Day 01: Drive from Kathmandu
to Nyalam (3,750m.) which is 123 kilometers. The vehicle leaves
Kathmandu early morning Kodari Highway that leads to the Tibetan Border
offers beautiful views of the village and small towns. The views of
Langtang, Gauri Shanker, Melungtse and Khumbu Himal in a clear weather
will be additional attraction of this drive. After completing the
custom and immigration formalities the night is to be spent in a Hotel
there.
Day 02: Drive
from Nyalam to Tingri (4390m.). You stay overnight at hotel in Tingri.
The drive follows the Bhote Koshi river fed by plenty of waterfalls.
This drive goes through Nyalam Pass. Further along the drive, you will
have an excellent view of good mountain ranges. On the way you will
visit the Milarepa’s Cave.
Day 03: Drive
from Tingri to Rongbuk (4980m.). You stay overnight at Rongbuk. Early
morning drive to Rongbuk, and it takes approximately four hours by Land
cruiser.
Day 04: Trek from
Rongbuk to Everest Base Camp and trek back to Rongbuk. You walk up to
Everest Base Camp and then again back to Rongbuk which will take
approximately 5 hours. From the Everest Base Camp, the real grandeur of
Everest’s sheer face becomes clear.
Day 05: Drive from Rongbuk to Sakya (4280m.). It takes almost eight hours.
Day 06: Drive
from Sakya to Shigatse (3900m.). You stay overnight at hotel in
Shigatse. After breakfast visit the Sakya Monastery and then drive to
Shigatse. Here you visit Tashilumpo Monastery and Shigatse Bazaar.
Day 07: Drive
from Shigatse to Gyantse (3950m.) which takes two hours. You stay
overnight at hotel in Gyantse. You visit the Palkhor Monastery and
Kumbum Stupa in Gyantse.
Day 08: Drive
from Gyantse to Lhasa (3595m.). You stay overnight at hotel in Lhasa.
This is 8 hours drive through the Karo La Pass and Kamba La Pass with a
very good view of the Yamdrok Tso (Turquoise Lake) and crosses the
mighty Brahmaputra river.
Day 09-10: Sightseeing
in and around Lhasa. These two days you will visit Potala
Palace, Norbulinka Palace, Jorkhang and surrounding
Barkhor market, Drepung and Sera Monasteries.
One of the highlights is the visit to the symbol of Tibet; the Potala Palace set high on Red Hill, the winter home of the Dalai Lama until 1959. The
most sacred temple in Lhasa is the Lokhang, where people come from all
over Tibet to visit and pray in this spiritual heart of the country. It
was used as a military kitchen during the Cultural Revolution but has
now been beautifully restored, with many priceless thangkas and statues
adorning the chapels, and magnificent gilded roofs.
Another great treasure is the Norbulingka – the old summer palace of the Dalai Lama.
Now you visit Jorkhang temple, the center of the Tibetan Buddhism and the sacred land of
Buddhist followers where innumerable pilgrims come for worship
everyday. The temple, built in 647, is the earliest wood-and-masonry
structure still existing in Tibet. Surrounding the Jorkhang Temple is
the bustling Barkhor Street which is the
religious and social focus of Lhasa. Around the Barkhor there are
numerous stalls selling all sorts of handicrafts: brightly coloured
boots and fur-lined hats, silver and turquoise jewellery, rosaries,
prayer flags and charms, as well as beautiful Tibetan carpets and all
manner of ordinary household ware. Next you visit Sera monastery,
which was created in 1419, has always been an important Buddhist
seminary. As rose are planted everywhere in the monastery, it is also
called “the court of wild rose”. Today still 200 lamas live in there.
On the other hand, Drepung Monastery is the world’s largest monastery with about 10,000 monks.
Day 11: Fly
from Lhasa to Kathmandu. In the morning you proceed for two hours drive
to Gonggar Airport. During the flight you will see Yarlung Tsangpo
River, Lake Yamdrok, Mt. Kanchenjunga (8,586m.), Mt. Makalu (8,463m.)
and Mt. Everest (8,848m.).
