9 DAYS The Incredible Everest GROUP TOUR
The journey from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp will take you from the modern Tibetan capital of Lhasa to pristine high altitude lakes, rivers, glaciers, farming valleys and through the Himalaya’s to Everest Base Camp at an altitude of nearly 5200 meters/17,000 feet.
Tour Length
9 Days
Price From
$1,100
At a glance
MINIMUM AGE
Participants must be in good health and be able to spend each day walking around towns, villages and...
ACTIVE ELEMENTS
Include walking over steep, uneven terrain at high altitude
FIRST GROUP EVENT
Briefing will begin on Day 1, upon arrival to Kathmandu.
MAXIMUM ELEVATION
The maximum elevation is at Lhasa at null meters.
GROUP SIZE
Flexible group sizes available.
DIFFICULTY LEVEL
This journey is rated as Hard difficulty.
Trip Overview
The journey from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp will take you from the modern Tibetan capital of Lhasa to pristine high altitude lakes, rivers, glaciers, farming valleys and through the Himalaya’s to Everest Base Camp at an altitude of nearly 5200 meters/17,000 feet. In the Buddhist holy city of Lhasa, you will rub shoulders with pilgrims while going through the Jokhang, the most famous temple in the Himalaya. You will wander through the Potala Palace as well as the massive monasteries of Sera and Drepung.
From Lhasa, you will go the to turquoise-colored lake of Yamdrok and the amazing Karo La Glacier before arriving in the town of Gyantse. Then you will go to Tibet's second largest city, Shigatse, and go through Tashi Lhunpo Monastery. From there, the destination is Everest! At Everest Base Camp, you will get up close and personal with the world’s highest peak. You will spend 9 days experiencing, exploring and photographing the uniqueness of Tibetan culture. This is one of the most fascinating and exciting overland routes in Asia!
Most companies do this route in just 7 or 8 days, which means many long hours in a vehicle each day! We do this route in 9 days so that you can adjust better to the higher altitude and so you can really experience Tibet and its amazing scenery and culture.
Itinerary
Our experts have designed this gold-standard itinerary to inspire you, featuring our pick of the best hotels and experiences in every thrilling destination.
Day 1: Lhasa
Arrive in Lhasa. When you arrive to Lhasa, you will be met by your guide and transported to your hotel. You can spend the afternoon wandering around the Barkhor, Tibet’s ancient market area that surrounds Jokhang Temple. Each day thousands of Buddhist pilgrims make their way around this sacred temple.
Day 2: Lhasa
You will explore the Jokhang, the holiest Buddhist temple in the Himalaya’s. Founded nearly 1400 years ago, Jokhang Temple houses the most sacred statue of Buddha. You will work your way through this fascinating temple alongside Buddhist pilgrims from the faraway regions of Tibet. The sound of pilgrims chanting mantras fills the air as does the smell of yak butter candle offerings. In the afternoon, you will go to the 600 year old Sera, one of Tibet’s largest Buddhist monasteries. Each weekday afternoon starting at 3pm, monks engage in Buddhist philosophy debates, which are fun to photograph.
Day 3: Lhasa
You will start the day by exploring the Potala Palace, Tibet’s most iconic building. Towering above Lhasa with more than 1000 rooms, the Potala Palace served as the winter residence of the Dalai Lama’s for hundreds of years. After lunch, you will go to Drepung, another of Tibet’s huge monastic complexes. The pilgrimage circuit around Drepung takes about an hour or so and offers spectacular views.
Day 4: Lhasa - Yamdrok Lake - Karo La Glacier - Gyantse
After breakfast, you will hit the road and begin the next part of your Tibet adventure. From Lhasa, you will drive along the scenic Kyi Chu River Valley and then ascend to the top of the 4794 meter Kamba La Pass, which has a breathtaking view of Yamdrok Lake and 7191 meter Mt. Nojin Kangtsang. You will then descend and drive along the lakeshore before making your way back up to the Karo La, a beautiful glacier that comes down almost to the roadside. In the late afternoon, you will arrive in Gyantse. You will begin by exploring Pelkhor Chode Monastery and the Kumbum Stupa, the largest Buddhist pagoda in Tibet. This beautiful monastery lies within a walled complex in the Gyantse Old Town. A short hike to the top of the wall offers an excellent panoramic view of the monastery, town and the snow-covered mountains in the distance. Afterwards, you will make the short drive to Shigatse, Tibet’s second largest city. Along the way from Gyantse to Shigatse, you can stop at a couple of interesting farming villages to experience traditional Tibetan culture. In Shigatse, you will visit the huge monastery of Tashi Lhunpo. The excellent pilgrimage route around the monastery takes about an hour and has fantastic views.
Day 5: Shigatse - Gyatso La Pass - Farming Villages - Shelkar
Today’s destination is the small town of Shelkar, located in the Everest Region. Along the way to Shelkar, you will see more farming villages and beautiful landscapes. You will cross over the 5248 meter Gyatso La Pass, which has great views of the Himalaya Mountains. That afternoon you will arrive in the small town of Shelkar to stay the night.
Day 6: Shelkar - Rongphu Monastery - Everest Base Camp
In the morning you will begin driving up the 5050 meter Pang La Pass. On clear days, this pass offers a stunning panoramic view of the Himalaya’s. You can see four 8000 meter peaks from this pass including Cho Oyu, Makalu, Lhotse and Everest. You will continue on to Rongphu, the highest monastery in the world at just under 5000 meters. Rongphu has an unbelievable view of Everest! From Rongphu, you will then go to Everest Base Camp to stay the night while gazing out to the world’s highest peak.
Day 7: Everest - Farming Villages - Shigatse
After watching the sun rise on Mt. Everest, you will begin the journey back to Shigatse. You will stop at some farming villages as well as the small farming town of Lhatse. You will arrive in Shigatse with enough time to explore the main market street there or to hike the pilgrimage path at Tashi Lhunpo Monastery again.
Day 8: Shigatse - Yarlung River - Lhasa
Your last full day in Tibet will take you back to Lhasa along the beautiful Yarlung River Valley by train ride . You will arrive in Lhasa in the afternoon with time to explore Barkhor Square, rub shoulders with Tibetan Buddhist pilgrims and walk around the mighty Potala Palace one last time.
Day 9: Depart Lhasa
You will be transferred to the airport or train station to depart Tibet for your next destination. All of our travel routes are built with altitude acclimatization in mind to reduce the risks of altitude-related illness. Contact us today to begin arranging your journey from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp
What's Included
All accommodations (based on double occupancy)
Breakfast each morning in Tibet
Bottled drinking water
All ground transportation in Tibet
All entrance fees for the itinerary listed
All Tibet travel permits
Local Tibetan guide fees
All meals and accommodations for your driver and guide
Lhasa Airport or train station pick up and transfer
What's not included in this package
Passport and Chinese Visa fees
International airfare to/from Lhasa, Tibet
Lunch and dinner
Travel vaccinations
Insurance (travel, medical, etc)
Souvenirs or personal items such as laundry, snacks, alcohol drinks, etc
Photography fees inside temples and monasteries
Gratuities to the Tibetan guide and driver
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