Day 01: Arrival in Lhasa and transfer to hotel. (3,650m/11,972ft), 60km, 1 hour
We arrive in Lhasa either by taking a direct flight from Nepal or via mainland China. If we decide to fly from Nepal, then we get to enjoy a beautiful hour-long trans-Himalayan flight that takes us over Everest (8,848m), Kanchenjunga (8,536m) and other Himalayan peaks and glaciers. If we choose to go to Lhasa via mainland China, we may fly from any of the major Chinese cities or take the world's highest train route to Lhasa. Upon our arrival in Lhasa, a representative from Himalayan Glacier will escort us either from the airport or the train station to our designated hotel in Lhasa. We are advised to take plenty of rest for the remainder of the day in order to minimize altitude sickness. Overnight in Lhasa.
Day 02: Lhasa sightseeing: Potala Palace, Norbulingka Palace and Tibet Traditional Hospital: 5 - 6 hours
After breakfast, we begin exploring Lhasa visiting the beautiful Potala and Norbulingka Palaces, better known as Winter palace and Summer palace, respectively. Built in the 17th century, Potala Palace provides amazing views of the entire city, and houses the private quarters of the Dalai Lama. Norbulingka Palace houses what is considered to be the largest man-made garden in Tibet. Next, we visit the Tibet Traditional Hospital, which is the center for the treatment, training, research and production of Tibetan medicine. Overnight in Lhasa.
Day 03: Lhasa Sightseeing: Sera Monastery, Drepung Monastery, Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Bazaar: 5 - 6 hours
After breakfast, we visit Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Bazaar. Drepung Monastery, which was built in the 14th century, is the world’s largest monastery and believed to have sheltered around 10,000 monks in the past, but as of now there has been quite a declination resulting in only a few hundred. The history, culture, and religious beliefs of the Tibetan people are strongly concentrated and centered in this marvelous monastery. Sera Monastery is a preserved monastery of whitewashed walls and golden roofs. The main attraction to visit this monastery is to see the monks debating which is held from 3-5 pm every day apart from Sundays. Jokhang Temple is another important sacred site which unravels more deep-seated mysteries of Tibetan Buddhism. Inside you can see the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni when he was twelve-years-old. We further stroll through Barkhor Bazaar (market). With its open air stalls, shops and crowds of pilgrims, it is the nerve center of Lhasa. Overnight in Lhasa.
Day 04: Drive from Lhasa to Shigatse and visit to Tashi Lhunpo monastery (3,900m/12,795ft) 265 km, 5 - 6 hours
After breakfast, we begin today’s trip to Shigatse passing through the 5 km long wide Nimu valley along the Brahmaputra river. The valley contains the county seat and is the main agricultural area in the county. In Shigatse, we will visit Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, the home of Panchen Lama, which was founded by Gendun Drup, the 1st Dalai Lama in 1447. The monastery is located on a hill at the center of Shigatse city, the second largest city in Tibet. The meaning of Tashi Lhunpo in Tibetan is "all fortunes and happiness are gathered here.” Overnight in Shigatse.
Day 05: Drive from Shigatse to Rongbuk via Sakya monastery, then visit Rongbuk monastery (5,000m/16,400ft): 385km, 8 – 9 hours
After breakfast, we drive to Rongbuk beginning our journey right through some beautiful villages and getting the first glimpse of Mount Everest from the foot of Gyatso la pass (5220m). On the way, we visit Sakya Monastery, also known as Pel Sakya, the ancestral temple of the Sakyapa sect of Tibetan Buddhism which provides access to the Buddha’s teachings. After the visit to Sakya Monastery, we continue driving towards Rongbuk. Crossing the Lalung la pass, we reach Rongbuk Monastery, which is located at the foot of the mighty Everest and is the highest monastery in the world. While here, we also enjoy the stunning mountainous scenery all around us, including the breathtaking views of the north face of Mt. Everest. Overnight in Rongbuk.
Day 06: Visit Everest Base Camp (North face) and drive to Gyantse: 475km, 8 - 9 hours
Early in the morning, we will drive to Everest Base Camp (5,250m/17,220ft.), the foot of the world’s highest mountain. On the way, we enjoy spectacular views of 3 eight-thousander peaks like Shishapangma, Cho Oyu and the mighty Everest, also known as Mt. Chomolongma on the Tibetan side. Today, we accomplish one of the major highlights of our trip, reaching the base camp of Mt. Everest where we get to catch a glimpse of the marvelous Rongbuk glacier. We make a 16km round trip to the Everest Base Camp. After spending some quality time here, we have a long, yet a scenic drive back to Gyantse. Overnight in Gyantse.
Day 07: Gyantse sightseeing and drive back to Lhasa via Yamdrok Tso Lake: 270km, 5 - 6 hours
After breakfast, we visit Palchoe monastery (also known as Pelkor Chode Monastery or Shekar Gyantse), Kumbum Pagoda Stupa (hailed as the "king of pagoda"), Phalkot Monastery and Gyantse Dzong, which is one of the best preserved dzongs in Tibet. After sightseeing, we drive to Lhasa. On the way, we can see huge glaciers tumbling down into the road as well as some excellent mountain vistas. Soon, we come across the Karo La Pass (5,045m) on the roadside with its beautiful glaciers including the Karo la glacier. We cross the Khamba La Pass (4,794m) with a brief stop to savor the beauty of the Yamdrok Tso Lake (Turquoise Lake), also known as Yamdrok Yumtso, one of the three largest sacred lakes in Tibet and the beautiful Nazin Kang Sang glacier (7,252m). Overnight in Lhasa.
Day 08: Final Departure
Our adventure in the Himalayas has come to an end today! There is nothing to do but trade emails with travel companions and organize photographs. If time permits, we can engage in last minute shopping or stroll around. A representative from Himalayan Glacier will take us to the airport or the train station for our next journey.
