Shanghai Lhasa Mt. Everest Tour

When you arrive at the airport in Shanghai, your tour guide and driver will greet you by holding your name sign at the exit, then drive you to the hotel. The rest of the day is yours to recover from the jet lag.

Stay overnight in Shanghai

Today, you are going to Tongli Water Town. We will set out from Shanghai to Tongli Town in the early morning, which takes about 1.5hrs. We will visit the Tuisi Garden first. Although the scale of Tuisi Garden is not large, it is extremely exquisite with an elegant main hall, winding corridors, chic gardens, and poetic architecture. Then Take a Wu Peng boat to glide in the river and cross ancient bridges. The ancient town seen in that way will have a different perspective and make the trip easy.

In the afternoon, you are driving 1hr to Suzhou to visit Humble Administrator Garden, also known as Zhuozheng Garden, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in the Ming dynasty, the Humble Administrator Garden is the largest and most renowned classical landscape garden in Suzhou which contains lots of pools, meandering rock paths, little hills, old trees, and flowers. Such a beautiful place can make you feel away from the busy world. Taking a rickshaw ride in Suzhou is regarded as the best activity for tourists, Therefore, you can take a half-hour rickshaw ride in Suzhou. Finally, you will drive back to Shanghai.

Stay overnight in Shanghai

Today, you are setting out to Lhasa. Your driver and tour guide will send you to the airport. Then you are taking a flight from Shanghai to Lhasa. It will take about 6-8 hours from Shanghai to Lhasa, including a stopover in Xián or Chengdu.

Our staff will greet you at Lhasa Gonggar Airport to transfer you to the hotel. From Lhasa Airport to downtown Lhasa, it usually takes about 1 hour. After transferring to the hotel, the rest of the day is yours and you can wander around the city on your own but try not to overtax yourself. The first day's well-rest is crucial to acclimatize to the high altitude. Remember to drink lots of water, eat light, and not shower if you can help it.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

After a night of rest, you will begin your Lhasa city tour. As the heart of Tibet for over 1,300 years, Lhasa is home to Tibet’s most important cultural and religious landmarks.

Your first stop is the Potala Palace, the former winter palace of the Dalai Lama. Built in the 7th century by King Songtsen Gampo, it is famous for its gilded stupas and historic chapels.

In the afternoon, you will visit Jokhang Temple, the spiritual center of Tibetan Buddhism, where pilgrims gather for worship throughout the day.

Later, you will stroll along Barkhor Street, a traditional street around Jokhang Temple known for its Tibetan handicrafts and lively local atmosphere.

Optional:

You can go to visit the Tibetan handicraft art or the Tibetan Traditional Medicine center if time is enough. You can also watch the Tibetan Culture Show in the evening for USD60 per person at your own expense.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

In the morning, you are heading to Drak Yerpa, the most famous meditation retreat near Lhasa. It's a monastery embedded in the cliff wall. Drak Yerpa is described as the "life tree" or spiritual axis of Lhasa. The site had strong spiritual power, having been visited by almost all great Tibetan masters. You can feel the power of the meditation caves here.

In the afternoon, you will pay a visit to Sera Monastery, which is one of the "great three" Gelug monasteries of Tibet. Monks debate from 3 pm to 5 pm. If the debate is not your type, you can also enjoy the three sand Mandalas and colorful rock paintings of Buddha. The sight here is splendid because you can see wild roses around. That's why people also call it "the Court of Wild Rose."

Stay overnight in Lhasa

You will go to Shigatse from Lhasa via Gyantse today. Firstly, you can have a glimpse of Yamdroktso Lake at Gampala Pass (4,790m), from there you will be amazed by the breathtaking view of the holy Yamdrok Lake with its turquoise color and snow-capped mount Nyenchen Khangsar in the distance.

Then you will see the Korala Glacier when we pass it on the roadside. After that, we will arrive in Gyantse. Here we'll visit Palkhor Chode monastery. This magnificent multi-door structure is the largest stupa in Tibet, not only well known for its architecture but also for its old sculptures and paintings all around its inner walls.

Stay overnight in Shigatse

In the morning, you will depart from Shigatse and drive westward via Lhatse and Tingri toward Everest Base Camp. Along the way, you will cross Tsola Pass (4,600m) and Gyatsola Pass (5,248m), where colorful prayer flags flutter in the mountain wind.

Entering the Mt. Everest National Nature Reserve, you will continue ascending to Gawula Pass (5,198m), one of the best viewpoints to admire the spectacular panorama of the Himalayan peaks.

Afterward, you will continue to Everest Base Camp (5,200m). If the weather permits, you may enjoy the stunning sunset over the golden summit of Mt. Everest near the lodging area.

Stay overnight at a tent camp / Guesthouse

The great Sunrise of Everest Peak is far out of your imagination. Enjoy the peaceful and wonderful morning you’ve never had. After that, we will go to the Rongbuk Monastery, which is the highest monastery in the world. Then we may trek to EBC from the lodging area. You can have a good look at Mt. Everest from EBC and take clear photos of it. In the end, we will start to return to Shigatse.

Stay overnight in Shigatse

In the morning, you will visit Tashilhunpo Monastery, the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama. Founded by the 1st Dalai Lama in 1447, it remains one of the most historically and culturally significant monasteries in Shigatse.

In the afternoon, you will drive back to Lhasa along the Yarlung Tsangpo Valley and visit Yungdrungling Monastery, an important Bon monastery. Inside Tongzhui Lakhang, you can see the legendary gilded silver lamp, believed to reveal past and future lives, explore the century-old scripture wall in the circular corridor, and discover the unique tradition of prayer wheels spinning in the opposite direction from those in Tibetan Buddhism.

Stay overnight in Lhasa