Tibet: Beijing to Kathmandu Overland

Huanying! Welcome to China. Touch down in the capital, Beijing, ready for a high-altitude adventure. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm, where you’ll meet your trip leader and travel companions. After this important meeting, why not get together with your group for an optional dinner – maybe seek out one of the best Peking duck restaurants in the city. Your group leader will be able to recommend some great spots where you can eat this delicious speciality.

Today, you’ll take an early morning drive to visit one of the most well-preserved areas of the Great Wall – the Mutianyu section. An incredible piece of engineering, the wall stretches 6000 km westwards from the mountain ridges north of Beijing. It's a 30-minute climb up some steep steps to reach it, but you’ll be rewarded with a panoramic view of the Great Wall winding along the mountains. Travel back to the city and then in the late afternoon, transfer to Beijing West Railway Station – one of the biggest and busiest in the world – to start your epic train journey to Lhasa.

Today, all you can do is sit back, relax and take in the mountainous ridges and remote terrain along the highest railway in the world. This journey takes you through the major cities of Xi'an, Lanzhou and Xining, and across the wide-open highlands of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Keep an eye out for grazing yaks, sheep and a glistening lake along the way. On this second night, you’ll climb in altitude as you gaze out at the changing landscapes through the windows – snow-dusted black cliffs and mountain peaks pass by, illuminated by moonlight.

After lunch, you’ll say goodbye to your local train pals and your home for the last two nights and be greeted by Lhasa's crisp mountain air. This colourful and historic holy city of is situated in a small valley, and for hundreds of years it was kept secluded from the outside world. Lhasa remains an intriguing and spiritually significant city with deeply fascinating cultures, sights and stories. Check into your hotel later this afternoon and begin to get acclimatised to both the city and the altitude.

Start your first full day in Lhasa with a walking tour of the Old Town. Walk among pilgrims on Barkhor Street, otherwise known as Holy Road. Encircling the Jokhang Temple, this incense-scented street is where Tibetan Buddhists perform meditative koras, following the loop in a clockwise direction. Around noon, visit a local family to learn how tsampa (ground barley, a Tibetan staple), yak butter tea and momos (moreish Tibetan dumplings) are made. After lunch, visit the Sera Monastery and witness the resident monks taking part in heated debates in the courtyards – their exaggerated gestures and the passion they display make this one of the most exciting people-watching spots in Lhasa. (L)

This morning, visit Potala Palace, the incredible former winter home of the Dalai Lamas, perched 130 m above the city. The palace is divided into two parts – the White Palace (secular and used as offices) and the Red Palace (home to chapels, shrines and tombs of Dalai Lamas). Learn about this architectural wonder with a local guide. After, visit Jokhang Temple – considered the spiritual heart and most sacred temple of Tibet, it attracts steady waves of pilgrims. Explore this World Heritage-listed site and learn a thing or two about its history. According to legend, multiple attempts to build the temple at other sites failed, until it was built atop an ancient, sacred lake. Then, enjoy some free time and maybe find a Tibetan tea house where you can try some milky Tibetan sweet tea or savoury yak butter tea and mingle with the hospitable locals.

Traverse a scenic section of the Tibetan Plateau on a long drive heading towards Gyantse, crossing over mountain passes as you twist through dramatic valleys and peaks. Travel past the shimmering Yamdrok Lake and up the Khama La Pass, spot sheep herder villages scattered along the banks and marvel at the towering Noijin Kangsang – the peak of the Lhagoi Kangri Mountain Range. You’ll stop by the roadside town of Nangartse for lunch before driving the Karo La Pass, then descending to your destination for tonight – Gyantse. This small rural town is the perfect place to simply wander around and watch contemporary Tibetan life play out in front of you – here, pilgrims mix with pop music, cows stroll past cowboys on motorbikes and monks go about their daily business.

