20 Day Nepal Bhutan Tibet Chengdu Xian Beijing Exploration Tour

Welcome to the legendary Kathmandu – the "City of Temples” and the capital city of Nepal! Upon your arrival at Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport, your local guide will greet you to escort you to your private vehicle to transfer you to your local hotel and help you check in. The rest of the day will be free for you to rest and relax in your hotel room or you can begin to explore the local area on your own.

Accommodation: Overnight in Kathmandu

We will begin your exploration of Nepal with a short drive to visit Bhaktapur. Bhaktapur is an ancient city located about 13 kilometers (8 miles) east of Kathmandu. Bhaktapur, also known as Khwopa, was the capital of Nepal during the Malla Dynasty until the late 1400s and the largest of the three Newa kingdoms in the Kathmandu Valley. Bhaktapur has the most well-preserved palace courtyards and old city center in Nepal, with its rich culture, magnificent temples, wood, metal and stone artwork qualifying the city for inclusion as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

From Bhaktapur, we will drive to Patan, which was once its own independent kingdom and is now famous for its Patan Durbar Square. This former royal square is known for its many ancient temples and palaces that feature exquisitely carved artwork inside and out, and is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

After our visit to ancient Bhaktapur, we will transfer to the Kathmandu airport for the flight to Pokhara, the second largest city in Nepal that lies on the once vibrant trade route between India and Tibet. Even today, mule trains can be observed bringing goods from remote regions of the Himalayas. Pokhara has several beautiful lakes and offers fantastic panoramic views of three of the ten highest mountain peaks in the world. There are also numerous Buddhist and Hindu temples throughout the area, some of which are combined temples where devoted members of the different religions worship together in peace. Upon your arrival at the Pokhara airport, your local guide will greet you and take you to your local accommodations to check in for the night.

Accommodation: Overnight in Pokhara

Early this morning we will hike up to the village of Sarangkot for a spectacular sunrise over the sweeping Himalyan mountain peaks. From there we will hike on to the World Peace Pagoda, a beautiful monument built by Buddhist monks from Japan. We can also visit a Tibetan refugee settlement camp to learn more about this refugee community by viewing their photo gallery and enjoying a Tibetan-style lunch.

After lunch, we will visit a spectacular waterfall known as Davis Falls or Hell’s Falls located about 2 kilometers southwest of the Pokhara Airport on the road to Tanmen. From there we will visit Gupteswar Gupha, a sacred cave containing a temple dedicated to the Lord Shiva that ends in the Davis Falls.

From the cave we will travel on to Phewa Lake, the second largest lake in Nepal. Here you will have the option of taking a boat ride on the lake or walk/bicycle around the lakeshore. We can also visit the Bahari Temple, a two-story pagoda-style Hindu temple located on an island in the lake. After our visit to Phewa Lake, we will return to our local accommodations for the night.

Accommodation: Overnight in Pokhara

This morning after breakfast we will take you back to Pokhara Airport for the short flight to Kathmandu. Upon arrival at the Kathmandu airport, your local guide will escort you to your private car for more sightseeing in the Nepalese capital. First we’ll walk around the grand Kathmandu Durbar Square, one of three royal palace squares in the Kathmandu Valley, and the royal residence for Nepalese rulers until the 19th century. This was also the site for important ceremonies such as the coronation of Nepalese monarchs for centuries. One interesting feature at the south end of Kathmandu Durbar Square is the Kumari Chowk – a gilded cage that holds the Kumari, a young girl chosen through an ancient and mystical selection process to become the human incarnation of the Hindu mother goddess, Durga. This “living goddess” is worshipped during religions festivals and makes public appearances at other times when the appropriate fees are paid to her guards.

From Kathmandu Durbar Square, we will move on to Swayambhunath Temple, also known as the Monkey Temple due to the swarms of monkeys that inhabit the area. The Buddhist stupa at Swayambhunath is at least 1,500 years old and may be as much as 2,000 years old. It has a gilded spire and huge white dome located under thousands of multicolored prayer flags, with the spire having four faces of the Buddha looking out in all 4 directions. This religious complex consists of the ancient stupa and a variety of shrines and temples that are revered by both Buddhists and Hindus.

Accommodation: Overnight in Kathmandu

We will get an early start this morning as we take you to the Kathmandu airportfor your flight to Paro airport, the only international airport in Bhutan. This flight is unusually scenic with views of some of the world’s highest mountain peaks including Mount Everest along the way.

