8 Days Kathmandu Gyirong Everest Lhasa Overland Group Tour

$1050

per person

This is a popular overland route for travelers who want to travel to Lhasa from Kathmandu by overland. It covers many must-see attractions such as Mt.Everest, Yamdroktso Lake, Potala Palace.

Overview:

Since the Gyirong border between Nepal and Tibet reopens to all travels in August 2017, this 8-day Kathmandu to Lhasa overland tour becomes more and more popular. It’s designed for those travelers who are a fan of Mount Everest and the Himalayas. You will start this tour from Kathmandu. After getting China Group visa in Kathmandu, you will go across to the Nepal border and enter Tibet. Then, you will head to famous EBC to enjoy the stunning sunset of Mount Everest. At last, you will drive back to Lhasa via Shigatse and start exploring the best part of holy Lhasa city such as Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Sera Monastery.

Brief Itinerary:

Day	Daily Outline	Attractions	Accommodation	Meals
Day 1	Kathmandu to Syabrubesi, 137km, Approx. 7 hrs.	Pick up and drive to China Tibet border	Syabrubesi, Guesthouse
Day 2	Syabrubesi to Gyirong, 40km, Approx. 4-5hrs	Paba Temple	Gyirong Hotel	B
Day 3	Gyirong to EBC to Tingri, 480km, Approx. 11 hrs.	Everest Base Camp, Peikutso Lake, Rongbuk Monastery	Tingri Hotel	B
Day 4	Tingri to Shigatse, 280km, Approx. 7 hrs.	5000 Meters’ Milestone of G318 National Highway, Tashilhunpo Monastery	Shigatse, 3/4-star	B
Day 5	Shigatse to Lhasa via Gyantse, 375km	Pelkor Monastery and Gyantse Kumbum, Korola Glacier, Manak Dam Lake, Yamdroktso Lake	Lhasa, 3/4-star	B
Day 6	Lhasa Sightseeing	Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street	Lhasa, 3/4-star	B
Day 7	Lhasa Sightseeing	Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery	Lhasa, 3/4-star	B, D
Day 8	Lhasa Departure	Send off to airport/railway station		B

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Kathmandu to Syabrubesi, 137km, Approx. 7 hrs.

In the morning, we will pick you up from your hotel in Kathmandu city. Then, what you need to do is to enjoy the magnificent natural scenery along the world-known Friendship Highway. As the driving time will be a little bit longer, you are recommended to bring some snacks.

Stay overnight in Syabrubesi, guesthouse

Day 2 Syabrubesi to Gyirong, 40km, Approx. 4-5hrs (B)

Attractions: Paba Temple

Today, we will take you to Gyirong border from Syabrubesi, which takes around 3 hours to finish a 15 km distance. After entering Tibet, your Tibetan guide will greet you here and transfer you to Gyirong town (2,800 meters). The rest of the time is free arranged by yourself. If you prefer, you could pay a visit to Paba Temple (2,850 meters) in the afternoon.

Stay overnight in Gyirong Hotel

Day 3 Gyirong to EBC to Tingri, 480km, Approx. 11 hrs. (B)

Attractions: Peikutso Lake, Everest Base Camp, Rongbuk Monastery

Today will be a long-time driving. In the morning, we will head for Everest Base Camp after breakfast. On the way, you will pass by the Peikutso Lake and endless grasslands. When you arrive at Everest, the highest peak in the world, you will also see the first monastery on earth — Rongbuk Monastery. After that, we will start driving to Tingri. We will not arrange to stay overnight at Everest due to the acclimatization issue.

Stay overnight in Tingri Hotel

Day 4 Tingri to Shigatse, 280km, Approx. 7 hrs. (B)

Attractions: 5000 Meters’ Milestone of G318 National Highway, Tashilhunpo Monastery

Today, you will head to Shigatse, which is the second largest city in Tibet. From Tingri to Lhatse, you will have a good chance to see the 5000 Meters’ Milestone of G318 National Highway.

In the noon, you will arrive in Shigatse. After lunch in Shigatse city, you will visit Tashilhunpo Monastery, the home of Panchen Lama. It’s famous for the largest Buddhism school in Shigatse. You could see many Tibetan people do a kora in front of the monastery.

Stay overnight in Shigatse, 3/4-star hotel

Day 5 Shigatse to Lhasa via Gyantse, 375km (B)

Attractions: Pelkor Monastery and Gyantse Kumbum, Karola Glacier, Yamdroktso Lake

Today you will go to Lhasa from Shigatse via Gyantse. It’s 375km from Shigatse to Lhasa. With the speed-limit regulation, it usually takes 7-8 hours on the way. But no worries. Please get your camera ready, there are really good sights worth shooting.

