Tibet Nepal Nature Scenery Tour
- Duration:
- 13 Days
- Price:
- From USD2810
- Route:
- Lhasa-Shigatse-EBC-Gyirong-Kathmandu-Chitwan-Kathmandu
- Season:
-
- Spring
- Summer
- Autumn
- Winter
- Tour Type:
- Private Tour
Overview
This 13-day Tibet Nepal Nature Scenery Tour takes you to the best natural sceneries of both Tibet and Nepal, showing you the amazing landscape of Himalayas, turquoise lakes, vast grassland dotted with sheep and yaks, magnificent mountains, primeval forest, grand valleys. Ever-changing sights make a wonderful experience for you.
Day | Route | Attractions & Activities |
---|---|---|
1 | Arrival in Lhasa (3650m) | Pick up and transfer to the hotel |
2 | Lhasa City | Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street |
3 | Lhasa Suburb | Norbulingka, Drepung Monastery |
4 | Lhasa - Namtso - Lhasa | Namtso Lake |
5 | Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse | Yamdroktso Lake, Karola Glacier, Pelkor Chode Monastery |
6 | Shigatse - Tingri - Rongbuk - EBC | Tashilhunpo Monastery, Rongbuk Monastery |
7 | EBC – Gyirong Border 370km, approx. 8hrs | Everest Base Camp |
8 | Gyirong - Kathmandu | Transfer to Kathmandu via Gyirong Border |
9 | Kathmandu Sightseeing | Swyambhunath Stupa, Boudhanath Stupa, Pashupatinath Temple |
10 | Kathmandu - Chitwan | Elephant safari, Jungle walk, Tharu Cultural Show |
11 | Enjoying the Beauty of Chitwan | Chitwan National Park |
12 | Chitwan - Kathmandu | Bhaktapur Durbar Square |
13 | Departure from Kathmandu | Send off to the airport |
Daily Itinerary
CollapseThis is the first day in Tibet. Your guide will greet you at Lhasa Gonggar Airport/Railway Station and transfer you to your hotel. It usually takes around 1.5hrs to drive from Lhasa Airport to downtown Lhasa and takes about 20mins from Lhasa Railway Station. Tourists could have a look at the Yarlung Tsangpo River, the largest and longest river in Tibet on their way to the hotel. After check-in, you can have a good rest first. And if you feel like going out, you can wander around the city. But just remember that don't take too much stuff, try to go with a light pack. Meanwhile, drink some more water, and do not move strenuously. It’s really useful to get acclimatized to the high altitude.
Stay overnight in Lhasa
In the morning our 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, we 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
In the morning, we will go to visit Norbulingka. Norbulingka is a typical Tibetan-style royal garden, the summer resort of the Dalai Lama. There are a lot of towering trees, exotic flowers and plants in the Garden, as well as many collections of cultural relics, Buddha statues, pagodas, thangkas, murals, etc. They are all very precious treasures.
In the afternoon, you are heading to Drepung Monastery, which means Monastery of Rice Heap in the Tibetan language. The entire monastery is large in scale and the white buildings cluster and cover the hillsides. Drepung monastery is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery, also the highest-ranking monastery in the Gelug Sect.
Stay overnight in Lhasa
On the way to Namtso, you will have a far view of the Nyenchen Thanglha Snow Mountain. Enjoy the view of the vast grassland and spectacular natural scenery. You'll arrive at Namtso Lake after pass Nagela Pass(5150m).
From Lhasa to Gyantse is about 264km, en route you will pass by Gambala Mountain Pass (4790m), where's the best place to overlook the Yamdroktso Lake. Then 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
Tibet has a serious rule about the speed limit. Though from Shigatse to Everest region is only about 350km or so, no more than 40 km/hr speed limitation, and the many road checks dotted on the way, really slow us down. So be prepared to spend around 8~10hrs on the road including mealtime. The upside is the view along the way is superb. Also please take some snacks with you for the long-time driving.
In summer, usually May~Oct, you will stay overnight at Everest Tent Camp; in winter, usually Nov~Apr, you will stay at Rongbuk Monastery’s guesthouse. There are dorm beds available in the 2 places. In both places, you can see the glorious Everest sunset if the weather is good.
