Small group departures
8 Days Lhasa–Mt. Everest Round Trip Small Group Tour
8 Days $831 per person Overview Itinerary Tips & FAQ Everest Base Camp (5,200 m) — arrived fresh, with no monastery visit that morning to spend you before the drive Rongbuk Monastery overnight (4,980 m) — golden-hour sunset and…
- 8 Days / 7 Nights
- Everest Base Camp (5,200 m) — arrived fresh, with no monastery visit that morning to spend you before the drive → Rongbuk Monastery overnight (4,980 m) — golden-hour sunset and sunrise over the north face → Tashilhunpo Monastery on the return — a full unhurried morning, Everest already behind you → Gyantse Kumbum — a nine-storey, 77-chapel stupa built in 1427, the most remarkable in Tibet → Yamdrok Lake from Gampala Pass (4,794 m) — the sacred soul lake of Tibet in its full turquoise sweep → Sakya Monastery — founded 1073, the Sakya school's ancient seat with its iconic grey-and-red-striped walls
- Moderate 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
Days 1 through 3 follow the same programme as our 4-Day Lhasa tour. See that page for the complete descriptions.
Day 4 is the first long road day: south from Lhasa over the Gampala Pass to Yamdrok Lake, then west through Gyantse — the Kumbum Stupa, the Karola Glacier — and on to Shigatse for the night.
Day 5, the group drives west without stopping. No monastery visit, no split point — just the road and the Gyawula Pass, where five of the world’s highest peaks appear in one panoramic frame if the weather is clear. The day ends at Rongbuk Monastery Guesthouse in the late afternoon, with Everest’s north face turning gold at sunset. Day 6 is EBC sunrise, a simple breakfast, and the return drive via Sakya Monastery — overnight in Shigatse.
Day 7 belongs to Tashilhunpo. In the 7-day tour, Tashilhunpo is visited before EBC — useful as a split point for 6-day travellers, but the visit is always shadowed by the long westward drive that follows. Here, with Everest already behind you and no long drive ahead, the monastery gets a proper morning: the Hall of Maitreya, the gilded chortens, the courtyards, the monks going about their day — unhurried. The group then drives back to Lhasa for a final evening in the city — Barkhor Street, last souvenirs, butter tea. Day 8 is departure from Lhasa Gonggar Airport.
- Tibet Museum · Nanshan Park · Jokhang Temple · Barkhor Street
- Potala Palace · Sera Monastery Monk Debate · Local Family Visit
- Gampala Pass · Yamdrok Lake · Karola Glacier · Gyantse · Shigatse
- Drive West · Gyawula Pass Five-Peak Panorama · Overnight at Rongbuk
- EBC Sunrise · Simple Breakfast · Sakya Monastery · Return to Shigatse
- Tashilhunpo Monastery · Drive Back to Lhasa → Last Evening in the City
Day by day
Everest Base Camp (5,200 m) — arrived fresh, with no monastery visit that morning to spend you before the drive → Rongbuk Monastery overnight (4,980 m) — golden-hour sunset and sunrise over the north face → Tashilhunpo Monastery on the return — a full unhurried morning, Everest already behind you → Gyantse Kumbum — a nine-storey, 77-chapel stupa built in 1427, the most remarkable in Tibet → Yamdrok Lake from Gampala Pass (4,794 m) — the sacred soul lake of Tibet in its full turquoise sweep → Sakya Monastery — founded 1073, the Sakya school's ancient seat with its iconic grey-and-red-striped walls
Day1
Arrival in Lhasa — Transfer & Acclimatisation
Arrive at Lhasa Gonggar Airport or the train station. Your guide meets you and transfers you to the hotel. Rest, hydrate, and let the altitude settle. See the 4-Day Lhasa tour for the full day description.
Day2
Tibet Museum · Nanshan Park · Jokhang Temple · Barkhor Street
Tibet Museum in the morning, Nanshan Park panorama, then Jokhang Temple and the Barkhor pilgrim circuit in the afternoon. See the 4-Day Lhasa tour for the full day description.
Day3
Potala Palace · Sera Monastery Monk Debate · Local Family Visit
Potala Palace in the morning, Sera Monastery’s monk debate in the afternoon, and a local Tibetan family visit to close the day. See the 4-Day Lhasa tour for the full day description.
Day4
Gampala Pass · Yamdrok Lake · Karola Glacier · Gyantse · Shigatse
An early start south from Lhasa. The road climbs to the Gampala Pass (4,794 m) where Yamdrok Lake appears below in its full turquoise sweep. The group continues west — past the Karola Glacier, close enough to feel the cold from the highway — and reaches Gyantse by early afternoon.
