10 Days Tibet Tour with Himalaya Mountain Adventure

Tour Overview

This 10 days Himalaya Mountain Expedition Tour is designed for those who want to have an off-the-beaten path and explore parts of the Himalaya fewer people can see. Along this...

Code of Tour: YCT0000003505

Length of Travel: 10 Day

Destinations of Tour: Lhasa-Shigatse-Gyangtse-EBC-Cho Oyu Base Camp-Lhasa

Departure City: Lhasa

Price of Tour: Request

Type of Tour:

Features of Tour: Hiking Culture Minority Landscape

More Map & Picture

This 10 days Himalaya Mountain Expedition Tour is designed for those who want to have an off-the-beaten path and explore parts of the Himalaya fewer people can see. Along this journey, you will start by exploring the ancient city of Lhasa and all the amazing monasteries and temples there. Then, you will go to Yamdrok Lake, perhaps Tibet’s most beautiful lake. You will then explore the towns of Gyantse and Shigatse. From there, you will get up close view of several the world’s highest peaks including Shisha Pangma (14th highest), Cho Oyu (6th highest) as well as Everest. Also, pay a visit to the highest monastery in the world-Rongbuk Monastery.(5000m)

Brief Itinerary

• Day 1: Lhasa Arrival
• Day 2: Lhasa
• Day 3: Lhasa
• Day 4: Lhasa-Gyantse
• Day 5: Gyantse-Shegar
• Day 6: Shegar-Everest Base Camp
• Day 7: Everest Base Camp-Cho Oyu Base camp
• Day 8: Cho Oyu Base camp-Shigatse
• Day 9: Shigatse-Lhasa
• Day 10: Lhasa Departure

Google Map

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival in Lhasa(3650m)

Sightseeing and Activities:Arrive in Lhasa
Accommodation:Lhasa
Meals:None

When you arrive in Lhasa either by train or flight, your guide will greet you and take you to your hotel .An route to viewing the Yarlung Tsangpo River/ Bhamaputra river (the Longest and largest river in Tibet) and Lhasa river. After arrive in lhasa, you can take rest and acclimatize. If you feel to go out, then you can go to the Potala square, where you will enjoy the fountain with different colours and get amazing photos of the Potala and around. Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Day 2 Lhasa

Sightseeing and Activities:Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street
Accommodation:Lhasa
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

Today’s tour will first bring you to the Potala Palace, the winter palace of the Dalai Lama. It has been used since the 7th Century by the 33rd great king of Tibet. The most valuable collection are the gilded burial stupas of past Dalai Lamas and meditation Cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet.  


After you take lunch and then head to Jokhang Temple which was founded by the 33rd great king of Tibet in the 7th century, in order to promote the Buddhist religion. Inside you can see the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni at the age of twelve, perhaps the single most venerated object in Tibet Buddhism.


Around the temple Barkhor Street where you can do kora (circling the Barkhor street) with pilgrims and locals and buy the souvenirs. Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Day 3 Lhasa

Sightseeing and Activities:Drepung Monastery, Carpet factory, Sera Monastery
Accommodation:Lhasa
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, you are going to visit Drepung Monastery which was one of the “three greet” Gelug monasteries of Tibet and was founded in 1416 by Jamyang choge, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. Ganden palace is used as Dalai lama’s palace in the Drepung before moving to the Potala palace.


Afternoon, Sera Monastery—It was one of the “three great” Gelug monasteries of Tibet and was founded in 1419 by Jamchen chojey, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. The highlight is the Monks debate at around 3 – 5 in the afternoon. Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Day 4 Lhasa(3650m)- Shigatse(3900m)

Sightseeing and Activities:Yamdrok-tso Lake, Mount Nyenchen Khangsar, Pelkor Monastery and Gyantse Kumbum
Accommodation:Shigatse
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

Today, we have to drive from Lhasa to Gyantse. On the way, passing over the Gampala Pass (4790 m),you will have a glimpse of Yamdrok-tso (4400m) .The Lake is surrounded by many snow-capped mountain and in the distance you have spectacular views of Holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar, (7191m) the highest mountain near Lhasa .Gyantse was historically known as the Tibet’s third largest city (after Lhasa and Shigatse). In Gyantse, we will visit the famous Pelkor Monastery(also known as Gyantse Kumbum). After one and a half hour’s driving, we arrive in Shigatse, which is the second largest city in Tibet. Spend the night in Shigatse.

