Flight: QR648 Doha - Kathmandu 01.35 - 08.55

Private transfer: Upon arrival at Kathmandu airport, you will be welcomed to Nepal by your guide, and transferred to your hotel in a private chauffeur driven car. An early check-in to your hotel has been included.

Time at leisure: The rest of the day is free at leisure for you to rest after your journey, and begin exploring Kathmandu independently.

This morning your guide will collect your passports in order to apply for the Tibet entry permit on your behalf, which should take 3 working days. Please note that if your flight arrives later than midday, you may need to add an extra night in Kathmandu to allow enough time for this process.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Traditional Homes Swotha (Traditional Room)

Guided tour of Kathmandu:  After breakfast you will set out to explore this famous city which is situated at 1336m above sea level and covers an area of 218 square miles. Start your tour with a visit to Pashupatinath Temple, located on the western banks of the Bagmati River on the city’s northeastern side. This temple is one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage centres in the world and a sacred place for cremations. Afterwards visit the Boudhanath Stupa which claims to be the largest stupa in the world. In the afternoon head towards Swayambhunath one of the most important religious and cultural sites in Nepal and which is associated with the birth of the Kathmandu Valley civilization. Later you will see Kathmandhu Durbar Square which was built in the 17th Century and which serves as the main square of ancient Kathmandu with Hanuman Dhoka Palace, and numerous other temples dedicated to various Hindu gods and goddesses that surround the palace.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Traditional Homes Swotha (Traditional Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Guided tour of Patan, Kritipur & Pharping: Today you will explore three ancient towns in the Kathmandu Valley. Your first stop will be at Patan which is located on the southern banks of the Bagmati River. The town is believed to be the first settlement in the Valley and was established by the Kirat dynasty who ruled for more than 1200 years from the 3rd Century BC. Patan is famous for its amazing collection of fantastically carved temples, palace courtyards, water spouts, public baths and houses with their equally elaborate wood, stone and metal carvings under the patronages of the Kirat, Lichivi and Malla kings. Patan's Durbar Square is one of the seven Monument Zones that make up the Kathmandu Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site. From Patan move on to Kirtipur which is situated on a ridge 6 km southwest of Kathmandu. This ancient township, once home to 35,000 people, is a natural fortress and has a proud history. Built on a hill overlooking the Kathmandu Valley, Kirtipur was once an independent kingdom. Perhaps as a result to Kirtipur's legendary stubbornness, the town has been unaffected by the development of Kathmandu & Patan. The Chilamchu stupa and the temple of Bagh Bhairav are major sights here. Kirtipur offers quaint streets lined with artistic houses and temple squares. The people are known for their skill in building and weaving. Lunch will be taken in a local restaurant here and then you will set off for the town of Pharpinga which lies just south of Kathmandu and is famous for being home to the sacred site of Yangleshö, where Guru Padmasambhava attained the level of a Mahamudra Vidyadhara. Yangleshö is therefore an important religious, and historic, site as it is where the second Buddha, Guru Padmasambhava, attained the state of enlightenment. There are two major caves in Pharping which were blessed by Guru Rinpoche: the Asura cave and the Yangleshö cave and you will have a chance to visit both before returning to your hotel for some time to relax.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Traditional Homes Swotha (Traditional Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Day at leisure: You have a full day at leisure to relax and explore Nepal's capital at your own pace while you wait for your Tibet visa to be processed. Further excursions can be arranged locally through your guide. 

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Traditional Homes Swotha (Traditional Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Private transfer: At the appropriate time today, you will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to the airport in time to check in for your onward flight.

Flight: 3U8720 Kathmandu - Lhasa 11.30 - 15.10

Private transfer: Upon arrival at Lhasa airport, you will be welcomed to Tibet by your guide, and transferred to your hotel in a private chauffeur driven car. The journey time to the centre of the city is approximately 1 hour.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Kyichu Hotel (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Day at leisure: Today you have a full day at leisure to relax and take time to acclimatise to the high altitude.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Kyichu Hotel (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Full day guided tour to Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Market: After breakfast you will be collected and taken for a tour of the Potala Palace which was home to the Dalai Lama before he left Tibet. The Potala is a treasure and a treasure house, that it contains the golden handwritten Buddhist scriptures, valuable gifts from Chinese emperors, and a lot of priceless antiques. There are many colorful sculptures and paintings chronicling Buddhist folklore and ancient Tibetan life. The Potala Palace deserves the title of art gallery and museum; it is also a symbol of the wisdom and power of the Tibetan people. In 1994 it was listed as an UNESCO world cultural heritage site. Continue to Tibet’s holiest place: the Jokhang Temple. Enjoy the view from the roof and watch numerous pilgrims walk around the Palace. Finish by exploring the Barkhor Area which surrounds the Jokhang Temple. This area is the old and traditional part of Lhasa and is lively and eccentric.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Kyichu Hotel (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Full day guided tour to Norbulingka, Drepung and Sera Monasteries: After breakfast visit the Summer Palace (Norbulingka) which was the retreat of the Dalai Lama and was the place from which the present Dalai Lama made his decision to flee Tibet. Continue to Drepung Monastery which is situated at the foot of the Mountain Gambo Utse, 3 miles from the western suburb of Lhasa. This is one of the most important monasteries of the Gelugpa in Tibetan Buddhism. In its heyday it was home to 7700 monks. Finish today’s tour at Sera Monastery, which is one of Tibet’s most important monasteries. With luck you will get to see the fascinating spectacle of monks debating.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Kyichu Hotel (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Road journey from Lhasa to Gyantse, via Yamdrok Lake: This morning your guide and driver will meet you at your hotel before departing for Gyantse, passing Yamdrok Yamtso, one of Tibet's largest lakes. Shaped like a scorpion, it is an intense blue and makes for a very impressive sight. It is over 72 km (45 miles) long. The lake is surrounded by many snow-capped mountains and is fed by numerous small streams. The lake does have an outlet stream at its far western end. Around 90km to the west of the lake lies the Tibetan town of Gyantse and Lhasa is a hundred km to the northwest. According to local mythology, Yamdrok Lake is the transformation of a goddess. After time to take in the lake continue to Gyantse and check into your hotel.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Yeti Hotel (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Morning tour of Gyantse:  After breakfast, visit the impressive Pelkhor Chode Monastery which was founded in the 15th century and is home to the Kumbum, the largest stupa in Tibet which is over 100 feet in height, octagonal in shape, with a 9 storey terraced exterior, 75 chapels, 108 gates and superb wall paintings which include some 10,000 images.

