[Brave the Everest] 7-Day Tour of Lhasa, Yamdrok Lake, Shigatse, and Everest - Itinerary and Prices for a 7-Day Group Tour of Lhasa and Everest, Tibet

After landing, our staff will welcome you with the warmest smiles on the plateau and that touch of plateau red. Having just arrived at the plateau, what you need most is to slow down and relax. We will transfer you to the hotel for a good rest, allowing your body to gradually adapt to the plateau atmosphere. Tashi Delek!! Lhasa, meaning "Holy Land" or "Land of Buddha" in Tibetan, is the sacred city in the hearts of Tibetans and a paradise in the hearts of travelers. With the opening of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, Lhasa is no longer out of reach. Bustle and crowds are not Lhasa's true face; let us explore its mysterious charm together. [Warm Tips] 1) Transfers: Since all train/flight pickups in Tibet are arranged by local professional transfer centers, staff will contact you in advance. Please keep your phone accessible. For visitors from outside the mainland, a guide is required for pickup; for Chinese nationals, the pickup driver will take you directly to the hotel for check-in. The travel agency will inform you in advance how to get your room key at the hotel, so you can check in and rest directly. If you do not receive notification, please contact the travel agency staff promptly (see the tour departure notice) for assistance. The guide will notify you of the next day's meeting time by phone or text before 22:00. 2) Altitude sickness: On the day of arrival in Lhasa, do not engage in strenuous exercise, and do not take a shower that night to prevent catching a cold. Do not drink alcohol. Drink plenty of water and eat fruit; do not overeat. Rest more. You may bring American ginseng lozenges or health supplements such as Rhodiola and Gao Yuan An to alleviate altitude sickness. Follow the arrangements of the travel agency staff and guide, try not to go out for activities, and maintaining a calm mindset and adequate rest is the best way to prevent altitude sickness. If you feel unwell, seek treatment at a hospital promptly.

【Potala Palace】(visit limit: 1 hour) Songtsen Gampo spent half of his life conquering Tubo and the other half building magnificent palaces and temples. Wandering among the golden Buddhist halls, stupas, sleeping quarters, and corridors, with dim lights, low-hanging curtains, and the scent of butter filling the air, it feels as if you have fallen into an ancient dream, involuntarily losing yourself among scriptures, Buddha statues, murals, and distant legends. 【Potala Palace Ticket Booking Instructions】 1. Potala Palace tickets use a real-name reservation system. Valid identification (ID card, household register, or passport) must be provided for the reservation. After a successful reservation, tickets cannot be reserved again within 7 days from the visit date. If tourists cannot enter the Potala Palace due to incorrect information provided by themselves, the travel agency bears no responsibility or consequences. Before the visit, tourists must carry the original valid identification. If the name or ID number does not match the actual document used, entry for the visit will not be possible, and the ticket purchase fee, having already been incurred, cannot be refunded. Please understand! 2. The visit time for the Potala Palace is randomly issued by the Potala Palace Management Office's unified computer system, and the visit time cannot be specified. Please understand. At the same time, the actual tour route order may differ from the reference itinerary provided. 3. During peak season, visits to the Potala Palace are restricted. Travel agencies in Tibet have only a limited number of group reservation quotas each day. To ensure tourists' smooth visits, travel agencies will solve the problem through different channels. Due to the special ticket purchase requirements of different channels, please follow the guide's arrangements. The following situations are all normal arrangements: 1) Each group may be split into multiple smaller groups (it may be necessary to separate the group or tourists who booked together, and there may be situations where they join unfamiliar group members to enter for the visit). 2) Each smaller group visits at different times/dates. 3) Each smaller group enters with a different guide. 【Jokhang Temple】(about 1 hour visit) Jokhang Temple integrates Tibetan, Tang, Nepalese, and Indian architectural styles, becoming an enduring classic of Tibetan religious architecture. In front of the temple, incense smoke curls all day long, and the devout prostrations of believers have left deep imprints of full-body-length kowtows on the bluestone floor before the gate. Ten thousand butter lamps burn continuously, leaving traces of time and pilgrims. Here, worship of the gods continues day and night. 【Jokhang Temple Ticket Booking Instructions】 1. Jokhang Temple tickets require real-name reservation. Every day from 7:00 to 23:59, next-day visit tickets are released on the mini program "Jokhang Temple Reservation," until the reservation quota is full. Therefore, tickets need to be reserved 1 day in advance. Please make the reservation under the guide's guidance. 2. Jokhang Temple is a religious temple rather than a purely tourist attraction. If special circumstances such as important religious activities make it unavailable for visits, please understand.

