10 Days Chengdu Lhasa and Namtso Kathmandu Tour

Welcome to Chengdu! Upon arrival, our local travel guide will welcome you at the airport and escort you to your downtown hotel. After checking in, feel free to rest or explore the surroundings at your leisure.

Stay overnight in Chengdu.

In the morning, your guide will pick you up to visit Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Center. Morning is pandas' feeding time, you will visit both adult and baby pandas and watch them eating fresh bamboo. This 230-hectare park, located 10 km (6 miles) north of Chengdu, houses a wealth of information and features a panda museum. Plan to spend about 2.5 hours exploring this site.

After that, you will be transferred to Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport or Tianfu International Airport (depending on your flight schedule) for the flight to Lhasa. The flight from Chengdu to Lhasa generally takes 2 hours.

Upon arrival, our Tibetan guide will greet you at the airport and present you with a Hada (the traditional Tibetan ceremonial scarf) to wish you good luck!

You'll then be transferred to your hotel in downtown Lhasa by the guide and driver. Along the way, you can enjoy the spectacular scenery of Yarlung Tsangpo River, Lhasa River, and the typical Tibetan villages.

After arriving at the hotel, take some time to rest and acclimate to the high altitude. It's helpful to take it easy for the first few days and remember to stay hydrated by drinking water.

Later in the afternoon or evening, your guide will welcome you with traditional Tibetan gifts, provide travel guidance.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Today, you will first visit the Drepung Monastery, the largest monastery in Tibet that once housed over ten thousand monks. Here, you'll explore the Coqen Hall, where your guide will provide a detailed explanation of the Tibetan Buddhist worldview and narrate the stories of renowned figures in Tibetan Buddhist history.

Additionally, you'll tour the Loseling College (or an equivalent) within Drepung Monastery to understand monks' practices and studies. Exploring their dormitories will offer insight into their daily routines and living conditions.

In the afternoon, the tour proceeds to Sera Monastery, established in 1419 and long regarded as a significant Buddhist seminary. Here, you'll observe the renowned monk debates, a highlight of Sera Monastery. Your guide will provide a comprehensive explanation of how these debates aid monks in acquiring knowledge and advancing through academic degrees.

After today's sightseeing, enjoy a welcome dinner with your fellow members.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

After breakfast, your guide will accompany you to visit the magnificent Potala Palace, where you'll stand atop its heights and gaze down upon the city of Lhasa. Your guide will narrate the life and tales of the successive Dalai Lamas within the Potala Palace and meticulously introduce the various halls and treasures housed within its walls.

Once you've explored the grandeur of the Potala Palace, your next stop will be Longwangtan Park nestled at its base. This tranquil spot offers a unique vantage point to admire the majestic Potala Palace and partake in traditional Tibetan cultural experiences.

In the afternoon, you'll head to the sacred Jokhang Temple—the heart of Tibetan faith and life. Within the temple resides the rare and revered 12-year-old statue of Shakyamuni Buddha, an image so lifelike that it resembles seeing the Buddha in person. Around the temple is Barkhor Street, where you can take a clockwise kora, witnessing how local Tibetans practice their Buddhist beliefs.

Following this, your guide will take you to the liveliest indoor Tibetan tea house in Lhasa, where you can enjoy Tibetan sweet tea with locals. Your guide will join everyone, sharing insights into the social relations and daily leisure life of Tibetans.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Today, you'll visit Namtso Lake, one of the 'Three Holy Lakes in Tibet,' to admire the serene lake and the stunning backdrop of snow-capped mountains.

Following breakfast, your journey will take you northward through the vast and expansive Damxung Grassland, a pastoral region bustling with herds of cattle and sheep and located closest to Lhasa.

During the journey, as you ascend the 5,190-meter-high Laken La Pass, a panoramic view of Namtso Lake will unfold, resembling an emerald jewel set amidst the northern Tibetan landscape. Descending from the pass, you'll reach Namtso Lake, covering an area of 1,920 square kilometers and considered one of Tibet's three sacred lakes.

