Adventure Holiday in Nepal and Tibet  - 17 Days

Upon our arrival in the Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu, we will be greeted by a representative from Himalayan Glacier who will drop us off at our hotel. After checking in, we take a rest or visit Himalayan Glacier’s office.  In the evening, there will be a welcome dinner hosted by Himalayan Glacier. For dinner, you will be served excellent Nepalese cuisine which will introduce you to the country’s food culture.

After breakfast, we start our tour to four of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kathmandu.  Kathmandu Durbar Square holds the palaces of the ancient kings who ruled over the then Kathmandu Kingdom. Pashupatinath Temple is one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites for Hindus all over the world. We also visit popular Buddhist stupas in Kathmandu. Swayambhunath, is located in the heart of the city and is also called Monkey Temple by the tourists owing to the large number of monkeys in the temple area. Bouddhanath is one of the largest stupas in the world, and one of the holiest Buddhist pilgrimage and tourist destinations in Kathmandu.  The area of Boudhnath is also famous for over 50 Tibetan gompas or monasteries.  Overnight in Kathmandu.

Today, we pay a visit to two ancient cities of the Kathmandu valley. Patan is one of the ancient settlements in the valley about 5km south-east of Kathmandu. The city has also been nicknamed as “The City of Fine Arts.” Patan Durbar Square and the city thoroughfares are full of ancient palaces, temples and shrines, noted for their exquisite carvings. The Patan Durbar Square is also a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site. Patan Museum inside the Durbar Square specializes in bronze statues and religious objects. Bhaktapur, literally meaning “The Town of Devotees” is believed to have existed from the early 9th century AD. Bhaktapur Durbar Square was listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Monument in 1979. The town is believed to have retained some of the charm of the medieval times which is depicted in the lifestyle of the people, the old houses and artworks. Overnight in Kathmandu.

We take an hour-long trans-Himalayan flight to Lhasa, Tibet early in the morning. The flight takes us over Everest (8,848m), Kanchenjunga (8,536m) and other Himalayan peaks and glaciers. Upon our arrival in Lhasa, a representative from Himalayan Glacier will pick us up from the airport for about an hour’s drive to our designated hotel in Lhasa.  We are advised to take plenty of rest for the remainder of the day in order to minimize altitude sickness. Overnight in Lhasa.

We begin sightseeing in Lhasa after breakfast. Today is the day we visit the beautiful Potala and Norbulingka Palaces. Built in the 17^th century, Potala Palace provides amazing views of the entire city and houses the private quarters of the Dalai Lama, numerous grand state rooms and chapels. Norbulingka Palace is the summer palace of the Dalai Lama and houses what is considered to be the largest man-made garden in Tibet. Next, we visit the Tibet Traditional Hospital which is the center for the treatment, training, research and production of Tibetan medicine. Overnight in Lhasa.

After breakfast we visit Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Bazaar.  Drepung Monastery, which was built in the 14^th century, is believed to have sheltered around 10,000 monks in the past but as of now there has been quite a declination resulting in only a few hundred. The history, culture, and religious beliefs of the Tibetan people are strongly concentrated and centered in this marvelous monastery.  Sera Monastery is a preserved monastery of white-washed walls and golden roofs. Jokhang Temple is another important sacred site which unravels more deep-seated mysteries of Tibetan Buddhism. We further stroll through Barkhor Bazaar (market). With its open air stalls, shops and crowd of pilgrims, it is the nerve centre of Lhasa. Overnight in Lhasa.

Today, we take a scenic drive to Gyantse. On the way we cross the Khamba La Pass (4,794m) with a brief halt to savor the beauty of the Yamdrok Tso (Turquoise Lake), one of the three largest sacred lakes in Tibet and the beautiful Nazin Kang Sang glacier (7,252m). Soon, we come across another pass, The Karo La Pass (5,045m). From our vehicle, we can enjoy views of huge glaciers tumbling down into the road before reaching Gyantse. In Gyantse, we visit the Khumbum Stupa, Phalkot Monastery and Gyantse Dzong (Fortress), which is one of the best preserved dzongs in Tibet. Overnight in Gyantse.

After breakfast, we drive towards Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet. On the way, we visit Shalu Monastery. Founded in 1040, Shalu Monastery is known for its beautiful and ancient mural paintings. Next, we continue to Shigatse. In Shigatse, we visit the popular Tashilhunpo Monastery which holds both historical and cultural importance for being founded by Gendun Drup, the First Dalai Lama in 1447. After sightseeing in Shigatse, we will have the remainder of the day free for resting. This will help us with acclimatization and the next day’s long drive. Overnight in Shigatse.

