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Day 01 Welcome to Kathmandu
A local Himalayan Holidays’ representative will meet and welcome you at Kathmandu airport and transfer you to your hotel. After a welcome drink and check-in at the hotel the rest of the day is yours to explore the local area. o/n at hotel
Day 02 Kathmandu Sightseeing
After breakfast you will be picked up at the hotel to begin an interesting tour around Kathmandu. Your English-speaking guide will escort you to Durbar Square the historic centre of the city and home to the living goddess Kumari. Then on to Swayambhunath or Monkey Temple, situated high on a hill top, this stupa is one of the most recognized images of the Kathmandu Vally and affords magnificent views of the city and valley below. From here we travel to Pashupatinath the site of the most important Hindu temple in Nepal and located on the banks of the holy Bagmati River. Here we will see holy men known as Sadhus performing their religious rituals and you may witness funeral pyres burning on the river side ghats. o/n at hotel
Day 03 Kathmandu – Lhasa
Morning flight to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, you will be met upon arrival at the airport and transferred to your hotel in the Old Tibetan Quarter o/n at hotel
Day 04 – Lhasa
Sightseeing tour includes a morning at the Potala Palace, where you can experience the art, architecture and history of Tibet as well as the culture and religion of the Tibetan Buddhists. The Potala Palace which stands at 3,700metres above sea level was the chief residence of the 14th Dalai Lama until the Chinese invasion in 1959, it has since been converted into a museum and was added to the Unesco World Heritage List in 1994
In the afternoon we visit Sera Monastery located about 5km from Lhasa, this impressive building was founded in the 15th century and is one of the greatest Gulugpa monasteries, it is also a wonderful opportunity to see the monks debating in the famous “Debating Courtyard”. When we return to Lhasa there will be an opportunity to explore Barkor Square, the oldest street market in the Tibetan quarter
o/n at hotel
Day 05 – Lhasa
Sightseeing tour includes the Jokhang Temple, the most revered Buddhist temple in Tibet where pilgrims come every day to pray and Norbulingka the Dalai Lama’s Summer Palace. Norbulingka was a seat of power and religion before the Dalai Lama left there in 1953 fleeing to exile in India. Both the Jokhang and Norbulingka are Unesco World Heritage listed sites. o/n at hotel
Day 06 – Lhasa
An interesting 40kms journey from Lhasa takes us to the Ganden Monastery, here you will be able to see the gold stupa of Tsongkapa, see scriptures being printed on wooden blocks and you may even visit the site of sky buriels. We return to Lhasa and visit the Muslim Quarter later in the day.o/n at hotel
Day 07- Lhasa –Gyantse 3950 m
We commence one of the greatest 4WD journeys in the world, traveling past the magnificent turquoise Yamdrok-tso lake today and over the Kampsa-la and Karo-la passes, both over 5000metres above sea level on our way to Gyantse. o/n at hotel
Day 08 Gyantse – Shigatse 3900 m
Visiting monasteries on the way we reach Shigatse, where we can explore the famous Tashilhunpo Monastery, known as a seat of the Panchen Lama. The Panchen Lama is considered to be the second most important religious leader of Tibet, A major attraction of the monastery is the Stupa tomb of the tenth Panchen Lama which is covered with 614 kg of gold and innumerable number of jewels and precious stones. You can also see the 27 metre high sitting Maitreya Buddha statue, also decorated with gold, diamonds, and other rare stones, this took more than 9 years to construct by around 900 craftsmen .o/n at hotel
Day 09 Shigatse –Shegar 4050m
After visiting the historic monastery at Nar-than we continue along the Friendship Highway to reach Shegar, the point where we turn off for Everest Base Camp. Tonight we will stay at a simple lodge, the accommodation is basic but the dining room is warm, friendly and gives you the opportunity to sample some genuine “Yak butter tea” o/n at lodge
Day 10 Shegar to Everest Base Camp/ Rongbuk Monestery 4980 m
We travel over the Pang-La pass at 5120m for unforgetable views of the Himalaya Range before heading to the Rongbuk Monastery and Everest Base Camp. You will have time to wander around base camp, take some awesome photos from a vantage point there and you may even get the opportunity to talk with some of the mountaineers who are staying at base camp in preparation for their assault on Mt. Everest known in Tibet as Chomolungma. Overnight at Rongbuk Monastery
o/n at monastery
Day 11 Everest Base Camp- Nyalam 3750 m
There will be further opportunity to explore Everest Base Camp before leaving the region and traveling to Nyalam over the Tong La pass for more spectacular scenery. Afternoon at leisure to explore Nyalam, you may choose to visit the traditional Tibetan medicine centre or just enjoy strolling around the town. o/n at hotel
Day 12 Nyalam- Zhangmu- Kathmandu
The altitude drops dramatically as we travel towards and through the border towns of Zhangmu and Kodari on our return to Kathmandu, as we descend from the plateau into the valley you will feel a dramatic increase in temperature with the scenery changing from barren rock to lush tropical forest.
Day 13 Kathmandu
Today you are free to spend the day at your leisure. Optional extras which can easily be arranged include an early morning Everest mountain flight, or further sightseeing to Patan, the second largest city in the Kathmandu Valley, or to the Medieval city of Bhaktapur. o/n at hotel
Day 14 Kathmandu
There is the last minute opportunity for shopping before your late morning transfer to the airport for international departure
Cost includes:
Arrival/departure transfers by private vehicle
12 nights twin share accommodation in standard hotels in Nepal & Tibet
1 night at Rongbuk Monastery
All transport within Tibet by Toyota Land Cruiser 4500 deluxe model.
An English speaking local Tibetan guide.
Necessary permits and Tibetan visa
Entrance fees for sightseeing
13 breakfasts
All sightseeing in Tibet as per itinerary
½ day sightseeing in Kathmandu
Not Included :
Kathmandu/Lhasa flight
Nepal visas
Airport Departure taxes from Kathmandu/Excess baggage charges
Meals other than breakfast
Items of personal nature ie. Soft/hard drinks, morning/afternoon tea, tips etc.
Travel Insurance (this is a mandatory condition of booking)
Medical evacuation in case of emergency
Optional sightseeing in Kathmandu on Day 13
Booking Conditions
Deposit of 10 % must be paid at time of booking and booking form must be completed.
Final payment is due 60 days prior to departure
Travel insurance with unlimited medical cover is compulsory for all trips to Nepal
A visa for Nepal is to be obtained prior to departure from Australia
Cancellation Fees
If cancellation in writing is received by Himalayan Holidays more than 45 days prior to departure, the non-refundable deposit will be retained (maximum 10% of total land price) plus any air cancellation fees that may apply.
If cancellation is received within 45 days of departure, the following per person cancellation fees will apply:
15 - 45 days prior to departure: 25% of total price
7 - 14 days prior to departure: 35% of total price
less than 7 days prior to departure: 50% of total price (except for the total cost of government fees)
On departure day or later: 100% of total price.
The penalties for cancellation are designed to safeguard the company, which will have to make certain payments in advance of the trip departure, and are adopted in a similar form throughout the travel industry.
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