Lhasa Everest Base Camp Kailash Tour-15 days

Lhasa Everest Base Camp Kailash Tour is an incredible pilgrimage tour in Tibet. The 15 days Lhasa EBC Kailash Tour discovers architectural wonders of Lhasa: Potala and Norbulinka palace, monasteries and Barkhor streets.You will then continue your drive across arid Tibetan plateau to Shigatse, Sakya and Rongbuk, the highest monastery in the world on the foot of Mt Everest. The tour goes from Lhasa to Kailash via Everest Base Camp, Gyantse, Shigatse, Yamdrok.

Once you will visit base camp of Everest, the highest mountain on earth. We then travel to holy Manasarovar lake and Mount Kailash, Asia’s most revered peak. You will spend 3 days trekking around Mt. Kailash is holy mountain for both Hindus and Buddhists. Kailash trek offers spectacular views of the Himalayas. After Mt Kailash Mansarovar Tour, you will then return to Lhasa for your onward flight to Nepal and China.
Mount Kailash is the center of the Universe by Hinduism, Buddhism, Bon-an old native religion of Tibet and Jainism. Mount Kailash shaped like a pyramid with symmetrical sides. The center of worship for four sects of religions including Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and Bon, which is also Mount Olympus in the east, a fascinated place for tens of thousands people.

Lhasa EBC Kailash Tour Cost-The tour cost ranges from $ 2250 USD to $ 6500, it depends on private and group tour size and also the standard of the package like Budget, standard and deluxe trip. In the tour cost, it includes all accommodations, breakfast, Tibet travel permit, guide, transfers with driver and taxes.

Kailash Tour Group Size-Group sizes are 1 to 12 people in Tibet tour.In the group tour, group size will be between 6 to 12 people. No matter for private tour in Tibet. Any number of people will accept for private Tibet tour.

Best seasons for Lhasa EBC Kailash Tour-April to November is the best time of year to travel to Tibet.One of the biggest features of weather on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the dramatic temperature change between day and night. The annual temperature in Lhasa is 2 to 12 degree in Spring, 9 to 22 degree in Summer, 7 to 19 degree in fall and -7 to 9 degree in winter. Do wear clothes properly such as thermal tops, fleece jacket, breathable underwear, down jacket, jeans, beanie, etc. Of course, sun screen, lip balm, sun glasses are essential to shield you from powerful blinding sunlight on the plateau. Do drink more water and eat more vegetable as you travel in Tibet. It can prevent you from dehydration.

Accommodation during Trip-The standard of accommodation in Tibet varies considerably and can be basic at times, especially out of Lhasa. Hot water and power supply can be sporadic, and the facilities can be old due to the lack of development in the region as well. At the tent 'city' (stay at the EBC section of the trip), you will be staying in a seasonal tented camp. The tents are spacious, well-equipped 8 person sized, which come with dormitory style single beds, solid flooring and a central heating stove. There are no showers here and the toilet facilities are a little primitive but the view of the north face of Everest should make up for the lack of creature comforts. WiFi is often available in hotel reception areas and sometimes in rooms. Your guide will be able to advise on the best places to get connected.Only locally-run Tibetan yak tents and Rongbuk Guest house are available EBC.

Tibet is never known for its 5-star luxury resorts, though you can find some like Intercontinental Lhasa Paradise, St. Regis Lhasa Resort, Sheraton hotel, etc in Lhasa. Overall, the accommodation facilities and services are not as good as those in coastal and central parts of China. However, from cheap and clean youth hotel, to distinct Tibetan style 3-star and international 5-star luxury hotel, you will find one that suits your interest and pocket in Lhasa.

We’ve handpicked cozy and safe hotels in the central area of Lhasa, where you will find Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Street are just steps away from you. You can easily experience more of the local life and culture. Normally, as you travel to remote areas in some parts of Shigatse like Tingri, or EBC, Ngari, Nagqu, etc. the accommodation would be much poorer. Some may have air-conditioning in the hotel;others may only have electric blanket in the guesthouses. And the food is also very basic.

