Lhasa, Everest & Kailash Tour

This Lhasa, Everest & Kailash tour begins in Lhasa, where Tibet’s cultural and spiritual foundations are at their strongest. Visits to the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Sera Monastery, Drepung Monastery, and Barkhor Street offer a clear introduction to Tibetan history, Buddhism, and daily life. These early days help you understand the context of the journey ahead while allowing time to adjust gradually to the altitude before heading deeper into the plateau.

This tour is different because it does not rush Tibet. It takes you deep into the plateau, across regions most travelers only read about, and gives you time to truly experience the place. You move from historic cities and monasteries to vast open landscapes, high passes, sacred lakes, and finally Mount Kailash itself. The distances are long and the drives can be demanding, but they are never empty. Each day brings changing scenery with glaciers, grasslands, river valleys, and wide horizons that make the journey itself as meaningful as the destinations.

What truly sets this journey apart is its spiritual depth. Visiting places such as Jokhang, Rongbuk, Lake Manasarovar, and walking the Kailash Kora is not just sightseeing but an encounter with living traditions that have drawn pilgrims for centuries. You share the road and the trail with devotees, monks, and local people, which adds a quiet sense of authenticity. There is space for reflection and stillness, whether or not the journey is taken for religious reasons.

The Lhasa, Everest & Kailash Tour can be challenging at times. High altitude, simple accommodations, and long travel days are part of the experience. At the same time, these challenges are what make the journey rewarding. The pace allows for acclimatization, rest, and moments to pause and absorb the surroundings. For travelers seeking depth and meaning rather than comfort alone, this journey offers a genuine and complete experience of Tibet.

This Lhasa, Everest & Kailash tour is ideal for travelers who want more than just a checklist of sights. If you are drawn to spirituality, culture, and history, and want to see Tibet beyond its cities, this journey is for you. It moves at a thoughtful pace, giving you time to explore monasteries, sacred lakes, and high passes while also allowing space for reflection and quiet moments.

It is also suited to those who are comfortable with some physical challenge. The tour involves high-altitude travel, long drives, and multi-day treks including the Kailash Kora. While the journey can be demanding, the landscapes, cultural encounters, and spiritual experiences make the effort worthwhile.

If you are seeking a truly immersive experience where every day combines natural beauty, local life, and spiritual depth, this tour offers a rare opportunity.

The best time to do this Lhasa, Everest & Kailash tour is during the spring and autumn months, from April to October. These seasons offer the most favorable weather conditions, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable journey.

Spring (April to June)
Spring in Tibet brings clear skies, mild temperatures, and stunning landscapes as the region begins to bloom with vibrant colors. Daytime temperatures generally range from 15°C to 25°C (59°F to 77°F) in lower-altitude areas such as Lhasa, while evenings can be cooler, dropping to 5°C to 10°C (41°F to 50°F). Higher-altitude regions, including the trekking routes around Everest and Kailash, remain colder, with daytime highs of 5°C to 15°C (41°F to 59°F) and nights often below freezing. This is the perfect time for sightseeing and outdoor activities, with the snow-capped mountains particularly striking during these months.

Autumn (September to October)
Autumn is another excellent time to visit, with daytime temperatures in Lhasa ranging from 15°C to 22°C (59°F to 72°F) and nights dropping to 5°C to 10°C (41°F to 50°F). Higher-altitude areas remain cold but generally dry, with daytime temperatures of 5°C to 12°C (41°F to 54°F) and nighttime temperatures often below zero. The clear skies and crisp air enhance visibility and the beauty of Tibet’s landscapes, making it an ideal time for trekking, photography, and visiting monasteries and sacred sites.

Summer (July to August)
Summer is warmer, with Lhasa experiencing daytime temperatures of 20°C to 28°C (68°F to 82°F) and nights around 10°C to 15°C (50°F to 59°F). However, this period coincides with the monsoon season, bringing occasional rain and cloudy conditions, particularly in the southern and eastern regions. Higher-altitude areas such as Everest and Kailash remain cool, with daytime highs of 10°C to 18°C (50°F to 64°F) and nights often below freezing. While some trekking routes may be less accessible, the landscapes are lush and green, and there are generally fewer tourists.

