In the following itinerary, you will find the days numbered as they are in the Djoser, Netherlands program. This will insure that you are following the same schedule as your fellow travelers.
During the tours there are a wide variety of potential excursions. Our information offers a condensed impression of what you can see and do on a Djoser tour through Tibet and Nepal. The countries have enormous and varied natural, historical and cultural treasures.
The Djoser formula guarantees plenty of freedom on the tour. We do not have a planned moment-to-moment itinerary. Instead, the tour leader will offer you choices. On most days the tour leader will suggest one or more activities, but you never have to feel obliged to participate. Optional activities are always planned with the group. This gives you plenty of room for your personal explorations and unexpected events such as a spontaneous picnic. A walk or visit to a small village. Please keep in mind that due to unforeseen circumstances, the program might have to be altered and some activities cannot take place.
Kathmandu
Day +1 Depart USA
Day 1 In transit
Day 2 Arrival Kathmandu -Land program starts - NL group arrives 3:40PM
Day 3 Kathmandu
Day 4 Kathmandu
If you book our land program, your journey will begin in Kathmandu. Typically, if you book the trip with air with Djoser, the flight will be routed through Delhi. Kathmandu is a fascinating city that is filled with stupas, temples, pagodas, and other holy shrines. The city is one large open-air museum, where you will see something interesting at every corner of the street. Around the Durbar Square, the center of the city, you will find very beautiful buildings such as the Royal Palace, Hanuman Dhoka, the Taleju Temple and the house of Kumari, the living goddess. If you have the patience you can catch a glimpse of this child-goddess. The beautiful and old Kashamandap Temple on the square for which the city was named, and according to local legend, built from the wood of one tree. Close to the city you will find the stupa Swayambunath and Bodnath. Swayambunath also called “the ape temple” offers, a combination of Buddhist and Hindu culture and beautiful views of the city and the valley. Around Bodnath, many Tibetans settled down since the Chinese occupation of their country. In the early evening many Tibetans gather here for their daily pilgrim rounds at the stupa. At the Hindu temple complex, Pashupathinath you find the Bagmathi River where cremations occur on a regular basis. The royal family, killed in 2001 was cremated here. You also find the two other royal cities, Patan and Bhaktapur in the Kathmandu Valley. Patan is easily reached from Kathmandu so you can admire the palaces and temples on the Durbar Square of Patan. For walking enthusiasts, there is the possibility to make a trek in the beautiful surroundings of Kathmandu. This can also be done at the end of the trip.
Nagarkot
Day 5 Kathmandu via Bhaktapur to Nagarkot
Day 6 From Nagarkot to Zhangmu
After our time in Kathmandu we travel with our own bus to Tibet. On the way, in the Kathmandu Valley we first visit another old royal city: Bhaktapur. This small city with a crisscross of alleys and several beautiful small squares still breathes the atmosphere of the middle ages. The Durbar Square and the Potters Square are definitely worth a visit. After Bhaktapur we continue our route in the direction of Nagarkot. If time allows we will visit the old Hindu temple, Changu Narayan. The road winds as we ascending towards Nagarkot. At our lodging on a hilltop, on a clear day you have an imposing view over the Himalayas Mountains. It is a must for everyone to watch the sunrise over the Himalayas from Nagarkot. For this spectacular event many people rise early. We depart early in the morning in the direction of Tibet, because the time difference between Nepal and Tibet is two hours and fifteen minutes. The road winds along rapidly flowing rivers and lush green as we approach the border. Near Kodari we cross the border via the Friendship Bridge and travel by truck for a small portion of the trip from no-man’s land to the Chinese border, where after the border formalities on the Chinese side, we spend the night at nearby Zhangmu. This little town appears to be glued to the side of the mountains. The local population consists of a mix of Han Chinese, Tibetans and Nepalese. Many people traveling to Tibet spend the night here, giving the village a special atmosphere.
