Tibet overland tour (Drive In Drive Out) – 8 Days
TOP
SELLER
SELLER
Budget
Difficulty
Easy
Duration
2-16
Duration
8 Days
Accommodation
Hotel
Best Time
Apr-Oct
Max Alt
4,300m (14,108ft)
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Talk to
trip expert
Trek Overview
Do you want to go crazy and make an unforgettable comprehensive journey to Tibet? If yes, then hop on your plane and let’s go together on our 8 days Tibet overland tour, a journey on the footsteps of the real Tibetans.
Generally, most of the Tibet tours are concentrated mainly on visiting Lhasa. However, Tibet is a vast land that has so much to explore in terms of its rich heritage sites, stunning nature, and amazing people. That’s why Prime Holidays Travels and Tours has come up with its 8 days Tibet overland tour.
Within just a week, we will take you through southern and central Tibet. You will visit towns like Tingri, Shigatse, Gyantse, and then Lhasa, so you can truly appreciate the harmonious yet enigmatic Tibetans living at the top of the world.
During your journey from one town to another, you will cross the highest plateau on Earth, the Tibetan high plateau, tackle the stunning high Tibetan passes, and experience the incredible nomadic culture of the Tibetans. Plus, you will discover the historic ruins and magnificent heritage sites in every location you visit.
And of course, if you like to give a more complete experience to your 8 days Tibet overland tour, then you must also reach the North Everest Base Camp.
It stands at 5200 m altitude, located in front of the Rongbuk Monastery, which is regarded as one of the highest monasteries in the world at 4980 m. As your travel companions, we will assist you in reaching the EBC if you choose to include it in your 8 days Tibet overland tour.
Additionally, what sets our tour apart from others is the drive-in and drive-out format. We understand that not everyone likes to fly, and some may even have a fear of flying.
Keeping this in mind, our tour is a complete overland drive-in and out experience that will transport you to and from Tibet via a private drive through the Kerung border between Nepal and Tibet.
This is why our tour is rightfully called the Tibet overland tour via the Kerung drive-in and drive-out journey. We assure you that you will not miss a crumb that Tibet has to offer in this tour.
To make our Tibet overland tour via Kerung accessible to all, we offer the services of our English-speaking guide throughout the journey and accommodations in standard hotels.
Our 8 days Tibet overland tour operates every Saturday as a group tour, which you can conveniently engage in as per your available date.
Our Tibet overland tour via Kerung will offer you a scenic drive along the Nepali mountain road to Kerung, from where you will reach Tingri. You will then cross the high Tibetan pass of Gyatchu La (5,220 M) and arrive at Shigatse, the second largest Tibetan town.
Here, you will explore the 1447 built Tashilhunpo Monastery that will mesmerize you with its 58 prayer chapels and 3600 beautiful rooms. Next, you will cross the 5010 m Karo La pass and admire the stunning Mount Nojin Kangtsen Glacier and Karola Glacier.
The sacred Yamdrok Tso Lake will then guide you to Gyantse, the third largest Tibetan town, where the Palkhor Chode Monastery and Khumbum Stupa await your arrival.
After that, you will drive over the 4794 m Kambala Pass to Lhasa, where you will spend two amazing days visiting Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Market, Drepung, and Sera Monasteries.
Finally, the beautiful Tibetan highway will take you back to Tingri, with an option to visit EBC, before heading back to Kathmandu.
Our 8 days Tibet overland tour is excellent for spring and autumn travel and is accessible to all people interested in seeing the complete Tibet.
Trip Highlights
- Experience a brief Nepali rural life on your remarkable road journey
- Travel through Tibet along its remarkable Friendship Highway
- Stand atop the highest plateau and some of the tallest passes in the world
- See in detail the rich Tibetan Buddhist monuments of Potala Palace, Drepung Monastery, Jokhang Temple, Palchod Monastery, and Tashilhunpo Monastery
- Watch the live discussion of monks at Sera Monastery
- Immersion in the spiritual atmosphere of Barkhor Street
- Journey alongside the sacred Yamdrok Lake
- A choice to reach beneath Everest
Trek Gallery
Day-by-Day Itinerary
01
Our 8 days Tibet overland tour begins with a very early departure from Kathmandu. Enrolling on a beautiful journey in a jeep, we will drive along the stunning, smooth Highway of Pasang Lhamu and pass through Trishuli.
Our journey will proceed through Rani Pauwa and Dhunche, displaying the grandeur of Manaslu, Ganesh, Annapurna, and Langtang. Soon enough, the dirt road typical of Nepali mountains will begin to guide us through Syabrubesi.
