Lhasa to EBC group tour
Standard 8 days Lhasa to EBC (Everest Base camp) tour has remained the most popular tour. It is the right amount of time to visit all the beautiful sights in Lhasa and all the way to base camp via Yamdrok lake, Karola glacier, Gyantse Kumbum monastery, Tashi lunpu in Shigatse which is the second biggest city in Tibet Autonomous region. In addition to it, stopping by Sakya monastery en route to EBC will help you acclimatize to the altitude before arriving at base camp.
Songtsan team is solely based in Lhasa. Our Tibetan guides and drivers are also based in Lhasa. From last more than 10 years, our only goal is to provide authentic Tibetan tour service, which that means every word we say and the steps we take has the touch of local Tibetan essence. It is to consider the very expectation of your visit to a place rich in culture and history. Our reviews will justify that all our guides, drivers, and sales team have hospitality at their heart. We are at 24 hours a day in and out at your service.
| Days | Trip Outline | Activity | Accommodation |
| Day1 | Pick up and transfer to hotel. | Rest well to acclimatize | Shangbala |
| Day2 | Lhasa sightseeing | Jokhang temple, Barkhor street, Potala palace | Shangbala |
| Day3 | Lhasa sightseeing | Sera monastery, Drepung monastery, Home dinner | Shangbala |
| Day4 | Lhasa to Shigatse (3900m) 350km 6hrs approx | Yamdrok, Karola, Kumbum stupa | Tashi Choedar |
| Day5 | Shigatse to EBC (5200m) 350km 7hrs approx | Sakya monastery, Base camp | Monastery guesthouse |
| Day6 | EBC to Shigatse (3900m) 350km 7hrs approx | Tashi lunpu monastery, Kora | Tashi Choedar |
| Day7 | Shigatse to Lhasa (3680m) 350km 7hrs approx | Brahmaputra river | Shangbala |
| Day8 | Departure | Drive to airport/train station |
Itinerary Detail:
Day1: Arrival in Lhasa: Acclimatization
Upon arrival at Lhasa Gonggar airport, our guide and driver will be waiting for you at the exit gate, with your name board. Tashi Delek is probably the first Tibetan word you will hear upon arrival, it is an endearing gesture of welcoming our guest followed by offering a white scarf which is called Khata in Tibetan.
It is about 70kms from the airport to the old city Lhasa which will take 45 minutes to 1hrs depending on the traffic. This short trip in your car will allow you to have a short glimpse at the Yarlung river/ Brahmaputra river and close view at the majestic Potala palace.
Check into your hotel, first day is crucial for the travelers to have a good rest at their hotel, acclimatize the environment.
Day2: Lhasa highlights: Jokhang temple, Barkhor street, Sera monastery
Breakfast will be served at your hotel from 7:30am to 10.30am.
Your guide will pick you up at the hotel to visit Jokhang temple which is not more than 5 minutes’ walk from your hotel. Jokhang temple is located at the center of old city Lhasa and has been very important location for both and religious and business
Center of Tibet in early years.
Barkhor street is approximately 15-20 minutes’ walk around the Jokhang temple. Local pilgrimage will be walking along with their prayer wheels in their hand in a clockwise. The street is filled many shops and now has become a shopping center.
Walking around Barkhor street will be a pleasant experience to see many Tibetan local devotees on their prostration and colorful culture of people from different part of Tibet. After lunch, there is debate session of Sera monks which will start around 3pm in the Sera courtyard. The last sight of the day is Sera monastery which was built in 15th Century by The Jamchen Choji Sakya Yeshi who was a disciple of Tsongkapa the founder of Gelukpa sect, one of four schools in Tibetan Buddhism.
Day3: Lhasa highlights: Potala palace, Drepung monastery, Home dinner with our team.
Morning visit to the palace is as refreshing as jogging alongside the lake with cool breeze and breathe. After checking in at the gate, stairs and steps will take you higher towards the Potala place which has white palace and red palace. White palace was built to attend official matters and red palace was built to attend for religious matter.
Potala palace was initially laid its foundation by 33rd King of Tibet Songtsan Gampo in 7th Century and later rebuilt by 5th Dalai Lama in 17th Century.
Make sure to rest once a while during the visit, every stair is worth the effort for the beautiful bird eye view of Lhasa and its every rooms and chambers inside the palace.
