Day 02: Lhasa
Full day guided tour including the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and Barkhore street (the main business street). Potala Palace: This legendary palace, built atop a single hill is synonymous with Tibet. First built in the 7th century as a fortress by Tibet’s foremost king, Songtsen Gampo, it was expanded to its present structure during the 17th century by the 5th Dalai Lama. This 13 storey, 1000 room citadel served as the headquarters of the former ‘Church State’ of Tibet and was home to successive Dalai Lamas. This was ultimately converted by them into the Winter capital from the 18th century.

Jokhang temple is said to be the foremost monastery in Tibet, built in 17th century AD and now housing the most prized Buddhist relic, a 1300 year old Sakyamuni Buddha Statue. The main section of the temple is topped with gold, which is typical of Gompas in Tibet. At the main gate the monastery is encircled with the Barkhor bazaar ( market). This is not only a sacred pilgrim path but also a lively and colorful market. The  Norbulingka monastery (also known as Jewel Park) was built in the 18th century and served as the summer palace of the Dalai Lama.

Day 03: Lhasa - Shigatse (Drive)
AM: Half day drive to Shigatse, enroute visiting the holy Yamdrop lake and Kubum monastery.

The Kubum Monastery was built in the 15th century. It is situated in the west of Gyantse Town with mountains enclosing it on 3 sides, its uniqueness is that three Sects of Buddhism- Shaja, Ningma and Guolu live harmoniously under one roof. Each sect has 6-7 courtyards in the monastery. There are various  thangkas and a huge bronze statue of Jiangba, the jainrese of a Thousand Hands and a Thousand Eyes. There is also a hall of arhat made during the Ming Dynasty. The arhats are so vivid that they look very much alive.
 

PM: At leisure.

Day 04: Shigatse - Lhasa (Drive)
AM: Guided tour of  Tashihunpo Monastery in Shigatse. The Tashilhunpo Monastery sprawls on the slope of Mt. Niser, south-west of Shigatse. It covers an area of about 300,000 square meters with a floor space of about 30,000 square meters. Painted in red and white, the buildings in the monastery stand closely together in terraced rows, offering a grand and majestic view. The monastery was founded in 1447 by Gendun Zhuba, one of the principal disciples of the Founder of the Yellow Sect Zongkaba, and was then enlarged consistently by different generations of the Panchen Lama until it acquired its present dimensions. Gendun Zhuba was first abbot of the monastery, and in 1600 at the invitation of the monastery, the 4th Panchen Lama became the 16th abbot of it, and thus made this monastery the abode of all the succeeding Panchen Lamas ever since. There are many valuable and rare historical articles in the monastery. Among them are found gold and jade signets, imperial certificates bestowed by Emporors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties as well as a seal of the "Daitu" of the Yuan Dynasty scribed in the new Mongolian language reformed by Basba. They are of great value for the study of history. 

PM: Drive to Lhasa and transfer to your hotel.

Day 05: Lhasa - Katmandu: Flight:
AM: Transfer to the airport for your flight to Katmandu. Arrive Katmandu  and connect with your onward flight.

Return home from Katmandu. Or join another High Points trip!
 

This morning depart Katmandu by surface on a scenic drive to Kodari (Nepal - Tibet border), through the pretty Nepalese countryside. Leave your vehicles at Kodari and start a short walk of about one hour and 30 minutes uphill with porters, to the Shangmu Immigration office. Known to the Nepalese as Khasa, the town of Shangmu hangs on a cliff face, its boom town architecture wears a temporary look even the monastery roofs are sheathed in corrugated iron sheets! It is situated at 8200 ft. Overnight stay at the tourist lodge.

Day 02, Thursday: Zhangmu - Xegar
Full-day drive uphill to the highest plateau of the world, crossing over Nyalam Pass (12,464 ft.) and Lalung-La (Pass) at 16,564 ft. to Zhangmu. The drive will present a spectacular Himalayan panorama including Mt. Everest (29022 ft.). Also called “new Tingri”, Zhangmu is surrounded by mountains, and it lies in the shadow of a great fortress. Seeming to grow out of the craggy brown rock, its sinnous walls bristle with watchowers like spines. The fort was isolated in 1855 by marauding Nepalese in search of booty, who cut off the Dzong’s water supply and settled in for a long siege. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 03, Friday: Xegar - Xigatse
Fullday drive to Llhatse (T-cross to Mt. Everest), and crossing over the Gyatsola Pass at 17,121 ft, which is the highest enroute to Xigar. Xigatse is the second largest town in Tibet and the capital of Tsang, lying west of Lhasa at an altitude of 12,497 ft. Overnight at the tourist lodge.

