| Trip code | |
| Package name | Nepal - Tibet - Bhutan Tour |
| Duration | 13 |
| Max. elevation | 3656 m |
| Level | Moderate |
| Transportation | flight and all ground transportation as per itinerary |
| Accomodation | Hotel/Resort |
| Starts at | Kathmandu |
| Ends at | Kathmandu |
| Trip route | |
| Cost | USD 2,510 per person |
The flight into the Himalayas reveals breathtaking views of the great peaks of Mt. Dorje Lakpa (6,966 m), Mt. Ganesh Himal (7,422 m), Mt. Langtang (7,227 m), etc., (weather permitting) taking you right into the Himalayan capitals at Kathmandu. After immigration formality at the airport, you will be greeted and welcomed by a Sampurna Adventure personnel & transferred to your hotel, Spend the rest of the day at leisure for personal activities, explore around the city center or take a rest following your program briefing, overnight at the hotel.
(Optional: Early morning an optional Mount Everest flight tour – The Highest Mountain on Earth).
Visit Kathmandu Durbar square (a UNESCO World Heritage site), the most important monuments of the Nepalese capital in the open-air museum filled with the temples, courtyards and palace of the Malla Kings, who ruled over the city. Other impressive sights include a giant statue of Kal Bhairab, the God of Destruction, stunning Shiva-Parvati temples, Taleju, and the Kumari Palace, where the Kumari acknowledges their greetings from her window.
Swoyambhunath Stupa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is probably the most sacred ancient Buddhist pilgrimage site soaring above the city on a lofty hilltop, the fascinating, chaotic jumble of Buddhist and Hindu iconography, ancient carvings, the smell of incense and butter lamps, the mystical atmosphere is heightened by devotees who make a ritual circumambulation of the stupa, spinning the prayer wheels set into its base. This famous stupa is surrounded by typical houses of priests, Chaityas and monasteries.
Later visit Patan Durbar Square (World Heritage Site), the city of fine arts & crafts in metal, stone, and terracotta, it is famous for its rich cultural heritage, where you will see its ancient palace with golden gate and window, temples of Krishna, Shiva, Golden temple (Hiranya Barna Mahabihar) as well as monasteries & beautiful courtyard.
Bhaktapur, a UNESCO World Heritage site & the medieval capital city, visit Bhaktapur Durbar Square, surrounded by spectacular architecture and vividly showcases the skills of the Newari artists and craftsmen over several centuries, an example of exquisite woodworks in the Palace of 55 windows with its golden gate, the beautiful Dattatreya, Nyatapola with Bhairab Temple and ceramics Square,
Pashupatinath, a "UNESCO World Heritage site", the sacred Hindu Shiva temple, serves as the seat of the national deity, this "extensive Hindu temple ground" offers an "extensive collection of temples, ashrams, sculptures” etc. for centuries along the banks of the sacred river Bagamati, considered Varanasi for Hindus, where we could witness their final rituals of cremation.
Boudhanath, "a UNESCO World Heritage site", it’s a massive mandala that makes it one of the largest spherical Stupas in the world, where many Tibetan refugees residing since 1960, in its premises have built more than 50 Buddhist monasteries. The Stupa is said to have buried the remains of Kassapa Buddha.
In the morning at the scheduled time transfer to the airport to catch a flight to Lhasa, this hour-enchanting flight over the Himalayas provides us with a spectacularly breathtaking view of the highest peaks on the earth, (Weather permitting) we could see including Mt. Everest (8,848 m), Nuptse (7,861 m), Lhotse (8,516 m), Ama Dablam (6,812 m), etc. After immigration formality at the airport, we will be greeted with Khata (Scarf) and welcomed by your local Tibetan guide of Sampurna Adventure, then transferred to our hotel taking us along the banks of the Kyichhu River through the western city of Gonggar, we will have first sight of the Potala Palace from afar.
After checking in at the hotel, we spend the remainder of the day relaxing and allowing our bodies to acclimate or light walk around the hotel area.
In the morning visit the Potala Palace, the winter palace of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. It is a 13th-storied complex monument rising to a height above 117m which houses 10,000 shrines and over 200,000 images and about 1000 rooms. In the afternoon visit the 7th century Jokhang Temple, at the heart of Lhasa is the most sacred temple of all Tibet and a Power Place in all of Tibet. Queen Bhrikuti a Nepalese princess married to King Songtsen Gampo founded Jokhang Temple in recognition of Queen Bhrikuti, of the temple's main gate faces west towards Nepal. The most impressive structure of the Jokhang Temple is the many chapels surrounding the temple. Later you can walk and shop in the popular Barkhor Square (Bazaar) where all kinds of Tibetan handicrafts, Buddhist artifacts, carpets, paintings, etc. are all on sale for your delight.
This morning, we will drive 8km northwest of Lhasa to visit Drepung Monastery. It was the residence of the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Dalai Lamas. This winter Palace was the residence of hundreds of monks from all the major Geluk monasteries for staffing individual Chapels. The 20,000 sq. MT complex has survived unscathed even during the Cultural Revolution. In the afternoon visit, Sera Monastery founded in 1419, 5km away from Lhasa. It sits in the prettiest and most charming atmosphere at the base of Mount Purbuchok. Sera Monastery used to be an important center for learning where about 6,000 monks resided. The most intriguing feature here is the nine-meter gilded image; here one can also witness the practicing debate among the monks, who pitch their knowledge against each other.
