Culture and Nature of Himalaya
Our 15 Days Tibet Nepal Bhutan In-depth Tour takes you to explore the Himalaya culture, religion and nature. You will start your adventure from Tibet where you will travel from its capital Lhasa, the holy city to Mount Everest Base Camp, via Buddhist cultural cities Gyantse and Shigatse. After a day and night on Mount Everest, you will travel overlanding cross the border to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. You will spend two brief full days explore the landmarks in the Kathmandu Valley - Durbar Square, Stupas, Temples, etc. Lastly, you will take a flight from Kathmandu to Bhutan, the last Shangri-la on the planet. Visit the most popular Bhutanese landmarks like Tiger’s Nest Monastery, King’s Memorial Chorten, Punakha Dzong (fortress), and others.
Highlights of this tour:1. This price is based on a group of 2 adult travelers who will take our private tour and share one standard rooms in regular local 4-star hotel in lower seasons.
2. This price is subject to change according your traveling season, group size, hotel class, change of activities in your itinerary and possible fluctuation of currency exchange rate. If you want a lower price, you can get more people to join you, or use economy class hotels.
3. This price is only valid to March 31, 2021.
4. Reference exchange rate of USD 1= RMB 6.45. The final quotation will be adjusted accoring to the latest real-time exchange rate.
Note: If you have any questions concerning the requirements or the unique demands for your particular tour package, please feel free to contact one of our helpful Travel Consultants for further information.
It's advisable to have a body check-up or have your doctor's advice before visiting Tibet. Visitors with a record of heart, lung, liver, or kidney problems must seek medical advice before making the decision to go to Tibet Also, people with any of the following problems should not go to Tibet.
High Altitude Sickness is one of the biggest challenges when travelling in Tibet. According to our experience, most people will be fine up to 3500m above sea level, as the altitude go higher up to 4500m, mild symptoms as shortness of breath, headache might occur. Adverse reactions may vary from person to person. In most cases, the symptoms are mild and will subside in several hours to several days as the body acclimatizes.
Mild Symptoms of AMS include:
Welcome to the roof of the world! You will be picked up by local tour guide at Lhasa airport hall or train station, and then be escorted to check in your hotel in Lhasa city (3,650 m) in a private vehicle. The rest of the day is free for you to explore the local areas and acclimatize yourself to the air, temperature and high altitude of Lhasa.
High Altitude Acclimation Tips: 1) go for some leisure walking to acclimate the high altitude but avoid strenuous activity after arrival; 2) you'd better not have bath, in case of catching a cold; 3) drink more water, and have some fruit; 4) have a good rest...
How to Get to Lhasa: take a domestic flight from other cities like Chengdu, Beijing, Xian, Xining, Kunming, etc. or an international flight from Kathmandu, or take a train from China's other cities, like Chengdu, Xian, Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xining, Lanzhou, etc.
Start today's Lhasa exploration with an exciting visit to the landmark - Potala Palace which is the home to the successive Dalai Lama as well as a great masterpiece of Tibetan architecture. The whole palace is divided into the White Palace - living quarters and office to deal with political and Buddhist affairs for Dalai Lamas, and the Red Palace where houses several stupas of previous Dalai Lamas, many historical relics and precious arts. After entering the gate of Potala Palace, you need to walk up about 30 minutes along the zigzag stone paths with white-and-red walls to the White Palace. Remember to ascend the steps slowly and take some stops for sightseeing and rest which will be helpful to reduce high altitude sickness. Then explore the palace in an orderly way from the White Palace to the Red Palace, and exit from the back side. After Potala Palace visit, go to enjoy a leisure stroll in Zongjiao Lukang Park, a lovely park with pleasant scenery built around the lake behind Potala Palace. It is a great place to experience local Tibetans' living styles as you can see local people gethering and chatting, taking exercise, walking the kora, feeding wild birds and ducks, etc. If you day is clear, you can take some great photos of the reflection of Potala Palace on the lake in the park.