Toilets-Admittedly, to many western tourists, using toilets in Tibet is the most dreadful experience. So, please down play your expectation. If you take Tibet train to Lhasa, both western toilet and squat toilet are available in the train. If you stay in hotel above 3-star hotels in Lhasa, Shigatse, etc. you will have no complaining using standard western flash toilet.However, if you visit some of the attractions like Yamdrok or Namtso, EBC outdoor, mostly you will see the smelly and filthy pit toilet.It's better to carry enough toilet paper.

Food on Kailash Everest Base Camp Lhasa Tour-Common foods in Tibet include Chinese and Nepalese dishes, local noodles, dumplings (momo), yak butter or local milk tea and even yak burgers. While Lhasa has many cafes and restaurants to choose from, once outside of the capital there will be fewer or no options of where to have our meals. Your guide will choose places to eat that have been well rated by past travelers. Vegan and vegetarian choices are possible to cater for, although choice may be limited. The high altitude can affect how food tastes, so don't be surprised if you end up adding far more chili to your dishes than you would at home. You will get basic food like Instant noodles, Tibetan soup noodles, dried yak meat, pork soup, milk tea, egg fried rice, Tsampa, cabbage with rice, chili potato curry at EBC. It is nice to take some bread or light snacks before heading to EBC from Tingri or Shigatse.

Tour and Travel Permit-Tibet Travel Permit is a must for Tibet tour. Its cost includes package price. It is nice to send your scanned passport and China visa copies in advance, and we will apply your Tibet permit once you book Tibet tour with us. Shortly after we get your permit from Tibet Tourism Bureau, we will inform you and mail it to your hotel in China via express.In some extreme cases, our staff will hand it over to you at the airport or railway station. In our experience, we can virtually guarantee to get your permit during times when Tibet is open to foreign travelers.

Passport-You will need a valid passport to travel to Tibet. As a general rule, Tibet require that your passport has a minimum of 8 months validity remaining. Your passport details are required to complete your booking. Please ensure the passport details you provide are accurate. Any errors provided may result in extra fees for making corrections in bookings. We recommend taking copies of the main passport pages and other important documents with you as well as leave copies at home with family or friends.

Tour Guide-All group trips are accompanied by local Tibet tour guide. The aim of guide is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible.Our English-speaking guides are natives of Tibet with good knowledge of Tibetan culture, history, and Buddhism. Most are trained to offer Western-standard service.Throughout your stay in Tibet, we will minor your health and provide prompt help to you. 

Tipping-Travelers’s tipping to Tibetan guide and driver is taken as an extra gratitude to their good service, just like what you do in the west. Normally, a tipping of 7 USD/day is acceptable. The basic rule is good service for good pay.

