22 Days Lhasa to Kathmandu Bike Tour

Our Nepali guide will meet your at Kathmandu Airport and transfer you to your hotel in Kathmandu.

After a short rest, you will visit the Durbar Square in the heart of Kathmandu. Known as Hanuman Dhoka Palace Square to local people, Durbar Square is an ancient seat of the Nepalese Royalty and some of the important monuments there are Taleju temple, Jagannath temple, Kal Bhairav, Kumari Ghar, and Kasthamandap - built from the timber of a single tree.

Stay overnight in Kathmandu.

In the morning, take the car ride for about 5km to Pashupatinath Temple, one of the holiest temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. Then drive to visit Boudhanath Stupa, one of the biggest in the world of its kind.

After lunch, you will visit the 2000-year-old Swayambhunath Stupa about 4 kilometers west of Kathmandu City.

Stay overnight in Kathmandu.

Take the flight to Lhasa in the morning. The Kathmandu-Lhasa air journey takes about 1.5 hours and covers rugged terrain which used to take trade caravans months to cross. On the way, you can appreciate the spectacular Himalaya Ranges if weather permits.

When arriving at Lhasa Gonggar Airport, you will meet your Tibetan guide and be transferred to your hotel in Lhasa. Then, you can take a good rest at hotel to acclimatize to Tibetan plateau environment.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Today, you’ll pay a visit to the famous Potala Palace, the world culture heritage and the winter palace of Dalai Lama. You can explore its audience halls, the jeweled and golden burial chortens (stupa tombs) of past Dalai Lamas, meditation cave of the 33rd Great King of Tibet, and tremendous number of Buddhist frescoes, thangkas, combinations of mandala, etc.

Then you will head to the holiest temple in Tibet, the Jokhang Temple, built during Songtsen Ganpo's reign by Princess Wencheng of Tang dynasty, 647 A.D. Here you can observe sincere pilgrims making prostration in front of Jokhang Temple. While entering inside the temple, you can see the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni at the age of twelve. On the top of Jokhang Temple, you can enjoy the panorama of old Lhasa City and great vista of Potala Palace.

Then you can do the kora with pilgrims and locals by circling the Barkhor Street around the temple, buy some souvenirs, and taste sweet tea and local snacks in local tea house. Later, you can take your family to explore farm products like yak butter in Tromzikhang, the famous farm produce market.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Today, you will visit two important monasteries in Lhasa, the Drepung and the Sera. Drepung Monastery, the largest monastery in Tibet, was founded by Jamyang Choeje in 1416 and used to be home to more than 10,000 monks. Hiking along the mountain steps, you can see Buddhist painting on the rock face. During Shoton Festival, locals and pilgrims swarm to Drepung Monastery to celebrate the gigantic Thangka Buddha unveiling ceremony on the Gambo Utse Mountain. Then you will stop by the nearby carpet factory to appreciate the Tibetan artisans make traditional carpets with great skills.

After having lunch, you will visit Sera Monastery, which was founded in 1419 by Tsongkapa's disciple Jamchen Choeje. The most interesting thing is to see monks debating in the courtyard at around 3-5 in the afternoon. By yelling at each other, slapping hands and rolling mala, two monks make a pair to debate on philosophical issues. You can also appreciate the delicately-made Mandala, sanding paintings, and massive Buddhist scriptures inside Sera Monastery.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Today, your biking adventure from Lhasa to Kathmandu begins. The first day of riding is short and easy, with well-paved and flat road. You will ride along the Tsangpo River to the foot of Kamba La Pass (3700m).

Camping at the foot of Kamba La Pass.

Today, you will climb through the first mountain pass of this trip. After a sharp uphill climbing along the zigzag tar road, we will reach the summit adorned with colorful prayer flags. Then we will descend and continue towards the road to Yamdrok Lake, where will be our second camping site. The holy Yamdrok Lake is one of the three great lakes in Tibet, alluring thousands of tourists every year for its dazzlingly turquoise water and breathtaking mountain views.

Camping near Yamdrok Lake.

Leaving the beautiful lake behind, we will continue along the Friendship Highway. The road sooner becomes graveled. After through uphill and downhill, we will arrive at the foot of Karo La Pass (4750m), where you will stay overnight in the prepared tent.

Camping at the foot of Karo La Pass.

In the early morning, we will climb over the high Karo La Pass (5010m), from where you can see stretching glaciers and beautiful lakes. Then we will cycle to Gyantse (3980m) and check in a top hotel here.

Stay overnight in Gyantse.

