10 Day Ganden hike & Mt Everest

Day1. Pick Up From Airport Or Train Station And Transfer To Hotel

Upon your arrival at Lhasa airport or train station, you will be greeted by your Tibetan guide, from the airport to Lhasa city is 60km, and one hour drive will take you to the holy city of Lhasa. Driving along the Brahmaputra River and Lhasa River. If you take the train to Lhasa, normally you will arrive in the late afternoon or evening, 20 minute's drive will take you to your hotel in Lhasa city. Check into the hotel, and have a good rest to acclimatize to the high altitude.

Overnight at 3-star Shambhala Hotel or Gold star Shambhala Palace or 3-star Kyichu Hotel, located in the heart of Lhasa city 200 meters from Jokhang Temple

Day2. Lhasa City Sightseeing, Visit Jokhang Temple And Sera Monastery(B)

After breakfast, you will visit the Jokhang, the holiest Buddhist temple in all of the Himalayas. Each day, many thousands of Buddhist pilgrims come here to worship. Many have traveled well over a thousand kilometers by foot to see this 1400-year-old temple. After lunch, you will visit the 600-year-old huge monastery complex of Sera. While at Sera, you watch the monks engage in entertaining Buddhist philosophical debates. In the evening, you will have free time to wander around the Old Town on your own.

Overnight at 3-star Shambhala Hotel or Gold star Shambhala Palace or 3-star Kyichu Hotel, located in the heart of Lhasa city 200 meters from Jokhang Temple

(B)=breakfast

Day3. Lhasa City Sightseeing, Visit Drepung Monastery, Potala Palace (B)

Today you will be arranged to visit Drepung, Potala Palace. Drepung monastery was once the world's largest monastery in history with 10,000 monks hailed from different monasteries all over Tibet. It is located on a small mountain so we can see the view of Lhasa city below.  After Drepung visited the massive 1000-room Potala Palace, the most iconic building in Tibet. You will work your way up the steps of the Potala and then go through the most important rooms on this famous UNESCO site. After lunch, you will explore another one of Tibet’s important monasteries.

Overnight at 3-star Shambhala Hotel or Gold star Shambhala Palace or 3-star Kyichu Hotel, located in the heart of Lhasa city 200 meters from Jokhang Temple

(B)=breakfast

Day4. Lhasa / Yamdrok Lake [4,441m] / Gyantse [3,980m] / Shigatse [3,840m], 360KM, 7hrs (B)

Morning drive up to Kampala pass [4794m], you will have a glimpse of Yamdrok-Tso and spectacular views of Holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar in the distance, the turquoise colored Lake Yamdrok Yutso is one of the three holy lakes in Tibet, the unforgettable vista of the pincer-shaped turquoise water of the lake and amazing spectacle of Mt. Nyenchen Khangsar glacier from Karo la pass is wonders of the day. 

We visit the Ralung monastery, which was once the biggest Buddhist college in Tibet and home of many great Tibetan Yogis from the Drukpa Kagyu sect including Jetsun Ling Repa, Jetsun Tsangpa Gyare, Jetsun Tsang Nyon, Jetun U Nyon, Jetsun Drukpa Kunley. They are no tourists and sometimes not even locals so Ralung Monastery is one of the most peaceful monasteries with beautiful landscapes.

Then along the Friendship Southern Hwy drive to Gyantse, visit the famous stupa - Gyantse Kumbum, one of the most stunning architectural wonders in Tibet. Late afternoon travel to Shigatse for 1 hour 10 minutes drive.  

Overnight at 4-star Gesar Hotel

(B)=breakfast

Day5. Shigatse / Sakya [4,280m] / Pelber [3,950m], 200KM, 4hrs (B)

In the morning visit Tashilunpo Monastery after driving to Sakya and visit Sakya monastery on the way then drive to Pelber across Tsou-la Pass (4500m) and Gyatso-la Pass (5220m), with good weather you can see your first views of Mount Everest. At the end of the day’s 230km journey, we arrive in the evening at Pelber (New Tingri) (4300m).

