Day 1 – Journey to Gyantse
This morning, you’ll leave Lhasa and travel along scenic roads to Gyantse. Along the way, you’ll pass Buddhist monasteries, picturesque villages, tented camps on the mountainside, and nomads with their yaks. You’ll soon reach the first pass, the Kamba La (4,795 meters), where you’ll be treated to sweeping azure-blue Yamdrok Lake – one of Tibet’s four sacred lakes. The striking turquoise waters create the shape of a scorpion, shimmering under the snow-covered mountains. After lunch, you’ll continue to the next pass, the Karo La (5,045 meters), where you’ll see towering snow-capped peaks and huge glaciers over 7,000 meters high. You’ll reach Gyantse by late afternoon and spend the night in a small hotel on the main road, where you can easily explore the area on foot.
Day 2 – Pelkor Chode Monastery and onto Shigatse
Gyantse, Tibet’s third-largest city, was once an important trading post on the route between India, Sikkim, Bhutan, Tibet, and China. The sandy main street leads into the old town quarter, where you’ll find the Pelkor Chode Monastery and the striking Kumbum Stupa. Known as the “stupa of 100,000 Buddha images”, it is considered not only a museum of Tibetan art history, but also one of Tibet’s most spiritually significant buildings. In the afternoon, you will continue to Shigatse, where you’ll spend the night in a comfortable hotel in the centre. In the evening, head to one of the local restaurants, where you can try a traditional Tibetan dish of momos – soft, steamed dumplings filled with vegetables or meat, served with a tasty dipping sauce.
Day 3 – Tashilhunpo Monastery & journey to Sakya
Shigatse, with a population of around 40,000, is home to the Tashilhunpo Monastery, which houses the gold-plated tomb stupa of the fourth Panchen Lama. This is a sacred site, and the most important monastery of the Gelukpa school. Around 600 Tibetan monks still live here today, and you’ll explore the monastery alongside your guide, who will teach you about life here and the ancient rituals that continue in this sacred place. If you’ve still got some energy left, you can climb the mountain at the foot of the monastery, where colourful prayer flags flutter above. Along the walk, you’ll follow the kora, a famous pilgrimage route lined wth prayer wheels that spin continuously while the pilgrims chant their mantras. You will then continue to Sakya, where you’ll spend the night in a simple hotel. The Sakya Monastery is the heart of this small town and is one of the largest monasteries in Tibet, which you will visit tomorrow.
Day 4 – Over some of the highest passes in the world to Rombuk
This morning, your guide will accompany you to the Sakya Monastery, a large complex with fortress-like walls painted in deep grey, red, and white. Inside, you can explore the courtyards and enter into the various halls filled with ancient artefacts, golden statues and rows of prayer wheels spun by devoted pilgrims. Next, your adventure towards Mount Everest begins, as you leave civilisation behind and travel through remote plateaus and small Tibetan farming villages, crossing some of the highest passes in the world. As the road climbs through rugged landscapes, the air becomes thinner and the colours of the surroundings become sharper, with the dazzling white peaks of the Himalayas on the horizon. In Shegar, you’ll leave the Friendship Highway and follow a dirt road further into the mountains, reaching Rombuk Monastery by the end of the day. At 4,980 meters, this is the highest monastery in the world. From here on, your accommodation will be very basic, with no private bathrooms, but the experience more than makes up for the lack of comfort. Spend the night sharing stories with other travellers over tea in the cosy local restaurant.
Day 5 – Rombuk – Mount Everest Viewpoint – Kyrong
Today is the day, you’ll be coming face-to-face with the iconic Mount Everest, known in Tibet as Qomolangma. At 8,852 meters, Everest is the highest mountain on Earth and seeing it in real life is one of the most unforgettable experiences. From the viewpoint, you’ll get to admire its sheer north face, rising dramatically from the rugged plateau and, on clear days, standing out against the vast blue sky.
On the way to Kyrong, you’ll stop in Old Tingri for lunch and enjoy spectacular views of some of Everest’s mighty neighbours, including Makalu, Lhotse, Cho Oyu and Sishapangma. The journey continues over the La Lung Pass and the Tong La Pass, both over 5,000 meters. Along the way, you’ll pass the picturesque Lake Paikutso, with its shimmering surface reflecting the surrounding snow-covered mountains. As you get closer to Kyrong, the landscape becomes greener, and you’ll soon start to see lush valleys and waterfalls, before arriving at your accommodation for the night in Kyrong.
Day 6 – Continue to the Nepalese border
Today, you’ll be saying goodbye to Tibet and crossing the border into Nepal. After a short transfer through no-man’s land, you’ll reach Friendship Bridge, where you’ll complete the exit formalities before walking across the bridge and entering Nepal. Your Nepali guide and car will be waiting on the other side at Rasuwa Gadhi, and from here you will continue on your journey.
Accommodation