Here we are at the Rasuwa District of the Langtang National Park. Slowly, our jeep will drive us through Timure and Ghatte Khola. Here, we will finalize the essential immigration procedure, then proceed to Rasuwagadhi, the border between Nepal and Tibet.
The Chinese Immigration on the other side will carry on the border procedures, while our Tibetan and Nepali guides will assist us.
Once completed, our Tibetan guide will then drive us to Kerung town, which will take around two more hours. Please rest early to get used to the Tibetan atmosphere.
Activity: 8hrs drive
Max. Altitude: 3,000m/9,843ft. ()
Meal: B L D
Accommodation: Hotel
02
Our travel today will be extraordinarily remarkable with scenic high Tibetan landscape and Himalayan views. From Kerung, our route will travel beside Lake Paiku along the Friendship Highway.
Soon, it starts to elevate us over the 5050 m tall Lalung Pass before going downhill into the Matsang Tsangpo gorge. The stunning Nyalama town rests below, from where we will again ascend to the highest Tibetan plateau in the world. It literally gives us the idea of why Tibet is referred to as the Roof of the World.
We will now drive down to Tingri town, where Everest will start to show its glimmering face. The road from Tingri will now climb over the 5220 m high Gyatchu La Pass.
It is also called the Lhakpa La Pass and is the highest Tibetan pass that we will pass on our way to Lhatse. Here, one road will branch off to the west towards Mt. Kailash.
We will, however, stick to the path leading us to Shigatse for our much-needed evening rest.
Activity: 7-8hrs drive
Max. Altitude: 4,299m/14,104ft. ()
Meal: B L D
Accommodation: Hotel
03
Before continuing our today’s scheduled travel on our 8 days Tibet overland tour, we will first explore the amazing Tashilhunpo Monastery of Shigatse.
Master Tsongkhapa was the founder of this monastery, built in 1447 AD. The 3000 m wall encircling this monastery, facing the rising sun with 3600 rooms and 58 prayer chapels, is worth seeing.
Now, we will get on the road that will ascend to the 5010 m elevation of the Karo La Pass. The 7206 m high Mount Nojin Kangtsen Glacier and Karola Glacier are notable sights here.
After this pass crossing, we will stop by the Yamdrok Tso Lake, counted as one of the THREE MOST PIOUS LAKES in the world. The lake waters elevate to 4000 m in height in the northern Himalayas.
Now, a short drive further will lead us to Gyantse, where the celebrated Palkhor Chode Monastery and Khumbum Stupa await our glance. The monastery is a traditionally built Gompa following the architecture from Nepal, Tibet, and Han.
The Khumbum Stupa, on the other hand, is its symbol that contains over 100,000 images, paintings, and Buddha statues in its chapel, niches, and walls.
After this visit, we will continue driving along the Yamdrok Lake for a few more hours till we stand over the 4794 m tall Kambala Pass that stands between us and Lhasa.
Once we are in Lhasa, we will sleep early to prepare ourselves for the tour around its gorgeously historical monuments.
Activity: 7-8hrs drive
Max. Altitude: 3,950m/12,959ft. ()
Meal: B L D
Accommodation: Hotel
04
These two days of our Tibet overland tour via Kerung will be dedicated to seeing what Lhasa has to offer us. We will see the looming palace of Potala, constructed by the sacred orders of the 5th Dalai Lama.
Its white and red palaces are worth visiting for the Dalai Lama’s quarters, their religious study, golden stupas for eight Dalai Lamas, a monks’ assembly hall, chapels, and libraries with important Buddhist texts.
We will also visit Lhasa’s Old Quarter, home to the 1,300-year-old Jokhang Temple. It is a golden-roofed building in Barkhor Market. This temple, Tibet’s holiest, was founded by King Songtsen Gampo for his brides, Princess Wencheng and Princess Bhrikuti, who brought vital Buddhist relics.
It is located in Barkhor Square, which extends about 1 km around the Temple, enjoyed by both locals, tourists, and pilgrims.
Another day, we will see the Drepung Monastery, located 8 km west of Lhasa. It has a courtyard, a large hall, and internal chapels. Founded by Jamyang Choje in 1416, it housed 2000 monks within a year, and by the Fifth Dalai Lama’s time, it grew to 10,000.
On the same day, we will also see the Gelugpa Sect monastery of Sera, located at the foot of Phurba Chok Ri in the Tatipu range. Founded in 1419 by Sakya Yeshe, Sera covers nearly 12 hectares and contains the residence of monks and colleges for the students.
