Nepal Tibet Overland Tour - 18 days

Arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu. After clearance of customs and luggage’s, exit from the Airport Departure lounge and as soon as you exit you can see number of peoples outside holding a placard. Among them one of the representative of Nature Trail Travels & Tours, Trekking & Expedition will be holing a placard with your name in it. So, closely look at them. He will then transfer you to your respective hotels. Or else, you can visit our office and after full description about your trip, you will be driven to your hotel. Overnight at hotel.

On the following day, you will have a private vehicle and a professional tour guide at your disposal. After breakfast, get on with today’s sightseeing tour. After sightseeing, return back to the hotel and then take some rest. Overnight at hotel.

The sightseeing places we visit today will include:

Pashupatinath Temple

Pashupatinath Temple, with its astonishing architectural beauty, stands as a symbol of faith, religion, culture and tradition. It is one of the most sacred Hindu Lord Shiva shrines in the world and is situated 5 kilometer east of Kathmandu heart, on the banks of sacred Bagmati River. Pashupatinath temple also being the temple of Lord Shiva possessed its two-storied golden roof and silver doors and is famous for its superb architecture. The richly-ornamented pagoda houses the sacred Linga, or phallic symbol, of Lord Shiva. Chronicles indicate the temple’s existence prior to 400 AD. Devotees can be seen taking ritual dips in the holy Bagmati River flowing beside the temple. Only Hindu pilgrims can enter the premises of the temple. Non-Hindus can admire the beauty of the temple from the other side of the Bagmati River, on the banks of which Pashupatinath Temple stands.

Boudhanath

Boudhanath Stupa is the largest stupa in Nepal and the holiest Tibetan Buddhist temple outside Tibet which is said to be 2500 years old. It is the center of Tibetan culture in Kathmandu and rich in Buddhist symbolism. The stupa is located in the town of Boudha, on the eastern outskirts of Kathmandu with four pairs of eyes of Lord Buddha in four cardinal directions keeping an eternal watch over the people and their doings. You will find Buddhist pilgrims from Tibet going round the stupa spinning the prayer wheels. After 1959, many Tibetans arrived and settled in Boudhanath area. The stupa, a well-known Buddhist pilgrimage site, is included in World Heritage Cultural site list by UNESCO.

Bhaktapur Durbar Square

Bhaktapur Durbar square is listed at World Heritage Site. It is one of the most charming Architectural showpieces of the valley as it highlights the ancient arts of Nepal. As you walk in, you will feel a sense of inner harmony. Bhaktapur Durbar Square is a collection of pagoda and shikhara – style temples grouped around a fifty-five-window palace of brick and wood. The Square contains innumerable temples and other architectural showpieces like the Lion Gate, the statue of King Bhupatindra Malla, the Picture Gallery, the Golden Gate, the palaces of 55 windows, the Batsala temple and the bell of barking dog etc.

Drive to Pokhara, another beautiful town and a center of tourist attraction. Pokhara is a striking scenic lake town where nature is amplified with the views of majestic peaks, sparkling water lakes with boating and canoeing thrills will add on a greater value to your photographic tour. Witnessing some natural wonders of nature in waterfalls and gorges and magical dawns that light up the sky and the snowy Himalayan spires in hues of the rising sun and capturing these magical vistas and wonderful landscapes in your camera will obviously fulfill the expectations of an ideal Nature tour. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to the respective hotel where you get refreshed and proceed for an hour boat ride in Phewa Lake and visit Tal Barahi Temple, a famous temple dedicated to Goddess Kali.

Early in the morning we will drive to Sarangkot hill for viewing sunrise and stunning snowcapped mountain ranges. There’s a non-descript village just before the view point. The village is located on Sarangkot mountain at an altitude of 1600m and is renowned for its panoramic Himalayan view: Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and Manaslu as well as down on the city of Pokhara and Phewa lake. In recent years, Sarangkot has become a hotspot for Paragliding, Zip-flyer, Ultra-light, Bungee jump etc. While you are in Sarangkot, you can enjoy these activities. After sunrise view, we proceed for the sightseeing tour of some famous places of Pokhara; Davi’s fall, Gupteswor cave, Mahendra Cave, Bats Cave, Bindhyabasini Temple, Barahi Temple and Seti George.

Davi’s fall is a waterfall. On 31 July 1961, a Swiss couple Davi went swimming but the woman drowned in a pit because of the overflow. Her body was recovered 3 days later in river Phusre with great effort. Her father wished to name it “Davi’s falls” after her. Its Nepali name is Patale Chango, which means “underworld waterfall”. The waterfall during the monsoon season provides you with a natural effect.

