13 Days Tibet Nepal Bhutan Culture Tour
per person
This 13-day culture journey will bring you to explore three famous place- Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan. You will enjoy the rich Buddhist culture and natural beauty.
Overview:
This 13-day cultures tour offers you a good way to explore three countries – Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan. You will immerse yourself in the rich geography, ethnic customs, and Buddhist culture. Your journey starts from Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. Here, you will visit cultural and historical temples including the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Sera Monastery and Drepung Monastery. Then, you will go through Gyantse and Shigatse to see the holy Yamdroktso Lake. After seeing the golden sunrise of Mount Everest, you will go across the Tibetan Platea and delve deeply into Nepal. In Kathmandu, you will enjoy the wonderful Buddhist culture tour through visiting Kathmandu Durbar Square, Swayambhunath Pagoda, Pashupatinath Temple, and Boudhanath Stupa. After that, you will fly to Paro from Kathmandu to do a trek in Tiger’s Nest monastery, the birthplace of Bhutanese Buddhism.
Brief Itinerary:
Day | Daily Outline | Attractions |
Day 1 | Arrival in Lhasa (3680m) | Pick up and transfer to the hotel. |
Day 2 | Lhasa sightseeing | Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street |
Day 3 | Lhasa sightseeing | Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery |
Day 4 | Lhasa- Gyantse(4040m)- Shigatse(3840m), 360km, Approx. 6hrs. | Yamdroktso Lake, Karola Glacier, Pelkor Chöde Monastery
|
Day 5 | Shigatse -Tingri -Rongbuk- EBC (5100m), 360km, Approx. 6hrs. | Rongbuk Monastery, the sunset of golden of Everest peak |
Day 6 | EBC – Gyirong Border, 370km, Approx. 8hrs | Sunrise of Everest Peak, Pekutso Lake, Far view of Mt. Shishapangma |
Day 7 | Gyirong to Kathmandu | Send you off to the Nepal Border and transfer you to Kathmandu City |
Day 8 | Kathmandu Sightseeing | Kathmandu Durbar Square, Swayambhunath Pagoda, Patan City |
Day 9 | Kathmandu Sightseeing
|
Pashupatinath Temple, Boudhanath Stupa
|
Day 10 | Fly to Paro from Kathmandu, Transfer to Thimphu (2300m) (2 hrs.’ drive) | Kyichu Lhakhang, Paro Rinpung Dzong |
Day 11 | Trek to Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest Monastery) and Drive back to Paro | Trek to Tiger’s Nest |
Day 12 | Fly to Kathmandu from Paro
|
Pick up and transfer to your hotel, have a free day |
Day 13 | Kathmandu Departure | Send off to Kathmandu airport |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Arrival in Lhasa (3680m)
Welcome to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet! Your Tibetan guide and driver will wait for you at Lhasa Airport or the train station and then take you to the hotel. When driving on the road, you could enjoy the Tibetan pure blue sky and white clouds. It takes 1.5 hours from the airport to the center of Lhasa and about 20 minutes from the train station. After arriving at the hotel, you must be very excited and can’t wait to visit Lhasa city. But you are suggested to take a good rest in order to adapt to high altitudes. If you feel good, you could stroll through the city of Lhasa like Potala Square, where you can enjoy the beautiful night view of the Potala Palace.
Good to know:
*For travelers who are the first time to visit high altitude land, you are suggested to have a good rest in your hotel on the first day.
*If you would like to stay in a hotel with oxygen supply, you are suggested to stay at hotels such as Shangri-La Hotel, Lhasa (with a luxury oxygen spa) or Shambhala hotel (oxygen is supplied).
Stay overnight in Lhasa, 3/4-star
Day 2 Lhasa Sightseeing- Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple
Attractions: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street
Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, is well-known as an international tourism city with mystic Tibetan Buddhist culture and natural plateau scenery. Today, we will arrange you to explore this old and holy city which is already over 1300 years.
In the morning, you will head to visit world-known Potala Palace, which has the highest architecture in the world. It was built by Srongtsen Gampo in the 7th.century and used to be the winter palace of the Dalai Lama. Except for the art of buildings, you could also visit the gilded burial stupas of former Dalai Lamas and meditation Cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet.
