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11-Nights Essential Tibet - Classic from $2,999
G Adventures
OFFER ID 1557350
Essential Tibet
From the sacred peaks of Tibet to the cultural hub of Kathmandu, explore overland the best of the Himalayas on this 12-day tour. Discover mighty temples and small outposts on a journey that offers incredible vistas at every turn of the trail. Camp in yak hair tents at the base of mighty Everest, and try your hand at making Tibetan momos. This adventure takes you from China through Tibet's incredible mountain scenery and delivers you straight to Kathmandu, Nepal's heart and soul.
Highlights
Stay in a Yak hair tent, traditional to nomadic Tibetans, with an incredible view of Mt. Everest, Explore Lhasa and take a tour of the famed Potala Palace, Witness Tibetan Monks debate at the Sera Monestary.
Accommodation
Nomadic tent (1 night), hotel (10 nights).
Group Leader
One CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout China and Tibet. You will have a Nepalese CEO in Nepal.
Group Size Notes
Max 15, avg 12.
Meals Included
1 dinner
What's Included
Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
Your Foodie Moment: Tibetan Cooking Class, Lhasa
Your Local Living Moment: Everest Base Camp Yak Hair Tent, Everest Base Camp. Orientation walk in Lhasa, Durbar Square. Gyantse, Jokhang Temple Tour. Barkhor Square Orientation Walk. Tibetan Cooking Class. Potala Palace Tour. Sera Monastery Tour. Pelkor Chode Monastery and Gyantse Kumbum Visit. Tashilhunpo Monastery Visit. Sakya Monastery Visit. Rongbuk Monastery. Everest Viewpoint. Everest Base Camp Yak Hair Tent. Border crossing to Nepal. Bhaktapur Excursion.
11 nights from $2,999 per person
G Adventures: Essential Tibet
Day 1: Chengdu
Arrive at any time and get settled in. Your China and Tibet adventure kicks off with a welcome briefing with your CEO and fellow travelers. If you're up for a meal, join your CEO for a local dinner after the briefing.
Day 2: Chengdu/Lhasa
Today begins your journey to Tibet. Board a flight to Lhasa and as you make your way off the plane, you will be greeted by your Tibetan CEO. Grab your bags and head to the hotel and join your CEO for an orientation walk of Lhasa.
Day 3: Lhasa
Spend the morning with your CEO exploring the Unesco World Heritage site of Jokhang Temple. Walk throughout the complex and take note of the many original pieces still intact from the original construction. Then, continue the tour in Lhasa's oldest district to explore Barkhor Street, an ancient and holy pilgrimage path. Then enjoy free time in the heart of the Tibetan Quarter. We recommend getting some lunch at a local teahouse. In the evening, we'll have a cooking class of traditional Tibetan food and then sit down together to eat what we made.
Day 4: Lhasa
Start today's adventure with a visit to the Potala Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This dzong fortress was the winter palace of Dalai Lamas for over three hundred years. Then in the afternoon, visit Sera monastery and witness the monks at debate. This unique cultural practice allows for a deeper understanding of Buddhist philosophy and visitors are allowed to observe as per a set schedule.
Day 5: Lhasa/Gyantse
Set off early this morning for Gyantse. The drive to Gyantse is a spectacular one, crossing three passes over 5,000m (16,404 ft) and skirting the shores of the beautiful turquoise lake, Yamdrok Tso. Enjoy a visit to the lake in the morning. Then visit Karola Glacier en route and grab a bite of lunch if you wish in Nagarze.
As you make your way from Lhasa to Gyantse, make a few important stops along the way. First, visit Yamdrok Lake, a stunning freshwater blue lake thought to be part of a sacred group of four lakes guarded by a local deity. Then, drive through Karola Pass en route to Karola glacier where you will stop to admire the view of the Tibetan stupa flanked by glacial mountains all around. Arrive to Gyantse and if you have steam left, join your CEO to hike to the Gyantse Fortress for a birds-eye view of the area.