Gupteswor Cave is a city shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is a world-famous pilgrim site. It is a limestone cave discovered some time ago and has a number of scenic spots around. The main attraction is the gigantic Shiva Linga which is said to be increasing in size. Gupteswor cave is special for the underground water. It is really worth seeing. It is a natural cave with Stalagmites. One has to reach the end to view the superb scene. The shrine is called “Gupteswor” which means the “Hidden God”. It is so named because it was lying hidden in the cave for a very long period. People suffering from incurable diseases come here to worship the God and remain here for months in the hope of getting cured.

Mahendra Cave is a cave located close to the Seti River. It is a rare example of a cave system in Nepal containing stalagmites and stalactites. A statue of Hindu lord Shiva can be found inside the cave. The cave gets its name from former King, Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev. This cave was discovered in the late 1950s by young shepherds of Pokhara. Since then it has remained one of the most visited places in Pokhara. The canal is completely dark with continuously dripping water overhead. The cave is full of limestone, which falls to the ground and continuously forms electrical sparks. Due to the darkness, artificial lighting is provided inside the cave.

Bat Cave, which is also known as the natural habitat of bats, is also worth of visiting, and is, located a ten-minute walk away from Mahendra Cave. It is 150 m long and 25 ft. high. The main entrance of this cave is quite narrow but the inner part is wide enough. The main specialty of this cave is that there are more than 15 thousand bats of different species. Images of elephant tusks, gods, and goddesses can be observed in the inner walls of the cave.

Bindhyabasini temple is the center of religious activity situated in the small hill-lock in between the main old bazaar and Bagar area at an elevation of 3000 feet above sea level. It is one of the oldest temples in the Pokhara valley and has an immense cultural value dedicated to Goddess Bhagawati. This temple is considered as one of the main and foremost Shaktipiths of western Nepal. It is heard to have been expressed that one can materialize the wishes whatever one wishes by worshiping the Devi. Built in a Shikhar Shailee (Shikhar style) the temple has an Idol of Bhagawati having 8 Bhujas (hands).

Seti George is also known as Seti Khola, where “Seti” means “White” and “Khola” means “River”. This is the holiest river of western Nepal, which is fed by snow of Machapuchare and Annapurna mountains. It rises from the base of the Annapurna massive, and passes through the limestone gorge of beautiful Pokhara valley and Damauli to join the Trishuli River near Devghat. It makes more excitement for those who look down to the Seti George from the top of the cliff. It is also famous for rafting and has unspoiled greenish jungle scenery, excellent bird watching site, local cultural heritage and beautiful clean beaches, many small and undemanding rapids. This is one of the additional sites that makes natural environment of Nepal more beautiful. White water running down this George makes you click random shots.

After sightseeing tour of these famous places of Pokhara, transfer to the hotel for overnight stay.

After breakfast, we travel overland from Pokhara to Royal Chitwan National Park. You will enjoy the views of enormous plains of the Terai region while driving towards Chitwan. Chitwan National Park is declared as World Heritage Site under the category of Natural Sites by UNESCO. 8% of the world bird species, rare mammals including one horned rhinoceros and the Bengal tiger makes it exclusive. Once reaching your destination, you will be briefed about the Jungle Safari itinerary for the next day. You can later enjoy the sunset in Rapti River and stroll around the Tharu villages. Once the night falls down, we entertain you with cultural performances including bonfire before getting in bed. Overnight in resort in Chitwan.

Full day wildlife activities in Chitwan including: Elephant briefing, Elephant Safari, Dugout Canoe Ride, Visit to Elephant Breeding Center, Tharu village tour, Nature walk, etc. (O/N Chitwan) 

With a wakeup call along with tea or coffee, we have the great time to witness the wildlife at its best in Royal National Park. This includes elephant safari, jungle walk, bird watching and so forth. We will then head to the grasslands and forests near the Narayani River. If you are lucky, you will see many amazing creatures that you spend most time to looking for; rhinoceroses, Chitwan’s royal Bengal tigers, leopards, monkeys, many types of deer and reptiles. Check your camera gear – preferably with a telephoto lens and you will not miss any shots. In later afternoon, a traditional dug-out canoe takes you on a silent trip down the Rapti River to view aquatic birds and the crocodile along the river banks. Elephant briefing: to learn more about the life of these fascinating animals during a visit to our elephant stables. We will also go to the observation tower, then later in the evening head back to the resort for dinner.

We will follow the schedule for our safari holiday activities. Activities such as Jeep safari, Jungle walk, visits to museum and slide show presentation are scheduled for today. You will have plenty of time for your own during the day. After completion of these activities you will get back to hotel and overnight there after the dinner.

