YOUR JOURNEY DAY BY DAY

Day 01

Fly to Lhasa (Tibet) from mainland China/Beijing/Chengdu/Kunming etc. and rest today.

Breakfast Hotel in Lhasa

We will take a flight to Tibet today leaving Kathmandu. The beautiful mountains view from the plane will lead us to Lhasa for the second part of our pilgrimage tour. After landing at the airport, our representative will receive you there and drive you to your hotel in Lhasa. You can try some local cuisine and rest for the day there. In the evening, head out for a market tour in here and explore the local traditions. Overnight at a hotel in Lhasa.

Day 02

Tour of Potala Palace & Drepung Monastery

Breakfast Hotel in Lhasa

We will start the day with a drive to Potala palace, a majestic masterpiece of Tibetan architecture and Buddhist culture. Our guide will explain the significant role of the palace exploring the rooms and courtyards of the palace. We will also visit small shrines throughout the premises. The prayer room and halls have Buddhist sculptures, paintings, and murals, which one can gaze and admire.

Our tour turns next to one of the three Gelug monasteries in Tibet, Drepung monastery. You can explore the chief building and four colleges here. After spending a spiritual time here, we will return to our hotel in Lhasa. Overnight at Lhasa.

Day 03

Tour of Jokhang Temple, Sera Monastery & Norbulingka palace

Breakfast Hotel in Lhasa

After breakfast, we will head to the Barkhor Street and Jokhang Temple. One of the major religious centers in Tibet, we can explore and circumambulate through the markets to learn more about Tibetan culture here. The second of the three Gelug monasteries, Sera monastery is next to visit in Lhasa. We will explore the monastery, the great assembly hall and three colleges here and head towards the Norbulingka Palace. We will complete the UNESCO world heritage site list with a visit to this magnificent Summer Palace of the Dalai Lamas. Locals gather and celebrate festivals on the premises here which have one of the most beautiful gardens in our tour. Overnight at Lhasa.

Day 04

Tour/Excursion of Ganden Monastery & Drak Yerpa Cave

Breakfast Hotel in Lhasa

We will take a short drive to the northeast end of Lhasa and visit the Ganden monastery after breakfast. The scenic drive here concludes three primary Gelug monastery visits to Lhasa. Although not in its prior condition, this monastery still reflects the shades of Tibetan Buddhism and architecture. We will head towards the Drak Yerpa cave from here. We will visit the major monastery and several meditation caves in the premises of Yerpa. One can get the bliss of nature and Buddhism with centuries-old caves and constituents on this visit. We will return to Lhasa after the visit and rest for the day. Overnight at Lhasa.

Day 05

Drive from Lhasa to Shigatse via Gyantse (Pelkor Monastery & Tashilhunpo Monastery)

Hotel in Shigatse

We will head towards Shigatse today visiting the monasteries in between to lead our Buddhist pilgrimage tour to the Tashilhunpo monastery at Shigatse. The drive is smooth with majestic landscape views. We will have a ride beside the glazing holy Yamdrok Lake. The pristine lake with a view of the surrounding peaks and glaciers is one to treasure. From here we will do the Gangbala pass and reach Gyantse. A brief exploration of this historically significant city in Tibet will follow the premises of the Pelkor Monastery or Palcho Monastery. Continuing our drive, we will reach Shigatse in the afternoon. Here we will visit the Tashilhunpo monastery, one of the biggest functioning monasteries in Tibet. Overnight at a hotel in Shigatse.

Day 06

Drive to Rongbuk Monastery (EBC) from Shigatse

Hotel in Rongbuk

We will start a highway ride to Tingri and the Rongbuk Monastery from Shigatse. Rongbuk monastery is also the highest monastery in the world at an elevation of 4980 meters. Passing high passes and small settlements with Tibetan art and culture in the way, we will reach Tingri. We will get majestic views of Mt. Everest nearing the monastery. After reaching Rongbuk, we will rest for the day at a guesthouse there. Overnight at Rongbuk.

