Lhasa to Everest Base Camp Tibet Tour (8Days)

Trip Highlights

“A Classic overland tour around 1300Km that can be done in a week on an organized overland either private or group trip by land cruiser or buses. It’s also a popular classic mountain biking route which takes in central Tibet’s most important monasteries and views of the world’s highest snowy peaks.”

Overview

Lhasa to Everest Base Camp (EBC) Overland Tour -7nights 8days is the most popular and rewarding travel package that starts in Lhasa and ends at Nepal-Tibet border crossing at Kerung/Kryirong. The friendship HWY between Lhasa and Kathmandu is the main travelers’ route through the Tibet that allows a number of admirable detours. You can combine this 8-Day Lhasa EBC scenic trip with the train route into Tibet from Beijing or Chengdu or flight from Mainland China or Kathmandu for an epic overland tour.

Lhasa Highlights include the Potala Palace (UNESCO World Heritage site); a residence of the Dalai Lama, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Bazaar (Buddhists Pilgrimage Circuit), the huge monastic institutions of Drepung and Sera lie on the edge of the town.

Your Lhasa to Everest Base Camp (EBC) Overland Tour -7nights 8days heads straight from Lhasa (3650m) to the coiling scorpion-lake of Yamdrok Tso, enjoy the views from Samding Monastery before heading over the glacier draped Karo-La Pass to Gyantse, get a short glimpse of Khumbum Chorten and Phalkhor before heading for a 90 min drive to Shigatse (3950m). Visit impressive Tashilhunpo Monastery, one of the few monasteries in Tibet that weathered the stormy seas of the Cultural Revolution.

The most popular excursion from this 8-day Lhasa EBC scenic trip is to explore the Rongbuk monastery (4900m) and Everest Base Camp (5150m). This is the north face of Mount Everest (Mt. Qomolangma Base Camp in Chinese). Since the dirt road from Tingri to Rongbuk for about 90 Kilometers, it’s very enjoyable walking about an hour to Everest Base camp from the Rongbuk monastery.

After all, Lhasa to Everest Base Camp (EBC) Overland Tour -7nights 8days journey ends at Kordari or Kerung/Kyirong border where your Nepalese representative waits to take you to Kathmandu. Traveling through Rasuwagadi HWY road is quite bumpy and takes almost 6-7 hours to drive for 150Km to Kathmandu.

ITINERARY

Day 01: Kathmandu (1,300m) – Lhasa (3,650m)

Upon your arrival in Lhasa; you will be greeted by your Tibetan guide and escorted to the hotel. A complete day rest for acclimatization- you can also walk around at nearby places on your own.

You can reach to Lhasa either taking flight from Kathmandu (1 hour flight) or taking train/flight from Mainland China (Mostly from Beijing or Chengdu). Overnight at Hotel

Day 02: First day of sightseeing tour in Lhasa

Today, we start our sightseeing from Jokhang Temple, the most sacred monastery in Tibet. It was founded in the 7^th century by the first great Buddhist King Songtsen Gampo. After, you will explore the surrounding Barkhor old quarter and spend time walking around Jokhang Temple following pilgrims from all over the Tibetan plateau. In the afternoon, we will visit to Sera Monastery, one of the three great Universities of Gelugpa Sect. We can also attend the debating dance session of the monks.

Overnight at the Hotel.

Day 03: Second day of Lhasa Sightseeing Tour

Today, we visit the stunning Potala and Norbulingka Palaces. Potala winter palace was built in the 17^th century by the fifth Dalai Lama, gives you amazing views of the entire city and houses the private quarter of the Dalai Lama, numerous grand state rooms and chapels. Norbulingka Palace is the summer palace of the Dalai Lama, built in the 18^th century by the seventh Dalai Lama. It’s tradition to do picnic in its beautiful garden and perform opera dances during Shoton Festival (August-September).

Overnight at the Hotel.

Day 04: Drive to Shigatse (3950m) via Gyantse – 341 KM

After having breakfast at the hotel, meet your guide and start your long day drive to Shigatse via Gyantse. You will drive through Yamdrok-tso and Karo-la Pass, explore Khumbum and Phakhor Stupas/Chorterns and proceed to Shigatse, visit impressive Tashilhunpo Monastery. Tashilhunpo Monastery, one of the few monasteries in Tibet that weathered the stormy seas of the Cultural Revolution. It is a real pleasure to explore the busy cobbled lanes twisting around the aged building. Covering 70,000sq. Meters, the monastery is essentially a walled town in its own right. Overnight at hotel in Shigatse

Overnight at Hotel

Day 05: Drive to Rongbuk Monastery (4900m) via Tingri (4980m) – 340 KM

After having breakfast at the hotel, meet your guide and start your long scenic drive to Ronbguk through several picturesque landscapes and villages. On this journey you will cross Tsola Pass (4600m) and Gyatsola Pass (5248m) The drive from Tingri to Rongbuk (90KM) is quite bumpy but worthwhile due to the stunning view of world’s highest snowy peaks.

