25 Days Epic Everest Base Camp Trekking Tour in both Tibet and Nepal

Upon your arrival in Lhasa by flight or train, our Tibetan guide will be expecting you at the Lhasa Gonggar Airport or Lhasa Railway Station and greet you with white Hada, auspicious ceremonial scarf for guests from afar. Then, you will be transferred to hotel. On the way you can enjoy the great vista of awe-inspiring Potala Palace and enchanting Lhasa River.

Stay overnight in Lhasa 

Getting Started:
For newly-arrived tourists, your body needs time (normally a couple of days) to acclimatize to high altitude and thin air on Tibetan Plateau. It’s highly recommended not to exert yourself to visit any attractions right away. You’d better have a good sleep in your hotels to avoid physical discomfort due to altitude ascent.

Today, you’ll pay a visit to the famous Potala Palace, inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1994. You can explore its audience halls, the jeweled and Golden burial chortens (stupa Tombs) of past Dalai Lamas, 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 devout pilgrims making prostration in front of Jokhang Temple. While entering inside the temple, you can see the holiest statue of Buddha. Around the monastery is the famous Barkhor Street, where you can do the kora with pilgrims and locals. And then you’ll go to explore the old market and you may have chance to see the traditional jewelry trading between people from different part of Tibet.

Finally, you’ll taste Tibetan tea with locals in tea house and enjoy a welcome dinner at night.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Optional:
After finishing the sightseeing, if time allows, you may go with tour guide to visit Tibetan handicraft art or Tibetan Traditional Medicine center. Besides, you can also choose to upgrade your tour to enjoy Tibetan Culture Show in the evening (fr. 60USD).

Today, you will visit two of the three prestigious Gelugpa monasteries in Lhasa, the Drepung and the Sera. Founded by Jamyang Choeje in 1416, Drepung Monastery is the largest monastery in Tibet. Situated at the foot of Gambo Utse Mountain, Drepung was once home to more than 10000 monks. Here you can see the biggest monastery kitchen inside and then pay a visit to the Buddhist Sculpture Carving near Drepung.

After having lunch, you’ll continue to visit the Sera Monastery, which was founded in 1419 by Tsongkapa's disciple Jamchen Choeje. The highlight is the monk debate held in the courtyard at around 3-5 in the afternoon. Besides, you can also see the colorful Rock Painting of Buddha and the three sand Mandalas and then visit the Tibetan scripture printing house.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

After two days’ acclimatization and sightseeing in Lhasa city, today we are finally on our way to the second largest city in Tibet, i.e. Shigatse. After breakfast, we will board the tour vehicle to begin the long drive (around 353km)

As we drive away from Lhasa, the first big attraction that would blows your mind away is glittering turquoise Yamdrok Lake, which is one of the top three holy lakes in Tibet. Our tour vehicle will stop many times and wait for you to take engaging photos. Kamba La Pass(4790m) is the best place to take the panorama of Yamdrok Lake.

Keep following the winding road, we will reach Karola Glacier. The enormous glacier is located right next the highway. The glacier is cascading down the mountainside with a dramatic effect. You may take a few shots with the white stupas or locals.

Then, we will pass Manak Dam where you can buy a scroll of colorful Tibetan prayer flags from local vendors and hang it over the Simila Mountain Pass. Tibetan prayer flags are deemed to spread good luck and blessings to the infinite world.

Soon, we are about to enter historic Gyantse town. We will stroll in famous Palcho Monastery. It’s the only monastery in Tibet where different Tibetan religious sects coexist in a single religious compound. You can climb the magnificent nine-story Kumbum Stupa to enjoy the stunning vista of Gyantse Fortress. Later, we will keep moving to Shigatse City.

Stay overnight in Shigatse

In the morning, we proceed to visit Tashilunpo 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.

Later, the tour group will follow the highway to Old Tingri via Lhatse and Shegar . The rest of the day our guide and you need to get prepared and have a good rest for the tomorrow’s trekking.

Stay overnight in local guest house or dorm bed in Old Tingri

At breakfast, 4-day Tingri to EBC trek officially begins. We follow the trails off the friendship highway. With Cho Oyu looming ahead, we trek in gravel expanses. As the road continues south, we will pass the extensive ruins of Cholung Gompa. The grass yields to sparsely-grown barley fields.

Every so often, you will encounter lonely shepherd and their packs of grazing sheep. Later, we will arrive at Lung Thang, the last settlement in this region of Tingri plains. Around 25 Tibetan families live here, farming and growing highland barley.