Wake up early in the morning today for bird watching. You can various species of birds during your nature walk. Some of them are migratory birds and are only found during spring season. A walk inside the jungle at early morning will make you fresh whole day. After bird watching, return back to the hotel and then take your breakfast and get ready for your return journey to Kathmandu. A drive for about 6 to 7 hours will take you to Kathmandu. After arrival, rest and spend overnight at hotel.

We will depart from Kathmandu early in the morning, driving for 185km through the beautiful Nepalese countryside to Rasuwagadhi on the Nepal – Tibet border. After completing the border formalities at both the Nepalese and Chinese immigration posts, we drive up to the Kerung on the Tibetan side of the border. Overnight stay in the town of Kerung.

After Breakfast, we will drive uphill to the height plateau of the world with the typical view of Tibetan landscape offering sheer feeling of standing of the roof of the world from where weather permitting, breathtaking panorama of beautiful Himalayan ranges including Mt. Cho Oyu (8,201m) and Mt.Xishapangma (8,012m) but dwarfed by the vastness of the Tibetan plateau. After a scenic drive of 5-6 hrs. we will arrive at the beautiful town of Tingri.  From Tingri one can enjoy the magnificence of Mt. Everest (8,848m). From here many people go to the Everest basecamp and enjoy the camping. Overnight stay at Guest House.

Today continuing our drive in the Friendship Highway, we pass by lonely monasteries and the camps of nomadic herders. We then cross the highest pass of our journey, the Gyatso La [5220m] before descending once more to the barren splendor of the plains. Tonight, we stay in Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet. In Shigatse town you can visit Tashilunpo monastery which is seat of Panchen lamas. Tashilhunpo Monastery is one of the Six Big Monasteries of Gelugpa (or Yellow Hat Sect) in Tibet. Also called the Heap of Glory, the monastery is located at the foot of Drolmari (Tara’s Mountain), Shigatse. Founded by the First Dailai Lama in 1447, the monastery’s structure was expanded by the Fourth and successive Panchen Lamas. Tashilhunpo Monastery covers an area of nearly 300,000 square meters (3,229,279 sq. ft.). The main structures found in the Tashilhunpo Monastery are The Maitreya Chapel, The Panchen Lama’s Palace and The Kelsang Temple

After breakfast in the morning we have time to visit the Tashilhunpo Monastery, one of the largest functioning monasteries in Tibet, before setting off on the relatively short drive to Gyantse. Once in Gyantse, we can explore the Pelkor Chode Monastery and the Gyantse Kumbum. The Kumbum is a large gold-domed stupa and its many chapels house an impressive array of Tibetan Buddhist murals. Our overnight accommodation is at Hotel in Gyantse.

After breakfast in the morning we will get ready for a spectacular day drive which will take us over the Karo La [5045m] where we are treated to the awesome sight of a huge glacier tumbling down to within a few hundred meters of the road. Beyond the small, developing town of Nagartse, the road follows the bank of a beautiful turquoise lake, the Yamdrok-tso, for about 20 Km we then cross the Khamba La [4794m] and continue on to Lhasa -Surrounded by colossal mountain ranges in southwestern China, the city of Lhasa (“Place of the Buddhas “) is the spiritual heart of the Tibetan world. Overnight luxurious stay in the heart of Tibet Lhasa.

Today, after breakfast you will be shortly briefed by the tour guide about the day’s program. An experienced guide will take you on a tour to Drepung Monastery, Summer Palace and Sera Monastery.

You will visit the beautifully landscaped Drepung Monastery where you can observe nuns and monks chanting and performing religious discourses. Drepung Monastery was built in the 14th century which used to serve as the government center in Tibet until the fifth Dalai Lama moved to the famous Potala Palace. It is the biggest Buddhism College in Tibet and once home to more than 10000 monks 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. Since this white Monastery looks like a big hill of rice thus it got the name “Drepung” which means “the hill of rice’, in Tibetan. This monastery was founded in 1416 by a disciple of Tsong Khapa  and occupies an area of 150,000 square meters with 7700 lamas and becomes the largest monastery in Asia. This monastery was the biggest and richest monastery in Tibet and its lamas helped to train each new young Dalai Lama.

Norbulingka Palace, the summer palace of Dalai Lama, is a representative of Tibetan garden with pavilions and ponds. And there are many rare and valuable treasures in Norbulingka. It is also considered to be the largest man-made garden in Tibet. 