After breakfast, we visit the Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse. It holds both historical and cultural importance for being founded by Gendun Drup, the First Dalai Lama in 1447. Today, we also cross the two high passes, the Gyula and Gyatso La (5,220m). Then, we descend to the plains and reach Sakya. Here, we visit the Sakya Monastery, which is the ancestral temple of Sakyapa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. We further move ahead towards Rongbuk, a valley only around 8 km away from the Everest Base Camp (5,250m/17,220ft). On the way, we get brilliant views of Mt. Everest (8,848m/29,029ft), and other high Himalayan peaks over 8000 meters. Upon reaching Rongbuk, we visit Rongbuk Monastery, the highest monastery on earth. Overnight in Rongbuk.

First, we drive to Zhangmu, a major trading hub between Tibet and Nepal. A few kilometers drive from Zhangmu to the Friendship Bridge over the Bhote Koshi River brings us to immigration control in Kodari where we are expected to complete some custom formalities. Then, we drive a little further to our ultimate destination, The Last Resort for pursuing adventure activity of our choice the next day. Upon reaching The Last Resort we take a rest in order to better prepare ourselves for the next day’s activities. Overnight in The Last Resort.

We can spend the morning pursuing adventure sports of our choice – canyoning or bungee jumping/swing. (you are required to pay for the activity on your own). While canyoning, we pass through sheer cliffs and slides to pounding waterfalls. Bungee jumping and swing is another adrenaline filled adventure which is a popular adventure activity among the locals and tourists alike. Whether we are leaping off a bridge for the bungee or sliding down glass-smooth rocks while canyoning, we will definitely have an amazing experience. In the mid-afternoon, we drive to Kathmandu enjoying the amazing hill landscape. Overnight in Kathmandu.

This day is set aside for white water rafting, one of the most popular adventure sports in Nepal. Battling these rapids will be fun although we mostly raft through calm sections of the Trishuli River with occasional rapids. The green vegetation, curious villagers and the river banks are ours to marvel at. We raft for around 3 hours. Lunch will be served by the riverside in between the rafting. After completing our rafting journey, we continue with our drive to Chitwan, a city famous for housing Chitwan National Park (CNP), which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Overnight in Chitwan.

Early in the morning, we will be mounted on elephants for a jungle safari through dense grasslands to witness wildlife in their natural habitat. After breakfast, we visit the elephant stables and even enjoy bathing the elephants. During the afternoon we can drive through the jungles followed by a canoe ride down the Rapti River. While canoeing, we may get a close look at the Gharial and Mugger crocodiles along with fresh water dolphins, otters and varieties of water birds. Or, we may even go for bird watching or nature walks and come closer to a variety of wild flora and fauna found in the park. Overnight in Chitwan.

After breakfast, we leave Chitwan for Pokhara, also known as The Lake City owing to the large number of lakes in the city. The road first passes through the subtropical jungles and fertile vegetation in Chitwan. As we leave Chitwan, the landscape changes. We see hills, small settlements and terraced farms. Upon our arrival in Pokhara, the beautiful lake city, we are rewarded with magnificent views of the Himalayas including Dhaulagiri (8,167m), Manaslu (8,156m), Machhapuchhre (6,993m), the five peaks of Annapurna and others. We check-in to our hotel and take a rest. We may also stroll in the streets of Pokhara and just enjoy being in one of the most beautiful cities of Nepal. Overnight in Pokhara.

Early in the morning we leave for Sarangkot, a hill that overlooks the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges in the north and Pokhara city in the south. From here, we catch amazing views of the sun as it rises in the mighty Himalayas. We then head back to Pokhara and continue touring the city’s landmarks. Davis Falls is a unique waterfall that flows directly into a narrow and deep canal which has no end. The Shiva Cave is located near Davis Fall and houses a shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva, a primary Hindu God. We also do some boating in Phewa Lake, the largest lake in Pokhara and visit Bindyabasini Temple located at the center of the Lake. We visit the famous International Mountain Museum (IMM) that records, documents and chronicles the past and present development of mountaineering activities in the world and the Himalayas in particular. We also tour the Tibetan refugee camp and witness how the refugees keep themselves busy by producing and trading woolen carpets and other handicraft items. Overnight in Pokhara.

After breakfast, we say goodbye to the beautiful northern skyline of Pokhara and drive towards Kathmandu. This will be a journey along river banks with wonderful views of hills and rural Nepalese lifestyle. After reaching Kathmandu, we take rest or do some souvenir shopping. To celebrate the successful completion of our journey, we will have a farewell dinner in the evening.

Our adventure in Tibet and Nepal comes to an end today! A representative from Himalayan Glacier will take us to the airport approximately 3 hours before the scheduled flight.