After lunch, you are going to visit another symbolic scenic spot of Tibet-Jokhang Temple. It is considered to be the spiritual center of Tibetan Buddhism. In the temple, there is a golden life-sized statue of 12-year-old Sakyamuni, which was brought by Princess Wencheng from the Tang Dynasty. So, you could see many devout Tibetans do a pilgrimage in front of Jokhang temple. Afterward, you could stroll around the famous Barkhor Street, where you can enjoy a sweet tea, and buy some Tibetan souvenirs.
With the attractions, we will arrange a welcome dinner for you tonight. Hope you can enjoy the relaxing night with your friends and guide.
Stay overnight in Lhasa, 3/4-star
Day 3 Lhasa Sightseeing- Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery
Attractions: Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery
Today, you will also discover two other highlights of Lhasa – Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery. In the morning, you are going to visit Drepung Monastery, the largest monastery in Tibet. Before the liberation of Tibet, more than 10,000 monks lived and studied. Therefore, Drepung Monastery is also well-known as the “Mother School of Dalai Lamas”
In the afternoon, you will visit the Sera Monastery. You can enjoy a wonderful Buddhist debate in the monastery, open daily from 3 pm to 5 pm, except on Sundays. You can participate in the daily debate of 80 monks in a closed courtyard. This is more like a question and answers session on Tibetan Buddhism. Through this debate, you can learn more about Tibetan Buddhism culture.
Stay overnight in Lhasa, 3/4-star
Day 4 Lhasa- Gyantse(4040m)- Shigatse(3840m), 360km, Approx. 6hrs
Attractions: Yamdroktso Lake, Karola Glacier, Pelkor Chöde Monastery
In the morning, you will leave for Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet. Today may be a long journey, but you can enjoy many beautiful natural landscapes along the way. First, you will head to turquoise Yamdroktso lake (4400m) via the Gampala Pass (4,790 m). Yamdroktso lake located in the south of the Yarlung Zangbo River and surrounded by snow-capped mountains. You are lucky to take a photo with the lovely Tibetan Mastiffs around the lake. Continue to drive, you will see the magnificent Karola Glacier (5045 meters) on the right side of the road.
Afterward, you will arrive at the historic city of Gyantse city. After lunch, you are going to visit the Pelkor Monastery and Gyantse Kumbum (4040m), which is famous for “One Hundred Thousand Buddhas Pagoda”. You will arrive in Shigatse city in the late afternoon.
Stay overnight in Shigatse, 3/4-star
Day 5 Shigatse - Tingri – Rongbuk - EBC (5100m), 360km, Approx. 6hrs
Attractions: Rongbuk Monastery, the sunset of golden of Everest peak
Today is the most exciting moment of your Tibet trip. from Shigatse, you will head to Everest Base Camp at 5,100 meters above the sea level. After go accessing Tsola Pass(4600M) and Gyatsola Pass(5248M), you will reach to Everest National Nature Reserve, where mark that you have entered Mount Everest region. At the Gawla Pass (5198 m), You will enjoy a panoramic view of the Himalaya ranges including some famous mountains such as Mt. Makalu (8463 m), Mt. Lhotse (8516m), Mt. Everest (8844m), Mt. Cho Oyu (8201m) and Mt. Shishapama(8020m). After that, you will reach Rongbuk Monastery(5,150m), the highest monastery in the world. From there, you get get a clear view of the sunset of the golden Mount Everest. Besides, you can wander around the Rongbuk Monastery (5,150m), the highest monastery in the world.
Stay overnight at Rongbuk guesthouse or EBC dorm tent
Day 6 EBC – Gyirong Border 370km, Approx. 8hrs
Attractions: The sunrise of golden of Everest peak, far view of the Himalayas,
Today, you can get up in the early morning to enjoy the beautiful sunrise of Everest peak. After breakfast, you will head to Gyirong Border via Old Tingri. On the route, you will get a good view of the Himalaya mountains and Pekutso Lake. You will reach to Gyriong town in the late afternoon.