After departure, the route follows the Yarlung Tsangpo River valley, offering a bird's-eye view of the Yarlung Tsangpo. The Yarlung Tsangpo along Provincial Road 101 is the widest river surface near Lhasa. Following the Yarlung River valley onto Provincial Road 307 and driving to the mountainside, you can overlook the Yarlung Tsangpo with a vast, magnificent view. [Gampala Pass] The best vantage point to see the most beautiful side of Yamdrok Lake — the bluest sky and the bluest lake are all here. Here, you will understand the meaning of "angels' tears in heaven, Yamdrok's blue on earth," but many photographers also say: "No matter how many times you photograph Yamdrok Lake, you can never capture her beauty..." Many Tibetans at Gampala Pass offer yak photos; please agree on the price first to avoid unnecessary trouble. [Yamdrok Lake] A freshwater lake and one of the three sacred lakes of Tibet. The water is as clear as mutton fat and sweet enough to drink. The deep blue water merges with the distant snow-capped mountains, along with the colorful mountain ranges on both banks, distinctive Tibetan villages, and herds of cattle and sheep everywhere — the entire journey is refreshing and delightful. Yamdrok Lake covers an area of 638 square kilometers, with a surface elevation of 4,441 meters and a shoreline of 250 kilometers. This lake is also considered a turquoise earring dropped to the mortal world by a goddess. Standing at the 4,950-meter Gampala Pass and gazing southward, Yamdrok Lake looks like a sapphire set among the peaks, its blue waters smooth as a mirror, reflecting the bright blue sky. At noon, you will take a short rest at the viewing restaurant of Yamdrok Lake View Hotel by the lakeside and enjoy a rich and delicious hot pot specially arranged by us. [Karo La Glacier] One of the three major continental glaciers in Tibet. The glacier is backed by Mount Noijin Kangsang, one of the four highest peaks in Tibet. The massive glacier extends from the misty summit all the way down to the roadside, just a few hundred meters from the highway. Although the glacier shows a black-and-white layered appearance due to years of exposure to highway dust, the upper half of the glacier shines brilliantly in the sunlight like a giant thangka hanging on the mountain wall. It gained fame because the films "Red River Valley," "The Battle of Gyantse," and "The Road Home" were shot here. Tonight you will stay in Shigatse. In Tibetan, Shigatse means "the best manor" and is one of the "granaries of Tibet." It was historically the political, religious, and cultural center of rear Tibet and the seat of successive Panchen Lamas. With over 500 years of history, it is currently the second-largest city in Tibet. [Warm Tips] 1. In addition to the Tibet Travel Permit, foreign tourists traveling to Mount Everest in the same vehicle must apply for a travel permit in Shigatse. The guide will reasonably adjust the itinerary based on the permit processing status. Please follow the guide's arrangements and cooperate actively. 2. If system failures or long queues due to a surge of tourists in peak season cause delays in permit processing, please be understanding.