Day 07

Drive to Kerung/Gyirong (China/Nepal border)

Hotel in Kerung

We will start early today with a view of a beautiful sunrise over the Everest. After exploring the Rongbuk monastery, we will continue our drive to the Nepal-China border in Kerung/Gyirong. The vegetation changes with green hills coming in for rocky terrain. Beside the Trishuli River, we will stay on the Chinese side for the day. Overnight at Kerung.

Day 08

Drive to Kathmandu from Kerung/Gyirong

Hotel in Kathmandu

After parting with your Tibetan guide and driver, our Nepalese escort will bring you to the capital Kathmandu from Kerung. We will stop by small settlements and enjoy the surrounding environment to reach Kathmandu. The hill highway drive with segments of adventure packed portions makes this drive memorable. We will head towards our hotel and rest for the day at Kathmandu.

Day 09

Fly to Bhutan (Paro) and drive to Thimphu

Hotel in Thimpu

We will take a morning flight from TIA Kathmandu to the airport in Paro Bhutan today. The Himalayan flight with divine views and scenery will lead us to Paro valley. Our representative will receive you at the airport and drive you to Thimphu.

Stop on the way to the Paro-Thimphu highway to visit the 16^th-century old Tachogang Lhakhang temple. The temple means the hill of the excellent horse. You need to cross an old bridge to visit the temple. From the bridge, enjoy the scenic views of the villages. Continue to drive to Thimphu.

After reaching Thimphu rest for a while and head out for a market tour. You can also try some local cuisine of Bhutan in the market. Overnight at a hotel in Thimphu.

Day 10

Thimphu Sightseeing with Dochu La Pass

Full Board Hotel in Thimphu

We will take a short drive to the Dochula pass from Thimphu. The trip is relaxed, and the scene from the road is outstanding too. We will visit the 108 Chortens in the pass, also known as Druk Wangyal Chortens here. The Druk Wangyal Monastery and Royal Bonatical Park are two other significant attractions you can visit here. The view of the Himalayas highlighted by Mt. Gangkar Puensum (7,158m) is pristine from the pass. We will then return to Thimphu and visit the Tashichho Dzong and the Zileukha Thangthong Dewachen Nunnery above the dzong here. After that, explore to Late King's Memorial Chorten, Bhutan Postal Museum, Folk Heritage Museum, Takin Zoo, and Great Buddha Dordenma Statue. Overnight at a hotel in Thimphu.

Day 11

Drive to Paro, Taktshang monastery hike, Paro exploration

Full Board Hotel in Thimphu

We will drive to Paro early today and start the Taktsang Monastery hike. A scenic drive will take us to the foot of the hill of Taktsang monastery. After reaching the top, we will explore the monastery and the caves where Guru Rinpoche meditated to tame a Tiger demon hence also called the Tigers lair. The full hike exploration and back will take about 5 hours, and we will return to Paro from the hike. We will travel to KyichuLhakhang, a Buddhist temple here in Paro. After the visit, we will return to the hotel and have lunch. Then, visit to the beautiful Paro Dzong, the National Museum of Bhutan, and Kyichu Lhakhang Temple. Overnight at Paro.

Day 12

Fly to New Delhi from Paro, Delhi Sightseeing

Breakfast Hotel in Delhi

We will leave Paro and head for Delhi today. The guide will drive you to Paro airport before the departure, and we'll reach Delhi after 2.5 hours of flight. Our representative will meet you at the airport after landing and transfer you to the hotel. You will visit some of the major attractions in Delhi depending upon your flight time here. You can visit the India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhawan (Residence to the president of India) & Parliament house near the hotel. Overnight at a hotel in Delhi.

Day 13

Delhi exploration and Varanasi (Flight)

Breakfast hotel in Delhi

We will continue our Delhi exploration, before the flight to Varanasi today. Qutub Minar and the Lotus Temple are among the places we will visit alongside the one we've missed exploring today. You can try some local cuisine here too. We will drive you to the airport for the flight to Varanasi next. After reaching there, you will head towards the hotel and rest. In the evening, we will take a short walk to the Ganges Ghat and witness the SandhyaAarti (evening prayer) there. Overnight at a hotel in Varanasi.

