D01 Fly to Lhasa and rest for acclimatization
Accommodation: Kailash Hotel 3* or similar class if late booking
Transfer to the airport and take morning flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa, the Capital of Tibet. Upon arrival at the Gongga airport, take another 1.5-hour-drive to the city proper (3650 m). On the way you will enjoy the spectacular scenery, and the typical Tibetan villages as well as the Yak-skin-boat cruising on Yalung Tsangpo River. After lunch stay at the hotel for adapting to the high attitude. It is helpful to take things easy for the first few days, and try to drink some water just and now.
D02 Lhasa Sightseeing [B]
Accommodation: Kailash Hotel 3* or similar class if late booking
Visit Potala Palace for the whole morning, then in the afternoon, have a view of the Jokang Monastery, then walk on the Barkhor street surrounding Jokhang, a big free market with its prolific stalls for selling local specialties.
D03 Lhasa Sightseeing [B]
Accommodation: Kailash Hotel 3* or similar class if late booking
Visit Drepung Monastery for the whole morning, later after lunch, visit Sera monastery. We can do the Sera Kora walk of about 1 hr and then catch the famous debate session of the monks before returning back to Lhasa.
Accommodation: Yulong Holiday Hotel 3* or similar class if late booking
Morning drive forward to Tsedang, the capital in Shannan Area, also the cradle of Tibetan culture. Please note: in this city, all the alien people must live in a hotel since it is the military restrictive area. Visit is to the magnificent Samye Monastery en route.
D05 Tsedang Sightseeing [B]
Accommodation: Yulong Holiday Hotel 3* or similar class if late booking
In the morning, make a trip in the Yarlung valley to visit the Yumbulakhang, a medieval-European castle-like structure, reputed as Tibet’s oldest building. It doesn’t take that long to explore Yumblagang, perhaps the best part of the vist is the walk up along the ridge abour the building. There’re fabulous views of the Yarlung valley. Then have a tour of Trandruk Monastery and Mindroling Monastery nearby.
D06 Tsedang/Gyantse [B]
Accommodation: Gyantse Jianzang Hotel 2* or similar class if late booking
Today have a 350 km driving to get to Gyantse, a famous historical city. on the Ganba La (4,796 m) have a fantastic view of the holy lake of Yamdrok Yumtso (4441 m).
D07 Gyantse/Shigatse [B]
Accommodation: Shigatse Manasavoar Hotel 3* or similar class if late booking
In the morning, visit Pelkor Monastery as well as the splendid Kumbum Stupa (100-Thousand-Buddha Pagoda) nearby Gyantse. After that drive onward to Shigatse, which is the second largest city in Tibet and also the hometown of Panchen Lama. On the way visit Shalu Monastery. Upon arrival, have a visit to the Tashilumpu Monastery , the main attraction of Shigatse city and its free market. Today 90 km drive on the paved road.
D08 Shigatse/Shegar [B]
Accommodation: Shegar Everest Hotel
Morning have a tour to Tashilumpu Monastery, then continue driving to Shegar via Gyatsola Mountain Pass (5220m). It takes 6-7 hours to get there covering 310 km. The road is bumpy and dusty. If time permits, have a tour to Sakya Monastery en route. Today you can appreciate the evening scenery of Mt. Everest enough.
D09 Shegar/Everest Base Camp [B]
Accommodation: Camp or Sightseeing Hotel
Rise up in the early morning to drive to Rongpuk Monastery. Then hike up to Everest BC. Rest of day own leisure time, you could take a little bit of time to explore the glacier. Overnight in the tents.
Today you could have a hiking from Rongbuk Monastery to EBC and around EBC to explore the glacier, if the weather is nice, you could camping there, we will provide camping facilities for you, such as tents, sleeping bags and mats, etc., if the weather is not so good, check in the only hotel near EBC—Sightseeing Hotel.
D10 EBC/Shigatse [B]
Accommodation: Shigatse Manasavoar Hotel 3* or similar class if late booking
In the early morning, watch the Sun rise in the Everest, good weather permitting, after enjoy the stunning view of Mt.Everest, drive back to Shigatse, today is really a long drive.
D11 Shigatse/Namtso [B]
Accommodation: Camp only
Drive to Namtso Lake from Shigatse city in the morning. Have a shot stop for the beautiful view of the grassland near Yangpacheng. When arriving Namtso Lake (245km to the north of Lhasa), enjoying the glory of sunset over the lake. By the lake, you can view the peak of Nyianchentangula (7162m). Stay overnight at the bank of the lake.
D12 Namtso/Lhasa [B]
Accommodation: Kailash Hotel 3* or similar class if late booking
Photo enthusiast can shot sunrise at Namtso Lake. Then have a little hiking around Namtso Lake and explore the Tashi peninsula by walking around the holy hill, the cliffs of which have eroded over the centuries. Visit Tashi Dor monastery. On the way piles of mani stones stand. If lucky, you could have a glance of the nomads in yak hair tents who have been living on the pastures between the holy Nam Tso and Nyenchentangla. In the afternoon, drives 250KM back to Lhasa, on the way, pay a visit the HOME monastery of Garma Kargyuelpa order -- Curpu monastery.
Today you could do the Tashi Dor Monastery Kora if you like, there are some fine walks in this area. The short kora path takes less than an hour. It leads off west from the accommodation area to a chapel hidden behind a large splinter of rock. Another main attraction of a trip to Namtso is the opportunity to get a peek at the otherwise inaccessible nomadic life of the Changtang, Tibet’s vast northern plateau. You may get the opportunity to stop at the brown or black spider-like tents of nomads.
D13 Lhasa/Gonggar Airport [B]
Departure transfers for the flight out, tour service end
