| Day
1 |
Fly
from Kathmandu to Lhasa (3660
m)
You will be met at Gonggar Airport
by your Tibetan guide. After
immigration formalities take
a 1.5-hour drive along 93 km
road leading to Lhasa lying
at an altitude of 3650 meters.
It’s advisable to rest
and take it easy for the remainder
of the day due to Lhasa’s
altitude. |
| Day
2 |
Sightseeing
in Lhasa
Foremost, your tour begins with
a visit to SERA MONASTERY. An
experienced tour guide also
working as an interpreter escorts
you to this preserved monastery
of white-washed walls and golden
roofs. Equally adventurous and
exciting tempo builds up while
touring NORBULINGKA, the summer
palace of the Dalai Lama. JOKHANG
TEMPLE is another important
sacred site which unravels more
deep seated mysteries of Tibetan
Buddhism. Visit to BARKHOR MARKETS
can be quite a change from other
visits as you roam around the
city savoring every tiny detail
from stall hawkers coaxing their
clients to purchase their goods
to exhibition of Tibetan culture,
custom and tradition. Eventually,
the tour for the day concludes
as you return to the comforts
of your hotel. |
| Day
3 |
Sightseeing
in Lhasa
Like the previous day, you experience
invaluable insights during your
visits to POTALA PALACE and
DREPUNG MONASTERY. This 17th
century POTALA PALACE offers
an awesome view of entire city
and also has private quarters
of the Dalai Lama, numerous
grand state rooms and chapels.
Ancient history has it that
Drepung Monastery which was
built in 14th century used to
shelter around 10,000 monks
but as now there has been quite
a declination resulting in only
few hundreds. Tibetans’
respect and belief are immensely
knotted with this monastery. |
| Day
4 |
Free
day in Lhasa for acclimatization
You get an entire day free for
acclimatization. After proper
rest, you can either indulge
in sightseeing, shop or do whatever
you fancy. You also get an option
of undertaking an additional
tour to places such as the Tibetan
Medical Centre, Ganden Monastery
and Tsurphu Monastery. But this
will incur extra costs. |
| Day
5 |
Drive
from Lhasa to Gyantse (3950m)
261 km
Following Friendship Highway,
you drive past Khamba La at
4794 meter with a brief halt
to savor majestic views of Yamdrok-tso
Lake and Nazin Kang Sa standing
proud at 7252m. On turning westwards,
you come across another Karo
La pass at 5045m. If you glance
at the road, you can see huge
glaciers tumbling down into
the road. After hours of driving
for 261 km, beautifully landscaped
Tibetan villages become visible
as you enter the town of Gyantse. |
| Day
6 |
Sightseeing and drive from
Gyantse to Shigatse (3900m)
90km
Gyantse prides on GYANTSE
DZONG and KUMBUM. Gyantse
Dzong is a historical fort
built in the 14th century
and overlooks a mesmerizing
view of entire Gyantse and
surrounding Nyang Chu Valley.
Kumbum has large gold-domed
stupa and houses several chapels
and Tibetan Buddhist murals.
After you enjoy exploring
Gyantse, you will take a 90
km drive to Shigatse. Having
driven to an altitude of 3900
meter, you find yourself at
Shigatse, second largest city
of Tibet. TASHILHUNPO MONASTERY
being one of the largest functioning
monasteries in Tibet is a
major attraction of Shigatse.
|
| Day
7 |
Sightseeing
and drive from Shigatse to Xegar
(4050m) 244km.
Today you will transverse along
the Friendship Highway amidst
picturesque landscape driving
past small town of Lhatse and
Gyamtso La pass at 5220m. As
the route opens into plains,
many monasteries and camps of
nomadic herders become visible
en route to Xegar where you
will meet your trekking crew
(cook and trek guide from Nepal) |
| Day
8 |
Drive
from Xegar to Kharta (3690m)
Ten kilometres after the town
of Xegar we divert from the
main highway and drive south
towards the Everest region.
From the top of Pang La (5150
metres) we gain views of Everest
and the lie of the surrounding
country. From the pass we descend
to the village of Phadhruchi
where the jeep track divides
- the track to the west heading
to the Rongbuk Valley - the
one to the east leading to the
(Phung Chu) Arun Valley and
the village of Kharta - the
administrative headquarters
of the region. Your camping
support team will pitch tent
just on bank of glacier and
cook tasty three course meals. |
| Day
9 |
Rest
day in Kharta for further acclimatization
Since the days that lie ahead
are pretty adventurous, you
can utilize this day acclimatizing
thoroughly. This will retain
your adventure spirit and keep
you physically and mentally
fit for the forthcoming venture.
|
| Day
10 |
Trek
from Kharta to Lhundrubling
(3990m)
As you head away from Kharta
Valley, you will find a bridge
over Lang Chu. On crossing this
bridge the trail progresses
towards north bank of crystal-clear
Kharta Chu westward. Transversing
past barley fields, you have
to follow the upper trail that
ascends to Shao La. Few kilometers
ahead the trail opens into Lundrubling
where you can camp for the night. |
| Day
11 |
Cross
Shao La (4970 m) and trek to
Kaamo Tsangpo valley
Starting early, you have to
head along the trail past Shao
La Pass at 4,970 metres amid
stunning views of Mount Everest
[8,848 metres], Makalu [8,475
metres] and Lhotse [8,501 metres].