Day 1: Arrive in Lhasa (3650m).
Arrive in Lhasa either by flight or train. Tibetan guide will greet, receive you there and drive to your hotel. You may view the Yarlung Tsangpo River / Brahmaputra River (the Longest and largest river in Tibet) and Lhasa River on their way to Lhasa.  Take a rest to acclimatize in high altitude after check in hotel.  It also possible to walk around Potala Square, and get amazing photos of Potala Palace. Overnight in Lhasa.
Day 2: Lhasa Tour - Potala Palace, Johkang Temple, and Barkhor Street.
Breakfast, and sightseeing tour first visit the Potala Palace is the winter palace of the Dalai Lama. Tibet Potala palace has 1000 chambers, the gilded burial stupas of former Dalai Lamas and meditation cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet.
After lunch, tour to Jokhang temple built by the 33rd great kind of Tibet in 7th century to promote the Buddhist religion. Barkhor Street is the local Tibetan street around Jokhang temple; you can walk with pilgrims and locals, and shopping local Tibetan souvenirs there.
Day 3: Lhasa Tour - Drepung and Sera Monastery.
Breakfast and continue Lhasa tour to visit Drepung monastery, one of the great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet built in 1416 by Jamyang choge, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. Ganden palace used to be Dalai Lama’s palace in the Drepung before he moved to the Potala palace.
In the Afternoon, we visit Sera Monastery, one of the “great three” Gelugpa monasteries of Tibet built in 1419 by Jamchen Chojey, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. The Monks debate at around 3 - 5 in the afternoon is the main attraction of Sera Monastery. Stay overnight in Lhasa
Day 4: Lhasa - Yamdrok Lake - Shigatse (10 hrs, 370km)
Breakfast and we drive through the green farmland of Nyangchu Valley, Yamdrok lakes, Karo-La Glacier and Gyantse. Yamdro-Tso Lake and Kumbum monastery in Gyantse are the attraction of the day driving. Yamdro-tso Lake is shaped like coiling scorpion with deep blue in color and Kumbum monastery has a 35m-high chorten (stupa) with its white layers trimmed with decorative stripes and its crown-like golden dome.  After visiting Pelkor Choede, we continue drive to Shigatse which is the second biggest city of Lhasa.  Overnight in Shigatse
Day 5: Shigatse - Snakya - Tingri (10hr, 290km)
Breakfast, visit Tashilhumpo monastery, the seat of Panchen Lama and drive to Tingri visiting Sakya monastery.  One of the very famous monasteries in Tibet, and we also cross the highest pass called Gyatso La (5200m) while driving to Tingri, the entrance of Himalayan Nature Reserve. Overnight in Tingri.
Day 6: Tingri to Rongbuk Monastery and Everest Base Camp (3 hrs, 90km)
Breakfast and 2-3 hours drive to Rongpuk through new winding road in the mountains. On the way from Tingri to Everest Base Camp, you can enjoy the stunning mountain scenery; past the wild grassland, the torrent and soaring mountains. You can see the panorama of Himalaya range including the 4 mountains which are 8000m high and more to enjoy like Mt. Lhotse (8516m), Mt. Everest (8848m), Mt. Cho Oyou (8201m) and Mt Makalu (8463m), and even majestic view of golden summit of Mt. Everest at sunset. Stay overnight in Rongbuk Guest House or local Tibetan Tent.
Day 7: Rongphu Monastery - Everest Base Camp - Saga (8/9hrs, 460km)
Enjoy the sunrise view on the top of Mount Everest and the giant pyramid view of Mount Everest in front of you at Rongbuk monastery, breakfast and continue drive to Saga via Peiku Tso Lake (4600m). Overnight at local guesthouse of Saga
Day 8: Saga to Lake Manasarovar to Darchen (9/10hrs, 550km)
Breakfast and drive to Darchen via Drongpa and Manasarovar Lake is the holy lake of Tibetan and Hinduism. You can relax around the lake shore and experience the natural beauty of the lake. In late afternoon, we will reach Darchen, a small town at the foot of Mt. Kailash. Tour guide will assist tourists to arrange trekking yaks and porters and doing some preparation for your following 3 days trekking around Mt. Kailash. Overnight at local guesthouse in Darchen town
Day 9: Trek Day 1 - Darchen to Drirapuk (6.5 hrs, 11km)
Drive 8km by an environment-friendly bus (40 minutes) to Sarshung, where porters are waiting for their clients, and we trek to Drirapuk (4920m). Stay overnight at the tent guesthouse of monastery.
Day 10: Trek Day 2 - Drirapuk to Zuthulpuk (22km, 12 hours)
Breakfast and trek to Zhuthulpuk. This is the hardest and most tough trek crosses the Dolma-La pass (5630m) lying 6.4km ahead but 762m above Drirapuk. After taking a rest at the top of Dolma-La pass, you will descend staircase bringing you to Lhachu valley floor, taking about one hour from the pass, and the continue trek to Zuthulpuk. Stay overnight at the tent guesthouse of monastery.
Day 11: Trek Day 3 - Zuthulpuk to Darchen (11km, 7hours)
Today, we will go through Milarepa's cave, where the temple and shrines have been built around. Then we walk back to Darchen is easy and the exit from the valley can be reached within three hours. At the ending point of the valley, the driver will come to pick you up and take you back to Darchen.  Stay overnight at the local guesthouse at Tarchen.
Day 12: Darchen to Saga (530Km, 14 hours)
Drive back along the incoming road to Saga.
Day 13: Saga to Shigatse
Day 14: Shigatse to Lhasa
Day 15: Lhasa Airport or Train Station.
Breakfast and Tibetan tour guide will transfer you to the airport or train station and help you get on board.  Say good bye to Tibet Himalayas and Lhasa.

