Encompass Tibet

Arrive at Kathmandu International Airport where you will be warmly welcomed by our representative and check in to the hotel. The rest of the day is free to explore this historic and vibrant city. Meals: Welcome Dinner

From Kathmandu International Airport we have 1 hour 10 minutes, Trans Himalayan Flight to Gonggar airport, considered one of the most beautiful flights in the world that takes us over Everest (8848m) and Kanchenjunga (8536m). Those who wish to join in Lhasa, can arrive Lhasa on the date mentioned. After immigration formalities we take a 1.5-hour drive along 93 km road leading to Lhasa lying at an altitude of 3650 meters. It is recommended to take it easy on our first day in Lhasa, letting your body get used to the altitude. Meals: Breakfast

Foremost, our tour begins with a visit to SERA MONASTERY. An experienced tour guide also working as an interpreter escorts us to this preserved monastery of white-washed walls and golden roofs. Equally adventurous and exciting tempo builds up while touring NORBULINGKA, the summer palace of the Dalai Lama. JOKHANG TEMPLE is another important sacred site which unravels more deep seated mysteries of Tibetan Buddhism. Visit to BARKHOR MARKETS can be quite a change from other visits as we roam around the city savoring every tiny detail from stall hawkers coaxing their clients to purchase their goods to exhibition of Tibetan culture, custom and tradition. Eventually, the tour for the day concludes as we return to the comforts of our hotel. Meals: Breakfast

Like the previous day, we experience invaluable insights during our visits to POTALA PALACE and DREPUNG MONASTERY. This 17th century POTALA PALACE offers an awesome view of entire city and also has private quarters of the Dalai Lama, numerous grand state rooms and chapels. Ancient history has it that Drepung Monastery which was built in 14th century used to shelter around 10,000 monks but as now there has been quite a declination resulting in only few hundreds. Tibetans’ respect and belief are immensely knotted with this monastery. Meals: Breakfast

Drive to GANDEN MONASTERY that has extremely delicate and fine murals and sculptures. It also keeps an armor decorated with gems, which was worn by Emperor Qianlong and was bestowed to the monastery as an offering to Tsong Khapa. Afternoon we drive to DRAYERPA CAVE to visit local Lama in caves. Drayer Pa cave is 35kms far from Lhasa city and there are more than 30 caves for silence thinker lama for religious, we need 1.5 hours to visit some of them, and we need give little money for their wild cave life. It lies in valley with beautiful view around and evening back to Lhasa. Meals: Breakfast

In the morning we will depart from Lhasa and drive along the Friendship highway to Gyantse (3950 m) via Yamdrok Lake. Numerous passes, such as Khambo La and Kharo La, provide wondrous view of the Himalayan range. A colossal glacier rises nearly straight up from road as we pass Kharo La. The drive is no daunting task as we pass through many more beautiful Tibetan valleys and quiet villages along the way. Meals: Breakfast

After visiting the Seat of Panchen Lamas – Tashilumpo Monastery, in Shigatse we drive to Shegar and en route we visit Sakya Monastery, which is divided into the south and north two parts. It is of typical Yuan Dynasty style of resembling castles. There are a lot of historical articles in the monastery, among them are found a lot of the imperial certificates, gold signets, crowns, costumes bestowed by the Yuan Dynasty emperors. It has over 10,000 volumes of Tibetan books on astronomy, medicine, calligraphy, and history. So the Sakya Monastery enjoys the title ‘the second Dun Huang Cave’. Meals: Breakfast

We drive to EBC via the highest monastery in the world, Rombuk Monastery from where we have a fabulous and splendid view to Mt. Everest. Although it’s just 120km from Shigar to Everest Base Camp, it takes about 4 hours since the cracked winding roads demand much caution. But the views are stupendous on a clear day, and feature a huge sweep of the Himalaya range including peaks Mt. Lhotse (8516 m), Mt. Everest (8848 m), Mt. Cho Oyu (8201 m) and Mt Makalu (8463 m). When we finally get to Base Camp, the first sight of the mighty Everest simply leaves us speechless. All the hardship we bear along the way makes sense at this while. The best moments to watch Mt. Everest are early morning and late evening when Everest is shining like a goddess in the sunglow. Meals: Breakfast

Today we do a long drive to the small town of Saga. We will cover many miles during the day to encounter alluring river valleys and scattered villages. En route we visit Peikutso Lake. Meals: Breakfast

After several river crossings we will finally arrive at the shores of Lake Mansarovar prepared for one of the most awe-inspiring and holy places we have ever seen. Meals: Breakfast

Today will be a day to rest and experience the magic of this holy site. We will take it easy but also meet with local pilgrims and visit the beautiful Chiu Monastery. Mt. Kailash looms in the distance. Meals: Breakfast

We drive to Zada where we view and admire Zada stone forest and visit the renowned Guge Kingdom Ruins. Meals: Breakfast

We visit the Tholing Monastery and drive to Tarboche ( the foot of Mt. Kailash ) in Darchen where we will be astonished by the spectacularity of Mt.Kailash, the heart of Buddhism universe. Meals: Breakfast

From Tarboche, we walk up the Lha Chu Valley through beautiful green meadows and streams with Mt Kailash towering above us. We follow the river which enters a narrow canyon with high, steep cliffs and spectacular waterfalls. Continuing up the valley, the north face of Kailash comes into view before we reach the 13th century monastery at Dira-puk. Meals: Breakfast

We now leave the Lha Chu Valley and enter the Drolma Chu Valley, heading up towards a high pass, the Drolma La (5630m). It’s a tough climb to the summit which is festooned with prayer flags but from there it is all downhill or flat to Zutul-puk, with views of one of the highest lakes in the world, Thukpe Dzingbu Lake, known as the Lake of Compassion. As well as the monastery at Zutul-puk, there are several meditation caves and another cave containing an image of Milarepa. Meals: Breakfast

This is the final day of the Kora. We cross several streams and follow an impressive gorge. Along the way we are once again treated to magnificent views of Mt. Kailash. We then enter the Bharka plain and it’s about an hour’s walk through this desert-like landscape to Darchen. Meals: Breakfast

Today is another driving day as we head towards Saga taking the sights of the small dusty towns along the way. This gives us more time to appreciate this truly ancient Tibetan culture. Meals: Breakfast

Sightseeing on board. Meals: Breakfast

Today we drive back to Lhasa and sightseeing on board. In Lhasa we stay with Tibetan family and become a Tibetan for half day. We could learn how to make Tibetan joss stick, or Tibetan porcelain, or Thangka, etc. or how Tibetan turn the yak dung into a good fuel, or how they gather in the harvest. We could join into them if we want in different activities in different seasons. Meals: Breakfast

In the morning we depart from Lhasa to Tsedang, a small city in the Yarlung Valley considered the cradle of Tibetan culture. On our way to Tsedang, we cross the Yarlung Tsampo River and explore Tibet’s earliest monastery, Samye monastery. Meals: Breakfast

A full day of exploring in Tsedang introduces us to the old earth tombs of former kings, the Thandruk Monastery, and Tibet’s oldest building, Yambu Lakang, a fort perched high in the mountains overlooking the vast plain. Meals: Breakfast

We take a last memorable look at the Potala Palace before being transported to airport for the flight back to Kathmandu from Lhasa’s Gonggar Airport. Meals: Breakfast, Farewell Dinner

If you prefer to stay longer, you can consult us for short tours such as game drive at National parks, rafting, mountain biking, India or Bhutan tours etc. Meals: Breakfast