The 1100 kilometer (685 mile) overland journey from Lhasa, Tibet to Kathmandu, Nepal has everything you would want in a Himalaya adventure! This journey begins with spending 3 nights in the Buddhist holy city of Lhasa. You will explore all the main pilgrimage sites including Jokhang Temple, Drepung Monastery, the Potala Palace, Sera Monastery and Ramoche Temple.
From Lhasa, you will then travel through Central Tibet seeing the most beautiful places along the way. You will see Yamdrok Lake, the Karo La Glacier, rural farming villages and the Pelkhor Chode Monastery in Gyantse. Gyantse also has one of the best Old Towns in Central Tibet. Next, you will go to Shigatse, Tibet's second largest city and home to the massive monastery of Tashi Lhunpo.
The next destination is the Himalaya Mountains! After Shigatse, you will start climbing over some high passes, including the Gyatso La, which offer sweeping views of the world's highest mountain range. You will continue on through remote villages to the North Face Everest Base Camp Region at Rongphu Monastery...face to face with the highest mountain on the planet!
But wait...there is more! After watching the sunrise over Mt. Everest, you will continue driving through the Himalaya towards Nepal. In the village of Old Tingri, there is a fantastic panoramic view of the Himalaya, including Cho Oyu (6th highest peak) and Mt. Everest. Next, you will travel along the shores of the stunning lake of Peiku Tso, surrounded by the Himalaya Mountains
From Peiku Tso, you will descend down to the Tibetan border town of Kyirong and will cross over into Nepal and meet your Nepali driver and guide. Coming from the Tibetan Plateau, everything in Nepal seems so lush and green! You will stop at a few Nepali villages before arriving to Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal. Your journey would conclude upon arrival to Kathmandu.
Be advised that while nearly all roads in Tibet are paved and are in overall good condition, roads in Nepal are extremely rough and bumpy with large sections being dirt between the Tibet border and Kathmandu.
Contact us for more details at: info@himalayajourney.com
NOTE: This itinerary can be customized and modified to suit you
Day 1: Arrive to Lhasa, Tibet
The Tibetan capital sits at 3590 meters and is the cultural and spiritual heart of Tibet. After getting situated in a modern, centrally located hotel, we will explore and photograph the center of the Old Tibetan Quarter in the heart of Lhasa. The Barkhor is the main shopping market for local Tibetans. It is one of the most interesting markets in all of Asia and is an excellent place to photograph modern Tibetan culture.
Day 2: Around Lhasa
After breakfast, you will spend the morning going through the Jokhang, Tibet’s holiest and most famous temple. Each day, thousands of Tibetan Buddhist pilgrims work their way through this nearly 1400 year old temple. You will also explore Tsamkhung Nunnery, one of the largest nunneries in the Lhasa area. In the afternoon, you will photograph the Buddhist philosophy debates at Sera, one of Tibet’s largest monasteries. The monk debates will be a major highlight during your time in Tibet.
Day 3: Around Lhasa
You will start the day by exploring Tibet’s most iconic building, the Potala Palace. 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 this, you will explore Ramoche Temple and more of the Old Tibetan Quarter of Lhasa.
Day 4: Lhasa to Yamdrok Lake, Karo La Glacier and Gyantse
In the morning, we will depart from Lhasa and drive to Gyantse via Yamdrok Lake. Yamdrok Lake, during clear weather, is a brilliant turquoise color and is one of the 4 main holy lakes in Tibetan Buddhism. The huge, glaciated 7191 meter Mt. Nojin Kangtsang forms the backdrop of the lake. The lake sits at an elevation of 4441 meters above sea level. Along the way to Gyantse, we will stop by the glaciers of Mt. Nojin Kangtsang at the Karo La Pass, which come down almost to the highway. Gyantse is a small, but modern Tibetan town, that lies at 4025 meters. You will be visiting the Pelkor Chode Monastery as well as the Gyantse Kumbum, the highest stupa (Buddhist pagoda) in Tibet. The drive from Lhasa to Gyantse covers 260 kms (162 miles).
Day 5: Gyantse to Shigatse
The scenic drive from Gyantse to Shigatse goes through several traditional farming villages that you will stop at. Shigatse is home to Tashilhunpo Monastery and its 600+ monks. This monastery, one of the largest in Tibet, is the seat of the Panchen Lama, the second most important lama in Tibetan Buddhism. You will walk around the pilgrim route that goes up and around the famous monastery as well as explore inside the huge monastery complex. In the afternoon, you will explore the walking street and markets in the Old Town. The distance from Gyantse to Shigatse is 95 kilometers (60 miles). The elevation of Shigatse is 3840 meters.
Day 6: Shigatse to Shelkar
The mid-way point of your journey will take you from Shigatse to the small town of Shelkar. There are several scenic mountain views along the way, especially at the 5200 meter high Gyatso La Pass. From the Gyatso La, there is a sweeping view of the Himalaya. You will stay the night in the small town of Shelkar, elevation 4300 meters. In Shelkar, you can hike up to the Shelkar Monastery and up along the ruins of the old fortress. At the top, there is a nice view of the mountains surrounding you, including a view of Everest. The distance from Shigatse to Shelkar is 250 kilometers (156 miles).
