➤ Arrival Lhasa - Transfer to your hotel - Meet your guide:

➤ Itinerary: Welcome to Tibet! You arrive at Lhasa’s Gonggar airport after what has, cloud cover permitting, been a spectacular flight (note that we can also meet you at the station if you arrive in Lhasa by train). Your guide will be meeting you at the airport for the 1 hour drive to Lhasa. Tibet’s capital is at a quite manageable altitude of 3,650 meters (12,000 feet) is a unique city and a highlight of China and, indeed, Asia. The setting, the history, architecture, people and contrasts all make for a very special travel experience. Free time to relax and adjust to the altitude or explore the fascinating area of the old Tibetan city your hotel is located in.

➤ Overnight at the Dhood Gu Hotel 3*. With a fantastic location close to Barkhor Square in the heart of the Old City this hotel is built and immerses you in the beautiful and colourful Tibetan style.

➤ Meals included: None.

➤ Lhasa - visit Drepung Monastery, Nechung residence, the Jokhang temple and Kora and Barkhor Square:

➤ Itinerary: Today we first head 5km out of Lhasa to Drepung Monastery, the largest in Tibet located on the Gambo Utse mountain. It was founded in 1416 and was the principal seat of learning for the Gelugpa school and at its height was thought to contain up to 10,000 monks (nowadays there are 300). About 10 minutes walk from Drepung is Nechung Chok which was the residence of the State Oracle of Tibet. This small monastery was also evocatively known as the ”Demon Fortress of the Oracle King.”

Return to Lhasa with time for lunch before visiting the Jokhang Temple, considered the most sacred and important temple in all Tibet. The temple is located at one end of Barkhor Square, a fascinating meeting point for pilgrims from all over Tibet. The temple itself was first constructed around 642 AD and despite or perhaps because of the hoards of visitors (mostly pilgrims) has an intense atmosphere infused with incense and devotion. You can sometimes get up onto the roof of the temple with good views over the old city. Surrounding the temple is the Barkhor Kora, a 1 km circular walk for pilgrims and locals as well as being a busy market selling all the goods a pilgrim might need on their travels. Free time to continue to explore the Old City for the rest of the day and evening.

➤ Overnight at the Dhood Gu Hotel 3*.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Lhasa - visit the Potala Palace, Tibetan Medical Institute and Sera Monastery:

➤ Itinerary: Today you will visit one of the architectural highlights of China, the vast Potala Palace, former chief residence of the Dalai Lama’s of Tibet. The palace started to be built in 1645 and has been added to over the centuries. It is 13 stories high and contains over 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines and 200,000 statues. Visitor numbers are restricted although it always feels busy inside. You will see some of the meeting rooms as well as the extraordinary chapels with their vast gold and jewel encrusted shrines to previous Dalai Lamas (the chapel of the 5th Dalai Lama has a stupa coated in 3,727kg of gold and 18,680 precious stones). The Potala dominates Lhasa not just from it’s size but also it’s location on Mount Potala and the views you get from the palace stretch right across Lhasa to the mountains that surround the city.

After the exertions of visiting the palace itself it is time for a trip to the Tibetan Medical Institute where a local Tibetan doctor will give an introduction about Tibetan traditional medicines - an area deeply rooted in Tibetan culture. This will leave you ready for another of Lhasa’s great teaching Monasteries - Sera. Spread over 28 acres at the base of Pubuchok mountain it was built in 1419. The highlights are the great assembly hall and some of the colleges located within the complex with their wealth of architectural features and shrines. Free time in the evening and overnight hotel.

➤ Overnight at the Dhood Gu Hotel 3*.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Lhasa to Gyantse via the Kamapala Pass, Yamdrok lake and Norjing Gangsang Glacier:

➤ Itinerary: After breakfast we depart Lhasa towards Gyantse, 230km south of Lhasa. The city is soon left behind and before long the road winds up the 4,780 meter (15,680 foot) Kamapala pass, strewn, like many such passes in Tibet, with colourful prayer flags fluttering in the stiff breeze. Spectacular views are in all directions before the road descends slowly to Yamdrok lake. This 72 km long lake has a spectacular backdrop of snow capped mountains. We follow the lake shore before heading back into the hills passing the Norjing Gangsang Glacier, a good place to stop for photos.

We continue along the road stopping whenever you want at villages or scenic spots before reaching Gyantse at 3,977 meters (13,050 feet) and Tibet’s third largest city. Free time to explore the city and if you have the energy the walk up the Dzong (fortress) that dominates Gyantse is well worth it for both the views and acclimatization.

