Nepal and Tibet Tour  - 14 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 authentic Nepalese cuisine which will introduce you to the country’s food culture.

In Patan, nicknamed “The City of Fine Arts” we visit Patan Durbar Square which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The durbar square is full of ancient palaces, temples and shrines, noted for their exquisite carvings. Today we also visit Bhaktapur, a city that has still retained its ancient charm. Bhaktapur Durbar Square is also another World Heritage Site. 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.

Today is the day we visit the beautiful Palace which was built in the 17^th century. The palace provides amazing views of the entire city and houses the private quarters of the Dalai Lama, numerous grand state rooms and chapels. 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.

After breakfast, we drive towards Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet. We drive past Khamba La Pass (4,794m) and savor the views of Yomdrok-Tso (Turquoise Lake), one of the holiest lakes in Tibet and the spectacular Mt. Nazin Kang Sa (7,252m). Further to the west, we come across another pass, Karo La (5045m) from where we get great views of the majestic glaciers. Upon reaching Gyantse, we visit the Khumbum Stupa, phalkot Monastery and Gyantse Dzong (fortress), which is one of the best preserved dzongs in Tibet. From Gyantse, we continue to Shigatse enjoying captivating mountain landscape along the way. Overnight in Shigatse.

After breakfast, we visit the most popular landmark of Shigatse, the Tashilhunpo Monastery, which holds both historical and cultural importance for being founded by Gendun Drup, the first Dalai Lama in 1447. Then, we drive to Shegar via Sakya. In Sakya, we visit the Sakya Monastery, which is the ancestral temple of Sakyapa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Today, we also cross Tso La (4,500/14,763ft) and Gyatso La (5,220m/17,125ft) passes. We reach Shegar, a small town around evening and spend the night there.

From Shegar we head for the Everest Base Camp, which is also one of the highlights of the trip. Reaching the base of the world’s highest mountain is an achievement in its own right. So, we spend some time taking pictures and enjoy the amazing Himalayan vista with the world’s highest peak, Mt. Everest, soaring above us.  We then drive back to Rongbuk and visit the Rongbuk Monastery, the highest monastery on earth. Overnight in Rongbuk.

Note that on rare occasions due to bad weather or political riots the local government may close down the road to the Everest base camp for safety reasons and without prior notice.

First, we drive to Zhangmu, a major trading hub between Tibet and Nepal. A few kilometers drive from Zhangmu 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.

* If ‘The Last Resort’ is not available for booking, the adventure activities will be carried out by ‘Borderlands Resort’

Today we spend time abseiling, sliding, jumping, climbing and swimming. These are all important aspects of canyoning, our ultimate quest for today. While canyoning, we pass through sheer cliffs and slides to pounding waterfalls. Feeling the adrenalin buzz while leaping off waterfalls and sliding down glass-smooth rocks will be an amazing experience for any adventure enthusiast and nature lover. Overnight at The Last Resort.

This day is set aside for white water rafting, one of the most popular adventure sports in Nepal. While rafting, we come across all kinds of rapids not too far from one another. Battling these rapids will be a challenge. However, we also occasionally raft through calm sections of the river. During this time we admire the natural beauty of the surrounding areas. The green vegetation, curious villagers and the river banks are ours to marvel at. After completing our rafting journey, we head back to Kathmandu around evening and spend the night there.

After early breakfast, we drive to Chitwan, a city located at the foot of the Churia range and famous for housing Chitwan National park (CNP), the first national park in Nepal, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Upon reaching Chitwan, we either take a jungle safari or a nature walk depending on the time of our arrival in Chitwan. During the safari, we go deep into the jungle and spot deer, the endangered one-horn rhinoceros, and other wild animal. If we are lucky, we may even spot the elusive Royal Bengal Tiger. During nature walks, we enjoy the company of a wide variety of flora and fauna and spend some time bird watching. Overnight in Chitwan.

Today, we excite the animal lover inside us. Early in the morning, we will be mounted on elephant backs 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 either 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 engage ourselves in bird-watching or nature walk and come closer to a variety of wild flora and fauna found in the park. In the evening (if one wishes to take part) there will be a presentation on the wide range of flora and fauna of CNP. Overnight in Chitwan.

Early in the morning, we engage ourselves in bird watching as Chitwan National Park is also home to a large variety of resident and migratory birds. We then have breakfast and drive towards Kathmandu. Our journey will be on the Terai plains while in and near Chitwan and gradually move to a more winding road as we come closer to Kathmandu. Along the way, we can enjoy the beautiful hilly terrains and small houses and reach Kathmandu in the evening. To celebrate the successful completion of our journey, we will have a farewell dinner in the evening.

Our ultimate adventure in Nepal and Tibet comes to an end today! A Himalayan Glacier representative will escort us to the airport approximately 3 hours before our scheduled flight. On our way home, we have plenty of time to plan our next adventure.