Continuing your exploration, you will then get to Jokhang Temple which is considered as the spiritual center of Lhasa and the most revered religious structure of Tibet. In front of Jokhang Temple, you can see crowds of pilgrims polishing the flagstones with their prostration, which is truly a heart-touching scene you will ever see. This temple is also known as the "house of Buddha" because it keeps the precious Jowo Rinpoche, the life-sized (5 foot/1.5m) image of the Shakyamuni at the age of 12. Rise to the top floor of this temple, you can see savor the beautiful golden roof and the view of Potala Palace afar. The last site for today’s exploration is the famous Barkhor Street. It is a circular and wide street encircling the Jokhang Temple. The local people like to walk on the street for several circles usually in the late afternoon as a daily tradition of pilgrimage. The street also has many shops selling a wide variety of traditional Tibetan goods, religious items and handcrafts.
Optional Activity: If your physical strength permits, take a short climb to the viewing-deck of Chakpori Hill to take a panoramic photo of Potala Palace after you Potala Palace visit.
Tips of today: 1) taking photos is not allowed inside the palace; 2) today you will be mainly outside, please bring some water, a hat, sun cream, and sun glasses with you.
Today you will visit popular attractions in Lhasa city and suburb to explore Tibetan culture. You will firstly go to visit the beautiful Norbulingka which used to be the former summer palace of Dalai Lamas in the ancient time, and now is a public park. Dotted with various kinds of precious flowers and plants, it is the genuine "Plateau Oxygen Bar". In addition to its magnificent buildings and colorful flowers, Norbulingka also features some big Tibet event activities during big festivals, like Tibetan shows in annual Shoton Festival. Next, drive several kilometers to the western outskirts of Lhasa to visit Drepung Monastery. Drepung, in Tibetan, means "prosperity". Since its establishment, Drepung Monastery has always been one of the most important Buddhist monasteries in Tibet. In its heyday, there were more than 10,000 monks lived and studied in the monastery. Throughout its history, many important and famous Tibetan leaders used to study here, especially the Dalai Lamas. So Drepung Monastery is also respectfully known as the "Mother School of Dalai Lamas". You can also enjoy a panoramic view of Lhasa from Drepung Monastery.
In the afternoon, you will be taken to another famous monastery in Lhasa - Sera Monastery. It is famous for the spectacular "Buddhism Debating". As a daily routine, the monks gather in a courtyard, and debate on the Buddhist doctrines with supplemented gestures, which is thought to be helpful to facilitates better comprehension of the Buddhist philosophy to attain higher levels of study. After enjoying the "Buddhism Debating", you will be transferred back to the city. The rest time is your own free time to rest.
The Etiquette of Visiting Monastery: 1) you shouldn't wear short and uncover shoulders; 2) taking off your sunglasses and hat before entering the chapels; 3) taking photos is usually not allowed inside the chapels.
Today you will leave Lhasa and drive about 6.5 hours to Gyantse. The first site you will reach is the holy Yamdrok Lake (altitude: 4,400 m). As the largest fresh lake in the northern of the Himalaya Mountains, it spreads about 675 square meters from south to north, like an eardrop lying in the arms of snow-capped giant mountains. Viewing from a distance, you can see fertile pastures full of yaks and sheep, and some small Tibetan villages along the lake shore. Keeping driving not so far from Yamdrok Lake, you will see the imposing Karola Glacier (altitude: 5,045 m) towering aloft on the right side of the road.
Continuing your trip, you will get to the historical city of Gyantse. Feel hungry? Have a good lunch in the town, then go to visit the mysterious Palcho Monastery (altitude: 4,040 m). The monks and tradition of three important sects of Tibetan Buddhism - Sakyapa, Zhalupa and Gelukpa, peacefully coexist in this monastery. Its Kumbum, which is 35 meters high and has 76 small chapels with hundreds images of Kriyatantras, is believed to be the largest such structure in Tibet. Finishing the visit in Palcho, go to climb up to the Dzong Fortress altitude: 4,140 m) on which the Tibetan army used to fight against the British army's invasion during the early 20th century. From the top of the fortress, you can get a great panoramic view of Gyantse city.
Tips of today: 1) wear warm clothes to prevent from cold and wild; 2) the road condition from Lhasa to Gyantse via Yamdrok Lake is good; 3 feel free to ask your driver to stop so you can stretch your legs or take some pictures.
After breakfast, you will go to visit a very special site where you can learn about the living condition and tradition of old Tibet - Pala Manor (altitude:;4,040 m). Located in a Tibetan village about 4 km southwest from Gyantse city, Pala Manor is the only aristocratic manor preserved well in Tibet, and used to be the private manor of Pala families since 17th century. The aristocratic and the serfs both lived in the manor but completely different life. The aristocratic didn't need to work, lived in bright, large and luxury rooms, used costly furniture and imported luxuries, such as OMEGA watch, LV purse, wine, etc. While the serfs lived in dark crude room in yards, got paid little but did all the laboring works. Fortunately, the house, relics in the rooms are still remained the same as they used to be.
