Sunday 12^th July – Lhasa

• Group meets at Xi’an Airport by the check-in counter for our Lhasa bound flight on Tibetan Airlines – time will be confirmed closer to tour departure date. Possible to arrange train trip into Lhasa, please contact us for further details.
• Arrive into Lhasa and receive a traditional Nada welcoming ceremony from our local Tibetan guide
• Drive and check-in to Tashikatge Hotel located in the heart of old town of Lhasa city
• Free afternoon to climatise and adjust to Lhasa’s 3800m altitude by exploring old town by foot
• Group regathers for our first feast in Lhasa and get your first taste of Tibetan Yak, the most common meat in these parts.
• Overnight in Lhasa at Tashikatge Hotel

Monday 13^th July – Lhasa

• Drive out and explore Drepung Monastery – this is the largest monastery in Tibet, built in 1416 and houses up to 10,000 monks. This monastery sits at the base of a mountain with spectacular views of West Lhasa below.
• Explore Norbulingka also known as the Summer Palace of Lhasa – serving as a traditional summer residence of the former Dalai Lamas from the 1780s and onwards
• Lunch at a local restaurant
• Visit Sera Monastery – here we’ll watch student monks partake in public debates within the courtyard of the monastery where one monk stands making clapping actions asking questions and the other sits and answers.
• Dinner at local restaurant
• Overnight in Lhasa at Tashikatge Hotel

Tuesday 14^th July – Lhasa

• The major highlight of exploring Lhasa – Explore Potala Palace – this was the residence of the 14^th Dalai Lama until he fled to India in 1957, and previously was used as the main seat of Tibetan government for centuries. We’ll climb our way to the very top of the palace and gain access inside to see numerous waiting and prayer rooms, as well as large golden tombs of previous Dalai Lamas. The view from the top is breathtaking.
• We’ll make our way all the way down joining the pilgrims on the Pilgrim Path to the viewing platform of the Potala Palace from the famous view that’s also seen on the Chinese 50RMB note
• Walk to Monument to the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet and explore Liberation Square located in front of the palace
• Local lunch
• Visit Jokhang Temple – this temple is actually considered the most important of Lhasa’s temples by Tibetans and was built for the Nepalese Princess of the Tibetan King
• Have the afternoon to explore Barkor Street market – this part of the old town is a major pilgrimage site and we can see locals prostrating themselves as they make their way clockwise around the roads
• Group regathers for dinner
• Overnight in Lhasa at Tashikatge Hotel

Wednesday 15^th July – Namtso Lake

• Wake up early and begin our four-hour drive to Namtso Lake – the highest and largest lake in Tibet at 4718m. We’ll drive by stunning plateau scenery and pass a peak that tops 5190m, incredible for photo opportunities.
• Once arriving at Natmso Lake we can make our way down to the water for reflective views and have a further understanding why this lake is known as ‘Heavenly Lake’ to the locals.
• Head back to Lhasa stopping in a small local village for lunch
• Arrive back in Lhasa for dinner
• Overnight in hotel at Tashikatge Hotel

Thursday 16^th July – Namba Tibetan Village

• We’ll head an hour out of Lhasa to explore Namba, a rural Tibetan village where Nomads base themselves during summer. Explore a barley mill, see how the locals live, and we’ll try our luck to be invited into a home to try some local barley snacks and Tibetan butter tea.
• We can take this opportunity to hike higher into the mountains and keep a look out for possible Nomad tents and their livestock. During our gentle hike we can take in the fresh air, blue sky and stunning scenery.
• Head back to Lhasa and visit the Tibetan Museum with exhibitions on Tibetan culture and history and a section on British imperialism in the area before 1949, a good chance to learn the Chinese interpretation of Tibetan history.
• Group gathers for local dinner and hit the Tibetan bar street scene
• Overnight in Lhasa at Tashikatge Hotel

Friday 17^th July – Shigatse

• Group A members depart Lhasa by overnight train back to Xi’an, Xining, Lanzhou or a two-night journey to Beijing arriving at 8:30am on Sunday 21^st July. The Tibetan railway is the highest in the world and is a must experience. We can arrange your flight out please contact us to confirm additional costs.

