Private tour — on your dates
16 Days Gama Valley Trekking Tour
16 Days $1,890 per person Overview Itinerary Tips & FAQ Lhasa Shigatse Youpa Village Showo-tso Pond Dolshang Orchid Valley Tsonang-tso Lake Paltang Eastern Slope EBC (5,310m) Nangma-la Pass (5,344m) Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Makalu…
- 16 Days / 15 Nights
- Lhasa → Shigatse → Youpa Village → Showo-tso Pond → Dolshang Orchid Valley → Tsonang-tso Lake → Paltang → Eastern Slope EBC (5,310m) → Nangma-la Pass (5,344m) → Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Makalu views
- Challenging pace
- Best: April to June and September to October
- No Deposit — Ever
- Cancel Free Before Permit Issued
- Full Refund except $100 Permit Fee
- Bring 7, Your Spot Is Free
- Our Own Office in Lhasa, Since 1999
The trip at a glance
- Lhasa → Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street
- Lhasa → Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery
- Lhasa → Shigatse via Gyantse (360km)
- Shigatse → Tingri → Youpa Village (350km, 3,770m)
- Youpa to Showo-tso Pond (10km, 900m ascent)
- Showo-tso to Showo-la Pass (4,900m) → Dolshang Orchid Valley (4,030m, 14km)
Day by day
Lhasa → Shigatse → Youpa Village → Showo-tso Pond → Dolshang Orchid Valley → Tsonang-tso Lake → Paltang → Eastern Slope EBC (5,310m) → Nangma-la Pass (5,344m) → Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Makalu views
Day1
Arrive Lhasa (3,650m)
Arrive in Lhasa and transfer to hotel. View the Yarlung Tsangpo River on the way. Rest and acclimatize — do not rush to visit attractions.
Day2
Lhasa — Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street
Visit the magnificent Potala Palace, the sacred Jokhang Temple and the Barkhor Street pilgrim circuit. Taste Tibetan butter tea in a local teahouse.
Day3
Lhasa — Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery
Visit Drepung Monastery — one of the ‘great three’ Gelug monasteries. In the afternoon, visit Sera Monastery and watch the 3–5pm monk debates. Explore the Tibetan scripture printing house.
Day4
Lhasa — Shigatse via Gyantse (360km)
Drive over the Gampala Pass (4,790m) with views of Yamdrok Lake. Pass the Karola Glacier. Visit Gyantse (Pelkor Monastery and Kumbum). Arrive in Shigatse. Optional visit to Tashilunpo Monastery.
Day5
Shigatse — Tingri — Youpa Village (350km, 3,770m)
Drive west via Lhatse to Tingri. Stop at the Gawu La Pass (5,198m) for views of the top 5 highest peaks in the world (all above 8,000m) along the majestic Himalayan range. Continue to Youpa Village to register yaks for the trek.
Day6
Trek Day 1 — Youpa to Showo-tso Pond (10km, 900m ascent)
Put all trekking gear on the yak caravan and trek light. Ascend gradually through steppes and rugged paths for 10km, ending at the enchanting Showo-tso pond — a camping site of extraordinary remote beauty.
Day7
Trek Day 2 — Showo-tso to Showo-la Pass (4,900m) — Dolshang Orchid Valley (4,030m, 14km)
Climb over the Showo-la Pass (4,900m) and descend to the Dolshang valley — the initial part of Gama Valley. This extraordinary valley breeds massive colorful orchid flowers fed by glacial streams. Waterfalls, exuberant meadows and snowy peaks make it feel like a fairyland. 14km.
Day8
Trek Day 3 — Dolshang to Tsonang-tso — Xialong Pasture — Tangsung Platform (4,510m, 12km)
Trek upward through pristine forest. Reach the crystal-clear Tsonang-tso lake, which mirrors the surrounding snow peaks perfectly. After lunch, ascend another pass and reach the spectacular Xialong Pasture blanketed with wildflowers, then camp at Tangsung Viewing Platform. 12km.
Day9
Trek Day 4 — Tangsung to Badang-Ega — Paltang (4,950m, 11km)
Descend via zigzag trails to the Badang Ega prairie. Wade through rugged rocky terrain to reach Paltang — the final staging point before the Everest assault. Rest and conserve energy. 11km.
Day10
Trek Day 5 — Paltang to Eastern Slope EBC (5,310m) — Return Paltang (18km)
The most demanding day — trek to the eastern slope base camp of Mt. Everest at 5,310m. The initial ascent involves a 45-degree slope. From here, gaze at the little-known Mt. Chomo Lonzo (7,804m) and the eastern glaciers of Everest. Return to Paltang. Optional: rest at Paltang for those who prefer. 18km round trip.
