A NEPAL TIBET TOUR

This tour explores the main cultural sights of Kathmandu through guided sightseeing and a day hike through the foothills above the Kathmandu Valley. An incredible flight past Mt Everest and Makalu takes us to Lhasa where we explore monasteries such as Drepung, the fascinating Jokhang Temple and the imposing and unforgettable Potala Palace.

The tour operates from early April to October for a minimum of two persons departing the UK on Wednesdays.

Price per person from £1295

Itinerary

Day 1: depart LHR

Day 2: arr Kathmandu and transfer to the Hotel Hyatt Regency at Boudanath

Day 3: Guided sightseeing to include Boudanath, Pashupatinath and Patan (B)

Day 4: Morning sightseeing of Kathmandu Durbar Square and Swayambunath. Afternoon drive to Dhulikhel Lodge Resort. (B, D). Dhulikhel is a small hilltop settlement with superb views of the Himalayas. Its peaceful atmosphere is a complete contrast to the hustle of Kathmandu. A dawn wake up to catch the sunrise (weather permitting) is a must for any visit.

Day 5: guided hike to Namo Buddha and Panauti and drive to Bhaktapur, overnight at Bhaktapur Countryside Resort (B,L,D). After a leisurely breakfast at the Dhulikhel Lodge Resort you will hike to the important site of Namo Buddha. The views over the Kathmandu Valley are spectacular from this ancient stupa. Namo Buddha is an important destination for Buddhist Pilgrims as it is here that the Buddha came across a tigress that was almost starved to death and unable to feed her cubs. Buddha offered himself to the hungry tigress and the tale is depicted in a carving inside a small temple. Each day Buddhist pilgrims visit the site and can be seen leaving some memento of deceased relatives as a symbolisation of letting go. You descend towards Panauti and meet your transport back to Kathmandu. The walking is leisurely on easy trails.

Day 6: morning sightseeing in Bhaktapur and drive to Kathmandu Hotel Hyatt(B).

Day 7: Fly Kathmandu/ Gongar Airport and drive to Lhasa (B). Fly to Lhasa with China South-west Airlines. This spectacular 1 hr flight crosses the Himalaya and passes close to Everest, Makalu and Kanchenjunga. The views are simply amazing. At the airport we will be met by our guide and transferred to Lhasa at a height of 3600m. The drive takes approx 2 hours.

Day 8 and 9: Lhasa Sightseeing: Drepung, Sera and Norbulinka Summer palace, Potala Palace, Jokhang and Barkhor Market (B). We will visit the Potala Palace, a vast white and ochre fortress that used to be the residence of H.H the Dalai Lama and the seat of Tibetan Government. Inside there are numerous passageways and dark caverns that contain icons of Tibetan Buddhist religion. Sera Monastery is a large complex of teaching colleges which in its heyday housed 5000 monks. Today several hundred monks attend the college and we may be lucky enough to witness a debating session held in the monastery gardens. At Drepung Monastery we will see the large teaching chapels which contain many statues of Tibetan deities and some enormous thanka paintings that hang from the ceiling. One of the special sights is a visit to the kitchens where in the dimly lit interior giant cauldrons of Tibetan butter tea are stirred with enormous ladles. A highlight of a visit to Lhasa has got to be the circumnambulation of the Jokhang Temple. This is the spiritual heart of the city and we will join the pilgrims in the Barkhor square which later in the day is turned into the main commercial district of old Lhasa. Here you can buy all kinds of souvenirs, carpets, prayer flags, hats and even gold teeth! In the early evening Barkhor square takes on the atmosphere of a medieval carnival with entertainment provided by musicians and wild Khampa nomads from western Tibet

Day 10: Lhasa Sightseeing: Ganden and Ramoche Temple (B)Ganden Monastery 4500m. Ganden was founded by Tshongkapa and is the main seat of the Gelugpa sect. Today it is undergoing restoration and reconstruction after the almost total devastation during the Cultural Revolution. The drive is incredibly beautiful as the road follows the Kyi Chu River before climbing up an impressive series of hairpin bends. The views of the valley and surrounding mountains are magnificent and improve with every step along the Ganden kora which is a must of any visit.

Day 11: Fly to Ktm and transfer to Hotel Hyatt(B)

Day 12: depart (B)