7 Days Kathmandu to Lhasa Small Group Overland Trip with EBC

Gyirong Port

Friendship Highway

As long as you pass the Gyirong Port, you will meet your Tibetan tour guide with the white and holy Hada. Then, we will drive to Old Tingri via Friendship Highway, at the altitude of 4300 meters above sea level. It is often used as a base by mountain climbers preparing to ascend Mount Everest or Cho Oyu. In addition, if you are fond of trekking, Old Tingri is also the beginning site of trekking route.

On the way to Old Tingri, you will be accompanied by winding road, snow-covered and rolling mountains, dense evergreen forests. Especially passing Tongla Pass(5100m), the epic mountain vista of the Himalayan range will come into your eyes. When gradually approach to Tingri, you will view the typical plateau scenery, including alpine lakes, forests, and shepherds driving the herds. What a peaceful scene it is.

Tips: At this high altitude, you’d better keep warm and move slowly to lessen the risk of altitude sickness.

Stay overnight in Tingri

Rongbuk Monastery

Everest Base Camp

After the brief breakfast, the tour to Everest Base Camp will set out from Old Tingri. On the way, we will stop for a rest at the Gawu La Pass (5198m) where you can easily view the spectacular Himalayan Ranges and its mighty 4 peaks beyond 8000m - Mt. Makalu(8463m), Mt. Lhotse(8516m), Mt. Everest(8844m), Mt. Cho Oyu(8201m) and Mt. Shishapama(8020m) from left to right. Then, you will have an opportunity to explore the highest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in the world, Rongbuk Monastery (5154m). Standing here taking a wonderful picture of Mount Everest is surely an alternative. Actually, from Rongbuk Monastery, it is just 8km away from Everest Base Camp. If time is limited, some trekkers will generally start here. After that, we will continue to Shigatse, the second-largest city in Tibet.

Stay overnight in Shigatse

Tashilunpo Monastery

Yamdrok tso

Readjusting after a night in Shigatse, today’s morning, you will visit the historic and culturally essential monastery - Tashi Lhunpo Monastery. The monastery is the traditional seat of successive Panchen Lamas, the second highest ranking tulku lineage in the Gelug tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. If visiting in summer, you will be offered a chance to view the landscape of Barley Field, and learn the flour Barley flout made with a water mill at a traditional Barley Mill.

Besides visiting Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, continue to drive just 90km to Gyantse. There are many vital cultural and historical sites that are worth paying a visit, including Palkhor Monastery, Ancient Gyantse Street, and the magnificent vista of Gyangtse Fortress. After finishing your visit in Gyantse, you will move to Lhasa, about 28km away from here.

On the way, when passing the Manak Dam Lake, you can stop to hang prayer flag at nearby Simila Pass. Besides, Karola Glacier should not be missed along the road. Keep moving ahead, about 2 hours later, as long as you pass the Gangbala Pass(5030m), you will view a turquoise lake surrounded by winding mountains, the lake is Yamdrok Lake, and the snow-capped mountain in the distance is Mount Nyenchen Khangsar. Here, you can take some pictures with Tibetan Mastiffs at the bank of the lake. Then, we will keep moving to Lhasa city, the capital of Tibet.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Jokhang Temple

Barkhor Street

After your delicious breakfast, you will start your Tibetan Buddhist journey today. Certainly, the Potala Palace, reputed as the landmark of Tibet, must be the first site. It is enclosed with the White Palace and the Red Palace ancillary buildings of the Potala Palace which rise from Red Mountain in the center of Lhasa Valley (3700m). The most valuable burial stupas of former Dalai Lamas and meditation Cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet are housed inside.

Having a lunch, you will continue to visit the "spiritual heart of the city" and the most sacred monastery in Tibet - the holy Jokhang Monastery. The monastery is located at Barkhor Square in Lhasa, in general, considered as the most important and scared monastery by Tibetan. In fact, it is packed with pilgrims from four corners to pray. Therefore, not only will you see the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni at the age of twelve, also the pilgrims making prostrating in front of Jokhang Temple.

After visiting the monastery, you can stroll along the Barkhor Street surrounding the monastery where you can take part in the pilgrimage to do kora, a religious circle around a building or mountains, or wandering to buy some Tibetan handicrafts and so on.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Drepung Monastery

Sera Monastery

Today, you will go on basking in Tibetan Buddhism. Drepung Monastery, as the beginning site of today’s journey, is one of the “great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet. It is founded in 1416 by Jamyang Choge, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples, also the biggest monastery among Tibetan Buddhist buildings. Here, we will offer you an opportunity to visit the biggest monastery kitchen, and enjoy the rock paintings, then, the tour guide will lead you to see Buddhist Sculpture Carving workshop near Drepung Monastery.

In addition, after your meal, continue to visit another Gelug monastery in Tibet - Sera Monastery. As we all know, the highlight of touring Sera Monastery is to watch an excellent Monks Debate lasting from 3 pm to 5 pm. Then, you can explore the Choding Khang which is the hermitage located just behind the Great Assembly Hall (on the hill slope of Sera Utse).

Stay overnight in Lhasa

After the breakfast, your tour guide will meet you to go to the airport, then, you will leave Lhasa to step on the plane for your flight home.