Stay overnight in a guesthouse
Day 7 Gyirong to Kathmandu city
In the morning, your tour guide will send you off to the Nepal Border and help you get across the border to Nepal. For transportation from Gyirong to Kathmandu, we could arrange a jeep or bus for you based on the size of the group.
Stay overnight in Kathmandu
Day 8 Kathmandu Sightseeing
Attractions: Kathmandu Durbar Square, Swayambhunath Pagoda, Patan City
Today, you start to visit the main attractions in Kathmandu city, where you can discovery many well-known pilgrimage sites of different religious values. In the morning, you are going to visit Durbar Square. It’s a Royal Palace square, where you can find many ancient buildings from the early 16th Century.
After that, you’ll head to Swayambhunath Pagoda, which is one of the most famous symbols of Nepal. On the golden spire of this 5th-century pagoda, it’s decorated with colorful prayer flags. The grant architecture, exquisite decorations, and the intensity of historical items will lead you to have a better understanding of deep Nepalese culture.
At last, you’re going to Patan city, which is the second largest city in Nepal. From here, you can discover one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Nepal and learn more about Nepalese Buddhist culture.
Stay overnight in Kathmandu
Day 9 Kathmandu Sightseeing
Attractions: Pashupatinath Temple, Boudhanath Stupa
Today, your tour guide will take you to visit two main attractions in Kathmandu city- Pashupatinath Temple and Boudhanath Stupa. They are two of the seven UNESCO’s world heritage sites in Nepal.
In the morning, you could pay a visit to Pashupatinath Temple, which is the largest temple of Lord Shiva in Nepal and the most sacred temple of Hindus. It was built by Prachanda Dev during Lichchhavi dynasty in the 5th century.
After lunch, you’ll head to Boudhanath Stupa, where you could do a nice meditation. You’re suggested to visit Thanka painting galleries as you could learn more about the concept of Tibetan Buddhism.
Stay overnight in Kathmandu
Day 10 Fly to Paro from Kathmandu, Transfer to Thimphu (2300m) (2 hrs’ drive)
Attractions: Kyichu Lhakhang, Paro Rinpung Dzong
Today, you’ll take a morning flight to Paro from Kathmandu airport. After arriving, you’ll meet our Bhutan tour guide and transfer to your hotel. Then, you’ll head to visit Kyichu Lhakhang and Paro Rinpung Dzong.
Kyichu Lhakhang is the oldest temple in Bhutan, where you could visit the life-size eight-year-old Buddha statue of Sakyamuni, elaborate paintings, and mystic Buddhist scriptures. Paro Rinpung Dzong serves as the administrative center in Bhutan and a Buddhist school for the monks. At last, you’ll drive to Thimphu (65 Km), the capital of Bhutan.
Stay overnight in Thimphu
Day 11 Trek to Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest Monastery) and Drive back to Paro
Attractions: Tiger’s Nest
Today, you’re going to visit Tiger’s Nest Monastery(3120 meters), the most sacred temple in Bhutan. According to legend, Master Padmasambhava had flown here on a tigress and meditated in the cave for three months. So Tiger’s Nest is considered to be the birthplace of Bhutanese Buddhism. If you prefer, you can do a 2~3 hours trekking to Tiger’s Nest Monastery. After finishing the visiting, you’ll drive back to Paro.
Stay overnight in Paro
Day 12 Fly to Kathmandu from Bhutan
Today, you’ll take a morning flight to Kathmandu city from Paro airport. After arriving in Kathmandu, you can have a good rest and explore this old city by yourself.
Stay overnight in Kathmandu
Day 13 Depart from Kathmandu
The tour ends today. We will pick you up from your Kathmandu hotel, then transfer to airport for your next trip based on your flight schedule.
Cost and Inquiry
Since it’s a customized Tibet tour of which the price is different depends on the travel season, hotel class, and the number of travelers, etc. Please let us know your tour plan by filling in the following form. Your trip advisor will contact you within 24 hours for a private Tibet tour designed only for you.
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