Across the Himalayas

Looking for an “adventurous, cultural immersion” …

...Victor F. booked this trip in July 2010 and returned with these comments: “Enjoyed this trip immensely, wouldn’t change a thing. It was organized very well – ending with ‘back to civilization!’ the pace was just right throughout and the guides and drivers were phenomenal. The Everest Base Camp was great.”

Your Small Group Trip Includes:

• 9 nights accommodation in our carefully selected hotels 20 meals: 9 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 6 dinners The attentive services of our highly-experienced mountain guides and drivers Comprehensive Small Group excursions throughout with never more than 16 guests; all entrance fees are included Luggage handling, all on-tour transportation, and all hotel taxes and service charges

Small Group Discoveries for our World Travelers…

• Our experienced high-mountain Expedition Leaders guide you on this thrilling overland journey across “The Roof of the World”. Cross the spectacular 17,000-foot Gyatsola Pass and visit the highest monastery on Earth. Your ascent to the Mt. Everest Base Camp by horse-drawn cart is an unforgettable experience. In-depth Small Group sightseeing explores the most significant sites of Lhasa, Kathmandu and the Nepalese countryside. Discover 1 UNESCO World Heritage Site #WHS#

HOTEL INFORMATION:

Day 1 - Welcome to Lhasa, Tibet!
Check in to the Four Points Sheraton Hotel, ideally located just a 10-minute stroll from the historic Jokhang Temple and lively Barkhor Market. The rest of your day is at leisure to acclimate to the altitude. Meals D

Day 2 - Lhasa in-depth
Today’s sightseeing begins at the magnificent Potala Palace #WHS#, described by British-born essayist Pico Iyer in this way: “The very center of Tibet is Lhasa and the very center of Lhasa, for more than three centuries, has been the Potala Palace. An unfathomable building erected on a rock face 13 stories high, it has golden turrets on the roof that can bee seen 12 miles away, and it stretches for more than 1,000 feet along a ridge against the snowcaps. The Potala looks and feels like no other building on the planet.”

After touring the impressive interior of the Potala Palace, you’ll visit the beautiful Jokhang Temple. By special arrangement, you’ll meet with a Tibetan monk here in this important Buddhist temple, a colorful 4-story structure topped with gold. Originally founded in the 7th century, it remains a revered pilgrimage site for Tibetan Buddhists. Then explore along bustling Barkhor Street before visiting the Sera Monastery, set on 28 acres at the base of Tatipu Hill just outside of town. Founded in the 15th century, this magnificent monastery complex is comprised of chapels, college buildings, dormitories and a main assembly hall. Many of these structures are splendidly decorated with frescoes, murals, statues and Buddhist scriptures written in gold. Return to your hotel with time to refresh and relax before dinner. Meals B,L,D

Day 3 - Over the Kanbala Pass to Shigatse
After breakfast at your hotel, your intimate band of travelers will hit the road in comfortable 4x4 jeeps. With only 2 to 3 guests per vehicle, along with our skilled driver and an experienced mountain guide, you’ll travel through spectacular mountain scenery ascending this morning through the Kanbala Pass to 15,680 feet above sea level. From here, you’ll have great views over Yamdrok Yumtso Lake, one of Tibet’s three holy lakes and regarded as the female Guardian of Buddhism. Visit Palkhor Monastery, a fine example of Tibetan architecture from the 15th century. Unlike any other monasteries in Tibet, Palkhor is home to three different sects of Tibetan Buddhism. Continue to the Shigatse Hotel, an inviting hotel with modern comfort and Tibetan styling. Meals B,L,D

Day 4 - Across the “Roof of the World”
Another memorable day of discovery begins this morning as you observe a local Buddhist ceremony at the Tashihunpo Monastery. Founded in 1447 by the first Dalai Lama, it’s the largest in the region and one of six large monasteries in Tibet. At Sakya Monastery, you’ can admire some of the finest Buddhist frescoes in Tibet. Continue your overland journey through the celebrated Gyatsola Pass at 17,000 feet. From here, Mt. Everest can be seen on a clear day. Drive to New Tingri and settle in to the Dingri Qumulangma Hotel; though simple, it’s the best in town. Meals B,L,D

Day 5 - Visit the Mt. Everest Base Camp
Arise early this morning to visit Rongbuk Monastery, set at an elevation of more than 16,000 feet against the awesome North Face of Everest. Built in 1899 by a local lama, this is the highest temple in the world. It’s a handsome 5-tier building with Buddhist monks and nuns residing together in the same monastery.

