Reduced Itinerary Detailed Itinerary Useful Information Documents

From Lhasa (ལྷ་ས་) to Kathmandu (काठमांडौ) with  

Where are we now?

 

               Welcome to a new YokmoK's exploration journey. This three-week trip begins in the Chinese city of Xining (Qinghai Province), place of departure of the train that will take us to Lhasa (Tibet's administrative capital). This railroad of 1,957 km, known as the Qinghai-Tibet line, was inaugurated on July 1st 2006 and is considered the highest railway line in the world, crossing the high Tibetan plateau and being the Tanggula pass, at 5,072 m (16,640 feet), its highest point. Our final destination, Lhasa, is reached after 27 hours by train.

               We will stay in Lhasa for 3 whole days and while we get used to the altitude (3,490 m) we will visit the Potala Palace, the Jokhang, Drepung and Sera monasteries, and the temple of Ramoche. From there, we will move north on a 4 days trip towards Nam Tso lake, at 4,718 m, while visiting the monasteries of Tsurphu, Reting and Ganden in our way, and spending nights in Damxung, Reting, Tidrum before going back to Lhasa.

               From Lhasa we will start our route to the Everest base camp, passing first through the Yarlung Tsangpo valley where we will find the monasteries of Mindroling, Samye, Trandruk and Samding (in the Yamdrok lake area), and passing by Gyantse and Shigatse later, resting in the monasteries of Palkhor Chode, Gyantse Kumbum, Shhalu, Trashilhumpo, Phuntsoling, Jonang Kumbum, and finally Sakya. From Lhaze we will head to the Geu La pass, at 5.170 meters of altitude, crossing the mountains to reach the Rongbuk monastery, where we will finally reach the Everest base camp, at 5.208 meters (17,090 feet).

               From the slopes of the Everest we will leave towards Zhangmu, at the border with Nepal, but we will pass first by the Pelku Tso lake while visiting the village of Tingri. Once at the border, we will enter Nepal and head toward the bustling Kathmandu by bus.

               In Kathmandu we will spend 4 days, time devoted to stroll through the streets of Thamel, do some shopping and visit Bakhtaphur, Pashupatinath, Patan, Changu Narayan and the Boudanath stupa. And from there, we will head back home.


Main points that we are visiting



Reduced Itineray

Day Origin Destination Transport
01 (17 Oct, Sat) Geneva Brussels - Beijing Plane (06:25 - 05:30+1)
02 (18 Oct, Sun) Beijing Xining Plane (08:15 - 10:50) + Train from Xining
03 (19 Oct, Mon) Train from Xining Lhasa Train
04 (20 Oct, Tue) Lhasa Lhasa On foot
05 (21 Oct, Wed) Lhasa Lhasa On foot
06 (22 Oct, Thu) Lhasa Lhasa On foot
07 (23 Oct, Fri) Lhasa Tidrum Nunnery 4x4
08 (24 Oct, Sat) Tidrum Nunnery Reting Monastery 4x4
09 (25 Oct, Sun) Reting Monastery Damxung or Nam-Tso 4x4
10 (26 Oct, Mon) Damxung or Nam-Tso Lhasa 4x4
11 (27 Oct, Tue) Lhasa Tsetang 4x4
12 (28 Oct, Wed) Tsetang Tsetang On foot
13 (29 Oct, Thu) Tsetang Gyantse 4x4
14 (30 Oct, Fri) Gyantse Gyantse On foot
15 (31 Oct, Sat) Gyantse Shigatse 4x4
16 (01 Nov, Sun) Shigatse Lhatse 4x4
17 (02 Nov, Mon) Lhatse Rongphu Monastery 4x4
18 (03 Nov, Tue) Rongphu Monastery Peiku-Tso 4x4
19 (04 Nov, Wed) Peiku-Tso Kathmandu (Nepal) 4x4 - Bus
20 (05 Nov, Thu) Kathmandu Kathmandu Taxi/Bus
21 (06 Nov, Fri) Kathmandu Kathmandu Taxi/Bus
22 (07 Nov, Sat) Kathmandu Kathmandu Taxi/Bus
23 (08 Nov, Sun) Kathmandu New Delhi - London - Geneva Train


Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 October 17th     Flight (Geneva - Brussels), Flight (Brussels - Beijing)
Easyjet, Flight 1533: Geneva - Brussels
Leaving at 06:25h
Arrival at 07:40h

Hainan Airlines, Flight HU492: Brussels - Beijing
Leaving at 13:50h

Day 2 October 18th     Flight (Beijing - Xining), Train (Xining - Lhasa)
Hainan Airlines, Flight HU492: Brussels - Beijing
Arrival at 05:30h

Air China, Flight CA1207: Beijing - Xining
Leaving at 08:15h
Arrival at 10:50h

Train: Xining - Lhasa

Day 3 October 19th     Train (Xining - Lhasa)
Train: Xining - Lhasa

Sleep in Hotel Kyichu (double room Y360)