【Mount Everest】 Take the most beautiful border highway and admire the magnificent snow mountains. Along the way, gaze at the world's third-highest peak, Kangchenjunga, the world's fourth-highest peak, Lhotse, and Rima Nana Snow Mountain. Mount Everest, at 8,848 meters above sea level, is the world's highest peak, located on the China-Nepal border in the central section of the Himalayas. The summit is covered in snow year-round, with glaciers hanging in the distance and silver peaks towering high—an incomparably peculiar and spectacular scene. 【Everest Viewpoint】 The Mount Everest viewpoint is located 22 kilometers along Everest Road in Tingri County, Shigatse. This is the only route to Everest Base Camp. The viewpoint sits at an elevation of 5,200 meters. Looking south from here, you can see Mount Everest and other snow mountains over 8,000 meters high. 【Rongbuk Monastery】 Rongbuk Monastery is at an elevation of about 5,100 meters. The terrain is high and cold, and the scenery is superb. The new Everest Base Camp is nearby. If you are lucky, you may also see the Everest banner cloud drifting like a flame of life. 【Warm Tips】 1. Accommodation is in tents at Everest Base Camp (8-15 people per tent, multi-person dormitory beds, shared bathrooms, limited conditions): generally still clean and tidy, but quite different from city hotels. Thank you for your understanding. From October to April each year, due to the cold weather, the tents are withdrawn from Everest Base Camp, and accommodation is changed to guesthouses in villages near Everest. 2. Food and lodging on that day are poor, the altitude is high, and the temperature is low. Please take care to keep warm. Stay safe and prevent altitude sickness. In summer, nighttime temperatures are around 0-8°C. Please bring warm clothing, or you can rent a down jacket at Base Camp for warmth.

[Sunrise over Mount Everest] In the morning, be sure to dress fully equipped. Before sunrise, the temperature at the pass can drop below 0°C, and with strong winds, please make sure to have warm gear. Standing at the top of the world, facing the sunlight and looking up at Mount Everest, the summit is covered in snow year-round, with glaciers hanging in the distance and silver peaks towering—a holy scene. Capture the sunrise over Mount Everest (photography results depend on weather). [Warm Tips] 1. Whether you can see the sunrise over Mount Everest is subject to weather and actual tour conditions. Thank you for your understanding. [Jia Cuo La Pass] Jia Cuo La Mountain is the only route to the world's highest peak—Mount Everest. The pass is at an altitude of 5,252 meters, the highest point on the China-Nepal Highway. If the weather is clear, standing at Jia Cuo La Pass you can gaze at Mount Everest in the distance, and also view Cho Oyu, Lhotse, and Makalu.

【Tashilhunpo Monastery】(about 1 hour visit) Tashilhunpo Monastery, also known as "Tashi Lhunpo Monastery," is the largest monastery in the Shigatse region. Along with Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, and Ganden Monastery in Lhasa, as well as Kumbum Monastery in Qinghai and Labrang Monastery in Gansu, it is listed as one of the six great monasteries of the Gelug school. It was founded in 1447 by Gendun Drup, the First Dalai Lama and a disciple of Tsongkhapa. At its height, Tashilhunpo Monastery had more than 3,000 rooms, more than 5,000 monks, more than 50 subordinate monasteries, and more than 30 manors and pastures. Starting from the Fourth Panchen Lama, later Panchen Lamas all used this monastery as their seat. Today, Tashilhunpo Monastery has 4 dratsangs, 56 assembly halls, more than 3,600 rooms, more than 800 monks, and a total area of 300,000 square meters. Highlights 1. Praised as the pride of Tsang, it is the seat of successive Panchen Lamas and the largest monastery in the Tsang region, and together with the three great monasteries of Lhasa it is known as one of the four great monasteries of Tibet. 2. The Maitreya Buddha Hall enshrines a bronze statue of the Buddha, using 231,400 jin of brass and 6,700 taels of gold. For merely inlaying the Buddha's eyebrows, more than 1,400 diamonds, pearls, and other gems were used. 3. The monastery enshrines exquisitely shaped Panchen stupas, using countless materials including gold, silver, copper, silk, coral, pearls, agate, and turquoise. 【Warm Tips】 On that day, the return from Shigatse to Lhasa may be by tour vehicle or by train, depending on the travel agency's specific arrangements. Specific requests cannot be accepted. Please understand.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport or train station according to your flight schedule, ending the pleasant journey. The city center is about a 1-hour drive from the airport. It is recommended to book a flight departing after 10:00 AM.