Upon arrival at the Paro airport, your local tour guide will escort you to your private vehicle where your driver will transport you to downtown Paro to begin your exploration of Bhutan. First up is a visit to the Bhutan National Museum to learn about this small country’s rich culture and history. The museum itself is housed in an ancient watchtower located on a hill above Rinpung Dzong, an ancient fortress and monastery also known as Paro Dzong, which we will also have the opportunity to visit today. From Rinpung Dzong we can walk across the cantilever bridge to Paro Town to explore the small town.

After our sightseeing in Paro, we will drive around 90 minutes to reach the capital city of Bhutan, Thimphu and check into our local accommodations for the night.

Accommodation: Overnight in Thimphu

This morning after breakfast we will visit the National Memorial Chorten, a stupa dedicated to the 3rd king of Bhutan, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. With its bells and golden spires, the stupa serves as an important religious center for Bhutan’s local population. From the National Memorial we will move on to the Traditional Painting School where students learn how to create the 13 traditional Bhutanese arts and crafts such as painting, woodcarving, embroidery, sculpture, etc. After visiting the school, we will see the National Textile Museum where we can learn about Bhutan’s “national living art” – textile weaving. The museum contains many examples of Bhutan’s traditional costumes and historic textiles.

Next we will explore the Motithang Takin Preserve, a wildlife preserve area for the takin, the national animal of Bhutan. This unique animal looks like a muskox but it is more closely related to sheep.

After our visit to the Motithang Takin Preserve, we will depart from Thimphu, driving through a forest of hemlock and pine trees to drive on to Punakha. Along the way we will travel through the Dochu La Pass (elevation 3050 meters / 10142 feet) where you can enjoy spectacular panoramic views of the majestic Himalayas.

Upon our arrival in Punakha, we will check into our local accommodations for the night.

Accommodation: Overnight in Punakha

This morning we will visit the Punakha Dzong, the second oldest and second largest dzong in Bhutan. Constructed in 1637 – 1638, the dzong houses the sacred relics of the souther Drukpa lineage of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism, including the Rangjung Kasarpani and the sacred remains of Ngawang Namgyal and the terton Pema Lingpa.

From the Punakha Dzong we will move on to the mysterious Chimi Lhakhang, a Buddhist monastery built on a hilltop in 1499 A.D. It is said that childless women can visit this temple to receive a blessing that will allow them to have a child.

After our visit to Chimi Lhaktang, we will take the scenic 3.5-hour drive back to Paro where we will check into our local accommodations for the night.

Accommodation: Overnight in Paro

This morning we will embark on the short drive to the upper valley of Paro, where we can get a fantastic view of Mt. Chomolhari, a Himalayan peak that straddles the border between Tibet and Bhutan. From there we will move on to the Taktsang trail for a 2 to 3-hour hike to the spectacular Taktsang Monastery. Also known as Paro Taktsang, the monastery was precariously built into a cliffside about 900 meters (2,953 feet) above the Paro Valley floor in 1692. It is also sometimes referred to as the Tiger’s Nest due to a legend that Guru Rinpoche flew to the site on the back of a flying tigress in the late 7th century. Along the way to the monastery we will stop at a small tea house for tea and snack food, with the view of the Taktsang Monastery and the Paro Valley providing an incredible backdrop as we rest.

After visiting the Taktsang Monastery, we will return to Paro to spend the night.

Accommodation: Overnight in Paro

Today you will have free time until we escort you to the Paro airport for the scenic flight back to Kathmandu. For the best views, sit on the right hand side of the airplane to see the spectacular Himalayan mountain peaks along the way. Upon your arrival at the Kathamandu airport, your local guide will again greet you to escort you to your private vehicle to transfer you to your hotel and help you check in.

Accommodation: Overnight in Kathmandu

Today you will again have free time until we take you back to the Kathmandu airport for the short flight to Lhasa. (It is also possible to take an overland trip from Kathmandu to Lhasa through the Gyirong Port to see Mount Everest and visit Shigatse and Gyantse – if you would like this option, please consult with our friendly travel consultants!)

Welcome to Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet! Upon your arrival at the Lhasa Gonggar Airport or the Lhasa train station, your local tour guide will greet you to escort you to your private vehicle to transport you to your downtown Lhasa hotel. You will have the rest of the day free to rest and relax in your hotel and become acclimatized to the higher elevations of Tibet.

