Everest Base Camp Tour Via Lhasa

We can arrange your arrival in Lhasa from anywhere. You can either join the trip from Kathmandu and fly to Lhasa or arrive Lhasa from Chengdu, Beijing, and Shanghai, Xian or any nearby hub. You will be met at Gonggar Airport by your Tibetan guide. After immigration formalities, you will be driven to Lhasa at (3,650 meters). It takes around 2 hours roughly to reach the old city. On the way, you will see the Giant Stone Buddha carved into the side of a mountain. After checking in at your hotel, you are advised to take rest and take it easy. Drink plenty of fluids and let your body get used to Lhasa’s high altitude. Note: There are no fixed programs arranged for today.

After breakfast; you will be briefed on the day's program. An experienced guide will take you on a tour to Sera Monastery, Norbulingka and the Barkhor Square. At the famous Sera Monastery, you will get an insight into the important aspects of Tibetan Buddhism. You also pay a visit to Norbulingka, the summer retreat of the Dalai Lama. Completed in1956, the handsome building is ornately decorated with Tibetan carvings and paintings. Jokhang temple provides yet another glimpse of the rich Tibetan cultural heritage. You will also get the chance to stroll around the busy & happening Barkhor Square, the nerve centre of Lhasa. After the day's tour, you will be escorted back to your hotel.

After an early breakfast, you will be escorted by your guide to the majestic Potala Palace. The imposing structure of the palace is a landmark & dominates the landscapes of Lhasa. As you are guided through the ancient chambers of the palace, you get to see Tibetan art at its best. The Potala Palace has a vast array of intricate Tibetan murals and beautiful statues. You will also get to view the tombs of the eight Dalai Lamas. Later in the day you will visit the beautifully landscaped Drepung Monastery where you can observe nuns and monks chanting and performing religious discourses. After the day's tour is over, you are escorted back to your hotel for a well-earned rest. Note: Since only a limited number of visitors are allowed to visit the Potala Palace every day, the order of sightseeing places will be decided upon by your guide.

Gyantse prides on Gyantse Dzong and Kumbum. Gyantse Dzong, a 14th-century historical fort, overlooks the entire Gyantse and the surrounding Nyang Chu Valley. Kumbum has a large gold-domed stupa and houses several chapels and Tibetan Buddhist murals. After exploring Gyantse, you take a 90 km drive and arrive at Shigatse, (3,900m) the second largest Tibetan city. Tashilhunpo Monastery, being one of the largest functioning monasteries in Tibet is the major attraction of Shigatse.

After breakfast, we drive to Rongbuk beginning our journey right through some beautiful villages and getting the first glimpse of Mount Everest from the foot of Gyatso la pass (5,220m). On the way, we visit Sakya Monastery, also known as Pel Sakya, the ancestral temple of the Sakyapa sect of Tibetan Buddhism which provides access to the Buddha’s teachings. After the visit to Sakya Monastery, we continue driving towards Rongbuk. Crossing the Lalung la pass, we reach Rongbuk Monastery, which is located at the foot of the mighty Everest and is the highest monastery in the world. While here, we also enjoy the stunning mountainous scenery all around us, including the breathtaking views of the north face of Mt. Everest. Overnight in Rongbuk.

Early in the morning, we will drive to Everest Base Camp (5,250m/17,220ft.), at the foot of the world’s highest mountain. On the way, we enjoy spectacular views of 3 eight-thousander peaks like Shishapangma, Cho Oyu, and the mighty Everest, also known as Mt. Chomolongma on the Tibetan side. Today, we accomplish one of the major highlights of our trip, reaching the base camp of Mt. Everest where we get to catch a glimpse of the marvelous Rongbuk glacier. We make a 16km round trip to the Everest Base Camp. After spending some quality time here, we have a long, yet a scenic drive back to Shigatse. Overnight in Shigatse Note: on rare occasions due to bad weather or political riots the local government may close down the road to the Everest base camp for safety reasons and without prior notice

After breakfast, we visit Palchoe monastery (also known as Pelkor Chode Monastery or Shekar Gyantse), Kumbum Pagoda Stupa (hailed as the "king of pagoda"), Phalkot Monastery and Gyantse Dzong, which is one of the best-preserved dzongs in Tibet. After sightseeing, we drive to Lhasa. On the way, we can see huge glaciers tumbling down into the road as well as some excellent mountain vistas. Soon, we come across the Karo La Pass (5,045m) on the roadside with its beautiful glaciers including the Karo la glacier. We cross the Khamba La Pass (4,794m) with a brief stop to savor the beauty of the Yamdrok Tso Lake (Turquoise Lake), also known as Yamdrok Yumtso, one of the three largest sacred lakes in Tibet and the beautiful Nazin Kang Sang glacier (7,252m). Overnight in Lhasa.

our adventure in an extraordinary part of the Himalayas has come to an end today! There is nothing to do but trade emails with travel companions and organize photographs. If time permits, we can engage in some last minute shopping or stroll around. A representative from Index Adventure will take us to the airport or the train station for our next journey onward home, Kathmandu or simply the next destination we’ve planned. It’s been nice meeting you! We hope to see you again someday.