After the visit in Pala Manor, drive about 2.5 hours to Shigatse (altitude: 3,800 m). After lunch, you will take a visit to the official seat of Panchen Lama - Tashilhunpo Monastery(altitude: 3,800 m), which is also the largest and most influential Gelug Monastery in Shigatse prefecture. Here you will see a giant statue of Future Buddha, the largest one of its kind on earth (26.2 meters high and 11.5 meters wide), decorated with precious pearls, turquoises, corals and ambers.
Accommodate in Shigatse City.
Tip of today: 1) the road condition is fairly good; 2) obey Buddhist manners and talk appropriately when visiting Tashilhunpo.
Today, you will leave Shigatse for the final destination of your Tibet trip - Mount Everest. Though being a long driving of about 7 hours, but the views along the road are stupendous. As you reach Gawula Pass (5,250), you’ll feast your eyes on the fantastic view of Himalaya range including several famous peaks over 8,000 meters, including Mt. Makalu (8,463 m), Mt. Lhotse (8,516 m), Mt Everest (8,844 m), Mt. Cho Oyu (8,201 m) and Mt. Shishapama (8,020 m). When you finally get to the Rongbuk Monastery, and get the first sight of the mighty Everest, you will immerse in a solemn ethereal mood and find all the efforts you have made along the long way are not in vain. Located about 5100 meters above the sea level, Rongbuk Monastery is the highest monastery in the world. It is the best location to take some great photos of the front face of Mount Everest. There is an Everest altitude marker, a tablet reading "Mt. Qomolangma Elevation Measurement", near Rongbuk Monastery and you can take a photo to commemorate your wonderful adventure tour. The rest of today is free for you to visit the Rongbuk Monastery and explore surrounding landscape.
Accommodation: if you visit Mount Everest during off season (November to April), you will accommodate at Rongbuk Guest House near the Rongbuk Monastery; if you visit Mount Everest during the peak season (May to October), you will accommodate at the Tibetan Tents Camp which is only run between May and October by local Tibetans. It is near Rongbuk Monastery as well. Please note that the accommodation at both places is very simple and basic, only dorm beds with communal squat toilets are available. Duvets, heated blankets and hot water will be provided, and you are suggested to bring your own sleeping bag and toilet paper. There is no running water, sinks or showers. The dining room just offer basic breakfast and dinner without menu. Remember to dress warmly all the time.
Tips of today: bring a warm coat for low temperature in Everest and avoid strenuous activity to prevent from high altitude sickness.
Wake up early to enjoy the marvelous sunriseon the peak of the world from Rongbuk Monastery. The top part of the Mount Everest is always covered by snow all the year round, and when the sun shines on the mountain, the peak is like a giant white pyramid, which is one of the most famous sceneries of Mount Everest. In bright days, you can also see a wisp of cloud hanging above the top of Mount Everest. It flies eastward in the fast western wind just like a flapping flag. This unique phenomenon is the spectacular “Cloud Flag”. The cloud will change from surging waves into a thin cooking smoke or from galloping steeds into the mysterious veil of a goddess.
Till now your Mount Everest adventure is about to end. The rest of today is to drive to Gyirong Town. The views along the road are stupendous. In clear days, you can see the clear face of Shishapangma Peak and enjoy the beautiful view of Pekutso Lake.
Accommodate at Gyirong Town.
Tips of today: 1) the sunrise usually starts around 6:30 am to 7am on Mount Everest; 2) breakfast is not included.
Today, drive about 25 km to Gyirong Port at China-Nepal border. The rest of today is to transfer to Kathmandu. Kathmandu is only about 160 km from Gyirong Port, but remind the road condition is not as good as Tibet roads. It usually takes more than 6 hours to drive to Kathmandu from Gyirong Port because the road is narrow and bumpy, and buddy in rainy season. After arriving at Kathmandu, check in to your hotel in downtown.