Day 14

Varanasi & Sarnath Sightseeing

Breakfast hotel in Varanasi

We will take an early morning drive to Dasaswamedh Ghat today. Here, we will take a boat to cruise in the mighty Ganges and enjoy the Sunrise view. We will return to the hotel for breakfast before taking a drive to Sarnath. Sarnath is a holy place for Buddhist pilgrims all around the world as it was the site of Lord Buddha's first sermon. MulgandhaKutiVihar, Dhamekh Stupa, Thai Temple, Deer Park, Chaukhandi Stupa, Horinji Temple, and Tibetan Temple are some of the major places you're going to visit in Sarnath. After the visit, we will return to Varanasi. Overnight at Varanasi.

Day 15

Varanasi – Bodhgaya (255 km. / 5 hrs.)

Breakfast hotel in Varanasi

We will take a drive to Bodhgaya today from Varanasi after breakfast. Stopping in the cities in between for snacks, we will have a smooth ride to Bodhgaya. Bodhgaya is the place where Lord Buddha attained his enlightenment and is one of the four major pilgrimages related to his life. After reaching Bodhgaya, we will rest for the day at a hotel. Overnight at Bodhgaya.

Day 16

Bodhgaya Sightseeing

Breakfast Hotel in Bodhgaya

Our religious tour of Bodhgaya commences after breakfast today. The area is a place of salvation for devotees and pilgrims all around the world. We will visit the Mahabodhi temple, also known as the Great Awakening Temple here first. The Bodhi tree is a giant tree which is said to be the exact place where Lord Buddha found enlightenment here. The Great Buddha Statue, Thai Monastery, Mankamana, Indonesian Temple, Nippon Japanese Temple, and Muchalinda Lake are some of the significant sites we will visit today at Bodhgaya. In the evening, we can join the other devotees and take a walk around. Overnight at Bodhgaya.

Day 17

Bodhgaya to Patna

Breakfast hotel in Patna

We will visit the remaining temples in Bodhgaya before our drive to Patna today. The journey is short, but we will be visiting many attractions in the way. Starting the drive after breakfast, we will take a slight detour to Rajgir. We will have a short hike to the Vishwa Shanti Stupa in Rajgir. We will also visit Griddhakuta Peak (Vulture Hill) where Lord Buddha used to sit and preach. We can also pay a visit to Nalanda, the site of the 2nd ever university of the world. From here we will worship at the Stupa of Sariputra and visit the temple of Black Buddha. Then we will continue our drive to Patna. Overnight at a hotel in Patna.

Day 18

Patna to Kushinagar

Breakfast hotel in Kushinagar

We will drive to Kushinagar from Patna today. The relaxed drive is about 6 hours long, and we will also visit some of the religious sites in the way. First, we will visit the Buddha stupa, followed by the Lion Pillar (Ashokan Pillar) about 40 km from Patna. This pillar holds historical and archeological values from the times of 200 BC and before. We will continue the drive to Kushinagar stopping for snacks on the way. After reaching Kushinagar, we can visit some of the sites here today. Overnight at a hotel in Kushinagar.

Day 19

Kushinagar exploration, and drive to Lumbini, Nepal

Breakfast

Kushinagar is said to be the site where Lord Buddha is said to have attained Parinirvana after his death. We will visit the Ramavar Stupa, which was built over the ashes of Lord Buddha. Next, we will visit the Mahaparinirvana Temple, where a statue of Sleeping Buddha lies. We will then visit the Myanmar Temple and Vietnamese Temple to end the tour. With the tour of Kushinagar, we will conclude all four (Lumbini, Bodhgaya, Sarnath, and Kushinagar) major pilgrimage related to the life of Lord Buddha.

