Nepal Tibet Short Tour - 8 Days

A representative from the Himalayan Trekkers will greet and transfer you to the hotel in Kathmandu Upon your arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport. After check-in formalities at the hotel, you will have the time to rest and freshen up. Then, we will have a short tour discussion, and depending upon the available time, we will take you out for a stroll around the streets and corners of Thamel which is the commercial hub of Kathmandu. 

Note: After hotel check-in, we will collect your signatures, original passport, and documentation for Tibet/China Visa Process. In case of the last arrival, we will collect the required documents, signature, and original passport the next day. 
In case of early arrival, we will get a chance to collect the documents early and can issue the visa procedures on the same day. 3 working days are needed to receive China/Tibet Travel Visa. 

After a warm and delicious breakfast at the hotel, our guide will pick you up for full-day guided sightseeing of the Kathmandu Valley. 
First, Boudhanath Stupa is the first sightseeing spot for the day. Listed in the UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979, Boudhanath is one of the largest stupas in South Asia. It is one of the most important Buddhist sites in Nepal that represents Tibetan Buddhism. Built-in stupa style, the white dome in the middle of the large mandala has giant Buddha eyes on every four sides and a golden pinnacle. The stupa is flocked with pilgrims and visitors every day and every time, especially on Saturdays. 

Our next spot, also listed as World Heritage Site, is the Pashupatinath Temple, one of the four most important Hindu sites in the world. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is regarded as the universe's guardian and the patron god of the Nepali people in the Hindu religion. Only Hindus are permitted inside the main temple. But, we can look at the mandir (temple) from the major viewpoint across the Bagmati River. You can also see the open-air cremation ceremony on the bank of the river. 

Then, we move to Patan Durbar Square located at the center of the Lalitpur (Patan) district. It is the oldest of three durbar squares in Kathmandu Valley which was built during the 3rd century in the Malla period. The city of Patan is really famous for Newari architecture that features wood carvings, metal crafting, and brickworks and the Durbar Square Complex really showcases this. There are several significant temples including Krishna Mandir built in Shikhara style, Golden Temple which is richly decorated with golden statues of Lord Buddha, and Machhindranath Temple, which is devoted to the rain gods, and homes in the neighborhood, including one that once housed a king.

After a full day of exploring the above-mentioned places, we drive back to Kathmandu. You can rest or stroll around in the evening. 

Since, you will be traveling to the average altitude of 4000 in Tibet and for the acclimatization purpose before traveling to such a high plateau, we have included a day hike to Champadevi/Sivapuri or any one of the higher hills around Kathmandu. This hike will be helpful for not only acclimatization purposes but we can also enjoy the mesmerizing view of the valley and landscape with the backdrop of the Himalayas. If the travelers wish to skip the hike and rather do a city tour then it is also possible. 

As soon as the Chinese Embassy opens, our representative will collect the passport and visa and proceed to the airport for our flight. The flight to Gonggar Airport usually takes place at noon. The flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa is considered one of the best flights in the world as you will be flying above the Himalayas and taking the breath-taking views of the majestic Himalayas, including Kailash, Cho Oyu, Everest, the highest mountain on Earth, and others.

After a 2 and half hours flight, we will arrive at Gongar Airport. Upon arrival at the Gonggar Airport, our Tibetan representative will welcome you and transfer you to the hotel in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. Check-in at the hotel and remainder of the day on leisure with not many activities due to altitude change. 
In the evening we will stroll around the old city to experience the local lifestyle and monuments of Lhasa.

Our full-day guided sightseeing begins from the Potala Palace which was the winter palace of the Dalai Lamas since the 7th century. Now turned museum, it is one of the holiest complexes of Tibetan Buddhism and also the highest palace on earth in terms of altitude. The palaces are really grand similar to chapels of western countries. The palace museum is a fine example of Tibetan architecture and houses the historical documents of Buddhism, relics of Tibetan culture, statues of different Buddhas, Buddhist scriptures, arts, Thangkas, etc. 

hen, we will move to Jokhang Temple, the holiest Buddhist temple in Tibet. The temple was by in the 7th century by King Songtsen Gampo to house the Budhha Statue and images brought by his Nepalese wife Princess Bhrikuti. It was designed by Nepalese craftsmen and in 2010, it got listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

After exploring the temple, we will take a walk around the must-see Barkhor Street surrounding the Jokhang Temple. The street offers the original outlook of Lhasa and brings together the regional Tibetan traditions, beliefs, economy, culture, handicrafts, etc. The street is also called "Holy Path" by Tibetans which is made up of four streets that form a circle and is more than 1000 meters long. We will return to the hotel in the evening after a whole day of cultural and historical exploration. 

