7 Days Lhasa to Kathmandu Overland Small Group Tour

Tour Overview

Since Kathmandu is only a half-day driving from Tibet border, so there are more and more many travelers ending their Tibet adventures at the border, then transferring to Kathmandu...

Code of Tour: YCT0000003573

Length of Travel: 7 Day

Destinations of Tour: Lhasa / Gyantse / Shigatse / Mount Everest / Gyirong / Kathmandu

Departure City: Lhasa

Price of Tour: Request

Type of Tour:

Features of Tour: Nature Culture History Minority Landscape

More Map & Picture

Since Kathmandu is only a half-day driving from Tibet border, so there are more and more many travelers ending their Tibet adventures at the border, then transferring to Kathmandu directly. If you are having the same idea, this 7-day Lhasa to Kathmandu trip is for you. You will have a deep exploration into the exotic Tibet land – begin your memorable adventure from Lhasa, the heart of Tibet, then drive on the Himalaya range to arrive the “Top of the Roof of the World”. Visit the beautiful Gyantse and Shigatse along the land travel from Lhasa to Mount Everest. Lastly, our tour guide will drop you off at the China-Nepal border in Gyirong.

Highlights

• Spend several leisure days in Lhasa city to visit the spectacular sites in the holy city Lhasa, such as the grand Potala Palace, holy Jokhang Temple, interesting Sera Monastery, etc;
• Take an enjoyable land travel from Lhasa to Mount Everest which is full of things to do – tranquil Yamdrok Lake, imposing Karola Glacier, unique Palcho Kumba, the snow-capped mountains, blue skies;
• Make your dream of climbing the highest mountain in the world come true.

Brief Itinerary

Day 1: Lhasa Arrival
Day 2: Lhasa
Day 3: Lhasa
Day 4: Lhasa – Gyantse – Shigatse
Day 5: Shigatse – Mount Everest
Day 6: Everest – Gyirong Town
Day 7: Gyirong – Kathmandu

Google Map

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Lhasa Arrival

Sightseeing and Activities:Train Station or airport pick-up, Lhasa city tour
Accommodation:Lhasa sight life Resort Hotel
Meals:none

You are warmly welcome to Tibet by hearing Tashi Delek at the Train station/airport from the local guide and you’ll be escorted to reserved hotel in Lhasa. After arrival at your hotel, the rest of the day is free for you to explore the local area and acclimate yourself to the high altitude and weather of Lhasa.

After arrival at your hotel, the rest of the day is free for you to explore the local area and acclimatize yourself to this high altitude city.

In today(or tomorrow)’s evening, a welcome dinner will be held to meet other members of this group tour. Enjoy the party.

Tips of today: 1. Keep taking medicine of preventing high altitude reaction 2 days before going to Tibet; 2. Go for some walking to acclimate but avoid strenuous activity; 3. You’d better not have bath; 4. Drink more water.

Day 2 Lhasa

Sightseeing and Activities:Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street
Accommodation:Lhasa sight life Resort Hotel
Meals:breakfast

In the morning, the overwhelming Potala Palace is your first stop. As the symbol of Tibet, it was built in 641 AD and was the winter palace of Dalai Lama who is Tibet’s pope. Impressive Tibetan architecture, huge golden Buddha statues, red-robed lamas and devoted pilgrims all make it a must-visit.

In the afternoon, you’ll visit the Jokhang Temple, the spiritual center of Tibet. Every day, pilgrims from every corner of Tibet trek here from long distances to worship. Finally, walk the special circular pilgrimage route as local followers always do at Barkhor Street where you can buy Tibetan traditional or religious things as souvenir.

Tips of today: 1. Wear hat and sun glasses to prevent ultraviolet radiation, but remember to take off when visiting in the monasteries. 2. Usually taking photos is not allowed in chapels inside monastery. 3. Remember to bring your passport which is needed to showcase when check in Potala Palace.

Day 3 Lhasa

Sightseeing and Activities:Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery
Accommodation:Lhasa sight life Resort Hotel
Meals:

After breakfast, your tour guide will pick you up in your hotel. Then drive about 30 minutes to visit the Drepung Monastery. This Gelug monastery has a history of more than 500 years. It used to be the largest monastery in the world with totally 10,000 monks there. Many precious stupas, sculptures, paintings, Thangka…are displayed in the hundreds of chapels. And the annual Shoton Festival is organized here.

In the afternoon, you will visit another famous Gelug monastery around Lhasa city – Sera Monastery, which is famous for its “Buddhism Scriptures Debating”. It is only 3km away from Lhasa city. Enjoy the debating.

Tips of today: 1. Feel free to ask tour guide questions about Buddhism or else; 2. Obey Buddhist manners and talk appropriately; 3. If you don’t know where to have meals, restaurant in your hotel is a great choice.

Day 4 Lhasa – Gyantse – Shigatse

Sightseeing and Activities:Nyangchu Valley, Kamba La Pass, Yamdrok Lake, Mt. Nojin Kangtsang, Karo-la Glacier, Palkor Monastery, Kubum Stupa
Accommodation:
Meals:

After breakfast, start your overland tour from Lhasa to Gyangtse. After about 2 hours driving along Nyangchu Valley, crossing over the summit of Kamba La Pass(altitude: 4794m), you’ll get to the tranquil turquoise Yamdrok Lake. Stop and enjoy the stunning views. Yamdrok is one of the clearest lakes without any pollution in Tibet. The water is as clean as crystal, and the glimmer in sunshine under blue sky. Far in the distance you’ll spot the towering massif Mt. Nojin Kangtsang (altitude: 7191m). Leaving Yamdrok and driving forward, you can see the imposing Karola Glacier (5045m) along the highway.

