8-Day Lhasa to Kathmandu Overland Tour via Everest Base Camp

Arrival in Lhasa (3,595m)

Upon arrival at Lhasa Airport or the train station, you’ll be greeted by your Tibetan guide. From the airport, it’s about a 68 km, roughly one-hour drive into the city, following the Brahmaputra and Lhasa rivers through striking plateau scenery, with a good chance of spotting black-necked cranes, wild ducks, and other bird species along the way. If time and energy allow, there’s an optional stop at the Nethang Giant Buddha carving en route. Travelers arriving by train typically land in the late afternoon or evening, with just a 20-minute transfer to the hotel. After checking in, the rest of the day is reserved for rest to help your body adjust to the altitude.

Accommodation: Overnight in Lhasa.

Lhasa City Sightseeing — Potala Palace & Jokhang Temple

Your first sightseeing day in Lhasa is kept intentionally light to ease the adjustment to altitude, focused on two essential sites. Jokhang Temple, built in the 7th century, sits at the heart of Lhasa’s old town and is considered the most sacred shrine in Tibet; the circular pilgrim path around it, Barkhor Street, doubles as one of the city’s best spots for souvenir shopping. Potala Palace, Tibet’s most recognizable landmark, was long the residence of the successive Dalai Lamas and remains a vast complex containing what feels like a self-contained world. Both sites draw constant streams of pilgrims prostrating and circling in devotion.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Overnight in Lhasa.

Lhasa Sightseeing — Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery & Norbulingka

Today covers three more of Lhasa’s key sites. Drepung and Sera are both Gelug (“Yellow Hat”) sect monastic colleges — Drepung once served as the seat of Tibet’s government before the Potala Palace was built, and at its peak was the largest monastery in the world, home to some 10,000 monks. Sera Monastery is known for its lively philosophical debate sessions, where monks challenge one another with sharp gestures and clapping, a tradition well worth witnessing firsthand.

The day also includes a visit to Norbulingka, the Dalai Lama’s traditional summer palace, where you can explore the residences built by different generations of the lineage. During the Shoton (Yogurt) Festival each August, the surrounding park fills with picnicking locals and traditional festivities.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Overnight in Lhasa.

Lhasa to Shigatse via Yamdrok Lake & Gyantse — 360 km, 7 hrs

The day begins with a climb to Kampala Pass (4,794m) for your first view of Yamdrok Lake, one of Tibet’s three holy lakes, its turquoise, pincer-shaped waters set against the backdrop of Mount Nyenchen Khangsar in the distance. From Karo La Pass, you’ll also catch striking views of the Nyenchen Khangsar glacier.

Continuing along the southern Friendship Highway, you’ll reach Gyantse to visit the Gyantse Kumbum, a multi-tiered stupa regarded as one of Tibet’s most remarkable architectural achievements. In the late afternoon, the drive continues to Shigatse for the night.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Overnight in Shigatse.

Shigatse to Shegar via Sakya — 300 km, 6–7 hrs

The morning begins at Tashilhunpo Monastery to see the striking tombs of the Panchen Lamas, followed by the monastery’s kora, which offers sweeping views over Shigatse. Late morning, you’ll continue to Sakya Monastery, seat of the Sakyapa sect, distinguished by the grey-toned buildings that surround it. After a short hike around the monastery’s northern ruins, the drive continues to Shegar, crossing Gyatsola Pass (5,200m) — where, on a clear day, you’ll catch your first glimpse of Mount Everest in the distance.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Overnight in Shegar.

Shegar to Everest Base Camp via Rongbuk Monastery — 100 km, 2–3 hrs

An early start takes you toward Everest Base Camp, crossing Gawula Pass (5,250m) for sweeping views of the Himalayan range, with five towering peaks visible side by side: Makalu (8,463m), Lhotse (8,516m), Everest (8,844m), Cho Oyu (8,201m), and Shishapangma (8,020m). The road then descends through a series of switchbacks into the dry valley of Tashi Zom before reaching Everest Base Camp.

Along the way, you’ll pass Rongbuk Monastery, the highest monastery in Tibet, home to both monks and nuns, and one of the best points from which to view Everest. Take time to explore the monastery and the surrounding lodging area, with the chance to catch a beautiful sunset over the mountain on a clear day.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Local tent guesthouse or Rongbuk Monastery guesthouse (dorm bed)

Day 7: Rongbuk to Gyirong Border via Old Tingri — 370 km, 6 hrs

On a clear morning, you may catch sunrise over Everest before breakfast at the guesthouse. From there, the drive continues toward the Gyirong border, a crossing recently reopened to foreign travelers heading onward to Nepal. The route passes striking scenery, including views of Mount Shishapangma and Pekutso Lake.

Note: Following the April 2015 earthquake in Nepal, the Zhangmu border crossing has remained closed. Gyirong, once primarily used for trade, now serves as the main open border crossing for tourists traveling between Tibet and Nepal.

Accommodation: Local guesthouse in Gyirong town

Gyirong Border Crossing to Kathmandu

After breakfast, a short half-hour drive brings you to the Gyirong border, where you’ll say goodbye to your Tibetan guide as your Tibet-side services conclude.

Once you’ve cleared customs and crossed into Nepal, onward transport to Kathmandu is available by shared landcruiser (roughly 8–9 hours due to road conditions, about 70 USD/500 CNY per person) or shared bus (around 25 USD per person). Private transfers can also be arranged in advance through your travel advisor.

Tip: After crossing into Nepal, you’ll need to clear customs at the Nepal Immigration office. If you don’t already have a Nepalese visa, you can apply on the spot — 30 USD for a 15-day single-entry visa, 50 USD for 30 days, or 125 USD for 90 days. Bring one passport photo for the application.

Meals: Breakfast