Day 01 :

Fly from Kathmandu to the Gonggar airport of Lhasa (90 kilometers from the main city). This afternoon remains free for acclimatization. You stay overnight at hotel in Lhasa. Early morning you are transferred to the airport to board the plane for the flight over the Himalaya to Lhasa. If the weather is clear there are wonderful views of Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Makalu, Kanchenjunga and other peaks en route. On arrival at Gonggar airport (which is 90 kilometers from Lhasa), you meet your vehicle and drive east along the broad Yarlung Tsangpo valley to Tsedang (3400m.). After checking in to your hotel, you drive south to see the reputed oldest building in Tibet, the Yumbu Lakhang, a beautiful castle-like dwelling and monastery, dramatically perched on a spur looking out over the fertile valley below. If time permits you may be able to visit a small monastery close to Tsedang, or an interesting carpet factory where you can see the whole process of carpet making.

Day 02-03 :

On these days you will visit Potala Palace, Norbulinka Palace, Jorkhang, surrounding of Barkhor Street, Drepung and Sera Monasteries. You stay overnight at hotel in Lhasa. One of the highlights is the visit to the symbol of Tibet; the Potala Palace set high on Red Hill, the winter home of the Dalai Lama until 1959. The most sacred temple in Lhasa is the Lokhang, where people come from all over Tibet to visit and pray in this spiritual heart of the country. It was used as a military kitchen during the Cultural Revolution but has now been beautifully restored, with many priceless thangkas and statues adorning the chapels, and magnificent gilded roofs. Another great treasure is the Norbulingka – the old summer palace of the Dalai Lama. Now you visit Jorkhang temple, the center of the Tibetan Buddhism and the sacred land of Buddhist followers where innumerable pilgrims come for worship everyday. The temple, built in 647, is the earliest wood-and-masonry structure still existing in Tibet. Surrounding the Jorkhang Temple is the bustling Barkhor Street which is the religious and social focus of Lhasa. Around the Barkhor there are numerous stalls selling all sorts of handicrafts: brightly colored boots and fur-lined hats, silver and turquoise jewelry, rosaries, prayer flags and charms, as well as beautiful Tibetan carpets and all manners of ordinary household ware. Next you visit Sera monastery, which was created in 1419, has always been an important Buddhist seminary. As rose are planted everywhere in the monastery, it is also called “the court of wild rose”. Today still 200 lamas live in there. On the other hand, Drepung Monastery, is the world’s largest monastery with about 10,000 monks.

Day 04 :

Drive from Lhasa to Gyantse (3,950m.). You stay overnight at hotel in Gyantse. Today is a full day picturesque drive crossing over a colorful Yamdrok Lake and Kambala Pass at 4,794 m and Karola Pass at 5,010m. In Gyantse you spend time visiting the Pelke Chode Monastery and the 35m high famous Kumbum Stupa inGyantse packed with exquisite Tibetan sculpture and paintings, a stunning architectural wonder in Tibet.

Day 05 :

Drive from Gyantse to Shigatse (3,900m.). You stay overnight at hotel in Shigatse. With Gyantse just fades away from your sight, Shigatse becomes clearer because it's just one and half hours driving (98 kilometers).

Shigatse is situated near the junction of the Ngang and Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) rivers, with many traditional low ceiling, flat roofed, mud brick Tibetan houses, but quite a lot of ugly modern Chinese buildings as well. It is home of the Tashilunpo Monastery, traditional seat of the Panchen Lama, and one of the great centers of Tibetan Buddhism. Shigatse also has an interesting bazaar, where various traditional items can often be found at more or less reasonable prices. Shigatse has always been an important trade and administration center and also has political and religious significance, once being the seat of the Panchen Lama. The town is essentially divided into two parts: the old Tibetan style area in the city and the concrete, modern Chinese part of the town. The older streets and alleys here are very pleasant to wander and there are a few sights of interest to warrant a stay of a day or two.

Here you go to Tashilunpo Monastery and Tibetan market. Tashilhunpo (Heap of Glory) Monastery is seat of the Panchen Lamas. Built in 1447, it is the head monastery of Yellow Hat sect (Gelukgonpa). It is today one of Tibet's most active monasteries.

Day 06 :

Drive from Shigatse to Xegar (4,350 m.) which takes approximately 8 hours. You stay overnight at hotel in Xegar.

Day 07 :

Drive from Xegar to Zhangmu. You stay overnight at hotel in Zhangmu. You drive to Zhangmu crossing Lalung la Pass (5050m) and Nyalamu Pass (3800m). This drive offers fantastic view of high mountains including Mt. Everest (8848m).

Day 08 :

Drive from Zhangmu to Kathmandu. Drive downhill to Friendship Bridge where transportation awaits for your journey to Kathmandu.