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Central Overland Tour |
This
short
trip is
ideal
for
those
wanting
to see
the
highlights
of Tibet
and
Lhasa.
You fly
across
the
Himalaya
to Lhasa,
where
you have
plenty
of time
to visit
the main
sights
in and
around
the town
including
the
Potala
Palace,
the
Norbulingka
(the
Dalai
Lama's
summer
palace)
and the
Jokhang
Temple
which
contains
Jowo
Shakyamuni,
the most
holy
statue
to all
Tibetan
Buddhists.
You also
visit
the
major
monasteries
in the
Lhasa
Valley
including
Samye,
Drepung
and
Sera.
You then
drive
along
the
Friendship
Highway
to
Nepal,
one of
the most
spectacular
road
journeys
in the
world.
You
visit
the
towns
and
monasteries
in both
Gyantse
and
Shigatse
and then
have a
spectacular
drive
across
the
Tibetan
Plateau
with
great
views of
Everest
from the
north
side and
Shishmapangma,
the only
8,000m.
mountain
totally
in
Tibet.
Finally
you
drive
through
the
Himalaya
and down
into a
spectacular
gorge
back to
Nepal
and
Kathmandu. |
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Itinerary
In
Details |
Day
01 :
|
Drive from Kathmandu to
Zhangmu(2,300M.) - 123
Kms. The vehicle leaves
Kathmandu and paves its
way through. Kodari
Highway leading to the
Tibetan Border. It
offers beautiful views
of the villages and
small towns. The view of
Langtang, Gauri Shanker,
Melungtse and Khumbu
Himal in a clear weather
will be additional
attraction of this
drive. After completing
the custom and
immigration formalities
drive uphill to Zhangmu
Immigration Post. You
leave your vehicles here
and start a short walk
of about one hour 30
minutes uphill with
porters to Shangmu
Immigrations - known to
Nepalese as Khasa which
hangs on a cliff face.
The main features are
its boom town
architecture having a
temporary look and even
the monastery roofs are
sheathed in corrugated
iron sheets. It is
situated at a height of
2,500 m. You stay
overnight in Hotel. |
Day
02 :
|
Drive from Zhangmu to
Xegar[4,350 m.] - 244
Kms. Today you drive
uphill to the highest
plateau of the world
with the typical view of
Tibetan landscape,
crossing over Nyalam
Pass (3,800 m) and
Lalung-La (Pass) at
5,050m, with views of
beautiful Himalayan
Ranges panorama
including the Langtang
[7,245 m.], Xixapangma
[8,516 m.], Dorje Lakpa
[6,980 m.], Makalu
[8,463 m.], Everest
8,848 m.], Lhotse [8,201
m], Cho-Oyu [8,201 m.]
and Gauri Shanker [7,134
m.]. Xegar, also called
"new tingri", is
surrounded by mountains.
Zhangmu is another town
that lies in the shadow
of a great fortress.
Even in ruins it is
majestic. Seeming to
grow out of the craggy
brown rock, its sinuous
wall bristles with
watchtowers like
stegosaurus spines.
Isolated in 1855 by
Nepalese in search of
booty, the Gurkhas cut
off the Dzong's water
supply and settled in
for a long siege. You
stay overnight at the
Hotel. |
Day
03 :
|
Drive from Xegar to
shigatse[3,900 M.] - 244
Kms. shigatse is 03
hours away from Xegar
and on the way the road
reaches an altitude of
5220 m. at Jia Tsuo La [
Lhakpa La ]. At shigatse
there is facility for
having tea/snacks.
Depending upon the
condition of the road,
Sakya Monastery, which
is 26 Kilometers off the
main road can be
visited. Sakya Monastery
is one of the oldest and
most important Bon Po
Monastery. You reach
shigatse, the place of
famous Tashi Lumpo
Monastery and the seat
of Panchen Lama until
his death in 1989. You
can enjoy the sight of
huge Thanka Wall which
is clearly visible on
the northern side of the
road. |
Day
04 :
|
Drive from shigatse to
Gyangze[3,950 M.] - 90
Kms. After visiting
Tashi Lumpo Monastery
and the local market
place at shigatse you
drive to Gyangze. This
drive lasts for about 02
hours. Gyangze is a
small bustling town
situated on the northern
bank of Nyang Chu River
and it is 264 Kms.
southwest of Lhasa, the
final destination. In
the 15th century it
served as the capital of
a small kingdom. A visit
of Kumbum Chorten built
around 1400 AD is a
worth experience. During
the British rule in
India Gyangze became the
main centre of trade
with India. |
Day
05 :
|
Drive from Gyangze to
Lhasa[ 3650 M.] - 264
Kms. On the way to Lhasa
the road crosses two
high passes, Karo La
[5,010 M.] and Kamba La
[4,794 M.] and it is a
drive for about 08
hours. Karo La climbs
between two lofty
mountains Khang Sa
[7,223 M.] and Ralung
[6236M.]. The drive
following the bank of
Yamdrok Tso [Turquoise
Lake] takes about 01
hour. After crossing
Kamba La Lhasa Valley is
seen to the north. On
the way to Lhasa the
road crosses the famous
Brahmaputra River. You
stay overnight in Lhasa. |
Day
06-07 :
|
Sightseeing in and
around Lhasa. These two
days you will visit
Potala Palace,
Norbulinka Palace,
Jorkhang and surrounding
Barkhor market, Drepung
and Sera Monasteries.
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
Market place which is
the religious and social
focus of Lhasa. Around
the Barkhor there are
numerous stalls selling
all sorts of
handicrafts: brightly
coloured boots and
fur-lined hats, silver
and turquoise jewellery,
rosaries, prayer flags
and charms, as well as
beautiful Tibetan
carpets and all manner
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
08 :
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Fly from Lhasa to
Kathmandu. The flight
from Lhasa to Kathmandu
takes one hour and
during your flight, you
can see Yarlung Tsangpo
River, Yamdrok Tso
[Lake], Mount
Kanchanjungha [8,586
M.], Mount Makalu [8,463
M.] and Mount Everest
[8,848 M.]. But the
visibility depends on
the weather condition.
Your Tibet Tour ends on
your arrival at
Kathmandu Airport. |
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