DAY 1: DEPARTURE FOR KATHMANDU (NEPAL)
DAY 2: ARRIVAL IN KATHMANDU (NEPAL)
Arrival in airport of Katmandu and get assisted from our office personnel. Drive to hotel. Briefing on up coming programmes. Overnight in hotel.
DAY 3: SWAYAMBHUNATH STUPA - KATHMANDU DURBAR SQUARE – ASON BAZAR
Breakfast and drive to SWAYAMBHUNATH, a sacred place for Buddhist, constructed around the 250 b.c. From the hilltop one can enjoy a panorama of Kathmandu and the rest of the Valley. Then we'll continue on to Basantapur, Kathmandu's Durbar Square, the old palace complex (durbar means "palace"). There admire the multitude of temples and palaces. Some two hundred years ago a Western visitor wrote that there were as many temples as there were houses, and many idols as there were people, in the city. Indeed Kathmandu boasts one of the largest assemblages of magnificent historical monuments and shrines ever built. In the Evening we return to hotel via Ason Bazaar, the old local market of Kathmandu.
Day 4: KATHMANDU – DZANGMU (2,500M) NYALAM (3,700M): 123 KM/156 KM.
Early in the morning, we start a scenic drive to KODARI (Nepal- Tibet Border) through the beautiful Nepalese countryside following the old tras-himalayan caravan route; equal to Silk Road. For more than 1.400 years, exotic goods, art and Buddhists philosophy have travelled in and out of Nepal and Tibet from this route.
Day 5: ZHANGMU-SHEGAR (4350 m.) 244 Km.
We continue by road towards the highest plateau of the world, with typical Tibetan landscape, that gives us a sensation of being in the roof of the world. The view includes Mount Everest, Shisapangma and Cho-Oyu and other uncountable summits bordering Nepal and Tibet.
Day 6: SHEGAR-SHIGATSE (3900 m.) 244 Km.
The route continues through vast and windy plains of pastures for sheeps, goats and yak, crossing the Gyatchu la (5220m.), the highest in pass en route to Lhasa. Following typical and small villages we arrive to Lhatse where there is a local office of China government.
Day 7: XIGATSE-GYANTSE (3,950M): 90KM.
In the morning we'll visit the most important religious sites of Shigatse's including the the Tashilunpho monastery. Later afternoon we'll continue our way towards Gyantse. In the evening we'll visit Palkhor monastery and Kumbum stupa.
Day 8: GYANTSE– LHASA (3,650M) 261KM.
Today we'll drive to Lhasa 280-kilometres. On the way we'll visit Samding Monastery and see the Yamdrok holy lake. The Samding monastery sits on a ridge above the shores of Yamdrok Lake. This convent was headed by a female incarnate lama, Dorje Phagmo (Diamond Sow). Her name comes from the fact that when the Mongolian army invaded Samding in 1716, Dorje Phagmo changed her nuns into pigs (phagpa) to save them.
DAY 9: Visit: JOKHANG, DREPUNG Y NORBULINGKA
DAY 10: Visit: POTALA - SERA - LHASA
Day 11: LHASA – KATHMANDU:
Early morning drive to GONGGAR airport for departure flight to Kathmandu. On arrival to airport our car will be waiting for our arrival. Meet and drive to our hotel. The rest of the day remains as free.
Day 12: PATAN – PSUPATINATH AND BOUDHANATH
After breakfast, we drive to Patan. Patan was once an independent Buddhist city-state, and a rival of Kathmandu, from which it is separated by the Bagmati River. It is also called Lalitpur ("City of the Arts"). The old centre has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Finalize the tour of Patan City and then drive to Pasupatinath temple: Pasupatinath is considered one of the holiest of Hindu shrines where the bodies of recently deceased Hindus of the Valley are cremated. One hours visit.
In the evening visit the Boudhanath Stupa. One of the world's largest stupas, where we can see great numbers of tibetan refugees.
DAY 13: KATHMANDU - DEPARTURE
Well before the check-out time, our office representative and vehicle will arrive at your hotel to take you to Tribhuvan International Airport, where we'll see you off.
DAY 14: ARRIVAL
