An Epic Journey to the Roof of the World

Magical Tibet

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"We travel fairly extensively but the two trips we have taken with WT stand at the very top of the list!" Phil Meyer, Victoria BC

From its most renowned monastery, mandala-shaped Samye, to the stunning ramparts of the North Face of Everest, we delve deep into the heart of Tibet’s mystical civilization on the Roof of the World. Tibet’s magic is apparent in places like the lively Barkhor Bazaar, where we mingle among pilgrims and swashbuckling Khampa traders from eastern Tibet. Crossing the soaring Tibetan Plateau below cobalt skies on our overland journey, we visit striking fortress-monasteries where flickering yak-butter lamps illuminate ancient Buddhist frescoes. When we reach the foot of Everest, the dazzling glaciers of the world’s highest peak seem almost close enough to touch. At journey’s end, we continue right across the spine of the Himalayas for a spectacular 10,000-foot descent into the lush greenery of Nepal.

Below is an Itinerary-in-Brief. To view a complete Detailed Itinerary, Download Full Itinerary or Email our Area Specialist

Itinerary-in-Brief

Days 1-4
Lhasa, Tibet

In Lhasa (11,830'), we join the pilgrims who gather at the candle-lit altars of the Jokhang, Tibet’s most sacred temple, and walk in the Barkhor, a pilgrimage circuit that encircles the Jokhang. We also explore the majestic Potala Palace and make a full day’s excursion outside of Lhasa to sprawling Ganden (13,700'), a stunning monastic city where His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, studied as a youth.

Days 5-10
Yarlung Valley / Samye / Gyantse / Shigatse / Lhatse

In the remote and beautiful Yarlung Valley, cradle of Tibetan civilization, we explore 8th century Samye, Tibet’s first Buddhist monastery, built in the shape of a mandala. We head further to the historic outpost of Gyantse, crossing two high passes and visiting Yamdrok Lake (“Jade Lake”), one of the three largest lakes in Tibet. We continue onward to Shigatse, Tibet’s second city, where gold-topped Tashilumpho, one of Tibet’s most vibrant and breathtaking monasteries, sprawls across the foot of Nizer Ri Mountain.

Days 11-12
Rongphu / Everest Base Camp

Nowhere in the Himalaya can the immense height of Mount Everest be better appreciated than in Tibet, where the North Face of this great massif is unobstructed by neighboring peaks or ridges. From our camp at Dza Rongphu Monastery (16,500'), we gaze at the icy ramparts where the legendary British mountaineers Mallory and Irvine disappeared into the mists of history in 1924. The question of whether they died climbing up to or down from Everest’s summit remains an enduring mystery that has intrigued mountaineers ever since.

Days 13-16
Nyelam, Tibet / Kathmandu, Nepal

On the road across the Lalung La (16,600'), Himalayan giants surround us. We feast our eyes one last time before our two-day descent into the subtropical world of Nepal and lively Kathmandu. Depart on Day 16.

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Tour Costs $4595 (13-15 members) $4895 (10-12 members) Single supplement: $595 Internal airfare: $225 (subject to change) *Prices are for 2008 dates only **Airfare is not included in Tour Cost unless indicated

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