Today you fly to Chengdu.

Welcome to Chengdu! You are met at Chengdu Shuangliu airport (CTU). If you land at Tianfu airport (TFU), you make your own short way to Shuangliu to meet the airport assistant and the group. A shuttle takes you to the hotel, and the rest of the day is yours. 1 night in Chengdu.

1 night · Double room · With breakfast Holiday Inn Chengdu Airport is located right at the airport and is modern. It has a restaurant serving Sichuan and Cantonese cuisine, a buffet restaurant and a lobby lounge; the rooms have free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, TV and a work area.

Early in the morning you fly in about 2.5 hours to Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region at almost 3,600 m. Your Tibetan guide welcomes you with a friendly “Tashi delek” and takes you to the hotel. After a short break you stroll through the lanes to the Barkhor, the lively centre around the main temples, surrounded by colourful markets. In the evening you try Tibetan dishes such as momos or thukpa noodle soup at a restaurant. 3 nights in Lhasa. (B/D) (Distance: approx. 60 km; driving time: approx. 1.5 hrs)

3 nights · Double room · With breakfast St. Regis Lhasa Resort is located near the historic Barkhor district with views of the landscape and the Potala Palace. It has restaurants serving Chinese and international cuisine, a large indoor pool and a spa; the modern rooms have air conditioning, free Wi-Fi and seating area.

In the morning you visit the Jokhang, Tibet’s holiest temple, dating from the 7th century, with its golden Buddha statue and magnificent murals. At the neighbouring Barkhor market you find Tibetan handicrafts and local treats – your guide helps with any language barriers. In the afternoon you hike for about 2 hours along a narrow pilgrim path from Pabongka Monastery, which dates back to King Songtsen Gampo, through villages and past Tashi Choling with views over Lhasa and a nunnery to Sera Monastery, one of Tibet’s three great Gelug monastic universities. At the debating courtyard you respectfully listen to the monks’ philosophical debates. The evening is free. (B) (Distance: approx. 50 km; driving time: approx. 1.5 hrs)

In the morning you visit the Potala Palace on Red Hill, whose construction began in 1645; until 1959 it was the seat of the 14th Dalai Lama, who then went into exile in India. Your guide explains the palace’s history. After lunch you stroll through the village of Shal on the edge of Lhasa, where around 150 families live from farming. You chat with the farmers and taste butter tea. The evening is yours. (B) (Distance: approx. 20 km; driving time: approx. 45 min)

By minibus you cross two passes – the Kamba La (approx. 4,750 m) and the Karo La (approx. 5,010 m) – with spectacular views. On the way lies the deep blue Yamdrok Lake, one of Tibet’s sacred lakes, where you have lunch in a restaurant overlooking the lake. In the afternoon you reach Gyantse and get a first impression of the town on a short walk. 2 nights in Gyantse. (B/L) (Distance: approx. 265 km; driving time: approx. 5 hrs)

2 nights · Double room · With breakfast Nyang Chu Manor Hotel lies in the Gyantse district with lovely views of the landscape. The spacious Tibetan-style rooms have free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TV and private bathroom; there is a restaurant serving Tibetan and international cuisine and a café.

You visit Pelkhor Chode Monastery, begun in 1418, with surviving artworks and statues, and the Kumbum, a pyramid-shaped stupa whose name means “100,000 images”. In the afternoon you can climb to Gyantse Dzong fortress in about 2–3 hours (demanding – discuss it with your guide beforehand) or spend more time in Gyantse. The fortress was an administrative seat and protected the trading centre until British troops invaded in 1904. Today it houses a small museum, and from the top you look out over Gyantse and its fields. (B)

Today you travel to Shigatse, Tibet’s second-largest city, with a modern and a historic part. Tashilhunpo Monastery was founded in 1447 at the behest of the first Dalai Lama and is today one of the largest monasteries in the region – almost a small village. Particularly impressive is the huge gilded statue of the Maitreya Buddha. Perhaps you will get to chat with a monk. You spend the evening as you like; your guide will gladly recommend a restaurant. 1 night in Shigatse. (B) (Distance: approx. 90 km; driving time: approx. 2 hrs)

1 night · Double room · With breakfast Hilton Shigatse is located in the centre near Tashilhunpo Monastery and the old town. The elegant, spacious rooms offer comfort; there is a restaurant serving Tibetan and international cuisine, a lobby bar and a fitness centre.

