Tibet to Kathmandu Tour  - 6 Days

We arrive in Lhasa either from a direct flight from Nepal or via mainland China. If we decide to fly from Nepal, then we get to enjoy a beautiful hour-long trans-Himalayan flight that takes us over Everest (8,848m), Kanchenjunga (8,536m) and other Himalayan peaks and glaciers. If we choose to go to Lhasa via mainland China, we may fly from any of the major Chinese cities or take the world’s highest train route to Lhasa. Upon our arrival in Lhasa, a representative from Himalayan Glacier will pick us up either from the airport or the train station 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 14th 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.

After breakfast, we embark on a pleasant drive to Shigatse, the second biggest city in Tibet via Gyantse. We drive past Khamba La (4,794m) pass and savor the enthralling views of Yomdrok-Tso (Turquoise Lake), one of the Holy Lakes in Tibet and Mt. Nazin Kang Sa (7,252m). Further to the west, we come across another pass, Karo La (5,045m) and take in amazing 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 a 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 (4,500m/14,763ft) and Gyatso La (5,220m/17,125ft) passes. We reach Shegar, a small town around evening and spend the night there.

Early in the morning we leave Shegar for Kathmandu. On the way, we cross the Lalung La (5,124m/16,068 ft) and Shung La (5,200m/17,056 ft) passes which offer enchanting views of the Himalayas-Shishapangma, Cho Oyu, Menlungtse and Gauri Shanker. We then descend gradually from the dry Tibetan Plateau to the fertile vegetation of Zhangmu. 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. After around 4 hours of driving through deep valleys, we reach Kathmandu. In the evening, we enjoy authentic Nepalese food on our farewell dinner hosted by Himalayan Glacier.