Group B members continue to Mt. Everest Base Camp

• Early wake up and check out of hotel. The majority of today will be spent on the road as we make our way to Shitgatse city located halfway between Lhasa and Mt. Everest Base Camp.  During our drive we’ll pass along the Yarlung Tsangpo – the longest river in Tibet stretching over 2800km long
• Continue making our way up to the top of a snowcapped mountain 5000m high with an unrealistic view of Yamdrok Lake from below – one of three sacred lakes in Tibet. Locals have their Tibetan Mastiffs on display for photos, the world’s most formidable dogs on display at the peak.
• Make our way down the pass towards the lake and enter a small town for local lunch
• Drive up another peak to have a stunning view Karola Glacier that sits 5560m above, exceptionally unique photography opportunity.
• Head through Nyangchu Valley and briefly stop at Gyantse city – the third largest city in Tibet that holds Gyantse Dzong Fortress that comfortable sits overlooking the city. The fortress went through a few rough patches after being invaded by both the British and Chinese during the Cultural Revolution.
• Explore Palcho Monastery – most famous for having a tower several floors high with 108 different chapels located inside
• Arrive in Shigatse – the second largest city in Tibet with population of over 80,000 in the city directly and 700,000 in total in the countries surrounding it.
• Check-in to Sakya Hotel
• Dinner at local restaurant
• Overnight in Shigatse at Sakya Hotel

Saturday 18^th July – Mt. Everest Base Camp

• Wake up early and check out – we can leave larger luggage behind at the Sakya hotel to make our trek to Mt. Everest Base Camp a lot easier.
• Drive to Mt. Everest Base Camp on Highway 318 most notorious for being China’s longest highway as we stop for a photo a the 5000km marker. The highway begins all the back in Shanghai People’s Square.
• We’ll pass over another peak this time going as high as 5248m
• As we’re about to enter Mt. Everest Nature Reserve or Qomolongma as it is known to the locals as we’ll have lunch before swapping to an electric bus to take us 20km to Mt. Everest Base Camp
• Trip highlight: Arrive in Mt. Everest Base Camp – you’ll know when we arrive if weather permits as Mt. Everest stands before us at 8844m high, the highest mountain the world.
• Check into our guest house at Rongphu Monastery
• Have the afternoon free to walk around the base camp for photos of this mighty mountain
• Dinner at Rongphu Monastery Guest House, we will warm ourselves up and brace for what is a fairly cold night at this altitude as we sleep 4900m.
• Overnight in Rongphu Monastery Guest House

Sunday 19^th July – Shigatse

• Before we head out back to Shigatse we’ll explore the highest temple in the world
• On our way back we’ll stop for lunch and anywhere we see fit for a perfect photo opportunity of Mt Everest in the foreground and to stretch our legs
• Arrive into Shigatse in the afternoon to catch our breathe and to explore more of Shigatse
• Dinner and evening nightlife in Shigatse
• Overnight in Sakya Hotel

Monday 20^th July – Lhasa

• Begin the morning by exploring the largest monastery in western Tibet, the Tashilunpo Monastery. It is an extremely important site for Tibetan Buddhism as the temple is the seat of the Panchen Lama where previous Panchen Lama’s are also entombed.
• Lunch on the way
• Arrival in Lhasa – here we’ll use this time to catch up on anything last minute that needs seeing or buying in the city
• Farewell dinner and drinks
• Overnight back in our friendly Tashikatge Hotel

Tuesday 21^st July

• Group B members depart Lhasa by boarding the train on the highest railway line in the world to Xi’an, Xining, Lanzhou or a two-night journey to Beijing. Lay back and enjoy incredible vistas and lots of cabin fun!

Wednesday 22^nd July

• Afternoon arrival into Xining, Lanzhou or Xi’an.

Thursday 23^rd July

• Arrive into Beijing at 8:30am

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