13 Days Beijing Lhasa Natmstso Lake and Kathmandu Tour

Welcome to Beijing, the capital city of China!

Upon arrival at Beijing airport, your guide will meet you at the airport and get you transferred to your hotel in Beijing. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Stay overnight in Beijing.

After breakfast, you will visit the world-famous Badaling Great Wall. It is the best-preserved section of the Great Wall in Beijing and also the earliest section open to tourists from all over the world. You will hike along the ancient walls, pass through the watch towers, and enjoy the stunning view of the surroundings from the hilltop.

In the afternoon, you will visit the Ming Tomb, another UNESCO World Heritage Site for today. Built in 1590 (Ming Dynasty), this is the emperor’s tomb for Emperor Shenzong and his queen. With an area of about 100,000 square meters and perfectly, the Ming Tomb showcases the traditional layout of Ming Dynasty imperial tombs. You can visit the underground palaces of the emperor and empress to get a firsthand glimpse into this historical treasure.

After today’s sightseeing, you will get back to your hotel in downtown Beijing.

Stay overnight in Beijing.

• Great Wall (Badaling section)
• Ming Tombs are a collection of mausoleums built by the emperors of the Ming dynasty of China.

In the morning, you will first arrive at Tiananmen Square, the largest city square in the world.

Then, you will enter the magnificent Forbidden City, which boasts over 500 years of history, where 24 emperors resided. As the largest ancient imperial palace, the Forbidden City has over 9,000 rooms. Even though only a few rooms are open for public visits, you can see how the ancient emperors managed the country and what their daily life was like. 

After that, you will visit Beihai Park. It is one of the oldest, largest and best-preserved ancient imperial gardens in China. With over 1,000 years' history, the park is not only a classic combination of the grandiosity of the northern gardens and the refinement of the southern gardens in China, but also a perfect integration of magnificent imperial palaces and solemn religious constructions.

Stay overnight in Beijing.

• Forbidden City
• Beihai Park, one of the oldest, largest and best-preserved ancient imperial gardens in China.

Today, you will explore the Hutong, the traditional courtyard residence in narrow alleys in Beijing. It is a great place to learn about the folk culture and the old quarters of Beijing City.

After breakfast, you are recommended to explore Nanluoguxiang, one of the most famous Hutongs in Beijing. With bustling main street, you will find a variety of cafes, kiosks selling different kinds of food and beverages, and souvenir shops. You can enjoy the ride on a traditional rickshaw (optional) to explore the historical and cultural sites of the Hutong.

In the afternoon, you are free to explore the city as you like and get prepared for the flight to Lhasa tomorrow morning.

Stay overnight in Beijing.

• Traditional sugar-blowing folk art in Tutong
• enjoy rickshaw ride in Nanluoguxiang

Today is free for you until your flight from Beijing to Lhasa.

Upon your arrival in Lhasa, our Tibetan guide will welcome you at the airport with a traditional white Hada.

Then, you will be escorted to your hotel in Lhasa. Our guide will give you a brief overview of the itinerary and provide helpful tips for adjusting to the altitude.

Once you've checked in, take some time to rest and allow your body to acclimate to the high altitude.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

• Tibetan tour guide greets you at Lhasa Airport.
• Lhasa River

In the morning, you will explore the largest monastery in Tibet - Drepung Monastery, which was once the home to over 10,000 monks. As you walk through Coqen Hall, your guide will provide detailed explanations of the worldview of Tibetan Buddhism and introduce notable figures in Tibetan Buddhist history.

Next, you will visit the renowned Loseling College (or an equivalent), offering a glimpse into the study and life of Tibetan monks. Explore their dormitories to gain insights into the Tibetan monks' daily routines and living conditions.

In the afternoon, you will head to Sera Monastery, another of the ‘great three’ Gelug monasteries of Tibet, to witness the famous Tibetan Monks Debate (15:00 - 17:00, from Monday to Saturday). Your guide will intricately explain how Tibetan monks engage in these debates to acquire knowledge and advance in their academic degrees.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

• Monks chat happily before the assembly hall of Drepung monastery.
• Dramatic monk debate in Sera Monastery

After breakfast, your first stop is the Potala Palace, where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Lhasa Old Town. Discover the lives and stories of the Dalai Lamas through history within the palace, and the extraordinary treasures it holds. The most valuable collections of Potala Palace are the gilded burial stupas of former Dalai Lamas and the meditation cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet.

After touring the Potala Palace, you will visit Longwangtan Park at the foot of the Potala Palace. Here, you can appreciate the majestic Potala Palace from a different perspective and engage in local Tibetan folk activities.

