Day | Itinerary | Elevation | Distance |
1 | Scenic flight to Gonggar airport and a short drive to Lhasa | 3,656m/11,990ft | 60 Km |
2 | Full day sightseeing tour of Lhasa: Drepung Monasteries, Shera Monasteries & Jhorkang Temple | 3,656m/11,990ft | |
3 | Tour Potala Palace and Norbulingka summer palace | 3,656m/11,990ft | |
4 | Drive to Ganden Monastery and back to Lhasa | 4,300m/14,107ft | |
5 | Drive to Shigatse via Gyantse | 3,900m/12,796ft | 335 Km |
6 | Visit Tashilumpo Monastery | 3,900m/12,796ft | |
7 | Drive to Old Tingri | 4,348m/14,268ft | 237 Km |
8 | Drive to Kyirong ( Near Nepal Border) | 2,890m/9,481ft | 333 Km |
9 | Drive to Kathmandu | 1,400m/4,600ft | 185 Km |
Potala Palace, Lhasa | 200 |
Genden Monastery, Lhasa | 50 |
Summer Palace, Lhasa | 65 |
Jokhang Temple, Lhasa | 85 |
Sera Monastery, Lhasa | 50 |
Drepung Monastery, Lhasa | 60 |
Yamdrok Lake, Shannan city | 60 |
Karola Glacier, Gyantse | 50 |
Palcho Monastery, Shigatse | 60 |
Sakya Monastery, Sakya | 45 |
Tashilhunpo Monastery, Shigatse | 100 |
Rongbuk Monastery, Shigatse | 30 |
Pelkor Chode Monastery, Gyantse | 50 |
Everest Base Camp | 90 |
Mapangyuntso Lake or Lake Manasoravar | 150 |
Namtso Lake | 120 |
Yangpachen Hotspring | 98 |
Everest National Park Vehicle Fee | 400(Land Cruiser), 600(minivan) |
Day
1Arriving at Kathmandu a few days earlier with a pleasant time, get ready for an exciting journey for Mt. Everest base camp tour. After a good breakfast then transfer to Kathmandu and Nepal international airport for a scenic flight of an hour to reach on Tibet soil. On flight boarding in Air China, enjoy a sweeping panorama of Himalayan peaks, with Mt. Everest and other world's highest mountain ranges.
Soon plane flies over the Himalayas to land at Gongar, in Tibet international airport, after going through immigration with visa formalities, and the head outside of the air terminal. Namaste Nepal Tibetan counterpart tour agent native Tibetan guide and driver receives you. Then take a short smooth drive to reach Lhasa city and then check into a nice Tibetan-style hotel with well-furnished rooms.
The hotel is located in the old part of Lhasa near Barkor square a great place populated mostly by Tibetans. Time in the afternoon after checking into your nice room for a leisure walk around the market square around busy Barkor.
Day
2Morning after breakfast our native Tibetan guide takes you for a short drive west of Lhasa. The city with modern buildings and wide road, and yet retaining the age-old glory of past centuries cultural heritage.
Drive leads uphill to Drepung Monastery complex, the largest and important monastery of Tibet, built as a university for Tibetan Buddhism learning in the early centuries. The word Drepung means a heap of rice, as you look from the distance with the whole monastery washed in white paints of lime.
Drepung with religious history as well a resident of many high priest till 5th Dalai Lama, then shifted the residence after Potala Palace was completed.
Enjoy a tour of Drepung Monastery interior and prayer main hall, and then head towards Jokhang Temple the first Buddhist religious building built, during the time of King Songsten Gampo. Situated in the main center of Lhasa, within busy Barkhor market.
Visit the Buddhist temple of historic importance and tales of ancient times, tour of temple interior with color religious painting, visit the scenic terraces, for the scenic photograph of colorful busy Barkhor Market surrounding with close views of Potala Palace.
Day
3Morning tour takes you to the most important site at majestic Potala Palace located on a red hill, in the center of Lhasa dominating the whole city within Kyuchi valley.
Out of 100 rooms, visitors are allowed to enter few main halls and prayer rooms, including the meditation cave of King Songsten Gampo, magnificent Potala Palace, which was built in early 640 A.D. over the cave during the time of the 5th Dalai Lama.
A beautiful palace holds as a landmark of Tibet, after an interesting visit with a free afternoon for individual activities and shopping souvenirs.
Afternoon tour a short drive to the southwest to reach Norbulingkha, a summer palace of the semi-modern interior with lovely large garden and tall trees, our guide will explain the history and story behind this summer palace.
Our tour ends continues towards another important Shera monastery and watch young monks students practice debates of great interest.
From here ends the day tour for the day with time for refreshing rest and a short stroll around the happening areas of Barkor.