This morning, check out the Gyantse Kumbum – a layered stupa (a domed, Buddhist structure) on the grounds of the Pelkor Chode Monastery. You can visit each floor of this six-level structure – as you wind up the floors past several tiny chapels, the air becomes thicker with incense and the passageways get narrower. Later today, there’s a chance to experience a simple lunch at a family home, which is a great opportunity to listen to some personal stories of life in Tibet while enjoying warm hospitality. After lunch, head towards Tibet’s second-largest city, Shigatse. Translating to ‘the fertile land’, Shigatse is a busy, mountain-clasped city that’s rapidly modernising. With some free time this afternoon, maybe head to the local bazaar and check out the local wares that this town has to offer. (L)

This morning, visit the Tashilhunpo Monastery. Your group leader will take you on a tour through parts of the monastery – each building has its own intricate decorations, legends and religious imagery. Be sure to ask for directions to the tranquil Chapel of Jampa and meditate on one of the world's largest gilded statues. The courtyard outside of the Kelsang Temple is one of the best places to observe the pilgrims and monks preparing for ceremonies. In the evening, perhaps join the pilgrims on their kora (prayer circuit) – a 1-hour loop around the perimeter of the monastery – while taking in its splendid, atmospheric views.

Continue your journey west to the town of Sakya. This region is known for its grey (kya) earth (sa), hence the town’s name! Its monastery was built in 1073 and was originally in two sections – one on either side of the Zhongqu River – until the northern structure was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. The Southern Monastery is built in a medieval 'Mongolian' style, and the secular buildings are painted red, white and grey in honour of the three Buddhist Tulkus (notable lamas). You’ll have time to explore inside its high walls and admire some of its many shrines, temples and monastic residences. Afterwards, your leader will take you to meet new friends at the local nunnery. You’ll be introduced to the shy but friendly resident nuns, sit down and enjoy some laughter together, and just for a second, you’ll forget that you don’t speak each other’s language at all.

An exhilarating drive brings you to Everest National Park. When you arrive, leave your main luggage in the vehicle and take an overnight bag on the park shuttle to Rongbuk Monastery – the world's highest monastery. On a clear day, you might spot Everest (known as Qomolangma in Tibetan) behind its stupa. Share tea with a resident monk and learn what life is like here before taking part in a short meditation – where better to find stillness than this lofty centre of spirituality, surrounded by timeless mountains? Tonight, you’ll camp in yak hair tents. Relax at the site or take a walk to the Everest Base Camp Monument Stone. This is the closest you can get to Base Camp on the Tibetan side. Witnessing Everest renders many speechless – your leader will explain why it's so sacred for Tibetans. After, maybe opt to hike to the upper monastery, visiting caves where monks meditated centuries ago.

Take one last look at Everest close up before the long drive ahead. You’ll travel to the Tibet–Nepal border today, stopping at the closest town of Kyirong. The effort will be worth it with the changing scenery around you – from the barren highlands of Tibet to the deep Alpine Valley. Put your feet up tonight and enjoy a dinner with your Tibetan leader who will say goodbye to you tomorrow.

This morning, cross the border from Tibet into Nepal. Keep in mind that today your Tibet group leader and driver will bid you farewell at the border, and you’ll need to pass through immigration and customs unaccompanied. Once you’ve crossed the border, your Nepal group leader will be waiting on the other side! The border crossing can be long and dull depending on the queues and volume of people, so it is best to be patient. After the formalities are all over, head onto Kathmandu, the final destination of your trip. Upon arrival in the late afternoon, follow your Nepal leader on an orientation walk and get to know this bustling capital.

This morning, venture out with your leader and explore the Old Town of Kathmandu. Experience the hustle and bustle of the ancient streets of the Kathmandu Valley, the Asan Tole and Indra Chowk Bazaar. Full of vibrant colours and noises and surrounded by temples, stupas and market stalls, this is the hub of daily Kathmandu life. There’s also a ‘Pote’ bazaar – Pote are beads worn by married Hindu women, typically made by the Muslim families who make up the majority of the market’s vendors. And not too far away is the Seto Machindranath Temple – a place of worship for both Hindus and Buddhists. After, enjoy some free time. You might want to explore Durbar Square or check out the Swayambhunath Stupa. Maybe get together your group in the evening and celebrate this epic trip with some delicious local cuisine.

With no activities planned for today, you are free to leave the accommodation at any time.