Nepal & Tibet Tour 09 Night/ 10 Days

01 / THE EXPERIENCE

Discover the journey

Overview Ideal for travellers looking for tours & treks. Confirm trip pace, inclusions and seasonal suitability with the provider.

03 / YOUR ROUTE

Journey at a glance

Day Day 1:: Arrival in Kathmandu — Today you fly to Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital city. On arrival at the airport, you are met and transferred to your hotel. Later, start your today’s full day sightseeing with a visit to Swayambhunath, the oldest shrine in the world established more than 2500 years ago. Situated on top of a high hill where legendary Manjushree discovered the lotus growing in the ancient Kathmandu Valley Lake, Swayambhunath commands a superb view of the valley below. The four sides of this ancient structure are painted with the compassionate eyes of Buddha. Between the eyes is a mystical third eye symbolizing true wisdom. The nose, appearing as an incomplete question mark, is the Nepalese number one, a symbol of unity. Move on to Kathmandu City; the capital city of Nepal has been inhabited for thousands of years, its rich and varied cultural legacy essentially began during the 14th century under the Malla Dynasty. Patronized by the nobility, Newar artisans constructed temples, monasteries, and elaborate courtyards that constitute a fascinating architectural history. Visit Durbar Square and Teleju Temple with its gilded roofs; the present temple was restored by King Mahendra Malla in 1562. The gate to the Hanuman Dhoka Durbar, the old Royal Palace, is guarded by a statue of Hanuman, the monkey - god, wrapped in a red cloak’ the deity’s face is covered by a thick layer of sindur, red dust mixed with mustard oil. Stop at the House of the Living Goddess where the virgin goddess known as Kumari may look down from one of the upper-floor windows. Kathmandu derives its name from the 12th-century wood temple of Kasthamandap, said to have been built from a single tree. Then visit Patan City, the City of arts and architecture founded in 250 A.D. and also known as Lalitpur. It is renowned for its fine works in bronze, silver, and copper. Visit the Durbar Square, Royal Baths, Mahaboudha, Krishna Mandir, and Hiranya Verna Mahabihar (the Golden Temple). A visit to the new Patan Museum is a must. The museum faces Durbar Square and is housed in a beautifully restored and renovated former Malla presidential palace. The collection spans much of Nepal’s cultural history, primarily exhibiting metalwork sculptures from Hindu and Buddhist deities, typical of Patan’s tradition in craftsmanship. The written commentary explains their significance to Nepal’s art history, spiritualism, cultural heritage, and contemporary life. Overnight at Radisson Hotel [B/-/-] Day Day 2:: In Kathmandu — After early morning breakfast at the hotel, begin your full day sightseeing with a visit to the Bouddhanath, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Bouddhanath Stupa is one of the most imposing landmarks of Kathmandu. This ancient stupa is built on a massive three-level mandala-style platform and is the largest in the world. The base of the stupa is adorned with 108 small images of the Dhyani Admitabha Buddha and is inset with prayer wheels. Thousands of pilgrims circle the stupa in a clockwise direction each day spinning the prayer wheels. Move on to Pashupatinath Temple, situated 5 km east of Kathmandu city, Pashupatinath temple is one of the holiest Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. Located amidst a lush green natural area on the bank of the holy river Bagmati, the temple built in pagoda style has a gilded roof and richly carved silver doors. Visitors will be allowed to see the temple from the eastern bank of the Bagmati River, entering the temple is 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 temple are the cremation grounds. Then visit the ancient royal city of Bhaktapur, formerly known as Bhadgaon. The city was founded in the 9th century and contains many impressive sights including the ancient gateway, the statue of BhupatindraMalla, the pottery center, the famous pagoda-style, five-storied temple of Nytapole and time, a place famous for the manufacture of unusual masks. Bhaktapur is regarded as a showcase of “medieval” Nepalese town life. Later afternoon drive back to Kathmandu and the rest day is at leisure. Overnight at Radisson Hotel [B/-/-] Day Day 3:: Fly to Lhasa. — Transfer to the airport and fly to Lhasa. Upon arrival at the Gonggar airport, you will be met by our representative and transferred to the hotel. Lhasa, the heart and soul of Tibet, is a city of wonders. The visits to Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Kangyur Stupa, and Barkhor Market would be an awesome experience. The remaining day is at leisure. Overnight at Four Points by Sheraton (Comfort Room) [B/-/-] Day Day 4:: In Lhasa. — After breakfast visit the Drepung Monastery located about 8km to the west of central Lhasa. Drepung is one of the world’s largest monasteries was built in 1416 by JamyangChoje a pupil of Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelugpa Sect. Drepung means “heaps of rice” and the fertility of its fields supported a monastic community that before 1959, ranked as Tibet’s largest monastery with 7,770 monks. For over 500 years Drepung served as the major pillar of the theocratic state, serving as the main political headquarters for the Gelugpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. It also served as the residence of the Dalai Lamas until the Potala Palace was constructed in 1645. Suffering only minor damage during the Cultural Revolution Drepung has plenty of historical relics, Buddhist scriptures, and arts. Then visit Jokhang Temple: The oldest and the most revered religious structure in Tibet, it dates back to 639 to 647, with construction initiated by King SongtsenGampo to house a Buddha image Akshobhya brought to Tibet by his Nepalese wife. But now, the main statue in this temple is of the Sakyamuni, which was a gift from his Chinese wife Won Cheng in 641 A.D to King SongtsenGampo. The statue of Akshobhya is switched to Romoche Pilgrims from all over Tibet come to worship here and prostrate themselves at