Stay overnight at EBC
You can get up early and enjoy the sunrise of Everest Peak at the lodging area if the weather is good. After sightseeing, we will drive to Gyirong, the border which connects Tibet & Nepal. On the way, tourists can enjoy the breathtaking vista of Mt. Shishapangma and Pekutso Lake. After passing the Ghungtang Lhamo(5236M), 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 at 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 6-7 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 live 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”, “Patinath” means “the lord”. This temple is also known as “corpse cremation temple” because it’s the place where Hindu devotees cremate the dead bodies in public.
Stay overnight in Kathmandu
About 148km south-west of Kathmandu, Chitwan National Park is one of Nepal's popular tourist destination and also also a World Heritage Site.
There, you'll see an array of wildlife that you will never see in other parts of the world. There, you will see wild Rhinos and tigers as you take a ride on the back of huge lumbering elephants. So, prepare your cameras for pics of the elusive Royal Bengal Tiger and the famous one-horned rhino. After an enjoyable safari adventure, you will stay overnight in Chitwan.
After resting overnight and replenishing your strength, you will have another great day of adventure in Chitwan National Park. You will visit the local Tharu villages to come up close to elephants while they bathe, ride an elephant to walk in the jungle and start your jungle safari. Walk through a section of the primitive forest path, and you will see the natural environment of wildlife. If you are audacious enough, you can engage in a guided tour into the jungle. In this jungle, you will see leopards, sloth bears, smooth-coated otters, Bengal foxes, spotted linsangs, striped hyenas, golden jackals, jungle cats, small Indian civets, and many more.
Canoeing on the Rapti River is also a good chance to see various water birds playing on the water, crocodiles from a distance and alligators resting by the lakeside.
In the afternoon, you will go to the gharial breeding center, which is a government-built crocodile breeding program. You can observe the marsh mugger and gharial up close. This project aims to protect endangered species and release them back into the wild. You will again stay overnight at Chitwan after a hectic day of adventure.
Drive back to Kathmandu today, which is about 5hrs on the road.
Once back at Kathmandu, you can take a rest at your hotel to regain your strength. You can also spend the rest of the day strolling along with the UNESCO Heritage Sites of the city. You will stay overnight in Kathmandu for tomorrow's departure.
Guide and driver will pick you up at you hotel according to your flight schedule to transfer you to Kathmandu Airport for your flight home.
Tour Price and Service
From US$2810 p/p
Based on 3-star hotels for 2 people in low seasons. Price varies according to travel season, number of people and level of accommodation.
INCLUSIONS
- Tibet Tourism Bureau Permit and all other necessary permits to Tibet;
- All entrance tickets fee for tourist attractions listed in the itinerary;
- Experienced local English-speaking tour guide;
- Travel-licensed vehicle according to group size & season as itinerary needed including gas and parking fee;
- All lodging listed in the itinerary; it’s your decision about the accommodation class: luxury 5-star international hotel, comfortable 4-star hotel, economic 3-star hotel, or guesthouse. Please tell us your preference;
- Breakfasts provided by hotels;
- Pick-up & Drop-off service from Airport/railway station;
- Travel Agency Liability insurance;
- Government tax;
- Express delivery fee of Permit (eg. SF. Express);
- Food & lodgings for guide & driver;
- Oxygen tank for emergency use;
- Sleeping bags;
- Two bottles of mineral water per person per day.
EXCLUSIONS
- International flight to and out of China;
- Chinese Visa/China Group Visa; (Note: we could help you by providing the hotel or domestic flight reservation copies for your Chinese Visa or the invitation letter for your China Group Visa)
- Domestic flight/train to and out of Lhasa; (We can help you book the domestic flight/train ticket at the BEST price. Please contact us for details.)
- Meals are not included but we will recommend some good ones for you according to your requirements. Usually, it takes 3-10 USD per person for each meal.
- While the gratuity for guide and driver is NOT mandatory, it is expected. Based on their service, you can tip them on the last day of the tour. Each of you is suggested to tip them 5-10 USD/day in total;
- All the commission and tax charged by PayPal, Bank, and government when making payment. (e.g. PayPal --- 4.4%. Wire transfer --- 2%);
- Personal expenses, like laundry, phone call, snacks, soft drinks, optional tour activities, etc.