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This morning, our local Nepalese guide will receive you from the hotel in the first hour of the day. You will then start the captivating Kathmandu private tour with a wonderful stroll around the grand Kathmandu Durbar Square - the social, religious and urban focal point of the Newari Malla which was one of the three medieval kingdoms ruling Kathmandu valley between the 12th and 18th centuries. It is also known as Hanuman Dhoka Palace, meaning the Gateway of Hunuman - the monkey God who is the deity of the Durbar Square area. You can see the beautiful Taleju Temple, Kumari Goddess Temple, Jagannath Temple, Kal Bhairav, the statue of King Pratap Malla, the Big Bell, Big Drum, etc. From the Durbar Square, you will travel towards the western delight of the Valley - Swayambhunath, the Kathmandu's most ancient and enigmatic holy shrine with a history over 2500 years. There are a lot of monkeys residing in the Temple, that's why the shrine is also famous as the Monkey Temple. It is an excellent place for a quick hike and some fresh air. On the clear days, you are able to see a line of Himalayan Ranges, and enjoy a fine view over Kathmandu city and the valley.
In the afternoon, drive about 4km to Patan, the second largest city in Kathmandu valley. Compared with Kathmandu city, Patan is quieter, a living place to experience Nepal local culture and lifestyle. You will visit its landmark - Patan Durbar Square which is honored as the finest collection of temples and palaces with exquisite carvings in Nepal. There are Hindu and Buddhist relic sites spread around the square. Most famous one is Krishna Temple which is said to be carved from a single enormous stone. Enjoy the beautiful stone works, religious sculptures, and enjoy a leisure stroll through packed streets of souvenirs in the square.
Leaving Patan, you’ll be transferred to Nagarkot. Situated 34 km north-east of Kathmandu, Nagarkot is one of the most beautiful places in Nepal as well as a quieter place to escape from Kathmandu’s hustle and bustle. Enjoy the beautiful sunset if time and weather permits.
Optional Activity: take the one-hour scenic flight in the early morning to enjoy the fantastic Mount Everest and other Himalayan peaks, lakes and glaciers from the air. Window seat is guaranteed.
Get up early in the morning to catch the precious moment to watch the breathtaking sunrise over Himalayan Mountains. You can see five of the world’s tallest mountains – Everest (8,848m.), Lhotse (8,516m.), Cho Oyu (8,201m.), Makalu (8,463m.) – and many other lesser summits in clear days.
After breakfast, move to another sister city of Kathmandu and Patan - Bhaktapur which offers you the less disturbed cultural experience. In the ancient time, Bhaktapur was also known as Bhadgaon(the land of rice). The city was one of three medieval city-states in the Kathmandu Valley as well as the best preserved one. You can please your eyes with beautiful medieval arts and grand architecture, and walk through the stone patched streets to explore local culture and lifestyle. Not to be missed place include Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Nyatapola Temple square, Bhaktapur national art gallery and the 55 windows palace. There is also a pottery square where you can find a traditional way of producing pottery which has been passed down from generation to generation.
After a shortwhile driving from Bhaktapur, you will get to the giant Buddhist stupa of Boudhanath which is the largest stupa in the world with a height of 131ft (39.93 m) , also one of the most important Buddhist sacred sites in Kathmandu valley. The stupa was built around the 5th century A.D. with a highly unique three level mandala style structure. The location of the stupa is on the ancient trade road to Tibet where the merchants from Tibet rested and hanged prayer flags here for centuries. Leave the stupa site to the north of Kathmandu city to visit Pashupatinath, the largest Hindu temple worshiping the Hindu God Shiva who is known as Pashupati, the master of the whole universe in the Hindu mythology. Located at the bank of the Bagmati River, the holy temple has a reputation of “the Temple of Living Beings” for it attracts thousands of pilgrims from all over the world come to pay homage. For tourists, it is a great place to get a deep exploration of Hinduism culture.
After the nice refreshing tour of the Heritage and religious sites, return to your hotel.
Early this morning, your driver will meet you at your hotel and then take you to the airport to catch your international flight to Paro Airport, the sole international airport in Bhutan. If you sit near the left window of your plane, and fly in a clear day, you will be very lucky to enjoy a spectacular view of the Himalaya peaks, including the world's highest mountain Mount Everest (Alt: 29,029ft) and its neighbors - Mt. Lhotse (the worlds fourth highest mountain, Alt: 27,940ft), Mt. Makalu (the world's fifth highest mountain, Alt: 27,838ft) and Mt. Nuptse (Alt: 25,791ft) as you approach Paro (Alt: 7,364ft). The captain's broadcast introduction and the magazines on the plane will help you recognize these peaks.