After tour, we will continue drive to Lumbini via Sunauli Border (Nepal India Border). Overnight at Lumbini

Day 20

Lumbini Sightseeing Tour

Breakfast Hotel

After breakfast, Lumbini tour today. One of the most divine place for Buddhist pilgrims all around the world, Lumbini is a complex of temples and archeological findings of the Shakya kingdom (500 BC). The Maya Devi temple, Ashokan pillar, World Peace Pagoda Myanmar Golden Temple, Dharma Swami Maharaja Buddha Vihar, and China temple are the primary sites we will be visiting here. We can join the monks and pilgrims for the tour and enjoy the calm atmosphere here.

Overnight at Lumbini.

Day 21

Drive/Flight to Kathmandu

7-8 Hrs or 35 minutes flight Breakfast Hotel in kathmandu

We will drive back or flight to Kathmandu after breakfast in Lumbini. The drive is pleasant and scenic from the plains of terai to the green hills. Passing by the lush jungles and hill settlements on the way we will enter the valley. In your spare time today, you can visit some local stupas and monuments from the hotel. Overnight at Kathmandu.

Day 22

Tour of Swayambhunath Pagoda (Monkey), Boudhanath Temple & Kathmandu Durbar Square

Breakfast Hotel in Kathmandu

Our religious tour of today constitutes of three major UNESCO world heritage sites in Kathmandu valley. We will start the day with a short drive to the Buddhist temple of Swoyambhunath. One of the oldest temple of Nepal and also popular as 'The monkey temple,' there are many small and big stupas and Buddhist sculpture in the premises. Next, we will drive to Boudhanath, the most significant Buddhist stupa in the valley. The white dome here and hundreds of pilgrims circumambulating it is a pleasant experience to join. After the tour, we can visit the Kathmandu durbar square near the hotel and rest for the day. Overnight at Kathmandu.

*Note: We will apply for the Tibetan visa today as it might take up to 3 days for visa arrival at the Chinese embassy. With your original passport and 2 pp size photos for this purpose.

Day 23

Final Departure from Kathmandu

We will drop you at airport for the international departure based on your flight time.

With a feeling of being close to nirvana and lifelong experiences, your Buddhist pilgrimage tour ends today. The Asia Experiences team will stay connected for your valuable suggestion and feedback.

Cost & Inclusion

At Asia Experiences, we are committed to delivering quality service backed by our unrivaled local expertise and the promise of bonus experiences. As operators with a decade of experience in providing exquisite services, we prioritize quality above all else.

The cost of each package may vary depending on factors such as hotel category, tour duration, travel season, routes, and activities. You have the option to customize your package to create your ideal itinerary, which may differ from cheaper deals elsewhere. Rest assured, we will ensure that your visit is worth every moment with Asia Experiences.

Ready to plan your tour? Share your tour plan and interested countries with us by clicking on the links below for 'Ask to Expert' or 'Customize Trip'. This will help us provide you with a personalized quote based on your requirements.

Nepal

Airport pickups and drops service.
Private ground transportation with A/C.
Twin-sharing hotel accommodation.
Local cultural tour guide with English speaking.
Sightseeing entrance fees for museums and monuments.
Breakfast in Nepal.

Tibet

Airport pickups and drops service.
Private ground transportation with A/C.
Twin-sharing hotel accommodation.
Local cultural tour guide with English speaking.
Sightseeing entrance fees for museums and monuments.
Breakfast in Tibet.
Processing Travel Permit and Entry Visa.

Bhutan

Airport pickups and drops service.
Private ground transportation with A/C.
Twin-sharing hotel accommodation.
Local cultural tour guide with English speaking.
Sightseeing entrance fees for museums and monuments.
Full meals in Bhutan.
Processing Travel Permit and Entry Visa.

India

Airport pickups and drops service.
Private ground transportation with A/C.
Twin-sharing hotel accommodation.
Local cultural tour guide with English speaking.
Sightseeing entrance fees for museums and monuments.
Breakfast in India

Not satisfied with this itinerary?

