Chengdu Tibet Nepal Air and Overland Tour

Upon arrival at the airport/railway station, you will find your guide/driver holding your name sign at the exit. Then they will transfer you to your hotel in downtown Chengdu. The rest of the day is your free time.

Stay overnight in Chengdu

You will spend a whole day visiting Chengdu which has a reputation of a land of abundance. In the morning, pay a visit to Chengdu Panda Breeding Center, the home to giant pandas. The Panda Breeding Center is 10km(6 miles) in the north of Chengdu. When you arrive here, you will just catch up with the pandas' feeding time so pandas are at their most active. Then you can visit the panda museum. It takes about 2.5 hours to visit this site. After visiting Panda Breeding Center, we will drive you to Wenshu Monastery, the best-preserved Buddhist temple in Chengdu. It is the home of the Buddhist Association of Sichuan Province and Chengdu City. In Wenshu Monastery, you can visit the cultural relic and taste the delicious vegetarian food for dinner. After dinner, you may enjoy a short walk at the ancient Jinli Street. Then drive to Daci Temple, a tranquil place in Chengdu's bustling downtown areas, a few steps away from the Chunxi Road the largest shopping center in Chengdu. After a whole day's journey, it's highly recommended to have a rest and appreciate the transitional Cultural Show, including the face-changing performance.

Stay overnight in Chengdu

Transfer to the airport for the flight to Lhasa, which takes about 2.5 hours. Upon your arrival at Lhasa Airport, look for your Tibetan guide who will hold your name sign waiting for you at the exit. Then transfer to your hotel in downtown Lhasa. After arriving in Lhasa, please have a good rest and get acclimatized to high altitude.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

In the morning, your guide will meet you at the hotel and first take you to visit the famous Potala Palace, the cardinal landmark of Tibet and the masterpiece of Tibetan architecture. It was first built by the 33rd King - Songtsen Gangpo in the 7th century and rebuilt later by the 5th Dalai Lama in the 17th century. Now it's a museum and world heritage site. 

In the afternoon, you will go to visit Jokhang Temple in the center of the Lhasa old town. Jokhang Temple is the most sacred temple in Tibet and it is always bustling with earnest local pilgrims since the early days. After that, you will take a walk around the Barkhor Street - one of the most devotional circuits as well as a crowded central market of Lhasa. Barkhor Street is a very ancient round street surrounding the Jokhang Temple and the locals are always proud of it. As a symbol of Lhasa, it‘s also a must-see place for visitors.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

From Lhasa to Gyantse is about 264km, en route you will pass by Gambala Mountain Pass (4,790m), where's the best place to overlook the Yamdroktso Lake. Later we will pass and enjoy the Karola Glacier, which looks spectacular from the highway. Then visit the main monastery in Gyantse - Pelkor Chode Monastery, famous for its exquisite architecture and intact murals and statues. Finally head to Shigatse via the fertile Nyangchu Valley, a wide agricultural plain where yaks and horses are used by Tibetan farmers to cultivate this land.

Stay overnight in Shigatse

Along the way, you will cross Tsola Pass and Gyatsola Pass, where colorful prayer flags flutter across the mountain passes. In the late afternoon, you will enter the Mount Everest National Nature Reserve. From Gawula Pass, you can enjoy a spectacular panorama of the Himalayan peaks before continuing along the winding mountain road to Everest Base Camp. If weather permits, you may witness the beautiful sunset over the golden summit of Mt. Everest.

Stay overnight at EBC

You can get up early and enjoy the sunrise over Everest Peak at the lodging area if the weather is good. Then you will visit Rongbuk Monastery, the world's highest monastery, located at about 5,000 meters above sea level. It is renowned for its stunning views of the north face of Mount Everest and its peaceful Tibetan Buddhist atmosphere.

After sightseeing, we will drive to Gyirong, the border that connects Tibet & Nepal. On the way, tourists can enjoy the breathtaking vista of Mt. Shishapangma and Peikutso Lake. After passing the Ghungtang Lhamo (5,236m), we will arrive in Gyirong in the late afternoon.

Stay overnight at Gyirong Town

Drive to Gyirong Port in the early morning. You are required to walk on your own to cross the border bridge which is about 50m long. Your Nepali driver will greet you on the other side of the bridge and transfer you to Kathmandu. Although the distance between Gyirong Port and Kathmandu is only over 160 kilometers, due to the poor mountain road conditions, it takes 7~9 hours from Gyirong Port to Kathmandu.

Stay overnight in Kathmandu

Today you will start to explore Kathmandu with our experienced Nepali guide.

Firstly, you will go to Swyambhunath Temple to see the stupa there. Swyambhunath was built 2000 years ago, even older than Kathmandu city! It's one of the World's Cultural Heritages in Nepal. And it's also called "Monkey Temple" as there are hundreds of wild monkeys living around it. The Swyambhunath Stupa is the second largest stupa in Nepal. The Buddha's eyes were painted on the four sides of the stupa, which means Buddha is watching you. The paint makes it so sacred that many pilgrims come to worship.

Then you will go to see the largest stupa in Nepal, as well as in the world. Boudhanath Stupa is located in the eastern of Kathmandu. 90% of Nepalese are Hindu devotees. You can see Lord Shiva everywhere. But here, Boudhanath is a holy place of Tibetan Buddhism as it's located in the main trading pass between Nepal and Tibet. So, every morning, there are many Tibetan Buddhists doing kora here, which is really an impressive scene.

In the end, we are heading to Pashupatinath Temple, the largest Hindu temple in Nepal. The god of destruction - Shiva is enshrined in it. "Pashu" means "all living creatures", and "Patinath" means "the lord". This temple is also known as the "corpse cremation temple" because it's the place where Hindu devotees cremate the dead bodies in public.

Stay overnight in Kathmandu

In the morning, visit Kathmandu Durbar Square, where ancient palaces, intricately carved wooden windows, and historic temples offer a glimpse into Nepal’s rich history. Despite its historical charm, the square remains lively, with local vendors, bustling streets, pigeons, and everyday activities adding to its vibrant atmosphere. Take your time exploring the square and enjoy the local surroundings. You can also try momos, Nepal’s popular dumplings, at a nearby restaurant.

In the afternoon, drive to Bhaktapur Durbar Square, one of the three famous Durbar Squares in the Kathmandu Valley. Once the royal seat of the Malla kings, Bhaktapur is known for its ancient palaces, temples, and traditional Newari architecture. Wander through the historic square and admire its artistic wood carvings, stone sculptures, and centuries-old buildings, which make it a remarkable showcase of medieval Nepalese art.

After the visit, drive to Nagarkot, a hill station about 35 km northeast of Kathmandu. Surrounded by forested hills, Nagarkot is known for its panoramic Himalayan views. If the weather permits, you may enjoy beautiful mountain scenery at sunset or the following morning.

Stay overnight in Nagarkot Village

After enjoying the sunrise over the Himalayas in Nagarkot, return to Kathmandu. If time permits before your flight, you can visit Patan Durbar Square, one of the historic royal squares in the Kathmandu Valley.

Patan Durbar Square is famous for its elegant Newari architecture, intricate carvings, and beautiful temples, reflecting the rich artistic traditions of the Kathmandu Valley.

Transfer to Kathmandu Airport for your flight home.