Upon arrival at Paro Airport, you will be greeted by your local travel guide and driver, and drive to Paro Town to start your wonderful journey. You will firstly visit Rinpung Dzong, also known as Paro Dzong, is reputed as the finest example of Bhutanese dzong which was an important bastion for the Kingdom of Bhutan against invasion from the north. At present, it houses the Monastic Body and government offices, and serves as the religious, military, administrative, and social centers of their district. After appreciating these charming architectures in Rinpung Dzong, visit Bhutan National Museum which is housed in Rinpung Dzong’s watchtower, keeping the rich culture and history of Bhutan. There are many impressive collections displayed in its five galleries, including traditional thangkas, festival masks, religious statues, interesting carvings, etc. Nextly, take a leisure walk through the cantilever bridge to Paro Town to attend an archery game which is Bhutan's official national gage, played almost every day on the ground. Lastly, drive about 1.5 hours to Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan Kingdom, for accommodation.
This morning you will start the day by visiting the National Memorial Chorten (shrine), a monument dedicated to the past 3rd king of Bhutan, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. More than a memorial stupa, it is also one important religious center for Bhutanese daily worship. Then go to visit National Institute for Zorig Chusum, a school where students are taught to make Bhutan’s 13 traditional arts and crafts, like painting, woodcarving, embroidery, statue-making and so on. Next, go to Bhutan Post Office Headquarters, an informative and indulging museum with excellent exhibition of the evolution of Post & Telegraph in Bhutan as well as good details on historical and symbolic interpretation behind stamps. Afterward, drive to Buddha View Point where a massive bronze statue of Buddha Dordenma sits. The statue is placed on a lotus and below it is a meditation hall housed with 125,000 small statues of Buddha. This Buddha dominates over the valley of Thimphu, and you can hardly tell whether the view from Buddha Dordenma or the view of Buddha Dordenma is more spectacular.
Leaving Thimphu, drive through a forest of pine and hemlock, up to cross over the Dochu La Pass (Alt: 10142ft/ 3,050 m). From the place, you can enjoy the panoramic views of the majestic Himalaya Mountains. Keep driving along the winding road to the fertile valley of Punakha (Alt: 4430ft/ 1,350 meters).
Accommodate in Punakha Town.
Tip: there are many other interesting museums where you can probe into Bhutan's culture, history and local people's daily life, including Simply Bhutan Museum, National Textile Museum, National Library and Archives of Bhutan, etc. Feel free to tell your travel consultant if you are interested in visiting any one of them.
After breakfast, you will go to visit Punakha Dzong, situated between Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu (male and female rivers) and featuring in three docheys (one more than other dzongs). It is praised by many people as the most beautiful one in Bhutan’s 21 dzongs, especially in spring when the lilac jacaranda trees in blossom. Next, move to Wangdu Phodrang Dzong, where you can get a commanding view of the below valleys. In fact, Wangdu Phodrang Dzong enjoys an important status in the history as well, and it was the second capital city in the early days. Since Wangdu Phodrang is situated on the ridge, you can walk down to the bridge and have a short hiking to the village of Rinchangang. After the wonderful sightseeing, drive to the Chimi Lhakhang, a mysterious temple built in 1499 by the legendary “Divine Madman” - lama Drukpa Kunley. There is a tradition that the childless women can visit this temple to receive a wang (blessing) from the saint, then they will have a child.
After lunch, drive about 3.5 hours back to Paro. Have a good night in Paro Town.
Start the day with short drive to Paro’s upper valley. If the day is clear, you’ll have an unforgettable view of the “Goddess” – Mt.Chomolhari (23,640 feet).
Afterward, it’s a short drive to Taktsang trail ahead. Take a challenging but necessary 2~3 hours’ trek to Taktsang Monastery, the most famous monastery in Bhutan, also known as “Tiger Nest Monastery, because Guru Rinpoche reportedly flew to the site on the back of a flying tiger late in the 7th century. Between blue pines and a blue sky, the monastery perches miraculously on a cliff nearly 2,700 feet above Paro’s valley floor. Break along the way for tea and snacks in small tea house, and the view of both Taktsang Monastery and Paro Valley is magnificent.
Hike down the mountain, then drive back to Paro for accommodation.
