Tibet: Journey from Lhasa to Everest

Tibet: Journey from Lhasa to Everest Itinerary:

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• Day 1 Welcome to Kathmandu, where our adventure begins.

  Our trip begins today in Kathmandu, Nepal. After clearing immigration and customs, you are met by our Sherpa staff and transferred to the hotel. Our staff will collect your passport and passport photos to obtain the necessary permits and visas you'll need for Tibet while you enjoy a free afternoon to rest and explore. Meals on your own.

• Day 2 Enjoy a fascinating tour of the ancient cities of Kathmandu and Patan, brimming with beauty, tradition and historic significance.

  Today, while our trip leader finalizes all arrangements for Tibet, we enjoy a guided tour of the ancient cities of Kathmandu and Patan that will last most of the day. Nepal is a country rich in religious diversity and our visits today to Hindu and Buddhist sacred sites including Swayambhunath (the Monkey Temple), Boudhanath and Patan's magnificent Durbar Square will open many windows into these fascinating and ancient worlds. If time permits, we'll take an optional side-trip to the Tibetan Refugee Carpet center in Jawalakhel. There will be a bit of time to clean-up back at the hotel before our evening orientation to review the trip's itinerary and gather recommendations on repacking your bags for tomorrow's departure. Breakfast included.

• Day 3 Today we fly to Lhasa to begin exploring Tibet.

  Early this morning we transfer to the airport for our flight to Lhasa, Tibet. This is a spectacular flight, just east of five of the world's highest peaks - Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Cho Oyo and Makalu. To the southeast is the broad massif of Kangchenjunga, the 3rd highest peak in the world. Gongkar Airport Tibet is set amidst wind-swept, 1,000-foot high sand dunes along the Yarlung Tsampo river. We're met by our Tibetan staff and transferred by mini-bus to our hotel in Tsethang - in the cradle of Tibetan civilization. Tsethang is 170 km southeast of Lhasa along the banks of the Yarlung Tsangpo river (Brahamputra) and hosts important historical monuments like Samye, Yambulakhang, Mindroling and Chonggye. In Tsethang, we enjoy our first Tibetan dinner and a briefing by our trip leader on the coming week's events. There will be time to address any special requests or needs tonight before we set out across Tibet. It is important to begin drinking lots of water tonight if you've not already done so. All meals included from lunch on Day 3 through lunch on Day 13.

• Days 4 Visit Samye Monastery and the famous Yambulakhang Palace today.

  Today, we'll enjoy breakfast at the hotel then set out for Samye Monastery. Driving south about an hour then taking a ferry ride across the water, we arrive at the oldest monastery in Tibet, constructed in the 8th century A.D. Built in the shape of a mandala and filled with impressive sacred art, relics and statuary, Samye's long and challenging history has seen the temple rise and fall and rise again many times over. Today, Tibetan Buddhists still visit on pilgrimage, sometimes taking weeks to make the journey. We'll have lunch at Samye, then return to our hotel for a quick break before setting off on the 20 minute drive to famous Yambulakhang Palace. Located 12 km south of Tsethang, Yambulakhang was reconstructed in 1982 after much of the original palace was destroyed in the Cultural Revolution. It was the first palace built during the reign of the first King of Tibet, Nyatri Tsenpo. This five-story fortress is built atop a hill that affords a panoramic view of the entire valley below and we'll have the option to walk the long staircase up to the best views together. Dinner tonight is at a local restaurant in Tsethang a few blocks from our hotel. Enjoy a wide variety of authentic options, meat or vegetarian, and stroll back to the hotel at your leisure afterward.

• Day 5 Explore Lhasa and the Mindroling Monastery today, the “Place of Perfect Emancipation”.

  Today we begin making our way to Lhasa overland. About halfway there, we stop mid-morning at the Mindroling Monastery, nestled in the low hills and open yak pastures. Founded in 1676, Mindroling, the "Place of Perfect Emancipation" suffered heavy damage as the Mongols invaded half a century later, but was rebuilt and continued to serve as a highly important place of scriptural study for centuries more. You may have the opportunity to interact with some of the monks here and can rely on your guide for help with translation. After our Mindroling visit we'll enjoy lunch then continue on our way, arriving in Lhasa in the late afternoon. Checking into our hotel, you can expect to have a couple of hours to rest or explore on your own before we meet up for dinner and a review of tomorrow's itinerary.

