Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet Tour- 3 Country Tour

Arrive in Kathmandu. You are picked up at the airport and stay at the Thamel Eco Resort or similar. Please plan to arrive late on a Sunday or Tuesday.

A full day of sightseeing in the Kathmandu Valley, including the Hindu temple complex at Pashupatinath (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the largest Buddhist stupa at Boudhanath. Also visit Swayambhunath, the Monkey Temple (2,000 years old), and the city of Patan. Later, drive to Nagarkot (7,200 ft), a hill station with views of the Himalayas on a clear day.

Early in the morning, watch the sunrise from Nagarkot, which on a clear day gives a wide mountain panorama. Optionally, hike for about 3 to 4 hours to Dhulikhel. Overnight in Dhulikhel.

Early in the morning, watch the sunrise and mountain views from Dhulikhel. Drive to Bhaktapur for sightseeing, then return to Kathmandu and prepare for the Tibet trip. You can join a Nepali cultural show and dinner.

Fly to Lhasa Gonggar Airport. After arriving in Lhasa, check in to the hotel. If time permits, visit the Jokhang Temple, Tibet's holiest temple, with its valuable statues and frescoes. The Jokhang is the oldest temple in Tibet. It holds a statue of the Buddha at 11 years old, which was given to Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century by the family of his Chinese queen. Overnight in Lhasa.

In Lhasa there is plenty of time to explore the Potala Palace, the former home of the Dalai Lama and Tibet's best-known landmark, with over 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines and a golden roof containing over 3,500 kg of gold. You also visit the Norbulingka, the Summer Palace, from which the present Dalai Lama left in 1959. If time permits, we take you to Sera and Drepung monasteries near Lhasa. For shopping, visit the Barkhor, the busy bazaar of old Lhasa, which lies on the pilgrims' circuit around the Jokhang.

A scenic drive over the Kamba La and Karo La passes, with a good view of Yamdrok Tso lake. In Gyantse, visit Kumbum monastery, then drive from Gyantse to Shigatse (3,900m). Shigatse is home to Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, the seat of the Panchen Lama. Visit Tashi Lhunpo Monastery and the surrounding area. Overnight at the hotel.

The drive crosses a pass with wide mountain views. From base camp there is a close view of the north face of Mount Everest. Overnight in Lao Tingri.

Early in the morning, drive from Lao Tingri to the Kerung border and complete immigration and customs formalities. The drive gives good views of the high mountains. Continue to Kathmandu and check in to the hotel.

The Druk Air flight into Paro gives a good first view of Bhutan. In clear weather there are views of the world's highest peaks before you land in the green Paro valley. After clearing customs and visa control, you meet your guide and go to Paro town for lunch. After lunch, visit Ta Dzong, an ancient watchtower that now houses the National Museum. Below the museum is Paro Rinpung Dzong, the centre of civil and religious authority in the valley. A short walk takes you to the base of the dzong and across a traditional covered cantilever bridge. A short distance further is one of the many archery grounds (archery is the national sport of Bhutan), where you may see a match in progress. In the late afternoon, drive to Thimphu, the modern capital of Bhutan, which takes around 1.5 hours. Thimphu has a population of about 98,000. The town centre has just three lines of shops, and it is the only capital in the world without traffic lights. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Sightseeing in Thimphu includes the National Memorial Chorten and the National Library, which holds valuable ancient Buddhist manuscripts. Also visit the Folk Heritage Museum, which shows the rural Bhutanese past through items used in rural households, and the Textile Museum, which preserves the art of traditional weaving and has a good collection of old textiles in rich colours and designs. You also visit the Handicrafts Emporium, which sells all types of Bhutanese handicrafts. After lunch, drive to Punakha. Leaving Thimphu, the road climbs steeply through pine and cedar forest hung with lichen, up to the Dochula Pass (3,050m). The pass often gives panoramic views of the Himalayan ranges. After a stop for tea and the view, we descend a series of hairpin bends to the fertile Punakha Valley. In the afternoon, visit Punakha Dzong, the winter seat of the Je Khenpo and the ancient capital of Bhutan, which stands between the Mo Chu (female) and Pho Chu (male) rivers. Then drive back to Paro. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

In the morning, drive 16 km north up the Paro valley to visit the ruins of Drukgyal Dzong. It was built in 1647 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the founder and unifier of medieval Bhutan. The dzong was destroyed by an accidental fire and left in ruins as a reminder of the victories it was built to commemorate. Explore the ramparts; on a clear day there is a view of Mt. Jhomolhari (7,314m). Then drive to Satsam Chorten and hike (or ride a horse) up to Paro Taktsang Monastery (Tiger's Nest). The horse ride to the cafeteria takes around one and a half hours. From the viewpoint there is a clear view of the monastery, where Guru Padmasambhava is said to have landed on the back of a tigress in the 8th century. We then walk back down to the road and drive to Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in Bhutan. The day ends with a walk through Paro's main shopping area. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Kathmandu (if you are extending the tour), or fly home the same day or on to Delhi or Bangkok.