Accommodation: Overnight in Lhasa

This morning after a nice breakfast at your hotel, we will begin our exploration of this amazing city with a visit to the incredibly beautiful icon of Lhasa – the Potala Palace. Construction on the Potala Palace was begun in 1645 A.D. as an ideal location for a governmental building situated between the Drepung and Sera Monasteries and the old city of Lhasa, but it was built over an earlier fortress built by Songtsen Gampo in 637 A.D. Two chapels in the northwest corner of the complex still preserve parts of the orginal fortress. This spectacular complex, containing 13 stories of buildings with more than 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines and approximately 200,00 statues, was built into the side and top of Marpo Ri, the “Red Hill” and it remains as one of humanity’s most beautiful structures after nearly 400 years. We will have the opportunity to enter the palace complex and explore many of the stately chapels as we learn about its fascinating history.

From the towering Potala Palace we will move on the historic Jokhang Temple, which is widely considered as the most sacred temple in Tibetan Buddhism. The oldest parts of the Jokhang Temple date to 652 A.D. with the last renovation done in 1610 A.D. to create the structure as it stands today. This ancient temple contains a massive number of ancient religious artifacts, the most important of which is the Jowo Rinpoche, the most sacred statue in Tibet. This life-sized (5 foot, 1.5 meter) statue of Shakyamuni at the age of 12 was reportedly blessed by the Buddha himself and was brought to the Jokhang Temple by Princess Wencheng around 1,400 years ago.

After visiting the sacred Jokhang Temple, we will explore the area surrounding the temple on Barkhor Square and Barkhor Street. Barkhor Street travels around the Jokhang Temple in a circle for about 1 kilometer and it is a popular route for Tibetan pilgrims as a “kora” or religious circuit. The square and street have many shops and stalls selling a wide variety of traditional Tibetan goods, religious items, handicrafts and souvenirs.

After visiting Barkhor, we will return to our hotel for the night.

Accommodation: Overnight in Lhasa

Today after breakfast we will continue our in-depth exploration of this wonderful city with a visit to the beautiful Norbulingka Palace and Park, the location of the former summer palace of the Dalai Lamas from the 1780s up until 1959. It features the famous Potrang, the private palaces of former Dalai Lamas built in the grandiose style of traditional Tibetan architecture.

After visiting the palaces and park at Norbulingka, we will travel around 5 kilometers to the western outskirts of Lhasa to visit the Drepung Monastery. The word "drepung" in Tibetan language means "prosperity". Since its establishment in 1416, Drepung Monastery has served as one of the most important Buddhist monasteries in Tibet. During its prime, more than 10,000 monks lived and studied in the monastery. Throughout its history, many important and famous Tibetan leaders studied at this monastery, including the Dalai Lamas. Accordingly, Drepung Monastery is also respectfully known as the “Mother School of Dalai Lamas”.

In the afternoon, we will escort you on to another famous monastery in Lhasa - the Sera Monastery. Sera Monastery is famous for its spectacular “Buddhist Debates”. As a daily routine, the monks gather in a courtyard, and debate on the various Buddhist doctrines with exaggerated gestures, which is thought to be helpful in facilitating a better comprehension of the Buddhist philosophy to attain higher levels of study. After enjoying the "Buddhist Debates", we will take you back to your hotel with the rest of the day and evening to relax or explore on your own.

Accommodation: Overnight in Lhasa

Today you will have free time until we escort you to the Lhasa airport for your flight to Chengdu – the hometown of the Giant Panda. Upon your arrival at the Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, your local tour guide will greet you to take you to your private vehicle to transfer you to your downtown Chengdu hotel and help you check in. You will have the rest of the day free to rest and relax in your hotel room or you can begin to explore the local area on your own.

Accommodation: Overnight in Chengdu

This morning your local tour guide will pick you up from your Chengdu hotel to visit the Chengdu Giant Panda Research and Breeding Center – the world’s largest panda scientific research center and the residence of more than 100 giant pandas. You can stroll at your leisure through the bamboo lined pathways that lead to each panda home where you can closely observe giant pandas of all different ages as they eat bamboo, play with each other, climb trees, etc. You won’t want to miss the opportunity to see the mother pandas nursing their cubs in the center’s nursery rooms. You can also visit the very informative Panda Museum to learn about the history and science involved with this amazing species.

