Combined tour · 14 days, 13 nights

14 Day Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet Tour: Paro, Kathmandu and Lhasa

Three Himalayan worlds in one trip: Bhutan’s dzongs and the Tiger’s Nest, Kathmandu’s temples and old squares, then Lhasa, Gyantse and Shigatse on the Tibetan plateau.

Countries and regions

3,650 m

Lhasa, about

Himalayan flights

Private

Guides in every country

Trip overview

Three ways of life on the roof of the world

Bhutan, Nepal and Tibet share the Himalaya and much of their Buddhist heritage, but each feels completely different. Bhutan is quiet and carefully protected, with forested valleys and great white dzongs. Kathmandu is crowded, colourful and ancient, with Hindu and Buddhist temples side by side. Tibet is high, open and dry, a plateau of turquoise lakes and huge monasteries under a deep blue sky.

This trip starts in Bhutan, with Thimphu, Punakha and the Tiger’s Nest. Then you fly to Kathmandu for three nights of temples, stupas and the old royal towns of Patan and Bhaktapur. Finally you fly over the Himalaya to Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, to see the Potala Palace and the Jokhang, and drive past Yamdrok Lake to Gyantse and Shigatse.

Tibet needs extra paperwork. Every foreign visitor needs a Tibet Travel Permit as well as a Chinese visa, and must travel with a licensed Tibetan guide on a set itinerary. Visitors flying in from Kathmandu usually receive a Chinese group visa issued in Nepal. Permits can be paused at short notice, so we always keep a backup plan ready and tell you the moment anything changes.

Highlights

Highlights of the trip

Tiger's Nest

Bhutan's cliff monastery above Paro.

Punakha Dzong

Bhutan's most beautiful fortress.

Boudhanath

Kathmandu's great white stupa.

Bhaktapur

A medieval Newar town of temples and potters.

Potala Palace

The former winter palace of the Dalai Lamas.

Yamdrok Lake

A turquoise holy lake on the road to Gyantse.

Itinerary at a glance

Fourteen days across the Himalaya

The order can change around flight days and Tibet permit timing.

Day 1: Arrive in Paro, Thimphu

Land in Paro, drive to Thimphu.

Day 2: Thimphu

Tashichho Dzong, Folk Heritage Museum, Zorig Chusum.

Day 3: To Punakha

Dochula, Punakha Dzong, Chimi Lhakhang.

Day 4: To Paro

Drive to Paro, Rinpung Dzong, National Museum.

Day 5: Tiger's Nest

Hike to Paro Taktsang, Kyichu Lhakhang.

Day 6: Fly to Kathmandu

Paro to Kathmandu flight, Boudhanath at dusk.

Day 7: Kathmandu

Swayambhunath, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Pashupatinath.

Day 8: Patan and Bhaktapur

Patan, Bhaktapur.

Day 9: Fly to Lhasa

Kathmandu to Lhasa flight, rest.

Day 10: Lhasa

Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor.

Day 11: Lhasa monasteries

Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery debates.

Day 12: To Gyantse

Kamba La, Yamdrok Lake, Karo La, Gyantse.

Day 13: To Shigatse

Drive to Shigatse, Tashilhunpo Monastery.

Day 14: Depart

Drive to Lhasa Gonggar airport or fly from Shigatse.

Day 1

Arrive in Bhutan

Your Bhutanese guide meets you at Paro airport and drives you about an hour to Thimphu. In the afternoon you visit Buddha Dordenma and the Memorial Chorten.

Day 2

Bhutan's capital

A full day in Thimphu: the National Institute for Zorig Chusum, where students learn Bhutan’s 13 traditional arts, the Folk Heritage Museum, the craft bazaar and Tashichho Dzong in the late afternoon.

Day 3

Over Dochula to Punakha

You cross Dochula, at about 3,100 metres, with its 108 chortens, and drop into the Punakha valley to visit Punakha Dzong and walk to Chimi Lhakhang through the rice fields.

Day 4

Back to Paro

You drive back to Paro, about four and a half hours. In the afternoon you visit the National Museum and Rinpung Dzong across the old covered bridge.

Day 5

Hike to the Tiger's Nest

The hike to the Tiger’s Nest takes five to six hours return through pine forest. On the way back you visit Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in Bhutan.

Day 6

Fly along the Himalaya to Kathmandu

The flight from Paro to Kathmandu passes along the Himalaya; on a clear day sit on the right for Kanchenjunga and Everest. Our Nepali guide meets you and, in the late afternoon, takes you to Boudhanath, one of the largest stupas in the world, where pilgrims walk around it at dusk. Most nationalities get a Nepal visa on arrival.

Day 7

Temples of Kathmandu

You visit Swayambhunath, the hilltop monkey temple, the old royal palace area of Kathmandu Durbar Square, and Pashupatinath, the most important Hindu temple in Nepal. Meanwhile our team finalises your Chinese group visa for Tibet, which is issued in Kathmandu.

Day 8

The old royal towns

A day in the Kathmandu valley’s old royal towns: Patan, a city of craftsmen and Buddhist courtyards, and Bhaktapur, with its brick squares, pagodas and potters at work. Try juju dhau, the famous sweet yoghurt.

Day 9

Over the Himalaya to Lhasa

The flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa crosses the main Himalayan range, often with views of Everest. Your Tibetan guide meets you at Lhasa Gonggar airport. Lhasa sits at about 3,650 metres, so the rest of the day is for rest and plenty of water.

Day 10

The Potala and the Jokhang

You visit the Potala Palace, the former winter palace of the Dalai Lamas, with a timed entry booked by your guide. In the afternoon you visit the Jokhang Temple, Tibet’s most sacred temple, and walk the Barkhor circuit around it with pilgrims spinning prayer wheels.