Meal: B L D
Accommodation: Hotel
05
From Lhasa, we will journey along the very loved and beautiful G318 National Highway and G349 National Highway to reach New Tingri or Xegar, or Shegar.
We will once again have the opportunity to see the spectacular views of the turquoise Yamdrok Lake, the charming Gyantse County, and the historic Shigatse City.
Once we reach New Tingri, you can choose to journey up to the North Everest Base Camp (5200 m), crossing the other two stunning passes of Lamna La Pass (5150 m) and Pang La/Gawula Pass (5350 m).
The Rongbuk Monastery and the EBC are located quite close to each other, about a 30-minute distance apart. If you like to engage in this once-in-a-lifetime adventure to EBC, we can arrange it for you for an extra USD 200 per person.
You can then opt to spend a night at the Rongbuk Monastery for a morning in front of Everest, or you can drive back to Xegar for a more comfortable night’s stay.
Activity: 7-8hrs drive
Max. Altitude: 4,200m/13,780ft. ()
Meal: B L D
Accommodation: Hotel
06
The ending of our 8 days Tibet overland tour is upon us as we continue our journey down into Nepal. After Tingri, our road will once again pass through the beautiful route of Nyalam, the Matsang Tsangpo gorge, Lalung Pass, and Lake Piaku before we arrive in Kerung for our peaceful overnight stay.
Activity: 6-7hrs drive
Max. Altitude: 3,000m/9,843ft. ()
Meal: B L D
Accommodation: hotel
07
From Kerung, we will drive on to Rasuwagadhi, where we will reunite with our Prime Holidays’ team. We will then drive past Dhunche, Rani Pauwa, Syabrubesi, and Trishuli before we are back in the chaotic air of Kathmandu, thus ending our marvelous 8 days Tibet overland tour.
Activity: 7-8hrs drive
Max. Altitude: 1,300m/4,265ft. ()
Meal: B L D
Accommodation: Hotel
Note:
If you have a private group and prefer a personalized experience, we can organize a custom trip tailored to your requirements and group size, running it any day you choose.
Trip Information
Best Season
The predominant sunny, dry, windy, and dusty climate with the very least rainfall even during the monsoon time between June to August makes the Lhasa, Shigatse, and Gyantse tour feasible all year round.
However, if you consider adding a trip to EBC, then be mindful that monsoon rain wets the EBC region profoundly while extreme cold reigns supreme between December to February with low temperatures between -12 and -17 degrees Celsius.
Therefore, the most favorable climatic window for our 8 days Tibet overland tour will occur between late September to early June.
The fall months of September, October, and November open up the incredible mountain vistas, while the spring months of March, April, and May infuse Tibet with vibrant colors.
Is the Tibet Overland Tour via Kerung difficult?
A harmony of comfort with adventure coexist in our 8 days Tibet overland tour. You will travel in a private van or minibus, traversing the amazing landscape of the roof of the world.
The physical exertion involved in this extraordinary tour is also very minimal, thus making the tour suitable for all ages. However, the driest condition, the less oxygen, and the excessive altitude of Tibet and high passes can heighten the risk of altitude sickness.
So, it is essential that you are free from chronic conditions, especially those impacting your heart or lungs. If you have any cardio-respiratory issues, please take advice from your doctor.
We have also implemented all necessary measures to minimize the appearance of altitude sickness during the journey. Thus, our tour is for everyone despite of not having any trekking or mountaineering skills.
Who is the 8 Days Tibet Overland Tour suitable for?
Although there is no age-specific limit to participate in our 8 days Tibet overland tour, we advise travelers aged between 10 to 75 to take part in this tour.
Younger children under ten may struggle to communicate their discomfort quickly, while older participants may face health challenges due to altitude.
However, if you are a healthy and active person without serious or chronic health problems, you can join this tour with complete confidence.
Altitude Sickness and Acclimatization
Throughout our 8 days Tibet overland tour, you will always be over 3000 m above sea level with less oxygen and a dry climate in Tibet. So even if you are traveling as a passenger and not as a trekker, you will still experience hypoxia regardless of your health and fitness.
In fact, you will be more prone to the altitude effect as the change can occur very rapidly. Therefore, experiencing headache and slight breathing difficulty are common.
We thus urge you to drink plenty of fluids – around 3/4 liter daily and early sleep and rest from Kerung onwards. Like locals, you can also add garlic, lemon, and ginger to your diet.
You can also keep Diamox with you to combat the serious manifestations of altitude sickness, such as vomiting, drowsiness, disorientation, and excessive fatigue.
Rest assured, our guides are very trained and equipped with the knowledge to deal with altitude sickness. Therefore, always tell about your condition to our guide.