Visiting Everest Base Camp on the Tibetan side is a uniquely different experience compared with the Nepal route. Instead of a long multi‑day trek from Lukla, you follow the paved Everest Road north from Tingri toward Rongbuk Monastery and the North Base Camp, making the highest parts accessible by vehicle and short walks. The road climbs through high‑altitude desert and wide valleys with views of Cho Oyu, Shishapangma, Everest and other major peaks before reaching the base camp area near the Rongbuk Glacier.

At Rongbuk Monastery, the world’s highest monastery (over 5,000 m), you can spend time taking in panoramic views of Everest’s north face before continuing the short walk to the official Everest Base Camp viewpoint. From Rongbuk to the base camp viewpoint, it is about 8 km of walking, typically taking around 2 hours round‑trip at a slow, steady pace due to the altitude and rugged terrain.

The walking on this section is not overly technical, but altitude remains a major factor. Even short walks feel more strenuous than at sea level because oxygen levels are significantly lower, and the cold, dry air adds to the physical challenge. There are no steep climbs like on the Nepal trekking route, but the thin air can make even gentle uphill sections slow and tiring. Proper acclimatization before this day, for example in Lhasa and Tingri, helps your body adjust and reduces the risk of altitude sickness.

How Much Walking & Effort Is Involved

Most of the journey to EBC by vehicle reduces long trekking days, but the final walk from Rongbuk to Base Camp takes about 2 hours at high altitude ranging from 5,000 m to around 5,200 m.

• Walking pace will be slow and measured due to the altitude and oxygen levels.
• Comfortable walking shoes and proper layering are essential as surfaces near the base camp can be uneven and rocky.
• If weather conditions or altitude symptoms make walking difficult, many tours offer optional transport or shorter walks, allowing you to return to the Rongbuk guesthouse or viewpoint as needed.

Conditions, Terrain, and Views

The trail from Rongbuk Monastery to Everest Base Camp is scenic but stark, set in a high‑altitude desert environment with glacial moraine, high winds and intense sun. Temperatures can be very cold, especially in the mornings and evenings, even during warmer months. Views of the north face of Everest are the highlight, with panoramic vistas that are different from the south side in Nepal because you see the massive north ridge and the glacier fields below it.

The Kailash Kora is the sacred circumambulation (parikrama) around Mount Kailash, a 52 km (32 mile) circuit that is the core highlight of any Kailash pilgrimage. This journey is as much spiritual as it is physical, with most travelers completing it over three days at high altitude.

The route takes you through open valleys, high mountain passes, remote monasteries, prayer flag fields, and glacier‑fed streams, with Mount Kailash visible for much of the trek. Many pilgrims walk with traditional devotion, while others balance spiritual focus with trekking effort.

Walking Distance and Daily Effort

While the total distance is about 52 km, it is usually divided into three manageable sections:

Day 1: From Darchen to Dirapuk (around 12–13 km), a gradual but steady uphill walk that brings you closer to the north face of Kailash.

Day 2: From Dirapuk to Zutulpuk via Dolma La Pass at about 5,630 m, the longest and most demanding section at roughly 22–24 km. This day involves a steep ascent and descent on rocky terrain.

Day 3: From Zutulpuk back to Darchen (around 10–12 km), easier than the second day but still at high altitude.

Because of the altitude (starting around 4,675 m and reaching over 5,600 m at the pass), even these distances feel more strenuous than similar trekking at lower elevations.

Food is an important part of the Tibet experience, especially on this Lhasa, Everest & Kailash tour. In cities like Lhasa, Shigatse, and Darchen, you will find a good variety of local Tibetan dishes and, in many places, Western food options such as pasta, salad, eggs, toast, pancakes, or coffee in hotels and larger restaurants. Western-style meals, including familiar breakfast items and international dishes, are commonly available in urban restaurants and hotel cafés.

Local Tibetan cuisine is a highlight of the journey. In towns and teahouses you will regularly see staples such as thukpa (noodle soup), momos (dumplings), tsampa (roasted barley flour), Tibetan bread, and soups. Butter tea and sweet milk tea are common beverages enjoyed throughout the day. In areas with more Chinese influence, dishes like fried rice or stir-fried noodles are also available.

