Tibet Overland

Grade 1 2 3 4 5
Grade 3 – Challenging
Fairly demanding tours, usually in the high Himalaya, going up to 13,000'/ 4,000m. Roads can be unpaved and bumpy, and will usually take you into uninhabited or sparsely inhabited areas. Average driving is 5-6 hours a day.
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Tour Difficulty Grading

Our Nepal and Bhutan tours are graded easy to moderate, involving activities such as driving, sightseeing, short walks, boating, canoe and elephant rides. They take you to the foothills of the Himalaya, well below 10,000'/ 3,000m, or further down to the lowlands. Where long overland drives are involved, we use 4WD Toyota Land Cruiser jeeps for smaller groups and Toyota Coaster minibuses for larger groups. For overland trips between Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Chitwan, we use deluxe tourist bus services. The roads may take us up a Himalayan gorge or through the open plains of the Terai. Wherever they take you to, the views are breathtaking; driving through the land offers spectacular pictures of Nepal's diverse landscapes. Tours are graded on the basis of altitude, road condition, driving hours per day, and length of trip.

Grade 1 – Easy
Tours in the foothills staying below 6,500'/ 2,000m. Roads are relatively good, and average driving is 2-3 hours a day.
Grade 2 – Moderate
Tours in the foothills and the lower middle-hills going up to 10,000'/ 3,000m. Roads are generally good, but at times may involve short "off-road" stretches. Average driving is 3-5 hours a day.
Grade 3 – Challenging
Fairly demanding tours, usually in the high Himalaya, going up to 13,000'/ 4,000m. Roads can be unpaved and bumpy, and will usually take you into uninhabited or sparsely inhabited areas. Average driving is 5-6 hours a day.
Grade 4 – Demanding
These trips require participants to be in good health. All of them take you into the high Himalaya, altitudes ranging from 9,000'/ 2,800m to often in excess of 16,500'/ 5,000m. Roads venture into sparsely populated or uninhabited high-mountain wilderness. Average driving is 6-9 hours a day.
Note on altitudes
The altitude definitions indicate elevations through the major part of the tour. Tours usually involve side-trips into elevations exceeding the altitude ranges defined for their grades. Grade 3 & 4 tour itineraries are designed to allow proper acclimatization, with acclimatization days when we take exploratory trips to higher elevations.

 

10 days – 5-day drive from Lhasa to Shigatse, Rongbuk, Sakya, Gyantse, and Tsedang
  • Tours of the Potala, Norbu Lingka, Jokhang & Barkhor, Sera & Drepung monasteries, Tashi Lhunpo, and Palkor Chode
  • 5-day drive through the Tibetan plateau with stops at Shigatse, Rongbuk, Sakya, Gyantse, and Tsedang
  • Encounter the awe-inspiring North face of Everest
  • Explore the Yarlung valley – the cradle of Tibetan civilization, Visit the historic Samye, Sakya and Rongbuk monasteries
  • Flights over the Himalaya between Kathmandu and Lhasa

Tibet Overland is a classic journey offering a complete cross section of Central Tibet. You visit the key shrines and monasteries in the major towns of Lhasa, Shigatse, and Gyantse. You behold the desolate, breathtaking vastness of the Tibetan plateau and encounter the magnificent North face of Everest. And you discover the warmth and profound spiritualism of the Tibetan people.

The adventure begins with the spectacular one-hour flight over Mt. Everest and the Himalaya to Lhasa, the religious and spiritual center of Tibet. After spending the next two days acclimatizing and taking in the sights in and around Lhasa, we drive across the Tibetan plateau crossing two 5,000m / 16,000′ passes to Rongbuk, the highest monastery in the world. A morning excursion to Everest Base Camp brings us up close to the dramatic North face of Everest. On our return to Shigatse we detour to overnight at Sakya. Staying at the charming town of Gyantse, we continue along the turquoise waters of the Yamdrok Tso and the Yarlung Tsangpo to Tsedang, visiting the historic Samye monastery en route. Our last day is spent exploring the Yarlung valley: Trandruk, the oldest monastery in Tibet, Yumbulagang, the oldest building, and Chongye – the valley of the kings – where the first rulers of Tibet were entombed.

On this comprehensive 10-day tour you see the major sights of Central Tibet and experience the adventure of the trans-Himalayan drive across its desolately beautiful valleys. Tibet Overland will leave you inspired by the rich religious heritage and spiritualism of the Tibetan people, and overwhelmed by the spellbinding landscapes of the Roof of the World.

Note: This fly-in and fly-out tour is being offered as an alternative to our more popular fly-in and drive-out Lhasa – Kathmandu Overland tour, which is unavailable until the Chinese authorities open the Kyirong border.

Trip Itinerary

Day 1  Fly Kathmandu – Gongkar; drive to Lhasa.
Days 2-3  Lhasa: the Jokhang, Potala, Norbu Lingka, Sera and Drepung monasteries.
Day 4  Drive to Shigatse along the Yarlung Tsangpo. Visit Tashilhunpo monastery.
Day 5  Drive to Rongbuk. Visit Rongbuk Monastery.
Day 6  Early morning excursion to Everest Base Camp. Drive to Sakya. Visit Sakya Monastery.
Day 7  Drive to Gyantse. Visit Palkor Chode and Kumbum Stupa.
Day 8  Drive to Tsedang, skirting Yamdrok Tso. Visit Samye Monastery en route.
Day 9  Yarlung Valley: Trandruk Monastery, Yumbulagang, and Chongye valley.
Day 10  Drive to Gongkar airport for flight to Kathmandu.

Dates and Pricing

Aug 29 - Sep 7
Sep 26 - Oct 5

Oct 24 - Nov 2
Nov 22 - Dec 1

  Standard Hotels
4 - 5 personsUS$ 1,555
6 - 8 personsUS$ 1,395
9 - 12 personsUS$ 1,330
Single room supplement US$ 350
Airfare Kathmandu - Lhasa - KathmanduUS$ 632
Cost Information
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Cost Information

The tour cost quoted is the cost per person, and includes:

  • Hotels: Accommodations on twin / triple room-sharing basis with breakfast.
  • Tours: All sightseeing tours with a certified native English-speaking guide.
  • Transfers: All land transfers by car (Toyota Corolla or similar) or van (Toyota Hiace or similar).
  • Permits, Fees, & Taxes: All applicable monastery entry fees on sightseeing tours, Tibet permit (ATP) fees, and taxes.

Not included in the cost are:

  • Airfare Kathmandu - Lhasa. Airfares quoted are subject to change without notice.
  • China group visa fee (US$ 145 for U.S. nationals, US$ 85 for non-U.S. nationals – subject to change without notice).
  • Meals other than breakfast.
  • Personal clothing & equipment (upon confirmation you’ll receive a clothing & necessity checklist of items we recommend you bring).
  • Personal expenses, bottled / alcoholic beverages, and tips to crew.
  • Insurance: We strongly recommend that all trip participants be covered by their own personal insurance that also covers emergency evacuation.
  • Photography charges Some places may charge for taking photographs.
  • Other unforeseeable expenses that may arise due to factors beyond our control, such as landslides or flight cancellations.
  • Nepal re-entry visa It is advisable to get a double- / multiple-entry visa for Nepal.

 

  Standard Hotels
LhasaHotel Dhood Gu
ShigatseShigatse Hotel
RongbukHotel Everest View
SakyaSakya Hotel
GyantseGyantse Yeti Hotel
TsedangTsedang Hotel
Suggested Trips