Day11
Trek Day 6 — Paltang to Tangsung Viewing Platform (4,510m, 14km)
Retrace south through the Gama Valley. The descent offers new perspectives of the extraordinary glaciers and valleys. 14km back to Tangsung Viewing Platform.
Day12
Trek Day 7 — Tangsung to Tsosho-rim (5,013m, 11km)
Trek northward toward Tsosho-rim (5,013m). On clear days, appreciate the epic panoramic vistas of Mt. Everest (8,844m), Mt. Lhotse (8,516m), Mt. Makalu (8,463m) and an unclaimed 7,000m peak. 11km.
Day13
Trek Day 8 — Tsosho-rim to Nangma-la Pass (5,344m) — Lhundupling Village (3,990m, 21km)
Today involves two soaring mountain passes: the Nangma-la (5,344m) — the highest pass of the entire trek — and another unnamed pass above 5,000m. Passing the deep-blue Latsetso Lake, descend to Lhundupling Village. 21km.
Day14
Lhundupling Village — Zhaxizom — Shigatse
Pack all gear and drive back to Shigatse along the Himalayan foothills. Enjoy a hot shower and proper dinner after 8 incredible days of trekking.
Day15
Shigatse — Lhasa (260km via Yalong Valley)
Drive back to Lhasa through the Yalong Valley. Stop at the valley viewing platform for one final look at the vast Yarlung Tsangpo River bed.
Day16
Lhasa Departure
Transfer to Lhasa airport or train station for departure. End of the extraordinary Gama Valley trekking adventure.
Meals: Breakfast Tibet Permit — Required for All Visitors Every visitor to Tibet must hold a Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) permit. It is mandatory, cannot be obtained on arrival, and differs by nationality. We handle the full application once you book — please allow at least 15 days before your departure date.
What is included
Included
- Tibet Entry Permit and all necessary trekking permits
- All entrance fees for tourist sites listed in the itinerary
- Professional English-speaking local tour guide
- Private vehicle with driver for all non-trekking road sections
- All lodging listed in the itinerary (hotels and/or camping)
- Shared oxygen tank in the vehicle
- Tourist accident/casualty insurance and first aid kit
Not included
- Single room supplement — free of charge for any group booking 5 rooms or travelling with 10 or more.
- Flights or trains to/from Tibet
- Meals not specified in the itinerary (approximately USD 3–15 per meal)
- Porter or yak hire on trekking days (arranged locally, optional)
- Tips for guide and driver
- Personal expenses (laundry, snacks, optional activities)
Photos from this route
Questions travellers ask
How large will my group be?
Join-in departures run with a minimum of 3 travellers — usually 3–8 pax, and never more than 16. You choose the departure date, the starting point and the itinerary length that suits you; guests on different day counts travel together on the shared legs, and each group leaves when their own itinerary ends. If you prefer, this route can also run as a private tour for your own party only. A 3–8 group costs a little more per person and is quieter, with more freedom to change the day on the road; a 3–16 group costs less per person and gives you more people to travel with.
Which permits does this tour need?
We arrange all required Tibet permits for you as part of the booking — you only need a valid passport. Depending on the areas visited this can include the Tibet Travel Permit (TTB), the Aliens’ Travel Permit (PSB), the Frontier Pass and, for sensitive areas, a Military Permit.
How do I get to the starting point of the tour?
The tour starts in Lhasa. You can reach it by flight or by the Qinghai–Tibet railway — either way we meet you on arrival. Many travellers fly in and take the train out (or the other way round) to see both faces of the plateau. We are happy to advise on flights and train tickets as part of your booking.
Can this tour be customized?
Yes — every tour on this site can also run as a private departure with your own dates and pace, arranged by our own office in Lhasa. Send us your dates, group size and interests and we will adapt the itinerary around you.
Before you send your inquiry
- No deposit — ever. Your dates are held with a free inquiry, and nothing is due until we confirm. On fixed group departures, book early to secure your seats.
- Cancel free before your Tibet Travel Permit is issued — full refund, every dollar.
- After the permit is issued: the USD $100 permit fee is non-refundable, everything else is refunded. Refunds within 7 business days.
- Bring a group of 7 and your spot is free (7+1).
- Single room supplement — free of charge for any group booking 5 rooms or travelling with 10 or more.
- Tell us your dates and route on the form below — you will have a written itinerary and an item-by-item quote within 12 hours, with no obligation to book.
- Prices depend on group size, hotel standard, season and how you travel into Tibet, so we quote each trip individually rather than from a price list.
- Hotel details — the exact hotels we use — come with your quote. Ask below for the standard you would like and we will match it.
- A Lhasa-based Tibet tour operator since 1999 — our own guides, vehicles and office in Lhasa, 7,200+ travellers from 40+ countries, 4.9★ on TripAdvisor.