Day4: Lhasa to Shigatse
Leaving Lhasa in the morning has its charm of starting your day along with the rising sun brightening the beautiful day on your way out.
First stop is at Yamdrok lake, Yamdrok is about 2:30-3 hrs drive of about 110km from Lhasa via Gambala pass (4790m).
This holy lake is also called Yamdrok Yumtso in Tibetan. The color of the lake is turquoise, and it has the most beautiful view of the mountains and lake enclosed by an ever-blue sky. The length of the river is 72km, which goes side by side with the main road to Karola glacier which is close to 1hr drive further down.
Second stop is at Karola glacier which is one of Tibet three major continental glaciers located at the boundary of Nangarze county.
Third stop is at Gyantse town’s Kumbum Pelkor chorten monastery. Kum-bum means one hundred thousand holy images. It was built by Gyangtse prince in the year 1427 with nine levels and 77 chapels.
This stupa is unique three-dimensional mandala meant to portray the Buddhist cosmos.
Day5: Shigatse to EBC
After breakfast, we will drive straight to EBC and Rongbuk Monastery crossing several passes along the way. First pass along the way is Gyatso La Pass (5400m) which has the view of the Himalayas. You can actually see Mt. Everest in the distance from the viewing point at the pass.
A few kilometers after the border check point we turn off the Friendship Highway and zig-zag our way up to Gawu La Pass (5250m) a great spot for a view of all the Himalayan Mountains above 8000 meters. From left to right you will see Mt. Makalu (8463m) Mt. Lhotse (8516m) Mt. Everest (8848m) Mt. Cho Oyu (8201m) and Mt. Shishapangma (8020m).
After arriving at Rongbuk Monastery we will settle into the Monastery guesthouse where we will be staying the night. The Rongbuk Monastery houses both monks and nuns and is the “official” highest monastery in the world at 4980 meters. In the afternoon you will have time to explore around the Rongbuk Monastery area and get the best shot of the North Face of Mount Everest.
Day6: EBC to Shigatse
Most probably your breakfast will be Tibetan noodle and bread there at the base camp. If your luck is good, sky will be clear, and you can get a one last good look at the peaks of Everest. Upon arrival at Shigatse, it is best to take good rest in the hotel.
Day7: Shigatse to Lhasa
Morning visit to Tashi lunpu monastery. Tashi lunpu monastery was founded by 1st Dalai Lama in 1447, it is tradition monastic seat of successive Panchen Lama. Kora around the monastery will take around one hour and will have beautiful bird eye view of old and new city of Shigatse.
We will arrange home dinner at home with our team in the evening. We have a special cook in our team who will prepare local Tibetan dishes, not too greasy not too spicy. We will also teach you how to make Yak momo. For this delightful evening, conversations are mainly on how we work as a team, your experience in Tibet and feedback on how to improve our service.
Day8: Departure
As per your flight or train schedule, your guide and driver will pick you up from the hotel and see you off on time. This is the time we always hope in our heart that you had a wonderful time during your visit and our service are up to your satisfaction.
We appreciate for the feedbacks on TripAdvisor which will allow us to continue what we do and what we always try to achieve, which is to provide a real authentic Tibetan tour service in Tibet for all the oversea travelers who has dreamt of coming to Tibet.
The service Includes:
– All necessary travel permits to Tibet;
– Entrance ticket fees for all the sight spots listed in the program
– Private transportation in Tibet: 8 to 15 seated minivan with experienced local Tibetan driver.
-Vehicle and guide entrance for the Everest Nature Reserve
– Private guide: English speaking local Tibetan guide;
– Lodging: Comfortable Four star hotel in Lhasa and Shigtse
– Oxygen cylinder for the group;
– Lodging and meals for guide and drivers;
– Two bottles of mineral water per person everyday.
– Liability travel insurance
The service excludes:
– Travel insurance covers trip cancellation and emergency evacuation(recommended);
– Expenses of a personal nature (alcoholic beverages, laundry, phone call, etc.);
– International and domestic flight/train. (Note: we accept flights and train tickets bookings in advance,
– Meals – lunches and dinners, breakfasts at the guesthouses (Averagely a meal in Tibet cost USD7 per person);
– Gratuities for the guide and driver.
-Visa fee