12-Day Nyingchi, Lhasa, Everest Base Camp & Namtso Lake Tour

Day 1: Arrive in Lhasa (3,650 m)

1. Lhasa Railway Station
   1h
   You are met at Gonggar Airport or Lhasa railway station and taken to your hotel. Rest and let your body adjust to the altitude.

Day 2: Drive east to Nyingchi and the Kadinggou gorge

1. Kadinggou Scenic Spot
   1h · Admission ticket included
   Follow the Niyang River about 420 km east through mountains, forest and grassland. In the afternoon you walk for about an hour into Kadinggou, a narrow gorge of strange rocks and old trees. Nyingchi, at about 2,900 m, is lower than Lhasa.

Day 3: Sejila Pass, Lulang and Basum Tso

1. Lulang Forest
   3h · Admission ticket included
   Climb to the Sejila Pass (4,728 m), which looks out to Namcha Barwa (7,782 m) when the cloud lifts. Then stop at the Lulang forest viewpoint and visit Biri Mountain's pilgrim circuit. A stone-pot chicken lunch or dinner is included.

Day 4: Tashi Island on Basum Tso, back to Lhasa

1. 2h · Admission ticket included
   Walk around Tashi Island and the small Tsozong Monastery in Basum Tso, a holy lake set in a forest park. Then drive about 360 km back to Lhasa.
2. 30m · Admission ticket included
   The small Tsozong Monastery on Tashi Island in Basum Tso.

Day 5: Tibetan crafts and the debate at Sera

1. Sera Monastery
   2h · Admission ticket included
   At a handicraft center you make Tibetan incense, try woodblock printing and have your name written in Tibetan. In the afternoon you watch the monks' debate at Sera Monastery, held from around 3 pm (no debate on Sundays).

Day 6: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and Barkhor

1. Potala Palace
   2h · Admission ticket included
   Visit the Potala Palace on a timed ticket, then the Jokhang Temple and the Barkhor pilgrim circuit. A Tibetan or Nepali specialty meal is included. The Potala is closed on Mondays, so the days may be reordered.
2. Jokhang Temple
   2h · Admission ticket included
   The Jokhang Temple and the Barkhor pilgrim circuit.

Day 7: Yamdrok Lake and the Karola Glacier to Shigatse (3,850 m)

1. Yamdrok Yumtso Lake
   1h · Admission ticket included
   From the Kamba La (4,790 m) you look down on Yamdrok Lake, and lunch is hot pot with a lake view. You pass the Karola Glacier and Gyantse on the way to Shigatse.
2. Karo La Glacier
   Pass by
   The Karola Glacier, passed on the way to Shigatse.

Day 8: Gawu La, Rongbuk and Everest Base Camp (5,200 m)

1. Rongbuk Monastery
   1h 30m · Admission ticket included
   Cross the Gawu La, where Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu and Shishapangma stand on the horizon in clear weather. The last 50 km are by eco-bus. Visit Rongbuk Monastery and spend the night at base camp.
2. Mount Everest Base Camp
   2h · Admission ticket included
   Base camp, where you spend the night.

Day 9: Everest at sunrise, the Gyatso La, back to Shigatse

1. Mount Everest Base Camp
   2h · Admission ticket included
   Watch the sunrise on the summit if the sky is clear, then return to Shigatse via the Gyatso La viewpoint (5,248 m).

Day 10: Tashilhunpo Monastery, back to Lhasa

1. 1h 30m · Admission ticket included
   Visit Tashilhunpo, seat of the Panchen Lamas, then drive about 270 km east beside the Yarlung Tsangpo to Lhasa. Occasionally the group stays in Damxung on the Namtso road instead.

Day 11: Day trip to Namtso Lake (4,718 m)

1. Lake Namtso
   3h · Admission ticket included
   Cross the Laken La (5,190 m) to Namtso and walk on the Tashi Dor peninsula among small temples and rock formations. If snow closes the road in winter, you visit Ganden or Tsurphu Monastery instead.

Day 12: Depart Lhasa

1. Lhasa Railway Station
   1h
   After breakfast, shared transfer to Gonggar Airport or Lhasa railway station.

Pickup details

On Day 1 your English-speaking guide meets your arriving flight at Lhasa Gonggar Airport or your train at Lhasa Railway Station and transfers you to your hotel. After booking, please share your flight or train arrival details and your Lhasa hotel so we can confirm the exact pickup time. On the last day, a shared transfer takes you to Lhasa Gonggar Airport or Lhasa Railway Station for your departure.

• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
• Send a passport scan and your Chinese visa as soon as you book. The Tibet permits are applied for about four weeks before arrival.
• These are shared group tours (up to 12 travelers). The guide or vehicle may change during the trip.
• The Potala Palace is closed on Mondays, so the order of sightseeing may change.
• Luggage: one suitcase (26 in max) and one small backpack per person.
• Free shared transfers cover any train, flights arriving 08:00–22:00 and flights departing 08:30–22:30.
• March is a sensitive month for foreign groups. If a departure cannot run for policy reasons, the tour price is refunded.
• High-altitude trip (up to 5,248 m). Travelers with heart or lung conditions should consult a doctor.