Day
4Morning tour takes you east of Lhasa, an interesting scenic drive past lovely farm villages and town, and then on winding road uphill, with time for shortstop near a farm village. Where some visitors are allowed inside the house to catch glimpse of Tibetan domestic life and custom. Drive continues after a refreshing break to reach a high hill near Ganden Monastery, the monastery complex building situated on a U amphitheater shape. Enjoy the tour of this nice monastery and feeling great in these tranquil surroundings.
The history of Ganden Monastery or Ganden Namgyeling or Monastery of Gahlden, one of the "great three" Gelugpa monasteries as university of Tibet.
Located east in Dagzê farm County outskirt of Lhasa. Ganden Monastery was founded in 1409 by Je Tsongkhapa Lozang-dragpa, founder of the Gelugpa order.
The name Ganden means "joyful" and is the Tibetan name for Tuṣita, the heaven where the bodhisattva Maitreya is said to reside. After a wonderful morning tour of Ganden and an interesting scenic drive, head back for last overnight in Lhasa.
Day
5Start early morning having breakfast, depart from the hotel for a long scenic drive beyond Lhasa city reaching around rural farm areas with nice villages. As ride leads on winding uphill to Khamba-La pass at 4,800 m high. The top offers a breathtaking panorama of Tibetan plateau beautiful landscapes with distant snow peaks, and of Yamdrok Tsho the turquoise holy lake.
After a wonderful moment with dramatic views, a downhill drive close to Yamdrok Tsho Lake to reach Nagarktse town for warm lunch in nice Tibetan restaurants.
The journey continues crossing another pass of Kara-La at 5,050 m high facing incredible views of Nzongkhangsa peak with massive ice-fall and glaciers close to the road. Drive then heads to flat country with nomads camps and yak grazing on a vast field of meadows to reach Gyantse town.
Here, as time permits tour of the famous Gyantse Dzong (fort) Pelkor Chode Monastery and Kumbum Stupa, and then a few hours’ of good drive brings you to Tibet second-largest city in Shigatse for two overnights stop.
Day
6After breakfast, a short drive to the outside of the famous Tashilumpo huge monastery complex adorned with a shining golden rooftop.
Our guide leads you inside the main monastery visiting prayer rooms and big main halls. This monastery, the seat of his holiness Panchen Lama, the second head of state after Dalai Lama.
Enjoy an interesting tour and witness, a tall bronze statue of Maitreya the future Buddha, stands at 21 meters. After a pleasant visit to the monastery with lunch in a local nearby restaurant with tourist standard food served including typical Tibetan cuisine.
Afternoon tour of interesting Shigatse market on the main Tibetan shopping and bartering area, a good place to witness Tibetan culture and traditions.
After the tour back to the hotel, with time to relax or for a short stroll around the streets of Shigatse city.
Day
7Early morning start for another long and exciting drive heading south of Tibet to reach Nepal and Tibet, with an overnight stop on route at Old Tingri.
After Shigatse city drive on the outskirt enjoy looking around the rural country village and farm life. A drive takes you to Larze town, located on the junction of Mt. Kailash and Kathmandu-Lhasa highway.
From Larze drive climb to reach on top the highest point of the adventure at Gyatsho-La of above 5,220 m / 17, 126 feet, festooned with prayer flags and religious objects. Enjoying views from the pass head down to Shegar town, as drive continues on Lhasa-Kathmandu Friendship Highway to reach at windblown town at Old Tingri for overnight halt. A town on the roadside with grand views of Mt. Everest and Cho-Oyu peak.
Overnight in local simple lodge/guest house, but warm and comfortable environment inside the rooms, with Tibetan / Chinese or Nepalese Dal Bhat for dinner.
Day
8Morning enjoys glorious views of towering world number one Mt. Everest with 6th high Mt. Cho-Oyu. After a good breakfast, our journey starts driving with beautiful scenery and then getting close to Laylung-La pass at 5, 050 m high.
A super panorama from near the high point of the pass, enjoy looking world last 14th Mt. Shisapangma includes an array of peaks, with views of Gaurishankar, Melung Tse, Dorji-Lakpa, and Langtang Himal range.
As drive leaves the main Friendship Highway, heading closer towards Himalayan Mountain range, that borders with Nepal and Tibet / China. The journey continues on a wide terrain past few villages, to reach further south and then the road narrows following a Bhote Kosi River downstream to reach our overnight stop in Kyirong a small county town, just near the frontier of Nepal, at Rasuwagadhi.
Last overnight in Tibetan soil, in a nice lodge/guest house facing views of North Face of Langtang and Ganesh Himal.
Day
9Today could be a long day depending on rough road conditions, a newly built motorable road till Syabrubesi, and the town of Dhunche.
Morning walks towards the immigration checking point in Kyirong, on the Chinese side, and then enter Nepal, after completing visa and passport formalities and then bid farewell to our cheerful and friendly Tibetan guide and drivers.
At Nepal border, with entry visa to obtain and then our vehicle as size of a group will be at your disposal, and then drive on river gorge to reach at Syabrubesi village, the starting point of many treks to Langtang and Ganesh Himal area.
