Asia:Bhutan
The Last Shangri-la – Tibet, Nepal & Bhutan
Tour Highlights:
- Explore three Himalayan countries to experience the traditional lifestyles and dramatic landscapes of this wonderfully off-the-beaten-track area
- Discover different forms and interpretations of Buddhism
- Enjoy an in-depth look at Lhasa, the famed “City of Sun.”
- Savor a variety of cultural encounters; from a visit to a typical Tibetan family to Nepalese children learning the ancient techniques of Thangka painting.
- Relish wildlife viewing in Chitwan National Park from the gently swaying back of an elephant, and by jeep and even canoe.
Day 1: Arrive Beijing, China
On arrival in Beijing, you are met and escorted to your hotel for the night. Beijing Sino Swiss Hotel
Day 2: Beijing / Lhasa, Tibet
Today, you transfer to Beijing airport for your flight to Lhasa in mythic Tibet. The principal city of Lhasa is nestled among the world's highest mountains. With more than 3,000 hours of sunshine annually, Lhasa is famed as the "City of Sun." Transfer to your hotel where you have the rest of the day to relax and acclimatize to the high plateau. Brhmaputra Hotel (B,L,D)
Day 3: Lhasa
Tour the jewels of Tibetan architecture – Potala Palace, former residence of the Dalai Lama, and the
15th-century Sera and Drepung monasteries. Visit a local Tibetan family to learn about the lives of ordinary citizens, which are markedly different from Chinese in other cities and regions of the country. Tibetans rely heavily on traditional customs such as flying colorful prayer flags from roofs. And, they still use antiquated farming tools. Brhmaputra Hotel (B,L,D)
Day 4: Lhasa
This morning, explore one of Tibet's most sacred and celebrated temples, Jokhang, a massive building consisting of three floors and an open roof, all filled with chapels and chambers. It has undergone extensive reconstructions and additions since the 7th century, particularly during the 17th century. Bakhor, also named as Baghor, is the oldest street in Lhasa. All the houses on this street are stores where you find all manner of souvenirs: copper Buddha, prayer wheels, prayer flags with sutras, beads, Tibetan joss sticks, even household items like Tibetan-style quilts, Tibetan-style shoes, and wooden bowls. These tourist products are cheap but good and easy to find on this 1,000-meter-long street. The Sera Monastery is the representative of Tibetan Buddhism, and was built by SagyaYexei in 1419. As one of the three main monasteries of Lhasa, this is where monks “famous daily debates” take place. You have an opportunity to watch the debating. Brhmaputra Hotel (B,L,D)
Day 5: Lhasa
Tour the Ganden Monastery located on Wangbur Mountain, on the southern bank of Lhasa River, and the former seat of Tsongkaba — leader of Yellow sect of Tibetan Buddhism. At an altitude of 12,467 feet, Ganden Monastery is one of the earliest and largest Buddhist monasteries in Tibet, and stands atop of the six famous temples of Gelugpa. Its significance as a religious, artistic, political and cultural relic led to it being preserved by the National Key Cultural Relic Preservation scheme in 1961, and is now known as being one of the 'Three Great Temples.' This afternoon, visit a local Tibetan Family to gain understanding to their lifestyle and culture. Brhmaputra Hotel (B,L,D)
Day 6: Lhasa / Kathmandu, Nepal
Today you board your flight to Kathmandu, Nepal. On arrival you are met and escorted to your hotel. Later this afternoon, set out to investigate Katmandu’s thriving Durbar Square. View ornate multi-tiered pagodas and the Nepalese bronzes in the former Royal Palace. Visit the Temple of the Living Goddess, and then it’s on to the bazaar. Hyatt Hotel (B)
Day 7: Kathmandu / Chitwan National Park
The morning is at leisure. You may wish to sign-up for an optional flight for spectacular views of Mt. Everest and the surrounding Himalayan range, (weather permitting). Later, your flight departs from the Himalayan foothills. Then, you are taken into the wild jungles of Terai, and your lodge – a modern “treetop” lodge in the heart of Chitwan National Park. Along the way, watch for the park’s famous but rare Bengal tigers, Asian rhino, sloth bear, gaur, sambar and chital deer, monkeys, and slender-snouted ghar crocodile. As dusk approaches, you venture out for wildlife viewing by elephant back through rich habitat to view wildlife, including some of the 500 species of birds. Tiger Tops Lodge (B,D)