• Days 6-7 Spend the next two days exploring more of Lhasa’s points of interest, including the Potala Palace; the Jokhang Temple and much more.

  For the next two days, we'll be visiting some of Lhasa's most significant points of interest. The Potala Palace, former residence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, is superbly impressive and remains Tibet's most iconic cultural landmark (no photography is allowed inside). We'll also visit the Jokhang Temple, the most revered religious structure for Tibetans. The sacred significance is clearly evidenced by the reverence of the pilgrims we encounter. Around the Jokhang, walking in a clockwise manner, we wander the Bakkor, Lhasa's ancient trading market bazaar. We'll also look forward to visiting the Sera Monastery, the second largest in Tibet. At Sera Monastery, we hope for the chance to observe the debates in the open courtyard where a large group of young monks gather to debate philosophical issues based on the day's teachings. As one young monk sits, another who is standing attempts to convince the other to change his mind. The debates can be loud, at times even heated, and the standing monk uses shouting, loud handclaps, and movement to punctuate his point. Sera is one of the only places this is open to the public. We also visit Drepung Monastery, the largest in Tibet and renowned for at one point in history having housed over 7,000 monks simultaneously. At the time of its construction in the 15th century A.D., impressive Drepung was the largest monastery on Earth. Enjoy a visit to the summer palace of the Dalai Lama, Norbulinkha, as well and look forward to a few hours of free time in Lhasa to explore on your own. We spend both nights at our Lhasa hotel and we'll enjoy dinners at two local restaurants, one of which features traditional dancing.

• Day 8 Begin our journey to Everest over high passes and through small villages scattered across the windswept plateau.

  Today we pack up the Land Cruiser and depart for Gyangtse at 13,200' in elevation. A full day's ride, our destination requires driving across high 16,000 and 17,000 foot passes including Khambala Pass, Karo La and Simi La, each offering outstanding views of the Himalayas. En route for around six hours or more today, we'll enjoy regular stops as we pass Yangdruk Lake and scattered Tibetan villages where the landscape, seemingly harsh yet quite beautiful, creates an awe-inspiring impression of life on the Tibetan plateau. At Gyangtse, the monastery's massive guardian Dzong, or Tibetan fort, is one of the few still remaining in Tibet. At Gyangtse, we've begun to stray from the developed area around Lhasa onto less-developed regions of the Tibetan plateau and the transformation continues as we venture further along the route. We'll check in to our hotel tonight to enjoy dinner and rest.

• Day 9 Explore fascinating Gyangtse and visit mystical Kumbum Chode and Tashi Lhunpo, seat of the Panchen Lama.

  Gyangtse is a farming outpost, bustling with horses and cattle with a bit of frontier feeling in the air. Here we visit the mystical Kumbum Chode monastery, the "Home of 1,000 Statues" filled with exquisite Tibetan artwork. Pilgrims here will commonly descend the stupa's five stories stopping in each ornate room along the way to contemplate and pray among the unique paintings and sculpture inside. Leaving Gyangtse we drive onward about 90 minutes to Shigatse at 12,990' where we'll enjoy a traditional Tibetan lunch at a local restaurant. We then visit the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, seat of Panchen Lama - the second highest ranking Lama in Tibetan Buddhism. Founded in 1447 by the first Dalai Lama, much of this superb monastery survived the Cultural Revolution of the 1960's and it remains a stunning living example of Tibetan Buddhism. We'll have just a bit of time to return to our Gyangtse hotel before dinner at day's end.

• Day 10 Our overland journey continues through beautiful valleys and villages to Xegar where we explore the Xegar Choede Monastery.

  In the morning today we load up and head for Xegar, a full day's drive through beautiful valleys, white walled villages and alongside braided rivers. Road conditions today may be good or may be challenging as these roads are quite exposed to the elements and are difficult to maintain. Expect to be in the vehicle for around 4-5 hours again today with stops. If we're traveling smoothly, we expect to have time today to visit the Xegar Choede Monastery, a medieval fortress monastery. Referred to as the Crystal Cathedral, a crystal stupa was once the primary sacred feature of this monastery, but it has since disappeared and its whereabouts remain unknown. Perched on a high cliff, this remarkable structure, though in ruins, is still a great wonder to both witness and explore. Near Xegar we stay at a local hotel and sleep at over 14,700' in elevation tonight.

• Days 11-12 Next, we journey to North Everest Base Camp. From Rongbuk Monastery, we hike up and explore to our heart’s content.