After meeting the pandas, we will take you back to downtown Chengdu to visit Old Jinli Street for a stroll on the lively streets full of delicious local snacks, traditional handicrafts, folk shows and much more. We can then visit the nearby Wuhou Temple, which is an ancient shrine dedicated to Zhuge Liang, the Marquis of Wu of the Kingdom of Shu during the Three Kingdoms period of China (220 – 280 A.D.) The shrine was originally established in 221 A.D. as a tomb for Shu Emperor Liu Bei, but the current temple was rebuilt in 1672 as it had evolved into a memorial for other rulers as well. One of the highlights of the temple is the 1,210-year old “Three Success Stele” that was erected in 809 A.D.

After visiting the Wuhou Temple, we will transfer you back to your hotel. You will have the rest of the day free to relax in your hotel room or explore around the hotel on your own.

Accommodation: Overnight in Chengdu

Today you will have free time until we pick you up from the lobby of your hotel to escort you to the Chengdu train station for the high-speed train to Xian. The train trip will take around 4 hours, so you will have plenty of time to relax on the comfortable train as you view China’s countryside speeding by from the windows of your train.

Upon your arrival at the Xian train station, your local tour guide will meet you to take you on to your hotel. You will have the rest of this day free on your own.

Accommodation: Overnight in Xian

This morning your local tour guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel to take you about 40 kilometers (25 miles) outside of the city to witness what is truly one of the greatest man-made wonders of the world – the Terracotta Warriors and Horses. The Terracotta Warriors and Horses were built around 2,200 years ago as part of a much larger complex known as the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang. In 221 B.C. Qin Shi Huang became the first emperor to conquer and unify the different warring states into the country of China. More than 8,000 life-sized warriors, horses and chariots made of terracotta and bronze were created and buried to protect the first emperor in the afterlife, standing in guard to the east of his actual burial tomb, facing those states that he conquered in unifying China. These life-sized figures are each unique, designed with different facial features, uniforms and body positions. It is truly awe-inspiring to visit this spectacular site and contemplate how they were so intricately designed thousands of years ago by such skilled Chinese artisans.

After visiting the Terracotta Warriors, we will take you to another of Xian’s ancient wonders - the Xian City Wall. Construction began on the wall in 1370 on top of an earlier existing palace wall that was built during the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 A.D.) Rectangular in shape, 12 meters high and 18 meters wide, the wall runs a total length of 14 kilometers (8.7 miles) around the inner city. Visitors can climb to the top of the wall for a walk with great views over the city, or bicycles are available for rent for biking along the top of the wall as well.

From the ancient city wall we will take you on to the lively Muslim Quarter, a historic section of the city that is great for walking around to see how the local people live while sampling the many traditional Xian snack foods. We can also walk around the nearby Drum and Bell Towers, which were constructed in 1380 A.D. and 1384 A.D. respectively, marking time in the ancient capital city with a bell being rung in the morning at sunrise and a drum struck in the evening to mark the sunset. These very well preserved towers have stood for centuries as reminders of Xian’s important place in world history.

Accommodation: Overnight in Xian

This morning after a nice breakfast at your hotel, we will take you on to visit the Da Cien Temple and its Big Wild Goose Pagoda. The temple was first constructed in 648 A.D. with the famous monk Xuanzhuang in charge – his epic journeys to and from India were the inspiration for the novel Journey to the West. Xuanzhuang oversaw construction of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda in 652 A.D. to store the precious Buddhist manuscripts that he brought back from India. 1,400 years later it is still possible to climb to the top of this pagoda for some great views over Xian.

From the historic Big Wild Goose Pagoda, we will move on to the impressive Shaanxi History Museum. As Shaanxi was the home of 13 of China’s historic dynasties, including the Qin dynasty that gives China its name, it is rich in historic artifacts. The museum buildings were built in the Tang Dynasty style and house more than 370,000 objects. Please note that during overcrowding during the high season from July to early September and Chinese holidays, we may need to substitute another activity or attraction in place of the museum; our friendly travel consultants will advise you at the time of your booking.

After your visit to the museum, your guide will take you to the Xian train station to help you board the high-speed train to Beijing. This high speed trip through the Chinese countryside will take around 5 hours. Upon your arrival at the Beijing West Railway Station, your local guide will greet you to take you to your private vehicle and transfer you to your hotel for the night.

