Best of Nepal Bhutan Tibet, Nature, Culture and Everest Aerial Tour - 11 days

You can fly into Lhasa from mainland China or Kathmandu, the only international hub with air connectivity to Tibet. You can also take a train to Lhasa from Beijing or some of the Chinese cities en route. You can share your arrival details with us so that our representative can receive you from your arrival point. He will drive you to your hotel and assist you in checking in. Take it easy today and let your body get used to the high altitude. We advise you to drink plenty of fluids and get adequate rest.

Overnight in Lhasa.

After breakfast at your hotel, your guide will take you on a sightseeing tour. You will visit the magnificent Potala Palace, the winter residence of the Dalai Lama. This grand palace is situated on a hill overlooking Lhasa. Visit the museum, assembly hall, and chapels. The tombs of the former Dalai Lamas are also placed inside the palace complex.

Later you walk down to the main city and visit the sacred Jokhang Temple. One of the first temples established in Lhasa, the Jokhang Temple was built to hold the Buddhist relics and statues brought by King Songtsen  Gampo's two wives – Princess Wengchen from China and Princess Bhrikuti from Nepal. Pilgrims from different parts of Tibet gather and prostrate continuously in utter devotion in front of the temple. Later you can check out the locals at the busy Barkhor Street. Shops selling handicrafts and gift items line the street where you can shop for souvenirs.

Overnight in Lhasa.

A drive towards the western suburb of the city will bring you to Drepung Monastery. The monastery dates back to the fifteenth century. Drepung is one of the three important monastic universities of the Yellow Hat or Gelugpa Sect. The monastery, which covers an area of 250,000 square meters, is the largest in Tibet. Attractions inside the monastery include the huge assembly halls, scripture halls, courtyards, silver pagodas, paintings, and statues of various Buddhist deities and great lamas. At the height of its popularity, Drepung had more than 10,000 monks receiving education. Now the number has decreased and only about 7000 or fewer monks are enrolled at the university.

Later you will be driven to Sera Monastery, another important Gelugpa Monastery. Located in the northern part of Lhasa, Sera Monastery was established in 1419. The monastery has three colleges and hermitages or meditation caves. You can explore the grand assembly hall, chapels, and courtyards where debates are held between monks. After witnessing the debates you can head back to your hotel and prepare for your trip to Kathmandu.

Overnight in Lhasa.

Our agent will drop you off at the Lhasa Gonggar Airport which lies about 62 kilometers from the main city. It takes a little over an hour's drive to reach the international airport from the city's downtown area. The flight to Kathmandu presents you with mind-blowing vistas of the Himalayan Range. You can see some of the world's highest mountains from aboard – Mount Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, etc.

At the international airport in Kathmandu, you will be welcomed by our guide who will drop you off at your hotel. After a brief rest, you will meet your tour guide who will take you to one of the famous world heritage sites in the city, the Kathmandu Durbar Square. Built by the Malla kings who ruled over Kathmandu Valley in the medieval period, the royal square is dotted with pagoda-roofed temples and palaces. You can explore the Hanuman Dhoka Palace Museum and walk through the Hindu shrines lining the square. The house of the Living Goddess or Kumari is also located in Kathmandu Durbar Square.

Later you will be driven to the base of a hill in the western part of a city. On the top of the hill is the oldest religious shrine in the valley. Swoyambhunath or the 'self-created' stupa is said to be more than 2000 years old. According to a popular legend, Kathmandu Valley was a big lake and the Boddhisattva Majushri drained it and built this stupa. The first human settlement in the valley was established at the base of this stupa. The white domes stupa topped with a gilded tower looks grand and impressive. Surrounding the stupa is a Buddhist monastery and Hindu temples. Because of the troops of monkeys living in the forest surrounding the temple area, Swoyambhunath is also known as ‘Monkey Temple’. You can enjoy a 180-degree view of the city from the top. After enjoying a brilliant sunset from Swayambhu return to your hotel and take rest.

Overnight in Kathmandu.

After breakfast, your guide will take you to explore Bhaktapur, a city that was once a medieval kingdom. Visit the heritage squares of the former kingdom –Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Dattatreya Square, Taumadhi Square, and Pottery Square.  These squares filled with ancient palaces, temples, and ornately carved water spouts are living museums. Nyatapola Temple, Palace of 55 Windows, Bhairavnath Temple, National Art Gallery or Simhadhwakha Lyaku Palace, Golden Gate, etc are some of the historical and cultural treasures of Bhaktapur. You can spend some time at the Pottery Square observing the local potters making terracotta pots before heading towards Patan.

One of the three medieval kingdoms in the valley, Patan's chief attraction is the Patan Durbar Square. The royal seat of the Malla kings ruling over Patan, the durbar square is decorated with the Patan Palace Museum, the Krishna Temple carved out of stone, the octagonal Chyasin Dewal, the Golden Temple, etc.  You will return to your hotel after the sightseeing tour. Sleep early as you will have to wake up early tomorrow.

Overnight in Kathmandu. 

Your day starts pretty early with a quick breakfast and a ride to the domestic airport. On reaching the airport you board a helicopter and fly towards the Everest Region. During the flight, you can enjoy a bird's eye view of hills and villages. As you approach Khumbu you can see the gigantic snow-covered mountains towering majestically.