Overnight at Rongbuk at basic guest house

Day 06: Explore Everest Base Camp (EBC) and drive back to Tingri

After having breakfast at Rongbuk, about an hour walk further to Everest Base Camp (EBC); get an impressive north view of Mount Everest (8848m) and other world’s highest snowy mountains. Spend some time taking pictures and relaxing walk back to Rongbuk and drive back to Tingri. Overnight at Basic guest house at Tingri

Day 07: Drive Tingri to Kyirong border – 280 KM

After having breakfast, drive further from Tingri to Kyirong town. On this epic journey, you can enjoy stunning view of Mt. Shishapangpa and the Peikotso Lake. You will drive further to Kyirong crossing Ghungtang Lhamo Pass (5236m) and reach at Kerung border town.

Day 08: Kyirong/Kerung to Kathmandu – 155KM

After having breakfast at Kerung, drive to the immigration, finish border crossing formalities, meet our representative and driver further to Kathmandu through Rasuwagadi Hwy road. This road is bumpy and some part is under construction, it will take about 6-7 hours to reach in Kathmandu.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

All necessary Tibet Travel Permit. (Including Tibet Entry Permit, Alien Travel Permit, Boarder Pass
Sightseeing and monastery entrance fees as per the itinerary Sightseeing and monastery entrance fees as per the itinerary Sightseeing and monastery entrance fees as per the itinerary
Private professional English-Speaking local tour guide
Licensed Vehicle with experienced driver
Airport (or train pick up and drop off
3 nights’ accommodation twin sharing room in Lhasa and Shigatse, dorm in guest houses
Breakfast provided by the hotel
All taxes, fees and handling charges
Lodging and meal allowance to the guide & driver
Reservation fee for visiting Potala Palace
2 bottles of drinking water per person per day

WHAT'S EXCLUDED

Meals not specified in the itinerary (All lunches & dinners)
Flight fares, Visa fees (visa fees are from 85USD -175USD)
All Entrance tickets to the sightseeing places
Flight/Train tickets in and out of Tibet
Personal expenses such as laundry, drink, fax, telephone call, optional tour activities, etc.
Any losses incurred which is beyond our control like government control, natural disaster etc.
Tips to the guide & driver ( Tips is not required but expected)
Single room supplement

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Instant confirmation, but clients must book at least 15-20 days before because permits application process takes time;
About airport transfer: Tibet private tours are received by the guide at the airport and transfer to the airport for departure
Travelers booking this tour are required to apply for a Tibet Travel Permit (TTP) with the same tour operator 15-20 days prior to entering Lhasa.
Travelers are required to provide a photo page of their passport at least 15-20 days before tour departure date.
Travelers are required to provide a photocopy of their China visa at least 7 days before tour departure date.
Travelers are required to provide a contact name, phone number, and hotel or residential address in China at least 8-10 days before tour departure date for Tibet Travel Permits delivery.
All foreign travelers entering Tibet by air from any cities in China (or by train from Chongqing, Xi’an and Lanzhou) need an original hard copy of Tibet Travel Permit which is to be sent by the local tour operator to the traveler’s address above.
All foreign travelers to Lhasa by train from any cities in China (except for Chongqing, Xi’an and Lanzhou) only need photocopy of Tibet Travel Permit which is to be sent by local operator via email. Remember to print 4 copies for each page for train check in reference).
All foreign travelers entering Tibet from Nepal need Additional Tibet Group Visa (TGV requires additional cost ranging from USD$85 to USD$175 depending on traveler’s nationality and 3 working days of processing time in Kathmandu). Upon booking, please contact the same supplier of Tibet Tour for more details if you enter Tibet from Nepal. Local tour operator could assist you to obtain TGV in Kathmandu.

Daneil Jenth
Germany

7 Days Lhasa to Everest Base Camp Tibet Tour

In April 2019 we (me and my girlfriend) did a 7 days trip which started off with 2,5 days in Lhasa and some monastery’s close by, and then took us over the breath-taking Tibetan highlands via the Everest basecamp to the Nepalese boarder, where another car picked us up to drive us to Kathmandu. This great mix between on the one hand the mysterious and still very present traditional and friendly Tibetan culture with all its rituals, monasteries, temples and prayer flags and on the other hand the stunning view off the vast Tibetan mountains, where being over 5000m is almost normal and the top off the world only seems to be a glimpse away, is something which is worth every journey there, no matter how long it is. Best you don`t fly directly into Lhasa but acclimatize a bit beforehand, else the first days could give you a bit of a “headache”. We took the train from Beijing and had a stopover in Xining where we also did a very nice daytrip into the nearby hills (up to 3800m). If you plan a similar trip, maybe try to stay one or two days longer in Lhasa and also on the road trip in the Tibetan highlands, there is plenty to see and not enough time (unfortunately we did not have these additional 2 days).
One important thing why this trip was such a great experience surely was Anup and his counterpart in Tibet, Norbu. They did an absolutely amazing job organizing this whole trip, starting with the train tickets from Beijing and ending up in Kathmandu. Anup was extremely responsive throughout the whole organization phase, which helped us a lot to get a good feeling about what was coming up. Also it was important for us to get a Tibetan guide in Tibet and not a Chinese one. You could really feel that Himalayan Windows is still a small company which engages in a personal relationship with its clients and is very concerned that they will have the best time possible – and this is worth a lot from my past experiences. I would give 6 stars if it was possible.

Lhasa to Everest Base Camp Tibet Tour (8Days) | 14/07/19