FORBIDDEN LHASA & EVEREST

Day 01: Fly Kathmandu to Gongkar, Drive to Tsedang (3550m.)

It is 183 km southwest of Lhasa,
is the second largest town in the U region
and the third largest in Tibet.
It is the capital of Shannan Prefecture
and an important administrative and army base for the Chinese government.
Overnight at hotel.

Day 02: Sightseeing of Samye and Yumbulagang.

Samye Monastery: It is designed to represent the Buddhist universe,
and many of the buildings in the courtyard are cosmological symbols.
It was Tibet’s first monastery and has a history that spans 1200 years.
Founded during the reign of King Trisong Detsen.
The monastery is south of Lhasa; drive to the ferry point,
from here it is about 9 kms to the monastery.

Yumbulagang: This fine, tapering finger of structure sprouts from a craggy ridge
overlooking the patchwork fields of the Yarlung valley
and is reputed to be the oldest building in Tibet.
Its design indicates it was originally a fortress foundation
made more than 2000 years ago.
To reach this place, it takes about 3 hours from Tsedang.

Day 03: Drive to Lhasa via Mindroling.

Mindroling Monastery: It is a small monastery founded in the 10th century by Terdak Lingpa,
it is the most important Nyigmapa monastery.
From here, Lhasa is about 155 kms northwest.
Overnight at hotel.

Day 04: Sightseeing tour of Jokhang, Bharkhor & Tibetan Traditional Hospital.

Jokhang: This temple was built in the 7th century by King Songten Gampo,
no doubt it is the holiest shrine in Tibet,
located in the very heart of Lhasa.

Bharkhor: This traces the outskirts of the Jokhang in a circuit of approximately 800m.
It is the most famous of Lhasa’s pilgrimage circuits
and probably the best introduction to the old town for newcomers.

Tibetan Traditional Hospital: It is on the northern side of Yuthok Lam,
was set up by the 13th Dalai Lama in 1916.
Tibetan medical science is an arcane field,
whose theories are backed by Tantric texts.
Diagnosis is largely carried out by taking various pulses,
and illnesses are thought to result from imbalances between “humorous”.
Surgery is never used in Tibetan medicine.
Overnight at hotel.

Day 05: Sightseeing tour of Potala palace and Drepung monastery.

Potala Palace: The Potala Palace is Lhasa’s cardinal landmark
and a structure that deserves a place as one of the wonders of eastern architecture.
The construction of the nine-story structure began in 1645.
It has been the home of each of the successive Dalai Lamas.

Drepung Monastery: It is 8 km to the west of central Lhasa.
Drepung was once the world’s largest monastery, with a population of around 10,000 monks.
The word Drepung literally means “rice heap,”
a reference to the high number of white monastic buildings that once piled up on the hillside.
It was founded in 1417 by a charismatic monk and disciple of Tsongkhapa called Jamyang Choje.
Overnight at hotel.

Drive to Gyantse via Yamdrok Lake/ Khumbum Chorten & Pelkor monastery.

Yamdrok Lake (4488m): It is one of Tibet's holiest lakes
and an important centre for pilgrimage.
It is about 40 km south of Gyantse.

Khumbum Chorten: Comm

Day 07: Drive to Shigatse, Visit Tashilunpo monastery & Sgigatse market.

Tashilunpo Monastery: It is associated with the Gelugpa order
and is one of the six great Gelugpa monasteries along with Drepung, Sera, and Ganden in Lhasa
and Khumbum and Labrang in Amdo.
It was founded in 1447 by a disciple of Tsongkhapa, Genden Drup.

Shigatse (3900m): It is the second largest town in Tibet
and the traditional capital of Tsang.
It has long been an important trading and administrative centre.
It is around 250 km southwest of Lhasa.
Overnight at hotel.

Day 08: Drive to Shegar via Sakya monastery:

4050m: It is a good place to spend a night before heading off to Everest Base Camp.
It is also the last stop before the Nepal border,
the town itself is a 7 km diversion northwest of the Friendship Highway.

Sakya Monastery: It was founded in 1073 by Kon Konchog Gyelpo,
a member of the influential Kon family.
The immense, thick-walled southern monastery is Sakya’s main attraction.
For a good view of the monastery, climb up into the northern hills on the other side of the river.
Overnight at hotel.

Day 09: Drive to Rongbuk monastery.

Rongbuk Monastery: It was established in 1902 by a Nyingmapa Lama
and is the main Buddhist centre in the Segar valley.
Overnight at Guest house.

Day 10: Excursion to Everest Base camp.

Everest Base Camp: It is just over a two-hour (8km) walk from Rongbuk monastery to the base camp.
Overnight at camp.

Day 11: Drive to Zhangmu via Milarepa cave. Milarepa Cave:

The Cave: It is 3 km down the road at road marker 683 km.
In front of the Namkhading (Hovering the Sky) cave entrance is an impression on the rock floor
of Milarepa’s buttocks and lower limbs.
Next to this is an important image of Palden Lhamo's mule,
which appeared after Milarepa received a vision of the Protesters.
The low-ceiling is formed of a large overhang supported by a small rock.
It is told that Milarepa held the large slab in place while Rechungpa slid in the other piece.
As a result, his handprint remains.
The principal statues in the cave are Milarepa, Tsongkhapa and his two disciples, and Palden Lhamo.
From the cave, Zhangmu is about 30 km further.
Overnight at hotel.

Day 12: Zhangmu to Kathmandu.

Zhangmu (2300m): Also known as Khasa in Nepali and Dram in Tibetan, is a
remarkable town that hugs the rim of a seemingly never-ending succession of hairpin bends
down to the customs area at the border of China and Nepal.
It is a typical border town, much larger than Nyalam, and has a restless, reckless feel to it.
This town comprises a fascinating mix of Han, Tibetan, and Nepalese, and the shops brim with goodies from China.
After immigration formalities, drive to Kathmandu.