Chengdu , Tibet & Nepal Tour
A journey shaped by the landscapes, people and experiences of Nepal.
Offered by Journey DMC
NEPAL · TRAVEL EXPERIENCES
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Chengdu, Tibet & Nepal Tour Ideal for travellers looking for tours & treks. Confirm trip pace, inclusions and seasonal suitability with the provider.
The memorable moments
DAY PROGRAM ACCOMODATION 1 Arrive in Chengdu C J Hotel 2 In Chengdu C J Hotel 3 Fly to Lhasa Hotel Kyichu 4 In Lhasa Hotel Kyichu 5 In Lhasa Hotel Kyichu 6 In Lhasa Hotel Kyichu 7 Drive from Lhasa to Gyantse Jian Zhang Hotel 8 Drive from Gyantse to Shigatse Hotel Gang Gyan Orchard 9 Drive from Shigatse to Shegar Hotel Bebar or Hotel Chomolongma 10 Drive from Shegar to Bhaktapur Bhaktapur Guest House 11 Drive to Kathmandu. Hotel Tibet 12 In Kathmandu Hotel Tibet 13 In Kathmandu Hotel Tibet 14 Final Departure
Journey at a glance
Day Day1:: Arrive in Chengdu — Meet and assisted by our airport representative and transfer to Hotel. Overnight at C J Hotel [B/-/-] Day Day2:: In Chengdu — Full-day tour of Panda breeding center and local famous walking street Jinli Panda Breeding Center: The Chengdu Panda Breeding Research Base was built to imitate the wild ecological environment of pandas. It covers a space of 560 mus, with a green coverage of 96 percent. The base created a perfect ecological environment for the living and breeding of pandas and other precious and rare wild animals. It breeds over 20 pandas and lesser pandas, black-necked cranes, white cranes, and others. The base has won the UN Environmental Program's award of the "Global 500 best", and the gold award of green science and Technology of China, an excellent national project of environment control, 100 advanced units of green plantation in Sichuan Province, and the title of a model base of popular science education of Sichuan Province. Jinli Street: Chengdu is a city brimming with a strong leisurely ambiance. Jinli Street is particularly representative of this city. It is recorded that as early as the Qin Dynasty (221 BC - 206 BC), Jinli Street was the most famous place for baldachin - a rich, ornate cloth. And it was one of the busiest commercial areas during the Shu Kingdom (221-263). Hence, it is known as 'First Street of the Shu Kingdom'. To reclaim the prosperity of the former days, it was restored with contributions from the Wuhou Memorial Temple and was opened to the public in October 2004. Since then, visitors from all over China and abroad gather here to relax, admire the traditional-style buildings, and taste some local snacks. Overnight at C J Hotel [B/-/-] Day Day3:: Fly to Lhasa — Arrive in Gonggar airport (3400m). Drive (1.5 hrs) to Lhasa (3650m). Complete rest to acclimatize. This day is to be spent at a very slow pace and lots of rest. Overnight at Hotel Kyichu [B/-/-] Day Day4:: In Lhasa — Visit Potala the winter palace of the Dalai Lamas. It is one of the most famous architectural works of Tibet & the cream of Tibetan culture. In the afternoon visit 7 century Jokhang Temple which has architectural features from the Tang Dynasty and Indian & Nepali Buddhist Temples. It houses many historical relics since the Tang Dynasty and statues of King Songsten Gompo, Princess Wencheng from China, and Princess Bhrikuti from Nepal. Explore the Barkhor market, which was until the early fifties a grand, exciting year-round trade fair, crowded with merchants from all over central Asia. PM rest day/acclimate. Overnight at Hotel Kyichu [B/-/-] Day Day5:: In Lhasa — Drive (20 minutes) to Drepung Monastery, the largest monastery in Tibet and belongs to the Gelugpa sect. This monastery has plenty of historical relics, Buddhist scriptures, and arts & crafts. In the afternoon visit the Kangyur Stupa. This unique site is a favorite pilgrimage site for Tibetans today. The entire Kangyur (Translated as Buddhist Cannon) is carved onto slate rocks, and the slates are then used to build the stupa. We will also visit the Ani Sankhu Nunnery. Ani means nun in Tibetan. Built around a meditation cave used by Tibetan mystics over the centuries, in the mid-15th century it became a practice hermitage for six female disciples of Lama Tsongkhapa. They transformed it into a nunnery, and it has remained as such until the present day. Overnight at Hotel Kyichu [B/-/-] Day Day6:: In Lhasa — Around 30 km to the North – East of Lhasa is Yerpa Caves, one of the holiest cave retreats ever. At