We will first the Gyantse Dzong and Gyantse Kumbum. Gyantse Dzong, also known as Gyantse Fortress, was constructed in 1390. The Gyantse Kumbum or Gyantse Stupa is the largest chorten in Tibet. It has 75 chapels, containing an impressive collection of Tibetan Buddhist murals.

Then we will hit the road towards Shigatse. It is a long way to ride, but the roadway is flat and tarred. Until afternoon, we will arrive in Shigatse (3860m), the second largest city in Tibet. You can take a shower in your hotel.

Stay overnight in Shigatse.

In the morning, we will pay a visit to the Tashilhunpo Monastery, the most prestigious Gelugpa monastery in Shigatse. The monastery is built in 1447, by the first Dalai Lama. You can explore the world’s largest future Buddha and do religious circumnavigation around white stupas and stroll in pencil-thin red alleys and visit the monks’ chanting room.

Then leaving Shigatse behind, we will cycle through two small mountain passes and several Tibetan villages, and arrive at Gyachung Monastery for camping.

Camping around Gyachung Monastery.

The route keeps extending along the highway. We will pass through some picturesque valleys, and then reach the Tso-La (4520m). After lunch, we will head towards Lhatse, a small town with only one street and a small square near the center, situated in the valley of Yarlung Tsangpo River. We will pass the hot springs and camp around 10 km outside the town.

Camping near Lhatse.

From Lhaste to Shegar, today’s ride will be filled with stunning views. When climbing over the Gyatso-La(5220m), you will get the first view of Mount Everest, if it is a clear day. After a 40-km ride through prairie towns, we will arrive in Shegar, a popular stopover for tourists heading to Mt. Everest.

Stay overnight in Shegar.

It will be a little bit tough for today’s riding, as the road condition is not as good as that of the past days. You will start going along a different rough road just outside of Shegar, and head to the word’s highest peak, Mount Everest. You will overcome a winding mountain road of up to 20 km, after crossing the border control point. As long as you reach the summit of Pang Pass (5150m), you will be rewarded with some of the most gorgeous views of Mount Everest and surrounding peaks.

At noon, we will enjoy lunch while appreciating the summit view of Makalu (8463m), Shishapangma(8012m), Cho Oyu (8210m), Lhotse (8516m), Everest (8850m) and several other breathtaking peaks. Then, we will descend along a 20-km downhill to the Rongbuk Valley (4200m).

Camping around Rongbuk Valley.

Today, we will continue riding along a bumpy road winding up through Rongbuk Valley until we get to Rongbuk Monastery (4980km). As the highest monastery in the world, Rongbuk Monastery is the perfect site of tourists to get the best summit view of the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest.

Stay overnight in Rongbuk Monastery (Dorm Bed/Tents).

Today is for you to relax and take in the stunning views of Mount Everest. We will get close to the famous Everest Base Camp (5200m), just next to Rongbuk Monastery. You will enjoy the sunset of incredible Holy Mountain here. If you dare to venture out at night, you will be rewarded with heavenly starry night at EBC.

Stay overnight in Rongbuk Monastery (Dorm Bed/Tents).

Leaving Rongbuk, we will head back down to the bumpy road towards Tingri (4340m). On the way, we will pass canyons and then descend to Tingri.

Stay overnight in Tingri.

In the morning, we will ride on a smooth roadway of 40 to 50 km. After lunch, we will face the gradually uphill of Lalung Pass (4990m). When reaching the ridge, you will feel as if you were standing as high as the peaks around you, including Shishapangma (8012m). We will set up tents for accommodation in the valley between two passes.

Camping around Lalung Pass.

Today, we will climb over our last uphill, the Thang Pass (5050m). You will be treated to the breathtaking views of the Himalayans, as you freewheel down all the way to the Nepalese border.

From the town of Nyalam, the scenery starts to present another look of green mountains and lush trees. You will cycle cross several waterfalls and pine trees, until reaching the border town of Gyirong (2330m).

Stay overnight at Gyirong.

Pass through China Customs and Nepal Customs to enter into Nepal. When you arrive at Kodari Town in Nepal, the downhill continues for the following 50 km along some very bumpy and rocky roads. When cycling alongside rice paddies, it is tropical humid and green. After reaching Dolalghat, Town, you need climb up to Dhulikhel Town (1600m).

Stay overnight in Dhulikhel.

Today, you will ride from Dhulikhel to Kathmandu. On the way, you will stop over Bhaktapur to visit some of the town's famous temples before riding into the bustling Kathmandu.

You will arrive in Kathmandu around noon, and have a rest, go shopping or sightseeing if you like.

Stay overnight in Kathmandu.

Your guide will pick you up from your hotel in a private car, take you to Tribhuvan Airport, and help you with your luggage and checking in for your flight from Nepal.