Keeping driving from Karola Glacier, you will finaly arrival at Gyantse, feel hungry? Have a good lunch, then stroll to visit the Palkor Monastery. The highlight is the Kumbum Stupa has a 35m-high chorten with its white layers trimmed with decorative stripes and its crown-like golden dome.

Leave Gyantse, and drive about 2 hours to Shigatse City, the second largest city in Tibet. Accommodate in Shigatse City.

Tips of today: 1. Wear warm clothes to prevent from cold and wild; 2. Prepare some food and drinks in advance because you will spend much time on the road.

Day 5 Shigatse – Mount Everest

Sightseeing and Activities:Tashilhunpo Monastery, Mount Everest, Rongbuk Monastery,
Accommodation:Rongbuk Monastery Guest House
Meals:

Today after breakfast, you will firstly take a visit to the official seat of Panchen Lama – Tashilhunpo Monastery which is also the largest and most influential Gelug Monastery in Shigatse prefecture. Here you will see a giant statue of Future Buddha, the largest one of its kind on earth ( 26.2 meters high and 11.5 meters wide ), decorated with precious pearls, turquoises, corals and ambers.

Then set out to start once-in-a-lifetime adventure to the highest peak of the world – Mount Everest. Departing from Shigatse city, via Lhatse, you will witness spectacular high plateau views that you can never see in other places – super blue sky, float light clouds, stretching snow mountains, endless grasslands… Finally you will reach the outstanding Everest. Stop at the foot of Rongbuk Monastery, the highest monastery in the world. Enjoy the intoxicating view of Mt. Everest. (Rongbuk Monastery visiting is optional at your own expense, and charges 35 RMB)

Overnight at Rongbuk Monastery Guest House or local Tibetan tents.

Tips of today: 1. Bring more food and drinks for long driving; 2. Bring a warm and thick coat for low temperature in Everest. 3.  Avoid strenuous activity. 

Day 6 Everest – Gyirong Town

Sightseeing and Activities:the sunrise of Mt Everest, Everest Base Camp, Rongpuk Monastery
Accommodation:
Meals:

Wake up early to enjoy the marvelous sunrise on the peak of the world. After breakfast, take a sightseeing bus to the Everest Base Camp which is about 8 km from Rongpuk Monastery. While you can also hike up if you are energetic. In the EBC, you can get the best Everest view. The peak is blessed with many extreme wonders. The top part of the mountain is covered with snow all the year round, when the sun shines on the mountain, the peak is like white pyramid. More often, the thick freely moves clouds and fogs, seems as if a flag with the mast of the peak was swinging, will shroud the peak. This peculiar phenomenon of Mt. Everest is known as “Flag Cloud”. An additional wonder generated here are the bright glaciers, where ices are formed into various shapes like bridges, pagodas and others.

Lastly, go down from EBC back to Rongpuk Monastery area, and drive about 8 hours to Gyirong Town for accommodation. The views along the road are stupendous. In clear days, you can see the clear face of Shishapangma Peak and enjoy the beautiful view of Pekutso Lake.

Tips of today: 1. Sunrise starts around 6:30 am to 7 am; 2. Get well prepared for long driving on the road.

Day 7 Gyirong – Kathmandu

Sightseeing and Activities:None
Accommodation:None
Meals:

After breakfast, drive about 40 minutes from your hotel to Gyirong Port. You are kindly required to walk on your own to cross the border bridge, then check in Nepal Custom, and transfer to Kathmandu or other destinations in Nepal. Our service end.

Recommended Hotels

Quotations

Service Included:

– Tibet Entry Permit and Alien’s Travel Permit.
– Admission fee of all tourist sites in itinerary.
– Travel Agency Service Charge.
– Transportation
– Tourist Accident/Casualty Insurance.
– Environment friendly local bus between Rongpuk and EBC.
– Hot water bottle and sleeping bag provided in Winter while traveling to EBC.
– Oxygen provided while traveling to EBC.
– Tourist Accident/Casualty Insurance.
– All accommodations
– Welcome Tibetan Style dinner.

Service Excluded:

– Single room supplement.
– China visa, all air tickets and train tickets to and from Tibet.
– Sightseeing not listed in the itinerary.
– Meals not listed in the itinerary (all lunches and dinners).
– Personal expenses such as laundry, drink, fax, telephone call, optional activities, etc.
– Gratuities, tips to guides, drivers, bellboys, etc.
– Excess Baggage Charges.
– Breakfast at Rongpuk.

Travel Tips:

1. What Are the Features of Our Group Tours
Our Group Tours are budget tour packages with great service which have covered the most popular destinations in Tibet with reasonable trip lengths. Joining in our group tours, you will choose your travel dates from our fixed departures and travel in a small group with maximum members of 12 people.

2. 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.)

3. Available Months to Visit Tibet
Generally speaking, May to early October is the recommended time to have a Mount Everest trip. July and August are the peak season and rainy season. The temperatures in daytime and night differs a lot, usually 5~15℃ in the daytime and -5~0℃ in the night, so please keep warm all the time. It is usually snowy and cold in winter, which is not suitable for visit Mount Everest. While other places like Lhasa, Gyantse and Shigatse are suitable for travel all year around.

4. 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.

5. 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).

6. 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.