Sera Monastery was founded in 1419 by one of Tsong Khapa’s (the founder of the Gelupa sect) eight disciples. Sera monastery is one of the three magnificent monasteries in Tibet which is famous for its scripture debate session among monks that starts every afternoon except Sunday. This monastery is dedicated to the Gelugpa or Yellow Hat Sect, a branch of Tibetan Buddhism, founded by Tsong Khapa. Jamchen Chojey, one of Tsong Khapa disciples built the monastery in 1419 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The highlight of this Buddhist school is daily routine monk debate at 4pm. They debate the issues of Buddhism with body language, which is one of the classic events of Tibetan Buddhism. It became famous for its tantric teachings, while Drepung drew fame from its governing role. Sera was smaller than Drepung, with 7,000 monks, but was very rich and comparable in power. The monks of Sera were considered clever and dangerous. The monastery was named Sera which mean wild rose in the Tibetan language, because the hill behind it was covered with wild roses in bloom when the monastery was built.

After an early breakfast, brace yourself up for witnessing few of the most beautiful architectural wonders in entire Tibet. The imposing structure of the palace dominates the landscape of Lhasa. As you are guided through the ancient chambers of the palace, you get to see Tibetan art at its best. The Potala Palace has a vast array of intricate Tibetan murals and beautiful statues. You will also get to view the tombs of the eight Dalai Lamas.  Potala Palace, the winter palace of the Dalai Lama has been used since the 7th Century by the 33rd great king of Tibet. The most valuable collections are the gilded burial stupas of past Dalai Lamas and meditation Cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet. The palace rises above the city and, more than any other sight, symbolizes the history and culture of Tibet. Completed in 1956, the handsome building is ornately decorated with Tibetan carvings and paintings. The splendor and grandeur of the Potala Palace remains a world-famous symbol of the enigmatic power of politics and religion in this region. In 1645, the reconstruction of the Potala Palace began on Red Hill. In 1648, the Potrang Karpo (White Palace) of the Potala was completed. The palace underwent restoration works between 1989 and 1994, costing RMB55 million (US$6.875 million) and was inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994.

Then head towards Jokhang temple which was founded by the 33rd great king of Tibet in the 7th century, in order to promote the Buddhist religion. Jokhang Temple is situated in the old section of Lhasa. King Songtzen Gampo built this temple in the mid-7th century A.D. Now it is the most sacred place in Tibet. Pilgrims come here to pay homage from all over Tibet. Inside you can see the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni at the age of twelve, perhaps the single most venerated object in Tibet Buddhism. The spiritual heart of Tibet is the Jokhang Temple and every morning is full of life as pilgrims bring offerings of butter and barley flour. Jokhang temple provides yet another glimpse of the rich Tibetan canter of Lhasa.

After lunch, you will be taken around Barkhor bazaar. It is a circular street around the Jokhang Temple where you can do Kora (circling the Barkhor street) with pilgrims and locals. You can even enjoy bargaining with the local Tibetan vendors for the handicrafts which are rare to be seen elsewhere in the entire world. Barkhor Street is one of the most important religious paths along which pilgrims walk around Jokhang Temple while turning prayer wheels in their hands through centuries. Buddhist pilgrims walk or progress by body-lengths along the street clockwise every day into deep night. For your first visit to the Barkhor, enter from Barkhor Square, a large plaza that was cleared in 1985. The square has become a focus for political protest and pitched battles between Chinese and Tibetans on several occasions, notably in 1998 (when a Dutch tourist was shot in the shoulder) and most recently in 2008.

Ganden Monastery has an altitude of 3800m. We need to drive up along the beautiful winding road to reach the top of the mountain where Ganden monastery was built. Drive northward along Lhasa river to wetland, where will enjoy the fantastic Lhasa river bathed in cozy sunlight. During winter, this place is worth to watch all sorts of wild birds like black-necked cranes and wild ducks, etc. The monastery has over 600-year history and is the first Gelupa monastery. The complex is huge including dozens of chapels, and the main chapels have fresh red walls with golden roof shining under the sun. The monastery, built by the religious saint Tsongkhapa, does have many Monks and pilgrims.

After visiting the monastery, we get ready to hike a bit around it, on the hiking path. You can see lots of carved Buddhist scriptures on the rock and pilgrims circling the monastery. In some lookouts, you can see the whole Kyichi valley below you and the miles of mountainous range.

Now, it’s time to say good bye to all the new friends you have made. Taking back the beautiful memories, fly back to Kathmandu. Upon arrival, you will be met and escorted to your respective hotel. Overnight stay in Kathmandu.

Your journey of Nepal and Tibet comes to an end today.  As this is the last day of you tour, you will prepare for your departure on this day. Make sure you have got all your souvenirs in your luggage and have all the necessary documents to make it easy for the immigration officials at the International airport. You will be transferred to the airport by private vehicle depending upon your departure flight schedule. The tours around these two beautiful country ends but the memories will be eternal.