Disabled Friendly Everest Base Camp Tour

This is the first day in Tibet. Your guide will greet you at Lhasa Gonggar Airport/Railway Station and transfer you to your hotel. It usually takes around 1 hour to drive from Lhasa Airport to downtown Lhasa and takes about 20 minutes from Lhasa Railway Station. Tourists could have a look at the Yarlung Tsangpo River, the largest and longest river in Tibet on their way to the hotel. After check-in, you can have a good rest first. And if you feel like going out, you can wander around the city. But just remember that don't take too much stuff, try to go with a light pack. Meanwhile, drink some more water, and do not move strenuously. It’s really useful to get acclimatized to the high altitude.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

In the morning our guide will meet you at the hotel and first take you to visit the famous Potala Palace, the cardinal landmark of Tibet and the masterpiece of Tibetan architecture. It was first built by the 33rd King - Songtsen Gangpo in the 7th century and rebuilt later by the 5th Dalai Lama in the 17th century. Now it's a museum and world heritage site. 

In the afternoon, we will go to visit Jokhang Temple in the center of the Lhasa old town. Jokhang Temple is the most sacred temple in Tibet and it is always bustling with earnest local pilgrims since the early days. After that, you will take a walk around the Barkhor Street - one of the most devotional circuits as well as a crowded central market of Lhasa. Barkhor Street is a very ancient round street surrounding the Jokhang Temple and the locals are always proud of it. As a symbol of Lhasa, it‘s also a must-see place for visitors.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Today’s first attraction is Drepung Monastery. Drepung means "piles of rice" in Tibetan, which symbolizes prosperity. It's the world's largest monastery that housed more than 10,000 monks in the past. Also, It's the highest-ranking monastery in the Gelug Sect. After lunch, you will continue to visit Sera Monastery, the most beautiful Tibetan monastery in Lhasa. The Buddhist scripture debating is the highlight of Sera Monastery.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

In the morning, drive from Lhasa to Gyantse via Yamdrok-sto Lake. You will drive over the Kampala pass (4790 m) and then you will have a glimpse of Yamdrok-tso and take a good picture of it. The Yamdrok-tso Lake is surrounded by many snow-capped mountains. Move on, in the distance, you can have spectacular views of Holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar(7191m), the highest mountain near Lhasa. Later, you will enjoy the Karola Glacier on the roadside. You will arrive in Gyantse in the late afternoon. Gyantse is Tibet's third largest historical city, after Lhasa and Shigatse.

Stay overnight in Gyantse

In Gyantse, you will visit the famous Pelkor Monastery with Gyantse Kumbum and have a far view of Gyantse Fortress. Then traveling from Gyantse to Shigatse through the fertile Nyangchu Valley, you can see a wide agricultural plain where colorfully decorated yaks and horses are used by Tibetan farmers to till the land.

Stay overnight in Shigatse

Before we drive to Tingri to have lunch, we will visit the famous Tashilunpo Monastery, the home of Panchen Lama. It’s the largest monastery in Shigatse and one of the four famous Gelug monasteries in Tibet. You can see the world’s largest gilded copper image (26m high) of the future God Jampa there. Then tour further along the Friendship Hwy to Tingri. Tingri is the nearest village to Mt.Everest where guestrooms with private bathrooms are available. 

Stay overnight in Tingri

About 3km from the Friendship Highway, you get to the village of Chay. From Chay, it’s a winding drive up to Pang-la (5,050m). The view here is stupendous on a clear day and features major mountains of the Himalayan range, including Makalu, Lhotse, Everest, Gyachung and Cho Oyu. The road then descends past a couple of photogenic villages and runs down into the fertile Dzaka Valley and Tashi Dzom village. The dirt road then runs up the wide valley, to Pagsum village. The next main village is Cho Dzom and from here the road turns south towards Rongbuk Monastery. The first view of Mt.Everest appears half an hour before you reach Rongbuk. After sightseeing at Rongbuk and Everest Base Camp(5,200m), you will return to Tingri for the night.

Stay overnight in Tingri

Head from Tingri to Shigatse today, and a detour to visit Sakya Monastery, which is about 25km off the southern Friendship Highway, accessed via a good dirt road through a petty farming valley. Sakya Monastery was the center of politics, economy, military, culture, and religion in Tibet more than 900 years ago. The glorious years as a place of dominion for more than 70 years are now hidden in the natural scenery and need to be discovered slowly and carefully. This monastery is also famous for its exquisite frescoes and rich collection of books.

Stay overnight in Shigatse

We will drive back to Lhasa from Shigatse along the Friendship Highway, via the northern route to Lhasa. It is the most direct route and usually takes around 5 hours to reach Lhasa. We will make several stops on the way to enjoy the views of the Yarlung Tsangpo River Valley.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Your tour ends today. Our guide and driver will collect you from your hotel to transfer to Lhasa Airport/Railway Station for your next destination.