Day 01: Drive
from Kathmandu to Zhangmu (2,300m.) which is 123 kilometers.
You stay overnight at hotel. The vehicle leaves Kathmandu
and paves its way through Kodari Highway leading to the Tibetan
Border. It offers beautiful views of the villages and small
towns. The views of Langtang, Gauri Shanker, Melungtse and
Khumbu Himal in a clear weather will be additional attraction
of this drive. After completing the custom and immigration
formalities drive uphill to Zhangmu Immigration Post.
You leave your vehicles here and start a short walk
of about one hour 30 minutes uphill with porters to
Zhangmu Immigrations - known to Nepalese as Khasa which
hangs on a cliff face. The main features are its booming
town of architecture having a temporary look and even
the monastery roofs are sheathed in corrugated iron
sheets. It is situated at a height of 2,500 m. 
Day 02: Drive from Zhangmu to Xegar (4,350m.) which
is 244 kilometers. You stay overnight at hotel. Today
you drive uphill to the highest plateau of the world
with the typical view of Tibetan landscape, crossing
over Nyalam Pass (3,800 m) and Lalung-La (Pass) at
5,050m, with views of beautiful Himalayan Ranges panorama
including the Langtang (7,245 m.), Xixapangma (8,516
m.), Dorje Lakpa [6,980 m.], Makalu [8,463 m.], Everest
8,848 m.], Lhotse [8,201 m], Cho-Oyu [8,201 m.] and
Gauri Shanker [7,134 m.].
Zhangmu is another town that lies in the shadow of
a great fortress. Even in ruins it is majestic. Seeming
to grow out of the craggy brown rock, its sinuous wall
bristles with watchtowers like stegosaurus spines.
Isolated in 1855 by Nepalese in search of booty, the
Gurkhas cut off the Dzong's water supply and settled
in for a long siege. Xegar, also called "new Tingri",
is surrounded by mountains.
Day 03: Drive from Xegar to Shigatse (3,900m.) which
is 244 kilometers. You stay overnight at hotel. Shigatse
is 03 hours away from Xegar and on the way the road
reaches an altitude of 5220 m. at Jia Tsuo La [ Lhakpa
La ]. At Shigatse there is facility for having tea/snacks.
Depending upon the condition of the road, Sakya Monastery,
which is 26 kilometers off the main road, can be visited.
Sakya Monastery is the oldest and most important Bon
Po Monastery. You reach Xigatse, the place of famous
Tashi Lumpo Monastery and the seat of Panchen Lama
until his death in 1989. You can enjoy the sight of
huge Thanka Wall which is clearly visible on the northern
side of the road.
Day 04: Drive from Shigatse to Gyangtse (3,950m.)
which is 90 kilometers. You stay overnight at hotel.
After visiting Tashi Lumpo Monastery and the local
market place at Shigatse you drive to Gyangtse. This
drive lasts for about 02 hours. Gyangtse is a small
bustling town situated on the northern bank of Nyang
Chu River and it is 264 kilometers southwest of Lhasa,
the final destination. In the 15th century it served
as the capital of a small kingdom. A visit of Kumbum
Chorten built around 1400 AD is a worth experience.
During the British rule in India Gyangtse became the
main centre of trade with India.
Day 05: Drive from Gyangtse to Lhasa (3650m.) which
is 264 kilometers. You stay overnight at hotel. On
the way to Lhasa the road crosses two high passes,
Karo La (5,010m.) and Kamba La (4,794m.) and it is
a drive for about 08 hours. Karo La climbs between
two lofty mountains Khang Sa (7,223m.) and Ralung (6236m.).
The drive following the bank of Yamdrok Tso [Turquoise
Lake] takes about 01 hour. After crossing Kamba La,
Lhasa Valley is seen to the north. On the way to Lhasa
the road crosses the famous Brahmaputra River. You
stay overnight in Lhasa.
Day 06 and Day 07: Sightseeing in and around Lhasa.
These two days you will visit Potala Palace, Norbulinka
Palace, Jorkhang and surrounding Barkhor market, Drepung
and Sera Monasteries. You stay overnight at hotel.
One of the highlights is the visit to the symbol of
Tibet; the Potala Palace set high on Red Hill, the
winter home of the Dalai Lama until 1959. The most
sacred temple in Lhasa is the Lokhang, where people
come from all over Tibet to visit and pray in this
spiritual heart of the country. It was used as a military
kitchen during the Cultural Revolution but has now
been beautifully restored, with many priceless thangkas
and statues adorning the chapels and magnificent gilded
roofs.
Another great treasure is the Norbulingka – the
old summer palace of the Dalai Lama.
Now you visit Jorkhang temple, the center of the Tibetan
Buddhism and the sacred land of Buddhist followers
where innumerable pilgrims come for worship everyday.
The temple, built in 647, is the earliest wood-and-masonry
structure still existing in Tibet. Surrounding the
Jorkhang Temple is the bustling Barkhor Market place
which is the religious and social focus of Lhasa. Around
the Barkhor there are numerous stalls selling all sorts
of handicrafts: brightly coloured boots and fur-lined
hats, silver and turquoise jewellery, rosaries, prayer
flags and charms as well as beautiful Tibetan carpets
and all manner of ordinary household ware.
Next you visit Sera monastery, which was created in
1419, has always been an important Buddhist seminary.
As rose are planted everywhere in the monastery, it
is also called “the court of wild rose”.
Today still 200 Lamas live in there. On the other hand,
Drepung Monastery, is the world’s largest monastery
with about 10,000 monks
Day 08: Fly from Lhasa to Kathmandu. You stay overnight
at hotel in Kathmandu. The flight from Lhasa to Kathmandu
takes one hour and during your flight, you can see
Yarlung Tsangpo River, Yamdrok Tso [Lake], Mount Kanchanjungha
(8,586m.), Mount Makalu (8,463m.) and Mount Everest
(8,848m.). But the visibility depends on the weather
condition. Your Tibet Tour ends on your arrival at
Kathmandu Airport.
You
fly or drive across the Himalaya to Lhasa, where you
have plenty of time to visit the main sights in and around
the town including the Potala Palace, the Norbulingka
(the Dalai Lama’s summer
palace) and the Jorkhang Temple which contains Jowo Shakyamuni,
the most holy statue to all Tibetan Buddhists. You also
visit the major monasteries in the Lhasa Valley including
Samye, Drepung and Sera. You then drive along the Friendship
Highway to Nepal, one of the most spectacular road journeys
in the world. You visit the towns and monasteries in
both Gyantse and Shigatse and then have a spectacular
drive across the Tibetan Plateau with great views of
Everest from the north side and Shishmapangma, the only
8,000m mountain situated totally in Tibet. Finally you
drive through the Himalaya and down into a spectacular
gorge back to Nepal and Kathmandu. You can also fly back
from Lhasa to Kathmandu.