Day 4 October 20th     Lhasa
Services: internet, laundry, hospital, bank, post office

Visit: Barkhor area, kora (pilgrimage circuit), main comercial district for tibetans
             the Jokhang (Y70), the most revered religious structure in Tibet
             Potala palace (Y100), Lhasa’s cardinal landmark; one of the wonders of Eastern architecture
             around Potala: Drubthub nunnery, Palha Lu-puk (Y10), Chagpo Ri (which means iron mountain) and Parma Ri (smaller hill with interesting sights)

Sleep in Hotel Kyichu (double room Y360)

Day 5 October 21st     Lhasa
Visit: Ramoche temple (Y20) - the sister temple to The Jokhang, but built in Chinese style
             Gyüme, one of Tibet’s foremost Tantric training colleges
             other temples: Tsome Ling, Tengye Ling, Shide Tratsang, Rigsum Lhakhang and Pode Kangtsang

Sleep in Hotel Kyichu (double room Y360)

Day 6 October 22nd     Around Lhasa
Visit: Drepung monastery (Y55) - west of central Lhasa; was at one time the world’s largest monastery.
             Nechung monastery (Y5) - 10 minutes walk downhill from Drepung Monastery.
             Sera monastery (Y55) - 5km north of central Lhasa.
             Pabonka monastery (free) - one of the most ancient Buddhist sites in the Lhasa region.

Sleep in Hotel Kyichu (double room Y360)

Day 7 October 23rd     from Lhasa to the Tidrum Nunnery
Visit: Ganden monastery (Y25), at 4.500 m high and 40 Km northeast of Lhasa, stupendous views of the surrounding Kyi-chu Valley.
             Tidrum Nunnery (Y5), at 4.325 m high., northwest of Drigung Til and 16km up a side valley; medicinal hot springs.

Sleep in Tidrum Nunnery (Y30)

Day 8 October 24th     Tidrum Nunnery to Reting monastery
Visit: Drigung Til monastery (Y25), at 4.150 m and 120 km northeast of Lhasa.
             Reting monastery (Y20), at 4.100 m, one of the most beautiful in the region.

Sleep in Reting monastery

Day 9 October 25th     from Reting monastery to Nam-Tso or Damxung
Visit: Talung monastery, at 4.150 m high, and 119 km north of Lhasa.
             Nam-Tso lake (Y40), at 4.718 m high and 240 km northwest of Lhasa. The 2nd largest saltwater lake in China.

Sleep in Nam-Tso or in Damxung, going back to Lhasa

Day 10 October 26th     from Nam-Tso to Lhasa
Visit: Tsurphu monastery (Y40), at 4.480 m high and 65 km west of Lhasa.
             back to Lhasa.

Sleep in Hotel Kyichu (double room Y360)

Day 11 October 27th     from Lhasa to Tsetang
Visit: Mindroling monastery (Y25). One of the most important Nyingmapa monasteries in Ü region.
             Samye monastery. Designed to represent the Buddhist universe.
             Tsetang, at 3.100 m and 183 km southeast of Lhasa. Important Chinese administrative centre and army base.

Sleep in Hotel Yulong

Day 12 October 28th     Tsetang
Services: internet, post office, telecom

Visit: Tsetang at 3.100 m, 183 km southeast of Lhasa.
             Monastery Kora. The small monasteries in the Tibetan quarter are worth a brief visit.
             Yarlung Valley: Trandruk Monastery (Y30) and Yumbulagang palace (Y15)

Sleep in Hotel Yulong

Day 13 October 29th     from Tsetang to Gyantse
Visit: Yamdrok-Tso lake, at 4.488 m, one of the four holy lakes of Tibet.
             Samding monastery (Y10), 10 km east of Nangartse.
             Gyantse, at 3.950 m high, in the Nyang-chu valley.

Sleep in Hotel Jianzhang (Y200 double room)

Day 14 October 30th     Gyantse
Visit: Pelkor Chöde monastery (Y40, including the entrance to Gyantse Kumbum)
             Gyantse Kumbum. The town’s foremost attraction
             Gyantse Dzong (Y30). 14th century fort with amazing views.

Sleep in Hotel Jianzhang (Y200 double room)

Day 15 October 31st     from Gyantse to Shigatse
Services in Shigatse: internet, bank, post office, telephone

Visit: Tashilunpo monastery (Y55). Impressive monastery.
             Shalu monastery (Y40), at 19km south of Shigatse
             Shigatse, at 3.900 m high and 250 km southwest of Lhasa; Tibet’s second largest town.

Sleep in Hotel Tenzin (Y200 double room with private bathroom)

Day 16 November 1st     from Shigatse to Lhatse
Services in Lhatse: internet, hot shower

Visit: Phuntsoling monastery (Y30). Was once the central monastery of the Jonangpas.
             Jonang Kumbum, two-hour walk from Phuntsoling.
             Sakya monastery (Y45).
             Lhatse, at 4.050 m high and 150 km southwest of Shigatse.

