Kathmandu to Lhasa Overland Tour

After breakfast, your driver will pick you from your hotel(altitude: 1300m) and drive to Gyirong port(altitude: 2000m). Although the distance is only 160km, it takes about 10 hours to Gyirong border due to the muddy road condition. Alternatively, you can choose to take a helicopter to Gyriong from Kathmandu, which only takes 25 mins but the price would be much higher.

After arriving at Gyirong port and getting through the custom, you will meet your Tibetan guide and driver. They will take you to Gyirong town（altitude: 2000m) for acclimatization.

Stay overnight in Gyirong

Gyirong Valley is the westernmost and deepest of the five Himalayan valleys. It is full of vitality and green, also known as "Tibet's last secret realm" and "the back garden of Mount Everest". Here you can see the different beauty of Tibet - snow-capped mountains, glaciers, grasslands and lakes. From Gyirong to Nyalam County and then to Tingri, you will follow the 219 National Highway, and see the winding snow-capped mountains. Among these snow-capped mountains, the most famous is Shishapangma, which is 8,012 meters above sea level and is the fourteenth highest mountain in the world. At the foot of Shishapangma is Peikutso Lake, the only and largest barrier lake in Shigatse City. It is shaped like a gourd and extremely blue.

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

Drive from Tingri to Shigatse today via G318, which covers a distance of 250km and takes about 4hrs. Please feel free to ask your driver to stop at any time if you want to take a photo of the fantastic view along the way. 

In the afternoon, you will visit Tashilhunpo Monastery - the home of Panchen Lama. It was founded by the 1st Dalai Lama in 1447 and is a historic and culturally important monastery in Shigatse.

Stay overnight in Shigatse

Drive Shigatse to Lhasa via Gyantse by Southern Friendship Highway. You will pass by the fertile Nyangchu Valley, a wide agricultural plain where colorfully decorated yaks and horses are used by Tibetan farmers to till the land. Arriving at Gyantse, you will visit Pelkor Chode Monastery. This magnificent multi-door structure is not only the largest stupa in Tibet but also has old sculptures and paintings all around its inner walls. En route, you will see Karola Glacier, which looks spectacular from the highway, as well as the holy Yamdroktso Lake with its turquoise color and snowcapped Mt.Nyenchen Khangsar in the distance.

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

In the morning, we will visit Norbulingka, which is a typical Tibetan-style royal garden, the summer resort of the Dalai Lama. There are a lot of towering trees, exotic flowers and plants in the garden, as well as many collections of cultural relics, Buddha statues, pagodas, thangkas, murals, etc. They are all very precious treasures.

In the afternoon, you are heading to Drepung Monastery, which means Monastery of Rice Heap in the Tibetan language. The entire monastery is large in scale and the white buildings cluster and cover the hillsides. Drepung monastery is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery, also the highest-ranking monastery in the Gelug Sect.

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.