Overnight in 2-star hotel in Pelber(B)=breakfast

Day6. Pelber/New Tingri/ Gawu La [5,200m] / Everest Base Camp [5,200m], 100KM, 4hrs (B)

This day will take you from Pelber to Tibet’s North Face Everest Base Camp. Along the way, you will be passing through several small Tibetan farming villages that you will be able to photograph. You will cross over the 5200M Gawu La Pass, which offers a panoramic view of the glacier-covered Himalayas. From here, you can see 4 of the world’s 15 highest peaks, including Everest. From the Geu La, you will then go to Rongphu, the highest monastery in the world at just under 5000 meters in elevation.

The iconic view of Everest from here will be a high point of your journey! You will then continue on to the Tent Hotels, which operate from mid-April through mid-October. The Tent Hotels are the closest that travelers can stay to Mt. Everest and are located 2 kilometers from base camp. If you are traveling outside of this time frame, you will stay at the Rongphu Monastery Guesthouse. From the Tent Hotels, with an elevation of 5050 meters, you will take a separate bus the remaining 2 kilometers to base camp. If you’d like, you can also hike this last short distance. The driving distance from Shigatse to Everest Base Camp is 350 kilometers with the driving time being 7 hours.

Overnight in Black Yak hair tent dormitory or Rongbuk Monastery Guesthouse(B)=breakfast (No private bathroom, No Shower)

Day7. Rongbuk / Shegar / Shigatse [3,840m], 340KM, 6-7hour Drive

After breakfast, see the sunrise at Everest Base Camp then drive to Lhasa through the same route from Gawu la Pass with the last view of the Himalayas range, stop at any point if you find interest. Overnight at Shigatse.

Overnight at 4-star Gesar Hotel

(B)=breakfast

Day8. Shigatse / Nyemo Valley/ Yangbachen Hot-spring / Lhasa [4,700m], 360Km, Around 7-8hours Drive (B)

After breakfast then drive to Nyemo Valley to see nomads and farmers and nature, No tourists (this will be the highlight for the day so you can spend lots of time and then drive to Yangpachen's hot spring pool. You can decide whether to go in or not by paying entrance fees directly there and driving to Lhasa for the night. 

Overnight at 3-star Shambhala Hotel or Gold star Shambhala Palace or 3-star Kyichu Hotel, located in the heart of Lhasa city 200 meters from Jhokang Temple

(B)=breakfast

Day9. Lhasa— Drak Yerpa Meditation Caves €- Ganden Monastery €- Lhasa

Today we start the day traveling to Ganden monastery, the most important monastery in the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism. The highlight will be the 1-2 hours hike from the back side of the mountain to see the whole Ganden valley. Since there is only a vehicle trip on most of the tours so to make the tour special, arranging the hiking tour is one of Tibet Travelers' specialties for the Travelers. The hiking route is also known as the pilgrim kora route for the local Tibetans. Very few Travelers can be seen so it's special. 

We will also visit the tomb of Tsongkapa and the Throne of Ganden, the Great Hall of Ganden Monastery, and Ganden Tsogchen, where monks perform prayers. 

In the afternoon, we visit the 7th Century meditation caves of the previous great master in DrakYerpa, we will also do meditation in the great master's meditation caves. We will also have a 1-2 hour hike to the meditation cave to see the beauties of Yerpa Valley.  Later we will drive to Lhasa through the high pass Nachen la Pass near Lhasa. 

Overnight at 3-star Shambhala Hotel or Gold star Shambhala Palace or 3-star Kyichu Hotel, located in the heart of Lhasa city 200 meters from Jhokang Temple

(B)=breakfast

Day10. Depart from Lhasa

Morning Lhasa airport or train station dropping off, the time comes to say your farewells to your guide and driver.