Our journey begins in Lhasa, where we spend the first 3 days of sightseeing and acclimatizing. In Lhasa, we will visit the main historical and religious sites before heading towards the Old Tingri. On the way, we will make several stops to visit monasteries and to enjoy the beautiful nature of Tibet. You will see some of the highest mountains, lakes, glaciers, valleys, and rivers. Once we get to Old Tingri, we continue our journey to the Everest Base Camp trekking through mountains and valleys. The trek is over 60km long and we will spend 4 days trekking.
Trek from Old Thingri to Everest
KEY FACTS
Main Attractions: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Drepung and Sera Monasteries, Yamdrok Lake, Kumbum Stupa, Tashi Lumpo Monastery, Everest Base Camp, Rongbuk Monastery.
Duration: 11 days total / 3 days trekking
Maximum Elevation: 5,200 m/ 17,060 ft
DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 1 – Arrive in Lhasa by plane or by train
You arrive at the Lhasa Gonggar Airport or the train station. The airport is 62 km/ 39 miles away from the city, and it takes approximately one hour to get to the hotel from there. On the way to Lhasa, you will enjoy beautiful views of the mountains. The train station is located in Lhasa, and you will only need a short transfer to the hotel.
Depending on the time of your arrival, you might have some free time to spend in Lhasa. Our guides will be happy to advise you on what you can do with your time in Lhasa. Remember, that Lhasa is located at 3,650 meters/ 12,000 ft above sea level and you will need some time to acclimatize.
After you check in the hotel, you are welcome to explore the city, visit nearby temples, do some shopping, try delicious Tibetan food in one of the local restaurants, or just take a rest.
Walking around Barkhor Street can be an excellent choice for your first day in Lhasa. You will join crowds of pilgrims, local Tibetans, and monks circumambulating the Jokhang Temple.
Most importantly, on your first day in Tibet, be sure to relax, enjoy your day and allow some time for acclimatizing. It is essential to acclimatize to the high altitude of Tibet to prepare for the upcoming trek.
Looking for some ideas on what to do in Lhasa? Our suggestions»
Day 2 Lhasa Sightseeing: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street
This tour visits the two most important religious sites in Tibet.
The Potala Palace was the seat of the Dalai Lamas since the 17th century. First, the guide will take you to the Chak Pori Hill to take photos of the majestic Palace. We will then go inside and spend approximately 1.5 – 2 hours there. While there, you will see many of its most famous artifacts.
There will be free time for lunch after visiting the Potala Palace.
Time permitting, you can walk around the Potala Palace and join many of the local Tibetans.
Next, we will walk towards the Jokhang Temple. It was built in the 7th century to display the Jowo Shakyamuni Statue – the statue of the 12-year-old Buddha before his enlightenment. The statue was created at the time when the historical Buddha lived. It is elaborately decorated with gold, jewels, and precious stones.
After visiting the temple, we recommend taking a walk around Barkhor Street.
More information about the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and other important places in Lhasa»
Day 3 – Lhasa Sightseeing: Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery
We are visiting the two most important monasteries in the capital.
We will first visit Drepung Monastery, which once was the largest monastery in the world with over 10,000 monks living there. It was the residence of Dalai Lamas before the Potala Palace was built.
There will be free time for lunch after the Drepung Monastery.
In the afternoon we are visiting Sera Monastery. It was founded by Tsongkhapa’s disciple in the 15th century. Nowadays it is famous for monks debate that you can witness. Debates are a very important part of learning and understanding Buddhism. Monks gather in the courtyard in the shade of the trees to refine their knowledge.
In the evening you will have some time to pack for our trek and prepare everything you might need.
More information about the Drepung and Sera Monasteries and other important places in Lhasa»
Day 4 – Driving to Shigatse: Yamdrok Lake and Glaciers
Today we will travel on some of the most beautiful roads in Tibet on our drive to Shigatse.
Be prepared to take photos of the breathtaking views as we go up to the highest point of the day – Kamba La Pass (almost 4,800 meters / 15,750 ft).