➤ Overnight at the Gyantse Hotel 3*. The best Gyantse has to offer but perhaps a shock after Lhasa. On the positive side, it is considerably better than most options outside of Lhasa.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Gyantse to Shigatse - the Palcho Monastery and Kumbum and the Tashilhunpo Monastery and market:

➤ Itinerary: In the morning we visit Gyantse’s main monastery - the Palcho or Pelkhor Choede in Tibetan. The monastery consists of a wide range of buildings dating back to the 9th century. The most famous is the Kumbum, a 32 meter high 9 floored shrine which contains 108 unique chapels and is the largest such structure in Tibet. The main temple is called Tsulaklang and is well worth a walk around. These monasteries are far less busy than those around Lhasa.

It is 100km further drive to Shigatse at 3,840 meters (12,600 feet) which we reach mid-afternoon in time to visit the Tashilhunpo Monastery founded in 1447 by the first Dalai Lama and has since been the traditional seat of the “Tashi” or Panchen Lama. The monastery is fascinating as is the walk you can do around the Kora which stretches up the hillside behind the monastery offering good views of the complex and Shigatse itself. We can also visit the local market before settling into the hotel to overnight.

➤ Overnight at the Shigatse Hotel 3*. The best Shigatse has to offer and if you are heading further towards Nepal the best accommodation you will have before Nepal.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Shigatse to Sakya - 150kms taking about 4hrs:

➤ Itinerary: Depart Shigatse after breakfast driving 127km to Sakya monastery (4,050m). The seat of the Sakyapa school of Tibetan Buddhism this monastery looks very different to others you will have seen as it is of Mongolian architectural style. Much is in ruin or has been rebuilt although some original buildings dating back to 1268 survive. Spend time in the afternoon exploring the monastery which has biggest Buddhist scripture library in Tibet that survived the cultural revolution. Time can also be spent in surrounding local villages.

➤ Overnight at the Sakya Manrasaovar hotel.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Sakya to Paryang - 520kms taking about 10hrs:

➤ Itinerary: Today real adventure begins when we leave the main Friendship Highway and head on the road up to the capital of West Tibet, Ngari. We cross the Bramapurata river to the North and drive west via Lang Tso lake, Namring lake and up to the rich grass lands of Sang Sang nomadic zone where we have our lunch before driving up as far as Saga (4,580m). Continue on through this Tibetan farming area. Our road parallels the Bramaputra river and the great Himalaya range to the South. A long day of driving but stunning scenery makes it worthwhile.

➤ Overnight at a locally run guest house (best to bring your own sleeping bag)

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Paryang to Darchen - 295kms taking about 8hrs:

➤ Itinerary: Today we cross the wide open grass land of Paryang and Horba. There are spectacular views of the Himalaya to the south if we are lucky enough to have clear weather conditions. We cross the high Maryum pass and drive by Duk Tso lake where, with luck, we may see wildlife such as wild ass, gazelles and antelope. Drive on to Horchu nomadic village near Manasarovar lake before continuing on to Darchen (4,580m). This is the southern base of sacred Mt Kailash and our starting point of the holy circuit trek around the mountain. Tibetan pilgrims do the 52kms distant circuit in a single day starting before dawn and completing before sunset but we take a leisurely 2 and half days to better appreciate this unique area and we will use porters to carry our bags. In the evening there is time for final preparations for the trek around Kailash which we start tomorrow morning.

➤ Overnight at a locally run guest house (best to bring your own sleeping bag)

➤ Meals included: None (to be arranged locally if required).

➤ Walk from Darchen to Dri Ra Puk - 17kms taking about 8hrs:

➤ Itinerary: This is the most challenging day of this trip walking across the Dolma pass at a literally breathtaking 5,700m! We take our time today both the catch breath and to take in the scenery and spiritual feel of this area . It may be quite late before we finish the day on the Eastern side of the mountain at 4,680m) - a long but worthwhile day!

➤ Overnight at a locally run guest house (best to bring your own sleeping bag)

➤ Meals included: None (to be arranged locally if required).

➤ Walk from Dri Ra Puk to Zul Truk Puk - 22kms taking about 10hrs:

➤ Itinerary: A second day of trekking with porters. Today we will be able to explore a few of the mystical sites in the Mt Kailash region and the walk is a slow and leisurely ascent to tonights guest house at 4,780m which is located in the vicinity of the historical hermitages of the great poet saint Milarepa on the Northern base of Kailash.

➤ Overnight at a locally run guest house (best to bring your own sleeping bag)

➤ Meals included: None (to be arranged locally if required).

