7 Days from Lhasa to Kathmandu Tour
- Duration
- 7 Days / 6 Nights
- Pace
- Moderate
- Group size
- 3–8 travellers
- Best season
- April to June and September to October
The trip at a glance
Seven days from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp and on to Kathmandu, with the last morning spent looking down at the Himalaya from a window seat instead of a border post.
Border status. The Gyirong land border between Tibet and Nepal is closed at present, with no date for rebuilding, and the Zhangmu crossing is not supported for tourist travel. We plan the crossing by air and confirm the current position with you before you book. See our Gyirong border travel advisory.
Potala Palace
Jokhang Temple
Yamdrok Lake
Gyantse- Shigatse
Everest Base Camp (5,200 m)- Lhasa
- fly to Kathmandu
Where you go, and how high you sleep
The route, stop by stop
Potala Palace → Jokhang Temple → Yamdrok Lake → Gyantse → Shigatse → Everest Base Camp (5,200 m) → Lhasa → fly to Kathmandu
- Arrive Lhasa — Rest and AcclimatizeDay 1
- Lhasa — Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor StreetDay 2
- Lhasa — Tibet Museum, Sera MonasteryDay 3
- Lhasa — Yamdrok Lake — Gyantse — ShigatseDay 4
- Shigatse — Everest Base Camp (5,200m)Day 5
- Everest Base Camp — Shigatse — LhasaDay 6
- Fly Lhasa to Kathmandu — Tour EndsDay 7
Day by day
Days 1–3 · Lhasa hotel
Arrive Lhasa — Rest and Acclimatize
Airport pick-up and hotel check-in. Rest and acclimatize in Lhasa (3,650m).
Lhasa — Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street
Explore Lhasa's iconic UNESCO sites: the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Street pilgrim circuit.
Lhasa — Tibet Museum, Sera Monastery
Morning at the Tibet Museum: 1,300 years of Tibetan history, art and everyday life under one roof.
Watch the animated monk debates at Sera in the afternoon.
Lhasa — Yamdrok Lake — Gyantse — Shigatse
Drive over Kampala Pass for views of the turquoise Yamdrok Lake. Visit Gyantse Kumbum and Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse.
Shigatse — Everest Base Camp (5,200m)
Drive via Lhatse and Tingri to Rongbuk Monastery and Everest Base Camp. Spend the night under the north face of Everest.
Everest Base Camp — Shigatse — Lhasa
Sunrise at Base Camp, then back down the valley and east: over the Gyawula Pass, through Tingri, along the Friendship Highway past Lhatse to Shigatse, and on to Lhasa in the evening.
This is the longest day of the tour — roughly ten to eleven hours in the vehicle including stops. If you would rather not do it in one go, add a night in Shigatse and the tour becomes eight days, with the drive split in two.
Fly Lhasa to Kathmandu — Tour Ends
A morning flight from Lhasa Gonggar Airport to Kathmandu, a little over an hour over the Himalaya. Your guide takes you out about two hours before departure; the airport is roughly an hour from the city.
Tour services end at Kathmandu. We can book the flight for you, and our Nepal partner can meet you on arrival — ask when you book.
What is included
Included
- Tibet Entry Permit and Alien's Travel Permit
- Nepal and/or Bhutan entry visa assistance
- All entrance fees for tourist sites listed in the itinerary
- Professional English-speaking tour guide throughout
- All ground transportation as listed
- All accommodation listed in the itinerary
- Tourist accident/casualty insurance
- Oxygen cylinders in the vehicle throughout the trip
Not included
- Single room supplement — free of charge for any group booking 5 rooms or travelling with 10 or more.
- International flights
- Meals not specified in the itinerary (lunch and dinner unless specified)
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Personal expenses (laundry, snacks, optional activities)
- Visa fees for China, Nepal or Bhutan
Photos from this route
Questions travellers ask
How large will my group be?
Join-in departures run with a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 8 travellers (3–8 pax). 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.
Which permits does this tour need?
We arrange every permit this trip needs as part of your booking — you only need a valid passport. This route needs three: the Tibet Travel Permit, which every foreign visitor needs to enter Tibet, the Alien’s Travel Permit, for places outside Lhasa and the Border Defence Permit, for the Everest and border areas. All of them are included in your quote.
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.
