➤ Arrival Beijing - Transfer to your hotel and meet your guide:

➤ Itinerary: We will be greeting you at the airport from where you will be transferred by private car and English speaking guide to your hotel. The approximately 1 hour journey to your hotel is a perfect opportunity to ask the guide any initial questions you might have. The guide will provide assisstance with checking in to the hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax from the long flight or start to explore the city with the help of your personalised Trip Guidebook we send you before the trip. The area around your hotel is perfect for an introductory walk to soak up the local atmosphere.

➤ Overnight at the Jade Garden Hotel 4*. A good standard modern hotel with some character and an unbeatable location close to the East gate of the Forbidden City.

➤ Meals included: None.

➤ Beijing - Great Wall at Mutianyu and the Ming Tombs:

➤ Itinerary: Today we will be showing you one of China’s most famous sights - the Great Wall. At over 4,000 miles long there is a lot of Wall to see but we will be taking you to one of the better and less touristed sections at Mutianyu 70km from Beijing. The drive to the wall averages 2 hours and will take you from your hotel in the centre of Beijing through the rapidly expanding suburbs and on into the beautiful mountainous countryside to the north east of the city. The Mutianyu section dates back to the 6th century but was largely rebuilt in the 16th century during the Ming Dynasty. It is one of the best preserved sections of the wall largely due to the high standard of construction. The views from on top of the wall are spectacular and helped by Mutianyu having a high density of watchtowers which give a good idea of the scale of this section as it passes over the mountain ridges. Lunch will be in a restaurant close to Mutianyu village.

On the way back to Beijing we will stop at the Ming Tombs, the burial place of 13 Ming Dynasty Emperors between 1368 to 1644AD some of whom oversaw the construction the Great Wall section you saw earlier today. The tombs are approached along the Sacred Way lined with giant marble figures and animals who guard the tomb area. After you will be driven back to your hotel with the evening free.

➤ Overnight at the Jade Garden Hotel 4*.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast and Lunch.

➤ Beijing - Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace before an overnight train onto Xian:

➤ Itinerary: Today you will see the main highlights of Beijing delving deeply into the city’s imperial past. We start with the vast Tiananmen Square, the largest city square in the world. The square is home to the Mao Mausoleum and monument to the People’s Heroes and is flanked by the Great Hall of the People (China’s parliament building) and the National Museum of China both built in the early 1960’s with help from the Soviet Union which shows in the architecture.

To the north of the square is the equally vast palace complex of the Forbidden City reached by passing under the Gate of Heavenly Peace (Tiananmen in Chinese). Built from 1406 to 1420 by up to 1 million workers it contains 980 buildings with 8,707 rooms and was the former home of the Emperors and their court. We’ll walk up the middle axis from South to North taking in the splendour of the most important central buildings before finishing in the relatively small garden by the north gate.
 
The much smaller Temple of Heaven is next but size doesn’t matter and this building is considered by many (including us) to be the most beautiful building in China. Perfectly symmetrical it was constructed at the same time as the Forbidden City and its primary purpose was as a prayer hall the Emperors visited to ask for good harvests. The temple is set inside a vast park giving a wonderful feeling of space in such a packed city.

The last stop today is at the Summer Palace to the west of Beijing built in 1750 by Emperor Qianlong. It is dominated by the Kunming lake which was hand dug. The lake is dotted with peaceful pavilions and gardens and is as popular escape from the city for todays Beijingers as it was for the Imperial court.

After the tour a transfer to the station for an overnight train onto your next destination of Xian.

➤ Overnight on board a sleeper train to Xian.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast and Lunch.

➤ Arrival Xian - The Terra Cotta Army, Big Wild Goose Pagoda & City Walls:

➤ Itinerary: You arrive early in the morning on the overnight train from Beijing. Your guide will take you to your hotel where you will have time to have breakfast, freshen up and, if a room is available, you can also check-in.

Today you will see one of the highlights of China - the extraordinary ranks of the Terra Cotta Army. Created by China’s first Emperor Qin Shi Huang - the fabled “Yellow Emperor” - to provide an imperial court and, of course, an army for the afterlife. Work began in 246 BC and at its height it is said that 700,000 people worked on the project. At some point however this vast undertaking became lost to time and was only rediscovered in 1974 by a farmer digging a well. Excavations have continued since and the three pits unearthed are thought to contain 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses. Several thousand of the soldiers have been pieced back together and make for a uniquely impressive sight today even without their original paint. The Emperor specifically stated that no two soldiers should look alike and all are life sized.

In the afternoon we will visit a relic of the Tang Dynasty, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, built in 652 AD and containing a large volume of Buddhist scriptures which were obtained from India by the eminent monk Xuanzang. After this we finish on Xian’s largest construction, the 13.7 km City Walls which are up to 18 meters thick at the base and 12 meters in height. The walls were constructed during the Ming Dynasty from 1370 AD and replaced an even larger wall. It is possible, if time, to hire bicycles and ride some sections of the wall.

Free time in the evening to explore the city perhaps eating in Xian’s vibrant Muslim quarter, a left over of the Silk Road which began or ended in Xian depending on which way you were heading!

➤ Overnight at the Grand Noble Hotel 5*. A comfortable hotel located close to Xian’s famous City Walls and considered one of the best places to stay in this city.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast and Lunch.