Our next stop will be at Yamdrok Lake. It is one of the holy lakes in Tibet, and it is famous for its turquoise colored water.
After that, we will head towards Gyantse. On the way there, we will make a stop to see the spectacular glaciers.
In Gyantse, we will visit the monastery and the biggest stupa.
Finally, we will reach Shigatse late in the evening and stay there overnight.
Day 5 – Driving towards old Thingri (4390m) (300km)
In the morning we will visit Tashilumpo Monastery, the seat of Panchen Lamas. This monastery was founded by the first Dalai Lama, and it is one of the most important monasteries in Tibet. You can take photos in some of the chapels for an additional fee.
After lunch we will drive to Old Tingri, going over a pass over 5200 meters high.
Day 06 Trek from old Thingri to Lungchung (12km)
We will start early in the morning. Trek runs through several villages in the valley. We will cross the Rachu River to the village in the beautiful valley. We will set up our camp near Lungchung village.
Day 07 Trek from Lungchung to Nam-la pass (21km)
Today we will be trekking through the rocky mountains. If the sky is clear, we will see Mountain Cho Oyu, the sixth highest mountain in the world. We will see several streams, swampy valleys, a few villages, and nomad area. Today we might see some wild animals in a distance. Once we go up to the Nam-la pass we can see the road leading to the Everest Base Camp. The camp will be set up near the Dzachu river.
Day 08 Trek over Nam-la pass to Rongpuk monastery (27km)
In the morning we will head towards the Rongbuk monastery, the highest monastery in the world. We will follow a zig-zag road near the Dzachu river. We will reach the monastery in the afternoon. From monastery grounds, we can get a magnificent view of the Everest. This is our final destination on the trekking route. We can relax and enjoy the view. We will stay overnight at monastery guesthouse.
Day 9 Everest base camp to Shigatse (340km)
After breakfast, we are driving back to Shigatse. On the way back we will drive through Pang-la pass. When the weather is clear, we can see four mountains which are above 8000m (Maka-lu, lo-tse, Everest and Cho-Oyu). Continue to drive to Shigatse.
Day 10 – Shigatse back to Lhasa (280km)
On the way back to Lhasa we will take the Friendship highway. It is the direct route and usually takes approximately 6 hours to reach the capital. We will make several stops on the way to enjoy the views of the Brahmaputra river. In the aftrernoon, you might have some free time and prepare for departure the next day.
Day 11 – Departure from Lhasa.
Please prepare in advance for departure. It takes approximately 1 hour to drive to the airport and 30 minutes to reach the train station. We will arrive at the airport 3 hours before your departure flight if you are traveling to Nepal, and 2 hours before any domestic flight takes off.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
INCLUDED
- All necessary Travel Permits to travel in Tibet
- All accommodations in hotels and guesthouses when staying in cities/towns/villages
- Breakfast when staying in hotels
- All meals during the trek
- Pack animals during the trek
- Cook during the trek
- Assistance with your Chinese visa application
- Airport pick up and drop off
- Tents during the trek
- Mattress
- Ground transportation in a clean and comfortable vehicle
- English speaking Tibetan guide
- All entrance fees, tickets to the attraction sites and monasteries outlined in the itinerary
- First Aid Kit
- Oxygen supply
- Camping equipment: stove, gasoline for the stove, cooking pots and utensils
EXCLUDED
- Passport and Chinese visa fees
- International airfare to and from China or Nepal
- Photography fees inside monasteries (where available)
- Flight or train tickets to Tibet
- Lunch and dinner in the cities and all meals outside of the cities when not trekking
- Travel insurance
- Medical expenses
- Tips for guides, drivers, cooks, and porters
- Sleeping bag
- Personal expenses: laundry, shopping, phone calls, etc.
WHAT TO PACK FOR EVEREST TREK IN TIBET
- Bring your tent only if you wish so, we provide our tents for your convenience at no extra charge (based on double occupancy)
- Sleeping bag
- Inner sheet for your sleeping bag (optional)
- Insulation pad/ mattress, such as Thermarest, only if you are more comfortable using your pad. We provide our own mattress pads at no extra charge
- Backpack and a day pack for short day trips and sightseeing in the cities
- Hiking boots, ideally waterproof. GoreTex could work great in a range of temperatures and even in snow.
