Have you ever had breakfast with a view of Mount Everest? Have you walked down a street where pilgrims recite mantras and spin prayer wheels, just as they did a thousand years ago? Or climbed up to the palace on the rock, where the fate of an entire nation was once decided?
In just eight days, you'll journey from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp, visit ancient monasteries, witness rituals unchanged for centuries, and discover what the true “air of freedom” feels like — at an altitude of 5,200 metres.
Ahead lies a route that distils everything people fall in love with in Tibet: soaring altitudes, deep history, breathtaking landscapes, and the sense that time flows differently here.
Conquer the mysterious world of the “Roof of the World” on a journey with Scenario Travel.
On this trip
Lhasa
Climb up to the Potala Palace, step inside the Jokhang Temple, and walk the kora along Barkhor Street alongside the pilgrims
Drepung and Sera
Visit two of the largest Gelug monasteries
Yamdrok Lake
See the sacred turquoise lake and the Karola Glacier descending to the roadside
Gyantse
Stroll through the ancient city and climb the Kumbum Stupa, with its 108 chapels
Everest
Reach the base camp at an altitude of 5,200 m, view Chomolungma’s northern face, and spend the night at its foot
Tour details
- Permit to visit Tibet;
- All entrance fees;
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary:
- Daily breakfasts;
- Lunch at a popular Tibetan restaurant in Lhasa;
- Lunch at a family-run restaurant by Yamdrok Lake;
- Dinner with a traditional show in Shigatse;
- Hot pot dinner at Everest Base Camp;
- Private transport (7-seater vehicle);
- Private jeep transfer from Gyirong to Kathmandu;
- English-speaking guide in Tibet (no guide is provided in Nepal);
- Accommodation in hotels/guesthouses, twin-sharing basis;
- Government taxes and service charges;
- Travel insurance.
- International flights and a Chinese visa;
- Flights/trains to and from Lhasa (booking assistance available);
- Meals not specified in the itinerary;
- Tips for the guide and driver;
- Personal expenses;
- Tibetan souvenirs, oxygen, bottled water, etc.
The tour can end in either Lhasa or Kathmandu (Nepal).
Travel scenario
Day 1. Arrival in Lhasa (3,650 m)
Arrival at the airport and transfer to the hotel. Time to acclimatise, rest after the flight, and enjoy some free time.
Day 2. Lhasa: the heart of Tibet and spirituality
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The name “Lhasa” literally translates from Tibetan as “place of the gods.” Situated at an altitude of 3,650 metres, the air here is unique — clean, crisp, and almost crystalline. Today, you’ll get a real sense of how Lhasa, Tibet's cultural and spiritual heart, thrives.
Potala Palace
First, you will visit the Potala Palace, a functioning museum and the iconic symbol of Lhasa, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Standing 117 metres tall and spanning over 130,000 m², the complex is built atop Red Mountain, appearing to connect heaven and earth. With 13 storeys, more than a thousand rooms, countless steps, and a rich history, it has served as the main residence of the Dalai Lamas since the 16th century.
The Potala is divided into two principal sections, each with its own distinct role and architectural importance:
- The Red Palace: This houses sacred halls for meditation and prayer, the tombs of eight Dalai Lamas (covered in gold), and thousands of ancient sutras, statues, scrolls, and unique frescoes.
- The White Palace: This served as the Dalai Lama’s administrative centre and residence. It included offices, living quarters, audience halls, and a library. It was here that the most significant decisions regarding Tibet’s internal and foreign affairs were made.
Jokhang Temple
Next, you will visit the Jokhang Temple — the sacred heart of Tibet. Built in 647 AD, it is considered the spiritual centre of Buddhism on the Tibetan Plateau. One of the oldest and most revered statues of the Buddha is kept here — Jowo Rinpoche Buddha Shakyamuni — believed to have been brought in the 7th century by the Chinese princess Wencheng. The statue stands approximately 1.5 metres tall, cast in precious metals and adorned with glittering gemstones.
At the Jokhang Temple, pilgrims pray by prostrating their bodies on the ground and performing kora (circumambulation) around the shrine.
Barkhor Street
You’ll end the day with a stroll along Barkhor Street, a circular pilgrimage route around the Jokhang Temple, roughly one kilometre in length. Thousands pass through daily, spinning prayer wheels and chanting the mantra “Om mani padme hum”.
The Barkhor Kora encircles the temple and nearby ancient noble residences, including the former home of the State Oracle of Nechung and the architectural treasures of Tromtsikang and Jamkang. Large incense burners at each of the street’s four corners, with fragrant smoke constantly rising — an offering to the deities to protect the sacred Jokhang.
Along the route, dozens of market stalls offer everything from sandalwood prayer beads to bronze figurines and traditional amulets.
Day 3. Drepung and Sera Monasteries
Today is dedicated to exploring two of the most significant monasteries in Tibet — Drepung and Sera, which will provide you with a deep understanding of Tibetan Buddhism, its traditions, and its educational system.