Sleep in Hotel Lhatse Tibetan Farmers Adeventure (Y90 double room)

Day 17 November 2nd     from Lhatse to the Everest Base Camp and Rongphu monastery
Visit: Rongphu monastery, at 4.980 m high (free entrance).
             Everest Base Camp, at 5.200 m high.

Sleep in Rongphu monastery (Y25)

Day 18 November 3rd     from Rongphu monastery to Peiku-Tso lake
Visit: Tingri, at 4.390 m high. Photogenic huddle of Tibetan homes.
             Peiku-Tso lake, at 4591M, with stunning views of Shisha Pangma (8.013 m) and Nepal’s Langtang range.

Sleep in Peiku-Tso area

Day 19 November 4th     from Peiku-Tso to Kathmandu (Nepal)
Services in Zhangmu: internet, hot shower, bank

Visit: Zhangmu, at 2.300 m., is the typical border town.
             At the Chinese immigration (Zhangmu), fill in an exit form and health declaration.
             Take the Friendship Bridge to Kodari (Nepal) where we have to show our passports. From Zhangmu to Kodari, which is about 10km, we can walk or hitchhike.
             At the Nepali immigration (Kodari), show passport with Nepali visa
             From Kodari to Kathmandu, we have different possibilities:
              1 - There is one daily bus at 2pm direct to Kathmandu (Rs160, 4 ½ hours)
              2 - There are buses every hour to Barabise (Rs55, 3 hours) and there we have to take another bus to Kathmandu (Rs86, last bus around 4pm)
              3 - We can also take a taxi for around Rs2000, Rs500 a seat and the trip takes about 5 hours.

Services in Kathmandu: internet, laundry, hospital, bank, hot shower, post office, tourist office

Sleep in el Hotel Ganesh Himal (14 USD double room + 10% service charge + 13% government tax)

Day 20 November 5th     Kathmandu
Visit: Bhaktapur, at half an hour taxi ride from Kathmandu (around Rs 800 for all).
             Changu Narayan temple (Rs 60), UNESCO site, at 22 Km from Kathmandu and Km north of Bhaktapur
             Thimi (visit Balkumari temple)

Sleep in Hotel Ganesh Himal (14 USD double room + 10% service charge + 13% government tax)

Day 21 November 6th     Kathmandu
Visit: Kirtipur
             at Chobar, the Adinath Lokeshwar temple of XV siecle, at 2 Km south of Kirtipur
             Patan, at 2 Km of Chobar

Sleep in Hotel Ganesh Himal (14 USD double room + 10% service charge + 13% government tax)

Day 22 November 7th     Kathmandu
Visit: Swayambunath stupa (monkies temple)
             Gokarna Mahadev temple
             Boudanath stupa (biggest)

Sleep in Hotel Ganesh Himal (14 USD double room + 10% service charge + 13% government tax)

Day 23 November 8th     from Kathmandu to Geneva
Jet Airways, Flight 9W263: Kathmandu - Delhi (India)
Leaving at 10:30h
Arrival at 12:00h

Virgin Atlantic, Flight VS301: Delhi - London
Leaving at 13:45h
Arrival at 17:55h

British Airways, Flight BA738: London - Geneva
Leaving at 19:25
Arrival at 22:05h

 

Telephone numbers.

Service Address Phone Fax E-mail
EMBASSY
Embassy of Spain in Beijing Chancellery: Chaoyang Qu.Sanlitun Lu, 9.-100600 Beijing (8610) 6532 3629 (8610) 6532 3401 emb.pekin@maec.es
Consulate of Spain in Beijing Chancellery: Chaoyang Qu, Sanlitun Dongsijie, 9.- 100600 Beijing (8610) 6532 0780
(8610) 6532 0781
(8610) 6532 0782
Emergencies: 86 1391 1461 886
(8610) 6532 0784 cog.pekin@maec.es
Ms. Ambica Shrestha
Honoric Consul of Spain in Nepal
P.O. Box: 459, Battisputali, Kathmandu, Nepal 4479448
4470770
4479328
Movil: 977.9851021311
977.1.4471379 dwarikas@mos.com.np
POLICE STATIONS FOR FOREIGNERS
In Beijing QIANMEN DONG DAJIE Nº 9, C.P.100470 (010) 8522.5050    
In Lhasa LINKUO BEILU, nº 7 (0891) 6248 072    
HOSPITALS IN TIBET
Lhasa People's Hospital Beijing East Rd, Chengguan, Lhasa (0891) 6323302    
HOSPITALS IN NEPAL
Kathmandu Model Hospital P.O. Box 6064, Bagbazar, Katmandú +97 71 4250 848    
Medicare Hospital Chabhil, Day +97 71 4467 067    
OTHERS
UNIQA        
UBS   (41) 448283501    
C.A.        
Visa