The Pelkor Chöde Monastery complex is one of the most rewarding stops on the Friendship Highway. The Kumbum Stupa, built between 1427 and 1439, rises through nine storeys and 77 chapels in a three-dimensional mandala that takes a full hour to explore properly.
The day ends in Shigatse — Tibet’s second-largest city — for an overnight rest before the long westward drive tomorrow.
Day5
Drive West · Gyawula Pass Five-Peak Panorama · Overnight at Rongbuk
After breakfast in Shigatse, the group drives west. There is no monastery visit this morning — the day belongs to the road and what it leads to.
The road climbs to the Gyawula Pass. If the weather is clear — and on many days it is — the pass delivers one of the rarest views on earth: five of the world’s highest peaks aligned in a single panoramic frame. Cho Oyu (8,201 m), Gyachung Kang, Everest (8,849 m), Lhotse and Makalu — all above 7,900 metres, all visible at once from one vantage point. No other road in the world offers this.
The group arrives at Rongbuk Monastery Guesthouse in the late afternoon. From the moment you step outside, Everest’s north face fills the horizon. In the last hours before dark, the light turns the summit gold — exactly the scene in the hero image at the top of this page. Overnight at Rongbuk (4,980 m): bring warm layers, and expect a cold but starlit night.
Day6
EBC Sunrise · Simple Breakfast · Sakya Monastery · Return to Shigatse
Wake before dawn. The walk from Rongbuk Guesthouse to Everest Base Camp (5,200 m) takes about 20 minutes on flat ground. The early morning is the clearest light of the day: the north face catches the first sun before the clouds build and the air is cold and completely still. Take as long as you need.
After sunrise, return to the guesthouse for a simple breakfast. Then the group drives east on a different road from the one that brought you west.
The return route passes through Sakya. Sakya Monastery, founded in 1073, is the seat of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism — for two centuries in the 13th and 14th century, under Mongol patronage, the ruling power of all Tibet. It is recognisable at a glance by its walls: striped in horizontal bands of grey, white and red, the colours of the three Bodhisattvas Manjushri, Avalokitesvara and Vajrapani. The interior houses one of the largest surviving collections of ancient Tibetan manuscripts and thangkas in the world.
From Sakya the road continues east to Shigatse for the overnight.
Day7
Tashilhunpo Monastery · Drive Back to Lhasa — Last Evening in the City
This is the day that sets the 8-day tour apart.
In the 7-day tour, Tashilhunpo is visited on Day 5 before driving to EBC — squeezed between breakfast and a long afternoon drive west, with Rongbuk still hours away. Here, Tashilhunpo gets its own morning. Everest is already behind you. There is no westward drive to worry about.
Tashilhunpo Monastery was founded in 1447 by the first Dalai Lama and became the traditional seat of the Panchen Lamas. Its most extraordinary feature is the Hall of Maitreya — the world’s largest gilded bronze statue of the future Buddha, 26 metres tall, built from 300 kg of gold and 115,000 kg of copper. Beyond the hall: the gilded chortens housing the remains of past Panchen Lamas, the Kelsang Lhakhang assembly hall, the debating courtyard, the monks going about their morning.
After the monastery visit the group drives back to Lhasa — approximately 4–5 hours along the Yarlung Tsangpo valley. The evening is free: a last walk along Barkhor Street, a final round of souvenirs from the stalls near Jokhang, or simply sitting with a butter tea and watching the city at dusk. Overnight in Lhasa.
Day8
Lhasa Departure — Transfer to Gonggar Airport
After breakfast, your guide transfers you to Lhasa Gonggar Airport for your onward flight. Tour services end at the terminal.
Please share your flight details at booking so your guide can arrange the right pick-up time.
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
- Tourist bus (7–17 seats) for all ground transportation
- Twin-sharing accommodation with daily breakfast
- Featured meals as listed in itinerary (Tibetan welcome banquet + specialty dinners)
- Professional English/Chinese-speaking tour guide
- Entrance tickets to all scenic spots listed in the itinerary
- Tibet Entry Permit, Alien’s Travel Permit and Border Pass
- Travel Accident Insurance, Vehicle Seat Insurance and Agency Liability Insurance
- Airport/station pick-up and drop-off service (7:00 am–10:00 pm)
- Emergency oxygen canister per person; 2 × 300 ml drinking water per day; 4 L medical oxygen in vehicle
- All taxes, handling charges and Potala Palace reservation fee
Not included
- Single room supplement — free of charge for any group booking 5 rooms or travelling with 10 or more.