Day 5 Shigatse(3900m) – Shegar(4300m)

Sightseeing and Activities:Tashilhunpho Monastery, Gyatso La
Accommodation:Shegar
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, tourists will visit Tashilunpo Monastery of Gelug Sect, the seat of the Panchen Lama built in 1447 and one of the six grand monasteries in Tibet. The monastery houses a giant statue of the Maitreya Buddha, the biggest gilded statue of Maitreya (Buddha of the future) in world and a tomb of the 4th Panchen Lama containing masses of jewels and gold.  Afterwards drive on the Sino-Nepal Highway to Shegar. On the way we get across the Tso La (4,500 m) and the Gyatso La (5,220 m). If the weather is clear, the snow-covered summits of Everest and Lhotse can be seen. Stay overnight in Shegar.

Day 6 Shegar (4300m) – EBC (5200m)/Rongbuk monastery

Sightseeing and Activities:Mountain Everest, Rongbuk monastery
Accommodation:EBC
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

Today, we drive to EBC, you will pass one of the highest passes in Tibet (Pang la pass height 5050m) from that’s pass you will view the whole five highest peaks in the world like Mt, Makalu, Mt, Lhotse Mt, Everest, Mt, Cho Oyu ) .At EBC, you can see the world highest Mountain Everest under the brilliant blue sky and are surrounded by the great Himalaya. You can visit the Rongbuk Monastery claimed to be the highest monastery in the world. Spend a night at tent or Rongbuk monastery guest house.

Day 7 EBC (5200m) – Cho Oyu Base Camp (4900m)

Sightseeing and Activities:Rongphu Monastery,Cho Oyu Base camp, Mt. Everest
Accommodation:Cho Oyu Base Camp
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, you can see the sunrise over the top of Mt Everest, and have a full view the magnificent Mt. Everest standing like a snow-capped pyramid in front of you at Rongpuk, which is the vantage point for watching Mt. Everest. Then, you can visit Rongphu Monastery which is the highest monastery in the world (5000m). After that drive to Cho Oyu Base Camp.

Day 8 Cho Oyu Base camp-Shigatse

Sightseeing and Activities:sightseeing on the way
Accommodation:Shigatse
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

After a simple breakfast, enjoy the road trip and relax. Drive back to Shigatse for rest.

Day 9 Shigatse(3900m) to Lhasa(3650m)

Sightseeing and Activities:Yarlung Tsangpo River / Bhamaputra River
Accommodation:Lhasa
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

Today, we are supposed to back to Lhasa on the Friendship Highway. The whole distance is almost 280km and it takes 6 hours along the Yarlung Tsangpo River / Bhamaputra River (the Longest and largest river in Tibet). Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Day 10 Depart from Lhasa

Sightseeing and Activities:None
Accommodation:None
Meals:Breakfast

The guide will transfer you to the airport or train station and help you get on board.

Recommended Hotels

Service Included:

• Tibet travel permit and all other necessary permits to Tibet;
• All entrance ticket fees for all tourist sites listed in the itinerary;
• Personal knowledgeable English-speaking Tibetan local tour guide;
• Personal comfortable, clean and safe vehicle with reliable Tibetan local driver; vehicle ranging from 4WD land cruiser to minibus depending on your group size;
• All lodging listed in the itinerary; it’s your decision about the accommodation class: luxury 5-star international hotel, comfortable 4-star hotel, economic 3-star hotel or budget hostel, guesthouse or tent. Please tell us your accommodation preference when submitting the enquiry; we will arrange the best-value hotels for you.
• Domestic flight/train tickets listed in the itinerary;
• All meals listed in the above itinerary;
• Tourist accident/casualty insurance;
• First aid kit;

