Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet Tour Package - 3 Countries in 15 Days

Itinerary of the Bhutan Nepal Tibet Tour Package: DAY 1 - Arrival in Kathmandu - Welcome to Kathmandu! - After your arrival at the airport, our representative will welcome and transfer you to your hotel in the heart of the city. - During dinner you will speak to your tour experts to discuss what is in store for you within the next days. DAY 2 - Patan Durbar Square – Swayambhunath Stupa Tour - Patan Durbar Square is one of three durbar squares (besides Kathmandu and Bhaktapur) in the Kathmandu valley. This beautifully vibrant site holds beautiful specimen of beautiful ancient Newari architecture which was established during the Malla dynasty, a golden age that lasted nearly 600 years in the Kathmandu valley. - The Krishna Temple with 21 pinnacles built in Shikhar style is the major attraction here, next to numerous other temples and statues. - Afterwards you will be driven to Swayambhunath stupa or also called the Monkey Temple. Not only is it home to troops of monkeys, it is also one of the major Buddhist stupas in the Kathmandu valley. It can be reached by climbing 365 stairs, so prepare for a short but demanding ascent. Reaching the top of the hill, you will be greeted by various shrines and temples dating back to ancient times. You will also have an astonishing 360 degrees view over the city. DAY 3 - Pashupatinath Temple – Boudhanath Stupa Tour - Today you will visit two major religious sites. - The Hindu temple Pashupatinath and the Buddhist stupa Boudhanath. Pashupatinath is one of the most famous Hindu temples in the world and is also listed as a world heritage site. It is a pagoda style Hindu temple with gilt roofing and richly carved silver doors, dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is situated on the bank of the holy Bagmati River where cremation processes of Hindu bodies happen regularly. Be prepared, since this is quite an emotional sight but also offers an interesting perspective of the cycle of life. - Boudhanath is the largest stupa in the world, looming 36 meters high. It lies about 6 km east of downtown Kathmandu and presents one of the most fascinating specimens of stupa design with hundreds of prayer wheels and 108 small images of Buddha all around. The current stupa structure was likely build after the destruction of the Mughal invaders from the fourteenth century. - After the arrival of tens of thousands of Tibetans following the 1959 Chinese invasion, the temple became probably the most essential center of Tibetan Buddhism. DAY 4 - Flight to Lhasa Gonggar Airport (China) – Drive to Lhasa - Today you will take a flight to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. - The one hour flight will enchant you with spectacular views of the Himalayan ranges. - You will see the world’s highest mountains, including Mount Everest. - As soon as you arrive at the airport, it will take around 1.5 hours to drive to the city along the banks of the river Kyi-Chu. - You will be driven to the west to the city, to Dongkar, where the Potala Palace, the former winter residency of the Dalai Lama, will be visible from afar. - Being at 3600m, it is advisable to take to rest for the remaining day in order to acclimatize. DAY 5 - Lhasa Tour – Potala Palace - This morning you will visit the Potala Palace, the former winter residence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. It is a 13 storied complex monument rising to a height of 117m which contains 10,000 shrines, over 200,000 images and about 1000 rooms. - In the afternoon we will take a tour to the Jokhang Temple. Jokhang, a seventh-century temple at the heart of Lhasa is the most sacred temple of all Tibet. Later you can walk around and shop in the popular Bakhor Square (Bazaar) where you can purchase Tibetan handicraft items, Buddhist artifacts, carpets, paintings etc. DAY 6 - Lhasa Tour – Drepung and Sera Monastery - Today you will visit Drepung Monastery which lies about 8km northwest of Lhasa. It was the residence of the Third, Fourth and Fifth Dalai Lama. This winter Palace was also home to hundreds of monks from all the major Geluk monasteries that worked in the little chapels. The 20,000 sq.m complex has survived unscathed even during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). - In the afternoon you will be driven to the Sera Monastery, which was founded in 1419. It is situated at the base of Mt. Purbuchok in a charming surrounding. Sera Monastery used to be an important learning center where 