- Room fees for any itinerary changes due to personal reasons
- Personal expenses (laundry, drinks, telephone, optional activities)
- Force majeure costs (natural disasters, flight delays, political events, etc.)
- Guide and driver tips (suggested 30 CNY per person per day each)
- International or domestic flight/train tickets to/from Tibet
Photos from this route
Questions travellers ask
Am I qualified to join this tour? Is it a mountain climb?
This tour is not a mountain climb. Everest Base Camp is reached by vehicle for most of the route, with a short flat walk of about 500 metres at the end. No trekking fitness or special equipment is required.
What you do need is a reasonable tolerance for altitude. Lhasa sits at 3,600 m; EBC at 5,200 m. Days 5 and 6 spend significant time above 4,980 m. Most travellers who have acclimatised properly in Lhasa for three days manage EBC comfortably. Travellers with heart conditions, serious respiratory illness or a previous history of severe altitude sickness should consult a doctor before booking.
What permits do I need, and are they all included?
This tour requires two permits, both of which are included in the tour price and handled entirely by us:
Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) permit — mandatory for all foreign visitors. Apply at least 15 days before your departure date.
Alien’s Travel Permit (ATP) — required for travel outside Lhasa city, including Nakartse (Yamdrok Lake area), Gyantse, Shigatse and the Everest Base Camp area.
Please book as early as possible — permit processing cannot be rushed and availability can be limited in peak season.
How many people will be in my group?
Our small-group tours are run with a group size of 3–8 pax. Most departures run with 4–8 people. You travel in a comfortable private minibus — not a large coach — with a dedicated Tibetan guide and driver throughout. From Day 4 onward, the vehicle switches to a 4WD or Landcruiser for the higher-altitude roads toward EBC. 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.
When is the best time to visit Everest Base Camp?
April through late June are the most popular months for this tour. The skies are clear before the monsoon arrives, Everest is visible from base camp on most days, and in April–May the climbing expedition season adds a particular energy to the atmosphere at Rongbuk. Mornings can be very cold (below -10°C at EBC), but the days are bright and long.
July and August are the monsoon months. The road to EBC is usually passable, but Everest is frequently cloud-covered. Not recommended if seeing the summit clearly matters to you.
September through December bring exceptional clarity. The monsoon has cleared, the air is scrubbed clean and the mountain stands out with razor-edged definition against a deep blue sky. September and October are the warmest of these months; November and December grow cold but the visibility is often at its sharpest.
December through March: very cold at EBC (well below -20°C at night), and the Rongbuk guesthouse may be closed. EBC visits in these months require special arrangement and are not part of our standard group departures.
What is Everest Base Camp actually like?
Less dramatic than photographs suggest, and more affecting than you expect.
EBC North (the Tibet side) sits at 5,200 m on a broad flat plain of grey glacial moraine. There is no peak view from the camp itself — the summit is hidden behind the lower ridges. What you see from the moraine is Everest’s north face, a vast angled wall of rock and ice that fills the upper third of the sky.
The prayer flags mark the spot. In expedition season (April–May) there are tent camps and climbers preparing for ascent. Outside season it is quieter — you, the mountain, the wind and the altitude.
The walk from the vehicle drop-off to the flag area takes about 20 minutes on flat ground. The thin air at 5,200 m makes even this short distance feel deliberate. Take it slowly, drink water, and give yourself time to simply stand there.
The Rongbuk guesthouse provides basic dormitory beds and hot meals. Bring a warm sleeping bag liner — the nights are cold regardless of season.
How does this tour differ from the 7-Day Lhasa–Everest Round Trip?
The key difference is the order of Tashilhunpo Monastery.
In the 7-day tour, Tashilhunpo is visited on Day 5 before driving to EBC — creating the split point where travellers with a 6-day time limit can end their journey and take the train back to Lhasa. The 7-day group then drives all the way to Rongbuk in one long afternoon following the monastery visit.
In this 8-day tour, Tashilhunpo is visited on Day 7 after EBC and Sakya, on the return. Day 5 is devoted entirely to the westward drive — no monastery, no split point — which means the approach to Everest is less rushed and Tashilhunpo gets its own full morning with no long drive to worry about.
For travellers with a 6-day time limit, the 7-day tour is the right choice — the split at Tashilhunpo is practical and cost-efficient. In the 8-day tour there is no convenient split point: a 6-day participant would need to leave the group at Shigatse after Day 4, missing both EBC and Tashilhunpo. Since the group continues together with one guide all the way back to Lhasa, a separate guide would need to be arranged just to see off a departing member at Shigatse — an added cost that makes this tour unsuitable for travellers with a 6-day limit.
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.
