Shishapangma [8,046 meters] is probably the least known of the world's fourteen 8000-meter peaks, despite being only 80 km northeast of Kathmandu. The mountain is hidden from Nepal, tucked behind the Langtang Himal and the main Himalayan ridge. The round trip to Shishapangma takes us five days, and it is one of Tibet's best kept trekking secrets and finest high alpine walks. This adventure trek is one of the few treks that do not involve pass crossing, which makes it a bit easier than our other trekking tours in Tibet, but none the less rewarding.

Here on the southeast side of Shishapangma, the monsoon from the Indian subcontinent manages to push over the Jugal Himal, bringing some rain most nights from June until early September. Most days are clear and we will have nourishing lush meadows and an outstanding display of wildflowers high into the mountains.

After finishing the trek we make our way towards Lhasa and stop in the towns of Shigatse and Gyantse, where we explore monasteries and fully immerse ourselves in the Buddhist culture. Before we fly back to Kathmandu we spend a couple of days in Lhasa, the heart and soul of Tibet and an object of devout pilgrimage, it is still a city of wonders. The medieval push and shove of crowds, the street performers, the stalls hawking everything from prayer flags to jewel-encrusted yak skulls, and the devout tapping their foreheads to the ground at every step is an exotic brew that few newcomers can resist