➤ Zultruk Puk to Darchen to Manasarovar lake - 30kms taking about 6hrs:

➤ Itinerary: Trek for 4 to 5hrs (14kms) to complete the circumnavigation of Mt Kailash at around noon in Darchen. Lunch and a tea break there before a drive of 30kms to Lake Manasarovar regarded as the most sacred lake in Tibet. Here we will be resting up for two nights on the western shore of the lake at 4,560m.

➤ Overnight at a locally run guest house (best to bring your own sleeping bag)

➤ Meals included: None (to be arranged locally if required).

➤ Manasarovar lake - a free day to enjoy this beautiful lake:

➤ Itinerary: A well deserved rest day to relax at the lake, perhaps having an equally well deserved and needed hot bath in the medicinal natural hot-spring here.

➤ Overnight at a locally run guest house (best to bring your own sleeping bag)

➤ Meals included: None (to be arranged locally if required).

➤ Manasarovar lake to Saga - 500kms taking about 10hrs:

➤ Itinerary: Back in the jeep we drive on to Paryang through a wild and uninhabited landscape. We cross wide plains, shallow rivers and pass by a few local truck stops with makeshift tea houses. Passing the stunning Mayum-tso lake, we climb to the Mayum La, where we should be rewarded by a magnificent mountain panorama. From here continue our overland trip back to Saga (4,580m) to overnight.

➤ Overnight at a locally run guest house (best to bring your own sleeping bag)

➤ Meals included: None (to be arranged locally if required).

➤ Saga to Everest Base Camp - 330kms taking about 9hrs:

➤ Itinerary: Leaving Saga we cross the Bramaputra river driving through the nomadic area before heading into the natural preserve of Mt. Shishapangma before continuing to the beautiful Paiku Tso lake. Late afternoon we reach the Friendship Highway driving on to Old Tingri (4,300m). Continue on to Rombuk, the last settlement before Everest base camp (5,200m). Afternoon arrival in Rombuk with time to explore the Everest Base Camp area (the hike to Everest Base Camp takes 2 hours and is at 4,970m (16,300 feet) although there is often a national park bus in service to help you get to Base Camp if you do not want to walk). The sunset on Everest is good as well as the mountain under a star or moonlit night - pray for no clouds! Rough and ready high altitude night at either Rombuk Monastery or up at Base Camp itself where there is seasonal (approximately May to October) tented accommodation run by local nomads.

➤ Overnight at the Rombuk Monastery Guesthouse or seasonal tented accommodation at Base Camp (this can be chosen locally) - very basic here - you come for the view!

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Everest Base Camp to Old Tingri - 80kms taking about 3hrs:

➤ Itinerary: Try and get up early to catch the sunrise (we know it is cold!) on Everest and spend the morning and into early afternoon in the Everest Base Camp area before continuing by jeep to Old Tingri for you final night in Tibet.

➤ Overnight at the Snow Leopard Hotel 2*. There aren’t many options in Old Tingri and this is probably the best. It will be a step up from last night though!

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Old Tingri to Zhangmu crossing the border into Nepal and driving on to Kathmandu - 305kms taking about 8hrs:

➤ Itinerary: We continue our over land trip to Zhangmu border, en route we will make a short scenic stop at Thong la pass over 5000m for a panoramic view of Himalaya, from there we have a scenic descending down to 1700m within a 2 hrs driving down deep into Himalaya, arrival in Zhangmu border, say goodbye to your Tibetan driver and guide, pass through China immigration and walk across the short stretch of no mans land to Nepalese immigration where your Nepalese driver will be waiting for you. If you need to get a Nepal visa now is the time to do that. The drive down to Kathmandu is initially through stunning lush mountain scenery which steadily becomes more tropical and couldn’t be further removed from the dry Tibetan Plateau. The illusion of tropical paradise fades a bit as you approach the sprawling outskirts of Kathmandu.

Far more India than China, Kathmandu makes Chinese cities look exceptionally well ordered! Life appears frantic and chaotic here. Long a travellers mecca for Himalayan trekking, Kathmandu has mastered the art of providing creature comforts to the weary traveller. However, there is much more to this city than that with a wealth of sights to see - and beyond it, of course, the rest of Nepal and the sub-continent! Your driver will drop you at the hotel in Kathmandu with the rest of the day and evening free.

➤ Overnight at the Malla Hotel 4*. After the accommodation of the last week this good standard hotel will feel like an oasis of luxury and well deserved.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Kathmandu and the end of this trip:

➤ Itinerary: Free time in Kathmandu until a transfer to the airport for your flight out of Nepal. If you prefer to stay longer in Nepal we can book additional hotel nights for you as well as some short tours around the Kathmandu Valley.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.