7 Night 8 Days Lhasa Tour

Difficulty Level and Who This Trek is For

This 8 Day Lhasa tour is considered a moderately difficulty trip. The majority of your travel will be conducted on paved roads, so you won’t have to worry about extreme trekking or long-distance hikes. Exploring the city of Lhasa and all of the beautiful monasteries, as well as walking around other little towns, all provide plenty of opportunities for easy walks.

However, the altitude is the biggest challenge in this case. Most of your time is at an altitude of 3,650 meters (12,000 feet) in Lhasa and at least 5,000 meters (18,000 feet) near Everest Base Camp. Being in vehicles most of the time will help, but the combination of your body adjusting to the higher elevation combined with the thin air can definitely cause some shortness of breath or even a mild headache due to the altitude. The key to overcoming these types of symptoms is to drink lots of water, don’t rush yourself, and listen to your body’s response to the altitude and limited oxygen levels.

This Trek is ideal for traveler who:

• Wish to enjoy the history and culture of Tibet without having to trek for long distances.
• Would like to see beautiful drives over the high mountain peaks/altitude.
• Are looking for a quick but rewarding Lhasa tour and the top of Mount Everest.
• Have no experience in trekking at moderate altitude.

This trip works well for an individual traveler, couples, families or small groups that would like a combination of spiritual, cultural or high altitude adventure.

Accommodation and Meals

For this seven-night trip to Lhasa and Everest, we have chosen lodgings that provide a balance between comfortability and authenticity of Tibetan feel while staying in Lhasa. While in Lhasa, you can stay at a place with two people sharing a room in hotels that are nice and comfortable with both heated water and private bathrooms that are close by to either the Potala Palace or Jokhang Temple, giving you easy access for wandering around checking out the city at your own leisure.

Note: The tour has been organized on the basis of twin-sharing rooms. But if you’re the sort of person who prefers having your own space and would like to stay in a single room, the single room supplement will be USD 315 for the 7 nights (or approximately USD 45 per night).

When you travel towards the Everest Region, you will find that accommodations become progressively more simple. You’ll be staying at local tea houses/lodges most of which are near monasteries. Although these types of accommodations do not have any fancy things,they tend to be more authentic and are more reflective of what life is like at higher altitudes.

For your meals, all breakfasts at the hotels/lodges you will be staying at are included. Lunch/Dinner is excluded from the package, which is actually a good thing because it offers you a chance to stop at small and local spots along the route. You’ll have opportunities to try authentic food such as momos, thukpas and even salty butter tea. Your guide will always be with you to help identify good, local restaurants, so you won’t have trouble finding a good meal.

Cultural Experience and Local in Tibet

Tibet is among those places that have deep rooted traditions going back for generations and a completely spiritual aura to the place. Because of this, being respectful towards local customs in order to improve your experience is very beneficial.

In both place such as the Potala Palace or Jokhang Temple, the general rule is to walk clockwise around all sacred areas. Be aware of your volume and do not physically touch any religious items unless you have asked for permission first. Oh, and of course, it’s always a good idea to pay attention to when it’s time to remove your shoes. This small act shows that you respect the monks and worshippers who are in attendance.

One of the first things you’ll notice is how warm and welcoming the people are. Whether you’re in the middle of Lhasa or stopping at some small village on the way to Everest, the locals are curious and are usually very polite to you. Asking first before taking photographs of the locals is important to do, because most of them are very happy to pose for a picture, but it is always best to ask first. It’s amazing how acts of politeness, such as saying hello or taking an interest in their lives, can lead to such positive experiences.

Also, it’s a good idea to remember a few unspoken rules, like not pointing your feet at a religious statue (which is a little rude) and being very gentle with prayer wheels. To tell you the truth, if you go in with an open mind and a little common sense, you are going to have a far greater experience. It‘s those small acts of consideration that help make an adventure into the spirituality of Tibet be as satisfied as you can possibly achieve.

Permits and Travel Documents

While preparing for a trip to Tibet and the Everest region, you will require a little more paperwork than the usual vacation, but it’s all just checking the right little boxes. To start, you‘ll need to obtain your Tibet Travel Permit before you can enter Lhasa. Once we leave Lhasa and head out further into the Shigatse or Everest region, we’ll also need to acquire an Alien Travel Permit and an Everest Region Permit to get you into the likes of Rongbuk Monastery. It’s all just the usual procedure for the region, so nothing to worry about.

In addition to the necessary permits, you will also require a valid passport (check that it has at least six months of validity remaining) and a valid Chinese Tourist Visa before entering the country. The common tourist visa fee is usually $125 USD, however, if you live in the U.S., Canada, Argentina, or Romania, you will be charged an additional $100 USD to obtain the visa.

What we’ll need from you to get things moving:

• A scan of your passport – This has to be with us at least 25 days before the trip starts, so don’t forget!
• Your original passport – This has to be with us at least 3 official working days before the trip starts.
• A passport-sized photo – This just has to be one with a white background, taken in the last 6 months or so.

Note: Any figures discussed are NET per person. Flight and visa fees are not part of the package and are extra; you will need to consider these separately when budgeting for your trip.

It may look like a big job to get all the necessary documents. But don’t worry, your tour operator “Epic Trek Nepal” will be of great assistance to you in this case. All we need from you is a copy of your passport and visa number. We will get all the necessary documents filed for you, which is much easier for you.