If you choose to go up to EBC, oxygen supplementation will also be available for your comfort.
Fitness and Training
If you are in good shape and stay active, you probably won’t need any fitness training for our Tibet overland tour via Kerung. But, if you are not very active in your daily life, doing some simple cardio like walking, cycling, running, or swimming a month before the trip will help you get ready for the adventure.
We also encourage you to avoid alcohol and smoking before your 8 days Tibet overland tour. Also, prevent yourself from heavy exertion and take American ginseng to improve your body’s ability to handle low oxygen levels.
Try to build a positive mindset, stay open-minded, and build your self-confidence and sense of humor, as they are essential for our group tour to Tibet.
Accommodation, Food and Drink
During our 8 days Tibet overland tour, we will accommodate you in cozy twin-sharing rooms at mid-range three-star hotels in Tibet. In Shigatse, Lhasa, and Kerung, the hotels are charmingly traditional and come with all the amenities for a comfortable stay.
You will have an in-room bathroom, hot and cold water, and WiFi. In Tingri, the hotel may be simpler compared to larger cities, but still pleasant enough.
If you go for the EBC tour and decide to stay at Rongbuk Monastery, be ready for a hostel-like, simpler setting.
Regarding your dining arrangements, please note that we will offer you only breakfast, while lunch and dinner are at your expense. Budgeting around USD 30 per day for meals, including drinks, will be enough.
In Kerung, Shigatse, Lhasa, and Gyantse, you can enjoy Italian, Chinese, Nepalese, Tibetan, Indian, and other Western cuisines. But in Tingri and EBC, expect more basic options like noodles, bread, soup, and egg with fried rice.
Transportation
We will use our own air-conditioned vehicle for all your transfers during our Tibet overland tour via Kerung. A jeep will take you between Kathmandu and Kerung, while a van or minibus will transport you to each town in Tibet.
If you choose to go up to EBC, please understand that private transport is not permitted within a 4 km radius of Rongbuk Monastery. The EBC in Tibet has been relocated 1.5 kilometers back from its original location, now situated near the Rongbuk Monastery.
Therefore, to reach EBC, you will have to hop on the electric bus that comes to pick up travelers every 30 minutes.
Mobile Communication and Internet/WiFi
You can get the local Chinese SIM Card for cellular communication in Tibet from China Mobile, Unicom, or China Telecom, all of which provide 5G service that functions excellently also at EBC and Tingri.
Free WiFi will be accessible to you in the larger towns of Lhasa, Shigatse, and Gyantse, but may not be accessible in Tingri. Remember to configure the VPN on your device to use the Western social media platforms.
Currency Exchange and Payment
The currency used in Tibet is the Chinese Yuan/Renminbi/RMB. During the banking hours, you can easily withdraw cash directly from ATMs at the Bank of China or the Agricultural Bank of China.
When heading to Tingri and EBC, remember that there are no ATMs available along the route, so ensure you have cash on hand. In larger towns like Shigatse and Lhasa, credit cards such as MasterCard and Visa are accepted at most hotels, cafes, and shops.
Additionally, online payment methods like Alipay, Apple Pay, and WeChat are available.
The easiest and cheapest option for your currency exchange will be to convert your money into Chinese Yuan in Kathmandu at banks like SBI, Nabil, Everest, Himalayas, or Standard Chartered.
Travel Insurance
In our 8 days Tibet overland tour, we will step into both the most advanced and most remote regions of Tibet. While in Lhasa and Shigatse, you can find adequate high-end medical facilities, they may fall short in Tingri and the Everest region.
Additionally, Tibet poses the risk of altitude sickness as well, which may turn severe at any time. Therefore, travel insurance is mandatory for our Tibet overland tour via Kerung.
Please make sure to include the medical coverage along with helicopter transport and rescue up to 5500 m altitude. Also, the Tibet tour may often get changed or delayed due to the policies regulated by China.
So, do not forget to include tour delay, postponement, or cancellation coverage along with the extra stays and luggage loss or damage.
Rules to follow for our 8 days Tibet Overland Tour
Please understand very clearly that foreign nationals cannot travel on their own inside Tibet except for a few marketplaces. They must have the assistance of an authorized travel agency, which means you must buy an organized group tour with a minimum of 4 members from a registered travel agency like Prime Holidays.
For any Tibet tour, we must also clearly outline each day of your tour, the itinerary, your place of stay, and your mode of transport. You must also have the compulsory company of a local Tibetan guide and private driver.