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Reviews

5 - Excellent Based on 16 Reviews

Ms. Kara
United States of America
September, 2024

Well-Tailored Tour

My Buddhist Pilgrimage Tour beginning from India to Nepal to Bhutan was a well-tailored tour. Extremely delighted with the services offered by Netra. Huge shout out to all well-informative tour guides Lalit, Dipak, and Vishnu about temples and Buddhism in their respective countries. Throughout the journey, I felt safe and well taken care of despite the weather challenges.

Claire
UK/Japan
January 2020

Very readily with organised trips – Nepal Tibet overland & Bhutan

Dear Netra and Umesh,

Now as I make my way back to the UK, I can pause for breath and think about the trip we did.

First of all, thanks very much for taking us out to dinner on our last night in Nepal. It was a very pleasant evening, with great food and company. It was a kind gesture and one that does not come very readily with organized trips.

Secondly, thanks very much to both of you for your helpful, insightful, and prompt responses, with the putting together of this trip. When I started putting feelers out, I had narrowed the research down to 2 companies. You came out on top for the points mentioned above.

This trip was one, Masako and I had talked about for over a year, probably closer to 18 months. Again, as I begin to reflect and look at photos, I am overwhelmed at what we achieved in a relatively short time. We also had a brilliant, smoothly run trip. This is a huge credit to you both and your organizational skills and research.

Thanks for your photos of the flight over Mt. Everest. I will attach one I took at sunrise and of our last day in Bhutan.

Thanks again for your assistance in making this a brilliant trip.

I can thoroughly recommend your company to fellow travelers.

Until next time,

Connie
United States
2019

A life changing experience – Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan

Dear Netra, After many years of talking about traveling to these 3 destinations, we finally took the jump. What seemed like places so far away on the other side of the world and cultures so foreign to us from the west, at first was a bit daunting. This was the first time ever in our travels that I did not do any research or prepare a detailed itinerary (usually spend an entire month or so organize) Because of the region, we knew this was not possible to do on our own with the logistics of visas, flights, and booking accommodations but also knowing the what to see and where to go when. Your communication was perfect and the itinerary you custom put together for us was more than we expected. It was thoughtful and everyday was well planned. It allowed for rest and nothing was rushed. On top of that, the tour guides who took care of us were incredibly knowledgeable and accommodating. We have even become friends with some of them. We could not have had such an immersive special experience without them. We learned about more than just the surface sights but a lot about history, culture, food, religion, politics, and the arts. Our drivers were patient and high skilled in navigating the roads. We will share our travel stories and memories with our friends and family and cannot wait to return again to the region. Thank you again for making our vacation invaluable with such special memories. Anyone looking to travel to this region should absolutely be confident they will be well taken care of by Asia Experiences.

Selfi
Mexico
2019

Breathtaking and amazing experience – Nepal Bhutan & Myanmar Trip

Breathtaking and amazing experience – Nepal Bhutan & Myanmar Trip. I will recommend this travel agency since was everything OK, on time, wonderful service always with the best tourist guides and accommodation. They became my friends.

Adrian
United States
2019

Excellent Travel Agency, Trustworthy and experienced

I traveled to Myanmar, Bhutan, Tibet, and Nepal in my recent vacations and I did it with the help of Asia Experiences. The hotels and Transportation facilities were top notches, and the Itinerary was flawless too. My guides were skilled and well-trained. I was able to enjoy my vacation without any complications. As a solo traveler, I even had a personal guide of my own in all these destinations in optimum prices. The souvenir shopping spots were also awesome, and I had a great time shopping the garments and artifacts. I had a great time thanks to Asia Experiences and especially Mr. Umesh who coordinated this whole journey smoothly and effectively. I will revisit these countries with my friends and share them my memories from this time all thanks to Asia experiences.