Day 7: Shelkar to Everest Base Camp Region at Rongphu
From Shelkar, you will cross over the 5050 meter Geu La Pass, which offers one of the most spectacular views of the Himalaya. From here, 5 of the world's 15 highest mountains can be seen, including Mt. Everest. Your next stop will be Rongphu, the highest monastery in the world at just under 5000 meters. A fantastic view of Everest can be seen from Rongphu. You will then continue on to Everest Base Camp Region at Rongphu Monastery, gazing out to the world's highest peak. The distance from Shelkar to Everest Base Camp is 105 kilometers (65 miles). The elevation at Mt Everest/Rongphu Monastery is 5050 meters. NOTE: You will not be able to go beyond Rongphu Monastery without an Everest climbing permit. The view of Everest from Rongphu is amazing!
Day 8: Mt Everest to Old Tingri
After watching the sunrise on Mt. Everest, you will make the 75 kilometer (48 mile) drive to the small town of Old Tingri. Along the way, there are more mountain views to be had as well as a couple of small Tibetan villages inhabited by semi-nomadic shepherds. Old Tingri is very small, but has a commanding view of both Everest and Cho Oyu, the 6th highest peak. The elevation of Old Tingri is 4325 meters.
Day 9: Old Tingri to the Nepal border
This day will take you over a couple more high Himalayan passes with more awesome views. You will also stop at the pristine lake of Peiku Tso, which is surrounded by towering Himalayan peaks. From the lake, you will descend to the Tibetan border town of Kyirong. You will stay the night on the Tibet side of the border, your final night in Tibet. The distance from Old Tingri to the Nepal border is 200 kilometers and the elevation is 2100 meters.
Day 10: Nepal border to Kathmandu
After breakfast, you will say goodbye to your Tibetan driver and guide and cross the international border into Nepal. You can purchase your Nepal visa on arrival. After clearing Nepal immigration, you will be met by your Nepalese driver and guide and continue to Kathmandu. The landscape in Nepal is lush and green. You will stop for lunch along the way as well as at a couple of small villages. The distance to Kathmandu is 140 kilometers. The elevation of Kathmandu is 1350 meters.
This journey would conclude upon arrival to Kathmandu. Option of extending your journey in Nepal is possible.
Overland from Lhasa to Everest and Kathmandu
Participants are responsible for their own travel arrangements to Lhasa, but we will take care of just about everything else after that!
We can arrange this journey for groups of up to 10 people. Price is discounted for groups of 3 or more. Contact us for the price for this journey at info@himalayajourney.com
Included in the price:
- All accommodations (based on double occupancy; single room supplement available)
- Breakfast each morning in Tibet
- Bottled drinking water
- Welcome dinner in Lhasa, Tibet
- All bottled drinking water
- All ground transportation in Tibet and to Kathmandu, Nepal
- All entrance fees per itinerary
- All Tibet travel permits
- All Everest permits
- Local Tibetan guide fees
- All meals and accommodations for your guide and driver
- Lhasa airport pickup on Day 1 and drop-off in Kathmandu on Day 10
Not included in the price:
- Passport, Nepalese and Chinese Visa fees
- Lunch or Dinner
- International airfare to Lhasa, Tibet or from Kathmandu, Nepal
- Hotels or guide while in Nepal
- Travel vaccinations
- Insurance (travel, medical, etc)
- Souvenirs or personal items such as laundry, excess baggage fees, snacks, alcohol drinks, etc
- Photography fees inside temples and monasteries
- Gratuities to the Tibetan/Nepalese guide and driver
China Visa: Upon booking, information on how to obtain a Chinese Tourist Visa will be sent to you. Chinese Tourist Visa must be arranged at least 8 weeks before the journey begins if you plan to enter from Mainland China. If you plan to enter from Nepal, we will need to assist you in getting your visa from the China Embassy in Kathmandu. Go to the following links for further assistance on China visas:
Visa when going from Mainland China to Tibet
Visa when going from Nepal to Tibet
Packing List: Recommended packing list for this journey in the following link—Packing List
Weather to Expect: Info in the following link: Weather in Tibet
Accommodations: In Lhasa, Gyantse, Shelkar and Shigatse, you will be staying in pleasant and highly rated 3 and 4 Star Tibetan-owned hotels. At Mt Everest accommodations will be very simple guesthouses that do not have showers and only have shared bathrooms. For a list of hotels we stay at, go to the following link: Hotels We Use in Tibet
Eligibility: Participants must be in good health and be able to spend each day walking around towns, villages and monasteries while carrying their own equipment. Though you will be doing a lot of walking each day, no trekking is required. Most of this tour will take place in mountainous terrain between 3600 meters and 5200 meters (11,800 feet to 17,000 feet) above sea level. You will spend 3 nights in Lhasa for altitude acclimatization before going above 3600 meters. Ascent will be slow and gradual to reduce the risks of altitude-related illness. This tour is not recommended for those who have severe asthma or who have had problems with high elevation in the past.
Responsible Tourism: Himalaya Journey is joint American and Tibetan owned company with offices in the US, Tibet and Nepal. All of our guides and drivers are local Tibetans who have been working in tourism for many years. It is a top priority for us to support as many Tibetan-owned businesses as possible. During this tour, all of the hotels you will be staying at in Tibet are locally-owned. The preservation of the culture of Tibet, as well as the protection of the environment of Tibet, are extremely important to us. In fact, when we are not out leading and arranging journeys across Tibet, we are working with local Tibetans in numerous eco-tourism and conservation projects.
Why travel with us: Unlike other travel companies who have sales managers who have likely never seen Mt Everest and have spent little time (if any!) exploring Tibet and Nepal, we have decades worth of experience in the Himalaya Mountains. We have trekked, climbed and explored all areas of Tibet and know the area better than anyone! Go to the following link to read more about why you should travel with experts who specialize in Tibet and Nepal journeys: Why travel with us