one time the hill at the base of the Cave–dotted cliffs was home to Yerpa Monastery. The Monastery, however, was effectively laid to waste in the Cultural Revolution and is now being restored. The history of Dark Yerpa includes many of the great names responsible for the establishment of Buddhism in Tibet. The Emperor Songtsen Gampo meditated in seclusion here: Guru Rimpoche and several of his disciples also meditated here: and here Jowo Atisha chose to preach extensively. Although the ancient Kadampa Gompa has been destroyed, the geomantic qualities that made Drak Yerpa a major power place remain and still attract hermits to its caves. Getting to Drak Yerpa from Lhasa is about 30 minutes of driving each way and about 1.5 hours of walking to visit the caves. We will take box lunches with us today. We drive back to Lhasa and visit Sera. Sera monastery, the 15th-century sprawl of golden roofs and whitewashed walls is situated on a mountain slope, a few miles north of Lhasa city. This monastery belongs to the Gelugpa sect and is one of the three great monasteries of Tibet, the other two being Drepung & Ganden. Sera were hard hit during the Cultural Revolution owing to its resident’s active participation in the 1959 uprising. Here you will witness the monks debating out in the courtyard. Overnight at Hotel Kyichu [B/-/-] Day Day7:: Drive to Gyantse — Drive (6 hrs) to Gyantse (3950m) via Kampa La pass (4794m), Yamdrok Tso (4482m) also known as Turquoise Lake covers 600 sq. km. and is one of the three largest lakes in Tibet. Crossing Karo La pass (5010m) & two other smaller passes we come to Gyantse. Visit Phalkor monastery & the Kumbum Stupa. The Kumbum Stupa was designed by Newari architects from Nepal. The Phalkhor has a special influence over Buddhism in Tibet owing to its unity of Gelugpa, Sakyapa & Bhuton sects. Overnight at Jian Zhang Hotel [B/-/-] Day Day8:: Drive to Shigatse — Morning drives 90 minutes to Shigatse, the second largest town in Tibet and the traditional capital of Tsang. Shigatse is famous for Tashi Lhunpo, the monastery built by the First Dalai Lama, Gedun Drup in 1447 at the instructions of the female Buddha Tara and with the guidance and blessings of the Dakini Palden Lhamo. It is built on the old "bird offering site” of the Shigatse Valley. In the 17th century, this became the residence of the Panchen Lamas, Tibet’s second-highest reincarnate lama lineage. The main statue of this monastery is the Maitreya Buddha of 275 KG of Gold & measures twenty-six meters in height. We will visit Tashilhunpo in the afternoon. Overnight at Hotel Gang Gyan Orchard [B/-/-] Day day9:: Drive to Shegar — In the morning we depart Shigatse and drive (approx. 5 hrs) to Shegar (New Tingri) (4342m) crossing two passes; Tsuo La (4500m) and Lhakpa La (5220m). Overnight at Hotel Bebar [B/-/-] Day Day10:: Drive to Kodari, Nepal, and to Bhaktapur — After breakfast, we drive to Tingri, a small town with a great back drop of Everest (weather permitting). Further from Tingri, we get good views of Mt. Shisapamga (8046m) and other Himalayan peaks. We cross Lalung La (5050m) and then the road drops down crossing Nyalam, Zhangmu, and Kodari, Nepal. Nyalam used to be an important trading post and at one time belonged to Nepal and Zhangmu is the border town of Tibet. This drive is very scenic as the road cuts through the Himalayas and one can see the drastic changes in the vegetation and the landscape in such a short distance. We cross to Nepal border and walk across the Friendship Bridge and a short drive to The Last Resort. After reaching the last resort we continue our drive to Bhaktapur which takes approximately 5-6 hours drive. Bhaktapur: - is the third major city in the Kathmandu Valley, and we will visit its Durbar Square, which, although larger than Kathmandu’s has fewer temples due to an earthquake in 1934. We also visit the Nyatapola Temple, which is at 98ff. height is not only the highest temple in the valley but also one of the best examples of traditional Nepali architecture. A major German-funded project brought pavements and sewers, but Bhaktapur is still the most distinctly medieval of the three cities. The main occupations are weaving, pottery, and fanning, and the houses are traditionally of brick with intricate wood carving for decoration. We will spend some exploring this well-preserved medieval city on foot and drive to Changu Narayan Temple. Overnight at Bhaktapur Guest House [B/-/-] Day