John & Bella
United States
2019

Fantastic tour and amazing memories- Abstract traveling at the best

The Itineraries were smoothly handled, and we didn’t have to worry about any of the processes in between. We had a brief knowledge about every place we had been on this trip(Nepal Tour) from our wonderful guides. The experience here was new, and we were blessed to know about the people and their lifestyles here. On our short hikes, our guides choose the best routes for us, and we get the best views from the top. Mr. Umesh updated us with any changes as well as checked our status every day. The transportation and domestic flights were smooth, and I have to give it to the drivers driving in the traffic and the tough terrain too as they were skillful. We had no complications and even added a day at one of our destinations.

I recommend Asia Experiences for professional guidance and ease of Travelling.

Andris
Latvia
2018

Excellent Service, Thoughtful and Professional

We (My friend and me) surfed a whole lot seeking some popular agencies in Nepal. We decided to take no consideration when it came to professionalism in services. From our first words to the assistance we knew that Asia experiences were a perfect match for our South Asian visit. The reviews and ratings were just overviews and I happened to find an actual blog written by one of the previous travelers too. We communicated and sought advice both professionally as well as personal and headed towards the TIA airport the next month.

The hotels we stayed at were top-class, and we had to admit that the Asian foods we tried were a little spicy. However, we also had a range of different cuisines to choose from. I was also amazed to find the photography and English speaking skills impressive from Asia Experiences guides. We needed and got the detailed expense list and found the assistance of the agency worth every penny.

We want to thank Asia experiences and especially Mr. Umesh for this smooth and perfect vacation. If you want to avoid complications and have a professional aid by your side choose Asia Experiences.

Lucas
Australia
2018

Reaching for the horizon when you have trustworthy agency

As a traveler young in heart and an aging body, I was in doubt about whether I could push further and add a new chapter to my travel diary with this 14-day tour of Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan. With my previous experiences, I knew the importance of having a proper agency to back me up in my journey. I was lucky to find a couple back from the tour of these countries a few days back in the local cafeteria. With their help, I was able to connect with the Asia experiences tour.

As days came nearer to my arrival in Kathmandu, I asked numerous questions and communicated with the agency. They were of great help to keep my morale high. From the TIA to every other destination to come, the agency and guides completely aided me. From different hidden photographic locations to myths and legends of my destinations, I was provided a complete insight about them. With the help of Mr. Umesh from Asia Experiences, I was also able to get extra privileges at the Hotels and Lodges. My guides acted as my extra limb as I took on the journey from the plains to the marshlands and high hills.

I will suggest Asia Experiences for travelers of all ages and tastes.

Edward
Australia
2018

Nepal Bhutan Tour- Great and humble tour assistance

I still remember the first time I called Asia Experiences for aid. It was noon here in Boston, but I didn’t realize that it would be a late night in Nepal. However, their customer case assistance was humble and took no time on my queries to visit this group of nations. I love traveling around the world, and in my many traveling stories there are some negative parts too. However, with the assistance and proper guidance of Asia experiences, I could enjoy my trip to the fullest. Mrs. Dipa was very polite and yet professional as I knew I was a handful of curious travelers who wanted a lot. In my short time here I thought I was able to know central Asia better than before with the courtesy of my amazing guides from Asia Experiences.

I suggest and approve this agency as one of the best and most straightforward companies you will find in Nepal. So better be safe than sorry, with Asia experiencing holidays.

Jennifer
Hong Kong
2018

Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan- Much more than you hear

Being a solo traveler, I was in a dilemma on whether to take these nations head-on alone or ask for some assistance. With the costly offers running the market, I was able to give up when a friend of mine suggested Asia Experience. I thank him even today as the experience I had on this Journey was worth every penny. Walking through the hills and the tight streets, my guide made it all possible as only I knew that I would have missed so much of those without Ashish (Nepal), Pemba (Tibet), and Tashi (Bhutan). The great thing was that my guides were well-trained and experienced. They also had mastered the local languages in many of their visits. The memories and beautiful stories of reaching each destination were possible with Asia Experience and its pristine group of guides.

I approve and suggest Asia experiences for solo travel as it is cost-efficient and professional.