Afternoon hike to the Rabse Nunnery: This afternoon set off on a gentle walk in the picturesque hills overlooking Gyantse to the Rabse Nunnery, a round-trip of around 2 hours. Explore the chortens and prayer wheel chapels draped in prayer flags, and take in the superb views of Gyantse's monastery and fort in the distance. For the more adventurous there is the option to extend the afternoon's excursion to the Retok Ganden Retreat, a further 4km uphill trek from Rabse Nunnery. Please note this trek is at high altitude and should only be undertaken by those who are fit and healthy, and fully acclimatised to the thin air.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Yeti Hotel (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Road journey from Gyantse to Shigatse: This morning, continue your journey westwards to the city of Shigatse, a relaxing 1.5 hour drive through a beautiful agricultural valley.

Afternoon tour of Tashilhunpo: This afternoon visit Tashilhunpo, one of Tibet's most active and beautiful monasteries. Tashilhunpo, meaning ‘Heap of Glory', was the seat of the Panchen ('great scholar') Lamas who came into existence in the 17th century when the 5th Dalai Lama gave this title to his beloved and learned tutor. With its traditional Tibetan architecture, striking golden roof and 26m high Buddha this is the largest yellow hat monastery in Tibet and one of the most impressive.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Gesar Hotel (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Road journey from Shigatse to Shegar:  Depart Shigatse this morning and drive to Shegar (New Tingri), a journey of around 5-6 hours passing the Tsou-la Pass (4500m) and Gyatso-la Pass (5220m).

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Roof of the World Hotel (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Road journey from Shegar to Everest Base Camp: Today you will drive the final stretch of the road to Everest, a journey of around 2-3 hours from Shegar. The road climbs up to reach the Gau-la Pass (5200m) from where you can see a spectaculasr panoramic view taking in 4 mountains above 8,000 meters - Lhotse (8516m), Everest (8848m), Cho-oyo (8201m), and Makalu (8463m). Continue on and arrive at Rongbuk Monastery, the highest monastery in the world. After arriving in Rongbuk you have time to take in the spectacular views of Everest. If you have the time and energy levels the short walk up behind the Monastery gives some of the best views of the mountain.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Rongbuk Monastery Guesthouse (Basic Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Sunrise at Everest: Rise early this morning, to catch the spectacular sight of sunrise over Mt Everest.

Road journey from Everest Base Camp to Kyirong: Later this morning, return along the gravel road north to the Friendship Highway, and then drive on to the Kyirong area, close to the border with Nepal, where you will be spending the night in a simple guesthouse. This is a long journey of around 7 hours. The first leg of the journey takes you through high altitude passes in the Himalayas, your last chance to get close up views of the Himalayan range. The road then drops down into the Kyirong valley at which point the vegetation starts changing to much greener shades. 

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Pema Guest House (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Road journey from Kyirong to Nuwakot: After an early breakfast this morning set off on the journey back into Nepal. After a short drive you will arrive at the border crossing point Kyirong-Rasuwa, where you will complete the border formalities which can take some time. Say farewell to your Tibetan guide & driver, meet your Nepalese guide & driver on the other side, and continue your journey to down from the Tibetan Plateau into the lush tropical lands of Nepal. Your drive to Nuwakot, a small hill village a few hours' north of Kathmandu, will take around 5-6 hours.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at The Famous Farm (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Day at leisure in Nuwakot: Today you have a full day at leisure to relax after your overland adventure. Nuwakot is a peaceful village in a scenic setting in the Kathmandu Valley. You can set out to explore the historic fortress and temples around the village, or there are various enjoyable walks available in the surrounding countryside.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at The Famous Farm (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Road journey from Nuwakot to Bhaktapur: After breakfast this morning, set off on the drive to Bhaktapur, a journey of around 3-4 hours.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Hotel Heritage (Classic Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Time at leisure: Today you have some time free at leisure to explore the interesting ancient town of Bhaktapur at your own pace. A late check-out from your hotel has been included today.

Private transfer: At the appropriate time today, you will be met by your guide & driver, then transferred to the airport for your onward flight. This is a journey of around 30 minutes.

Flight: QR651 Kathmandu - Doha 21.10 - 23.45

Meals: Breakfast