Tour Map Click on the map to enlarge

DAY 04 – 05. After a couple of days acclimation, you dare to drive over the Gampa la pass and Karo la pass to Gyantse and Shigatse in the western Tibetan plateau, along the upstream of the Brahmaputra river we climb up the Gampa la(4900m) through numbers of switch-backs, from the pass you will be amazed by the breathtaking view of the holy Lake Yamdrok and snow-capped Mt.Nyenchen Kangsar in the background, then further to Gyantse and Shigatse via bloomy glaciers and scattered villages. Both Gyantse and Shigatse are well known for their historical and religious value since from ancient time, Gyantse is known as hero’s town as the British troops defeated by Gyantse guerrilla in 1904, moreover, these regions have slightly different culture and tradition than in Lhasa, there we will visit Gyantse Kubhum stupa and Tashi Lhunpo monastery.

DAY 06 – 07. To prevent against the altitude sickness, we gradually ascend into the mountainous Himalayan terrain by traversing few remarkable passes, you will have the first panorama of the Himalayans from the ridge of Gyatso la pass (5400m), numbers of snow-capped peaks appearing out from the rest like warriors among the soldiers, through the barren mountains but astonishing landscapes and photogenic villages within the hilly valleys we approach to the world highest peak-Mt. Everest with altitude of 8844.4m, the picturesque view of the Young Everest appears right in front of you within the Rongbuk valley, spending a night at the foot of the world tallest mountain, a short hike for 6 km from the tent guesthouse community to the EBC marker is challenging but memorable too, herds of wild goats are disguised in the rocky mountains, EBC is the most popular campsite for mountaineers, usually in March and April the area is blooming with different colors of mountaineering camps from all over the world. Our farewell to the mighty peak responded by its striking view in golden color under the morning sunshine, then we retrace the road back to Lhasa. DAY 08. Today it is your last day on the Tibet plateau, before your departure, we will appreciate if you can spend few minutes to evaluate our services for future improvement and you can either leave the feedback form to your guide or just write us an email, at your departure, your guide and driver meet you at the hotel lobby and transfer you to the airport/train station per your schedule. The trip officially ends.

Tibet is a place, which is totally different from any other place around the world, just because of its political sensitivity, rich cultural diversity, and peculiar geographical formation. Although this means it is not the easiest place to travel, which is also what makes it so special. In order to make your trip worry-free and indisputable, here we have carefully collected all the essential information that will give you a clear image of the trip as well as logistics during your stay in Tibet, this also will be helpful for your trip preparation before you leave, so please go through it and make sure you are well prepared for the trip, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact our tour consultant or write us on sales@exploretibet.comLegitimate Claim; As we mentioned above, Tibet is politically very sensitive and any political activities are restrictedly prohibited, so we always advise our clients to keep away from any political conversations or activities that are bound against the policy of the People’s Republic of China. Your involvement in such activities would influence the whole group as well as the future of all your guides, driver, and the company. If anyone does, then we have the full right to cancel the trip and we are not responsible for so caused hassle and costs. Emergency contacts: Being a responsible company, we are always available 24 hours a day, in case you need any emergency help. It is best to first call your designated travel coordinator or salesperson (whose contact numbers will be listed on your tour agreement), for any reason if you are not able to reach him/her then please ring us at the below numbers; Lhasa Head Office: (0891)-6329441 (the area code 0891 is not necessary if you are calling from Lhasa) Chengdu Office: (028)-86262365 Note: office working time is 9 am – 7 pm from Monday to Friday. Sonam Jamphel (Sales Manager) 0158890904080 or 013398000993 (Available 24 hours a day) Chinese Visa Everyone should have a valid passport (with minimum 6 months validity) and a Chinese visa to travel into China the Chinese visa is also valid in Tibet, generally, the Chinese visa can be applied for either by yourself or use a visa service agency in your home country, but the visa application and requirements are little vary in different countries, so please check with your regional Chinese Embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date visa requirements. NOTE; It is your responsibility to obtain the Chinese visa, so just for your information it is better not to list Tibet as your travel destination on your visa application form, just list Chengdu or Beijing, whichever your inbound city is as your travel destination. If you enter Tibet from Nepal then you don’t need the Chinese individual visa and please check the next line for what you need. If You Enter Tibet From Nepal If you enter Tibet from Nepal, then the permit and Chinese visa formalities are slightly different, to enter from Nepal, you don't need a Chinese individual visa instead you should obtain the Tibet group visa from the Chinese Embassy in Nepal, you can’t apply it directly and you should have a local Nepalese agency to apply for it, so our Nepalese partner agency will assist you for that application, normally the application takes 2 to 5 working days for different cost and it only can be applied when you arrive in Nepal because your original passport is needed along the application. For more about the Tibet Group Visa and cost please check here Tibet Travel Permit and Its Process Tibet travel permit is compulsory for all travelers to visit Tibet and it can be obtained within 15 days prior to the trip starting dates, once you have booked the tour with us, we will obtain it for you which is included in the tour package. We need clear scan copies of your Chinese visa and passports to apply for the permit. For more detail and the latest permit updates, please check here Etiquettes and Taboos: Cultural Considerations: Be aware that your cultural values may differ from those of locals. These may include different concepts of time, personal space, communication, etc., which are not wrong or inferior, just different. Making the extra effort to respect local customs and cultural differences will enhance your interactions with locals during your time in Tibet and contribute to building mutual respect between locals and tourists. Appropriate attire: Most Tibetans are pretty conservative from our Western perspective so it is always polite to wear long pants at all times (guys and girls). If you wear shorts in rural villages or in the Bakhor district in Lhasa you will definitely get stranger looks than normal! Women should wear long pants or skirts. Shirts should not be revealing and bras should be worn. Unfortunately, many tourists ignore these cultural norms and can be seen in towns and villages wearing shorts and revealing summer attire; while it may be comfortable, it is not appropriate, especially when visiting monasteries. Don’t be shy to inform other tourists of the proper dress for monasteries; perhaps they are not aware of the cultural considerations and etiquette. Itinerary Disclaimer Generally, we adhere to the original itinerary that we described but sometimes little alterations can be born due to situations that are beyond our control. On the other hand, in order to make our trip for your personal experiences and flexible, we allowed our clients to make minor changes by discussing with us (office staff) and guide (field staff). The trip detail itinerary is a general guide to the tour and region, and any mention of specific destinations or activities is by no means of guarantee that they will be encountered or carried due to the local circumstances and climate. Keeping in touch with folks at home If your family members or colleagues or friends want to connect with you during the tour, then you can either provide your guide's mobile number to reach you during the trip or if you don’t know your guide's number at the time, please don’t feel hesitate to provide our company contact numbers listed in the Emergency Contact section and we can find a way to reach you through guide mobile. Meals In order to provide you the maximum flexibility of what, where, and when to eat, we generally don’t include meals in the tour cost except breakfast included at the hotels, but our local guide will suggest you good local restaurant per your requirements. In the cities like Lhasa, Tsedang, Gyantse, Shigatse, and Zhangmu you can find good restaurants serve a wide range of Tibetan food, continental food, Nepalese food, Indian food, and Chinese cuisine, but in Tingri, EBC, and in remote places, there is a limited choice for noodles and pan cakes. The approximate cost of a meal in Tibet is USD3 – USD10 per person/meal depending on your individual requirement. Destination Guide & Recommended Reading List: Tibet is a unique travel destination with some special considerations. It is highly recommended that you undertake some background reading before traveling to Tibet. The more you learn about your destination, the more rewarding your travel experience will be. While we include a recommended reading list, which you can refer to for in-depth information, the following is a recommended reading list that might be helpful for you. | Tibetan History | Tibetan Culture & Arts | Tibetan Religion | Lhasa and the TAR:

• Tibet: The Lonely Planet Country Guide
• Trekking in Tibet: A Traveler's Guide by Gary McCue
• Tibet Handbook: Moon Travel Guide
• Fodor's Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan: Expert Advice and Smart Choices: Where to Stay, Eat, and 
Explore On and Off the Beaten Path
• To a Mountain in Tibet by Colin Thubron
• The Mount Kailash Trek by Constance Roos/Sian Pritchard-Jones
• Trekking Tibet by Gary McCue/George Schaller
• The Heart of the World, A Journey to the Tibet's Lost Paradise by Ian Baker
• My Journey to Lhasa by Alexandra David-Neel 

Kham and Amdo regions:

• Footprints Tibet Handbook by Gyurme Dorje
• Lonely Planet China (See Yunnan, Sichuan, Qinghai, and Gansu Provinces)
• Bradt Guide Tibet by Michael Buckley

Domestic Flights and Trains to Tibet There is only one international flight to Tibet, which is from Kathmandu (Nepal), and then there are lots of flights from different cities in Mainland China like Chengdu, Beijing, Shanghai, and so on. Please Check the Flight Schedule and Cost Here There is no international train to Tibet and all the trains are from Mainland China like Chengdu, Beijing, Shanghai, Xining, and so on. Please Check the Train Schedule and Cost Here Responsible Tourism Initiative:  Tourism has the potential to have positive and negative effects on the local environment and people. Making a conscious decision about how you travel can make a difference. Whether you are traveling to the Amazon rainforest or to Mt. Everest Base Camp, taking the initiative to reduce negative impacts and help sustain local communities is the responsible thing to do. Read more about how we practice Responsible Travel How & What To Pack It is important to pack lightly and effectively, especially when you traveling to a new place, you need to know some necessary items that should be carried with you, depending on the length of your trip and where you go, you can get away with a minimal amount of clothing. One medium-large backpack or rolling duffle and a day pack should be just right for a 2-4 week trip. We suggest you check our packing guidelines here Complaint & Feedback We are always trying to provide the best service that can achieve a memorable Tibet tour for you, but sometimes you might be dissatisfied with some arrangement as different people has various aspirations and requirement, so please let us know instantly and we will try to solve everything right away to avoid repeating mistakes unknowingly. As we are looking for every single opportunity to improve our services, so your valuable suggestions and constructive complaints are very much appreciated.

“Tashi Delek Sonam!

We had a wonderful time traveling in Tibet and I thank you for making our trip so fabulous, you are an amazing and special man Sonam.

I thought you might like some copies of the photos I took when we went out with you. Your mother is a beautiful person.

Thank you again "

-------Amon and Margaret. Traveled in April

“The tour guide Tashi and the driver Mr. Tan were both very courteous and professional the entire time. They really made my wife & I feel welcome in Tibet, They have excellent relations with the various restaurants in Tibet and with the tent operators at EBC. The trip to EBC was perfect! I would highly recommend Tashi & Mr. Tan to anyone else planning a tour in Tibet!“ ------Amy & Daniel Wloka, Traveled in May

  

“Kalsang was excellent, as was Kunchok, However in the beginning the communication to the guide was not good- each new guide didn’t seem to know anything about our plan. Once we got on the road we are very happy with both our guide and driver. Both have a great attitude. Overall the trip was great – Thanks!“ ------ David Conlisk (Irish), Travel date: April 2011