10 Days of Central Tibet and Everest Base Camp: From the Cradle of Tibetan Civilization to the World’s Highest Peak

When you arrive at Lhasa Gonggar Airport, your guide will greet you and drive to Tsedang (2 hrs driving). The rest time is for you to take a good rest and get acclimated to the altitude.

Stay overnight in Tsedang

• Tibetan tour guide greets you at Lhasa Airport.
• Lhasa River

Tsedang is reputed as "the cradle of Tibetan Civilization"". In the morning, tourists will visit Yumbu lhakhang, the first imperial palace built on the rocky hill for the first Tibetan king and you could have nice view the whole valley from there.

Then visit one of the oldest temples ,trandruk with a history of 1,300 years, which is the one tourists couldn’t afford to miss and drive to Samye monastery, the Tibet first Buddhist monastery, built in 8 century and the first monastery completed with the three Buddhist jewels of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

Stay overnight in Tsedang

• Yumbulhakhang, the first palace built in Tibet
• The amazing Tibetan Buddhist murals of Tradruk - one of the earlist Buddhist temples in Tibet.

Today, lots of beautiful scenery will be seen on the way to Gyantse. Passing over the Gampala pass (4790 m),you will have a glimpse of Yamdrok-tso (4400m) .

The Lake is surrounded by many snow-capped mountain and in the distance you have spectacular views of Holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar, (7191m) the highest mountain near Lhasa .

We head westward along the lake can see Karo Glacier and drive towards Gyantse. Gyantse was historically Tibet's third largest city (after Lhasa and Shigatse)

Stay overnight in Gyantse

• Bathing in sunshine, Yamdrok lake is dispalying its dazzling beauty to visitors both home and abroad.
• A great view of Palkhor Monastery

In the Morning, we drive towards Shigatse. In Shigatse, you will visit the famous Tashilhunpo monastery where you can see the well-preserved largest statue of Jampa (future Buddha) in the world. 

This monastery is the seat of Tibet's second highest incarnation, the Panchen Lama. In the afternoon we drive to the Sakya county where tourists can visit the famous Sakya monastery. It was founded in 1073 and was the principal monastery of the Sakya sect of Tibetan Buddhism.

Sakya monastery consists of two parts, northern and southern monastery. The Northern monastery is only visible as a ruin while Southern monastery was built like a fortress, surrounded by a moat.

Stay overnight in Sakya

• Nowadays, there are still over 800 monks living and studying in Tashilhunpo Monastery.
• Sakya Monastery with Mongolian architectural style

Today we will drive from Sakya to Rongpuk. As road is currently under construction, from Tingri to E.B.C, we have to drive on the rough road, pass the wild grassland, cross the torrent and high mountains.

If the weather is clear, you can have a glimpse of 4 mountains which are 8000m high or even higher.  Enjoy your remaining time at Everest base camp.

Stay overnight in Ronguk Guest House or Tent

• Enjoy your group tour to Everest Base Camp
• Rongphu monastery

In the morning, you can see the sunrise appearing on the top of Mt Everest, and have a full view the magnificent Mt. Everest standing like a snow-capped pyramid in front of you at Rongpuk, which is the vantage point for watching Mt. Everest.

Tourists can also tour Rongphu Monastery which is the highest monastery in the world (5000m) and belongs to Nyingma sect. After that, drive back to Shigatse.

Stay overnight in Shigatse

• Mount Everest as seen from the Rongbuk Monastery - the highest monastery in the world
• A lovely snapshot with Everest North Face on Tibetan side

Today, we will back to Lhasa on the friendship Highway. The whole distance is almost 280km and it takes 6 hours along the Yarlung Tsangpo River / Bhamaputra River (the Longest and largest river in Tibet).

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Today's tour will first bring you to the Potala Palace, the winter palace of the Dalai Lama. It has been used since the 7th Century by the 33rd great king of Tibet. The most valuable collections are the gilded burial stupas of past Dalai Lamas and meditation Cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet.  

After you take lunch and then head to Jokhang temple which was founded by the 33rd great king of Tibet in the 7th century, in order to promote the Buddhist religion. Inside you can see the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni at the age of twelve, perhaps the single most venerated object in Tibet Buddhism.

Around Barkhor Street, you can do kora (circling the Barkhor Street) with pilgrims and locals and buy the souvenirs.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

• Potala Palace is always the No.1 attraction for travelers visiting Tibet.
• A Tibetan pilgrim is worshipping Jokhang Temple

In the morning, you are going to visit Drepung monastery which was one of the “three greet” Gelug monasteries of Tibet and was founded in 1416 by Jamyang choge, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. Ganden palace is used as Dalai Lama’s palace in the Drepung before moving to the Potala palace.

In the afternoon, visit Sera Monastery---It was one of the “three great” Gelug monasteries of Tibet and was founded in 1419 by Jamchen chojey, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. The highlight is the Monks debate at around 3 - 5 in the afternoon.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

• Drepung Monastery was one of the “three greet” Gelug monasteries of Tibet.
• Dramatic monk debate in Sera Monastery

Tourists will depart from Lhasa airport.

• Big farewell to Lhasa, and may you have a safe and pleasant journey back home!
• Your guide will escort you to Lhasa Railway Station if you depart Tibet by train.