What should I know before planning a trip from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp?

The journey to the roof of the world, Tibet cannot be termed as ordinary. It requires lots of planning and preparations. Tibet is the autonomous region of the People’s Republic of China. Therefore, there are many complications and rules that need to be followed strictly for traveling. What should I know before planning a trip from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp? This is the usual question that people ask and they should also think about these things beforehand for hassle free trip in Tibet. Therefore, today’s blog is about things to know or consider before planning a trip from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp.

Journey to South Everest Base Camp of Tibet from Lhasa

Everybody knows that there are two base camps of Mt. Everest, one is in Nepal and the other is in Tibet. You can make the journey to the North Everest Base Camp in Nepal via trekking through places like Lukla, Namche, Dingboche, and Gorakshep. It takes lots of days and requires immense physical fitness with better cardio – vascular abilities. However, it is the most popular way to reach the Everest Base Camp. No wonder people call the Nepalese side’s base camp as the Everest Base Camp.

The trip to the South Everest Base Camp from Lhasa is by road. The road traverses through several high – Altitude Mountain passes above 5000 m via various places like Yamdrok Lake, Gyantse, and Shigatse Cities. The blog is about answering the question what should I know before planning a trip from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp and to provide you necessary ideas for safe traveling.

What should I know before planning a trip from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp?

As mentioned above, there are many complications while traveling inside Tibet. Travelers must acquire different permits according to the regions and the journey starts in about 3600 m above sea level and reaches up to 5150 m. The type of the trip consists of high altitude sickness chances. Therefore, you should know various things like the total distance, duration, route, altitude, highlights, lodging, best time, and travel permits before traveling from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp.

Let’s discuss in brief about these things that you should know before planning a trip from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp.

Total Distance

The traveling distance during the Lhasa to Everest Base Camp journey is about 600 kilometers to 650 kilometers depending upon the side trip that you do during the road trip. There are few side trip places in the cities like Gyantse, Shigatse, and mountain passes which can increase the total distance of the trip.

Duration

It is wise to allocate the number of days for the trip with at least 1 or 2 reserve days for better acclimatization. Remember that the journey from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp is high – altitude activity that requires lots of acclimatization activities. Generally, it requires 8 to 9 days round trip.

Route

The route is simple as it follows the famous cities and high – Altitude Mountain passes of the region. After acclimatization activity in Lhasa, travelers head towards the Yamdrok Lake and eventually travel to the Everest Base Camp via cities like Gyantse and Shigatse. The city of Shigatse is the second largest city in this traveling route.

Altitude & Acclimatization

The biggest concern on this trip is the altitude. You immediately reach the 3600 m Lhasa and the air becomes thinner in the higher elevation places. Therefore, it is important to do acclimatization activities to adjust to the demands. The trip is a road trip which is faster than walking creating more chance of altitude sickness if not handled properly. The maximum altitude during this trip is the height of the Everest Base Camp which is around 5150 m above sea level.

Highlights

Know about the major attractions or highlights of this journey from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp. The Potala Palace in Lhasa, Yamdrok Lake, Koro La Glacier, Tashilimpo Monastery in Shigatse, Rongbuk Monastery, Everest Base Camp, and the mesmerizing mountain scenery from the top of the Gawu La Pass (5198 m). The Tibetan landscape and ancient monasteries are the major highlights of this journey.

Accommodation and Meals

During the trip, travelers can enjoy the comfortable hotel for lodging and meals in all places except in the Everest Base Camp. There are tented accommodations in the base camp but you can also choose to stay in the guesthouse near the Rongbuk Monastery.

Best Time to Visit

Choose April to June and September to October for the best experiences of the Lhasa to Everest Base Camp journey. These are the months when you can get mesmerizing scenery of Everest.

Travel Permits

You must obtain the Tibet Travel Permit (125 $ to 215 $), Aliens’ Travel Permit (15 $ to 45 $), and Chinese Visa (76 $ to 182 $) to do the trip. In addition, you must also do the group tour which must be guided by the Chinese Tibetan and under the registered travel company.

Can I reach Manasarovar Lake from Everest Base Camp?

Yes, it is possible to reach Manasarovar Lake from the Everest Base Camp. In fact, some travel packages include the visit of the lake as well. It takes about 2 days to reach the lake from the base camp via Saga. This blogger strongly suggests you to include the Manasarovar Lake visit during the journey of the Lhasa to Everest Base Camp.

Is it possible to do Mount Kailash Kora (Circumambulation)?

The holiest walk for the Hindus circling Mt. Kailash (the home of Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati) is the Mount Kailash Kora (circumambulation). It is possible to do the Kora during this trip but you need to add at 5 to 6 days more in the original itinerary of the Lhasa to Everest Base Camp trip.