On the way to Shegar you cross the Gyatso La at around 5,220 m with views of snow-capped peaks, stopping for a break in Lhatse. In Shegar you have time for a walk, reading with a mountain view or simply resting. 2 nights in Shegar. (B) (Distance: approx. 300 km; driving time: approx. 5 hrs)

2 nights · Double room · With breakfast Qomolangma Hotel in Shegar is simply and practically furnished. The rooms have free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TV and private bathroom; there is a restaurant serving Tibetan and international dishes and a lounge.

Over the Pang La (approx. 5,150 m) you drive with views of the peaks from Makalu to Shishapangma – a magnificent panorama in good weather. In Rongbuk at around 5,000 m you visit Rongbuk Monastery, one of the highest monasteries in the world, and can take part in a traditional puja ceremony. Then comes the highlight for many: an emission-free bus takes you to Everest Base Camp with a view of the world’s highest mountain. With your guide you can hang prayer flags, which according to tradition bring luck and a long life. Then you return to Shegar. (B) (Distance: approx. 120 km; driving time: approx. 5 hrs)

Along Peiku Tso with photo stops you reach Dzongka and cross a pass at around 5,300 m with wide views of the Himalayan peaks and countless prayer flags. Around midday you arrive in Kyirong, an old trading town near the Nepalese border, considered the home of the 11th-century saint and poet Milarepa. 1 night in Kyirong. (B) (Distance: approx. 265 km; driving time: approx. 6 hrs)

1 night · Double room · With breakfast In Kyirong you stay at a hotel in town.

After breakfast you drive to the border. You complete the formalities, say goodbye to your Tibetan guide and meet your Nepalese guide right after the border. Depending on how long the formalities take, you stop for lunch in a mountain village. Through Langtang National Park, founded in 1976, with its diverse ecosystems you continue to the historic town of Nuwakot, arriving in the afternoon. 1 night in Nuwakot. (B) (Distance: approx. 170 km; driving time: approx. 10 hrs)

1 night · Double room · With breakfast In Nuwakot you stay at a hotel in town.

At a relaxed pace with photo stops you drive to Bhaktapur, the “city of temples”. After check-in you can explore the old town on your own. In the evening you dine together on your hotel’s roof terrace overlooking the town. 1 night in Bhaktapur. (B/D) (Distance: approx. 75 km; driving time: approx. 4 hrs)

1 night · Double room · With breakfast The Nanee is a charming boutique hotel in Bhaktapur’s old town with lovingly designed rooms, a restaurant (including vegetarian and vegan options), a bar and a roof terrace overlooking the town.

On a walk through Bhaktapur (UNESCO World Heritage), the “open-air museum” with magnificent temples and palaces, you taste the traditional juju dhau yoghurt on Durbar Square. Then you visit the royal city of Patan with its markets, pagodas and Durbar Square. In the late afternoon you drive to Kathmandu. 3 nights in Kathmandu. (B) (Distance: approx. 15 km; driving time: approx. 1 hr)

3 nights · Double room · With breakfast Hotel Tibet is located in Kathmandu and is a good base for exploring the city.

At Budhanilkantha you visit one of Nepal’s most important Hindu statues, the reclining Vishnu, surrounded by butter lamps and incense. In the afternoon you walk through the lanes of the old town to Durbar Square and learn how the buildings damaged in the 2015 earthquake have been rebuilt with great dedication. To finish, you enjoy the view over the Kathmandu Valley in the evening light from the Swayambhunath stupa, the “Monkey Temple”. (B) (Distance: approx. 20 km; driving time: approx. 1.5 hrs)

In Boudhanath, “Little Tibet”, you circle the great stupa painted with the Buddha’s eyes together with the faithful and learn more about monastic life from a monk at a nearby monastery. At a painting school you discover the centuries-old art of thangka and mandala painting. At Pashupatinath on the sacred Bagmati River, Nepal’s most important Hindu temple, you watch the rituals of the faithful and learn about the customs at the cremation ghats. To finish, you meet for a farewell dinner at a local restaurant. (B/D)

After a last breakfast you are taken to the airport and start your journey home with many memories – Namaste! (B) (Distance: approx. 7 km; driving time: approx. 45 min)

During the day you land back home.