Arrive in Kathmandu and transfer to the Kathmandu Guest House. Day free to relax and get over your jet-lag.

Today is a leisure day in Kathmandu to explore the temples, monasteries and markets. There will be a late afternoon briefing on final trip details. Overnight in Kathmandu.

This morning’s morning’s departure to Kathmandu airport is at 7:30 A. M. You will be assisted and escorted to the airport by our local staff. Departure time for Lhasa is 10:00 A. M. (or possibly earlier depending on circumstances, you will be informed of any changes)

FLIGHT TO LHASA: Probably the most spectacular flight in the world! Leaving Kathmandu the plane skirts the Himalayan range where Cho Oyo (8153 m), Lhotse (8501 m), Everest (8848 m) and Makalu (8463 m) are visible. Looking back as the plane leaves Kathmandu it may be possible to also see Manaslu (8125m) and Annapurna I (8091 m). Turning North the plane crosses between Kanchenjunga (8586 m) and Makalu. From the left side of the plane the east face of Everest and Makalu are visible and from the right the whole Kanchenjunga massive and Chomo Lhari in Bhutan (7315m). The flight is a spectacular experience to see eight of the world’s fourteen 8000m peaks. The flight duration will be about one hour.

ARRIVAL AT THE GONGAR AIRPORT LHASA (3650 meters / 11,975 feet) Completion of airport formalities and transfer to a quality centrally located hotel. It is a two hour drive the Lhasa ( 90 Km/56m ) and we should arrive at the hotel about 4 P. M. local time (there is a 2 hour & 15 minute time change - — later than Nepal). Rooms are assigned, and the Lhasa program will be outlined by your guide.

This evening you are free to relax and explore. Rickshaws are available outside the hotel to take you to the Barkhor Plaza, an excellent place to walk around, and have dinner. You can get a rickshaw at the Plaza for the return trip to the hotel, or walk back.

The next two days are based at your Lhasa hotel. Arranged sightseeing will include visits to the Potala Palace, the Jokhang Temple and the surrounding Barkhor market, Drepung and Sera monastery, and Norbulinka, the Dalai Lama’s former summer palace.

The POTALA PALACE (now a museum, but still visited by Tibetan pilgrims as a holy site). Former winter residence of the Dalai Lama and named after Mt. Potala in India, one of the holy mountains of the Hindu God Lord Shiva. The Potala is a place of spiritual pilgrimage and a mammoth tribute to Tibetan architectural skills. Built by the fifth Dalai Lama in 1645, the Potala was from then on the winter residence of all Dalai Lamas and is still occupied today by monks.

The BARKHOR PLAZA (in front of Jokhang Temple) This is Lhasa’s inner pilgrim circuit, shaped roughly like an octagon, which runs around the Jokhang. The market place has everything a Tibetan pilgrim would need and is a good place for people watching. Tibetan pilgrims spin prayer wheels and prostrate themselves they circumnavigate the Temple. Good for shopping - — everything from trinkets to Tibetan carpets and paintings.

JOKHANG TEMPLE - in the heart of old Lhasa, and the most sacred temple in Tibet — established in 7th century by King Songtsen Gampo, the King who brought Buddhism to Tibet. One can see the statue of Buddha (Jowo Shakyamuni) brought by the Chinese wife of the King as part of her wedding dowry. King Songtsen Gampo also had a Nepalese wife who was the force behind the use of Nepalese craftsmen in designing the Jokhang.

NORBULINKA - The summer palace of the Dalai Lamas was started by the Seventh Dalai Lama in 1755. This large complex of small palaces and chapels within a walled garden and is about four km west of the Potala.

SERA MONASTERY - founded in 1419, located on the outskirts of Lhasa - principle buildings are intact — Home of the Gelukpa Order - yellow hat sect — the Dalai Lama’s sect. Sera was at one time famous for its fighting monks, who spent years perfecting the martial arts. Here, as at Drepung, many monks renounced their vows to take up arms during the uprising of 1959.

DREPUNG MONASTERY - founded in 1416, on the outskirts of Lhasa — at one time the largest of the Gelukpa Monasteries (10,000 monks) — was a major center of religious power. The Ganden Potang (ganden palace) was built by the second Dalai Lama and was used as a residence for the Third, Fourth and Fifty Dalai Lama. The remains of the second, third and fourth Dalai Lama are here. Just below Drepung lies the Nechung Monastery, which was once the seat of the Oracle of Tibet.

TIBETAN MEDICINE CLINIC - A tour of this establishment is highly recommended. An English speaking Tibetan medical doctor will give you short history of Tibetan medicine, an interesting tour of the clinic, and show you a small Tibetan museum complete with medical Thangkas. Hopefully there will be a chance for this visit. Try to arrange this through your local guide.

NOTE: The Potala, Jokhang, Sera and Drepung have set hours. However, the tour schedule is set up to ensure that you get in to all these places.