The trail steeply descends along
picturesque yak pastures leading
to the Kaamo Tsangpo Valley
(4000m). It gets more sinuous
as it cross forests of rhododendrons,
dwarf, birch and groves. |
| Day
12 |
Trek
from Kaamo Tsangpo valley to
Khangsung valley (4300 m)
The trail skirts away from Kaamo
Tsangpo Valley through conifer
forest and ascends steeply to
300 to 400 meter altitude. Herein,
you can savor majestic view
of Arun valley and Nepal. Alpine
ridges can be viewed along the
trail. Yak herders from Kharta
village choose these ridges
as their summer camps. The trail
then ascends crossing emerald
green lakes. Along the route,
you can view the Kangshung Face
of Everest. Camping at lush
meadows of Khangsung valley
provides an exceptional experience.
|
| Day
13 |
Trek
from Khangsung valley to Pethang
Ringmo (4960m)
Sacred lake lies to the north
from your camp. If you think
you can deal with moraines and
landslides, then you can right
away begin trekking along the
trail to this lake for 40 minutes.
A sacred cave most popularly
renowned as a meditation place
of Padmasambhava, the lotus-born
Buddha, rests at the end of
the lake. This cave has prayer
rooms and shelters pilgrims.
Few kilometers ahead you will
approach a bend, known as Orga,
beyond the Kangshung Glacier
and at this spot Mt Everest
[8848 m] becomes distinctly
visible. Then you have to transverse
to the right ascending to a
150 m ridge that overlooks the
Karma River and glacier. 3 hours
of trekking will take you to
Kangshung Face base camp at
5000 m. After few rock-strewn
descents, you will enter picturesque
alpine camp of Pethang Ringmo
at 4,550 metres beneath the
impressive peak of Chomo Lonzo
[7,790 metres] and Makalu. Several
stone huts can be seen lying
scattered which are commonly
used by yak herders as summer
camps. You may even trek westwards
along the glacier to a 5950
m ridge. You need to trek along
another 5 km to reach up to
Mt Everest. |
| Day
14 |
Trek
from Pethang Ringmo to Hoppo
(4800 meters)
While heading away from Pethang
Ringmo towards Hoppo, the trail
crosses lush verdant meadows
and then follows several ascents.
Thereafter, Kangshung Face of
Everest zooms into picture showcasing
towering Chomo Lonzo with its
glistening glaciers. Few hours
of more trekking bring you close
to Hoppo at 4800 metres. Hoppo
lies surrounded by rich yak
pastures. It makes a perfect
campsite. |
| Day
15 |
Trek
from Hoppo to Kangshung base
camp (5090 meters)
Kangshung Base Camp lies few
kilometers away from Hoppo at
an elevation of 5050 meters.
En route, you ascend grass-strewn
ridges along magnificent Kangshung
Glacier. While journeying along
this trail, you will not only
get enlightened on the topological
features of the surrounding
places but will also bond with
the nature on spiritual level.
Along the way you get plenty
of opportunity to witness North
East Ridge of Everest |
| Day
16 |
Trek
from Kangshung Base Camp to
Base of Langma La (4800m)
On this day you trek along the
trail that leads to a valley
from Pathang Ringmo and then
skirts northwards to Langma
La pass. Savoring the majestic
sights of Himalayan range, you
walk past yak pastures. Shortly
after hours of adventurous and
fun-filled transverse, you will
spot an ideal campsite at Shurimo
[4,800 metres] located at the
base of Langma La. |
| Day
17 |
Cross
Langma La (5390m) and trek to
Lundrubling (3990m)
It is advisable to make an early
start while ascending to Langma
La for about two hours. Transversing
amidst mesmerizing vistas of
Everest, Lhotse, and Makalu,
you will descend steeply from
Langma La pass to the valley.
On entering the valley, you
may encounter yak herders from
Kharta at their camps. Several
pristine villages are beautifully
landscaped in the vicinity.
Along the trail, you will meet
up with the confluence of the
Kharta Valley. You can also
view Kanchenjunga massif nestled
above the ridges beyond Kharta
on the Nepal- Sikkim border.
Further ahead, the trail advances
towards village of Lundrubling
where you will set your overnight
camp. |
| Day
18 |
Trek
from Lundrubling to Kharta (3690m)
You trek along the trail turning
away from Lundrubling towards
Kharta for about 3 hrs and board
the waiting 4WD Land cruiser
to drive back to Tashidzong.
|
| Day
19 |
Drive
from Kharta to Rongbuk (5000m),
trek to Everest North face base
camp (5150m)
Less than an hour after leaving
Tashidzong you reenter the Chomolungma
Nature Preserve and have to
change Landcruisers for reasons
the authorities cannot satisfactorily
explain. So a local Landcruiser/bus
takes us up to Rongbuk Monastery
and from here we trek the 9
kms to Everest Base Camp (horse
carts are also an option). The
base camp itself is dry and
barren, but the views of Everest
more than compensate for this.
It is a truly awe-inspiring
place with the sheer north face
of the highest mountain in the
world towering above you. A
truck carrying tent, food supplies
will follow you to the base
camp. |
| Day
20 |
Drive
from Rongbuk to Nyalam
After catching the sunrise in
the morning you will trek back
to Rongbuk to board land cruisers
to drive past
Tingri across Lalung La pass
at 5124m and Shung La pass at
5200m. Savoring the enchanting
views of the surrounding peaks
of Shishapangma, Cho Oyu, Menlungtse
and Gauri Shankar you will finally
arrive Nyalam. |
| Day
21 |
Drive
from Nyalam to Kathmandu
From Nyalam, you drive to the
border town of Zhangmu. From
Zhangmu, it’s a short
drive to the Friendship Bridge
which spans the Bhote Kosi River
and marks the Chinese - Nepalese
border where you will part with
your Tibetan guide and driver
and walk to Nepalese Immigration
Control in Kodari where you
will be met by our Nepalese
staff. After completing the
re-entry formalities we continue
the drive to Kathmandu which,
depending on road and weather
conditions, should take about
5-6 hours. |