Day 6: Gyantse/Shigatse
Today provides another opportunity to visit a sacred Tibetan Buddhist site in Gyantse. Visit Pelkor Chode Monastery this morning to admire the many sculptures and paintings lining the walls. See Gyantse Kumbum, the iconic mutli-leveled edifice. Then, travel to Shigatse and visit the Tashilunpo Monastery, one of the most culturally significant monasteries in Shigatse. Witness monks going about their day and choose to join in with the kora, a meditative practice.
Day 7: Shigatse/Sakya
Bid Shigatse farewell and travel onward to Sakya, and visit the Sakya Monastery and Nunnery. Return to the hotel on foot and choose to join your CEO for dinner.
Day 8: Sakya/Everest Base Camp
Pack an overnight daypack, and depart to make your way towards your overnight near Everest Basecamp. Visit the Rongbuk Monastery and then embark on a short hike. Tonight, spend the night in yak hair tents that allow you to get as close as possible to Basecamp in the hopes of getting glimpses of Mt Everest. Choose to go on additional hikes to the upper monastery with your CEO.
Day 9: Everest Base Camp/Kyirong
Depart Everest and make your way back the way you came to the entrance of the park. Board a private vehicle headed to Kyirong. This border town is known for it's warmer climate and green landscape. Relax and enjoy the view.
Day 10: Kyirong/Kathmandu
Today, cross the border back into Nepal. The overland journey from Tibet to Nepal is considered one of the most stunning drives in Asia. Once across the border, travel to Kathmandu to enjoy a final evening in the city.
Prepare for another beautiful driving day on your way to Nepal. Cross high mountain passes amongst fluttering prayer flags, enjoy jaw dropping views of the Himalayan range, stunning lakes and forest, then begin to descend in altitude towards lush, green Nepal. After immigration, cross the bridge joining Tibet and Nepal by foot. Jump in the vehicle and make the winding, bumpy, yet extremely scenic drive to Kathmandu.Kyirong is the main customs border crossing between Tibet and Nepal, for tourists and for commercial purpose. As such, it can be quite busy and there can be long wait times.
Day 11: Kathmandu
Join your CEO on a morning exploration of Bhaktapur. A World Heritage Site, Bhaktapur is made up of three large squares filled with shrines, temples and plenty of activity. In its heyday, Bhaktapur was the most powerful of the Kathmandu Valley kingdoms and its capital for 300 years. Return to Kathmandu for the afternoon at leisure. Join your CEO for an optional farewell dinner to your incredible journey through China, Tibet and Nepal.
Day 12: Kathmandu
Depart at anytime
Vacation Details
* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.
Moderate facilities have modest enhancements to amenities and décor. These hotels or resorts are dependable, comfortable and some may offer standard features, such as select business services, Continental breakfast or coffee service and may have a swimming pool or small fitness center on-site. Guestrooms are comfortable, moderately spacious, in-room telephones, televisions and limited amenities. Moderate establishments provide suitable accommodations and service for budget-minded travelers.
All local flights are included in the cost of your tour unless otherwise noted. It is important that we have your passport information at the time of booking in order to process these tickets. Internal flight tickets are issued locally and will be given to you prior to the flight departure.
Dossier Disclaimer
The information in this trip details document has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it is subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client and the operator. The itinerary featured is correct at time of printing. It may differ slightly to the one in the brochure. Occasionally our itineraries change as we make improvements that stem from past travellers, comments and our own research. Sometimes it can be a small change like adding an extra meal along the itinerary. Sometimes the change may result in us altering the tour for the coming year. Ultimately, our goal is to provide you with the most rewarding experience. Please note that our brochure is usually released in November each year. If you have booked from the previous brochure you may find there have been some changes to the itinerary. VERY IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you print a final copy of your Trip Details to review a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans.
Itinerary Disclaimer
While it is our intention to adhere to the route described below, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable to make alterations. The itinerary is brief, as we never know exactly where our journey will take us. Due to our style of travel and the regions we visit, travel can be unpredictable. The Trip Details document is a general guide to the tour and region and any mention of specific destinations or wildlife is by no means a guarantee that they will be visited or encountered. Aboard expedition trips visits to research stations depend on final permission. Additionally, any travel times listed are approximations only and subject to vary due to local circumstances.
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.
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EJS Travel LLC
(616) 214-8995