The drive to Gyantse takes a full day and includes crossing two passes: Kamba La (4794m / 15,729ft. ) and Karo La (5010m / 16,438 ft. ). When you look down from Kamba La Pass, you can see the breathtaking view of Yamdruk Lake (Turquoise Lake) — shaped like a scorpion — so large you cannot see its full extent during the hour or so you are driving along its banks. The Karo La Pass is between two mountains: Nozin Khangsa (7223m / 23,700 ft. ) recognizable by it’s large hanging glacier on the right and Ralung Mountain (6236m / 20,460 ft. ).

GYANTSE - It is a small town on the northern bank of the Nyang Chu River. During the 15th century it was the capital of a small kingdom. Towering over Gyantse on a steep hill are the ruins of an old and famous fort. It was here in 1904, that the British expedition led by Younghusband defeated an army of 5,000 Tibetans with superior gunpower. Gyantse is very Tibetan in feel and style — it has not suffered from modern expansion. There are many shops, and simple restaurants where you can easily get Tibetan food such as Momos (dumpling), Chang (millet beer) and Thukpa (noodles).

Highlights include the KUMBUM TEMPLE (founded in 1440) , and the PELKOR CHODE (central monastic building - started in 1418). This is possibly the most beautiful temple in Tibet. It was constructed in the 15th century by Newar artisans and is the best preserved example of Newari art to survive in Tibet . It has 112 Chapels. Remember to circumambulate clockwise. Many of the original statues remain intact.

SHIGATSE - Shigatse is the capital of the province of Tsang and is the second largest city in Tibet. The hotel in Shigatse has adequate food and there are also a number of Chinese restaurants nearby where you can eat food that’s comparable in quality but much less expensive.

TASHILUMPO MONASTERY - Founded in 1447, it is the historical seat of the Panchen Lama (the traditional teacher of the Dalai Lama). Among the many interesting sights are the 26 meter high statue of the future Buddha which is gilded with gold and decorated with valuable jewels. The main monastery is the largest and contains prayer halls, printing blocks, and statues of many deities. It is not uncommon to see monks and lamas studying and debating nearby.

Today we cross our high point the LHAKPA LA (5220m/17,127 ft. ) This panoramic high pass has many prayer flags fluttering in the strong winds strung above traditional mani stones placed there by local Tibetans to supplicate the spirits and assure safe travel.

Enroute from Shigatse we turn off the main road to visit Sakya Monastery. The visit there takes about 3 hours depending on the road conditions.

SAKYA MONASTERY - founded in 1073 by a sect of Tibetan Buddhism supported by the Mongolians. This sect does not rely on the recognition of incarnate lamas as spiritual leaders. Rather it is based on a hierarchy of hereditary - from father to son. There is also a celibate order that is subordinate to the hereditary system. It is one of the oldest and most important Bon Po monasteries in the region. At one time it housed over 500 monks. Today, little remains of the northern monastery, but there is still lots to see in southern monastery complex. After visiting Sakya, you will continue on towards Shegar.

SHEGAR - Shegar was once the provincial capital of the Tingri area and is now a regional administrative center. This is the highest overnight spot on the trip and sleeping could be difficult due to the high altitude. Be sure to drink lots of fluids and try to eat even if you do not feel very hungry.

The drive from the Shegar Check Post along the Tingri plateau to Lalung Leh pass (5050 m. /16570 ft. also known as Tong la) takes about four hours. If the sky is clear, you will be treated to views of a range of mountains stretching along the southern horizon, including: Langtang (7245 m / 23,770 ft. ), Xixabangma (8013 m / 26,290 ft. ) and Dorje Lakpa (6980 m / 22,900 ft. ) in the west and Makalu (8463 m / 27,767 ft. ), Everest (8848 m / 29,030 ft. ), Lhotse (8516 m / 27,940 ft. ), Cho Oyu (8201 m / 26,907 ft. ) and Gauri Shankar (7134 m / 23,407 ft. ) in the east.

After another two and a half hour drive you will enter Nyalam where you can visit Milarepa’s cave. Milarepa was a Tibetan Buddhist mystic, poet and saint who composed and sang songs expressing his insights into the truths of Buddhism. The small Pelgye Ling Monastery there has been restored by Nepalese artisans.

After emerging from the Tibetan Plateau the road follows the deep valley of the Bhote Kosi — the route is lined with numerous waterfalls spilling down the enormous valley walls. The descent from Nyalam to Zhangmu is an extraordinary plunge into lusher greenery fed by the monsoon and rushing rivers. Zhangmu is the the boarder town between Nepal and Tibet and is an active trading centre for Chinese, Tibetan and Nepalese goods.

Cross the border and enter Nepal at Kodari, and continue by private bus, along the twisting road which wends its way through the foothills of the Himalayas.

The drive from Friendship Bridge (Nepal – Tibet border) to Kathmandu is approximately 5 hrs under normal conditions, the first hour through a deep and verdant river valley… and you should arrive back in Kathmandu around 4 P. M. Tonight we will stay at the Kathmandu Guest House.

Trip ends with a shuttle to the airport, if needed.