5,000 to 6,000 monks resided. The most intriguing feature here is a nine-meter image of the monastery. Here you can also witness the practicing debate among monks, who pitch their knowledge against each other. DAY 7 - Flight back to Kathmandu (Nepal) – Kathmandu Durbar Square - Today you will take a flight back to Kathmandu. - After landing, you will head towards Thamel and check in to your hotel. - Later in the afternoon you will visit the Kathmandu Durbar Square, home of the living goddess Kumari. DAY 8 - Drive to Nagarkot hill station in the afternoon and Overnight - After a lazy morning, you will be driven to Nagarkot in around 2.5 along a winding road. - Being situated in the east of the Kathmandu valley, Nagarkot is a famous hill station from where you can have stunning sunrise views of the Himalayan range, including Mount Everest. The Nagarkot hilltop is more than 2000 meters above sea level is the second highest peak in the Kathmandu valley. - You will spend the night here to witness the magnificent red light of the sunrise over the mountains. DAY 9 - Nagarkot – Drive to Bhaktapur Durbar Square Tour – Kathmandu Overnight - After viewing the sunrise at Nagarkot, and after having breakfast, you will head to Bhaktapur. - Bhaktapur is a city in the Kathmandu valley, also called the city of devotees. The Bhaktapur Durbar Square is one of the best preserved medieval sights in Nepal. It’s distinct Newari architecture with brick paved streets and houses along with beautifully carved wooden doors and windows, struts and columns with all deities give it a very magical feeling. DAY 10 - Kathmandu – Flight to Paro (Bhutan) - Today you will take a scenic flight to the Land of the Thunder Dragon Bhutan. - Being also a Himalayan nation, Bhutan has a very similar landscape, but a very different culture. - Upon arrival at Paro Airport you will be driven to your Hotel. Relax and enjoy the rest of the evening, as there is more in store for you in the following days. DAY 11 - Paro – Punakha - After breakfast you will drive to Punakha within 5 hours drive. - After crossing the the Chuzom bridge, you will visit Punakha Dzong and trek up to Khumsum Yuele. The temple is newly built by the queen mother of the crown prince for the well being of the prince and the country. It is built on the ridge of a mountain overlooking the Punakha valley. - Afterwards you will trek uphill for almost one hour through fields and pine forests. Heads up for birdwatchers: the temperate climate of the Punakha valley is home to many kinds of Himalayan birds including water birds like herons, kingfishers, lapwings, ibis bills, shell ducks, cormorants and many more etc. which migrate here during winter. DAY 12 - Punakha – Thimpu - After breakfast you will be driven to the Dochula pass and stop for the while at Dochula for a stunning view over the Himalayas, when the weather is clear. - After lunch you will go on a little sightseeing tour in Thimpu, visiting the Changangkha Temple, Drupthob Monastery, Tashichoe Dzong, the Folk heritage museum and ultimately the Handicrafts Emporium. DAY 13 - Thimpu – Paro - After breakfast you will head back to Paro and hike to the Tiger Nest (Taktshang). - The Tiger Nest is the most famous monastery of Bhutan, perched into the side of a cliff 900m above the ground of the Paro Valley. Here the only sounds are the wind and water and the chanting of monks. The name ‘Tiger’s Nest comes from a Guru who said to have flown to the site of the monastery on the back of a tigress. Beyond the viewpoint, the path is narrow and steep as it climbs to a point above the temple. The main deity of Taktshang is Dorji Drolo, the wrathful form of Guru Rinpoche, the precious Teacher who named the monastery, also known as Padmasambhava. DAY 14 - Flight back to Kathmandu (Nepal) – Farewell Dinner - Your 5 days in Bhutan trip have come to an end thus today you will be flying back to Kathmandu. - Upon arrival at Kathmandu you will check in to your hotel and until the evening, you are free to explore Thamel on your own, where you can do some souvenir shopping or enjoy a good coffee or tea in one of the numerous cafes. - In the evening we would gladly invite you to a traditional Nepalese dinner with cultural dance and music to end your journey. DAY 15 - Departure to the next destination - Today is the day to say goodbye to Nepal. - We will transfer you to the Airport for your flight back home. We hope you will reminisce in sweet memories of your Bhutan Nepal Tibet Tour and all the temples, mountains, nature, people and their smile.