Nepal to Lhasa Tour
Highlights
Full Descriptions
Meals: Welcome Cultural Dinner.
After breakfast we depart the hotel for a full-day sightseeing tour of Kathmandu, the "city of glory." We visit Durbar (Palace) Square, the epicenter of religious and cultural life, an area filled with old temples and historical significance with old glorious Newari architecture. Some of the sights include Kal Bhairav, Hanuman Dhoka, Taleju Temple, Kasthamandap and Kumari Ghar; home to the Living Goddess. Afterwards we visit Swoyambhunath Stupa, said to be one of the oldest Buddhist stupas in the world, which is majestically set high on a hill overlooking Kathmandu Valley. We proceed towards Pashupatinath Temple, a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. This massive temple complex sits alongside the banks of the holy Bagmati River. Only Hindus are allowed to enter the courtyard of the temple, whereas tourists can see the temple from the eastern side of the Bagmati River. Later we visit Boudhanath, a Buddhist Stupa said to be one of the largest in the world. This massive structure stands tall with four pairs of eyes each facing the four cardinal directions, watching for righteous behavior of mankind and for human prosperity.
We check out from the hotel after breakfast for a guided sightseeing tour of Patan, the city of Fine Arts. We visit Durbar Square, Krishna Temple, Golden Temple (Hiranya Varna Mahavihar), etc. We also visit the Tibetan Handicraft Centre where we can see the art of making carpets by the Tibetan refugees. Afterwards we head for one and half hour scenic drive to Nagarkot and enroute we stop at Bhaktapur, the “City of Devotees”. The tour begins in Bhaktapur with a visit to Durbar Square, the Golden Gate and the Palace of 55 Windows to see Lion’s Gate, The Nyatapola Temple, the tallest of its kind in Nepal, Bhairab Temple and the Pottery Centre. We reach Nagarkot late in the evening for the night stay.
Nagarkot village (2175m) is set on a ridge, just 32km from Kathmandu, facing one of the broadest possible views of the Himalaya. We wake up early in the morning for the sunrise and the mountain panorama from Dhaulagiri in the west to Mt. Everest, Kanchenjunga in the east, via Ganesh Himal, Langtang Lirung, Shisha Pangma, Dorje Lakpa and Gauri Shanker. This place exists only because of the views and there is not much to the village except a small hilltop Mahakali Temple.
After breakfast proceed for full day sightseeing of Potala Palace, and & Norbulinka. Potala Palace, this legendary palace built atop a single hill is synonymous with Tibet by the first foremost king Songtsen Gompa. Norbulingka meaning 'Treasure Park' covers an area of around 360000 sq. m. and is considered to be the biggest man made garden in Tibet. After sightseeing you will be transferred-to-hotel-for-your-Overnight-at-hotel-in-Lhasa.
After breakfast full day sightseeing of Sera Monastery, Jokhang Monastery, Barkhor Market. Sera Monastery, 5 Kms north of Lhasa, Sera setting is one of Lhasa's prettiest monasteries. Once a community of more than 5,000 monks resided here and was virtually extinguished by the Chinese. Jokhang Temple, situated in the heart of Old Lhasa, it houses Tibet's most precious religious relic, a golden Shakyamuni Buddha which was brought as a gift by the Chinese Princess Wen Cheng on the occasion of her wedding to the Tibetan King, Songtsen Gompo. Barkhor Market place, which is the religious and social focus of Lhasa and Drive to Ganden Monastery, Ganden Monastery or Ganden Namgyeling is one of the "great three" Gelug university monasteries of Tibet, China. It is in Dagzê County, Lhasa. The other two are Sera Monastery and Drepung Monastery. After Sightseeing you will be transferred to hotel-for-your-Overnight-at-hotel-in-Lhasa.
Drive 3 hours to Samye Monastery : was the first gompa (Buddhist monastery) built in Tibet. It was probably first constructed between 775-9 under the patronage of King Trisong Detsen of Tibet who sought to revitalize Buddhism, which had declined since its introduction by King Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century. The monastery is in Dranang, Lhoka. The original buildings have long disappeared. They have been badly damaged several times — by civil war in the 11th century, fires in the mid 17th century and in 1826, an earthquake in 1816, and in the 20th century, particularly during the Cultural Revolution. As late as the late 1980s pigs and other farm animals were allowed to wander through the sacred buildings. Each time it has been rebuilt, and today, largely due to the efforts of Choekyi Gyaltsen, 10th Panchen Lama from 1986 onward, it is again an active monastery and important pilgrimage and tourist destination.
While travelling to Samye Monastery, we have good sighting of Brahmaputra river and the source of the river was earlier thought to be on the Chemayungdung glacier, which covers the slopes of the Himalayas about 97 km (60 mi) southeast of Lake Manasarovar in southwestern Tibet. The river is 3,848 km (2,391 mi) long, and its drainage area is 712,035 km2(274,918 sq mi) according
Transfer to airport to connect return flight.
Hotel in Lhasa – Hotel Kyichu or Similar.
Hotel in Nepal – Kathmandu Guest House or Royal Singhi Hotel in Kathmandu and Country villa or Paradise Inn in nagarkot
Kathmandu –Lhasa-Kathmandu flight schedules
Depa: Kathmandu/Lhasa CA 408/Daily 1210 1600
Dep : Lhasa/Kathmandu CA 407/Daily 1150 1110
Fare : USD 700.00 (Subject to Change)