Once you travel into remote regions and on the Kailash circuit, food becomes more basic and limited. In places such as Dirapuk and Zutulpuk, guesthouses and small tea houses may offer only simple meals: noodles, rice, soups, boiled potatoes, or instant noodles. In some supply points along the route you might find small makeshift eateries with light meals like egg-fried rice or noodle dishes, but variety is minimal.

Therefore, snacks such as energy bars, nuts, dried fruit, and chocolates are highly recommended to carry with you, especially during long trekking days or high passes where restaurants are sparse or nonexistent.

Vegetarian options are widely available throughout Tibet due to the influence of Buddhism, but strict vegetarian or other dietary requests should be communicated to your guide early, especially for meals in rural areas where specific ingredients may be hard to source.

Accommodation on this Lhasa, Everest & Kailash tour varies widely depending on location, reflecting the different levels of infrastructure across Tibet, from major cities to high‑altitude and remote areas. In Lhasa, Shigatse, and other larger towns, you will stay in comfortable hotels or guesthouses with modern amenities such as private bathrooms, hot showers, stable power, and in many cases Wi‑Fi. These cities have a range of options from standard guesthouses to mid‑range hotels that cater to international travelers and offer a restful place to recover after sightseeing and travel days.

As you travel west toward mountain and pilgrimage regions, accommodation becomes simpler and more basic. In places such as Saga, Darchen, and other small towns near Mount Kailash, rooms are generally in local guesthouses or teahouses with shared facilities. These lodgings usually provide clean bedding and essential services, but facilities like hot water, private bathrooms, and Wi‑Fi may be limited or unavailable, especially at higher altitudes. In many cases the emphasis is on practicality rather than comfort, and staying here gives a more authentic sense of life on the plateau.

In high‑altitude and remote areas such as near Everest Base Camp and along the Kailash Kora route, accommodations are basic and functional. Options include small monastery guesthouses and, near Everest, seasonal tent guesthouses run by locals, which are warm and tidy but offer shared or outdoor toilets and limited facilities. At some high passes and isolated camps, rooms may be very simple with minimal services, and it is advisable to bring a warm sleeping bag and personal essentials

Throughout the tour, all transfers and sightseeing are provided in comfortable, reliable vehicles suitable for the region’s roads and terrain. For small groups of one or two travelers, a private SUV is provided, ensuring flexibility, comfort, and easy access to scenic stops along the route.

For groups of three or more travelers, a larger van is arranged, offering more space and comfort while maintaining convenience for sightseeing and long drives. All vehicles are driven by experienced local drivers familiar with Tibet’s high-altitude roads and remote routes, ensuring safety and efficiency.

Transfers cover airport pick-ups, drop-offs, intercity drives, and travel to high-altitude regions such as Everest Base Camp, Mount Kailash, and surrounding pilgrimage areas. Long drives are planned with regular stops for rest, refreshments, and photo opportunities, allowing you to enjoy the landscapes without feeling rushed.

China Visa

If you are entering Tibet from mainland China (for example via Chengdu or Beijing), you will need a standard Chinese tourist visa (L‑visa) issued by a Chinese embassy or consulate in your home country.

For more information, visit Visa for China

Tibet Travel Permit (TTP)

A Tibet Travel Permit is mandatory for all foreign visitors to Tibet, regardless of entry point. It is issued by the Tibet Tourism Bureau and must be processed by a licensed Tibetan tour operator on your behalf. Without this permit, you will not be allowed to board flights or trains to Tibet or enter through land border checkpoints. It typically takes at least 7–15 working days to arrange, so permits should be applied for well in advance of travel.

Alien’s Travel Permit (ATP / PSB Permit)

For restricted and remote areas outside central Lhasa, including Everest Base Camp, Shigatse, Gyantse, Mt. Kailash, Lake Manasarovar and similar destinations, an Alien’s Travel Permit is also required. This is issued by the Public Security Bureau and is generally arranged by your guide after arrival in Tibet using your passport and Tibet Travel Permit. Though some routes were recently exempted from ATP, Ngari and Kailash regions still require it.

Military & Foreign Affairs Permits

Because Mount Kailash and the surrounding Ngari region lie close to international borders, travel here also requires a Military Area Entry Permit and often a Foreign Affairs Permit. These are processed by your travel agency through the relevant authorities in Lhasa and usually take longer to secure (often several weeks). They are essential for travel in these sensitive border zones.