Day 04, Saturday: Xigatse - Gyantse
Morning visit the Panchen Lama’s Tashilhumpu Monastery and continue on a fullday drive to Gyantse, a pastoral town between Lhasa and Xigatse. It is southwest of Lhasa, and still retains the charm of traditional Tibetan town untouched by modern expansion. As a crossroads on the principle trade route to Iindia, it is used to be renowned for the excellence of its carpets. The compund encircled by an impresive wall, once contained 19 monasteries, presided over by the well preserved fortress perched atop a nearby mountain. Later in the day visit the Kumbum Stupa and Phalkor Monatery.  Overnight at the tourist lodge.

Day 05, Sunday: Gyantse - Lhasa
Continue on a full day picturesque drive crossing over Karola Pass at 16,433 ft, Kambala Pass at 15,724 ft. and the colorful Yamdrok Lake. For the part of the route we will follow the Tibet’ lifeline, the river Brahmaputra, here known as Yarlung Tsangpo.

Day 06, Monday: Lhasa
AM: Full day guided tour including the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and Barkhore street (the main business street). Potala Palace: This legendary palace, built atop a single hill is synonymous with Tibet. First built in the 7th century as a fortress by Tibet’s foremost king, Songtsen Gampo, it was expanded to its present structure during the 17th century by the 5th Dalai Lama. This 13 storey, 1000 room citadel served as the headquarters of the former ‘Church State’ of Tibet and was home to successive Dalai Lamas. This was ultimately converted by them into the Winter capital from the 18th century.

Day 07, Tuesday: Lhasa
AM: Guided tour of the Norbulingka Park. There is a beautiful park in the western suburbs of Lhasa. It  used to be the Summer Palace for the Dalai Lamas where they handled political affairs,and practised religious activities. The construction started in the 1740’s, covering a floor space of 46 hectares. The whole park has more than 370 rooms of different sizes, with innumerable lawns shaded by green trees and embroidered with various flowers 
 
 
 
 
 

Day 08, Wednesday: Lhasa - Shigatse (Drive)
AM: Half day drive to Shigatse, enroute visiting the holy Yamdrop lake and Kubum monastery .
The Kubum Monastery was built in the 15th century. It is situated in the west of Gyantse Town With mountains enclosing it on 3 sides, its uniqueness is that three Sects of Buddhism- Shaja, Ningma and Guolu live harmoniously under one roof. Each sect has 6-7 courtyards in the monastery. There are various  thangkas and a huge bronze statue of Jiangba, the jainrese of a Thousand Hands and a Thousand Eyes. There is a hall of arhat made during the Ming Dynasty. The arhats are so vivid that they look very much alive. Besides the monastery is the world famous 9-storey 10,000-Buddha Pagoda. It stands 32 m high, has 108 doors, 77 buddhist chambers and countless shrines. Enshrined in the Pagoda are 10,000 statues of Buddha. The Pagoda opens 8 doors which are decorated with relief sculptures of  lively flying dragons, running lions and walking elephants. It is a masterpiece of the joint efforts of the Nepalese, Tibetan and Chinese.
PM: At leisure.

Day 09: Thursday: Shigatse - Lhasa (Drive)
AM: Guided tour of  Tashihunpo Monastery in Shigatse. The Tashilhunpo Monastery sprawls on the slope of Mt. Niser, south-west of Shigatse. It covers an area of about 300,000 square meters with a floor space of about 30,000 square meters. Painted in red and white, the buildings in the monastery stand closely together in terraced rows, offering a grand and majestic view. The monastery was founded in 1447 by Gendun Zhuba, one of the principal disciples of the Founder of the Yellow Sect Zongkaba, and was then enlarged consistently by different generations of the Panchen Lama until it acquired its present dimensions. Gendun Zhuba was first abbot of the monastery, and in 1600 at the invitation of the monastery, the 4th Panchen Lama became the 16th abbot of it, and thus made this monastery the abode of all the succeeding Panchen Lamas ever since. There are many valuable and rare historical articles in the monastery. Among them are found gold and jade signets, imperial certificates bestowed by Emporors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties as well as a seal of the "Daitu" of the Yuan Dynasty scribed in the new Mongolian language reformed by Basba. They are of great value for the study of history.

PM: Drive to Lhasa and transfer to your hotel.

Day 10, Friday: Lhasa:
Day free in Lhasa

Day 11, Saturday:  Lhasa - Katmandu
(Flight: SZ 4007: 1000 - 0915 Hrs)
AM: Departure transfer to the airport for your flight to Katmandu. Met on arrival and assissted in connecting with your onward flight.

Return home from Katmandu. Or join another High Points trip!