- Anything not mentioned in the Inclusions.
Typically Asked Questions from Our Clients
Asked by Juli***
2023-02-05
Interested in the Tibet Nepal Nature Scenery Tour for two adults. Flexible dates in September/ October. Please let me have information
Dear Juli**, We can arrange Tibet Nepal Nature Scenery Tour for you. This tour covers the essence of central Tibet, and Kathmandu(as well as Chitwan). You will have a overland tour from Lhasa to Gyirong Port, then cross the Himalayans to Kathmandu in 8hrs, for a distance of 160km. October is the best time to visit Nepal, however, September is the monsoon season. If possible, I suggest you come in October, which is also the best time to visit Tibet. Please let me know if you just want a private tour or a semi-group tour. As you can join a group tour from Lhasa to Gyirong to share the cost of the vehicle and tour guide with other travelers to lower your cost. Also please let me know the hotel class you prefer. I will quote you in my next email.
Asked by emma***
2022-09-01
Solo traveller needing last minute trip to Nepal/Tibet/Bhutan
Dear Emma, Thank you for sending us an inquiry! This is Catherine from Great Tibet Tour at your service. Great Tibet Tour is a local tour operator based in Lhasa, Tibet. It was founded in 2005 and recommended by Lonely Planet as one of the best reputed local Tibet travel agencies. We specialize in arranging Tibet travel for foreigners, as well as other parts of China & Nepal. In your inquiry, you mentioned you would like to have the 13 Days Tibet Nepal Nature Scenery Tour this September. Unfortunately, Tibet is still closed due to COVID-19. Travelers are not allowed to enter Tibet. It is expected to open next year, and we would be glad to organize the tour for you at that time. If you have any further questions or doubts please let me know without hesitation, it is my pleasure to work with you at any time. Looking forward to hearing from you! Best regards, Catherine
Asked by Mr. ***
2021-10-30
This tour would also interest us as a private tour on the friendship highway. Are there still travel restrictions in Tibet because of Covid? We want to take a tour in May/June 2022
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Kramer, Currently, there's still a travel restriction in Tibet due to the covid. We can arrange this tour for you if Tibet opens. It might open next spring. And if you are visiting Nepal and Tibet, going to Tibet first is the better option as you can adapt to the altitude better. And the two routes you mentioned are almost the same in Tibet, except for one attraction Milarepa’s Meditation Cave. We also can add it for you. Here's your latter chosen itinerary. Please let me know what kind of accommodation you would like to stay in? I will quote you in my next email if you want.
Asked by Brid***
2020-12-27
Hello, I would like to book the Tibet Nepal Nature Scenery Tour. Please advise. Thank you!
In your inquiry, you mentioned you would like to have 13 Days Tibet Nepal Nature Scenery Tour which is a private tour. We can arrange the tour for you in July 2021. For solo travelers, We usually suggest them joining our small group tour in Tibet to keep the cost down. You can choose to join in 7 Days Lhasa Mt. Everest Kathmandu Overland Group Tour first and have your private Nepal tour as schedule. You can still visit Namtso Lake privately before the group tour starts.
Asked by Robe***
2020-02-02
I live in HK and would like to come do some walking and sightseeing in August with my 16 year old son. I would like to take the train from Chengdu to Lhasa, have one or two days sight seeing then go to Nepal and have one or two days sight seeing. I would also like to do a three/four day trek. should we do this in Tibet or Nepal? Should we overland or fly between the two countries. Can we then fly direct back to HK? Do you think this is possible Many thanks
In your inquiry, you mentioned you would like to have a Tibet & Nepal tour. I recommend 9 Days Tsurphu to Yangpachen Tibet Trekking Tour. And we can organize another 2 days sightseeing in Kathmandu for you. August is the rainy season in Nepal, I suggest you fly to Kathmandu from Lhasa because the overland road condition from the Gyirong border to Kathmandu is dangerous during that period. After the tour ends, you can fly back to HK from Kathmandu directly.
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