In the afternoon, you will head to the heart of Tibetan religion - the Jokhang Temple. Inside, you can see the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni at the age of twelve. Outside, you can see pilgrims prostrating in front of Jokhang Temple. Around the temple is Barkhor Street, where you can do kora (a religious circle of a building or mountain) with pilgrims and locals, and explore the old market.

Next, follow your guide to one of the liveliest indoor Tibetan tea houses in Lhasa. Sip traditional Tibetan sweet tea alongside local Tibetans as your guide shares insights into Tibetan social dynamics and daily life.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

• Amazing Potala Palace at twilight
• Holy Jokhang Temple

In the morning, you’ll take a drive from Lhasa to Lake Namtso, one of the four holy lakes of Tibet and also the highest saline lake in the world. On the way, you can see snow-capped Nyenchen Thanglha Mountain Ranges and lots of nomads and their tents with grazing yak and sheep densely populated on the flourishing grassland (in summer). Besides, you can enjoy the view of the Sky-Road Railway with the snow mountain background. While standing at the famous Lagenla Pass (5,190m), you can view the stunning vista of holy Namtso Lake.

Then, you can enjoy your time doing a leisurely trek around Tashi Dor Island and along the lakeshore.

After sightseeing at Lake Namtso, you’ll drive back to Damxung.

Stay overnight in Damxung.

• Meditate at the shore of Lake Namtso
• Shooting the splendid Namtso Lake at the mountain on Tashi Island.

After breakfast, you will first visit Chimelong Nunnery (Phyirmil Lung Nunnery). 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 can go to Tsurphu Monastery, the seat of the Karmapa branch of the Kagyupa order of Tibetan Buddhism. Here, you can learn more about the ‘Black Hats’, the Karma Kagyupa school of Tibetan Buddhism.

In the summertime (June to September), you can also go for a ‘Linka outing’ (Tibetan-style picnic) in the small village at the foot of the hill of Tsurphu Monastery.

Finally, you will get back to Lhasa.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Today’s Cultural 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 wish to go to heaven. Only family members of the dead can attend the funeral.

• Tsurphu Monastery is the seat of the Karmapa branch of the Kagyupa order of Tibetan Buddhism.
• The nun preparing the butter lamp at Chimelong Nunnery

Today, you will take the flight from Lhasa to Kathmandu.

When you arrive at Kathmandu, your Nepali guide will greet you at the airport and take you to your hotel.

Stay overnight in Kathmandu.

Nepal Visa Application Tips:
You can apply for a visa-on-arrival at Kathmandu International Airport. Please note that the visa fee is not included in the package and must be paid by you.

In the morning, you will the Kathmandu’s Durbar Square, which is one of the 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, such as the coronation of the Nepalese monarch, still take place today.

Then, you will tour Swayambhunath. It is one of the most recognizable symbols in Nepal, and the painted eyes of Buddha watch all who ascend the worn stone steps. It is a World Heritage Site and one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal, and is at the source of the Valley’s mythical beginning.

In the afternoon, you will head to Patan City, which is 15 minutes driving from Kathmandu. Patan's central Durbar Square is absolutely packed with temples: It’s an architectural center point with a far greater concentration of temples per sq. meter than in Kathamandu or Bhaktapur. You may shop around, and finally, you will head back to Kathmandu.

Stay overnight in Kathmandu.

• Durbar Square in Nepal
• Swayambhunath stupa in Nepal

In the morning, you are about to tour Pashupatinath, the most important Hindu temple in Nepal. Its stone linga smashed to dust, but it rose again behind their retreating backs. Succeeding monarchs reinstated the temple and the images.

Then, you will explore the Bouddhanath, which is one of the largest stupas in South Asia, the focal point of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal. The white mound looms thirty-six meters overhead. The stupa is located on the ancient trade route to Tibet, and Tibetan merchants rested and offered prayers here for many centuries.

Later, you will cover Bhaktapur Durbar Square. It is a conglomeration of pagoda and shikhara style temples grouped around a fifty-five window palace of brick and wood. The square is one of the most charming architectural showpieces of the Valley, as it highlights the ancient arts of Nepal.

Stay overnight in Kathmandu.

• Pashupatinath is the most important Hindu temple in Nepal
• Bouddhanath

Today marks the end of your journey.

Please make sure to verify your departure flight details with your guide in advance. Your guide will then take you to Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport for your onward flight.

Thank you for choosing Tibet Vista. We warmly welcome you to travel with us again in the future.