Day 8: Chitwan National Park
The day is devoted to exploring the diversity of Chitwan, Nepal’s largest nature sanctuary. Choose from naturalist-guided walking or elephant-back safaris, or wildlife viewing by jeep in the park’s more distant terrain. Canoe trips and cultural tours to remote villages of indigenous Tharu people can also be arranged. Tiger Tops Lodge (B,L,D)
Day 9: Chitwan /Kathmandu
Today, you return to Katmandu, where you are met and transferred to your hotel. This afternoon, you continue to discover the Kathmandu valley, nesting amid snow-capped mountains and green terraced hills. Visit Nepal’s cultural and artistic capital, ancient Patan, famous for its skilled craftspeople, and Bhadgaon, Nepal’s most well-preserved medieval city. Also, stop at the Tibetan Refugee Camp to meet its carpet weavers and take in the panoramas from Dhulikhel Hill. Hyatt Hotel (B)
Day 10: Kathmandu
You enjoy a free day in Kathmandu to explore on your own, or just relax. Hyatt Hotel (B)
Day 11: Kathmandu / Paro, Bhutan
Today, you catch your early morning flight to Paro, Bhutan, through the Himalayas – perhaps one of the most spectacular of all mountain flights. You may spot Mt. Everest. Bhutan lies in the pristine heart of the eastern Himalayas. Big Five’s representative will meet you on arrival and transfer you to your hotel. Relax and acclimatize to the elevation of 7,218 feet. Hotel Uma Paro (B,L,D)
Day 12: Paro / Thimphu
Drive through pine and rhododendron forest to Chele La Pass, where, at 13,800 feet, views of Mt. Chomolhari and Mt. Jichu Drakey are striking. After check-in and lunch, explore Thimphu, elevation, 7,845 feet. Bhutan’s engaging capital town nestles amid graceful hills on the banks of Thimpu River. An animated jumble of new and old, Thimphu’s streets hum with civil servants, expatriates and monks. Visit National Memorial Chorten, a memorial to world peace in honor of the third king of Bhutan, father of modern Bhutan. Admire fine wall paintings and delicate statues. Tashichho Dzong houses the royal throne room. Tour the painting school, where children still learn the ancient techniques of Thangka painting. Riverview Hotel (B,L,D)
Day 13: Thimpu / Punakha
On the drive to Punakha, you visit Punakha Dzong, strategically placed at the junction of the Pho Chu and Mo Chu rivers. It was built in 1637 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal to serve as the religious and administrative center of the region. Damaged over the centuries by four catastrophic fires and an earthquake, the dzong has been fully restored in recent years by the present monarch. Hotel Zangtopeiri in Punakha (B,L,D)
Day 14: Punakha / Thimphu / Paro
Enjoy a morning drive to Thimphu, visiting en route Simtokha Dzong, built in 1627. Spread across a low ridge, it houses the Institute for Language and Culture Studies. Here, more than 300 finely worked slate carvings can be seen behind the prayer wheels in the courtyard. Then, drive on to Paro, which rests in a valley rich in cultural heritage and incomparable landscapes. It is home to many of Bhutan’s oldest temples, monasteries, and the country’s only airport. Glacial waters from 24,000-foot Mt. Chomolhari plunge through deep gorges to form Pa Chu (Paro River). Terraced fields in this fertile valley produce the bulk of Bhutan’s famous red rice. Explore the 17th-century Rinpung Dzong. Approach the fortress through a covered bridge and along a stone path that runs beside its massive walls. The dzong is a school for monks and an administration center. Nearby, the castle-shaped Ta Dzong, dating from the same era, was once a watchtower. Now it houses Bhutan's national museum with fascinating collections of artwork, textiles and ancient weaponry. Ruins of Drukgyel Dzong (Victorious Fortress), to the north, are where Bhutanese repelled invading Tibetan armies in the 17th century. Hotel Uma Paro (B,L,D)
Day 15: Paro / Bangkok / Depart
Early morning, drive to the airport in Paro for your flight to Bangkok. On arrival in Bangkok your contact your onward flight to your next destination.
Rates/Departures:
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