Service Excluded:

• International flight to and out of China;
• Chinese visa (Note: we could help you with the Chinese visa application, like providing the invitation letter, presenting the hotel or domestic flight reservation copies, etc that you may need. )
• Domestic flight/train not listed in the itinerary. (We can provide you the domestic flight/train ticket booking service at the BEST discount price; please contact us our travel experts for the details.)
• Meals not specified in the itinerary; usually it costs about USD3-15 per person for one meal in TAR (Tibet Autonomous Region).
• Tips and gratitude to tour guide and driver;
• Personal expenses, like laundry, phone call, snacks, soft drinks (please do the best to avoid the alcoholic beverages during your Tibet trip), optional tour activities, etc.

Travel Tips:

1. Tibet Permits

There are several permits required to visit Tibet. Tibet Entry Permit, issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau, is the most important one which has to be obtained before your trip because you must have it to take your flight/train to Tibet. To get the permit, you have to book a Tibet tour with us, and send us your passport and Chinese visa about 20 days in advance, and then let us apply for the permit (all Tibet permits can only be applied by travel agency). If you travel to other prefectures like Shigatse, Nyingchi, Shannan, etc, you also have to obtain an Alien Travel Permit. If you travel to Mount Everest, you have to obtain a Border Permit. (Tibet Discovery, with office in Lhasa, has always kept up with the latest news on Tibet Permits. Traveling with us, all your permits are guaranteed as long as you are qualified to the requirements.)

2. Available Months to Visit Tibet

Generally speaking, May to early October is the best time to for a Mount Kailash trip. July and August are the peak season and rainy season. It may be too cold to travel in Kailash area from November to March. There is usually heavy snow. The conditions in Namtso Lake and Mount Everest area are quite similar with Kailash. While other places like Lhasa, Gyantse and Shigatse are suitable for travel all year around.

3. High Altitude Sickness

The average altitude of Tibet is about 4000 meters above the sea level (Lhasa: 3700m; EBC: 5200m; Namtso: 4718m). You may suffer a bit from High Altitude Sickness in the beginning days of your Tibet trip if you haven’t had rich high plateau travel experience. But don’t worry too much, the high altitude can be acclimatized usually in 2~3 days. Our suggestion is to take a physical examination and get suggestions from your doctor, and also bring some medicines to prevent from High Altitude Sickness before your trip. While in Tibet, you should keep warm all the time, avoid strenuous activities, drink more water and eat more vegetables and carbohydrates. You’d better not take showers during the first two days after your arrival at Tibet. If you don’t feel well, get help from your tour guide or go to the hospital without any delay.

4. How to Go to Tibet

Basically you have two options – flight and train. Currently, you can take a flight to Lhasa from Beijing(4.5hrs), Xian(3.7hrs), Chengdu(2.5hrs), Chongqing(3hrs), Kuming(3hrs), etc. Among all these cities, Chengdu and Xian have more frequent flights to Lhasa. Kathmandu also has several flights to Lhasa each week.

If you a train travel, you can take a train to from Beijing(40.5hrs), Xian(32hrs), Chengdu(43hrs), Shanghai(47hrs), Chongqing(42hrs), Lanzhou(25hrs), Xining(22hrs), Guangzhou(54hrs).

5. Packing and Wearing Ideas

Firstly you can’t forget your passport and Chinese Visa. A large backpack and a smaller one are recommended (the smaller one can be used for daily activities). Also bring the necessary medicine you need. Other stuffs like sunglasses, snow glasses, hats, lip balm, sun block are recommended. As for wearing, you are suggested to dress in layers (both thin and thick jackets). Down jacket is necessary in Spring and Autumn. A pair of durable and comfortable shoes is necessary.