At the scheduled time, transfer to the airport to catch a flight to Kathmandu, after immigration formality on arrival you will be greeted and welcomed by Sampurna Adventure personnel & transferred to your hotel, rest of the day is free for personal activities, we can explore the narrow lively and endless streets of Thamel town where we will find all kinds of good restaurants, typical Nepali handicraft, fine jewelry, clothing, and trekking gear store, etc.
Transfer to the airport in the morning at the scheduled time to catch a flight to Bhutan, on arrival you will receive at Paro Airport (7,000ft) and then transfer to Thimphu, drive through the beautiful valleys of Paro and Thimphu to the capital of Bhutan – Thimphu.
In the afternoon visit the famous King's memorial Chorten built in the memory of Lt. His Majesty the King by Royal Queen Mother, where one could see the devotion of the local layman spinning prayer wheels and murmuring mantras, while circumambulating the Chorten, visit Tashichodzong, situated on the banks of Wang Chhu. It is home of the National Assembly and the summer residence of capital's venerated monastic community. The Dzong is the impressive result of a redesign of the original medieval structure sanctioned by the Third King, HM Jigme Dorji Wangchuck.
Morning visit to Kuensel Phodrang – the largest Buddha statue of 51.5 meter, a 'Vajra Throne' Buddha, "to bestow blessings, peace and happiness on the whole world", its viewpoint offers the magnificent view of Thimphu valley, the statue will house over one hundred thousand smaller Buddha statues;
Visit Takin preserve center to see the National animal “Takin”, Bhutan's National Library is located close to the Thangka painting school and contains arguably the best collection of religious and historic literature in the Himalayas. The country has its own brand of Himalayan medicines and this can be seen at the Indigenous Hospital. The Textile and Folk Heritage Museum opened in year 2001 is fascinating testimony of the Bhutanese material culture and living traditions.
Departure to Punakha, we stop at the famous Dochula Pass, (3,100 m) here we will visit the 108 beautiful stupa, with an oriental view of the Himalayas (according to weather). After lunch we continue 2 hrs, journey to Punakha, in the afternoon walk through the Punakha valley visiting the rural house,
Morning visit Punakha Dzong, stands at the confluence of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers, which is the winter home of the head of Central Monastic Body led by HH the Je Khenpo (the chief abode), this place is the old capital of the country and the seat of government until 1955, later the capital was moved to Thimphu.
The Dzong was constructed by Tuebi Zaow Balip in 1637; the country's most beautiful Dzong. The Dzong houses the most sacred relics of the Southern Drukpa Kagyu School including the Rangjung Kasarpani, in 1907, Punakha Dzong was the site of the coronation of Ugyen Wangchuck as the first King of Bhutan. Three years later, a treaty was signed at Punakha whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs.
Visit to Chimi Lhakhang, an important Buddhist monastery/ temple in Punakha, Bhutan. It stands on a round hillock and was built in 1499 by the 14th Drukpa hierarch, Ngawang Choegyel, after the site was blessed by the "Divine Madman" the maverick saint Drukpa Kunley (1455–1529) who built a Chorten on the site.
He was known as the "Mad Saint" or “Divine Madman” for his unorthodox ways of teaching Buddhism by singing, humor and outrageous behavior, which amounted to being bizarre, shocking and with sexual overtones. He is also the saint who advocated the use of phallus symbols as paintings on walls and as flying carved wooden phalluses on house tops at four corners of the eves. The monastery is the repository of the original wooden symbol of phallus that Kunley brought from Tibet. This wooden phallus is decorated with a silver handle and is used to bless people who visit the monastery on pilgrimage, particularly women seeking blessings to beget children. The tradition at the monastery is to strike pilgrims on the head with that wooden phallus. It is traditionally symbols of male organ, in Bhutan have been intended to drive away the evil eye and malicious gossip.
Later in the evening transfer to Thimphu.
Drive to Taktsang Monastery base point, we hike to Taktsang Palphug Monastery (known as Tiger's Nest), a prominent most sacred site located in the Cliffside of the upper Paro valley. Built in 1692, the Taktsang cave where Guru Padmasambhava is said to have meditated for more than three years in the 8th century.
Padma Sambhava is credited for introducing Buddhism to Bhutan and is the tutelary deity of the country where most people visit in their lifetime.
On the way back, visit Drugyel Dzong, the Dzong is of historical importance, from whose ramparts the Bhutanese repelled Tibetan invaders. On a clear day one can view the sacred Mount Chomolhari, Mountain of Goddess (24,000 ft.). Visit Kyichhu Lhakhang / Jowo Temple of Kyichhu is one of the oldest temples in Bhutan, built in the 7th century by the Tibetan Emperor Songtsen Gampo. It is considered to be one of the four (4) border taming temples he built. Ever since then the annual rites of great accomplishment for the deities Vajrasattva, Palchen Heruka, and Vajrakilaya have been held in this temple for the wellbeing of the country under the patronage of Kesang Choden Wangchuck.
You can also experience hot-stone bath at farm house.
At the arranged time, transfer to the airport for departure flight to Kathmandu, on arrival you will be greeted and welcome by Sampurna Adventure personal & transferred to your Hotel, Rest of the day for personal activities, you can explore the narrow lively and endless streets of Thamel where you will find all kinds of good restaurants, full of typical Nepali handicraft, fine jewelry and clothing and trekking gear store. Overnight in the hotel.
Leisurely breakfast, in the morning free for personal activities, later at the arranged time transfer to the airport for final departure to connect onward flight. We wish you a safe flight and hope to serve you back in near future.
End of Service.