Discover Tibet

Grade 1 2 3 4 5
Grade 2 – Moderate
Tours in the foothills and the lower middle-hills going up to 10,000'/ 3,000m. Roads are generally good, but at times may involve short "off-road" stretches. Average driving is 3-5 hours a day.

Click here for a full explanation of Trip Difficulty Grading

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Tour Difficulty Grading

Our Nepal and Bhutan tours are graded easy to moderate, involving activities such as driving, sightseeing, short walks, boating, canoe and elephant rides. They take you to the foothills of the Himalaya, well below 10,000'/ 3,000m, or further down to the lowlands. Where long overland drives are involved, we use 4WD Toyota Land Cruiser jeeps for smaller groups and Toyota Coaster minibuses for larger groups. For overland trips between Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Chitwan, we use deluxe tourist bus services. The roads may take us up a Himalayan gorge or through the open plains of the Terai. Wherever they take you to, the views are breathtaking; driving through the land offers spectacular pictures of Nepal's diverse landscapes. Tours are graded on the basis of altitude, road condition, driving hours per day, and length of trip.

Grade 1 – Easy
Tours in the foothills staying below 6,500'/ 2,000m. Roads are relatively good, and average driving is 2-3 hours a day.
Grade 2 – Moderate
Tours in the foothills and the lower middle-hills going up to 10,000'/ 3,000m. Roads are generally good, but at times may involve short "off-road" stretches. Average driving is 3-5 hours a day.
Grade 3 – Challenging
Fairly demanding tours, usually in the high Himalaya, going up to 13,000'/ 4,000m. Roads can be unpaved and bumpy, and will usually take you into uninhabited or sparsely inhabited areas. Average driving is 5-6 hours a day.
Grade 4 – Demanding
These trips require participants to be in good health. All of them take you into the high Himalaya, altitudes ranging from 9,000'/ 2,800m to often in excess of 16,500'/ 5,000m. Roads venture into sparsely populated or uninhabited high-mountain wilderness. Average driving is 6-9 hours a day.
Note on altitudes
The altitude definitions indicate elevations through the major part of the tour. Tours usually involve side-trips into elevations exceeding the altitude ranges defined for their grades. Grade 3 & 4 tour itineraries are designed to allow proper acclimatization, with acclimatization days when we take exploratory trips to higher elevations.

 

6 days – 2-day drive from Lhasa to Gyantse and Shigatse
  • Tours of the Potala, Norbu Lingka, Jokhang & Barkhor, Sera & Drepung monasteries, Tashi Lhunpo, and Palkor Chode
  • Drive from Lhasa skirting the Yamdrok Tso to Gyantse and Shigatse.
  • Drive from Shigatse to Lhasa on the northern highway along the Yarlung Tsangpo
  • Flights over the Himalaya between Kathmandu and Lhasa
maitreya-tashi-lhunpo-270x180This 6-day tour offers a comprehensive Tibet experience for those with limited time, taking in the major sights of Lhasa, Gyantse, and Shigatse.

After experiencing the highlights of Lhasa, we embark on our short overland trip driving along the turquoise blue waters of the Yamdrok Tso to Gyantse. Here we visit the Palkor Chode monastery and the immaculate Kumbum stupa, architecturally unique in the world of Buddhism. We then drive on to Shigatse, Tibet’s second largest city. The Tashi Lhunpo monastery here — the seat of the Panchen Lama — houses the impressive gilded statue of Maitreya, the Future Buddha. We return to Lhasa via the northern highway along the beautiful valley of the Yarlung Tsangpo.

Discover Tibet is the ideal trip for those short on time desiring a comprehensive experience of Tibet’s cultural heritage, religious landmarks, and spellbinding landscapes.

Trip Itinerary

Day 1  Fly Kathmandu – Gongkar; drive to Lhasa.
Day 2-3  Lhasa: the Jokhang, Potala, Norbu Lingka, Sera and Drepung monastery.
Day 4  Drive to Gyantse skirting the Yamdrok Tso. Visit Palkor Chode and Kumbum Stupa. Continue drive to Shigatse.
Day 5  Visit Tashilhunpo monastery. Drive back to Lhasa along the Yarlung Tsangpo.
Day 6  Drive to Gongkar airport. Fly to Kathmandu.

Dates and Pricing

Aug 18 - Aug 23
Sep 1 - Sep 6
Sep 15 - Sep 20
Sep 29 - Oct 4
Oct 13 - Oct 18

Oct 27 - Nov 1
Nov 10 - Nov 15
Nov 24 - Nov 29
Dec 8 - Dec 13
Dec 22 - Dec 27

  Standard Hotels
4 - 5 personsUS$ 1,160
6 - 8 personsUS$ 1,015
9 - 12 personsUS$ 925
Single room supplement US$ 195
Airfare Kathmandu - Lhasa - KathmanduUS$ 747
Cost Information
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Cost Information

The tour cost quoted is the cost per person, and includes:

  • Hotels: Accommodations on twin / triple room-sharing basis with breakfast.
  • Tours: All sightseeing tours with a certified native English-speaking guide.
  • Transfers: All land transfers by car (Toyota Corolla or similar) or van (Toyota Hiace or similar).
  • Permits, Fees, & Taxes: All applicable monastery entry fees on sightseeing tours, Tibet permit (ATP) fees, and taxes.

Not included in the cost are:

  • Airfare Kathmandu - Lhasa. Airfares quoted are subject to change without notice.
  • China group visa fee (US$ 145 for U.S. nationals, US$ 85 for non-U.S. nationals – subject to change without notice).
  • Meals other than breakfast.
  • Personal clothing & equipment (upon confirmation you’ll receive a clothing & necessity checklist of items we recommend you bring).
  • Personal expenses, bottled / alcoholic beverages, and tips to crew.
  • Insurance: We strongly recommend that all trip participants be covered by their own personal insurance that also covers emergency evacuation.
  • Photography charges Some places may charge for taking photographs.
  • Other unforeseeable expenses that may arise due to factors beyond our control, such as landslides or flight cancellations.
  • Nepal re-entry visa It is advisable to get a double- / multiple-entry visa for Nepal.

 
  Standard Hotels
LhasaHotel Dhood Gu
ShigatseShigatse Hotel
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Suggested Trips

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The Holy City of Lhasa


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Tibet Explorer


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Tibet Overland


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Lhasa - Kathmandu Overland


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A Spell in Druk Yul


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Thimphu Tsechu