full length in front of the main doors of the temple. It is truly a moving and unrivaled experience to witness such a sight and more so to join them in their pilgrimage around the temple. Also visit the Barkhor Market: The word Barkhor refers to the middle of the three concentric holy circuits around the Jokhang. The Barkhor Circuit runs through the heart of the old city where life has changed little down the centuries and it gives you a curious sensation of having slipped through time into a medieval carnival. It is an area unrivaled in Tibet for its fascinating combination of deep religiosity and pushes – and – shoves market economics. This is both the spiritual heart of the holy city and the main commercial district being the center of the Tibetan capital's trade for centuries. Overnight at Four Points by Sheraton [B/-/-] Day Day 5:: In Lhasa. — After breakfast at the hotel, explore the massive Potala Palace, the former home of the Dalai Lama. Potala Palace has been the focus of travelers for centuries. It is the cardinal landmark and a structure of massive proportion. This symbol of Tibet, an architectural Gem built in the colossal monastic style of Central Tibet by GyelwaNgapa the fifth Dalai Lama, in the 17th century, stands 300m above the valley atop the hill called MarpoRi. These thousand rooms in Potala date from 1645 when the fifth Dalai Lama began to erect a palace that would serve as a sacred and administrative center It served many succeeding Dalai Lamas and as one of Tibet’s most impressive and enduring monuments, the Chinese Army of Red Guards protected it during the Cultural Revolution. As a result, many of its chapels and treasures are intact, virtually unchanged since the 17th century. Also, visit the Kangyur Stupa Take a short walk to Kangyur Stupa, a Buddhist scripture stupa with the Tibetan important Buddhist scripture "Kanjur" carved on the stone. Then visit the Sera Monastery which is located 5 km North of Lhasa. Its setting is one of the prettiest in Lhasa, hugging the ridge that forms the Northern wall of the Kyi Chu Valley. Founded in 1419 by Sakya Yeshe, a disciple of Tsongkhapa, belonging to the Gelugpa sect and is one of the three great monasteries of Tibet, the other two being Drepung&Ganden. In its heyday, Sera hosted a huge monastic population and five colleges. Like Drepung, the colleges in Sera specialized in: Sera Me in fundamental precepts of Buddhism, Sera Je in the instruction of itinerant monks, and Sera Ngagpa in Tantric studies. Overnight at Four Points by Sheraton [B/-/-] Day Day 6:: Drive To Shigatase VIA Gyantse (Approximately 7½ Hour Drive) — After breakfast, drive to Shigatse via Gyantse. On the way visit Yamdrok Lake which is one of the three largest sacred lakes in Tibet. It is over 72 km (45 miles) long. According to local mythology, YamdokYumtso Lake is the transformation of a goddess. The lake with an area of 621 square kilometers and an unknown depth is fan-shaped, spreading to the South but narrowing up to the North. The lake freezes up in winter. Like mountains, lakes are considered sacred by the Tibetan people, the principle being that they are the dwelling places of protective deities and therefore invested with special spiritual powers. Then visit, Phalkor Monastery which is Located about 100 km east of Shigatse, the unique PalkhorMonstery, also named Palcho Monastery, is very different from other monasteries. It is reputed as the lord of Tibetan stupas and is famous for its architecture, sculpture, and mural painting art. Palkhor Monastery enjoys a high status in Tibetan Buddhism history because it houses three sects, Sakyapa, Kadampa, and Gelugpa together. It was built in collaboration with the Newari architects and Tibetan artists. Later visit, Kumbum Stupa, the spectacular Bodhi stupa, or Kumbum in Tibetan was built in 1412 and completed 10 years later. Deemed as the symbol of the monastery, the spectacular "stupa" consists of hundreds of chapels in layers, housing about a hundred thousand images of various icons. The elegant structure is worth visiting. The famous Kumbum pagoda, built in collaboration with Newari artists from Nepal and Tibetan artists, also stands in the same courtyard with nine stories, 108 doors, and 77 chapels containing clay sculptures and various murals. The Stuparaises over four symmetrical floors and is surmounted by a gold dome. The dome rises like a crown over four sets of eyes that gaze serenely out in the cardinal directions of the compass. Kumbum means 10,000 images. The pagoda is said to have 100,000 images, either sculptured or painted, this is the reason for its name "100,000 Image Pagoda". Overnight at Gesar Hotel [B/-/-] Day Day 7:: Shigatse/ drive back to Lhasa — After breakfast visit Tashilhunpo Monastery which is a historic and culturally important monastery in Tibet. It is located on a hill in the center of Shigatse, the second-largest city in Tibet. Tashilhunpo in Tibet means "all fortune and happiness gathered here" or "heap of glory". Founded by the First Dalai Lama in 1447, the monastery is the traditional seat of successive Panchen Lamas, the second highest-ranking tulku lineage in the Gelukpatradition. Tashilhunpo in its prime had over 4,000 monks, but after the Tibetan national uprising that took place in 1959, a handful of TashiLhunpo Monastery monks along with many thousands of Tibetans escaped into India. Since the early 1980s parts of the Tashilhunpo monastery have been open to the public and it is an important tourist attraction in Tibet today. Later drive back to Lhasa. Overnight at Four Points by Sheraton [B/-/-] Day Day 8:: Lhasa / Fly back to kathmandu — After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Nepal. Upon arrival at the airport; you are met and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure to relax or explore on your own. Overnight at Radisson Hotel [B/-/-] Day Day 9:: Final Deprature — After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your final departure.

YOUR DAY-BY-DAY ROUTE

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu — Today you fly to Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital city. On arrival at the airport, you are met and transferred to your hotel. +