Kathmandu to Lhasa Overland Budget Tour (Fixed Departure Every Saturday) 8D7N

Itinerary

Day 1: Day 1: Kathmandu- Nepal Tibet Border: Kyirong - Kyirong Town (2800m)

Stop At: Jilongzhen Shun'an Hostel, Gyirong, Xigaze, Tibet, China
Highlights: Nepal to Tibet Border – Kyirong crossing

We will send you to Kyirong border at 8am in the morning with Jeep, and you will arrive at Kyirong border from Kathmandu at around 2pm. After 150Km drive from Kathmandu, you will arrive at Nepal Tibet Kyirong Border (It was newly opened for tourists on August 2017). Your Tibetan guide and driver will pick you up at the border and make the necessary immigration paper work. You will continue the driving to Kyirong town, which is 20km away from the border. Today, you will travel 170km in total on a rough road. MUST KNOW:

Tibet Kyirong border was opened for foreign travelers starting August 2017, and is the only border connecting Nepal and Tibet.

Kyirong is 2800m above sea level, 755 km from Lhasa through Shigatse and it is only around 170km from Kathmandu.

Zhangmu border was totally closed after April 2015 earthquake, and open for lorries and trucks only. Not for foreign travelers.
Duration: 10 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Kyirong Hotel

Day 2: Day 2: Kyirong (2800m) - Peikutso Lake (4600m) - Dingri (4300m) - Lhatse (4050m)

Stop At: Xianjue, Lhaze, Xigaze, Tibet, China
Highlight: First sight of Mt Everest and crossing the highest pass – Gyatsola (5200m)

After breakfast, you will start your journey to Lhatse, which is 347km. You will drive pass the the most sacred cave of Milarepa Yogi which dates back to the 11th century and also the birth place of Milarepa. We will drive through Kyirong Pass (4900m), and drive along the beutiful Peikutso Lake (4600m) and continue to Old Dingri (4300m) which is 180km from Kyirong(2800m). The scenery is beautiful with Shisha Bangma snow mountain on the right and Peikutso Lake on the left . If the weather is nice, you can see the clear faces of the giants on the Himalaya Range – Mt. Everest(8848m), Mt. Shishapangma(8012m), Mt. Qowowuyag (8201m), Mt. Lhotse (8516m), Mt. Mayalu(8463m). The beautiful Peikutso Lake can be seen easily too. You will be driving on the Friendship Highway and reach Lhatse after crossing the highest pass called Gyatsola at the elevation of 5200mt.
Duration: 12 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Farmer Hotel

Day 3: Day 3: Lhatse (4050m) -Shigatse (3900m)

Stop At: Lama Palace, Southwest of Rikaze, Shigatse 857000 China
Highlights: Drive through Gyatchu La (5220m) – Highest Pass en route to Lhasa

You will start your scenic drive at around 9.30am from your hotel. We will drive through Gyatchu La (5220m), the highest pass en route to Lhasa and you will meet a lot of beautiful villages and amazing landscape. On the way – visit Shakya Monastery. You will have your lunch at Shigatse, check in hotel. And, we will head for the sightseeing of Tashi Lhunpo monastery. Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, founded in the year of 1447 by the 1st Dalai Lama. It is a historic and culturally important monastery in Shigatse, the second-largest city in Tibet. It is famous as the seat of successive Panchen Lama, who is another leader of Tibetan Buddhism. The monastery is an interesting sprawling amalgam of traditional Tibetan monastic style halls, chapels and other structures connected by precipitous steps and narrow cobblestone alleys.
Duration: 12 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Everest Mansarovar Hotel

Day 4: Day 4: Shigatse (3900m) - Gyantse (3950m)

Stop At: Gyantse Hotel, China, Xizang Zizhiqu, 日喀则地区 Jiangzi Xian, 上海东路2号
Highlights: Scenic drive + Palchoe Monastery and its Kubum Pagoda Stupa

