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Itinerary in Detail
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Day 01 : |
Drive from Kathmandu to Zhangmu (2,300m.) which
is 123 Kilometers. You stay overnight at hotel.
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 views 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 Zhangmu
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.
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Day 02 : |
Drive from Zhangmu to Xegar (4,350m.) which is
244 Kilometers. You stay overnight at hotel.
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.].
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. Xegar, also called "new tingri",
is surrounded by mountains.
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Day 03 : |
Drive from Xegar to shigatse (3,900m.) which is
244 Kilometers. You stay overnight at hotel.
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 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.
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Day 04 : |
Drive from shigatse to Gyangtse (3,950m.) which
is 90 Kilometers. You stay overnight at hotel.
After visiting Tashi Lumpo Monastery and the
local market place at shigatse you drive to
Gyangtse. This drive lasts for about 02 hours.
Gyangtse is a small bustling town situated on
the northern bank of Nyang Chu River and it is
264 kilometers 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
Gyangtse became the main centre of trade with
India.
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Day 05 : |
Drive from Gyangze to Lhasa (3650m.) which is
264 Kilometers. You stay overnight at hotel.
On the way to Lhasa the road crosses two high
passes, Karo La (5,010m.) and Kamba La (4,794m.)
and it is a drive for about 08 hours. Karo La
climbs between two lofty mountains Khang Sa
(7,223m.) 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.
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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. You stay overnight at
hotel. 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
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Day 08 : |
Fly from Lhasa to Kathmandu. You stay overnight
at hotel in 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 (8,586m.), Mount Makalu (8,463m.)
and Mount Everest (8,848m.). But the visibility
depends on the weather condition. Your Tibet
Tour ends on your arrival at Kathmandu Airport.
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