Nyalam, Tingri
Day 7 From Zhangmu to Nyalam
Day 8 From Nyalam to Tingri
The landscape in Nepal is still very lush and rolling but as our trip descends to the more highly elevated Tibetan plateau; the surroundings become more and more rugged and uninhabitable. The route from the border to the capital of Tibet, Lhasa, can without a doubt be called one of the most spectacular routes in the entire world. This route is also known as the “Friendship Highway” stretches from Zhangmu to Lhasa and is about 425 miles long. It is a very special trip over several high mountain passes through the impressive landscape of Tibet. On the way we will have a view over every high Himalayan peak and as we drive over the “roof of the world” along small Tibetan villages and grazing yaks. It is not a long drive from Zhangmu to Nyalam but we cover the distance at a slow pace to adjust to the altitude. The road can also be a bit difficult to drive in the summer due to the rainfall. In spite of the small distance we need plenty of time to reach our destination. In a few days we make a substantial descent. Make sure to take it slowly for the first few days allowing you to enjoy the neighborhood without experiencing physical discomfort. In Nyalam we spend the night in primitive accommodations where there are no showers or toilets in your rooms. We continue our trip over the La Lung Pass (over 16,000 feet) to Tingri. Make sure you dress warmly and move slowly because the thin air consumes much of your energy. From Tingri, with clear weather, we can see the snow-capped top of Mt. Everest. From the Tibetan side the view of Mt. Everest, over 26,000 feet, (the tallest mountain in the world) is even more impressive than from the Nepalese side. In the even there is time left when we arrive in Tingri you can visit the Tingri Dzong, the ruins of a fort located on a nearby hill with a beautiful view of the city. In Tingri (over 13,000 feet) we spend the night in a simple Tibetan guesthouse, void of any extra comforts. However, this is compensated by the atmosphere of the rooms with painted walls and furniture and with thick down comforters on the beds. Showers and toilets will not be found in the rooms, the sanitary facilities are located in a little building in the courtyard. In your room you will find the typical thermos with hot water that you can always have refilled at nighttime. At nighttime every gathers in the cozy, pleasantly warm kitchen and dining hall. The next morning you will enjoy a refreshing splash of water on your face newly drawn from the well.
Shigatse
Day 9 From Tingri to Shigatse
Day 10 Sakya - Shigatse
Via the Lagpa Pass we drive at an altitude of almost 16,000 feet from Tingri to Shigatse. We drive through the rugged mountain landscape that offers us fantastically beautiful views over the surrounding areas. On the way you will see nomads with their herds of yaks and sheep. Shigatse is the second most important city of Tibet. The name means “beautiful place”. Maybe here it is time for a cup of yak butter tea. Tibetans drink this tea, with its unusual aroma and taste, throughout the entire day. It actually is not tea but ground hops with yak butter, hot water and salt. It is certainly worth a try even though most Western visitors are not bowled over by the taste. In Shigatse you have time to visit the impressive Tashilunpo Cloister, the residence of the Panchen Lama. It is one of the most important cloisters in operation in Tibet. This cloister, built in 1447 under supervision of the first Dalai Lama has always taken a leading role in Tibet. Spiritual and political leaders gathered here to make political and economic decisions for Tibet. Back then about three thousand monks lived in the cloister. Presently, only six hundred monks reside there. The cloister suffered little during the Cultural Revolution and is certainly worth a visit. Maybe you will get lucky and witness one of the many ceremonies conducted by the monks. The monks wave to you warmly to come closer. Dressed in their traditional dark red robes and gold-yellow hats, they mumble their prayers in a concentrated fashion. During the kora, the pilgrims’ route around the cloister, you will encounter several Tibetan pilgrims. This kora offers beautiful views of the cloister and the surroundings of Shigatse. The market offers a view over the old fort.
