➤ 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 Days Inn Forbidden City 3*. A good standard modern hotel with some character and an unbeatable location close to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.

➤ Meals included: None.

➤ Beijing - Free day to explore the city:

➤ Itinerary: Today is a free day to explore the wealth of sights Beijing offers. (if you have more time we would highly recommend adding in a few additional days in Beijing before starting your trip to Lhasa). The Great Wall, Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and Summer Palace are just some of the many highlights.

Late afternoon transfer to the station (usually 6pm from your hotel lobby) for your departure on the train to Lhasa. Your transfer guide will have your Tibet Travel Permit and train ticket handing these over to you at the station. Opened in July 2006 this controversial engineering marvel is the highest train in the world reaching an altitude of 5,072 meters at the Tanggula pass. The trip instantly became a classic China rail trip. Settle into your berths for the first of two nights aboard this train.

➤ Overnight on board the sleeper train to Lhasa.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Full day on board the train to Lhasa crossing Central China:

➤ Itinerary: A full day crossing central China. Gradually the cities become smaller and the countryside between them larger as you head towards the less populated parts of China. Outside of the busy meal times the dining car is a good place from which to watch the world go by.

➤ Overnight on board the sleeper train to Lhasa.

➤ Meals included: None.

➤ Full day aboard the train crossing the Tibet Plateau. Late afternoon arrival in Lhasa:

➤ Itinerary: A second full day on the train as you cross the Tibetan Plateau. Today the scenery is spectacular with mountains visible for much of the day. Keep an eye out for nomadic settlements as well as pilgrims following the road that in places runs alongside the train track. Arrival in Lhasa late afternoon at the city’s striking new station with a transfer on to your hotel. Lhasa, 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 - Half day tour to the Potala Palace and Kora:

➤ 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. You will also have the chance to walk the devotional Potala Kora that surrounds the palace before free time in the afternoon and evening.

➤ Overnight at the Dhood Gu Hotel 3*.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Lhasa - Free day to explore this unique city:

➤ Itinerary: Today is a free day to continue to explore Lhasa and its surroundings. We can also organise day trips out of the city or you might prefer to wander the old city and its labyrinth of alleys and multitude of shops. There are also ample opportunities, particularly around Barkhor Square, to settle into roof top cafes and restaurants and watch the fascinating world of Tibet go by below you.

➤ 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 Shekar (New Tingri):

➤ Itinerary: Depart Shigatse after breakfast driving 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. In the afternoon we reach the small town of Shekar (also known as New Tingri). Free time to walk around or rest up 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 making your own way 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.

 ✔ Beijing to Lhasa soft sleeper class (a berth each in a 4 berth soft sleeper compartment)

Note that due to railway bureau rules final availability of these tickets can only be guaranteed 5 to 10 days before departure although it is rare we have any ticketing problems. However, in the event of ticketing problems we would give you the option of hard sleeper class (6 berth open cabins) or to fly up to Lhasa (with one extra night in Beijing and one in Lhasa). If choosing to fly up to Lhasa additional charges would apply to cover the price differences and these would be payable in Lhasa. If you were to choose to take the hard sleeper class on the train we would refund the difference between the classes to you.

 ✔ 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).

 ✔ 1 night Beijing - Days Inn Forbidden City 3* (standard room with breakfast)
 ✔ 2 nights overnight sleeper train Beijing to Lhasa (shared soft sleeper cabin)
 ✔ 3 nights Lhasa - Dhood Gu 3* (standard room with breakfast)
 ✔ 1 night Gyantse - Gyantse Hotel 3* (best available) (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
 ✔ Tibet and Nepal - All transfers from arrival Lhasa to arrival Kathmandu as per itinerary

 ✔ Beijing to Kathmandu - tours and sights as described in the itinerary.

 ✔ Meals - As indicated in the itinerary.
 ✔ The Tibet Travel Permit essential to travel in this part of China.
 ✔ 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 bill and bar bills
✘ Photographic charges in some monastery
✘ Additional costs due to unforeseen expenses that may arise due to factors beyond our control such as personal illness, weather, landslides and road repairs, etc...