This is an overland discovery tour from Beijing to Lhasa, Gyantse Shigatse then to Kathmandu, covering many famous tourist sites, like Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City and Summer Palace in Beijing, Potala, Jokhang, Barkhor, Drepung and Sera in Lhasa, Yamdrotso lake, Kubum monastery, and Tashilhunpo on the way to Zhangmu.
Day 01 Arrival in Beijing transfer to Hotel
Pick up and transfer to hotel, in the afternoon visit Summer Palace, You will have Peking Duck dinner.
Day 02 Beijing
Visit Tian'an Men square, which is probably the biggest one of its kind in the world, and the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven, in the evening you will visit Peking Opera.
Day 03 Beijing-Xi'an by train on Train
After breakfast, excursion to the Badaling Great Wall. After lunch drive to Ming Tombs to visit the Underground Palace of Dingling. Then transfer to rail way station and drive to Xi'an by train, soft sleeper.
Day 04 Xi'an in 4 star hotel
In the early morning arrival in Xi'an, pick up and transfer to hotel, after rest drive to the famous Terracotta Warriors Museum. After lunch, you will visit the Provincial History Museum with its richest collection of artifacts in China. After that you will also visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Tonight, the deluxe Tang Dynasty Dinner Show is reserved for you.
Day 05 Flight Xi'an-Chengdu in 3 star hotel
Transfer to airport and fly to Chengdu, Capital of Sichuan province. Pick up and then visit Research Base of Panda Breeding and an old traditional Chengdu Tea house
Day 06 Flight Chengdu-Lhasa 3 star Hotel
In the early morning transfer to airport and fly to Tibet, upon arrival at Gonggar Airport, pick up and transfer to Lhasa(3650 m) with about 1 1/2 hours’ driving (100km), in the afternoon rest and acclimatize.
Day 07 Lhasa
In the morning visit Potala Palace, which was originally constructed in 637 by Songtsen Gampo, the first king of the united Tibet, and later expanded and served as the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas as well as the religious-political nexus of traditional Tibet. In the afternoon visit Jokhang temple, the center of the Tibetan Buddhism and the sacred land of Buddhist followers where innumerable pilgrims come for worship everyday. The temple, built in 647, is the earliest wood-and-masonry structure still existing in Tibet. Surrounding the Jokhang Temple is the bustling Barkhor Market place which is the religious and social focus of Lhasa.
Day 08 Lhasa
In the morning visit Drepung monastery the sacred land of Gelukpa sect., which was created in 1416 and the second, third and fourth Dalai Lama once resided in. In the afternoon visit Sera monastery, which was created in 1419 and has always been an important Buddhist seminary. As rose are planted everywhere in the monastery, it is also called “the court of wild rose”. Today still 200 lamas live in there.
Day 09 Lhasa- Yamdrok Tso Lake- Gyantse
Today is a full day picturesque drive crossing over a colorful Yamdrok Lake. Kambala Pass at 4,794 m and Karola Pass at 5,010m. In Gyantse visit the Kumbum Stupa and Phalkor Monastery.
Day 10 Gyantse-Shigatse
After breakfast drive to Shigatse(3810 m), the second largest town in Tibet and the capital of Tsang, there visit Tashilunpo monastery, the seat of the Panchen Lama built in 1447 and one of the six grand monasteries in Tibet.
Day 11 Shigatse-Shegar
After breakfast we continue on our drive to Shegar, also called “new Tringri, and crossing over the Gyatsola Pass at 5,220 m, which is the highest en route to Shegar, 240 km.
Day 12 Shegar-Zhangmu
Today we drive to Zhangmu, crossing over Lalung-La (Pass) at 5,050m and Nyalam Pass (3,800 m), with views of beautiful Himalayan Ranges panorama including the Mt. Everest (8,848 m).
Day 13 Zhangmu-Kodari-Kathmandu
After breakfast drive to Kodari (Nepal-Tibet border), there you will be picked up by Nepalese guide and then continue on drive to Kathmandu, Capital of Nepal.
Day 14 Kathmandu: Sightseeing tour in Kathmandu with private tour guide.
Day 15 Departure from Kathmandu