Day 11

Drepung and Sera

Drepung was once the largest monastery in the world. In the afternoon you visit Sera Monastery, where young monks debate philosophy in the courtyard with loud claps and stamps, usually in the afternoon on most weekdays.

Day 12

Yamdrok Lake and Gyantse

You drive over Kamba La, at about 4,800 metres, for the first view of Yamdrok Lake, a turquoise holy lake, then past the Karola glacier to Gyantse. In Gyantse you visit the Kumbum, a huge stupa full of chapels and murals.

Day 13

Tashilhunpo Monastery

A short drive brings you to Shigatse, Tibet’s second city. You visit Tashilhunpo Monastery, the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama, with its giant gilded Buddha and golden roofs.

Day 14

Fly out of Tibet

You drive back to Lhasa Gonggar airport, about five hours, for your onward flight, or fly from Shigatse when schedules allow. Flights from Lhasa connect to Chengdu, Beijing, Kathmandu and other cities.

Where you stay

Comfortable hotels in all three places.

Nights	Place	Where you stay	Why we chose it
1 and 2	Thimphu	3-star or 4-star hotel	Central
3	Punakha	3-star or 4-star hotel	Valley views
4 and 5	Paro	3-star or 4-star hotel	Near the trailhead
6 to 8	Kathmandu	4-star hotel	Near the old city
9 to 11	Lhasa	4-star hotel	Near the Barkhor
12	Gyantse	Best available hotel	Old town
13	Shigatse	4-star hotel	City centre

Hotels outside Lhasa are simpler. Luxury hotels are available in Lhasa and Kathmandu.

What the price covers

Included and not included

Included

Bhutan visa (USD 40) and the Sustainable Development Fee for every night in Bhutan
Flights Paro to Kathmandu and Kathmandu to Lhasa
Tibet Travel Permit and Chinese group visa arrangements
Hotels as listed
All meals in Bhutan; breakfast in Nepal and Tibet
Licensed guides in Bhutan, Nepal and Tibet
Private car or vehicle with driver in every country
Entry fees to the sites listed

Not included

Price on request

Tell us your budget and we will send our best price

We don’t publish one fixed price, because hotels, season and group size change the total a lot. Tell us your dates, who is travelling and the budget you have in mind. We will reply within 24 hours with our best price for this Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet tour.

How we price

What decides the cost of this trip

Government fees

The SDF is USD 100 per adult per night until 31 August 2027, plus a USD 40 visa. These are fixed by the Government of Bhutan and paid through us.

Hotels you choose

Flights and Tibet permit costs are the biggest variables. Tell us your dates and budget.

Season and dates

Spring and autumn are peak season. Winter and summer dates are often easier to price well.

Group size

Guide and car costs are shared, so the price per person drops for two, three or four travellers.

We send a written, itemised quote before you pay anything. No booking fees.

Good to know

Planning your Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet trip

Tibet permits and visas

Foreign visitors need a Tibet Travel Permit in addition to a Chinese visa, and must travel with a licensed Tibetan guide on a set route. Travellers entering Tibet from Kathmandu usually receive a Chinese group visa issued in Nepal, which can replace any Chinese visa already in your passport. Some areas, such as Everest Base Camp on the Tibet side, need extra permits. We apply for everything through a licensed Tibetan partner. You will need to send passport copies about a month before travel.

When Tibet can close

Tibet’s permits can be paused at short notice, usually around sensitive dates. In past years the region often closed to foreign visitors in February and March, although in 2026 the usual March closure did not happen. Overland border crossings between Nepal and Tibet have also been closed. We watch the situation closely, fly rather than drive between Nepal and Tibet, and have a backup plan in Nepal or Bhutan ready if permits are stopped.

Altitude

Lhasa is at about 3,650 metres, and the road to Gyantse crosses passes near 5,000 metres. That is why this trip starts in Bhutan and Nepal, at lower heights, and spends three nights in Lhasa before going higher. Drink plenty of water, avoid alcohol for the first days in Tibet, walk slowly and tell your guide about headaches. Talk to your doctor before you travel if you have heart or lung conditions.

Best time for all three

April to June and September to October are the best months for this combination. Skies are clear in autumn, and spring is mild in Tibet. Winter is cold but clear in Tibet and Bhutan. The monsoon, June to August, brings rain to Nepal and Bhutan, but Tibet stays fairly dry.

Bhutan visa

Every visitor except Indian nationals needs a Bhutan visa, which costs USD 40 and is issued online before you fly. The Sustainable Development Fee is USD 100 per adult per night until 31 August 2027. We arrange both. Read our Bhutan visa guide.

Temple etiquette

Cover shoulders and knees in dzongs and temples, take off hats, and walk clockwise around chortens and prayer wheels. Photography is not allowed inside shrine rooms. Your guide explains each place before you go in. Read more in our Bhutan travel rules guide.

Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet tour: questions

How much does the Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet tour cost?

It depends on your hotels, group size and dates. Tell us your budget and we will reply within 24 hours with our best price, including the SDF, visa, hotels, meals, guide and car.

Can foreigners visit Tibet in 2027?

Usually yes, with a Tibet Travel Permit, a Chinese visa and a licensed guide. Permits can be paused at short notice.

Do I need a Chinese visa?

Yes. Coming from Kathmandu, a Chinese group visa is usually issued in Nepal through our partner.

Can we go overland from Nepal to Tibet?

The land borders have been closed recently, so we fly from Kathmandu to Lhasa.

Is altitude a problem?

Lhasa is high, so the trip builds up slowly. Most people manage well with rest and water.

Can we add Everest Base Camp in Tibet?

Yes, with two extra days and an extra permit.

What if Tibet closes?

We switch to a backup plan in Nepal or Bhutan and adjust the price.