Day 1: Your arrival at Kathmandu Airport. Thereafter you will be received by our Airport Representative and transferred to hotel. O/N at Kathmandu hotel.
Day 2: Today you will take extensive sightseeing tour around the valley including Pashupatinath temple, Boudhanath stupa, Swayambhunathnath stupa and Kathmandu Durbar Square. O/N at hotel.
Day 3: Drive Kathmandu to Zhangmu (altitude - 2300m/ 7,544ft) - Meeting at Nepal Trailblazer Trekking Company office at 6 AM. And 5 hour drive to Kodari (China / Nepal border) then onto Zhangmu. On the drive, you will see a variety of landscapes and mountains views as you pass through Nepal to Tibet. As well as the scenery, the Nepali and Tibetan market center of Khasa is of interest. Overnight stay at guesthouse or hotel.
Day 4: Zhangmu to Xegar (altitude - 4050m/ 13,284ft) - Drive from Zhangmu to Nylam through the Nylam passes at 3800 meters (12,464ft) and continue via Lalungla pass (5050m/ 16,564ft) to Xegar.
Highlights of this drive are the views of the Bhotekosi River deep in the valley, waterfalls and the ever-present spectacular mountain scenery. Here you will see the Jugal mountain range, Mt. Xixapangma (at 8013m/ 26,282ft, the highest peak in Tibet), Mt. Makalu (8463m/ 27,766ft), Mt. Everest (8848m/ 29,028ft), Mt. Lhotse (8516m/ 27,940ft) and Mt. Cho-Oyu (8201m/ 26,899ft). Stay overnight in guesthouse or hotel.
Day 5: Xegar to Xigatse (altitude - 3900m/ 12,792ft) - This area is famous for the Tashilhunpo and Sakya monasteries.
- Tashilhunpo monastery: The Tashilhunpo Monastery does justice to the term monastic city. It was founded in 1447 by Tsong Khapa's nephew and disciple, Gendundrub, who was the first Dalai Lama. Under the fourth Panchen Lama, it was substantially enlarged and became an important cultural and religious site. The main chapel contains a huge, 26 meter-high statute of the future Buddha. The monastery is grandly decorated with arts, ancient scriptures and scroll paintings.
- Sakya monastery: The Sakya monastery originally consisted of two large complexes on either side of the Trum River. Both the north monastery, founded in the 11th century and Sakya south, founded in 1268 by Phagpa, have uniquely significant status with Tibetan pilgrims. The monastery offers you libraries of spiritual books as well as artwork and a chance to see the grand residence of the monks.
Day 6: Xigatse to Gyantse (altitude - 3950m/ 12,956ft) - Gyantse, lying 264 km southwest of Lhasa on the northern bank of the Nyang Chu River, is of historical significance. In the 15th century it served as the capital of a small kingdom. Today, Gyantse retains a deeply Tibetan character. The principle structures consist of a castle on a ridge overlooking the town and a walled monastic complex.
The monastery includes the massive temple of Palkhor Chode and the great multi-chapel Kumbum Chorten. These religious monuments, part of Gyantse's ancient monastic town, contain some of the most extraordinary works of art in Tibet. Overnight in a guesthouse or hotel.
Day 7: Gyantse to Lhasa (altitude - 3650m/ 11,972ft) - Drive from Gyantse through Karo-la pass at 5010 meters (16,432ft) and onto the Khambala pass at 4794 meters (15,729ft). The former climbs two lofty mountains, the Nozing khang sa (7223m/ 23,691ft) and the Ralung (6236m/ 20,454ft).
On this day, you will also see the wonderful Yamdrok Tso Lake (turquoise lake) and the Brahmaputra River as well as the ever-present views of the interesting and unusual landscape. Spend the night in a guesthouse or hotel in Lhasa.
Day 8-9: Lhasa Tour - These days you will be engrossed with sightseeing and excursions of the Potala Palace, the Jokhang Temple, the near-by Barkhor market, Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery and other fascinating places in Lhasa.
Day 10: 96 km drive from Lhasa city to Gongar airport, then flight to Kathmandu. The flight will give you an eyeful of mountains; Mt Kanchenjunga (8586m/ 28,169ft), Mt. Everest (8848m/ 29.028ft), Mt. Makalu (8463m/ 27,766ft) and others.
Day 11 Drive to Airport for your onward Journey
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Start your journey to Tibet with a spectacular flight over the snow capped Himalayan mountains past Mt. Everest, Malaku and Kanchanjunga. In Lhasa visit the famous Potala and Norbulinkha palaces, the great Drepung Monastery, Jokhang Temple, and walk amongst the crowded Tibetan market - the bustling Barkor Bazaar.Drive past the beautiful Turquoise lake on the way to the historic town of Gyantse with its unique multi-storied Kumbum Stupa. Our itinerary also includes the famous but rarely visited Shalu and Sakya Monasteries. After visiting the Tashilungpo at Shigatse we start our drive over the Himalayas by way of the incredible Arniko Highway that connects Kathmandu with Lhasa.
