Chongqing Tibet with Mt Everest Train Tour

Welcome to Lhasa! Our local Tibetan guide and driver will wait for you at Lhasa Railway Station by holding your name sign. You will be greeted with a warm Tashidelek (meaning hello with blessing), and be presented with a white Hada (traditional Tibetan ceremonial by giving you a white scarf). Then transfer you to the hotel in Lhasa city while you enjoy the stunning views of the Yarlong Tsangpo River. After checking into your hotel, the rest of day is free for you to have a good rest and acclimatize to the high altitude at the top of the world. If you physically feel good, you can visit the Potala Palace Square, far view the Yaowang Mountain and take a panoramic view of the Potala Palace. Remember to drink lots of water, eat light and high carbohydrate food which will be helpful to you to adapt the high altitude better and quicker.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

After one night rest in the hotel, we will start an incredible day of exploration in Lhasa city. We will take an easy visit to less known tourist site- Dark Yerpa hermitage. Drak Yerpa is only a short drive to the east of Lhasa, Tibet, and consists of a monastery and a number of ancient meditation caves that used to house about 300 monks. The entrance to the Yerpa Valley is about 16 kilometers northeast of Lhasa on the northern bank of the Kyichu. From there, it is another 10 kilometers to the famous ancient meditation caves in the spectacular limestone cliffs of the Yerpa Valley. There is an ancient sky burial site opposite the main caves. The most interesting thing of Sera Monastery is Buddhist Scriptures debating held in the courtyard between 15:00 - 17:00 from Monday to Saturday.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

In the morning our guide will pick you and drive to visit the splendid Potala Palace for around 1.5 hours, Potala Palace is Lhasa’s cardinal landmarks. You will have a whole morning to explore this world-level architectural works: White Palace, Red Palace, corridors and stairs and countless lama’s dormitory.

After lunch, we will walk to visit the age-old Jokhang Temple in the center of the old Lhasa city. Jokhang Temple is one of the most sacred temples in all over Tibet and it is always bustling with earnest local pilgrims since from early days. After that you will have a relaxing walk around Jokhang Temple at Barkhor Street, which is the oldest street in Lhasa and full of religious atmosphere, showcasing Tibetan culture and arts assemble. As a symbol of Lhasa, it is also a must-see place for visitors.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Today you will be taken to the second largest city Shigatse while viewing the highlights along the road. After about 2 hours of driving, you will arrive at the famous holy Yamdrok Lake with an altitude of 4,441m, Yamdrok Lake is known as one of the "Three Holiest Lakes" in the world, and also one of the most beautiful lakes in Tibet. The turquoise pure waters of the lake are overlooked by incredible snow-capped mountains. Peaceful Tibetan villages surround the lakeshore in the neighboring flat valleys. Looking in the distance, you can see clearly yaks and sheep grazing on the grassland. After this stop, we will continue driving to the next destination Gyantse and the grand and vast Karola Glacier.

You will have lunch in Gyantse town and then make a visit to the key landmark of Pelkor Chöde Monastery. This is a traditional Tibetan monastery with a fusion of Han, Tibetan and Nepali architecture in its Gyantse Kumbum. Gyantse Kumbum is the symbol of the monastery, famous for its 100000 Buddhist figures, paintings, and statues in the chapels, wall niches and on the walls. After the visit, you will leave Gyantse and drive ahead to Shigatse for overnight.

Stay overnight in Shigatse

Today we will leave Shigatse for a small town Lhatse is located around 150km from Shigatse and you may have lunch in a local restaurant there. After a short break, we will visit the home of Panchen Lama - Tashilunpo Monastery before going ahead to Tingri. Tashilunpo Monastery was founded by the 1st Dalai Lama in 1447, is a historic and culturally important monastery in Shigatse and also the second-largest city in Tibet. Then we will continue to Tingri via pass Tsola Pass(4600M), and Gyatsola Pass(5248M). In the late afternoon, you enter Mt. Everest National Nature Reserve. You can enjoy the panorama of Himalaya at Gawula Pass(5198m).Then we drive along the New zigzag road to Rongpuk or the Tent Camp to stay overnight. If the weather is good, you can have a clear view of the sunset of golden Everest peak.

If it’s summertime (usually May~Oct), we will carry on the last few kilometers to Everest Tent Camp to stay the night; if winter time (usually Nov~Apr), we will stay at Rongbuk Monastery’s guesthouse. Both places you can see the glorious Everest sunset if the weather is good.

Stay overnight in Nomad Tent, (Dorm Bed) or Rongbuk guesthouse

You are highly suggested to get up early to catch watching the sunrise of Everest Peak at lodging area if the weather is good. And then, we can drive you to the Everest Base Camp. After sightseeing, we will drive back to Shigatse and enjoy the fabulous view along the way back.

Stay overnight in Shigatse

Today we will visit Yungdrungling Monastery on our way back to Lhasa, Yungdrungling is a typical Buddhist monastery with many friendly monks here and some of them can even speak English. If you are lucky to meet the key holder, he can show you the large dukhang. Inside the house are the impressive thrones of the monastery's two resident Shiromo along the walls-look for the deity's characteristic swastika mace. There are also a couple of more behind the main hall that you can pay a visit to. Those chapels' include the Namjya Lhakhang. Keep in mind that you should visit those chapels in an anticlockwise direction.

Stay overnight in Lhasa