airport and accompany you to the airport. Afternoon, you will walk around Thamel which is the city center of Kathmandu and it is a very interesting to walk around. You can find all the shops, restaurants in the market.
- Day 07: Kathmandu sightseeing tour. Hotel on B
Soyambunath is the oldest Buddhist stupa in Nepal and it has more than 2000 years history. The distance from your hotel to the stupa is around 15 Km . The stupa is located on the top of a hill and you can enjoy the view of the whole Kathmandu city. After you visit Swayambunath, you will drive to Bouddhanath Stupa which was built in the form of Buddha’s eyes and surrounding the stupa there is a monastery and it is interesting to give a round to the stupa. The Boudhanath stupa has more than thousand years history and it has been listed in the UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE. After lunch, you will visit Kathmandu Durbar Square . Kathmandu Durbar Square is architectonic appraised jewels of the Kathmandu city.(Durbar means palace) In her square, we can admire infinity of temples and Palaces such as, Gaddhi Baithak Durbar, Palace of Rana style, constructed in 1908, Basandabur Durbar, Main building of the old Royal Palace and the Kumari Chowk, the living Goddesses and the Kumari bahal, where her family resides. All these objects are located in Basandapur.
- Day 08: Kathmandu sightseeing tour. Hotel on BB
Today, you will visit Bhkatapur Durbar square and Patan Dubar Square in the morning. Bhaktapur Durbar square is the old Royal Palace of the Bhaktapur Kingdom and it is around 13km from Kathmandu city center. Bhaktapur Durpar square has also been listed in the UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE. After that you will be driving to Patan Durbar square and have lunch in Patan. Patan Durbar square is the Royal Palace of Malla Kings of Lalitpur and it has also been listed in the UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE. After the sightseeing Patan Durbar square, you will be going to visit Pashupatinath. Pashupatinath is a Sacred Pilgrimage site of all Hindus inKathmandu and it is located in the northeast of Kathmandu city center.
- Day 09: Departure for Bhutan. End the Nepal Trip. Arrival in Paro and transfer to Thimphu ( 2350m/50km ). Hotel on LD
Your adventure in Nepal comes to the end today! Our representative will accompany you to the airport. We recommend to leave from your hotel 2-3 hours before your scheduled flight. Say good bye to the ancient city of Kathmandu and fly to Bhutan. Your introduction to our enchanting kingdom begins on a flight over the Himalayas into the lush green valley of Paro; truly one of the world’s most spectacular sights. Flying into Paro, Bhutan is a unique experience altogether. You will view the world’s highest, most majestic peaks and enjoy the view of the approaching valley with its primeval alpine forest, monasteries, temples and farmhouse nestled in splendid mountain isolation. On arrival to Paro you will be received by our representative, the tour guide, and driven to Thimphu, the capital city, On the way we will vist Tachhog lhakhang .In the next one hour. Towards late afternoon, we will do sightseeing in Thimphu including visits to the Memorial Chorten and Kuenselphodrang where the world’s biggest Buddha
- Day 10: Sightseeing in Thimphu. Hotel on BLD
Morning Excursion to Tango: drive 12 kilometers North of Thimphu town for half an hour till the base of Tango Hill. It is a 45-minute hike to Tango Monastery, a renowned Buddhist College and a site blessed by many great Buddhist masters over nearly a thousand years. “Tango” literally means “horse-head” named after the rock formation on the side of the temple that resembles the head of a horse. Picnic lunch will be served near the river bank after we cross a traditional wooden bridge near Cheri Zam. Afternoon Visit the “School for Thirteen Traditional Arts and Crafts”, the Traditional Medicine Centre which includes a herbal medicine manufacturing unit. Visit Bhutan post office, and then finally Trashichhodzong, the Central Secretariat of the Royal Government of Bhutan.
- Day 11: Thimphu to Paro valley ( 2250m/50km ) Hotel on BLD
Today, we go to a place that has become a must for every visitor to Bhutan – the hike up to the “Tiger’s Nest” or Taktshang monastery. This religious edifice, about 800 meters above the Paro valley floor, is built on a dizzying ledge of a gigantic granite cliff that hangs on a mountainside. Buddhists consider the place so holy that to visit it once in a lifetime is considered a must. As to how it could have been constructed in the 17th century remains a mystery; a story has it that celestial nymphs (Khandromas) aided in its construction. It was here that Padmasambhava, an eighth century master who is considered to be the second Buddha in the Himalayan Buddhist world, mediated and concealed religious teachings for the future generations. After Taktshang visit, we stop for lunch at a cafeteria en- route, and then descend further to drive to the ruined fortress at Drugyal Dzong. The Dzong – whose name means “Fortress of Victory” – commemorates the victory of Bhutanese over Tibetan invaders in the 17th century. From here, we can see the snow-clad Mount Jumolhari (Abode of Goddess Jumo, alt. 7,329 m), one of the most sacred and beautiful peaks in Bhutan. On our way back to our hotel, we visit Kyichu Lhakhang (temple) which was built in the seventh century. If time permits, we will visit a farmhouse for a cup of Bhutanese tea (Suja) and experience Bhutanese hospitality.
- Day 12: Paro Departure: Paro town to Paro international airport ( 5km )
Say good bye to the most unique and beautiful town of Paro and take our journey back home by taking a great Himalayan mountain view flight.