11 Days Tibet Highlights Tour with Mount Everest Base Camp Adventure

Tour Overview

This 11 days Tibet Highlights Tour with Mount Everest Base Camp Adventure  will first bring you to experience the Tibetan Buddhism in the mani monasteries in Lhasa including the...

Code of Tour: YCT0000003545

Length of Travel: 11 Day

Destinations of Tour: Lhasa - Shigatse- EBC- Lhasa - Nyingchi

Departure City: Lhasa

Price of Tour: Request

Type of Tour:

Features of Tour: Nature Culture Minority Landscape

More Map & Picture

This 11 days Tibet Highlights Tour with Mount Everest Base Camp Adventure  will first bring you to experience the Tibetan Buddhism in the mani monasteries in Lhasa including the Potala Palace and Jokhong Temple. Then, head to visit the top attractions of Gyangtse and Shigatse, including the Mount Everest. After that, head to explore Nyingchi in the eastern Tibet. The eastern Tibet offers tourists a completely different picture of stereotyped Tibet. Travelling eastwards along Kyichu river and Niyang river, you can experience a whole new world of lush vegetation, mild climate and fertile farmland and harmonious village life.

Brief Itinerary

• Day 1: Lhasa Arrival
• Day 2: Lhasa
• Day 3: Lhasa
• Day 4: Lhasa-Gyantse
• Day 5: Gyantse-Sakya
• Day 6: Sakya-EBC
• Day 7: EBC-Shigatse
• Day 8: Shigatse-Lhasa
• Day 9: Lhasa-Nyingchi
• Day 10: Nyingchi
• Day 11:  Nyingchi Departure

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Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival in Lhasa(3650m)

Sightseeing and Activities:Arrive in Lhasa
Accommodation:None
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 color 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) to Gyantse (3950m)

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

Today, we have to drive from Lhasa to Gyantse. On the way, the group will pass over the Gampala pass (4790 m),and tourists 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 .We head westward along the lake and drive towards Gyantse. Gyantse was historically Tibet’s third largest city (after Lhasa and Shigatse). In Gyantse, we will visit the famous Pelkor Monastery(also known as Gyantse Kumbum). The Kumbum has nine floors and each tier has unique chapels. It is considered the largest stupa in Tibet. Stay overnight in Gyantse.

Day 5 Gyantse(3950m) to Sakya(4300m)

Sightseeing and Activities:Tashilhunpo Monastery,Sakya Monastery
Accommodation:Sakya
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

In the Morning, we drive towards Shigatse. In Shigatse, you will visit the famous Tashilhunpo Monastery where you can see the well-preserved largest statue of Jampa (future Buddha) in the world. This monastery is the seat of Tibet’s second highest incarnation, the Panchen Lama. In the afternoon we drive to the Sakya County where tourists can visit the famous Sakya Monastery. It was founded in 1073 and was the principal monastery of the Sakya sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Sakya monastery consists of two parts, northern and southern monastery. The Northern monastery is only visible as a ruin while Southern monastery was built like a fortress, surrounded by a moat. Stay overnight in Sakya.

Day 6 Sakya (4300m) to Everest Base Camp (5200m)

Sightseeing and Activities:Rongpuk Monastery, Everest Base Camp
Accommodation:EBC
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

The distance between Sakya to Rongpuk is neither to long nor short, and the road is under construction. From Tingri to E.B.C, the team has to drive on the rough road, pass the wild grassland, and cross the torrent and lofty mountains. If the weather is fine, you can have a glimpse of 4 mountains which are 8000m high and even higher. Just enjoy your final stay at Everest Base Camp. Stay overnight at Rongpuk Guest House or Tent.

Day 7 EBC (5200m) to Shigatse (3900m)

Sightseeing and Activities: sunrise of Mt Everest, Rongphu Monastery
Accommodation:Shigatse
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, you can see the sunrise appearing on 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, tourists can tour Rongphu Monastery which is the highest monastery in the world (5000m) and belongs to Nyingma sect.

After that drive back to Shigatse. Stay overnight in Shigatse.

Day 8 Shigatse(3900m) to Lhasa (3650m)

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

Today, we will drive 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 9 Lhasa (3650m) to Nyingchi(3100m)

Sightseeing and Activities:Basum Lake
Accommodation:Nyingchi
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

Today we drive along the National Highway No. 318 from Lhasa to Bayi Town ( Nyingchi). On the way, we will drive over the Mila Pass (5013m) and reach Kongpo Gamda town. Then head to the Basom-tso Lake, 360km east of Lhasa. Basom tso Lake, situated at 3,500 meters above sea level, originates from Nyching Tangha Mountain and is 12 kilometers long. Snow-covered mountains, glaciers and trees are reflected upon the lake’s rippled surface. There are small islands in the middle of the lake with Lamaist temples built upon them.

Then continue to drive along the Nyiyang River head to Bayi town. Stay overnight in Bayi Town.

Day 10 Nyingchi

Sightseeing and Activities: Cypress Forest, and Mt. Namjia Bawa
Accommodation:Nyingchi
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

Today, firstly we are about to visit the Great Cypress Nature Reserve area, which is 15 kilometers southeast of the Bayi Town, The king cypress in the reserve is about 50 meters tall and is about 2,500 years old.

Then we will drive to Sekyim la Pass (4720m) and enjoy the great Mt. Namjia Bawa(7,700m) in the distance. Then, continue to drive to the bushy Lulang Forest with an elevation of 3700m, and it is a typical highland meadow strip, and both sides of Castle Peak from low to high from the dense bushes, spruce trees and pine. The distant clouds, the snow-capped mountains, the endless pines and the quiet pastoral displayed a beautiful landscape.

Then drive back to Nyingchi. Stay overnight in Nyingchi.

Day 11 Depart from Nyingchi

Sightseeing and Activities:None
Accommodation:None
Meals:Breakfast

The guide will transfer you to the airport 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.