11 Days Lhasa · Nyingchi · Everest Small Group Tour
Fixed dates, guaranteed to run
The group meets in Lhasa on the date you choose below and travels with one Tibetan guide and one vehicle, never more than 8 people. Holding a seat is free; you pay the US$100 permit fee only when you confirm, 30 days before departure. The same tour also runs as a private trip on your own dates.
Hold a seat — no deposit →2027 departure dates
Each date is Day 1, the day the group meets. Fly in from Chengdu that day, or board the train in Xining the day before. Click a date to hold a seat on it.
farewell 21 April 2027 15 May 2027Mid-May Departure
farewell 26 May 2027 3 Jul 2027July Departure
farewell 14 July 2027 25 Sep 2027Late September Departure
farewell 6 October 2027
Overview
Eleven days that climb slowly: first down to the forests, lakes and waterfalls of Nyingchi, then Lhasa and its great monuments, then the road west to Yamdrok Lake, Gyantse and Shigatse, and finally a night at Everest Base Camp with the north face above you. The altitude rises step by step, which is why this order works so well.
It is the tour for travellers who want the two faces of Tibet in one trip — the green east and the high Himalaya — with the Potala, the Jokhang and Tashilhunpo in between.
Tour highlights
- ✓A night at Everest Base Camp (5,200 m) and sunrise on the north face
- ✓Nyingchi: the Kadinggou gorge, Lulang forest, the Sejila Pass view of Namcha Barwa and Basumtso Lake
- ✓Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, the Sera monk debate and a Tibetan dinner in Lhasa
- ✓Yamdrok Lake, the Karola Glacier and Gyantse
- ✓Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse
- ✓Altitude that rises gradually from Lhasa to Nyingchi to Everest
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1Arrive in Lhasa — airport pick-up
Your guide meets you at the airport or railway station and drives you to the hotel. The rest of the day is for rest and getting used to the altitude. Lhasa hotel.
Meals: none
Day 2Lhasa → Kadinggou → Nyingchi
East on the expressway towards Nyingchi. On the way, the Kadinggou gorge, a deep green cleft of old trees, bamboo and running water that locals call heaven on earth. On to Nyingchi, about 600 m lower than Lhasa, for the night.
Meals: breakfast
Day 3Nyingchi → Sejila Pass → Lulang Forest → Mount Biri → Basumtso Lake
Over the Sejila Pass, with a distant view of Namcha Barwa (7,756 m) if the weather allows. A walk through the Lulang forest, meadows and snow peaks all round, and the famous stone-pot chicken for lunch. Then on to Basumtso Lake for the night beside the water.
Meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 4Basumtso Lake (Tashi Island, Jieba village) → Lhasa
The morning at Basumtso: snow mountains, forest and waterfalls around a green lake, the small Tashi Island in the middle and the village of Jieba, the best viewpoint over the lake and the twin peaks behind it. Back to Lhasa in the afternoon. Lhasa hotel.
Meals: breakfast
Day 5Lhasa culture day — traditional handicraft centre, Sera Monastery
A morning at the Lhasa Traditional Handicraft Art Centre, trying Tibetan incense-making, calligraphy and block printing. After lunch, the monks' debate at Sera Monastery (3–5 pm, not on Sundays). Lhasa hotel.
Meals: breakfast
Day 6Lhasa city day — Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street, Tibetan dinner
The Potala Palace on a timed ticket, the Jokhang Temple and the Barkhor pilgrim circuit around it. In the evening a Tibetan-style dinner with the group. Lhasa hotel.
Meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 7Lhasa → Yamdrok Lake → Karola Glacier → Gyantse → Shigatse
Over the Gampala Pass for the view of Yamdrok Lake, one of the three holy lakes of Tibet, then the Karola Glacier close beside the road, through Gyantse and on to Shigatse for the night.
