Tibet - Verbotenes Land

[die Tourbeschreibung ist momentan nur auf Englisch verfügbar]

Day 1:
Kathmandu (1310m/4298ft) Our airport representative will meet you at the airport and transfer you to the hotel. It is 7km and takes about 30 minutes. Our tour leader will brief the group about the trip during the pre-departure meeting. This will be held at 6.00pm, a notice regarding where it is to be held will be posted in the hotel reception. The briefing will cover the itinerary and re-confirm flight times and departure time on Day 3. Your passports will also be collected to enable us to obtain your Tibet Visa.

IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE HAVE YOUR PASSPORT ON DAY 1 OF THE TOUR, TO ENABLE US TO OBTAIN YOUR TIBET VISA.
WE ALSO NEED YOUR PASSPORT DETAILS AT THE TIME OF BOOKING (MINIMUM 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE TO APPLY FOR THE TIBET VISA)

Day 2:
Kathmandu - City Tour. After breakfast we explore the culturally diverse city of Kathmandu by bus with a local guide, to ensure you receive the best explanations about the amazing sites seen on the tour. These include Boudhanath Stupa, Pashupatinath, Swayambunath (Monkey Temple) and Patan Durbar square. It is about 35 Km and the tour takes approximately 6:30 hours.

Days 3-12:
Day 3 - Day 12 Overview.
Our journey to Tibet starts with a spectacular flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa over the snow capped Himalayan mountains - Mt. Kanchenjunga (8586m/ 28,169ft), Mt. Everest (8848m/ 29.028ft), Mt. Makalu (8463m/ 27,766ft) and others.

In Lhasa we visit the Potala, the monumental palace of Kings and Dalai Lamas, with its numerous chapels and unforgettable view of the holy city from the roof. We visit the Sera and Drepung monasteries, which were amongst the largest monastic institutions in the world. The Chorten tombs of three Dalai Lamas are sited at Drepung. Sera is one of the best-preserved monasteries in Tibet. We also take in the Summer Palace of Norbulingka, Jokhang Temple and the bustling Barkor Market

Crossing the arid Tibetan plateau, we drive past the beautiful Turquoise lake on the way to the historic town of Gyantse with its unique multi-storied Kumbum Stupa. At Shigatse we walk through the massive Tashilungpo monastery and visit the memorial 'Chorten' of the late Panchen Lama. We continue over the Gyatmso La Pass, the highest point in our journey at 5220m on our way to Shegar, and cross the Pang La Pass with spectacular views of the Himalayas.

We trek to the Base Camp of Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain, along the historic expedition route from Rongbuk Monastery, and catch a glimpse of the Rongbuk glacier set directly below the massive north-face of Mount Everest.

After gazing at the world’s highest mountain scenery from Rongbuk we continue to Zhangmu crossing the spectacular Lalung La Pass. And from there we cross the border, and journey back to Kathmandu.

Day 3:
Kathmandu to Lhasa (3660m). After breakfast we transfer to the Kathmandu airport for the spectacular hour long flight to Lhasa. We fly over much of the magnificent Himalayan range providing us with mountain views the entire way. Once landed at Gongar airport we will be met by our Tibetan guide. We drive approximately 2.5 hours (90 km) by jeep to reach the actual city of Lhasa. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 4:
Lhasa (3660m). A guide will lead you through several of Lhasa"s many monasteries. We visit the Sera Monastery, a fifteenth century sprawl of golden roofs and whitewashed walls. This well preserved monastery is located just a few miles North of Lhasa and is home to several hundred monks. In the afternoon we will visit the summer palace of the Dalai Lama, Norbulingka, as well as the Jokhang Temple. This temple is the most revered shrine in all of Tibet and is constantly bustling with devout worshippers. You will also visit the crowded central market of Lhasa.

Day 5:
Lhasa: Visit to the Potala Palace. This palace is Lhasa's cardinal landmark and is a wonder of Eastern architecture. Your first sight of this massive structure will be a magical moment remembered for years to come. It has been a palace since the fifth or sixth century and was once home to the Dalai Lama. The day will end with a visit to the Drepung Monastery. Once the world’s largest monastery, housing 10,000 monks, Drepung monastery lies hidden in rocky ridges just beyond the city. Surprisingly much of the building was left untouched throughout the Cultural Revolution.

Day 6:
Lhasa to Gyantse (3950m) The breathtaking view at Khamba La allows one to see all the way to the summit of Nazin Kang Sa. While continuing west we travel over the Karo La, a high pass surrounded by stupendous glaciers. The rest of the day will be spent enjoying the many magnificent valleys and exquisite Tibetan villages we pass through. The day will end in the town of Gyantse. Overnight in Gyantse at Hotel.

Day 7:
Gyantse to Shigatse (3990m) This morning you will visit Gyantse Dzong. This fort dates back to the fourteenth century and offers some of the most amazing views of Gyantse and the surrounding valley. Before leaving you will also visit the famed Gyantse Kumbum. This magnificent tiered structure is the largest stupa in all of Tibet, and is packed with Tibetan sculptures and paintings.
We then drive 90 km to Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet. Shigatse is a laid back city that provides excellent opportunity for both relaxation and exploration. You will explore the local market and the Tahilhumpo Monastery. Tahilhumpo Monastery is one of the largest functioning monasteries in Tibet and was able to last through the Cultural Revolution nearly unscathed. You can also spend time exploring the busy cobbled lanes twisting around these ancient buildings. Overnight at hotel in Shigatse.

Day 8:
Shigatse to Shegar (4050m) This stretch is some of the most spectacular landscape in Tibet. The views of this desert plateau are breathtaking. After passing through the small town of Lhatse we will cross Gyatmso La. The land quickly descends to plains after Gyatmso La. While travelling through the plains we will see many nomadic herders, quiet countryside, and secluded monasteries. Overnight at hotel.

Day 9:
Shegar to Rongbuk (4920m), Everest Base Camp Trek (5200m). We head South towards the main Himalayan range while passing over Pang La. The view from the top of Pang La is stunning. You are able to see all the way from Makalu to Shishapangma. We descend into the Rongbuk valley and will see views of Everest. A 2 hour trek from Rongbuk Monastery will lead you to the base of the highest peak on earth - The North Face of Mount Everest (8848m), or Mount Quomolangma in Tibetan. We explore Base Camp before returning to Rongbuk where we overnight.

Day 10:
Rongbuk to Zhangmu. Today is a fairly long drive to Tingri and then across the Lalung La and Shung La Passes to Zhangmu. The views from the passes are again breathtaking, and you are surrounded by huge mountains such as Shishpangma, Cho Oyu, and Gauri Shankar. We continue to Nyalam and then begin to descend from the arid Tibetan plateau to the small town of Zhangmu, near the border. We overnight at a hotel in Zhangmu.

Day 11:
Zhangmu to Kathmandu. We drive downhill to the Friendship Bridge, only a few kilometres away, and head to the Nepalese border. The Friendship Bridge lies at the border and spans the impressive Bhote Khosi River. Here we leave the company of our Tibetan guide, and are met by our Nepal guide at the immigration control point, to help you with any formalities. After crossing the border, we continue the drive to Kathmandu, about 5 hours away to the south. We overnight in Kathmandu.

Day 12:
Kathmandu (1310m). Tour ends after breakfast in Kathmandu.