Day11:: Drive to Kathmandu — After breakfast we take a visit to Bhaktapur durbar square till lunch and drive about 30 minutes to Kathmandu then visit Pashupatinath Temple and Boudhanath Stupa. Pashupatinath Situated 5 Kilometers east of Kathmandu city, Pashupatinath temple is one of the holiest Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. Situated amidst a lush green natural setting on the bank of the sacred Baghmati River, the temple built in pagoda style has a gilded roof and richly carved silver doors. Visitors will be permitted to view the temple from the east bank of Rivers Baghmati, entrance to the temple being strictly forbidden to all non-Hindus. Pashupatinath is the center of the annual pilgrimage on the day of Shivaratri which falls in February / March. Behind the temples are the cremation grounds. Boudhanath stupa, eight kilometers east of Kathmandu City is one of the biggest in the world of its kind. It stands with four pairs of eyes in the four cardinal directions keeping watch for righteous behavior and human prosperity. This Buddhist stupa was built by King Man Dev at the advice of Goddess Mani Jogini. It is built on an octagonal base inset with prayer wheels. The shrine is ringed by houses of Lamas or Buddhist priests. Overnight at Hotel Tibet [B/-/-] Day Day12:: In Kathmandu — Visit Bungamati, Khokana, and Patan durbar square. Bungamati A typical Newari village, lying 11km / 7 miles south of Kathmandu, founded in 7 the century AD, possesses one of the most important God of Kathmandu Valley known as Matsyendranath – the God of Rain and compassion, worshipped equally by Hindus and Buddhists. He was accredited by the people for introducing rice plantations in the valley. A tour of this village combined with Khokana imprints a beautiful impression on the visitor's mind through its setup and primitive way of living. Khokana Is a small Newari village on the southern flank of Kathmandu valley and about 11 km / 7 miles from Kathmandu city established in the 7th century AD by the mighty Licchhavi rulers of Nepal. It is a unique village in the whole of Kathmandu Valley because of its aloofness from modern civilization. Patan: 5 km / 3 miles away from Kathmandu city. Patan also known as Lalitpur is the city of fine arts, enclosed within 4 stupas said to be built in the 3rd century AD, by Emperor Ashoka. You will see the Durbar Square, the Patan Durbar which houses a bronze collection, the Krishna Temple built by King Siddhi Narsingh Malla, Hiranya Varna Mahavihar, and Mahaboudha Temple. A trip to The Tibetan Refugee Camp and the Handicraft Centre will also be done while visiting Patan, where you will witness the hand-weaving of Tibetan carpets and the molding of metal statues. Overnight at Hotel Tibet [B/-/-] Day Day13:: In Kathmandu — Visit Swyambhunath stupa and Kathmandu City. Swayambhunath Located approximately 4 km/2.5 miles, the Buddhist stupa is said to be 2000 years old, The stupa which forms the main structure is composed of a solid hemisphere of brick and earth supporting a lofty conical spire capped by a pinnacle of copper gilt. Painted on the four-sided base of the spire are the all-seeing eyes of Lord Buddha. This hill is a mosaic of small Chaityas and Pagodas temples. Kathmandu City Known as Kantipur, is the capital of the Kingdom of Nepal. Here you will visit the temple of the Living Goddess, who acknowledges the greetings of the devotees from the balcony of her temple residence. Kasthamandap – the source of the name Kathmandu and supposed to be made from the timber of a single tree and Durbar Square with its array of temples overlooked by the Hanuman Dhoka Palace, the ancient place of the Nepalese Royalty. Evening at Leisure Overnight at Hotel Tibet [B/-/-] Day Day14:: Final departure — You will be transferred to the airport for your onward journey.
Essential trip information
Before you go
Note: All information in this itinerary is accurate to the best of our knowledge but please note that changes to our trips can and do occur. This may be due to our effort to improve our program or logistical reasons such as changes in flight schedules, traffic conditions, weather conditions, or government policies. Dharma Adventures will make every effort to keep you informed of any changes but cannot be held liable for any alterations made to the published itinerary.
Fitness & eligibility
3
Meeting point
Chengdu
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