After arriving in Gyantse, you will visit the mysterious Pelkor Monastery and Gyantse Kumbum (4040m). The most interesting collection in this monastery is the “One Hundred Thousand Buddhas Pagoda”. It has nine floors, 77 rooms, and 108 doors. The door frames in each room are very low and people have to bow to enter.

Continue to drive, you will see the spectacular Karola Glacier (5045 meters) and turquoise colored Yamdroktso Lake (4400m), which is one of the three sacred lakes in Tibet. It is the largest freshwater lake in the northern Himalayas, stretching 675 square meters from south to north, like an earlobe lying in the arms of giant snow-capped mountains.

Day 6 Lhasa Sightseeing- Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple

Attractions: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street

Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, is well-known as an international tourism city with mystic Tibetan Buddhist culture and natural plateau scenery. Today, we will arrange you to explore this old and holy city which is already over 1300 years.

In the morning, you will head to visit world-known Potala Palace, which has the highest architecture in the world. It was built by Srongtsen Gampo in the 7th.century and used to be the winter palace of the Dalai Lama. Except for the art of buildings, you could also visit the gilded burial stupas of former Dalai Lamas and meditation Cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet.

After lunch, you are going to visit another symbolic scenic spot of Tibet-Jokhang Temple. It is considered to be the spiritual center of Tibetan Buddhism. In the temple, there is a golden life-sized statue of 12-year-old Sakyamuni, which was brought by Princess Wencheng from the Tang Dynasty. So, you could see many devout Tibetans do a pilgrimage in front of Jokhang temple. Afterward, you could stroll around the famous Barkhor Street, where you can enjoy a sweet tea, and buy some Tibetan souvenirs.

With the attractions, we will arrange a welcome dinner for you tonight. Hope you can enjoy the relaxing night with your friends and guide.

Stay overnight in Lhasa, 3/4-star

Day 7 Lhasa Sightseeing-Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery

Attractions: Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery

Today, you will also discover two other highlights of Lhasa – Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery. In the morning, you are going to visit Drepung Monastery, the largest monastery in Tibet. Before the liberation of Tibet, more than 10,000 monks lived and studied. Therefore, Drepung Monastery is also well-known as the “Mother School of Dalai Lamas”

In the afternoon, you will visit the Sera Monastery. You can enjoy a wonderful Buddhist debate in the monastery, open daily from 3 pm to 5 pm, except on Sundays. You can participate in the daily debate of 80 monks in a closed courtyard. This is more like a question and answers session on Tibetan Buddhism. Through this debate, you can learn more about Tibetan Buddhism culture.

Stay overnight in Lhasa, 3/4-star

Day 8 Depart from Lhasa

Your tour ends today. After breakfasts, you will be free for the morning. Our staff will pick you up at your hotel and send you off to Lhasa Airport/Railway Station.

Booking Policy

* To join in a confirmed group tour package with the fixed departure date, 12 working-day is required.

*To open a new group tour depends on your schedule:

Number of travelers	Time we need
A solo traveler	60 days
Two or more	12 working days

Discount Policy

Note: you may only enjoy one of the preferential policies, not all.

Option

Terms

Discount

Option A:

Tour from Apr~Oct

*5% off for six months prior to the tour starts.

*3% off for three months prior to the tour starts.

Option B:

Three or more travelers book the same group

5% off for any group tours

Cost and Calendar

All the price is USD per person.

Tour Class

Apr.1 to

Jun.24

Jun.25 to

Aug.25

Aug.26 to

Oct.16

Oct.17 to

Nov.15

Nov.16 to

Dec. 31

Economic class (3-star hotels)

USD1080

USD1140

USD1150

USD1130

USD1050

Comfortable class (4-star hotels)

USD1250

USD1400

USD1380

USD1260

USD1200

Cost Includes

* Accommodations: 4 Nights, double room in 3 or 4-star hotel plus 3 nights at guesthouse（If your prefer to stay overnight in 5-star hotel, please consult it with our trip advisor for details);

* Meals: 4Breakfasts + 1 welcome dinner;

*Local tour transfer, 7-29 seats comfortable tourist vehicle we use based on group size;

* Transfer fee from Kathmandu city to Gyirong based on group size.

* Lhasa Railway Station transfer at all time on the last day;

* Free hotel-airport drop-off service on the last day the group tour ends.