Additionally, a few permits will be essential for the Tibet overland tour via Kerung, which needs 10 to 15 working days for processing. Therefore, we request all our guests to reserve their 8 days Tibet overland tour from us at least a month ahead of their selected tour date.
Also, remember that you must remain in Kathmandu for at least 3 or 4 days for Chinese group visa processing. So we request you to arrive in Kathmandu on business days (Monday to Friday) and come to our office immediately after your arrival.
We will request the following documents from you for our 8 days Tibet overland tour:
- Clear digital copy of your passport
- Your passport must have a valid time of minimum 6 months from your return date from Tibet
- Your digital photo with a plain white background, with no makeup, glasses, or expression
- For the Chinese group visa, your photo should measure 51 mm X 51 mm
Note
Please remember that China may change the protocols for entering Tibet anytime. So it is wise for you to check the requirements with the Chinese Embassy/Dream Tibet Travel, or with us, before booking your 8 days Tibet overland tour.
Needed Visa and Permits
We will be needing the following visas and permits for our Tibet overland tour via Kerung:
- Nepal tourist visa
- Chinese Group visa
- Tibet Travel Permit/TTP or Tibet Visa or Tibetan Tourism Bureau/TTB Visa
And if you add the EBC tour as well, we will need the following three additional permits because of its sensitive military location:
- Military Permit
- Foreign Affairs Permit
- Alien’s Travel Permit or a Public Security Bureau (PSB) permit
Nepal Tourist Visa
To obtain the Nepal tourist visa on your arrival day, please follow the procedures mentioned below:
- Visit the official website of the Nepal Immigration Department
- Choose the online tourist visa option
- Select the ON ARRIVAL option and follow the on-screen prompts
- Enter your entry point and passport information
- Upload your photo and a scanned copy of your passport
- Receive a personal barcode and print it
- At your entry point, show your printed slip, pay the required fee, and collect your visa
You can get a 15-day Nepal visa for our 8 days Tibet overland tour at USD 30 per person.
TTP
The Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) is the authority that issues the TTP for all foreign nationals, thus enabling their visits to all of Tibet. Please remember that this permit or visa will be given through only a government-approved Tibetan travel agency, and it will not be stamped in your passport.
Prime Holidays partners with a reputable Tibet travel agency to assist us with the TTP process. Once we have all your above-mentioned documents, we will send them to our affiliated Tibetan partner.
The TTB will review and approve our travel program, then issue a formal invitation letter, which our Tibetan partner will send to us. This letter is essential for obtaining the Chinese group visa for all travelers.
Please note that once we apply for TTP, no changes can be made to our program. Our Tibetan guide will meet you at the Rasuwagadhi border with the TTP.
Chinese Group Visa
A Chinese Group visa issued by the Chinese Embassy is a single document for all group members, thus necessitating everyone to arrive and depart from Tibet together.
After all our participants gather in our office, we will go to the Chinese Embassy and hand over our documents and fingerprints. The embassy will keep all original passports until the group visa is issued.
If all our members want to begin their 8 days Tibet overland tour early, then we can apply for a Visa through the Express Method. It will take from 2 to 3 office days and costs $185 for US citizens and $90 to $180 for other citizens.
However, if you are not in a hurry, we can apply through a Standard Method that will take 4 office days and costs $175 for U.S. nationals and $70 to $170 for others.
Attention
The extra three permits for the EBC tour (if you choose to add them) will be handled by our Tibetan partner once we send over a copy of our Group Visa.
Additionally, the entrance permits for all the monuments in Lhasa, Shigatse, and Gyantse are also required, and we will take care of that for you.
TOP
SELLER
SELLER
Difficulty
Easy
Duration
2-16
Duration
8 Days
Accommodation
Hotel
Best Time
Apr-Oct
Max Alt
4,300m (14,108ft)
Got questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
Our 8 days Tibet overland tour is a short tour to Lhasa, Tingri, Shigatse, and Gyantse of Tibet, with the option of also reaching the EBC using only the private drive and avoiding the flight completely.
Yes, you have to add only USD 200 per person if you also like to reach up to the EBC in Tibet.
If you like, you can also spend a night not literally at EBC but at the Rongbuk Monastery, very close to the EBC, or you can travel back to Tingri.
Yes, from 2019, China has relocated the EBC from its original location by 1.5 km back. Now, the new EBC is around 20 km further from Everest and just above the Rongbuk Monastery. This was done as part of their campaign to save the environment of Everest.
No, only climbers are allowed to access the original EBC.
From Tingri, you will start seeing Everest.
Yes, the tour to the EBC is an added option only.
Yes, in fact, the road up to the EBC is excellently asphalted, broad, and very comfortable.
