This is a grand tour of Tibet, no trekking required. You'll fly  into Lhasa from Kathmandu, Nepal and return overland back to Kathmandu. The itinerary packs in all the highlights of Tibet, including the grand panorama of the principal chain of the Himalayas, with the north face of Everest as its focal point, the summit almost ready to touch. We begin with a side-trip to Tsedang and the Yarlung Tsangpo valley, the cradle of the Tibetan civilization. On the way we ferry across the Tsangpo River to visit Samye, the oldest monastery to the Red Hat School. Then we continue on to Yongbulakhang Fortress of Tibetan kings, overlooking a fertile agricultural valley, and visit the royal tombs from the 7th century. From here we continue to Lhasa for two days of sightseeing, and then we  proceed on the southern route past Yamdroktso, the turquoise lake, to Gyantse, Shigatse on to Everest and eventually to the Tibet-Nepal border and Kathmandu. This is the one of the most popular Tibet-traverse tours for the past 20 years.

Itinerary:

Day 01:

Arrival in Kathmandu and transfer to Hotel. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Day 02:

Full day sightseeing tour of Kathmandu city,
Swayambhunath Stupa, Pashupatinath Temple, Boudhanath Stupa & Patan City.
Overnight in Kathmandu.

Day 03:

Flight Kathmandu to Gongar Airport south of Lhasa.
Drive to Tsedang; overnight in Tsedang.
Tsedang, the cradle of Tibetan civilization, is 100 Km from the airport and at 3500 m above sea level.

Day 4:

Full day of sightseeing in and around Tsedang; stop to visit Samye Gompa on the way to Lhasa. O/N in Lhasa.

Day 05:

Lhasa sightseeing: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple & Barkhor Street.
Potala, the winter palace of the Dalai Lama, was built originally in the 7th century by the King Songtsen Gampo and rebuilt to its present size by the 5th Dalai Lama in the 17th century. Situated at the heart of the oldest section of the Lhasa city, Jokhang is one of the oldest temples in Tibet. Barkhor is the middle pilgrimage circuit around Jokhang Temple in the heart of the Tibetan quarter.

Day 06:

Outer Lhasa sightseeing: Sera Monastery, Drepung Monastery & Norbulingka.
Sera is the second biggest Gelukpa Monastery in the north suburb of Lhasa, built in 1419 by Tsongkapa's disciple Sakya Yeshi. Drepung Monastery is the biggest Gelukpa monastery in the west suburb of Lhasa, built in the mid 18th century by the
7th Dalailama. Norbulingka park, of some 100 acres and containing palaces, pavilions and a zoo, was the Dalai Lama's summer palace.

Day 07:

Drive Lhasa to Shigatse via Gyantse.
In Gyantse visit Kumbum & Palkhor Chode. Overnight in Shigatse.
Gyantse lies 260 km southwest of Lhasa on the northern bank of Nyang Chu River. It takes around 8 hours to reach Gyantse crossing the Khamba La Pass (4800m) that offers a fine view of the Yamdrok Tso (tso - lake). Before reaching Gyantse we cross the glacier surrounded Karo La Pass (5010m), yet another stunning pass. In Gyantse the Tibetans resisted the Younghusband's British Expedition to Tibet in 1904. Palkhor monastery was built in the 15th century by the local chieftain Raptan Kunsang under the guidance of the first Panchan Lama. There are said to be 100,000 images in the Kumbum Pagoda, both solid or paintings; erected in 1440 by Rabtan Kunsang, it's one of the most magnificent buildings in Tibet; its design is strongly influenced by Newari architecture. Shigatse is the second biggest city in Tibet and lies 90kms away from Gyangtse. Its famous Tashilhunpo monastery is a seat of
the Panchan Lama and constitutes one of the six most important Gelukpa monasteries in Tibet; it was built in 1447 by the first Dalai Lama.

Day 08:

Drive to Xegar via Sakya. Overnight in Qomolangma Hotel. It is 50km from Shigatse to Xegar. Sakya monastery, once the base of the Sakyapa sect, which rose to power in the 13th century, is located about 30km from the Friendship Highway.

Day 09:

Drive to Rongbuk Monastery below Everest, only 12km from the Everest Base Camp; we drive but, if you wish and you’re in good health and physical shape, you can walk the final 12 km from the gompa to the base camp at 5,150m; overnight at the monastery guesthouse.

Day 10:

Long but scenic drive from Rongbuk to Nyalam; overnight in Nyalam.

Day 11:

From Nyalam to Zhangmu.
A boarder town on the southern slope of the Himalaya mountain range. En route to Zhangmu visit Milarepa Cave. Exit Tibet, our transport waiting in Kodari on the Nepal side of the border to take us back to Kathmandu.
O/N in Kathmandu.

Day 12:

Transfer to Kathmandu Airport for your onward destination.

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