Pick up tourists from the Lhasa hotel at 06:30 am; 08:00 am; 12:00 pm

* Guide: experienced Tibetan English-speaking tour guide;

* Entrance ticket fees for all the attractions listed in the itinerary;

* All the necessary Tibet Permits;

* Travel Agency Liability insurance and government Tax;

* Normal Express delivery fee of Permit (e.g. SF. Express) to the city in mainland China;

* Food & lodgings for guide & driver;

* One big bottle of Oxygen on the vehicle for emergency use;

* Mineral water during the trip;

Cost Excludes

* China Group Visa fee and Nepal visa fee;

* International or domestic flights or train tickets fee(We’d like to book the domestic flight/train ticket at the BEST price. Please contact us for details);

* Lunch & Dinner not listed in the itinerary (your tour guide will recommend some good restaurants for your reference. )

* Gratuities for guide and driver (It is not mandatory. However, if you are satisfied with their service, please tip them on the last day of the tour. recommend USD5-10/day in total);

* Private transfer between Lhasa Airport-Hotel if your flight isn’t within our free service time, about USD 60/vehicle/time depends on the tour time;

* All the commission and tax charged by the third part when making online payment;

* Personal expenses;

* Anything not mentioned in the Inclusions.

Note

* From Nepal to Tibet, you need to get a China Group visa within 3-working day in Kathmandu, even if you already had a Chinese visa. We can help you get this China Group Visa in Kathmandu, please check with your trip advisor for details.

* We require at least 12 working days to apply for your Tibet permits. After you confirmed this Tibet tour with us, please provide your passport etc information to us on time. Or, extra fee will be charged for the urgent handling charge. Please check with your trip advisor for details.

* We reserve the right to change the itinerary order and attractions in Lhasa;

* There may no guide but always a driver when pick-up and send-off, especially the tourist peak season;

* We may use the public transportation for the airport/hotel transfer such as the airport shutter bus or taxi if the passengers are less than three;

* Single Supplements: for a solo traveler, you are required to pay for a single supplement at the time of booking as the above price is based on a twin room. But if later, you could share the same room with another tourist (same sex), we will refund the single supplement;

* If any unforeseeable or unavoidable situation beyond our control happened, and caused the cancel or delay of the trip, we are not responsible for a refund. And the extra fee caused by should be at the tourists’ side.

8-14 DAYS

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Value For Money

1 Service Information-What is a small Tibet Group Tour?

Save money, make new friends on the way!

As a local Tibet travel operator based in Lhasa, we offer you many popular and budget small Tibet group tours with many fixed departure dates and itinerary. Our Tibet group tours include most attractions in Lhasa, Shigatse, Mount Everest, Mount Kailash, and Kathmandu city. You can always find the preferred one! The group size is max 12 people. Before the tour starts, we usually collect 6~8 people in this group. Getting more people in the group is a great way to let tour cost down because you will share the total cost of tour guide fee, vehicle fee, etc with other travelers in this group. Our group tours are very suitable for a solo traveler, couple travelers, and students. For people less than five, you are suggested to join our small group tours to save money.

When inquiring, please feel free to ask our travel consultants if there are other people also travel alone and indicate if you would mind traveling with like-minded people.

2 Tibet Travel Permits and China Visa

For foreign tourists who would like to travel to Tibet, you need to get your Tibet Travel Permits as well as China visa. For China visa, you need to apply for it in your home country before the tour starts. For Tibet Travel Permits, we will take care of all necessary Tibet permits after your Tibet tour booked with us. You are suggested to send us your copies of passport and Chinese visa by email at least 12-working days prior to your entry date, so that we can get all Tibet Permits in time before the tour starts and mail it to your hotel in a Chinese city.

Kindly note: If you enter Tibet from Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, you don’t have to apply for a Chinese visa in your home country. You are required to get a China Group Visa when you arrive in Kathmandu within 3-working days. We have a nepal partner who can help you get it in Nepal. So don’t worry about it! : )

3 High Altitude Sickness Information: How can I prepare for high altitude adjustment?

As Tibet located on a plateau with the average altitude of 3,600 meters, most people who want to travel in Tibet always worry about high Altitude Sickness. Don’t worry too much! Our customers' age range from 20 years old to 70 years old, there is no evidence that suggests that age has anything to do with the occurrence of mountain sickness. Here are some tips for high altitude adjustment as follows,

* Travelers with a severe cold, a high fever, acute or chronic pulmonary diseases, and severe cardiovascular diseases should avoid traveling to regions with a high altitude such as Tibet.

*Nifedipinum, Nuodikang Capsules and Suoluomabao Capsules (known as Hongjingtian Capsules in Chinese) can help some people prevent altitude sickness. You are suggested to take them three days before arriving in Tibet.

*To prevent altitude sickness, you are also suggested to have a proper rest when you arrive in Lhasa for the first day. You can have two days in Lhasa with a lower altitude in order to adapt to high altitude, then travel to Everest Base Camp or other high lands in Tibet.