From here a short winding uphill to reach at Dhunche the headquarter town of Rasuwa district within the Langtang Himal region. After a short refreshing stop drives downhill to low warmer areas of Trisuli Bazaar, and then reach into the busy hustle, bustle city in Kathmandu.
On reaching your respective hotels, our wonderful adventure of a lifetime experience on Tibet Overland concludes.
Start Date | End Date | Offer Price | Status | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1st Mar, 2023 | 10th Mar, 2023 | USD 0 | Guarenteed | Book now |
10th Mar, 2023 | 19th Mar, 2023 | USD 0 | Guarenteed | Book now |
2nd Apr, 2023 | 11th Apr, 2023 | USD 0 | Guarenteed | Book now |
5th Sep, 2023 | 14th Sep, 2023 | USD 0 | Guarenteed | Book now |
29th Sep, 2023 | 8th Oct, 2023 | USD 0 | Guarenteed | Book now |
12th Oct, 2023 | 21st Oct, 2023 | USD 0 | Guarenteed | Book now |
For the Tibet tour and overland journey, we need a minimum of a month booking, with full passport details to obtain an entry visa in the Chinese Embassy at Kathmandu, Nepal.
Tibet entry visa and permits, only available from Kathmandu if you are entering Tibet from Nepal. For people booking as ex-Kathmandu minimum of a week to book for the trip, where an actual passport required a day before trip departure to Tibet to get a visa.
The visa will be on official paper with a name list of the group, authorized and stamped by the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu, with two visa sheets one for entry and as well for exit/departure from Tibet.
Normally, some people get a slight headache after rest, and drinking enough fluid and water, helps to acclimatize from the symptoms of AMS or altitude sickness.
Chances are small, that you get severe AMS, as we have set the itinerary day with enough time in Lhasa and on route to Kyirong Nepal and Tibet border.
Our flexible program itinerary helps and supports for proper acclimatization before reaching a much higher altitude after spending time in Lhasa and Shigatse for few days.
Some people take the Diamox pill for safety measures and precaution, which you can carry as per your doctor and guide advice.
Tibet with an average height of 3,500 m, where you have to take things slow with enough rest, drinking much fluid like safe drinking water, green tea, or soup will help to overcome the symptoms.
In major cities like Lhasa and Shigatse, the hotels are all tourist standard with good facilities, large clean room with attached bath/toilets running hot and cold water, with room service 24 hours on request.
The food in Lhasa and Shigatse are up to the standard, for larger group a set of buffet meals of variation from continental, Chinese, and Tibetan as well for breakfast.
But while staying at Old Tingri and Kyirong border town the Guest-House, the accommodation is simple and basic but clean, with simple Tibetan and Chinese food including Nepalese meals are available. The food like dumpling/momo (normally of Yak, pork meats or vegetable) as well fries noodles with veg, meat or eggs including local Thukpa, a noodle soup flavored as per your choice from veg, meat or just plain and simple. Or simple Dal / Bhat with mild vegetable curry Nepalese meals.
It is wise to bring small snacks and refreshing drinks, especially for long drives like to Shigatse and towards Kyirong border town of Nepal and Tibet.
You can carry chocolate, dry snacks, or dried fruits as well biscuits or cookies and soft drinks or hot in good warm thermos/flask.
In Kathmandu / Nepal capacity 609 MW in Integrated Power System, of 230 volts in A.C. single phase and 400 volts in three phases for general.
Electricity in Tibet / China is 230 volts AC, 50 cycles. We do have two pins & 3 pins power sockets, you better have two Pin travel plug adapter which will be useful to charge your batteries.
Depending upon the time of booking and holiday duration of some people, we do have set departure dates in all our tours, for Tibet minimum of 3-4 people and a maximum of more than 10 people in the group.
The larger group much better as the tour cost will be slightly lower in small group, we also organize and run this tour for a minimum of 2-3 person also, a special rate to cover all tour package.
In and around the whole Tibet, the weather is fine and clear most of the season, as the land with high altitude gets much sun for long hours, although cold morning and from late afternoon till night time. Can get very windy especially on the drive to Shigatse and Everest base camp during the afternoon time till 4 p.m.
Chances of snowfall sometimes around high passes and altitude wise, do get light rain around monsoon time of June to mid-September, but mostly dry and arid country as weather-wise. Does not get heavy rain like in southern countries of the Himalayas range.
As Tibet is located at a high altitude during day time the sun is strong with UV rays, where travelers need strong sunblock cream to be safe from Ultra Violet lights, as well as wearing sun-hat, sunglass, and long sleeve shirts.
The itinerary, we have set with fixed days drive and visit to Everest base camp requires another few days to enjoy. As well as extra cost for permits to enter Qumolungma / Chomolungma (a name for Everest in Tibet / China) National Park. For private groups we can set the itinerary accordingly for interested parties including the Everest base camp tour with Tibet Overland program, the trip cost comes slightly higher.