➤ Depart Xian by plane to Lhasa. Transfer to your hotel - Meet your guide:

➤ Itinerary: Early morning transfer to the airport for a flight to Lhasa. Welcome to Tibet! You arrive at Lhasa’s Gonggar airport after what has, cloud cover permitting, been a spectacular flight. 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: Breakfast.

➤ 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 Shigatse 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

Continue on to Gyantse crossing the 4,780m Kamapala pass, the stunning blue Yamdrok lake and the Norjing Glacier along the way. Arrival in Gyantse (3,850m) visiting 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.

It is 100km further drive to Shigatse at 3,840 meters (12,600 feet) which we reach late afternoon.

➤ 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 Shekar (New Tingri):

➤ Itinerary: In the morning 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. Continue on 127km to Sakya monastery. 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. Continue today’s drive stopping at any of the surrounding villages in this area you wish to. Late afternoon we reach the small town of Shekar (also known as New Tingri). Try to get a good nights rest in preparation for tomorrow’s big day to Everest Base Camp.

➤ Overnight at the Qomolangma Hotel 3*. The best option in Shekar.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Shekar to Rombuk Monastery and Everest Base Camp:

➤ Itinerary: Depart Shekar stopping at the Gyawu pass for a breathtaking panoramic view of the highest peaks of the Himalaya. Continue onto Rombuk Monastery, the gateway to Everest Base Camp. 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 Zhangmu on the China Nepal border:

➤ Itinerary: Try and get up early to catch the sunrise (we know it is cold!) on Everest and spend the morning in the Everest Base Camp area (usually until 11am) before continuing by jeep towards the China Nepal border at Zhangmu. We will stop at Old Tingri for lunch before starting the spectacular descent off the Tibet Plateau and down towards the valleys of Nepal. During the afternoon we drop 1,000m to the border town of Zhangmu (2,300 meters or 7,500 feet). The scenery rapidly changes as the altitude decreases, greening up and becoming more lush and by the time we reach the border town, perched on the steep mountainside, the world looks a very different place to what it did this morning. Settle into the hotel for your last night in Tibet.

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

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Zhangmu crossing the border into Nepal and driving on to Kathmandu:

➤ Itinerary: After breakfast 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.

 ✘ International flight tickets are not included in this itinerary. We can arrange these for you if you wish.

 ✔ Xian to Lhasa economy class

 ✔ Beijing to Xian soft sleeper class (12 hour overnight trip) 1 berth each in a 4 berth cabin

 ✔ Jeep trek in Tibet & Nepal - your own jeep (normally a Toyota Landcruiser) with driver and guide (lodging and food for the guide and driver is covered in the price).

 ✔ 2 nights Beijing - Jade Garden Hotel 4* (standard room with breakfast)
 ✔ 1 night overnight sleeper train Beijing to Xian (shared 4 berth soft sleeper cabin)
 ✔ 1 night Xian - Grand Noble Hotel 5* (standard room with breakfast)
 ✔ 3 nights Lhasa - Dhood Gu 3* (standard room with breakfast)
 ✔ 1 night Shigatse - Shigatse Hotel 3* (best available) (standard room with breakfast)
 ✔ 1 night Shekar - Qomolangma Hotel 3* (best available) (standard room with breakfast)
 ✔ 1 night Rombuk - Monastery Guesthouse or seasonal tented accommodation (can be chosen locally)
 ✔ 1 night Zhangmu (border town) - Zhangmu Hotel 2* (best available) (standard room with breakfast)
 ✔ 1 night Kathmandu - Malla Hotel 4* (standard room with breakfast)

 ✔ Beijing - Airport to Hotel / Hotel to Train Station
 ✔ Xian - Train Station Hotel / Hotel to Airport
 ✔ Lhasa to Kathmandu - All transfers from arrival Lhasa to arrival Kathmandu as per itinerary

 ✔ Beijing - Full day private tour to the Great Wall at Mutianyu and the Ming Tombs.
 ✔ Beijing - Full day private tour to Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace.
 ✔ Xian - Full day private tour to the Terra cotta Warriors, Wild Goose Pagoda, City Walls.
 ✔ Lhasa - Full day private tour to Drepung Monastery, Nechung residence, the Jokhang temple and Kora and Barkhor Square.
 ✔ Lhasa - Full day private tour to the Potala Palace, Tibetan Medical Institute and Sera Monastery.
 ✔ Lhasa to Kathmandu - tours as described in the itinerary above.

 ✔ Meals - As indicated in the itinerary.
 ✔ Tibet Travel Permits needed to travel in Tibet
 ✔ Support - Emergency numbers and contacts for each destination.
 ✔ Guidebook - Our exclusive Trip Guidebook personalised to your trip.
 ✔ Financial Peace of Mind - All monies paid to us are legally protected under UK law.

✘ International Airfare to and from China / Nepal (we can book these flights on request)
✘ The Chinese and Nepalese visas (we can advise as to how best obtain this visa)
✘ Travel insurance to cover medical treatment in China
✘ Discretionary gratuities to drivers and guides
✘ Laundry, Photographic charges in some monasteries, unforeseen expenses that may arise due to factors beyond our control such as personal illness, weather, landslides and road repairs etc...