- Sneakers or comfortable boots to wear in cities and around camp
- Rain gear, particularly for trekking in summer: can include a poncho, backpack covers, gaiters for boots, waterproof pants
- Water bottle or thermos
- Small first aid kit and medications
- Camera with spare memory card and battery
- Power bank
- Sunglasses and sunscreen
- Hat and/or baseball hat for sun protection
- Towel
- Gloves
- Personal toiletries, such as toothbrush and toothpaste, soap, wipes, hand sanitizer, shampoo, toilet paper, etc.
- Binoculars
- Money: Chinese Yuan is the only currency accepted in Tibet and there are virtually no ATMs when you leave the cities. Be prepared in advance and take the necessary amount for all the duration of your trip outside of Lhasa
- Personal Journal for making notes and writing the diary
- Umbrella (optional)
- flashlight or headlamp (can be more convenient in camps)
TOURS YOU MIGHT LIKE
10 DAYS GANDEN TO SAMYE TREKKING TOUR
This trek goes along the incredibly beautiful route in Tibet. We start in Lhasa, where we visit the most important historical places and acclimatize before the trek.
During our trek, we will walk through high mountain passes (up to 5,250 meters), rocky mountains, vast green valleys, cross mountain rivers, and finally reach dense forest area.
We complete our trek at the Samye monastery, the first Buddhist monastery in Tibet.
For those who feel adventurous, there are some one-day trekking options available near Samye. They can be added to your tour.
9 DAYS TSURPU TO YANGPACHEN TREKKING TOUR
This four days trek is running through the Central Tibet. We start our adventure in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. We spend there two days to acclimatize and visit Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Drepung, and Sera monasteries. After that, we will drive to Tsurpu, one of the most important monasteries in Tibet and the seat of Karmapa. Karmapa is the head of the black hat sect in Tibet.
We start trekking from Tsurpu, going along the mountain river, crossing high passes until we reach the Yangpachen monastery. At the end we will stay one night at the hotspring area, where we can unwind and rest, swimming in the hotspring swimming pools.
8 DAYS LHASA TO EVEREST TOUR
A beautiful and exciting journey, starting in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet and going to the Everest Base Camp. The tour visits Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Sera, Drepung and Tashilhunpo monasteries, Kumbum Stupa, Yamdrok Lake and Karola glaciers.
Both group and private tours are available
TREKKING TOUR INQUIRY
TREKKING IN TIBET
ABOUT TIBET TOURS
PACK ANIMALS AND YAKS
For most of our trekking tours, we use yaks to carry heavy items that we don’t use during the day. Yaks are walking very fast. Usually, we will see them in the morning and in the evening when we reach our campsite. It allows hikers to carry only the day pack with small amounts of necessities and some snacks and water.
On some trekking tours, we can use horses. Horses can carry lighter loads, but a horse can walk alone with a horseman, while yaks only walk in groups.
CARS IN TIBET
For our group tours, we use a variety of cars depending on group size and weather conditions. On some of the days, we will be driving long hours and we are trying to arrange the most comfortable car for your journey.
Here you will find photos and descriptions of cars: Transportation in Tibet
OUR CLIENTS ABOUT US
The best guide, we have ever met – thank you Gyaltsen very much!!!
August 2018 – It was wonderful trip to Tibet. Our friendly guide, Gyaltsen, has told us a lot about religion and culture of this amazing country! He has also made our journey very comfortable, since everything was very well planned. He told us about Tibetan traditional medicine preventing altitude sickness – we could sleep well at night after we took it everyday in the evening.
We were very lucky that we could see Mt. Everest (not covered by clouds) and spend night at Mt. Everest Base Camp.
We recommend strongly – if you want to visit Tibet, contact Gyaltsen!
Agnieszka
Private 16-Day Trip in Tibet
I had a fulfilling & satisfying 16-day trip in Tibet with my ever so attentive tour guide & driver. My fears and uncertainties were allayed as I began my travels with them. It had been such an enjoyable pilgrimage that I looked forward to travel with them soon; real soon.