  Conditions allowing, we put the cruiser in four-wheel drive and head for North Mt. Everest base camp at 17,200'. On this 4-5 hour drive we pass through remote villages and fascinating geologic formations. Arriving at Rongbuk Monastery, we'll assess visibility and weather conditions before deciding how to proceed with our time here, at the doorstep of the 12,000' vertical north face of Everest. If the weather looks clear, we'll take advantage of the opportunity to hike to base camp for even more spectacular views. The hike is moderate by most standards, as even short distances are remarkably challenging at this high altitude. Water helps, so drink up if you choose to walk the 3 mile round-trip to Mt. Everest base camp and back (4+ hours of walking total). Setting out on foot on a gravel road, we hike between sections of road and short sections of trail intermittently as we ascend. We have a short time to explore base camp, fly prayer flags and reflect on the tremendous history of this remarkable place before we descend. A retreat above the monastery provides different views of the mountains on our way down, as well as the occasional wild Blue Bharal sheep. If conditions are not clear for viewing the mountain on Day 11 we'll explore small Rongbuk Monastery instead and save the hike for the following day and more favorable conditions. We all pitch in to help establish a camp for the night at Rongbuk Monastery on Day 11, then we relax and soak in the spectacular view. On Day 12, we'll take advantage of the morning to either visit the monastery or tackle the hike to base camp, whichever we did not have time to do the previous day, then we set off again on the main road to the small town of Tingri, reached in a few hours. At the end of Day 12, we enjoy the sunset as the geologic rock formations and colors in the earth can be dramatic at Tingri. With clear weather, three of the world's highest mountains are easily seen looking south from here. Tingri is an outpost in the truest sense, a desolate place at the edge of the world where we'll spend the night at the simplest and most rustic of accommodations, as there are truly few options in this very remote place.

• Day 13 Leaving Everest, we travel toward the border with Nepal to arrive in Zhangmu, where we bid our Tibetan guides farewell.

  A full day's drive returns us to the "breathable" air and green scenery at 7,000'. We slowly ascend to wonderful views as we approach a 20,000' wall of Himalayan peaks. A few hours of driving leads through a narrow gorge dotted with waterfalls from a high pass of 17,100' and on to the village of Zhangmu. The journey features a stunning 10,000' descent to the Nepalese border. Assuming we do not encounter any significant blocks in the road (which is possible in this remote location due to landslides) this will be our last night in Tibet, so we'll enjoy improved quality of accommodations here and toast to good health at a farewell party for our wonderful Tibetan guides and drivers tonight.

• Day 14 Complete the journey across the Friendship Bridge and into Nepal, where we return to Kathmandu to celebrate.

  The road from Zhangmu, Tibet to Kodari, Nepal is three miles long and not always in great condition (landslides are not uncommon, making this day potentially a long one). Occasionally we have to walk part of the distance to the Friendship Bridge. Our staff from Kathmandu meets us at the bridge to assist with customs and immigration formalities. After clearing customs, our Nepalese vehicles take us into the warm and moisture-rich air of Nepal. On the Nepal side of the border we may also expect landslides if there have been heavy rains recently. If the road is blocked we may have to walk sections here as well. Lunch today will be in a restaurant en route and we expect to arrive into Kathmandu in the late afternoon to check into our hotel. Tonight, we can truly celebrate having completed the trip of a lifetime! Dinner tonight is on your own.

• Day 15 Today is free for you to explore Kathmandu further, and is a reserve day in the event of any disruptions.

  This day is set aside as a reserve day in case we've experienced any significant delays in Tibet. In the event that we've already arrived in Kathmandu, enjoy a free day for exploration. This day is on your own, but we can provide lots of hints about what to see and do with your time. One big tip: don't miss the fascinating medieval city of Bhaktapur and do consider visiting the outlying medieval villages of Bungamati and Kokhana. Breakfast is included. Lunch and dinner are on your own.

• Days 16 Enjoy breakfast and bid farewell as our trip ends today in Kathmandu.

  Enjoy breakfast at the hotel then our driver will deliver you to the Kathmandu airport for flights home. Breakfast is included.

Although we do our very best to adhere to the schedule above, the itinerary is subject to change for numerous reasons beyond our control, including weather and terrain conditions. Our itinerary includes one reserve day in the event that we are significantly delayed while traveling through remote sections of Tibet and Nepal. This itinerary requires flexibility and a spirit of adventure.

