17 Days Scenic Tour of Tibet and Nepal

Upon your arrival, your local tour guide will pick you up at the airport/railway station and escort you to your hotel in Lhasa. The rest of the day is for you to take a good rest so as to adapt yourself to the high altitude of Lhasa.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

In the morning, we visit the famous Potala palace and explore the grandest of this myriad chapel, and its audience halls, the jeweled and Golden burial chortens (stupa Tombs) of past Dalai Lamas, and tremendous number of Buddhist frescoes, thangkas, combinations of mandala, etc.

Tibet Museum is an important window to introduce the glorious culture of Tibet, as a free Museum in Lhasa, you couldn’t afford to miss it.

In the afternoon, pay a visit to the holist temple in Tibet, the Johkang Temple, built during Songtsen Gonpo's reign by princess Wencheng of Tang Dynasty, 647 A.D, and its famous Barkor Kora (the religious circling around Barkhor street)

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Today, you will visit two important monasteries in Lhasa, the Drepung and the Sera.

Drepung monastery, founded by Jamyang Choeje in 1416, is situated at the foothill of a mountain. It was once home to10000 monks and Ganden podrang in Drepung was famous for its vital political role during the fifth dalai lama and later was moved to the famous potala palace during the fifth dalai lama.

After lunch, we continue to visit the Sera Monastery founded in 1419 by Tsongkapa's disciple Jamchen Choeje. The most dramatic scene is its Buddhist Scriptures debate held in the debating courtyard mostly around 6:00 - 7:30 in the afternoon.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

In the morning, drive from Lhasa to Lake Namtso, one of the four holy lakes of Tibet and also the highest saline lake in the world. On the way, you can see snow-capped Nyenchen Thanglha Mountain Ranges and lots of nomads and their tent with grazing yak and sheep densely-populated on the flourishing grassland (in summer). Besides, you can enjoy the view of the Sky-Road Railway with snow mountain background; while standing at the famous Lagenla Pass(5190m), you can view the stunning vista of holy Namtso Lake.

Then we can enjoy our time doing a leisurely trek around Tashi Dor Island and along the lakeshore.

Drive back to Damxung. (For environment protection, the Lakeshore guesthouses were close by the government.)

Stay overnight in Damxung.

After breakfast, we will first visit Chimelong Nunnery (Phyirmil Lung Nunnery). Roam over the peaceful small nunnery and get an idea of different Buddhist studies in Tibet, you may also spot a sky burial site (Tibet funeral site) in the distance.

Then, we can go to Tsurphu Monastery, the seat of the Karmapa branch of the Kagyupa order of Tibetan Buddhism.  Here, you can learn more about the ‘Black Hats', the Karma Kagyupa school of Tibetan Buddhism. In the summertime (June to September), we can also go for a ‘ Linka outing’ (Tibetan-style picnic) in the small village at the foot of the hill of Tsurphu Monastery.

Finally, we will drive back to Lhasa.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Today’s Cultural Tips: Sky burial is a funeral practice commonly seen in Tibet. The corpse will be disposed of and later devoured by vultures. In Tibetan Buddhism, sky burial is believed to represent their wishes to go to heaven. Only family members of the dead can attend the funeral.

Passing by the green farmland of Nyangchu Valley, Holy Yamdro-tso lake, Grand Karo-la glacier roadside at 4960m, we move westwards to the second biggest city Shigatse, an Area spiritually hosted by Pamchan Lama.

Today's highlights are Yamdro-tso Lake and Kubum monastery in Gyantse. Yamdro-tso Lake is shaped like coiling scorpion with deep blue in colour and Kubum monastery has a 35m-high chorten (stupa) with its white layers trimmed with decorative stripes and its crown-like golden dome.

Stay overnight in Shigatse

Drive westwards the Friendship way to Tingri. There is about 90km bumpy road from Tingri to Rongpuk. From Tingri to E.B.C tourists will experience bumpy road, pass the wild grassland, cross the rapids river and high mountains.

If the weather is fine, you can have a glimpse of four mountains which are 8000m high or more, that is, Mt. Lhotse (8516m), Mt. Everes (8848m), Mt. Qowowuyag (8201m), Mt Mayalu (8463m).

Stay overnight at Rongphu Monastery (Tent or Guest House)

We get up early in the morning to see the sunrise from Rongphu, then move to view Mt. Everest. After that, we go down from Rongbuk to Shegar. Then you will go west to Gyirong with our tour guide.

We'll pass Mount Shishapangma (26,286 feet) on the way and cross two major passes - the Lalung La (16,811 feet) and the Nyalam Ton La, also known as the "pass to hell at 17,060 feet. Below Nyalam, the road descends steeply into the river valley of the Bhote Kosi. The flourishing border town of Gyirong Port clings to the mountainside with the highway crisscrossing between homes and storefronts.

Stay overnight in Gyirong

Our guide will drop you off at next morning at the border bridge. You are kindly required to walk on your own to cross the border bridge which is 50m long, then check in Nepal side. You can get the Nepal visa upon arrival with 30USD, please prepare one photo at passport size to get Nepal Visa.

The next step, the Nepal tour guide will cross the border bridge to China side which is 50m long to meet you, and then you follow the Nepal tour guide to check in Nepal side, and then drive you to your hotel in Nagarkot. 

Stay overnight in Nagarkot

Nagarkot: is situated about 35 km east of Kathmandu city, it is the nearest panoramic view point and from here one can see the beautiful view of the Himalayan peaks. Have breakfast at Hotel and see the sunrise and spectacular view of Snow Mountains and drive from Nagarkot straight to Kathmandu via Bhaktapur.

Bhaktapur City is one of three ancient cities of Kathmandu Valley; Bhaktapur Durbar Square is a conglomeration of pagoda and shikhara style temples grouped around a fifty-five window palace of brick and wood. The square is one of the most charming architectural showpieces of the Valley as it highlights the ancient arts of Nepal. 

In the morning, first drive to Pashupatinath temple which is situated 5 kilometers east of Kathmandu City and one of the holiest temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. Then continue driving to Boudhanath Stupa, 8 kilometers east of Kathmandu City. Boudhanath Stupa is one of the biggest of its kind in the world.

After lunch, drive to Swayambhunath Stupa, located approximately 4 kilometers west of Kathmandu city. This Buddhist Stupa is said to be 2000 years old.

Stay overnight in Kathmandu

We get up early in the morning to catch tourist coach to Chitwan. If you take flight, it only takes 35 minutes. While the driving takes 6 hours. As soon as you arrive in Chitwan the trip briefing will be given with welcome drink. You will be doing Elephant safari, Jungle walk and at evening Tharu cultural show in Chitwan.

Stay overnight in Chitwan

Full day Chitwan Jungle activities include early morning Canoeing on the Rapti River to See Crocodile, Elephant Safari, Jungle walk, Bird watching & Tharu (ethnic) culture dance.

Stay overnight in Chitwan

Drive from Chitwan to Pokhara.

After breakfast we proceed to Pokhara valley sightseeing by private vehicle including: Devi's fall, Mahendra cave, Vindhyabashini temple, White river (Seti Gorge), Regional Museum.

Stay overnight in Pokhara

Drive back to Kathmandu from Pokhara.

You will be transferred to Kathmandu airport for your flight.