Founded in 1416, Drepung Monastery is situated on the slopes of the Gambo Utse mountain, about 5 km west of Lhasa. The monastery's name translates as "Rice Hill," symbolising its scale and significance. Before the construction of the Potala Palace, Drepung served as the residence of the Dalai Lama.
It was the largest monastery in Tibet, housing up to 10,000 monks. As you walk through its grounds, you will encounter majestic halls adorned with frescoes and statues, and experience an atmosphere of tranquillity.
Sera Monastery lies on the northern outskirts of Lhasa, at the foot of the Sera Utse. Its name translates as "Wild Rose", a reference to the flowers that once grew in this area. Sera is one of the six great monasteries of the Gelug school. Many outstanding scholars and spiritual teachers studied here. The monastery is renowned for its daily debates among monks, which help sharpen their understanding of Buddhist philosophy and develop their logical thinking.
The monastery comprises a Great Assembly Hall and three colleges, each with its own specialisation and unique atmosphere.
Day 4. Lhasa – Gyantse – Shigatse
Today, you’ll embark on a grand Tibetan journey along the Friendship Highway — from Lhasa to Shigatse via Gyantse.
The first stop is Yamdrok Lake, one of Tibet's three main sacred lakes. Tibetans believe that if Yamdrok dries up, life throughout Tibet will end. For this reason, locals bring offerings to the lake and pray for the well-being of the entire region.
Next, you’ll visit the Karola Glacier, which appears to cascade directly onto the highway from the mountainside, resembling a descending snow avalanche. At an altitude of around 5,560 metres, it is one of the most accessible glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau.
Gyantse is an ancient Tibetan city where rich history and everyday life intertwine. Here you’ll find the Pelkor Monastery, famous for its multi-tiered Kumbum Stupa – the largest of its kind in Tibet. The Kumbum is an octagonal tower featuring 108 chapels across nine levels. It symbolises the Buddhist universe and is considered an encyclopaedia of Tibetan art.
In the evening, you’ll arrive in Shigatse — the second-largest city in Tibet and the traditional seat of the Panchen Lamas.
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Day 5. Shigatse — Everest Base Camp
Today, you will depart from Shigatse towards Everest Base Camp (5,200 m).
Gawula Pass (5,198 m): your first encounter with the Himalayas and a panoramic view of five of the world’s 8,000-metre peaks, including Everest. In clear weather, you can see Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, and Shishapangma — all towering above 8,000 metres.
Before reaching the base camp, you will stop at Rongbuk Monastery — the highest-altitude monastery in the world, located at approximately 4,980 m. Founded in the early 20th century, it once served as a retreat for monks meditating in the shadow of Everest.
And here it is — a defining moment of the journey — Everest Base Camp, the launching point for climbers aspiring to conquer “Chomolungma”. From an altitude of 5,200 m, you will be greeted by a magnificent view of Everest’s northern face — majestic, forbidding, and awe-inspiring. Tibetans believe the mountain possesses feminine energy and unique spiritual power.
After a walk through the windswept camp, enjoy a cosy dinner featuring traditional Tibetan hot pot. Shared with fellow travellers under the stars and with Everest as your backdrop, this will surely be a moment to remember.
It's important to know that spending the night at 5,200 m can be challenging due to the thin air and sudden temperature shifts. If preferred, you may descend slightly to a nearby village, where accommodation is more comfortable.
Day 6. Everest — Shigatse through Sakya
After a night at the foot of Mount Everest, you will leave the base camp and head to Shigatse, travelling along one of the most atmospheric routes in southern Tibet.
The first section of the journey passes through Dinggye County — a lesser-known part of Tibet rarely visited by tourists, which lends the route a particularly authentic character.
You will stop at the Xilin Viewpoint, where sweeping panoramas of valleys, mountain passes, and distant snow-capped peaks unfold before you.
Next is a visit to the ancient Sakya, notable for its distinctive architectural style: the monastery and residential buildings are painted in grey and blue tones, evoking the Mongolian influence of the 13th century.
The main attraction is the Sakya Monastery, once the seat of the ancient dynasty that ruled Tibet from the 13th to 14th centuries under Mongol patronage. Inside, you'll find thousands of ancient manuscripts, statues, frescoes, and one of the largest libraries dedicated to Tibetan philosophy.
Upon arriving in Shigatse in the evening, you’ll be treated to a cultural experience: a dinner accompanied by a traditional Tibetan performance.
Day 7. Shigatse — Lhasa
In the morning, you will visit Tashilhunpo Monastery, the largest in western Tibet and the traditional seat of the Panchen Lamas, the second most important spiritual leaders after the Dalai Lama. The monastery was founded in the 15th century, and religious services are still held there to this day. Its halls contain enormous statues of Buddha and shrines that house the remains of the Panchen Lamas.
After the visit, you will return to Lhasa, travelling along the valley of the Yarlung Tsangpo River. This is the largest river in Tibet and, in some places, resembles a wide ribbon winding through hills and plateaus. There will be several stops at scenic viewpoints along the way.
In the evening, you will arrive back in Lhasa.
Day 8. Farewell to Tibet
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport to depart from Lhasa.
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