Please check with us before purchasing your airline tickets to ensure your trip has the necessary minimum number of participants required to operate.

Airport transfers, hotels in Kathmandu and Tibet, air transportation from Kathmandu to Lhasa, Tibetan visa/entry fees/taxes, ground transportation from the Tibetan border to Kathmandu, meals as stated in the itinerary, professional leadership, Tibetan interpreters and guides, 4x4 vehicles, tents and camping equipment.

Air transportation to/from the trip start/end point in Kathmandu, airport taxes, lunches and dinners in Kathmandu, Nepalese visa/entry fees/taxes, tips to staff, cost of obtaining a passport, travel insurance, medical immunizations and items of a personal nature like liquor or laundry fees.

If you are traveling alone and specifically request single accommodations, you will be asked to pay the full single supplement noted on the trip itinerary. If you wish to share accommodations, we will assign you a roommate if one is available. If a roommate cannot be found, you will be asked to pay a reduced single fee which is half of the full single supplement. Please be advised that there are a limited number of single rooms available.

This trip is rated Easy Active [2] for the amount of walking / hiking required, however consider that much of the trip is spent at high altitudes. Except for the high altitude (12,000 and 17,000 feet) and the remote location, this is not a particularly strenuous trip nor is it a trekking itinerary. However, Tibet is for active people in good health who are strong walkers and/or hikers.

Nepal and Tibet each have vastly different weather. July through September, Nepal is warm and wet with periodic heavy rain and temperatures in the 80s. Tibet will be moderate or cool with some cold temperatures. Daytime temperatures range between 55-70ºF, with nights in the 40s. Tibet is a desert, yet rain is possible during the trip and may turn the landscape green. At Mt. Everest Base Camp, temperatures in the mid-thirties are possible. Snow is not likely, but windy passes at over 17,000' will often expose you to 30F temperatures.

This trip is subject to the booking information set forth in the current REI Adventures Reservation Information. Please read this information carefully and call us if you have any questions. A full gear list and pre-departure information is sent upon sign-up. We highly recommend the purchase of travel insurance through REI Adventures. If coverage is purchased at the time of your initial reservation, the 'Pre-existing Conditions Exclusion' is waived (certain exclusions apply).

We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! Why wait? Space is limited, reserve your adventure today.

The key to staying comfortable while on an active trip is layering. To get maximum comfort with minimum weight, you need versatile layers that mix and match to create the right amount of insulation, ventilation and weather protection. This gear list has been created to help you choose the proper equipment. Try to bring only what is necessary; this will help you and the field staff.

Gear Checklist

Things to Consider

• Please remember to always pack essential items such as your passport, money, eyewear, a change of clothing and medications in your carry-on baggage, in case your luggage is delayed. Also pack all film in your carry-on.
• Culturally sensitive dressing tips: Women: Pants are fine and are culturally acceptable. Tights, shorts and jogbras are not advised unless worn under other clothing. Men: Pants are best. Men may wear hiking shorts, but they should be longer; near the knees are best. Men should never go shirtless.
• Cotton: Cotton is wonderful in warm weather. However, once it becomes wet it will drain your body heat. Bring wools or synthetics such as Capilene®, MTS® and Thermax®.
• Wind chill is a significant feature of this trip. Air temperatures are not very cold, but the wind is constant and when combined to the stress that the altitude puts on your body, wind can rob a body of needed heat quickly. Wind or raingear then become very important.
• Luggage storage: You may leave travel clothes and purchases in the luggage storage room at the hotel in Kathmandu.
• Luggage and airlines: This gear list can fit into a size large duffel bag, but it’s a very tight fit. Consider an extra-large bag for convenience and extra space for souvenirs. Note: Most airlines allow two checked bags with a restriction on the maximum weight and size. Please consult your particular airline for details on their baggage limitations. Some airlines charge for excessively heavy luggage. Flying to Nepal, an extra-large duffel should not be at full capacity. However, coming home with carpets and Tibetan sweaters might fill up your bag. Additional charges may be applied if you exceed these parameters. If you anticipate doing a lot of shopping, consider bringing an additional piece of luggage to accommodate your purchases.
• Stuff sacks are great for sorting gear. Use different sizes/colors to differentiate contents.
• Make sure hiking shoes are broken-in. The socks should be wool or synthetic, not cotton. Test your sock combination before you go on the trip.
• Bring a garbage bag to line your duffel bag, should inclement weather be encountered.