With Tibet’s common altitude being over 3500m above sea stage we take altitude illness very seriously, so we spend nowadays resting in Nyalam in order to acclimatize earlier than heading up higher. We take the chance to go a short way out of city to go to a small temple, Nyalam Pelgye Ling, related with eleventh- and twelfth-century poet-lama and saint Milarepa, credited with bringing Buddhism to Tibet and Phukdro ritro.

The power to the Lalung La (pass) which sits at 5050m is truly spectacular. On a clear day the north facet of the most important Himalaya Range from Shishapangma (8046m) to Gauri Shanker (7134m) in the east is seen and a attractive view. The force continues throughout the Tibetan Plateau previous a collection of villages to the good sized Tingri plains the place we acquire our first views of Cho Oyu (8201 m) and Mt Everest. 10 km earlier than the city of Shegar we depart the Friendship Highway and head south into the Everest region. We go the Pang La, at 5150m, gaining exceptional views of Everest and the surrounding area. The view from the pinnacle is first-rate with uninterrupted views stretching from Makalu to Shishapangma. From right here we head down to the village of Phadhruchi the place the jeep music divides – the west avenue heading to the Rongbuk Valley and the east street takes us to the Arun Valley (Phung Chu) and the village of Kharta, the administrative headquarters of the region.

Today we start our first day of trekking after a hearty breakfast and begin strolling on a jeep path alongside the banks of the Kharta River. At the quit of the jeep avenue we move a bridge and observe a winding path above small, scattered villages set amid barley fields. Coming to a fork in the path we take the smaller left path closer to Shao La, which offers us a greater gradual climb in elevation than the quickly ascent to Langma La. Both trails lead subsequently to the Kangshung Face Base Camp. Tonight we camp in a meadow (4160m) above the Dambuk Chu (river valley) which drains from the Shao La.

We make an early begin to ascend the Shao La (4790m) previous a pair of lakes referred to as the Tsho-Shao and up to the skip to reap terrific views of Everest (8848m), Makalu (8475m) and Lhotse (8501m). From the pass by there is a constant descent to some yak pastures and a set of 4 attractive lakes, earlier than some steep, rocky switchbacks. Reaching higher terrain we then wind downwards via as a substitute idyllic birch groves and dwarf rhododendrons to our meadow camp (4000m). It takes us about three hours to attain our stunning campsite, set in pine and fir woodland simply above the Kaamo Tsangpo Valley. This comparatively lush vegetation displays the monsoon have an effect on and summer time rains that surge up the close by Arun Valley all through the summer time months.

After breakfast this morning we have a bit of a heartstarter as we climb from the Karma Tsangpo Valley ground via exceedingly lush juniper, birch and rhododendron forest. This is beautiful strolling as we pass by thru meadows and then dwarf rhododendron, maintaining a appear out for views of Mt Everest and Lhotse at the head of the valley. Our path crosses alpine ridges the place yak herders’ from Kharta village make their summer season camps. We bypass thru a sequence of these meadows and previous two stunning lakes earlier than placing camp in a meadow (4420m) and ascending a ridge and seeing our first uninterrupted views of the Kangshung Face of Everest, flanked with the aid of Lhotse.

About half of an hour from our campsite we obtain our first views of Lhotse Shar (8383m) and views of this massive glaciated panorama that is the headwaters of the Karma Tsangpo. After about an hour we meet the path from Langma La and our path plunges down onto the valley ground at Rabka Chu. We proceed up the Kangshung Valley, getting into thick woodland the place the rhododendrons develop up to 6m high, large for this altitude. We then pass a collection of morainal hills to the meadows of Bathang, above which is a sacred lake and cave temple the place Guru Rimpoche was once stated to have meditated. We proceed up this wonderful valley into the afternoon to attain Pethang Ringmo. This is a definitely wonderful camp, set in a meadow which is full of wildflowers in the monsoon and ringed through big ice flows pouring from the peaks into the Kangshung Glacier. Mt Everest, