10 Days Lhasa to Kathmandu Overland Tour with 3 days in Kathmandu 

Detailed Itinerary of the 10 Days Lhasa to Kathmandu Overland Tour with 3 days in Kathmandu 

Day 1: Arrival upon Lhasa

Highlights: Arrival & Pick - up & Acclimatization

Schedule today: Arrival at Lhasa at airport or train station, our guide and driver will pick you up and transfer you to hotel for acclimatization; you can have your free time hanging out at this holy city to get the first impression of Tibet 

Warm Tibetan Style Pickup Service	Warm Tibetan Style Pickup Service

Day 2: Lhasa city tour

Highlights: Potala Palace, Johkang Temple，Barkhor Street

Schedule today: In the morning, visit the symbol or landmark of Lhasa -  Potala Palace (video), the successive Dalai Lama’s winter residence since the 7th Century by the 33rd great king of Tibet. In the afternoon, visit the center of Tibetan Buddhism -  Johkang Temple (video), where you will come across lots of devoted pilgrimages coming from every corner of Tibet. Both sites are under the list of the world cultural heritages by the UNESCO. Afterwards, free time for you to wander through the Barkhor Street, the busiest street in old Lhasa quarter.

Potala Palace	Johkang Temple

Day 3: Lhasa city tour

Highlights: Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery

Schedule today: In the morning, we will visit Drepung Monastery which is the biggest Tibetan Buddhism College with the biggest number of monks in Tibet. The monastery used to be the winter residence of the Dalai Lama before the 5th Dalai Lama moved his residency to the Potala Palace. And in the afternoon, we will visit another influential Gelugpa Monastery -  Sera Monastery (video), where you can see the largest scale of sutra debating (video) among monks is famous all across Tibet.

Drepung Monastery	Sera Monastery

Day 4: Lhasa – Gyantse - Shigatse

Highlights: Yamdrok Lake, Kumpa Stupa, Pelchor Monastery

Schedule today: In the morning, drive to the historic town of Gyantse via Yamdrok Lake, according to local mythology, Yamdrok Lake is the transformation of a goddess, on the Gangbala Pass, you will have a clear picture of this Tibetan holy lake in turquoise, in distance you can also see the snowcapped Summit of Ninjingkangsang. In Gyantse, you will find the largest stupa in Tibet - Kumpa Stupa (Ten - thousand stupa), just next to the Stupa is the Pelchor Monastery. Another important site in Gyantse is Dzong Castle which once was a battle field where Tibetan fought against British invasion, watch it from afar. Drive to Shigatse for overnight stay.

Yamdrok Lake	Pelchor Monastery

Day 5: Shigatse –EBC

Highlights: Tashi Lhunpo Monastery

Schedule today: In the morning, visit Tashilumo Monastery which is the seat of Panchen Lama, the equally important religious figure in Tibet as Dalai Lama. The monastery was built by the first Dalai Lama in 1447, and inside the Monastery placed the highest statue of Buddha in Tibet which is 26.8 meters high. Afterwards, drive along the well paved highway from Shigatse to the campsite near EBC; if weather permits, on the top of the Gyalpo - la pass you can see the beautiful peaks of 4 highest mountains over 8000 meters (Mt. Everest; Mt. Makalu; Mt. Lotse; Mt. Cho Oyu) at the same time. Before arrival, you will pass the highest monastery in the world - Rongbuk Monastery, which is also a good position to watch the Everest.

Tashilhunpo Monastery	Rongbuk Monastery

Day 6: EBC - Gyirong County - Gyirong Town (330 km, 8 - 9 hours on wheel)

Highlights: EBC (sunrise), Pelkutso Lake

Schedule today: In the morning, get up early (voluntarily, depends also on weather) to watch the most exciting and holy moment when the first sunshine reaches the world at the peak of the Everest. Afterwards, you can see EBC very closely by hiking or taking green bus (self - paid, RMB 25) starting from campsite to the viewing platform of EBC. Then, we will continue our trip further west from EBC area to Gyirong Valley. On the way, we will pass the very beautiful lake of Pelkutso which is inside of Mt. Everest Nature Reserve, by the lake stands Mt.Shixiapangma, which is the only over - 8000 meters high mountain that completely within Tibet territory. After finishing the 5236 meters high Kongtanglamu Pass, we will reach Gyirong County and have our lunch here. Gyirong Valley stretches north - south from Gyirong County to Gyirong Town with altitude descends gradually; meanwhile, the landscapes change from barren rocky mountains to green deep valleys and primitive forests. It will be around 7 PM to reach Gyirong Town at an altitude of only 2700 meters.

Sunrise over Mt. Everest	Pelkutso Lake

Day 7: Gyirong Town - Gyirong Port (24 km, 1 hour on wheel) - Kathmandu

Highlights: sunrise in Gyirong Town, China - Nepal border crossing

Schedule today: If you would like to see more sunrise views, you can wake up early this morning, because Gyirong Town is surrounded by several very high snowy mountains too, you can simply watch it from the window or roof of your hotel. There are 24 km from the town to the Gyirong Port, and the port opens at 10 AM. We leave hotel in the town at about 9AM to ensure we can cross the border ASAP because the road in Nepal side is not that good and takes long time to reach Kathmandu. Our guide will help you go through Chinese border formalities and will cross the border and check in Nepal side; Nepal visa is available upon arrival at 25USD P/P; please prepare one photo of passport size to get Nepal visa. Next, we will take a vehicle towards Kathmandu. It’s an around 9 hours’ trip from border to Kathmandu.

Sunrise in Gyirong	Gyirong Port

Day 8: Kathmandu - Nagarkot

Highlights: Boudhanath, Pashupatinath Temple, Nagarkot

Schedule today: In the morning we will pay a visit to the largest stupa in Nepal –Boudhanath. Later we will head to Pashupatinath Temple which is dedicated to Hindu deity Lord Shiva and is regarded as the most sacred Hindu shrine in Nepal. Then drive 12 km south - east of Kathmandu to Bhaktapur, it is built by King Anand Dev Malla in the 9th century, the city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site 1979. At the Bhaktapur Durbar Square, you will find many fine examples of sculpture, woodcarving and pagodas dedicated to different gods and goddesses – the Nyatapol & Dattaraya Temples, Golden Gate, Palace of 55 windows etc. Drive to Nagarkot for overnight.

Boudhanath	Pashupatinath Temple

Day 9: Nagarkot - Patan

Highlights: Patan Durbar Square, Patan Museum

Schedule today: In the early morning, you can enjoying the magical sunrise from Nagarkot, and then drive to visit Patan Durbar Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In there you can visit Patan Museum (originally a Malla palace), Krishna Mandir - a stone temple of Lord Krishna with its 21 spires and bas - relief art depicting scenes from the Mahabharata and Ramayana epics, Royal Bath or 'Tushahity' and surrounding Hindu and Buddhist temples.

Nagarkot	Patan Museum

Day 10: Patan - Kathmandu

Highlights: Monkey Temple

Schedule today: In the morning will visit Monkey Temple (Swayambhunath). “Swayambhu” means “self - created” and refers to the belief that the hill emerged spontaneously from the great lake that once covered Kathmandu Valley. Then go back to Kathmandu and visit Basantapur Durbar Square which is Listed as a cultural World Heritage site by UNESCO and is a cluster of ancient temples, palaces, courtyards and streets that dates back to the 12th and 18th centuries. Tour ends. Welcome to choose us for your service next time.

Monkey Temple	Monkey Temple