Tibet Adventure - 10 days

Drifters Price: £1168.50

RRP: £1230.00

Trip Code: INTTA10

Days 1-2 Kathmandu

You will be met on arrival at Kathmandu airport by our local partners and transferred to the Harati Hotel (transfers cannot be arranged on arrival, please advise flight arrival details at least 14 days prior to departure). The remainder of the day is free for your independent exploration of Kathmandu and the Harati hotel is perfectly positioned in an authentic Nepali street in the heart of the old city. Step out of the hotel and you are in an area of traditional shops and markets but only a five minute walk away is the Thamel area of western style shops and restaurants, the tourist's Mecca of Nepal.

Five minutes walk in the opposite direction brings you to the cultural riches of Durbar Square. The hotel's rooms are well appointed with airconditioning and attached bathrooms,TV and telephone. Hotel facilities include room service, restaurant, coffee shop and bar, safety deposit boxes, laundry and foreign currency exchange facilities. Email and international phone calls are available at the hotel, though they are cheaper at one of the many offices nearby or in Thamel. An extra day in Kathmandu is required for the processing of your Chinese visa and Tibet entry permit. Please read details under 'Visas' on this trip notes.

Overnights: Harati Hotel or similar, Kathmandu

Meals: Breakfast included on day 2.

Day 3 Flight to Lhasa

You are transferred to the airport for the flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa which is a highlight in itself as some of the most awesome peaks in the world are visible from the aircraft and you can see why it's called the 'Roof of the World'!** The flight takes 50 minutes. Upon arrival in Lhasa you are met by your local guide and transferred to your simple tourist class hotel in Lhasa - the drive takes about 1 hour. We know the temptation is to rush about and explore Lhasa, but please take it easy and use this afternoon to acclimatise to the altitude and be sure to drink plenty of water.

**Please note that your itinerary may be reversed. Due to the limited availability of the flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa, you may travel overland into Tibet and fly from Lhasa to Kathmandu on day 10.

Overnight: Yak Hotel or similar, Lhasa

Meals: breakfast

Day 4-5 Lhasa Sightseeing

Now the mystery of Tibet starts to unfold as the stench of yak butter permeates the air. You visit Jokhang Temple, the surrounding pilgrim circuit of The Barkor and Drepung Monastery. This ancient Monastery is said to be the largest in the world and once housed 10,000 monks. Today there are approximately 600 monks in residence and you have the opportunity to wander through this impressive community. The Barkor is also famous for its bustling Lhasa market and is a great place to spend any spare time. It is busy with devout Tibetans in their traditional costume and local handicrafts and souvenirs are on display. You also visit The Norbulingka, the summer palace of the Dalai Lamas. A highlight for so many people is the Potala, a palace of the Dalai Lama. Potala Palace has been listed as a World Heritage Site and is definitely a sight to behold. It was built in 1645 during the reign of the Great 5th Dalai Lama and completed 12 years after his death. The Potala is divided into two main complexes - the outer white building which houses the administration and the Red Fort where you will find the chapels, tombs and living quarters of the Dalai Lama.

Overnights: Yak Hotel or similar, Lhasa

Meals: breakfast.

Day 6 Lhasa to Gyantse

Driving out of Lhasa, the journey takes you through the vastness of the Tibetan plateau. The roads can be very rough and can make for a long day travelling, but the scenery is dramatic and you pass through desolate mountains and many Tibetan villages. You will break for lunch in a local restaurant and drive by the turquoise Yamdrok Lake. Crossing Kampa La Pass (4794m) and Karo La Pass (5010m) you arrive at Gyantse town (3950m). Gyantse is a remarkable town that has escaped much of the Chinese influence common to other main Tibetan towns. The town is dominated by its ancient fort built in the 14th centure, destroyed by the British forces in 1904.

Overnight: Gyantse Hotel or similar, Gyantse

Meals: breakfast.

Day 7 Gyantse to Shigatse

In the morning, visit the Pelkor Choede monastery complex, once a collection of 15 temples which brought together three different orders of Tibetan Buddhism in the one compound. Nine of the the monasteries were Gelugpa, three were Sakyapa and three belonged to the Buton sect whose head monastery was near Shigatse. Drive for about two hours to Shigatse (3900 m.) the second largest city in Tibet.

Overnight: Manasarovar Hotel or similar, Shigatse

Meals: breakfast included.

Day 8 Shigatse to Sakya

Shigatse's major attraction is the impressive Tashilumpo Monastery - the home of the Panchen Lama and the second largest monastery in Tibet. Tashi Lumpo is a very colourful and active monastery with many halls to visit, some housing large Buddhas and others are learning centres and libraries for monks. This monastery houses the Maitreya Buddha statue made of wood covered with gold which weighs 275 kg and is 26 m. in height. It gives you an idea of just how vibrant the Potala Palace would be if still in residence. Visit Sakya Monastery, which was one of the largest in Tibet before the Cultural Revolution.

Overnight: Sakya Hotel or similar

Meals: Breakfast included.

Day 9 Sakya to Zhangmu

You drive for about 8 hours today to Nyalam (3500 m), an important old trading post, crossing Lalung La (5050 m) and Nyalam Pass (3800 m). After passing through New Tingri there are spectacular views of Mount Everest and Mount Shisapangma (weather permitting!). This is an extremely scenic drive as the road cuts through the Himalaya and the dramatic changes in the vegetation and landscape in such a short distance are truly amazing. Zhangmu is a remarkable town that hugs the rim of a seemingly never-ending succession of hairpin bends down to the customs area at the border of China and Nepal. After Tibet, it all seems incredibly green and luxurious with the smells of curry and incense in the air. The population is a fascinating mix of Han, Tibetan and Nepali, and the shops brim with goodies from India, Nepal and China.

Overnight: Zhangmu Hotel or similar.

Meals: breakfast included.

Day 10 Zhangmu to Kathmandu

Today's adventure is crossing the border from Tibet into Nepal. You drive* across approximately 8km. of no-man's-land to the Friendship Bridge at Kodari. Now in Nepal, it is already obvious how much greener it is and after approximately 4 - 5 hours drive you return to the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu. You will be dropped off at your hotel at approximately 5 - 6pm or the airport if you have arranged a late evening departure flight** (please advise flight departure details at time of booking).

* In vary rare circumstances it may be necessary to walk this portion of the journey.

**Please note, one of the joys of travelling in this area is to expect the unexpected, so for this reason we recommend strongly staying overnight in Kathmandu in case the drive back is delayed and you cannot connect with your departure flight

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