The helicopter flies over several Sherpa villages including Lukla and Namche. You can savor close-up views of some of the highest mountains in the world as the chopper hovers above the Everest Base Camp. If it's climbing season you can see the tented camps of expedition groups and trekkers on the trail. A brief landing at the Kala Patthar viewpoint will allow you to admire a 360-degree panorama of the Khumbu giants. Enjoy close-up views of Mount Everest, Pumori, Lhotse, Nuptse, Cho Oyu, Ama Dablam, Makalu, etc.

Later you will be flown back to Kathmandu. Before landing you can enjoy an aerial view of the city including its famous heritage sites – Pashupatinath Temple, Patan Durbar Square, Boudhanath Stupa, etc.

Overnight in Kathmandu.

Leave the chaos of Kathmandu city and catch a flight bound for Paro, the city with the only international airport in Bhutan. It takes around an hour and a half to fly to Paro from Kathmandu. During the flight, you can savor splendid views of the Nepal Himalaya including the Langtang Range, Mount Everest, Dhaulagiri, etc. The plane flies close to high mountains before landing safely at the narrow airstrip of the Paro International Airport. The airport's building built in the traditional style is quite charming. Our representative will greet you at the terminal and drive you to Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. It's a short drive filled with inspiring views of green hills and farmland.

On reaching Thimphu you can leave your luggage at your hotel and go sightseeing. Your guide will take you to the National Memorial Chorten, Changangka Lakhang, and the Buddha Dordenma. The National Memorial Chorten is a large white stupa built in memory of the third Druk Gyalpo or king of Bhutan. Inside the stupa are photographs of the former king and paintings and statues of Buddhist deities.  The Changangkha Lakhang dates back to the twelfth century and is one of the oldest temples in the city. Newborn babies are brought to this beautiful temple to be blessed and named. Later you will visit the hilltop shrine of Buddha Dordenma, a massive gilded statue of Lord Buddha. Placed inside this huge statue are 1,25,000 smaller statues of Lord Buddha. Enjoy the sweeping view of Thimphu Valley before heading back to your hotel.

Overnight in Thimphu.

Leaving Thimphu you take a scenic drive to Punakha. More than seventy percent of Bhutan's land surface is covered by forests. This makes it the only carbon-negative country in the world. There's more oxygen and you can smell the clean pure air in the atmosphere.

The road winds along a high mountain pass known as Dochula Pass. 108 chortens have been built at the pass in memory of the Bhutanese soldiers who lost their lives on duty. You can rest for a while at the pass taking photographs and enjoying the 360-degree view of the beautiful landscape. Later continue your journey to Punakha, the second important city in Bhutan.

On reaching the city you can explore the grand Punakha Dzong built at the confluence of the Mo Chu ad Po Chu rivers. Cross a wooden cantilever bridge to enter the dzong or fortress. Dating back to the seventeenth century, the dzong serves as the winter headquarters of the government of Bhutan and the winter residence of the Je Khenpo or the Chief Abbot of Bhutan. Inside the dzong are sacred chapels and government offices.

Later you will cross the longest suspension bridge in the country and visit the Fertility Temple or Chimi Lakhang. Dedicated to the patron saint of Bhutan Drukpa Kuenley, a visit to Chimi Lakhang blesses couples with children. The temple is a pilgrimage site for infertile married women who pray for a child. After your sightseeing tour, you will be driven to your hotel where you can relax.

Overnight in Punakha.

After breakfast, you hit the road and head towards Paro. The road winds past a peaceful landscape filled with terraced fields, rivers, and mountains. On reaching Paro you will be driven to a hotel. You can check-in and freshen up. Later your guide will take you on a half-day sightseeing tour. Visit the Paro Dzong and the Ta Dzong or National Museum. The history of the massive Paro Dzong can be traced back to the fifteenth century. Inside the five-storied dzong are chapels, shrines, offices, and royal residences of the king and the abbot. 

The National Museum or Ta Dzong is located right above Paro Dzong. The museum is housed in an ancient circular watch tower. Showcased inside the museum are bronze statues of Buddhist deities, paintings, relics discovered by Buddhist treasure finders, traditional costumes, and historical artifacts. Later you can head back to the city and explore the local market.

Overnight in Paro.

Wake up early in the morning and enjoy a drive towards a hill in the northern part of the city where the Taktsang monastery is located. The vehicle will drop you off at the foot of the hill from where you start your hiking. The trail weaves past a dense forest of pine, oak, and fir. Colorful prayer flags and sign posts with motivational quotes make your hike interesting. It is an upward climb and it can get tiring. Pony rides are available till the halfway point for an extra fee if you are interested.

There's a café en route where you can take a break and have lunch or refreshments. The monastery perched on a rock face looks incredible from the restaurant. You can also enjoy sweeping views of the Paro Valley. The last leg of the hike takes you down a narrow staircase built on the side of a cliff. You walk down and up to finally reach the monastery.

Taktsang or Tiger's Nest is an important pilgrimage site where the Second Buddha or Padmasambhava meditated after journeying from Tibet on the back of a flying tigress. After reaching the monastery you can explore and meditate for some time. Later head down to the base of the hill where you will find our vehicle waiting for you. Before heading back to your hotel you can visit a local farm and observe the lifestyle of the local farmers.

Overnight in Paro.

After a delightful journey across the Himalayas, it's finally time to end your Best of Nepal Bhutan Tibet, Nature Culture and Everest Aerial Tour. Our representative will drive you to the airport well ahead of your scheduled departure so that you can check in without any hassle. Please feel free to contact us if you want to extend your vacation and explore more destinations.