China Visa
Most nationalities require a visa for mainland China. You must obtain your Chinese visa in advance. It is not possible to get a visa on arrival and Chinese visas can be difficult to obtain outside your country of residence. Tibet is is a province of China and so you will require a Chinese visa for this trip. You will need a Single Entry Tourist for your trip valid for 30 days.

Information Required for Visa Application
For our Tibet trips you will be provided with documentation for your visa application that will not match your true itinerary. While Tibet is not off limits to travellers, you must first obtain a Chinese visa before you apply for the Tibet group permit for your trip. Including Tibet on your visa application will be likely to lead to your visa being rejected, so you must instead use the general China itinerary that we provide to you.

Documents Required for Visa Application
Hotel List - this will be sent to you by your travel agent at time of booking. If you do not receive this, email us.
Official invitation from licensed Chinese tourism company - this will be provided from us together with the Hotel List to all travellers regardless of whether it is required by the consulate or not and will assist with your application.
Photocopy of your passport.
Passport size photo up to 4 may be required.
Check with the consulate for any other specific requirements.

Documents Required for Tibet permit and Ticket booking
The following must be sent at the time of booking or no later than 35 days prior to travel
1. Clear, color scanned copy of the personal details page of your passport
2. Clear, color scanned copy of your Chinese visa
3. Your current profession. Some professions including diplomats, journalists, military or police personnel will be denied permission to enter Tibet.
4. If we do not receive these documents from you in time you will not be able to travel to Tibet.

Lhasa Kailash Tour Packing List
It is nice to keep your main luggage under 15 kg. What you need to bring will vary according to the trip style you have chosen, the countries you are visiting and when you are travelling. Generally speaking, we recommend you pack as lightly as possible and make sure that you are able to carry and lift your own luggage, and walk with it for short distances or up or down a flight of stairs. Our travelers usually find the smaller their luggage is, the more they enjoy the trip not having to worry about carrying heavy bags. A lockable bag or small padlock will be useful especially when travelling on public transportation as well. You'll also need a day pack/bag to carry water, camera, and jacket etc. when you’re exploring during the day. Below are some ideas and helpful tips on what you specifically need for this trip. Bring you down jacket, thermal underwear, and warm head wear. Besides, sunscreen, sun hat, toiletries, personal medicine like mountain sickness, cold relief, diarrhea. Some cash are also needed. 

Essential:
Clothing: a mixture of lightweight and dry fast clothing and warm layers like Long shirts, pants, scarves.
Trekking Shoes: sturdy and comfortable shoes.
Personal Travel Documents-Your passport (visa), travel insurance, flight tickets, passport size photos.
Small first aid kit such as mild pain killers, electrolytes, Band-Aids and insect repellent, and essential medicine depending on your doctors advice.
Money: Cash/credit card/EFTPOS card and money belt
Sun protection- A hat, sunscreen, and sunglasses.

Recommended:
Refillable water bottle (1.5-litre capacity suggested)
Cell phone, camera with spare batteries, charger, and adapter plug
Hand wash, travel wipes, toiletries and a small towel
Watch/alarm clock and torch/flashlight (and spare batteries)

Optional:
Sleeping bag(Useful for camping, overnight trains and poorly heated hotels, particularly during the winter months of Dec - Feb when temperatures are low). Sleep sheet. If you are travelling during the hot season you may wish to pack a sleep sheet so you will be comfortable no matter what the weather. Earplugs to guard against street noise and snorers. A good book, a journal and music player for overnight train rides and longer drives.

Money Matter
The official currency in China and Tibet is the Yuan or Renminbi (CNY). 1 renminbi (yuan) = 10 jiao (mao). ATMs are widespread, so the easiest way to access cash on your trip is to bring a credit/debit card. Please check with your bank about overseas withdrawal fees before you depart and look for ATMs with your card logo. You may find that your card does not work in certain ATMs, so we recommend purchasing some CNY in your home country so you have some cash for your first day. Credit cards are mostly acceptable in bigger cities and establishments while in small towns, they may not work. 

Currency exchange is available at major banks and some hotels. The easiest foreign currencies to exchange are USD and EUR, however, please be aware of the security risk of carrying large amounts of cash. Commission is sometimes charged for currency exchange. Please note that due to restrictions on currency conversion for foreigners in China it may not be possible to change leftover CNY back into foreign currency, so please plan your budget and spending money well by withdrawing/exchanging what you need as you go.