Camping at Lung Thang

The second day trek begins as we continue the trails that angle south. We pass piles of Mani stones and keep moving towards Pang La. After we reach Churak, you can see the stone corrals and gravel slopes, scattered with shell fossils.

The road follows a rocky gully to Lam La, and the terrain here is speckled with the round humps of cushion plants and compact of little known flowers that can survive in harsh environment. Though a bit treacherous and strenuous when we trek towards Lamna La pass at 5150m, you will be rewarded with stunning vistas of snowy Himalayan peaks.

Camping around Lam La

As we move further and lose the sight of Lam La, you will experience steep descent on massive steppe. Shepherds and their sheep and yaks can be seen sporadically. We follow the gravel trails to towards small Zommug Villages. On the way, you will be treated with epic view of Mt. Everest and Gyachung Kang. Given the high altitude and inhospitable environment, animal husbandry and nomadic life are the only way of survival here.

Camping around Zommug

Gathering strength and morale, we march towards the final destination of 4-day trek. The main road continues its ascent. After passing rocky plains and dirt roads, we get closer to famous Rongbuk Monastery, and you can take incredible photos of Mt. Everest from here.

Then the final 4km’s walk from Rongbuk Monastery leads to the camping site of Mt. Everest (5200m). It’s the closest place for ordinary tourists to view the world’s summit. You can 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 at Tent guesthouse at EBC

At breakfast, we get up early in the morning to enjoy the awe-inspiring sunrise over the top of sublime Mount Everest. Then we trek back to tour Rongbuk Monastery, the world’s highest monastery. You can tour the underground retreat of Tsongkhapa and do a bit meditation there. Later, we will drive to Gyirong Border from EBC. On the way, we will pass the Mt. Shishapangma and the Pekutso Lake. As expected, you’ll arrive in Gyirong in late afternoon.

Stay overnight in the guest house in Gyirong

Our Tibetan guide will help you exit China and see you off at Gyirong Border. Then, you need to walk across the border bridge, which is 50m long. Then check in at Nepal side. You can get the Nepal visa upon arrival with 30USD, please prepare one photo at passport size to get Nepal Visa.

The next step, the Nepal tour guide will be expecting you on the other side of the Sino-Nepal border and greet you and transfer you to your hotel in Kathmandu.

Though pretty bumpy and dusty, the road to Kathmandu (around 160km) is filled with deep gorges, rivers all through the way. The drive takes a whole day.

Stay overnight in Kathmandu

After tasty breakfast in hotel, let’s enjoy the spiritual odyssey in a number of must-visit medieval heritage sites. As one of the iconic buildings of Nepal, Kathmandu’s Durbar Square would be our first stop. Durbar literally means palace, where the former kings ascend the throne and rule the country. You can stroll along the three main parts of Durbar Square and sit on the terraced platform to feel the vibe of Nepali city.

Then we will head to the renowned “Monkey Temple” - Swayambhunath. With lovely monkeys jumping around on the gilded spire of the temple, you can see the iconic Buddha’s eye on the stupa. The pious religious worshippers doing kora around the stupa and burning butter lamps and smell of incense draw you back to the similar experience in Tibet.

Stay overnight in Kathmandu

In the early morning, we take the early flight to Lukla, the very beginning of EBC trek. Then, you can arrange your porters and trekking gears. Then, we follow the trails that descend to Cheplung village where you can enjoy the view of sacred Mount Khumbila. Later, we keep descending and finally reach Phakding.

Stay overnight in Phakding

Our trail passes through a pine forest and we continue our walk on the trail that goes north up the Benkar valley. We cross Dudh Koshi River and pass Chumoa and Monjo villages before reaching the entrance of the Everest National Park. Then after crossing a suspension bridge, we pass Jorsale village and walk alongside of the Dudh Koshi and Bhote Koshi rivers. We ascend on a steep trail and reach Namche Bazaar which is probably the biggest town in the Everest region.

Stay overnight in Namche Bazaar

We can tour Namche Bazaar which is the primary town of the Everest or Khumbu region and has government offices, ATMs, internet cafes, shops, restaurants, and a colorful market. We can hike-up to Sagarmatha National Park and enjoy the sunrise over the Himalayas including Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Kongde and so on. If we are interested in a day hike, we can trek to Khumjung village. Today we also visit the Hillary School and a monastery which houses a yeti scalp! Overnight in Namche Bazaar.

Stay overnight in Namche Bazaar

Our trail descends and passes through lush forests of birch, confer and rhododendron trees. While trekking we can admire good views of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam. We walk downhill to Debuche and cross the Imja River to reach Pangboche. We choose the upper Pangboche trail and admire the Himalayan vista and the Pangboche Monastery. We continue our walk to the Imja Valley and Lobuche River before ascending to Dingboche. It is a picturesque village with beautiful barley, potato and buckwheat fields complete with grazing animals dotted along those fields.

Stay overnight in Dingboche

Spending a day in Dingboche will help us to acclimate to the high altitude. Instead of staying idle, we climb a ridge located behind the village and see six of the world’s tallest peaks including Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu. Furthermore, we can also admire Cholatse and Taboche peaks. On our north-west we see more Himalayan peaks rising above the Khumbu Khola Valley. Among those peaks, Lobuche West, Lobuche East and Lhotse are the most dominant. From another location on the ridge we can also admire the picturesque Imja Khola Valley and the beautiful Dingboche village.

Stay Overnight at Dingboche

It is a relatively short journey from Dinboche to Duglha. We trek across a wide pass which is a much wanted change from walking in a straight line. Around the beginning of our trek today we enjoy the company of the mighty Himalayas on all sides. The valley begins to narrow as we come closer to Dusa. We pass the campsite of the first successful Everest Expedition in 1953. We begin to see Mt. Pumori as we continue on our trail. As our trail descends and curves, we bid goodbye to Mt. Pumori. We cross a stream and ascend to Duglha which is a tiny village with a huge strand of prayer flags hung across the valley. After reaching Duglha, we can walk for 45 minutes to an hour and visit the Memorial Shrine.

Stay overnight in Duglha

We ascend to the steep terminal moraine of the Khumbu Glacier. The trail passes through boulder-strewn slopes as we ascend Chupki Lhara which is a ridge that provides spectacular mountain views. The top of the ridge is filled with prayer flags and stones which are memorial shrines for climbers who lost their lives on Mt. Everest. As the trail drops to the Khumbu Glacier moraine, we find ourselves facing several great peaks including Khumbutse, Lingtren, Pumori and Mahalangur Himal. As we are crossing Khumbu Glacier we can also see Mt. Nuptse.

Stay overnight in Lobuche

The trek to Everest Base Camp is not very difficult. However, we ascend and descend mostly on a glacier path. There is also a lot of meandering on rough terrains. As we reach the base camp, we enjoy the incredible melt patterns and admire the gently rounded ice towers on the upper part of the Khumbu glacier. The Everest Base Camp is stunningly beautiful. We can enjoy amazing views of Nuptse, Khumbuste and Pumori mountains from the base camp. After soaking in the beauty, we walk back towards Gorak Shep where we spend the night.

Stay Overnight in Gorak Shep

We wake up early for the walk up to Kala Patthar. It is dark outside with cold temperature and most likely chilly winds. We walk on a fairly steep trail at a comfortable pace. As we are climbing up the hill we can see Lingtren, Khumbutse, and Changtse mountains. The view from the summit is outstanding. We can see the world’s highest mountain Everest along other mighty Himalayan peaks. After spending some time at the summit of Kala Patthar, we walk back to Gorak Shep which is relatively easier than hiking up to Kala Pathhar.

Trekkers who visit the Everest Base Camp today will have an early breakfast as the hike up to the Everest base camp takes longer than the hike to Kala Patthar. After returning to Gorak Shep, both the groups will have lunch together. After lunch we descend to Pheriche.

Stay overnight in Pheriche

We lose approximately 2,000 feet in elevation today and walk on a trail with a lot of ups and downs. We descend through a hillside filled with rhododendron and juniper trees and cross a bridge over the Dudh Koshi River. We descend rapidly through pine forest where we can easily spot mountains goats, pheasants and other wild animals and birds common to the area. The path eventually reaches Sansa from where we can enjoy views of Ama Dablam, Thamserku and Nuptse mountains. We walk on winding trails followed by another walk through a forest before reaching Namche Bazaar.

Stay Overnight in Namche Bazaar

We begin our trek to Namche Bazaar today on a rocky terrain. It is mostly a downhill trek on a trail alongside the Dudh Koshi River. We cross several suspension bridges, pass by several monasteries and villages before reaching Lukla. After reaching Lukla we spend rest of the day taking rest as today will be our last day on the mountains.

Stay overnight in Lukla.

We catch an early morning flight to Kathmandu after our long mountain journey. After reaching Kathmandu, we can take a rest or do some souvenir shopping. If we want to explore any other areas of Kathmandu, we may do that today. Our guides can help you with both souvenir shopping or sightseeing. There will be a farewell dinner in the evening to celebrate the successful completion of our journey.

Stay overnight in Kathmandu

Get transferred to the airport for the onward flight.