- Day 01: Arrival in Lhasa by train or air and transfer to downtown Lhasa (3650mts/45km) 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, start your Tibet tour, take a short walk to Potala Palace which will take you 15 minutes from your hotel.
POTALA PALACE the Potala 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 9 th 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 04: 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 Rongbuk moanstery. (5000mts/ 340Km ) Guest house on B.B
Visit Tashi Lhunpo monastery, the seat of the Penchen Lama and the biggest monastery in the Tsang region or in the western part of Tibet. You will finish your sightseeing by around 11Am and then continue your journey towards Rongbuk, driving through two big mountain passes, Gyatso la 5220Mts, Pangla pass 5000Mts, and some beautiful villages and the first view of Mount Everest from the foot of Gyatso la pass.
- Day 06: Explore Everest Base Camp and then transfer to Sakya monastery ,4050Mts/ 240Km. Mansarovar hotel on BB
Explore Everest Base Camp by taking a conservative bus to the Everest base camp or by walk. If you walk to Everet base camp, it will take you to two hrs to get there. On the way you can visit a miraculous cave of Padmasamvawa . After two hrs trek, you get to the Everest base camp. It is the best point of enjoying the world's highest mountain and taking photos of it. Trek back to Rongbuk monastery and have lunch. Afternoon, drive back to Sakya monastery by taking a loop tour via Drila pass through Tingkye county. From the top of Drila pass, you will have the most beautiful view of Lhotse, Makalu and Everest base camp. Have evening visit to the monastery and monks debating.
- Day 07: Drive from Sakya to Lhasa (3650Mts/ 430KM ) Lubhum Tsang Boutique hotel or similar
Start your tour early in the morning 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 08: Drive from Lhasa to Lhasa Gongkar airport.(3600Mts/ 45Km ) End the Tibet Tour Arrive in Kathmandu & transfer to downtown (1,300m/4,264ft/20Km) Hotel
Fly to Kathmandu, 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 09: Kathmandu sightseeing tour. Hotel on BB
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 10: 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 11: End the Nepal trip and fly to Bhutan, Arrival in Paro and transfer to Thimphu ( 2350m/50km/1 h 15 min ) 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 at Buddha point, One of the biggest Buddha statute perched on the hill top that oversees the whole Thimphu city.
- Day 12: Thimphu sightseeing tour. 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 an herbal medicine manufacturing unit. Visit Bhutan post office, and then finally Trashichhodzong, the Central Secretariat of the Royal Government of Bhutan.
- Day 13: Thimphu to Punakha ( 1310m/85km/2 h 26 min) Hotel on BLD
Drive to Punakha (85 Km/2 hours 26 minutes ). Enroute stop at Dochula Pass (3,150 m.) Enjoy a spectacular view of the ranges of the eastern Himalayas if the sky is clear. We will also come across 108 stupas that lend the place an air of deep spirituality. Then drive downhill to the Temple of Fertility at Lobesa, dedicated to the 15th century Buddhist master and iconoclast Drukpa Kuenley, also known as the Divine Madman. Today, the temple is frequented by barren couples to receive the blessings of fertility from a 15th century wooden phallus. Continue to Punakha. After Lunch: Visit Our most significant visit today is Punakha Dzong, a magnificent castle-fortress that served as the old capital of Bhutan. It is considered the best specimen of Bhutanese architecture. Built in 1637 on the confluence of the Pho Chu (Male River) and Mo Chu (Female River,) this fortress monastery is the preserve of Bhutan’s most precious religious relics and treasures. It is in this monument that the kings of Bhutan are crowned and the head of Buddhism in Bhutan (Chief Abbot), is anointed and Visit Walakha Nunnery.
- Day 14: Punakha to Paro ( 2250m/126km/3 h 21 min ) Hotel on BLD
We retrace our journey today, back to Paro via Thimphu where we will stop for lunch. Enroute, we will stop over to enjoy scenic landscapes and places of interest such as the Botanical Park at Lamperi and Tachog Lhakhang (temple) which has an iron chain bridge cast in the 14th century. On reaching Paro, we will visit Rinpung Dzong, literally the “palace-fortress on a heap of jewels”, and the National Museum that is housed in a monument which in the ancient times served as the watch tower during enemy aggressions. 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. In the evening, we will stroll about the town and get an insight into how the Bhutanese society is juggling between the ancient and the modern.
- Day 15: Paro town to Paro airport ( 2250m/5km/10 min )
We say good by to the most beautiful Paro valley and enjoy a great view of the Himalayan mountain peaks including Everest from your aeroplane.