Tips: 1) it takes about 2 ~ 3 hours to trek from the parking lot to Taktsang Monastery, and you could ride a horse for the first hour; 2) photography is strictly forbidden in the monastery, but you can take a nice shot on your road to Taktsang Monastery; 3) travelers have to deposit all belongings (cameras, phones or other electronic equipment and bags) at the entrance.
Your journey in Bhutan comes to an end today! After breakfast, your guide will pick you up from the hotel to the airport in time for the scheduled flight to your next destination. Before that, you can take a rest at the hotel or go for a walk nearby.
Tips: Please pack your luggage carefully, especially for small things like camera charge, power adaptor, mobile phone, phone charger, wallet and towel.
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1. This price is based on a group of 2 adult travelers who will take our private tour and share one standard rooms in regular local 4-star hotel in lower seasons.
2. This price is subject to change according your traveling season, group size, hotel class, change of activities in your itinerary and possible fluctuation of currency exchange rate. If you want a lower price, you can get more people to join you, or use economy class hotels.
3. This price is only valid to March 31, 2021.
4. Reference exchange rate of USD 1= RMB 6.45. The final quotation will be adjusted accoring to the latest real-time exchange rate.
While the trip of a lifetime is priceless, we know value is a vital aspect for those deciding which tour to choose.
When comparing tour prices, be sure to compare like to like. Our tours are designed to ensure that our customers experience all the culture, history, and beauty that Tibet has to offer, and at a reasonable price.
A great way to enjoy the lowest possible price is to invite more people to join your trip to share the travel experience as well as the tour expense. The more people in a group, the lower the price per person. (We recommend you join our group tour if you are traveling alone. Please contact our travel consultant for more information)
Booking early is also an easy way to ensure the best rate! We highly recommend you contact us at least 1 month before your planned departure date.
Private Tibet Tour Package means you will have your own private local tour guide, private vehicle and private driver for your group. You don't have to share the vehicle with others. You tour guide will take care of only your group. With the help of your private tour guide, you will see more in Tibet, communicating with locals to learn about Tibetan lifestyle and culture.
You have the flexibility to arrange the group activities accorddingly, such as changing the visiting order of attractions or extending the visiting time of certain place. You can also stop on the road as you need.
If you are traveling with your family or a group of friends, a private tour for your group is ideal. As you have more people in the group, the price won't be much higher than a join-in group tour. It is a good way to save money and enjoy ultimate service.
In Tibet, the overall accommodation situation is not as good as many other parts of China. There are only a few star hotels available in Tibet. In remote areas like Mt. Everest base camp, Mt. Kailash, only guesthouse or tents are available for travelers.
We hand-picked the hotels in each city and areas for you to ensure you have reasonable places to stay while traveling in Tibet. They are in convenient locations and are as comfortable as the local can provide. We also tend to use hotels with unique Tibetan features.
In 3- or 4-star hotels in cities and towns like Lhasa, Tsetang, Shigatse and Gyangtse, you do not need to worry about sanitation. Though, it is a fact that traveling in Tibet is a bit hard. If you are going to remote areas like Mt. Everest or stay near the lakes, it is best to bring a sleeping bag to ensure that you have a nice sleep en route.
For trekking and cycling tours:
1, Stay in local hotel or guesthouse.
2, Stay in tent. (Camping facilities will be provided)
3, Stay in local Tibetan’s family
Breakfast: If you are staying in a star hotel, breakfast is usually included. If you are staying in a guesthouse or tent, breakfast is not included.
Lunch and Dinner:
We don’t usually include lunch and dinner in our tour itinerary. We do arrange lunch or dinner for you at your request though. However, we prefer to give you the freedom to choose the food you want and pay on the spot. From our previous customers' responses, we find that most of our clients prefer to leave the dinners open on their own so that they can enjoy some time to themselves. They can choose either to go to a local restaurant for a little adventure or to have a simple dinner in the hotel where they stay. They may also prefer to choose a restaurant which appeals to their own unique tastes.
We have created a list of our favorite restaurants in Tibet and hand-picked some local restaurants to recommend to our customers. In Lhasa, you can choose Chinese food, Western food, Tibetan food as well as Nepalese food and Indian food. In "off-the-beaten-road" destinations, choices are limited. Our tour guide will be more than happy to recommend good restaurants for you and take you to the restaurants available according to your tastes and preferred style of dishes. Soon you’ll develop your favorite Tibetan dishes!
