Day to Day Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival Kathmandu. Arrive in Kathmandu. Our staff will pick you at the airport and transfer you to Hotel holy Himalaya.

Day 2: Sightseeing in Kathmandu. Our first full day in Nepal will be spent seeing sights throughout the wondrous city of Kathmandu. Attractions range from bustling markets to Kathmandu's ancient Durbar Square. This square is home to many beautiful Temples. In the afternoon we will visit the amazing temples in Patan's Durbar Square. Lastly, we will also experience Buddhist culture at the large Buddhist stupa at Swayambhunath. Swayambhunath is often referred to as the monkey temple because of the large numbers of monkeys that now reside there.

Day 3: Flight to Lhasa. After flying a long time to Nepal I am sure you dread another day of flying. However, this remarkable flight last only an hour while crossing the Himalayan range. As you may expect the striking mountain views surround you the entire time. Once you arrive at Gonggar airport, an easy two hour drive will take you to your final destination of the traditional Dhood Gu Hotel. The remainder of the day can be spent relaxing and exploring some of the many sights in Lhasa.

Day 4: In Lhasa. Haven't you always dreamed of visiting the ancient Tibetan monasteries? Our knowledgeable English speaking guide will show you everything there is to see in some of these renowned sights. First off we will explore the beautifully preserved Sera Monastery. Many of the pictures you see of Tibet are of these buildings with their white washed walls and golden roofs. To this day several hundred monks live and study in this architecture. The afternoon will be spent exploring the Jokhang temple and Norbulingka. The Norbunglinka is another astounding piece of architecture and was once the summer palace of the Dalai Lama. Jokhang Temple will provide you one of your first sights of devout Tibetans, as hundreds visit this sacred shrine each day. The central market of Lhasa, the Barkor, surrounds the Jokhang Temple. In these cobbled streets you can experience more Tibetan culture and even purchase some amazing crafts.

Day 5: Further Exploration of Lhasa. To explore some of the ancient quarters of the Dalai Lama we will visit Potala Palace in the morning. Be prepared for astonishment as this grand palace has been around since before the 17th century. It is a vast building with much to explore. Those who wish to do so can ride their bikes around the city for the first time.

Day 6: Lhasa our First Day on the Bike. Our sixth day will be another easy one as we cruise around Lhasa on our bikes. Both the Sera and Drepung Monastery will be visited for another taste of Tibetan culture. To add even more history and culture we will also visit Drepung Monastery. Once home to over 10,000 monks, the Drepung Monastery is still a beautiful sight to see. Miraculously it was one of the few sights to escape the Cultural revolution without widespread damage.

Day 7: Lhasa - Chutsu. Our life changing journey officially begins today as we pack up the trucks and prepare for departure. It is essential that we take only what we need with us. Our first stage to Chutsu is fairly level and easy. We will ease you into the journey so it is even more enjoyable for you.

Day 8: Chutsu - Namdrok t so. Our first major pass is encountered today as we cross Khamba La. We will take the pass slow and even hop in the trucks if necessary as we are all not acclimatized yet. The views form the pass stretch out for miles and miles. We are able to see numerous rivers and the turquoise waters of Namdrok Lake. The night will be spent at a campsite below the lake after descending the pass.

Day 9: Namdrok Tso – Ralung. Our first stop after leaving the campsite takes us to the small town of Nagartse. We will visit the highly revered Samding Monastery. Many Tibetans believe that this monastery is the home of the earthly incarnation of the goddess Dorje Pagmo. After Nagartse we climb our second major pass, Karo La. It is an awe-inspiring site the see the massive glaciers rising nearly straight up from the road. Our night will be spent below the pass in the small village of Ralung.

Day 10: Ralung – Gyantse. This is another fairly easy day as we cruise downhill to Gyantse. While in Gyantse we will visit man historic sites. The sites range from ancient military forts to beautiful monasteries. The Kumbum monastery, a large gold roofed stupa, has much to explore in its intricate buildings. Even if you are not an art connoisseur you will appreciate the wondrous murals to be found in this monastery. We will spend the night in the Gyantse hotel. Relax and enjoy the hot showers!

Day 11: Gyantse – Shigatse. Our destination, shigatse is 94 kilometers away. If we want to reach it by nightfall we must get in our back up vehicles. Don't worry though; all of the beautiful sections of this stretch will be viewed on bicycle. After finally reaching Shigatse we will spend the night in one of two first rate hotels.

Day 12: Sightseeing and Rest in Shigatse. Today will be spent exploring Tibet's second largest city! There is much to see in this town, but the highlight for most is our visit to the Tashi Lhumpo Monastery. High walls surround this intricate maze of shrines, prayer wheels, rock inscriptions, and Tibetan pilgrims. Excellent views are seen once again from the top of the Shigatse fortes. Once again we will spend the night at one of two first rate hotels in Shigatse.

Day 13: Shigatse - Tso La. Today we head towards our third major pass, Tso La. We must ride for nearly 115 kilometers before we reach our final campsite before the pass.

Day 14: Tso La – Lhatse. From this challenging pass we are rewarded with our first views of Everest in the distance. The night will be spent in the small town of Lhatse.

Day 15: Lhatse – Shegar. On our fifteenth day we cross yet another pass, Gyamtso La. Our night will be spent in Shegar, only a few kilometers away from the main road and our pat to Rongbuk valley.

Day 16: Shegar - Pang La. Our goal today is to bike ten kilometers off the main road to the Pang La pass and ascend this pass before nightfall. We will spend the night is a small settlement on the south side of the pass. Along the way, wondrous views of Makalu, Everest and numerous other peaks can be seen.

Day 17: Pang la – Rongbuk. Our route splits off to the south as we encounter Phadruchi, a decently sized town after the pass. The majority of today's ride is flat as we head toward Rongbuk. However, we must climb a steep 10 kilometers before we reach Rongbuk Monastery. It is such a relief to see Everest come into view as we end this long day.

Day 18: Rest and Exploration Day at Rongbuk. Today is a much needed rest and sightseeing day in Rongbuk. We will explore the numerous destroyed and revitalized monasteries which inhabit this high altitude area. What a historic and moving sight they are! The Everest base camp lies only two hours from here!

Day 19: Rongbuk- Tingri. Today is an amazing today as we cycle to Tingri and end our day with a dip in the natural hot springs. It is a quiet yet beautiful countryside.

Day 20: Tingri - Thang La. Today we cycle towards our last and highest pass of the trip, Thang La. We must make camp before this daunting pass.

Day 21: Negotiating Thang La. Today is another challenging day as cross this amazing pass. We are all in excellent shape by now. However, it is still a feat to climb this high pass. Camp is made in a campsite below Shishapangma.

Day 22: Thang La - Campsite in Nepal. Finally we are able to cruise nearly 4600 meters downhill! What an adrenaline rush today is as we head towards the Nepal border. Our easy ride down is complimented with beautiful scenery along the way. After going through the border we set up camp in Nepal.

Day 23: Campsite – Kathmandu. Our last day is a long yet easy ride as we cycle to Kathmandu. A bittersweet last night is spent in the Hotel Holy Himalayas  in Kathmandu. What a relief these hot showers and beds are !

Note: You can start this trip entering from Kathmandu, in Nepal side, as well as from Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Canton (Guangzhou), Chongqing, Kuming, Xian, Xining - all these cities for your convenience in China.