Three Himalayan Kingdoms
Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan in one journey: the Kathmandu Valley, the Friendship Highway to Lhasa, and the flight east to Paro.
- Duration
- 14 days
- From
- $3,620
- Booking
- On request
The full crossing, and the longest of these itineraries for a reason: it is three border formalities, three permit regimes and two flights, and compressing it further is how a trip becomes a series of airports. Tibet requires permits and a licensed guide throughout; Bhutan requires a licensed operator and the daily levy. Both are arranged in advance and neither can be added en route.
Where it goes
22 stops on the map. Pick a day to zoom to it; the rest of the route stays drawn. A stop the operator gave no location is not plotted — the Day by day tab is the full route.
- ArrivingFlight
- Private car · 8h
- Day 4Nepal
North to the border
A long road day out of the valley to the frontier, with immigration formalities on both sides. The border keeps Beijing time, so the afternoon loses two and a quarter hours.
Jeep · 8h 30m - Day 5Tibet
Onto the plateau
The climb from the river gorge onto the plateau proper. Altitude is the day's real content; the driving is otherwise unremarkable.
- Jeep · 3h
- Jeep · 5h
- Day 10Tibet
Drepung, Sera and Ganden
The three great Gelug seats around Lhasa. Ganden is the furthest out and the most exposed.
Flight · 2h · $480Flight · 1h 15m · $420 - Day 11Bhutan
Lhasa to Paro, via Kathmandu
There is no direct sector between Lhasa and Paro; the routing goes back through Kathmandu and takes the day.
- Private car · 4h
- Day 13Bhutan
Thimphu and Punakha
Over Dochula to the old winter capital and its dzong at the confluence.
- Day 14Bhutan
Depart Paro
A morning departure from Paro. Nothing is scheduled: the valley closes to departures in poor visibility, and a delayed sector is the commonest way this itinerary ends a day late.
LeavingFlight
Shambala Travels has not listed what this trip includes. Ask on the Enquire tab — it is the first thing worth knowing.
Per person
- $3,9802–4 · double
- $3,6205–8 · double
- $4,6801–1 · single
Group size 2–8
Cancellation
Shambala Travels has not published cancellation terms here. Ask for them in writing before you pay a deposit.
This trip runs on request: Shambala Travels sets the dates with you rather than publishing a departure list.
Ask about this trip
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From $3,620