Meals arrangement in trekking and cycling tours:
Service one: (recommended if you only have 1-2 people in your group and the trekking day is less than 3 days)
Our tour guide will take you to a local supermarket to buy the food you need for the trekking. You will need to bring some cash with you. We recommend energy bars, chocolate, water, fruit, and cookies. If the trekking length is less than 3 days, bringing food along can be a good way to lower the costs.
Service two:
Some of our tour guides are able to cook for customers for a little bit extra service charge. You can contact our travel consultants to see if it is possible to arrange this service for you. It can be difficult to arrange this service for you in peak season, so we can’t guarantee this service at the moment; however, we will try our best to provide this service for you.
Service three: (recommended if you have 5-6 people in your group)
We highly recommend you hire a cook for the trekking tour. As you will trek for average 5-6 hours per day which requires lots of energy, it is important to have proper meal during the trekking section. If you like, we will hire a chef to follow your tour and cook for you during the trekking. They can make sure you have hot food during trekking. They will carry all necessary cooking items and equipment including stove and utensils with them. Some cooks will teach you how to cook as well and make cakes with the group on the last day.
You can communicate with your cook and let them know what kind of meal you prefer. You may prescribe the menu for cooking and tell the cook whatever requirements you have.
Daily meal arrangement for your reference:
Breakfast: coffee, milk, eggs, bread
Lunch: rice and vegetables
Dinner: noodles or Spaghetti with vegetables
Local Tour Guides
Our tour guides are born and raised in the regions we visit so they know all the potential difficulties and how to avoid them. They are highly trained, speak excellent English and know the local myths, traditions and history which they will share with you. Wherever you travel, our guides are the key that unlocks each destination and make the trip memorable and unique.
Private Driver and Vehicles
Our drivers have many years of driving experience
in the areas and are very reliable. With Tibet Discovery, you can rest assured
that we only use the highest quality vehicles available. We use mainly private
vehicles, to ensure we get to our destinations as swiftly and smoothly as
possible, as well as allowing the freedom and flexibility to stop and look
around or stretch your legs.
If the tour is mainly around Lhasa, we usually choose to use a minivan as the road condition around Lhasa is pretty good, and the minivan costs less as well. If the tour is covering places with poor road conditions or the distances are quite far, we also offer 4WD off road vehicles.
Notes: Tipping is not traditional in China and was actually illegal until the 1980s. While Chinese do not expect tips from other Chinese, they have come to expect tips from Western travelers. Due to this, it is highly recommended that you tip your tour guides and drivers as they are aware that it is a “Western custom” and may worry that you were not happy with their service if they do not receive a tip.
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For clothing, we suggest casual style and layered clothing because temperatures in Tibet vary greatly during a day. Down coat is necessary if you go beyond Lhasa and Shigatse to remote areas, e.g. the Everest Camp or further to Mt.Kailash. Sun glasses, sun block,moisture cream are necessary too.
For food, 2L of water each day, and some snacks. We also find the energy drink Red Bull is a great energy boost while traveling in Tibet.
For medicines, we suggest that you take some pain-killer pills with you and enough medicine for colds, diarrhea, nausea and fever. Some nasal ointment andthroat-moistening pills will be of great help for those who are sensitive tochilly weather conditions. Please consult your doctor prior to your travel toTibet. Medicine is a must for travelers to Tibet.
Note: You don't have to worry about your luggage in trekking tours as we could hire abelly boy and Yak and Yak man to carry your luggage for you during the trekking section of the tour. It is an optional service.
Anxiety is the common cause of mountain sickness. Our customers age range from 20 years old to 70 years old, there is no evidence that suggests that age has anything to do with the occurrence of mountain sickness.
Taking a Tibet tour with Tibet Discovery, our tour guide will take care of you and give advice on how to avoid high altitude sickness on arrival. A bottle of oxygen will be prepared for each person for emergency use when the tour includes visiting places like Mt. Everest, Lake Namtso, Mt. Kailash and activities like trekking and biking. Always remember that if you have any problems or feel uncomfortable, please tell your guide immediately or contact our travel consultant.
All foreign tourists and Taiwan tourists must apply for a Tibet Entry Permit issued by the TTB (Tibet Tourism Bureau) for entry to Lhasa or any other parts of the Tibet Autonomous Region.