Terry Singapore
A perfect trip
Our trip to Tibet in April 2015 exceeded our expectations on every level, the whole experience was nothing short of magical.
In April 2015 we joined a 7 day tour in Tibet. Far and away, the highlight of our trip was our local guide, Gyaltsen.So fantastic that we felt like he became part of our family.
Useless to say he contributed to make our trip perfect. First, his knowledge is nothing short of awesome, starting from his fluent English. He made the history, geography and culture of Tibet come alive for all of us.
His patience with our varying multi-cultural group and our different timings to adapt to high altitude was also amazing.
On very top of that we were in Tibet during and unexpected and exceptional situation: the earthquake. Again they all, expecially Gyaltsen, not only understood our needs but had to the keen ability and knowledge to know how to handle the situation.
After this experience, we will be recommending a trip to Tibet to everyone we know with an interest in travel, and will suggest they use this company to plan their trip. Can’t say enough good things about it!
An experience for life in Tibet thanks to guide Gyaltsen
It is my pleasure to write this review about our trip with guide Gyaltsen in Tibet. It was our second trip to this fascinating country and culture. We – my wife, daughter and me – were interested in the history, culture and religion of Tibet and in its amazing landscape and nature. During 10 days we experienced numerous impressions, which widened our horizon and view on life. Landscapes of breath-taking beauty, monasteries full of history and culture, and kind and hospitable Tibetan people will stay in our mind for the rest of our life. From Lhasa we traveled to Gyantse and further Shigatse, finally reaching Everest base camp, passing through ancient towns and villages, monasteries, valleys and mountains of the Himalaya.
Gyaltsen is a highly educated young man with a deep knowledge of the history and cultural background of his home country. He is very kind, always helpful, respects the wishes of his tour guests and speaks perfectly English. He flexibly adapted the tour to our wishes and did his best fulfil our expectations in this visit to Tibet – getting a deep insight into culture, religion, history and Tibetan everyday life, and experience the landscape of the Himalaya mountains. Dr. Werner Nader and family, Hamburg, Germany
A must visit
It was with great experienced having the private tour with Mr.Gaps. Realizing the much differences between Tibetan and others. So much mysteries to know about. We were having a birthday party too!
It is a peaceful and tranquil place everyone dreams of. Away from the hustle and bustle of cities, people go round chasing something unrealistic.
Mr.Gaps is very kind to provide me a local traditional medicine for my headache ?
I would love to go back with more adventure activities…. definately will look for Mr.Gaps!
Rongbuk Temple Meditation Liberation
Gaps is very humble and helpful, thoughtful and insightful, and able to flavour a tour in quite a unique manner, catering even to spiritual desire. It was Gaps that introduced me to Lama Acu Sangye at the foot of Mount Everest. And I have him to thank for such an enlightening experience.
The meeting of Lama Acu, in the darkness of the southernmost Rongbuk Temple meditation cave at the foot of Everest 16,900 feet above sea level was both the geographical and spiritual apex of my Himalayan pilgrimage through China, India, Ladakh, Nepal and Tibet – but it was nothing that he said and nothing that he did.
Lama Acu lead me to the inner chamber of the cave complex and we sat and meditated.
While the world without was wrestling with real and imagined acts of terror and occupation, I was wrestling with a very personal subjugation, heightened by a re-reading of the 14th century Nyingma text revealed by Karma Lingpa known as the Bardo Thodol or the Tibetan Book of the Dead or Liberation through Hearing During the Intermediate State.
After meditating with Acu for some time in the relative warmth of the temple cave, I decided to go on my way. Climbing up the stone steps, back out to the surface I was struck by a truly profound realisation.
I was stood at the very foot of the tallest peak in the world – and yet somehow I had forgotten this completely while inside the cave. It occurred to me then all of a sudden that if I was able to ignore such a physical colossus, it must be possible to ignore anything that I encounter – physically or mentally. And that, quite simply, was the realisation, that was the liberation.
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