Mountains and Monasteries

Itinerary

Days 1-3 Beijing

Discover the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and the awe-inspiring Great Wall.

Days 4-5 Xi'an

China's imperial centre for 2,000 years, don't miss Xi'an's Terracotta Warriors.

Day 6 Xiahe

Join pilgrims as they complete a prayer circut around the Labrang Monastery.

Day 7-8 Langmusi

See where nomads and Tibetan monks come together and take a tour of Langmusi's working monastery.

Days 9-10 Homestay/Tibetan Grasslands

Experience Tibetan nomadic life on a homestay on the banks of the Yellow River.

Day 11 Chengdu

Pass through stunning Sichuan scenery en route to Chengdu, home of the spicy hot pot.

Days 12-16 Lhasa

Fly to Lhasa, a place of beauty and mysticism. Learn a few words of Tibetan and enjoy a cooking class. Visit the very special Potala Palace, the Jokhang and the Barkhor pilgrim circuit.

Day 17 Samye

Spend the night in the atmospheric shadow of Tibet's oldest monastery, which mirrors the structure of the universe according to Buddhist cosmology.

Day 18 Gyantse

Listen to the monks' morning prayers before taking a spectacular drive across the Kamba Pass. Make the pilgrim circuit at Gyantse Kubum, through a dizzying series of tiny chapels filled with colourful Buddhist images.

Days 19-21 Shigatse/Sakya

Explore two of Tibet's most spriritually important towns. Explore the Tashilhunpo Monastery, visited daily by hundreds of devotees.

Days 22-23 Everest National Park

Discover the world's highest monastery, Rongphu, situated at 5,000 m above sea level. Get higher again, trekking up to Tibet's own Everest Base Camp - the view from here is out of this world.

Day 24 Zhangmu

As the Tibetan Plateau abruptly ends, the harsh landscape transforms into lush green valleys.

Days 25-26 Dhulikhel

Across the Nepalese border, enjoy panoramic views of the Himalayas.

Days 27-28 Kathmandu

The journey ends in the narrow streets of Kathmandu, with its great food and memorable sights.