Tibet Overland Tour from Nepal

Altitude: 1300 m, Kathmandu. Tsedang, 3100 m

Flight Distance: 569 km

Duration: 1 hour 20 mins

Drive Distance: 90 km

Duration: 2 hours

Kathmandu in Nepal is the only international city in the world that has direct flights to Lhasa. On the flight, you get amazing aerial views of Mt. Everest and other high mountain peaks on clear days.

Once in Lhasa, the tour representatives of Tibet will pick you up and then you drive onwards to Tsedang. Located by the Yarlung Valley, Tsetang is the capital of Shannan Prefecture. It's reputed as "the cradle of Tibetan Civilization.

Overnight at Tsetang.

Today you will spend the day in Tsedang, visiting different, popular tourist spots. Some of them are:

• Samya Monastery: You can take a boat ride along the Yarlung Tsangpo River to visit Samya Monastery.
• Yambhu Lhakang: First Palace in Tibet's history
• Thandruk Monastery
• Yamdrok Tso Lake

Altitude: 3950 m, Samye

Distance: 301km

Duration: 7-8 hours

Today you leave for Gyantse via Samye. Driving on the dirt road you reach a bridge to the south side of the Yarlung Tsangpo river. This takes you to Samye. Here on, the scenery is beautiful and desert-like with many sand dunes.

After crossing the Yarlung Tsangpo river, you will see the ferries that took you to Samya Monastery.

You will also drive over 2 high passes- the Kampa La (470m) and Karo La (5050m). From here, you travel to Gongkar. Here you take the Friendship highway, Traduka. You stop here for lunch.

This valley has many restaurants and cafes to choose from. From here, you continue your drive through the Desert Scenery to reach Gyantse.

Gyantse is an old Tibetan Town with a backdrop of magnificent 14th-15th-century fortresses and temples. Here, you can visit the Pelkhor Chode Temple, which served the Gelug Sakya and Buluk orders. You can also visit the Kumbum Stupa.

This stupa is an architectural masterpiece built in the style of 108-sided Mandela. It is the most revered stupa in Tibet and houses 112 chapels of which only 23 are open to the public.

Altitude: 3900 m, Gyantse

Distance: 95 km

Duration: 2 hrs

After breakfast, you will take a 2-hour drive to Shigatse. It is the second largest town and one of the first towns visited by westerners in Tibet.

Once here, you can go sightseeing or relax at your hotel or in one of the many restaurants, cafes, and spas in the city.

Some places to visit are:

• Tashilumpo Palace: It was once the home of His Holiness the Panchen Lama. The Panchen Lama is the second highest spiritual figure in Tibet after His Holiness The Dalai Lama. There are 39 amazing chapels inside the Palace.
• Local markets for shopping
• Shigatse Dzong
• Narthang Monastery
• Shalu Monastery

Altitude: 3650 m, Shigatse

Distance: 271 Km

Duration: 5 – 6 Hrs

If you follow the northern Highway, it is the shortest road between Shigatse and Lhasa.

You pass through Rinbung County and Nyemo County and follow the road to Yarlung Zangbo River Valley.

From here, you follow the main route along the valley to reach Lhasa. The highway offers a spectacular view of the Tibetan Plateau and “Yarlung Tsangpo” river.

You have 2 days to fit everything that Lhasa has to offer. In the two days, you can include some of the many sightseeing and excursion spots. Some popular ones to include are:

• Potala Palace: A striking landmark, it was once the winter palace of the Dalai Lama. Now it is a museum and still an architectural wonder.
• Jokhang Temple: Built-in 647 A.D, it is a spiritual center for the Tibetans.
• Barkhor market: Great place to sip a coffee, watch the life of the locals and shop for souvenirs.
• Drepung Monastery: Once the biggest monastery of the world with over 10000 monks.
• Sera Monastery: Insight to the different aspects of Tibetan Buddhism
• Norbulingka: Once the summer palace of the Dalai Lama.

Distance: 65km

Duration: 1 hour

You will then transfer to the airport 3 hours before your international flight.