In the Heart of the Himalayas - Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan

Landing in Kathmandu (flights to and from Kathmandu are outside the basic package and are charged separately).
Welcome and transfer to hotel Bahari Kathmandu 4*. Breakfast at the hotel and free time to freshen up.
Visit one of the Holy places in Nepal - Bodhnat stupa, in the Little Tibet district. Built in the 5th century, it remains an exceptional place of pilgrimage and Buddhist meditation for Tibetans and Nepalis alike. After a traditional tour around the sacred stupa, free time and an opportunity to shop for unique local textiles, ceramics, bronzes and souvenirs. Return to the hotel and check in. Afternoon - walk in the heart of Nepal's capital Kathmandu - Durbar Square (Main Square), famous for its many medieval Hindu temples. Explore the inner courtyard of the temple-palace of the living goddess Kumari, where with luck you will catch a glimpse of a young Nepali girl, the embodiment of female divinity. Return to the hotel. Dinner included. Overnight.

 Breakfast. The tour program continues with the ancient city of Patan (former capital of the Nepalese kingdom), listed by UNESCO. Here you seem to fall into a magical Himalayan fairy tale from the set of a historical film ! Explore the central square with its numerous temples honoring the divine Krishna, Shiva, Bimset, Kali and Taleju as well as the former Royal Palace. Free time for lunch and souvenir shopping.
BONUS dinner with folklore program in Kathmandu for early booking till 20 April 2026 !!!
Return to the hotel. Overnight.

Breakfast. Transfer to the airport for an early flight to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet.
Even the flight to the high Tibetan plateau is an experience in itself because you are flying over most of the Himalayan peaks, including Everest and with luck with good weather, the view is divine ! Welcome at Lhasa airport, lunch at a local restaurant and transfer to hotel Lhasa VIP Building 5*, centrally located for accommodation. A light hiking program follows to gradually acclimatize to the altitude of about 3,500 m above sea level. Visit to Norbulinka Palace (UNESCO), a pleasant park area with a complex of buildings built by various Dalai Lamas for their summer residences. The well-preserved frescoes, colorful mandalas and murals uniquely recreate the history of Tibet ! Often referred to as the "Roof of the World" due to the high altitude of the Tibetan Plateau - over 4500m in places, it has been inhabited for hundreds of years, with early Tibetan culture emerging around the 7th century. By the 9th century, Tibet had become a unified and powerful empire, but subsequently fragmented into smaller regions, and in the 13th century fell under Mongol rule. In the 17th century, the 5th Dalai Lama united Tibet under the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, also known as the Yellow Hat sect, and built the iconic Potala Palace in Lhasa, which became the Dalai Lama's residence and a symbol of Tibetan culture. The twentieth century brought significant changes to Tibet - in 1951, China invaded with its army and annexed Tibet, and the Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 after an unsuccessful Tibetan rebellion against the illegal occupation. „Lhasa” in Tibetan means „sacred” and so it is for all Tibetans. It is home to 31 Tibetan communities, a crossroads and bustling market, and more recently a recognisable tourist attraction. Return to hotel. Dinner included. Overnight.

Breakfast. Visit Drepung Monastery - one of the largest and most influential monasteries not only in Lhasa but also in the world of Buddhism. With its nearly 600-year history, it has established itself as one of the most important Buddhist schools (college) where monks from near and far study Tibetan Buddhism. The name “Drepung“ means “rice gathering“, as the white buildings scattered on the hill resemble scattered rice grains from afar. At its height, over 10,000 monks lived here (today only about 600).
The monastery is also striking for its size, especially the Prayer Hall, which is the height of a 3-storey building, and from its open-air terrace you can see the whole capital Lhasa and the valley around it. The gigantic statue of the future Buddha, Maitreya, rises powerfully in the central part of the monastery and seems to herald joy and prosperity for all the people of the Earth with its smile.
Transfer to central Lhasa. Lunch included.
Next, visit Sera Monastery, an important literary and spiritual centre in Tibet. In addition to its rich history and beautiful architecture, the monastery is also famous for the unique “disputes“ (debates) that local monks engage in almost every afternoon in the monastery courtyard.
These discussions are structured in a rigid way, with one monk taking the role of questioner and the other as responder, and all the while both clapping their hands, stamping their feet and pulling their rosaries to express their points more enthusiastically. The opportunity to observe such an extraordinary event is a real stroke of luck for the traveller. Return to the hotel. Overnight.

Breakfast. Visit the Potala Palace, the symbol of Lhasa, built by Songtsen Gampo, the 33rd Tibetan Lama of the Yarlung dynasty and founder of the Tibetan Empire. As the first of the three „Dharma Kings“ (Guardians of the Faith), he introduced Buddhism to Tibet, established the Tibetan script and built the Sacred Temple of Jokhang.
Later, the Potala Palace was used by the Dalai Lamas only in winter, so it was also called the Winter Palace. Now it is a palace museum and since 1994 it has also been declared a World Heritage Site (UNESCO).
The highest point of the palace is 117 meters above the level of Lhasa and all other buildings of the city are not allowed to rise above it, as a sign of respect to the sacred place. We head up the imposing winding staircase to tour the two parts of the palace, the White and Red Palaces, as well as the Yellow Courtyard. The palace has served various functions and has been home to the Dalai Lama and other Buddhist officials, and served as the seat of the independent Tibetan Government. In addition, Potala is one of the most important destinations for pilgrims in Tibet as the tombs of most Dalai Lamas are located there.
Lunch included. Next, visit the most sacred and revered place for Buddhism, the Jokhang Buddhist Temple, located on the main street in Lhasa.
The program continues with a walking tour and free time around Barcor Square. It is unique to observe the circular, pilgrimage route (kora) in the center of the old city of Lhasa, surrounding the sacred Jokhang Temple, where thousands of pilgrims circle clockwise each day, rising and falling in full stature, thus attesting their worship of the Buddha. It is also a favourite spot for tourists with its bustling markets.
Return to the hotel. Overnight.