Meals: breakfast
Day 8Shigatse → Gyawula Pass → Rongbuk Monastery → Everest Base Camp
South-west over the Gyawula Pass, with five of the world's highest peaks in one view on a clear day, to Rongbuk Monastery, the highest in the world, and on to Everest Base Camp (5,200 m). Dinner is a hot-pot under the stars with Everest above. Night near base camp.
Meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 9Everest sunrise → Gyatso La Pass → Shigatse
Up before dawn for the sunrise on the north face of Everest, then the drive back east over the Gyatso La Pass to Shigatse for the night.
Meals: breakfast
Day 10Shigatse → Tashilhunpo Monastery → Lhasa
The morning at Tashilhunpo Monastery, founded in 1447 by the first Dalai Lama and the seat of the Panchen Lamas since, with the 26-metre gilded statue of the future Buddha, the tombs of past Panchen Lamas and the courtyards where the monks live and study. Then back to Lhasa by tourist bus or train. Lhasa hotel.
Meals: breakfast
Day 11Lhasa departure
Free time until your guide takes you to the airport or railway station.
Meals: breakfast
What's included
✓ Tibet Travel Permit and all other permits for the route
✓ English-speaking Tibetan guide
✓ Tourist vehicle with driver for the whole tour
✓ 10 nights: Lhasa 5, Nyingchi 1, Basumtso 1, Shigatse 2, Everest 1, twin share, with breakfast
✓ Entrance fees for every sight in the itinerary
✓ Lhasa airport or railway station pick-up and see-off
✓ Oxygen in the vehicle and an oxygen canister per person; travel accident insurance
✓ Tibetan dinner on Day 6 and the Everest hot-pot dinner; drinking water daily
✗ Flights or trains to and from Lhasa
✗ Lunches and dinners not listed
✗ Single room supplement (free for 5 rooms or 10+ travellers)
✗ Tips for the guide and driver
✗ Personal expenses and anything not listed
Questions travellers ask
How many people are in the group, and who are they?
Between 3 and 8 travellers, usually from several countries, with one Tibetan guide and driver for the whole tour. The same dates and prices are offered on our sister site tibettravel.com, run by the same office in Lhasa, so guests from both sites travel together in one group.
Which permits do I need, and are they included?
Three, all included and all arranged by us: the Tibet Travel Permit that every foreign visitor needs, the Alien's Travel Permit for the places outside Lhasa, and the Border Defence Permit for the Everest area. You only send us your passport and China visa details; allow at least 15 days, more in high season.
Is this a climb? How fit do I need to be?
It is not a climb. Everest Base Camp is reached by vehicle, with a short flat walk of about 20 minutes at the end, so no trekking fitness or equipment is needed. What you need is a normal tolerance of altitude: Lhasa is at 3,650 m and the Everest days go above 5,000 m. Three nights in Lhasa first give your body time to adjust. Anyone with a heart or lung condition, or a history of serious altitude sickness, should check with a doctor before booking.
When is the best time to see Everest?
Mid-May to the end of June and the autumn are the clearest: the summit is visible from base camp on most days. July and August are the rainy months and Everest is often in cloud. In winter the days are bright but the tent camp is closed and the road can be blocked by snow in some years, so winter Everest is only for guests who accept a change of plan.
How do I get to Lhasa for Day 1?
Most guests fly in from Chengdu, which has more flights to Lhasa than any other city; we book that flight for you together with the permit, because the airline needs the permit to issue the ticket. If you prefer the train, board in Xining the day before — the journey takes about 20–21 hours — and we meet you at Lhasa Railway Station. Your guide meets you at arrivals with a name board.
What if my dates do not match a departure exactly?
If you are a day or two early or late, you can join the group for the days that overlap and we arrange a guide and vehicle privately for the days you miss, so you still see everything. If no date fits, the whole tour runs as a private trip on your own dates; ask us for a quote.
Do I pay a deposit to hold a seat?
No. Holding a seat is free. To confirm it, you pay the US$100 permit fee at least 30 days before departure, which starts your Tibet Travel Permit; the permit is included in the price. The rest is paid later, as explained on our how-to-book page.