Important Notes

• All permits must be arranged through a licensed Tibet travel agency; solo travel or self‑application is not permitted.
• Permits are tied to your specific itinerary and travel dates and must match your booked tour. Changes to plans after permits are issued are typically not allowed.
• Passports must be valid for at least six months beyond your travel dates, and permit checks occur at multiple checkpoints along the route.

Much of this Lhasa, Everest & Kailash tour takes place at high altitudes, ranging from around 3,600 m in Lhasa to over 5,600 m at Dolma La Pass on the Kailash Kora. At these elevations, oxygen levels are significantly lower than at sea level, which can affect even experienced travelers. Symptoms of altitude sickness may include headaches, shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea, or difficulty sleeping.

To minimize these effects, the tour is designed with gradual acclimatization in mind. Travelers typically spend several days in Lhasa and other moderate-altitude towns before moving to higher regions like Everest Base Camp or the Kailash circuit. Slow pacing, rest breaks, and light activities during the first days at altitude are crucial. Hydration, a balanced diet, and avoiding alcohol or heavy exertion early on also help the body adjust.

During treks such as the Kailash Kora, each day’s walking distance is planned with altitude in mind. Guides monitor participants closely, allowing extra time for rest and offering optional support like oxygen canisters if needed. For travelers who take these precautions, the high-altitude journey becomes manageable, allowing them to focus on the stunning landscapes, cultural experiences, and spiritual significance of the region rather than the challenges of elevation.

Yes, Tibet is generally a safe destination for tourists. The Tibetan people are known for their hospitality, and travelers often feel welcome.

Traveling to Tibet requires special permits. The Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) requires a Tibet Travel Permit, which is only issued through an authorized travel agency like ours. Additionally, for some tours, such as the Kailash Tour, you may need additional permits which will be obtained by us on your behalf.

While prior trekking experience is not necessary, good physical fitness is recommended, especially for those joining the Everest Base Camp Tibet trek or the Kailash Tour, which involve trekking at high altitudes. The high altitude may cause shortness of breath, so acclimatization is key. Consult with your doctor before the trip to ensure you're healthy enough for the physical demands.

To prepare for the high-altitude trekking in Tibet, it's essential to take things slow and allow your body to acclimatize. During the tour, your guide will ensure gradual elevation increases to help with acclimatization. You should also stay hydrated, rest when necessary, and avoid overexertion. Some travelers may use altitude sickness medication, but always consult your doctor beforehand.

It’s crucial to pack clothing suitable for varying weather conditions. Since temperatures can fluctuate, layer your clothing to adjust to the changing climate. You'll need warm clothes for the evenings and early mornings, especially in high-altitude areas. Don’t forget items like a hat, gloves, sturdy hiking shoes, sunscreen, and a good-quality jacket.

Wi-Fi and mobile networks in Tibet are limited, especially in more remote areas. In cities like Lhasa, some hotels and cafes may offer Wi-Fi, but it might be slow or intermittent. If you need to stay connected, consider purchasing a local SIM card with data or preparing for limited service during the trip.

While knowing Chinese or Tibetan can be helpful, it’s not necessary for most travelers. English is spoken in some tourist areas, and your local Tibetan guide will be fluent in both English and Tibetan. Learning a few basic phrases in Chinese can be beneficial but isn’t essential for enjoying your Tibet Tour.

For those unable to trek, you can still visit Mount Kailash by traveling to the area by vehicle. However, if you wish to fully experience the sacred pilgrimage route, the traditional circumambulation (Kora) around the mountain involves a multi-day trek. Many visitors opt for a shorter route to the mountain’s base, offering a closer view while respecting their physical limits.

During your Tibet Tour, you’ll have the opportunity to immerse yourself in Tibetan culture through visits to sacred temples, monasteries, and cultural landmarks. You'll witness daily Tibetan rituals, such as butter lamp offerings and prayer wheel spinning, and may also have the chance to engage with locals. Whether you’re visiting the Jokhang Temple or exploring local markets, you’ll gain valuable insights into Tibetan life and spirituality.