* Our tour guide will take care of you and give some useful tips on how to avoid high altitude sickness on arrival. A bottle of oxygen and first aid kit will be prepared on the vehicle for each person for emergency use. You can drink pretty water every day to prevent altitude sickness. Cigarette shall be forbidden as well as drink alcohol. What’s more, always remember that if you have any problems or feel uncomfortable, please tell your tour guide immediately or contact our travel consultant.

4 Accommodation Information

To be honest, the overall accommodations in Tibet is not good as many other main cities in China such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou because Tibet located on a plateau with the average altitude of 3,600 meters. In recent years, with the development of Tibet tourism, the accommodations in Tibet have significant improvement.

Accommodation in Tibet is divided into star hotel, guest houses, and tent. You can enjoy comfortable star hotel in most Tibet areas such as Lhasa, Shigatse, Nyingtri and Tsedang, etc. If your Tibet tour plan includes other remotes areas such as EBC, Mt.Kailash, Trekking in Tibet, there are many simple hotels, guest houses, and a tent for your choice. Usually, the accommodations in Lhasa, Nyingtri, and Shigatse ranging from the cheap guesthouse to the luxury five-star hotel. The highest standard accommodation in Tsedang and other place is a 4-star hotel. In Tingri, Gyirong, the highest standard is 3-star; and other small or remote areas of Ngari, EBC and Namtso Lake, the guest houses may be your only option unless you would like to stay overnight in the tent.

We hand-picked the hotels in each city in Tibet to ensure you have cozy and comfortable places to stay while traveling in Tibet. Also, All the accommodations we picked have good locations and unique Tibetan features.

5 Meal Information

Breakfast: if you are going to stay in a star hotel, breakfast is usually included. But if you are going to stay in a guest house or a tent, there is no breakfast provided by the hotel.

Lunch and Dinner: Usually, we don’t include lunch and dinner on our tour itinerary. Your tour guide will recommend some good restaurants for your reference. Because according to our many experiences in Tibet tourism, some travelers may have Faith and are vegetarians, they don’t want to eat meat. So we will recommend some good vegetarian restaurants.

We have created a list of our favorite restaurants in Tibet and personally selected some local restaurants to recommend to our customers. In Lhasa, you can choose Chinese food, Western food, Tibetan food, Nepalese food as well as Indian food. Our tour guide is happy to recommend quality restaurants and take you to the restaurant according to your taste and preferred style.

6 Recommended Tibet Packing List

For the most Important Ones: The passport with all necessary documents such as your passport, Chinese visa, and Tibet travel permits.

For Clothes: In winter, from November to next March, you’re suggested to bring down jackets, warm sweaters, gloves, woolen hats. In summer, you can wear a T-shirt in day time but the Jacket is necessary at the hotel in the morning and evening as it is still cold in the morning and evening. What’s more, if your Tibet tour includes overnight at Everest Base Camp or Namtso Lake, or a several days outdoor trek in the mountain area, to keep warm is very important. The winter clothes are a must.

For Shoes: it’s very important to have a comfortable pair of boots, especially your travel covers the remote area and you have to walk for a long distance.

For bags: A large backpack, a smaller one, plus a waist bag make it perfect. The smaller one can be used for daily activities and can also be put into the big one when necessary. The waist bag is to take some small and important things with you. It’s okay for you to take a big suitcase.

For Skincare products: The skin care products are quite necessary for Tibet as wind and solar radiation are very strong in Tibet. You can bring lip balms, sunblock, and skin creams，sunglasses.

For Cash: you’re suggested to bring some cash such as RMB and prepare enough cash for the days you are out of Lhasa since ATMs are difficult to find in the remote areas of Tibet.

7 Best time to visit Tibet

The best travel in Tibet is from April to October. The weather will get warmer and some shops in remote areas will be reopened.

1)Peak Season: June, July, August, September (June to October 15th )

The weather from July to August gets warm. But the cost of vehicles, food, accommodation and tour guides will be higher because Chinese people have a long holiday and choose to travel to Tibet during that time.

2) Best value: Traveling in Tibet from April to June and from the end of October to the end of November is recommended because the weather is still good and warm and the tour cost will be greatly reduced. Travel expenses during this time are usually a few hundred dollars cheaper than the peak season.

3)Shoulder season: December, January

From December to January, Tibet will enter winter season and the weather in winter will very cold. But you’re suggested to travel in Lhasa city, which called the city of Sunlight. You can visit famous monasteries in Lhasa such as Potala Palace, Sera Monastery and Jokhang temple, etc.

Kindly Note: From late February to March, Tibet will be closed for foreign visitors because of Tibet New Year. All travel agency can’t help you get your Tibet Travel Permits.

8 Days Kathmandu Gyirong Everest Lhasa Overland Group Tour