Accommodation: Overnight in Beijing

After breakfast, you can begin exploring the historical essence of Beijing with a visit to Tian’anmen Square – the largest city plaza in the world. On the north side of the square you’ll see Tian’anmen Gate, atop which Chairman Mao announced the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. Upon entrance into Tian’anmen Square itself you will see one of the world’s five most important imperial palaces – The Forbidden City, a massive palace complex containing more than 9,000 rooms where 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties lived and ruled over China. Inside the palace we will pass through many doorways to admire the magnificent and very well preserved buildings that are decorated with the yellow glazed roof tiles that were reserved solely for imperial use, as well as white marble floors and numerous splendid and colorful paintings.

From the Forbidden City we will travel out to the northwest outskirts of Beijing for visit to the summer retreat for the Qing Dynasty emperors at the Summer Palace, the largest and best-preserved royal garden in all of China. You’ll have time for a leisurely stroll around ancient pavilions, mansions, temples, and bridges. Feast your eyes on the vast lotus growing in Kunming Lake and walk under the intricately painted colors of the Long Corridor as you experience the life of the royal family at their summer retreat.

After exploring the massive Summer Palace, we will take you back to your hotel for the night.

Accommodation: Overnight in Beijing

After a nice breakfast at your hotel, we’ll take you outside of the city, driving about 70 kilometers over 90 minutes to see one of the great wonders of the world – the Great Wall of China. We will take you to the less crowded section of the Great Wall at Mutianyu, which is a well-preserved and less crowded section of the Wall that was built during the Ming Dynasty. This part of the Great Wall links Gubeikou to the east and Juyongguan to the west and served as a vital military strategic point for centuries. We will take you on the cable car to reach the foot of the Great Wall and then hike along the most beautiful and scenic part of Mutianyu. It’s an incredible feeling to actually be walking along the famous Great Wall of China, climbing up through numerous watch towers and seeing the Wall stretch out like a dragon across the low mountain ridges. The Mutianyu section is located in a beautiful natural setting amidsts abundant vegetation and rolling hills, making it an ideal place for some fantastic photography. After a couple hours of hiking, you can get back down from the Great Wall by cable car. (Note for Mutianyu: if you would prefer more hiking, you can hike up or down to or from the Great Wall, with the hike taking about 40 minutes to climb up the steps. Please let your travel consultant know which would work best for you.)

From the Great Wall we will take you on to the Sacred Way, a 7-kilometer wrong passage that leads to the Imperial Tombs of 13 Ming Dynasty emperors. In ancient China, the emperor was also known as the “Son of Heaven”, and it was believed that he came to China through the Sacred Way and that he would also return to Heaven down this pathway. You will have the opportunity to walk through the ancient archway through the Great Palace Gate down the path lined with 12 sets of mythical animals and 12 different officials of the emperor’s court. You will also have the opportunity to visit the Ming Tombs and explore the mysterious “Underground Palace”.

After visiting the Sacred Way, we will drive you back to Beijing, with a short stop at the Beijing Olympic Village to see the instantly recognizable Bird’s Nest National Stadium and the Water Cube from the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Accommodation: Overnight in Beijing

This morning after breakfast we will have the opportunity to visit one of the great masterpieces of Chinese architecture – the Temple of Heaven. This temple was originally used by the emperors to pay homage to Heaven and pray for good harvests, but it is now used as a bustling place for local Beijingers to take part in traditional activities such as Tai Chi, dancing, kite flying, water calligraphy, playing mah jong, etc.

From the Temple of Heaven, we will take you through some of Beijing’s famous “hutongs” (ancient alleyways) that still contain some original elements that originated during the Yuan Dynasty (1271 – 1368 A.D.)

Many local Beijingers still live in the traditional manner in these ancient hutongs, and during the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912 A.D.) many members of the royal family resided there. You can wander around leisurely through these narrow alleyways to get a feel for old Beijing, or travel around by rickshaw to see even more. Before leaving the hutongs, we will have a traditional lunch of Chinese dumplings in the home of a local family to complete the hutong experience. If you like, you can even learn how to cook this delicious Beijing specialty by yourself.

After your hutong lunch, we will escort you to the Beijing airport in time for your departing flight.

Accommodation: None