Private tour — on your dates
8 Days Lhasa to Namtso Lake Biking Tour
8 Days $850 per person Overview Itinerary Tips & FAQ Lhasa Potala Palace Cycling across Tibetan plateau Nyenchen Tanglha mountain range Namtso Lake (4,718m) Namtso Lake sits at 4,718 metres — one of the highest saltwater lakes in…
- 8 Days / 7 Nights
- Lhasa → Potala Palace → Cycling across Tibetan plateau → Nyenchen Tanglha mountain range → Namtso Lake (4,718m)
- Moderate pace
- Best: May to early 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
North of Lhasa, Tibet opens into its most authentically pastoral face. The road passes through vast open grasslands dotted with yak herds and nomad families in black yak-hair tents, beneath the distant white wall of the Nyenchen Tanglha mountain range. Gradients are long rather than brutal, the road is paved throughout, and your support vehicle carries all luggage — making this a genuine adventure without unnecessary suffering.
The Nyenchen Tanglha Pass crossing on Day 5 is the tour’s defining moment: a sustained climb rewarded with a panorama that stretches from the range’s snowfields to the vivid blue of Namtso below. A full rest day at the lake’s edge is included — time to absorb the view, walk the Tashi Dor peninsula, and watch the extraordinary light change across the water from dawn to dusk.
- Lhasa Sightseeing → Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street
- Lhasa → Sera Monastery, Tibet Museum
- Lhasa towards Damxung (approx. 80km)
- Damxung to Namtso Lake (approx. 60km)
Day by day
Lhasa → Potala Palace → Cycling across Tibetan plateau → Nyenchen Tanglha mountain range → Namtso Lake (4,718m)
Day1
Arrive Lhasa — Rest
Airport pick-up and hotel check-in. Full day of rest to acclimatize to Lhasa’s altitude.
Day2
Lhasa Sightseeing — Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street
Explore Lhasa’s iconic cultural sites. Collect your bike and do a short test ride.
Day3
Lhasa — Sera Monastery, Tibet Museum
Morning visit to the Tibet Museum near Norbulingka for exhibits on Tibetan history, traditional arts, and Buddhist culture. In the afternoon, attend Sera Monastery’s famous monk debating session (15:00–17:00, except Sundays). Evening: bike fitting and multi-day cycling briefing.
Day4
Cycling Day 1 — Lhasa towards Damxung (approx. 80km)
Set off north from Lhasa on the road to Namtso. The plateau scenery opens up dramatically as you leave the Kyichu valley. Cycle approximately 80km with the support vehicle carrying bags. Overnight at Damxung county.
Day5
Cycling Day 2 — Damxung to Namtso Lake (approx. 60km)
Today’s ride takes you up the Nyenchen Tanglha Pass (5,190m) — the most challenging ascent of the tour — and descends to the sacred turquoise shores of Namtso Lake (4,718m). The views are simply extraordinary.
Day6
Namtso Lake — Rest and Sightseeing
Rest day at Namtso. Explore the lake shore, the Tashi Dor Monastery peninsula, and witness the nomadic life around the lake. The sunrises and sunsets here are breathtaking.
Day7
Namtso — Return to Lhasa (by vehicle)
Drive back to Lhasa by support vehicle, enjoying the vast plateau scenery from a different perspective.
Day8
Lhasa Departure
Free morning before transfer to airport or train station.
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 Alien’s Travel Permit
- All entrance fees for tourist sites listed in the itinerary
- Professional English-speaking guide and cycling support driver
- Support vehicle for luggage transport throughout the ride
- High-quality mountain bike rental
- Helmet, basic cycling safety gear and spare parts kit
- All accommodation listed in the itinerary
- Tourist accident/casualty insurance
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)
- Tips for guide and driver
- Personal cycling equipment (padded shorts, gloves, cycling shoes)
- Bicycle repair parts beyond normal wear
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.
