Day 01

ARRIVAL –KATHMANDU
Kathmandu
The small mountain sheltered valley; the arrival and visit point for the visitors is the historical and architectural centerpoint of Nepal which was crowned with the title of "Capital City" after the great unification of Nepal in 1768 AD.
Welcome With Flower Garlands & Transfer To Hotel. Check Into Hotel Rooms.

Evening: Trek Briefing
Overnight at the HOTEL.

Day 02

Breakfast at the coffee shop of the Hotel.
AM Sightseeing tour of Boudhnath & Pashupatinath.

Boudhanath
This is the largest stupa in Nepal and one of the largest in the world. It is a religious center for Nepal’s considerable population of Tibetans and there a number of thriving monasteries around the stupa which have their own self- importance.


Pashupatinath
Pashupatinath the most important Hindu temple in Nepal, it’s one of the most important Shiva temples on the subcontinent and draws numerous devotees from all over India each year. Pashupati is considered to have a special concern for the kingdom of Nepal.


PM Sightseeing tour of Patan, Patan Durbar Square & Swayambunath.

Patan
Patan is 15 minutes drive from Kathmandu. Lalitpur, the city of beauty is separated from Kathmandu only by the Bagmati River and is the second largest town in the valley. Lalitpur is fragmented from other cities due to its substantive architectural ancient masterpieces. Patan’s central Durbar Square is absolutely packed with temples: it’s an architectural center point with a far greater concentration of temples per sq. meter than in Kathamandu or Bhaktapur.

Swayambhunath
The Buddhist temple of Swayambhunath, situated on the top of a hill west of the city, is one of the most popular and instantly recognizable symbols of Nepal. Geologists believe that the Kathmandu Valley was once a lake and legends relate that the hill on which Swayambhunath stands was an island in that lake.
Transfer to Hotel.
Overnight Hotel.

Day 03

Kathmandu/ Lhasa Flight
Arrive Gongar Airport & Drive to Lhasa (359km). Overnight Hotel.

Lhasa - The Land of Gods
Lhasa, the capital of the Tibetan Autonomous Region is located between 29o 36’North and 19 o 06’ East on the north bank of Kyichu river, a tributary of the Yearlong Tsangpo River at an altitude of 3650 meters above sea level. Lhasa has a history of more than 1300 years and it’s been the centre of politics, economy, culture and religion in Tibet since ancient times.

Day 04

Sighteeing tour of Potala Palace & Drepung Monastery.

Potala Palace
The Potala, one of the most famous architectural works in Tibet, is erected on top of the Red Hill in Lhasa. The word "Potala" comes from Sanskrit. In the 7th century, after the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo’s marriage with Princess Wencheng of the Tang Court, the Palace was built for meditation. In the mid-17th century, it was re-built by the 5th Dalai Lama to its present size, and ever since it became the Winter Palace of the Dalai Lamas. The construction took fifty years from its beginning to completion. The Potala is divided into two sections, namely, the Red Palace and White Palace. The total height of the Potala is 117 meters built in thirteen stories, the length of the Palace from east to west 400 meters and the breadth from south to north 350 meters. The whole building is a structure of stone and timber. The top most floor glistens with golden roofs. It is a majestic architectural work and the cream of Tibetan culture.

Drepung Monastery
Situated five Km’s distance from the western suburbs of Lhasa at the foot of Mt. Ganpoi Uze. This monastery was also founded by Jamyang Choje in 1416. The monastery, occupying an area of 250,000 square meters with a fixed number of 7,700 monks, is the largest monastery in Tibet. The monastery keeps plentiful historical relics, Buddhist scriptures, arts and crafts.
O/N Hotel.

Day 05

Sightseeing tour of Sera Monastery and Jokhang Temple. O/N Hotel.

Sera Monastery
Sera, around 5km north of central Lhasa, is along with Drepung one of Lhasa's two great Gelugpa monasteries. Sera is famous for its "Buddhism Scriptures Debating": monks can be seen preparing for monastic exam by staging mock debates in the ritual way. Some sit cross-legged under the trees, while others run from group to group giving vigorous hand-claps to end a statement or make a point. Master and dignitaries sit on the raised tiers when a real exam takes place.

Jokhang Temple
Jokhang temple built in 647 AD, is the spiritual centre of Tibet and the holiest destination of the Tibetan Buddhist pilgrims. It houses the sitting statue of Sakyamuni when he was 12 years old.

Barkhor Bazzar is the earliest street of old Lhasa city circling
the Jokhang temple.

Day 06

Drive to Gyantse (93km). Overnight Gyantse

Gyantse (13050 ft):
A small agricultural town, famous for its wool carpets and the Phalkor Choide Chorten. Between a monastery and fort, this unique structure, built in 1414 consists of five stories representing the five steps to enlightenment, topped by thirteen rings, symbolizing the stages of advancement towards Buddhahood. There are 108 (a sacred number in Buddhism) halls inside, each with frescoes and Buddha Shrines, the frescoes showing a strong Indian influence. Before 1959 traders coming from Kalimpong and Gangtok (India) used to enter Tibet through Yandong and then to Gyantse, en route to Lhasa.

Day 07

Drive to Shigatse (245km). Overnight Shigatse.

It is situated between 29 o 02’N and 88 o 08’E in the south-west of the Tibet Autonomous Region, where Nyangchu River joins the Yarlung Tsangpo River. Shigatse is the second biggest town in Tibet and it is the centre of transportation and the distribution centre for agriculture and husbandry products of the south-eastern part of Tibet. "Shigatse" in Tibetan means: " the Estate that fulfills one’s Wishes

Visit Tashilunpo Monastery.
Shigatse is famous for its Tashilhunpo Monastery, it is the seat of the Panchen Lama, who is regarded as the reincarnation of the Buddha of Endless Enlightenment. Items of interest inside this monastery, built in 1447 by the first Dalai Lama, are the relics of Sakyamuni, the Hall of Maitreya, and a vast collection of thankas, frescoes and statues. There is a bustling ‘free’ market at the foot of the ruins of the Shigatse Fortress where one can buy local handicrafts embedded with coral and turquoise, Tibetan daggers, Chinese porcelain and yak butter.

Day 08

Drive to Old Dingri (257km).
Dingri is an old Tibetan settlement with typical clustered Tibetan styled housing at the foot of small hillock. A short exploration in the settlement can expose you to a typical remote Tibetan lifestyle. Right from the roadside of Tingri, you can see the MT EVEREST towards the southern direction

Day 09

Drive to Zhangmu. O/N Zhangmu.
A small settlement clinging to a hillside 10Kms. from the Friendship Bridge (Nepal-Tibet border) across the Bhotekoshi river. Since the closure of the China / India border from Gangtok, Zhangmu has become the major trading point between Tibet and Nepal. The climate is quite different from the hinterland. The hills around Zhangmu are heavily wooded with many waterfalls in summer and impressive ice formations in winter

Day 10

Drive to Kathmandu.
Transfer to Hotel.
Free time on your own.
Overnight Hotel.

Day 11

Breakfast at the coffee shop of the Hotel.
Transfer to International airport for departure with farewell Khata (white scarf).