We will take care of all necessary Tibet permits in all of our Tibet tours. It is included in the price quotation and it is part of our tour services. It's advisable to apply for your travel permits at least 20 days prior to your entry date. The earlier, the easier for us to get a permit for you.
Please tell us your real occupation when applying a tibet travel permit. Journalists and people involved with political matters (such asdiplomats and government officials) require more complicated procedures to beissued a permit.
A valid passport and a valid China visa is needed when applying a Tibet travel permit. The cost of a Chinese Visa is not included in our tour, so you have to apply for your China Visa in your country by yourself. If you have any question in terms of applying a China visa and filling out the application form, feel free to contact our Travel Consultant.
Acclimatize: We suggest that you take it easy for your first few days in Tibet. Don't push yourself physically since your body will require some time to get used to the high altitude.
Photography: When photographing Tibetans, please be sure to get their permission first. Also, when inside the religious sites, please be aware that if photography is permitted. It is not allowed to take pictures while inside the halls of Potala Palace and JokhangTemple. Make sure you bring a flashlight if you want to see the inside of the monastery, though please ask for permission when taking pictures in the monastery. Some Monastery might charge visitors a 10-30RMB fee for taking pictures. Please ask your tour guide if you are not sure.
Free time: During the free time of your trip, like the rest of the first day and the last day before departure, you can walk around on your own and do some shopping if you wish.
Best time to go:
Peak Season: June, July,
August, September (June to October 15th )
In July and August, the crowds will be considerably larger and the costs for
vehicle, food, accommodation, and tour guides are higher. June-August generally
has great weather, though during July and August, Tibet tends to be extremely
crowded as many Chinese travel there for their summer vacation. As July and
August is the peak season to travel to Tibet. We highly recommend you avoid
those two months to reduce the costs.
Best Value: April, May,
and Late October to November (April 16th to May 31st)
Late April to Early June, late October to November is the best value time to
go, as the weather still nice and the cost is considerably less. The tour costs
between this time is usually a few hundred dollars cheaper than peak season.
Shoulder Season: Late November
December, January, February, early April (Nov 16th to April 15th)
December-February tends to be a slow period for travel to Tibet. The weather is
generally quite cold, though there will be no crowds like there are during the
peak season. Another benefit to traveling during the shoulder season is that
prices are considerably lower. The view might not be as vivid but you can enjoy
another side of Tibet.
Note: Above information applies to most Tibet tours. For specific best travel time, please contact our travel consultant.
Thanks for today! Everything went well !!
Alice
Our customer Alice visited Mutianyu Great Wall in Beijing
Our customer Alice visited Summer Palace in Beijing
The driver Xiamen has been excellent, thank you!
David
Hotels good, driver good (very professional and nice), and also the guide was great. It was a nice relaxing and beautiful long weekend, and we both want to go back to Xiamen again soon.
Such great food (Chinese and western) available, and great scenery to relax or do outdoor activities. We both had a great time this weekend.
I would say the only weakness was the dinner in the small town, but we understand this is the slow season for tourism, and we had otherwise really great food! It was a great trip though, we are even more excited for Harbin!
David
Here are some of my Xiamen & Fujian Tulou tour photos:
Nanputuo (South Putuo) Temple in Xiamen
Shaweipo Art Zone in Xiamen
Xiamen Sidetrip to Fujian Tulous
No documents found.
Tibet has too much to offer and our aim is to bring you the best experience in Tibet. Following are some other recommended Tibet tour packages that you may be interested in. All of our Tibet tour packages are customizable to meet your personal requirements. You can also contact us to customize a trip if you want.
Kathmandu / Nagarkot / Pokhara / Chitwan / Kathmandu / Paro / Thimphu / Punakha / Tiger's Nest / Paro
Durbar Square, Phewa Lake, Chitwan National Park, National Memorial Chorten, Punakha Dzong, Taksang Monastery
/ DetailsLhasa / Gyantse / Shigatse / Everest / Gyirong / Kathmandu
Potala Palace, Mount Everest, Durbar Square, Swayambhunath
/ DetailsKathmandu / Pokhara / Lhasa / Gyantse / Shigatse / Everest / Gyirong / Paro / Thimphu / Punakha / Paro
Kathmandu Durbar Square, Swayambhunath, Potala Palace, Mount Everest, Punakha Dzong
/ DetailsPlease tell us more about your travel plans within just a few simple steps. We'll get back to you with a quotation in 0.5~23.5hrs.
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