You will start your tour at around 9am from your hotel and then drive to Gyangtse – the third largest city in Tibet. Have lunch in Gyangtse and check in hotel. We will Palchoe Monastery and Kubum Pagoda Stupa. In the afternoon, explore the old town of Gyangtse. Palchoe Monastery is founded in the year 1436. This monastery is famous for its Kubum Pagoda Stupa, a magnificent stupa and symbol of the monastery. The Myriad Buddha Stupa consists hundreds of chapels arranged in layers, housed 100,000 images of Buddhas.
Duration: 12 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Yuthok Hotel

Day 5: Day 5: Gyantse (3950m) - Yamdrok Lake (4441m)- Lhasa (3650m)

Stop At: Potala Palace, No.35 Gongqian Alley, Beijing Middle Road Cheng Guan District, Lhasa 850000 China
Highlights: 3 x mountain passes + Yamdrok Lake

You will start your tour at around 9am from your hotel. We will drive towards Lhasa via 3 big mountain passes named:

Simi La Pass (4200m) – The pass is unique due to the presence of countless colorful Tibetan flags decorating the rock faces (more than others). The wind through here is enough that the flags wave in the wind in extraordinary patterns.

Karo La Pass (5035m) – Located between Between Yamdrok and Gyantse.

Kampa La Pass (4794m) – Located between Lhasa and Gyantse, views of Yamdrok Lake.

Karo La is the highest pass among them which is over 5035m with it’s most beautiful glaciers, beautiful Yamdrok Lake can be seen as coral color from the top of Kampa La Pass. You will have your lunch at Nakartse country which located between the Yamdrok Lake and Karo La glaciers. Yamdrok Lake(4441m) is known as one of “Three Holy Lakes” in Tibet. The water is as clean as crystal, a view which no words can describe, see it yourself! Drive to Lhasa after the visits, and we will overnight in Lhasa.
Duration: 12 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Gang Gyen Hotel

Day 6: Day 6: Sightseeing tour in Lhasa (3565m): Visit Potala Palace, Jokang Temple and Bharkor Bazar!

Stop At: Potala Palace, No.35 Gongqian Alley, Beijing Middle Road Cheng Guan District, Lhasa 850000 China
After breakfast, we will visit the must go attraction in Tibet – Potala Palace. It is known as the highest palace in the world standing on the Red Hill of Lhasa. The Potala Palace is a house of Tibetan history, culture, religion and art. There are two attractions for you to visit in the afternoon – Jokhang Temple & Barkhor Street. First, you’ll visit the Jokhang Temple. As the house of the Buddha, Jokhang is the holiest destination for all Tibetan pilgrims; as the spiritual center of Tibet. Jokhang Temple is the perfect place for you to experience the devotion of Tibetans. Last activity is wandering around the crowding Barkhor Street. You can choose to take part in the religious activities with the locals, to do a bit of souvenir shopping, to eat street food, or just wandering around on the street. Bharkor street is the most colourful market in Tibet and is best place to do shopping.
Duration: 12 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Gang Gyen Hotel

Day 7: Day 7: Sightseeing tour in Lhasa (3565m): Visit Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery!

Stop At: Drepung Monastery (Zhebang Si), Southern Slope of Genpeiwuzi Mountain, Chengguan District, Lhasa 850000 China
After breakfast, we will drive about 30 minutes to visit the Drepung Monastery. This monastery has a history of more than 500 years. It used to be the largest monastery in the world with totally 10000 monks. Many precious stupa, sculptures, paintings, Thangka…are displayed in the hundreds chapels. And the annual Shoton Festival is organized here. In the afternoon, you will visit Sera Monastery, which is famous for its “Buddhism Scriptures Debating”. It is only 3km away from Lhasa city. The main attraction to visit this monastery is to see the monks debating which hold from 3-5Pm everyday except Sunday.
Duration: 10 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Gang Gyen Hotel

Day 8: Day 8: Lhasa (3565m) - Departure!

Stop At: Lhasa Railway Station, Liuwu Country, Doilungdeqen County 851400 China
Highlight: Bye Bye Tibet!

After breakfast, you will carry on your onward journey either by train to Chengdu, by flight to Kathmandu, or by flight to any part of the world! We will drop you to either train station or airport! Bye Bye!
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.