Continue in a specially arranged eco-friendly vehicle to the Mt. Everest Base Camp, where you’ll have time to explore, take plenty of photographs, and revel in this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Please note that this is not a tourist site and it’s important for you to follow all Camp regulations and any additional instructions given to you by your Mountain Guide. Return to your hotel in New Tingri for a peaceful overnight. Meals B,L,D

Day 6 - Overland to the border and Zhangmu
An unforgettable overland journey through remote high-mountain landscapes brings you to the bustling border town of Zhangmu, located just 6 miles from the Nepal border. Overnight at the Zhangmu Hotel. Meals B,L,D

Day 7 - Into Nepal and on to Kathmandu
After breakfast, rejoin your Tibetan Expedition Leader for the short but scenic drive to Kodari. Set on the Nepalese and Tibetan border, this atmospheric village traces its long and exotic history to the days of the Trans-Himalayan Caravan Route, the Nepalese equivalent of the better-known Silk Road. Merchants bound for Lhasa would stop here in Kodari before heading north through the Kuti Pass and onward across the Tibetan Plateau. Meet your experienced Nepalese mountain guide and travel along the Arniko Highway through the Kodari Pass and into a breathtaking landscape of mountains and river gorges. Arrive in Kathmandu for an enchanting 3-night stay at the Hyatt Regency, a 5-star resort set on 37 landscaped acres with stunning views of the Himalayas. Meals B

Day 8 - In and around Kathmandu
Today’s Small Group sightseeing tour in the company of your expert guide explores Durbar Square and Hamuman Dhoka, the ancient royal quarter of the city. See the Mahadev and Parvati Temples and then journey into the tranquil Nepalese countryside to Patan, a city that is sure to captivate you with its art and architecture. Delight in the town’s colorful and lively bazaars and the carved wooden details of traditional Nepalese homes. Meals B

Day 9 - Discover Bhadgaon
Enjoy today’s expertly-guided excursion to ancient Bhadgaon, one of the three kingdoms of medieval Nepal. Then visit Bodhnath, the largest Buddhist stupa in Nepal, and admire the richly carved doors and gilded roof of Pashupatinath Hindu Temple, dedicated to the Lord Shiva. Meals B

Day 10 - Farewell to Kathmandu
Your tour finishes this morning after breakfast. Meals B

Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
5/18/2012 - 5/28/2012	$3,699
6/22/2012 - 7/2/2012	$3,699
10/12/2012 - 10/22/2012	$3,699
10/26/2012 - 11/5/2012	$3,699
11/16/2012 - 11/26/2012	$3,699
3/22/2013 - 4/1/2013	$3,699
4/12/2013 - 4/22/2013	$3,699
Note: Departures appearing above in green are guaranteed to operate by the tour operator.
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

Looking for an “adventurous, cultural immersion” …

...Victor F. booked this trip in July 2010 and returned with these comments: “Enjoyed this trip immensely, wouldn’t change a thing. It was organized very well – ending with ‘back to civilization!’ the pace was just right throughout and the guides and drivers were phenomenal. The Everest Base Camp was great.”

Your Small Group Trip Includes:

• 9 nights accommodation in our carefully selected hotels 20 meals: 9 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 6 dinners The attentive services of our highly-experienced mountain guides and drivers Comprehensive Small Group excursions throughout with never more than 16 guests; all entrance fees are included Luggage handling, all on-tour transportation, and all hotel taxes and service charges

Small Group Discoveries for our World Travelers…

• Our experienced high-mountain Expedition Leaders guide you on this thrilling overland journey across “The Roof of the World”. Cross the spectacular 17,000-foot Gyatsola Pass and visit the highest monastery on Earth. Your ascent to the Mt. Everest Base Camp by horse-drawn cart is an unforgettable experience. In-depth Small Group sightseeing explores the most significant sites of Lhasa, Kathmandu and the Nepalese countryside. Discover 1 UNESCO World Heritage Site #WHS#

Ratings & Reviews:

This tour has no reviews yet. Have you experienced this tour? Write a review.

Related Travel Articles

• Travel Improves Your Health
• Top Five Things to do in Hong Kong
• Kyoto, Japan
• Yangtze River Cruise
• Adventures by Disney Invites Families to Experience the World in 2010
• Asia Travel
• Asia Cruises For 2010
• Magnificent Asia Tours
• Independent Travel Simplified :: Globus Monograms
• PERSONALIZE YOUR HONEYMOON - STRESS-FREE - WITH MONOGRAMS
• MAKING THE MOST OF A “MINI”: PACK FUN INTO QUICK GETAWAYS WITH MONOGRAMS
• Independent Vacation 2010 Prices Down 10 Percent Worldwide
• Victoria Anna
• Spotlight on Eastern Mediterranean
• Greece: A Land of Timeless Beauty
• Paula Deen Cruise
• Featured Trip: Best of Italy
• Collette Exporations: Small Group Travel...Big Experiences
• Family Tour Vacations
• Featured Tour: Insight Vacations Best of Italy
• New Ships for 2011
• Culinary Cruises 2011
• Exploring the Neighborhoods of Paris
• New Avalon River Cruises 2012
• Where Can Globus Take you in 2012