Gyantse, Tsetang
Day 11 Shigatse
Day 12 Shigatse to Gyantse
Day 13 Gyantse to Samye - Stay at Cloister
On the way from Shigatse to Gyantse we travel predominately through fertile agricultural areas. In Gyantse the Chinese influence is not as great so you still feel the authentic Tibetan atmosphere. In the past Gyantse was an important meeting place for wool traders en route to India. In this city you can view the imposing Dzong Fort where you have a gorgeous view over the cloister and the city itself. Make sure you visit the one hundred and five foot high Kumbum Stupa inside the cloister’s walls. It is one of the most beautiful structures in Tibet. Inside you will find one hundred and twelve enclaves filled with statues and wall paintings. During the trip to Gyantse we travel through several passes, one over 15,000 feet high. On the way we come across beautiful views over snow covered mountains and glaciers. The 15,000 foot tall Kamba Pass offers a mind-boggling view over the holy turquoise Yamdrok Tso Lake. On the side of the road you find many prayer flags and offering stones that must protect the traveler. It is impressive to hear the flapping of the flags over the lonely plains. This makes the gods aware that it is a place where they are worshipped.
After a final descent we drive at around 12,000 feet to the area named Shannan. Here the history of Tibet originates. In Shannan over ninety-five percent of the population is of original Tibetan origin. Since the occupation by China many Chinese were lured to Tibet, a strategic choice by the Chinese authorities to improve the integration of Tibet within China. However around Tsetang this is not noticeable. This area always played an important role in Tibetan politics and history. For example the first king of Tibet had his reign here, the first royal palace was built (Yumbulakhang), and also the first temple of Tibet (the Trandruk Temple) was located here, and the first Buddhist cloister found its origin here as well. Three of the four holy mountains of Tibet are in this area making it one of most important pilgrimage destinations. After spending two nights we drive about one hundred and twenty miles en route to Lhasa, the capital city with the highest altitude in the world. On the way we can make an excursion to the oldest cloister of Tibet, the Samye Cloister. This cloister can only be reached via a day-long pilgrim’s route or via a trip by a simple wooden boat over the Yarlung Tsangpo River. If enough participants are interested, we choose the latter option so that we can visit this very special cloister.
Lhasa
Day 14 Samye - Lhasa
Day 15 Lhasa
Day 16 Lhasa
Day 17 Lhasa
Day 18 Lhasa
Getting closer to Lhasa the first thing you see is the Potala Palace, built on a hill and towers high above the city. Even though this palace was the winter residence Dalai Lama, the most important religious structure is still the centrally located Jokhang Temple, which rules as the oldest holy site of Tibetan Buddhism. The many pilgrims that come from far and wide and often travel for many days throw their bodies prone on the ground, touching the holy ground with their foreheads. This is how they cover the perimeter of the temple, praying with their entire bodies. The Barkhor Square in front of the Jokhang is a meeting place for visitors and pilgrims. It is fascinating to watch the pilgrims prepare themselves for the prayers for happiness. It is almost impossible to imagine that this holy shrine was used temporarily for a pension and movie theater during the Cultural Revolution. Fortunately the temple suffered little damage during this period. Also worthwhile is a visit to the former summer palace of the Dalai Lama, the Norbulingka. During the four-day stay in Lhasa, it is certainly possible to pay a visit to some other important cloisters outside of town such as the Drepung and the Sera Cloister. Drepung is the riches cloister complex with the most monks. A little outside the Sera Cloister you will find the cemetery where the remains of the dead have been left as prey for the wild animals. There is very little wood in the country, which makes it impossible for the dead to be cremated. On a regular basis in the garden of the Sera Cloister there are interesting debates amongst the monks. Debating religion and world matters are integral to a monk’s training. If time allows and you are interested, you can pay a visit to an institute for the blind.
Kathmandu
Day 19 Flight Lhasa to Kathmandu
Day 20 Kathmandu - (land program ends here) NL group departs 8:20 AM) Kathmandu - Arrival US
From Lhasa we fly directly back to Nepal. On the way you can still enjoy some of the spectacular views of the highest peaks of the world that you saw from a lower level earlier on the trip. In Kathmandu you have enough time to do some sightseeing of monuments that you did not get to see when you first arrived. In addition you have plenty of opportunity to purchase your last souvenirs because Kathmandu is a paradise for souvenir hunters.
You can request an extension staying longer in Kathmandu ($100 for the flight extension). We can arrange extension nights in our hotel, based on availability. Usually we will book our flights via Delhi. You may also request a layover in Delhi ($150 for the flight layover), however we do not arrange layover hotels.