Breakfast. Transfer to Lhasa airport for flight to Kathmandu.
The flight to the Himalayan Rift region will again take us to the capital of Nepal, today we will visit the old capital of Bhaktapur - today a district of Kathmandu.
Also called the „City of Pilgrims“ (derived from Sanskrit bhakta „pilgrim“ and pura „city“), it is an ancient UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal. Founded in the 12th century, this city in Newar is known for its well-preserved medieval art, architecture and, in particular, its Durbar Square.
The program for the day includes a walk in the historic city, where we will see the “Palace with 55 windows“, the Golden Gate and the 7-storey pagoda Nyatpola.
Transfer and hotel accommodation Bahari Kathmandu 4*. Dinner included. Overnight.

Breakfast and early transfer to Kathmandu airport for flight to Paro (Bhutan) with Bhutan Royal Druk Air.
The approach of the plane to the airport, along the Paro River valley is a remarkable and memorable landing at the only international airport in the Kingdom of Bhutan. The country is also often referred to as the „Land of the Thunder Dragon“ because the Bhutanese Buddhist dragon (known as Druk) is a revered mythical creature symbolizing the spiritual protector, strength, wisdom and enlightenment of the nation through the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism. The teachings of the Buddha are central to Bhutan's identity and have been given pride of place on the country's national flag.
Meet the group and transfer to the capital Timpu (50 km, about 2 hours). On the way, a short photo break in the area of Tachog Lhakhang Monastery, built in the early 15th century by the famous Tibetan spiritual guru Tang Tong Gyalpo, who was also a famous architect and builder of suspension bridges.
Included lunch at a traditional local Bhutanese restaurant in the Timpu area.
Next, we pass through one of the tourists' favourite places, at an intersection where instead of a traffic light there is a policeman-regulator directing traffic with vigorous hand movements. Bhutan's capital city boasts of being the only capital city in the world that doesn't have a single traffic light.
Hotel accommodation Norkhil Boutique Hotel & Spa 4* and free time for refreshments.
Next we visit Tashichho Dzong, translated as „Fortress of Glorious Religion“. This is a massive, historic Buddhist monastery and fortress. It houses the King's Throne Room, the Council of Ministers and the Monastic Community Council.
Bhutan's dzongs combine many functions: administrative, secular, managerial and spiritual, so locals visit them dressed in colourful national costume as a sign of respect for the institutions. Dinner at the hotel included. Overnight.

Breakfast. The day begins with a visit to the memorial temple-monument of the Third King of Bhutan and a visit to the enigmatic jewel of Bhutan - „Buddha Point“. This is the highest Buddha statue-temple built in the World and thus fulfills a centuries-old prophecy that a great statue would be built in the Timpu area „to radiate blessings of peace and happiness to the whole world“. In addition to the active Buddhist temple, another 125,000 small Buddhas are kept inside the Buddha statue itself - a symbol of peace, stability and prosperity for the World.
Departure to Paro (50 km, about 2 hours) and included lunch at a local restaurant.
Visit Paro Dzong (Rinpung Dzong) - one of the typical and recognizable architectural ensembles in the Buddhist Kingdom. Translated means „Fortress on Jewels“ and is an iconic Buddhist fortress-monastery dating back to 1644. It is the key administrative and religious centre of the Paro region and features massive white walls, intricate carvings and unique architecture. Accommodation Kaachi Grand Hotel 4* in the area of Paro and time for rest and acclimatization at 2 330 m.a.s.l. Dinner included at the hotel.

After breakfast, you will visit one of the holiest places in Bhutan - Taktsang Monastery, better known as Tiger's Nest Monastery. High up there, shrouded in legends and myths, mist and snow and towering at 3,120m above sea level, it has merged with the rocks and is an integral part of Bhutan's spiritual culture. Legend has it that in the 8th century, the Indian spiritual master Padmasambhava, better known as Guru Rinpoche (the Precious Master), visited the site by flying on the back of a tigress to defeat a local demon and then stayed there to meditate for months. This was the event that marked the beginning of Buddhism in Bhutan.
The ascent to the monastery and back is optional and takes about 4-5 hours. Free time in Paro for those who do not climb to the monastery. Dinner included at the hotel.

Breakfast. Transfer to Paro airport for flight to Kathmandu with Bhutan Royal Druk Air.
Landing in Kathmandu. Meet and transfer to the Buddhist stupa of Swayambhunath (Temple of the Monkeys), a deeply revered ancient religious complex founded in the 5th century. It is protected by UNESCO and is recognisable from afar by the painted „all-seeing“ eyes of the Buddha. From here you have a magnificent view of Kathmandu and the majestic Himalayan range.
Transfer to the central district of Thamel, a bustling shopping district with narrow streets that has had a reputation as Kathmandu's main tourist hub since the hippie era of the 1970s. It's a central, pedestrian-friendly area full of hotels, restaurants, cafes, shops and boutiques. Free time for lunch follows. Check in at the hotel Bahari Kathmandu 4*.
Free afternoon for refreshment, rest and last shopping in Nepal. Late evening transfer to airport.
End of program.