*Tibet Encounter Overland tour 8 Days* by Scenic Adventure

Tour Itinerary

*TIBET*

*It's the ideal destination both for the indomitable adventurer and the spiritual wanderer. Sometimes called the last Shangri La or the Roof of the World, Tibet is certainly one of the places you just have to visit once in a lifetime.*

*Visa information*

*You can get a Chinese visa from any Chinese embassy. You will also need a Travel Permit for Tibet, which is issued for groups with a minimum of five people. We can process both your Chinese visa and Travel Permit through our Lhasa-based Tibetan partner. *

*The Chinese embassy in Kathmandu is open only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 0930 to 1130. Normally, the visa takes three working days to get issued, but we can often get it the same day or on the second working day upon payment of additional fees. *

Flights

China South West Airlines operates flights between Kathmandu and Lhasa throughout the year.

April to June Tuesdays and Saturdays

August to October 31 Every day Saturdays and Thursdays[it depend/some time change also]

November to March Saturdays only.[it depend]

*Clothing and Other Travel Tips*

*A jacket and a sweater are pretty much essential throughout the year, especially for tours outside Lhasa as the weather may unexpectedly change at any time! Other useful items include a flashlight, comfortable walking shoes, sun hat, sunglasses, suntan lotion and more warm clothes.*

*Transportation will be either by land cruiser or by mini bus depending on the size of the group and road conditions. Trips to the Everest Base Camp will always be operated by land cruiser due to bad road conditions.*

*Tibet is 8 hours ahead of GMT, because it is the same as Beijing time. The time difference with Nepal is therefore +2.15 hours.*

*Kathmandu - Tibet - Kathmandu Overland *

(8 days/7 nights)

*DAY 1 Kathmandu - Nyalam*

*Early morning drive to Kodari, on the Nepal-Tibet border, through the border post of Zhangmu and onwards to Nyalam (3,800m). Overnight in guesthouse.*

*Day 2 Nyalam - Lhatse (4,000m)*

*Our first stop on the Tibetan Plateau will be on the 5,200m Lalung la pass, where there is a breathtaking view of the Himalayan range and Shisabangma, the highest peak in Tibet. During the lunch stop in Lao Tingri, you can see the peaks of Mt. Everest (Qomolongma in Tibetan) and Cho Oyu. Today our journey is long but the spectacular Tibetan plateau . Overnight uesthouse/hotel *

*DAY 3 Lhatse - Shigatse *

*A four-hour drive brings us to Tibet's second largest city, Shigatse (4,000m). Here we visit Tashilumpo monastery, the seat of the Panchen Lama who is the head of the Kagyupa school of Tibetan Buddhism. *

*DAY 4 Shigatse - Gyantse *

*After a stroll through the old city, we depart for the 2.30 hour drive to Gyantse (3,900m). As you approach the small farming town, you can clearly see the old fort that was captured by Younghusband during his 1904 raid into Tibet. Here the main attraction is the Kumbum monastery with its extraordinary architecture. *

*DAY 5 Gyantse - Lhasa*

*This is a long drive, but on the way we cross the Karo la with its beautiful glacier. You will also see Yamdrok tso - the Turquoise Lake - and cross the Kamba la, from where we descend to the main road, which brings us all the way to Lhasa (3,650m). *

*DAYS 6-7 Lhasa *

*Sightseeing. We visit the Potala palace, Drepung and Sera monasteries and, of course, the famous Jokhang temple including the surrounding Barkhor Market. *

*DAY 8 Lhasa - Kathmandu *

*Drive to Gongar airport for the return flight to Kathmandu. *