After breakfast, we will visit the Norbulingka Palace which sits on the bank of the Kyichu River. The palace used to be the summer residence of the Dalai Lamas which have 374 rooms. Norbulingka means “Treasure Park” which is home to the largest, most exquisite and best-preserved gardens on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. This UNESCO World Heritage Site palace has a complex different from most of the monasteries in Tibet. There are five distinct sections in the palace complex- Kelsang Palace, Tsokyil Palace, Golden Linka, Takten Migyur Palace, and Lake Heart Palace and each of them has three main sections- the palace area, the forest area, and the area in front of the palace.

We will also visit the popular Drepung Monastery, the most significant monastery in Tibetan history. It is one of the three main Gelug monasteries along with the Sera and Ganden monasteries. The monastery used to be Dalai Lamas’ residence before Potala Palace was built. During the heyday, the monastery was home to around 10,000 monks; now there are around 600 monks. We will visit the complex’s main buildings including the Main Assembly Hall, the Ganden Potrang, and a few chapels nearby.

Then we will move to Sera Monastery, one of the most beautiful monastery complexes. It was the second-largest monastery in the world and resided with more than 9,000 monks in its peak days.  Being one of the main Gelug monasteries, it teaches the Mahayana Buddhism Teachings. The white stone streets and walkways, the debating courtyard, the main meeting hall, and the bookstore are the major attractions for visitors. 
We return to the hotel after exploring the above-mentioned sites. 

After a nice breakfast at the hotel, you will be transferred to the airport for a scenic flight back to the Kathmandu Valley. In Kathmandu, we will proceed for sightseeing in the places such as Swoyambhunath and Kathmandu Durbar square. If time permits, we will also explore the Bhaktapur Durbar Square. 

Of all the sacred sites in the Kathmandu Valley, Swayambhunath Stupa is the oldest and most mysterious. It is located on a hilltop in the center of the valley and from every angle of the valley, one can see its tall white dome and glistening golden spire. Swoyambhunath is also known as the “monkey temple” because the number of monkeys in the temple complex is innumerable. The surrounding is filled with chaityas, temples, and many small shrines of different deities, and other religious objects. 

Another UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kathmandu Durbar Square is one of the three durbar squares in the valley, located in the heart of the Kathmandu city. The durbar square complex is a few meters away from Thamel Street and is famous among the locals. It is also known as Basantapur Durbar Square and houses religious and cultural sites such as Kalbhairab Temple, Kumari House, Kasthamandap, Hanuman Dhoka Palace, etc. 

Bhaktapur Durbar Square is another durbar square complex located in Bhaktapur town, an ancient town of Kathmandu valley. Bhaktapur is also called the “city of devotees”, “A Living Museum” or “ancient Newari town”. The mythology, art, and architecture of the Newari tradition are very prominent in the town. The square complex is a fine example. 

In the evening, we gather together in an authentic Nepali restaurant for a farewell dinner.
Note: Even though our package has both arrival and departure from Kathmandu, if the travelers are short on time or are planning to travel further to other destinations via connecting flights from Chengdu, Ganzhou, Beijing, etc, then we will make amendments accordingly but the travelers will have to inform us in advance. 

As your Short tour to Nepal and Tibet has been come to the end, you will be departing today. After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back to your home country or onward destination.

However, if your flight is scheduled in the evening or after the evening, you can spend the day in the city as you prefer. You can once again stroll around the markets and buy some souvenirs for friends and families. You can also visit the site as per your interest. After that, you will be transferred to the airport 3 hours prior to your flight. (3 hrs prior to flight is a rule here in Nepal).