How to Get to Everest Base Camp (EBC) from Lhasa?
How to Get to Everest Base Camp (EBC) from Lhasa?
The North Base Camp in Tibet (hereafter referred to as the Everest Base Camp) is the best place to watch the Everest in the world. As the horizon is wide there, tourists are more likely to see and shoot the overall view of the Everest. Almost all foreigners who travel to Tibet will choose to visit the Everest Base Camp, as it is many people’s dream that climbing to the foot of the highest mountain in the world. Departing from Lhasa to the base camp is the most convenient and fastest route.
How far is Lhasa to Everest Base Camp?
The straight-line distance between Lhasa and Everest Base Camp is about 450 kilometers, and the driving distance is about 650 kilometers. You can drive along the 318 National Road, the most beautiful national road in the country. After arriving at Dingri County, you can turn to Everest Road. The roads to the base camp are all paved with asphalt. Therefore, you can drive smoothly to there.
Daily Itinerary
The trip from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp(EBC) is usually four days. Before leaving for EBC, there is a three-day sightseeing in Lhasa, visiting Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Bajiao Street, Sera Monastery, and Philosophy Temple and other attractions. When you don’t show serious symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), we’ll begin our trip.
Day 1: Lhasa - Gyangze - Shigatse(280 km)
Along the way, we’ll visit Yamdrok Lake, the most beautiful glaciers in Tibet- the Carola glaciers, and the Baiju Temple, which integrates the three sects of Tibetan religion. The scenic spots on the first day are very enchanting, especially the sacred Yamdrok Lake. The Lake is surrounded by many snow-capped mountains and in the distance you can have spectacular views of Holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar, the highest mountain near Lhasa .
Day 2: Shigatse - Dingri - Everest Base Camp(350 kilometers)
After visiting the Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, we’ll continue the trip and visit Gaura Mountain Pass and Rongbu Temple. You’re able to see four peaks with altitude more than 8000 meters at Gaura Mountain Pass. The Rongbu Temple, the highest temple in the world, is where you can have a perfect view over the Everest.
Day 3: Everest Base Camp - Shigatse(350 kilometers)
After visiting the sunrise of Mount Everest in the morning, we will start the return journey. We’ll not stop for sightseeing except for unusual circumstances.
Day 4: Shigatse - Lhasa( 280 kilometers)
In Shigatse, you can visit attractions that you had no time visiting on the first day, such as Gyangze Fortress. And when we arrive in Lhasa, the guide will transfer you back to your hotels in Lhasa.
Attractions along the trip from Lhasa to Mount Everest Base Camp
Yamdrok Lake
Yamdrok Lake is a freshwater lake in Tibet, it is one of the three largest sacred lakes in Tibet. The lake has an outlet stream at its far western end and means turquoise in English due to its color. Around 90 km to the west of the lake lies the Tibetan town of Gyantse and Lhasa is a hundred km to the northeast. According to local mythology, Yamdok lake is the transformation of a goddess.
Karola Glacier
About two hours away from Yamdrok Lake is Karola Glacier. It isn’t a big glacier, but the white glacier is spectacular from the highway, and it is close enough (about 300 yards) to walk to from the highway. The glacier shines a brilliant white in the rays of the sun. Inside the ice stack you can see the various layers that make up this moving river of ice, and you can climb up close to it to get a better view.
Kumbum Temple
Kumbum Temple has two major features. One is that three schools of Tibetan Buddhism peacefully coexist there. The temple's offerings and architectural styles have absorbed features of the three schools, namely, Sakya, Kadang and Gelug sects. The other is the Bodhi Tower, the symbol of Kumbum Temple. It is a tower built by nearly one hundred Buddhist halls overlapping together, and hence it is called as"a tower in the tower". There are a total of 100,000 Buddha statues in the Buddhist temples and murals. Therefore, it is also billed as tower with 100,000 Buddhas.
Tashilhunpo Monastery
Tashilhunpo Monastery, founded in 1447 by the 1st Dalai Lama, is a historic and culturally important monastery in Shigatse, the second-largest city in Tibet. Located on a hill in the center of the city, the full name in Tibetan of the monastery means "all fortune and happiness gathered here" or "heap of glory". Tashi Lhunpo Monastery seeks to provide the best possible modern education, along with a deep and intimate understanding of the heritage of Tibet.
Gyantse Dzong
Gyantse Dzong or Gyantse Fortress is one of the best preserved dzongs in Tibet, perched high above the town of Gyantse on a huge spur of grey brown rock. The fortress was constructed in 1390 and guarded the southern approaches to the Tsangpo Valley and Lhasa. The town was surrounded by a wall 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) long. The entrance is on the eastern side.
Gaura Pass
Standing at the Gaura Pass(Jiawala Pass) at an altitude of 5,200 meters, you can see the peaks of the Himalayas, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu and other peaks all lining up in front of your eyes. It is billed as the most spectacular viewing platform in the world. Gaura Pass is totally worthy visiting.
Rongbuk Monastery
Rongbuk Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery of the Nyingma sect in Basum Township, Dingri County. From Rongbuk Monastery, there are dramatic views of the north face of Mount Everest, and one of the first British explorers to see it, John Noel, described it: "Some colossal architect, who built with peaks and valleys, seemed here to have wrought a dramatic prodigy—a hall of grandeur that led to the mountain."
The altitudes from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp
The average altitude of the journey from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp is about 4,000 meters. The major passes of altitude more than 5,000 meters are the Carola Mountain Pass (5057 meters), the Gyatla Pass (5248 meters) and the Gaura Mountain Pass (5198 meters). You’re less likely to suffer from the AMS after three days’ sightseeing in Lhasa. If you got carsickness, please prepare some motion sickness drugs. Because the carsickness is likely to trigger the high altitude sickness.
Traffic from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp
There are two sections for the trip: one is from Lhasa to Shigatse, and the other is from Shigatse City to Everest Base Camp. There are many transportation options for the first section, including cars, train and even plane. It takes only 2.5 hours taking a train from Lhasa to Shigatse, three hours less than driving. But in this way, you’re not able to visit scenic spots such as the Yamdrok and Carola Glacier along the way.
As to visit more scenic spots in Tibet, we choose to drive to Shigatse. Although we spend more time on the road, we’ll experience a more colorful journey.
For the second section, you can only drive to the base camp. Or, of course, you can trek along the country road and passes through Tibetan countries, experiencing the pure Tibetan life.
Notice: please do bring the necessary documents with you. We can apply for all the documents and permits for you.
