Kathmandu Tibet Tour -12 days

This day you will arrive to Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal. Receive you at Kathmandu airport upon arrival and drive to hotel.

Breakfast and you will explore Pashupatinath, Nepal's most important Hindu Temple. It is located along the banks of the holy river of Bagmati and draws many Hindu pilgrims each day. Afterwards, you will explore the area in and around Boudha, home to the largest Buddhist Stupa in all of Asia. Boudha is located just outside of Kathmandu and is nearly 1400 years old. After lunch, you will wander around the ancient UNESCO World Heritage site of Durbar Square in Kathmandu. The square is full of traditional Newari architecture that is rare to find in modern times.

After breakfast, you will make the short drive out of Kathmandu to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bhaktapur, Nepal's best preserved ancient city. Bhaktapur lies just 15 kilometers outside of Kathmandu and is filled with old temples and palaces and amazing religious architecture. You will spend the day exploring the ancient city before returning to Kathmandu in the late afternoon.

Free day on your own, preparing and walking around Thamel.

Breakfast and transfer to airport to get flight to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. When you arrive to Lhasa, you will be met by your guide and transported to your hotel. You can spend the afternoon wandering around the Barkhor, Tibet’s ancient market area that surrounds Jokhang Temple. Each day thousands of Buddhist pilgrims make their way around this sacred temple.

You will explore the Jokhang, the holiest Buddhist temple in the Himalaya’s. Founded nearly 1400 years ago, Jokhang Temple houses the most sacred statue of Buddha. You will work your way through this fascinating temple alongside Buddhist pilgrims from the faraway regions of Tibet. The sound of pilgrims chanting mantras fills the air as does the smell of yak butter candle offerings. In the afternoon, you will go to the 600 year old Sera, one of Tibet’s largest Buddhist monasteries. Each weekday afternoon starting at 3pm, monks engage in Buddhist philosophy debates, which are fun to photograph.

You will start the day by exploring the Potala Palace, Tibet’s most iconic building. Towering above Lhasa with more than 1000 rooms, the Potala Palace served as the winter residence of the Dalai Lama’s for hundreds of years. After lunch, you will go to Drepung, another of Tibet’s huge monastic complexes. The pilgrimage circuit around Drepung takes about an hour or so and offers spectacular views.

After breakfast, you will hit the road and begin the next part of your Tibet adventure. From Lhasa, you will drive along the scenic Kyi Chu River Valley and then ascend to the top of the 4794 meter Kamba La Pass, which has a breathtaking view of Yamdrok Lake and 7191 meter Mt. Nojin Kangtsang. You will then descend and drive along the lakeshore before making your way back up to the Karo La, a beautiful glacier that comes down almost to the roadside. In the late afternoon, you will arrive in Gyantse lunch and visit around there and continue drive to Shigatse.

Wake up and visit Tahilhumpo monastery in the morning, and we continue drive up the 5100 meter Geu La Pass. On clear days, this pass offers a stunning panoramic view of the Himalaya’s. You can see four 8000 meter peaks from this pass including Cho Oyu, Makalu, Lhotse and Everest. You will continue on to Rongphu, the highest monastery in the world at just under 5000 meters. Rongphu has an unbelievable view of Everest! From Rongphu, you will then go to Everest Base Camp at nearly 5200 meters.

After watching the sunrise over Everest, you will continue your journey to Gyirong. From the town of Old Tingri, you will start ascending the Thong La Pass, which rises to 5130 meters and has a great view of Mt. Shisha Pangma, the 14th highest peak on the planet at 8012 meters. From the Thong La Pass, you will begin the long descent to Kathmandu. For the night, you will stay at the Tibet-Nepal border- Gyirong town.

In the morning you will say goodbye to your Tibetan guide and driver and cross over into Nepal where you will be greeted by your Nepali guide and driver. You will follow the scenic Bhote Koshi River and stop in the town of Barabise, Nepal for lunch before continuing on to the Nepali capital of Kathmandu. Your journey will conclude once you arrive in Kathmandu.

You will be transferred to the Kathmandu Airport to get your flight back to home.