Following your guide, you'll reach the lakeshore and trek to Tashi Dor Island for a closer panoramic view of the lake. Standing here, the vista mirrors an expansive blue ocean. Under the warm sun, cattle and sheep leisurely graze, while the Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains peacefully overlook the vast expanse of the northern Tibetan grasslands. Occasional passing trains stir the air, lending the pure plateau a radiant brilliance.

Subsequently, your guide will lead you on a lakeside hike to marvel at mystical stone columns, peaks, meditation caves, and Buddhist sacred sites. If you wish, linger at Namtso Lake, savor warm sweet tea at a lakeside teahouse, or witness the magnificent sunset.

Later, your guide will transfer you to spend the night at Damxung.

Today you will return to Lhasa from Damxung. After breakfast, you will first visit Chimelong Monastery, the largest nunnery near Lhasa, where you'll encounter a community of devoted female practitioners. Roam over the peaceful small nunnery and get an idea of different Buddhist studies in Tibet, you may also spot a sky burial site (Tibet funeral site) in the distance.

Then you will go to Tsurphu Monastery, the seat of the Karmapa branch of the Kagyupa order of Tibetan Buddhism. Situated in a beautiful valley, Tsurphu Monastery holds historical significance as the foundation site of Tibet's reincarnation system for living Buddhas. It's here that the first Karmapa, a revered figure in Tibetan history, was born. The monastery houses numerous precious artifacts, including the unique relics of the 16th Karmapa, a revered figure in Tibetan Buddhism.

In the summertime, local Tibetans gather for a ‘Linka outing’(Tibetan-style picnic) in the valley of Tsurphu Monastery. If time allows, you may join them for a a pleasant lunchtime, or dine at the monastery's restaurant.

After lunch, you will begin your return journey to Lhasa.

Warm Tips:
Sky burial is a funeral practice commonly seen in Tibet. The corpse will be disposed of and later devoured by vultures. In Tibetan Buddhism, sky burial is believed to represent their wishes to go to heaven. Only family members of the dead can attend the funeral.

Today, you will take the flight from Lhasa to Nepal. When you arrive at Kathmandu, your guide will greet you and take you to your hotel.

Stay overnight in Kathmandu.

After breakfast, you will go to visit Kathmandu’s Durbar Square. Durbar Square is one of three durbar (royal palace) squares in the Kathmandu Valley. It is the site of the Hanuman Dhoka Palace Complex, which was the royal Nepalese residence until the 19th century and where important ceremonies taken place.

Next, stroll through the narrow streets of Patan, the second largest town in Kathmandu valley. Here you'll encounter ancient temples and admire the intricate wood, metal, and stone carvings on the surrounding buildings, immersing yourself in the charm of the "City of Fine Art".

Finally, visit the Swayambhunath Temple, also known as the Monkey Temple. It sits atop a hill overlooking the Kathmandu Valley, offering fantastic views of the city. The golden spire of the 5th-century Swayambhu Stupa is adorned with a colorful array of fluttering prayer flags.

At the end of the day, you will enjoy dinner at a local restaurant in Kathmandu, where you can sample traditional dishes such as Momo (dumplings) and Dal Bhat (a Nepali platter consisting of rice, curries, and local sweets).

Stay overnight in Kathmandu.

In the morning, you'll begin by visiting Changu Narayan, the oldest Hindu temple in Nepal. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is famed for its stunning architecture and intricate carvings.

Then, go to visit Bhaktapur, the medieval city located in the east corner of Kathmandu Valley. Serving as the political, religious, and cultural hub of Nepal from the early 13th century to the 18th century, this small town has preserved its medieval charm for over 700 years. The ancient palaces, temples, and local residents provide a distinctive glimpse into Nepalese town life.

After that, continue to visit Pashupatinath, the most important Hindu temple in Nepal, had its old buildings destroyed by Muslim invaders in the 14th century, with its stone linga smashed to dust. However, it rose again behind their retreating backs. Succeeding monarchs reinstated the temple and its images.

In the end, you will visit the Bouddhanath (Boudha Stupa), which is among the largest stupas in South Asia and has become the focal point of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal. The white mound looms thirty-six meters overhead. Located on the ancient trade route to Tibet, Tibetan merchants rested and offered prayers here for many centuries.

Stay overnight in Kathmandu.

Our guide will transfer you to the Kathmandu airport and help you get on board.