Phone and internet access
Please note while traveling through mainland China you will not be able to access some popular internet websites. It’s important to let your family and friends know that you might not be able to stay in touch over your usual methods, be it – social media or email. The Chinese Government restrict certain websites such as Google, Dropbox, Gmail, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, WordPress. It may be possible to still access some of these websites using a VPN. If you wish to stay in touch with your friends and family through the above blocked sites, we suggest you research installing a suitable VPN on your device prior to travel.

Travel to Tibet
Due to the political sensitivities and increased security in this region it is important to understand that unexpected difficulties in obtaining Tibet permits may arise, and are out of our control. Regularly and without any official announcements by the government authorities permitting travel, the region of Tibet can be closed to visitors, and travel permits denied without warning. It is impossible to predict if or when such issues may be encountered again in the future. In the event of an individual or group permit being denied, or last minute closures of the Tibetan Autonomous Region to foreign travelers, we will endeavor to provide an alternative itinerary.

Altitude Sickness
Parts of your trip go above 2800 meters / 9200 feet where it is common for travelers to experience some adverse health effects due to the altitude - regardless of your age, gender and fitness. This can be life-threatening and affect anyone, even people who are very physically fit. There is a higher risk for those who have had altitude sickness before, who exercise or drink alcohol before adjusting to the altitude, or who have health problems that affect breathing. If your tour travels to high altitude, see your doctor for advice specific to you and your situation before you depart. It is important to be aware of the normal altitude symptoms that you may encounter but no worry about:
1.Periods of sleeplessness
2.Occasional loss of appetite
3.Vivid, wild dreams at around 2500-3800m in altitude
4.Unexpected momentary shortness of breath, day and night
5.Periodic breathing that wakes you occasionally
6.Blocked nose
7.Dry cough
8.Mild headache
If you are feeling nauseous, dizzy, or experience other symptoms, please be sure to let your guide know immediately so that we can monitor your condition.

Other things to consider
Check weather in destinations you are travelling to online a few days before you go to make sure you pack appropriate clothing. Laundry facilities may not be available in all destinations, so make sure you have a few cycles of clothes to tide you over until your next chance to wash. Local authorities will react negatively if you are found carrying letters or packages from Tibetan nationals to be posted in other countries. Do not carry images of the Dalai Lama, Tibetan flags, literature or books on Tibet during your travels in this region as they may be confiscated or you may be detained. A hot water bottle and thermal clothes can be very useful for cold nights in Tibet and when heating is not adequate. Bedding is always provided, but some travelers have found that a thin sleeping sheet useful for hygiene purpose in the overnight train, tent and guesthouses. Bring good quality walking shoes as there are many steps in monasteries and some uneven terrain. Due to the altitude weather can change very quickly. A windproof jacket is essential as are warm layers of clothes that can easily be added or removed as needed.

Phone and internet access
Please note while traveling through mainland China you will not be able to access some popular internet websites. It’s important to let your family and friends know that you might not be able to stay in touch over your usual methods, be it – social media or email. The Chinese Government restrict certain websites such as Google, Dropbox, Gmail, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, WordPress. It may be possible to still access some of these websites using a VPN. If you wish to stay in touch with your friends and family through the above blocked sites, we suggest you research installing a suitable VPN on your device prior to travel.

Tibet/China National Holidays
Please note that China's national holidays are the peak travel season for Chinese nationals. During this time, literally the whole country is on the move - that's over a billion people. Although these are fascinating and exciting times to travel in China, please be aware you will almost definitely experience transport delays and massive crowds at tourist attractions and train stations. It's common for there to be difficulties in securing train or flight tickets at your preferred times, hotels become overbooked, traffic chaotic and changes to the itinerary are often necessary as a result. If clockwork organization is important to you we advise you book outside of the weeks of the extended Chinese New Year in January/February, in the first week of May and the first week of October. If you decide to travel during this period please come with an open mind and be prepared for changes on the ground.Here are the major holiday periods in China:
1.Chinese New Year
2. Qingming Festival
3. Labor Day Holiday
4.Dragon Boat Festival
5.Mid-Autumn Day
6.National Day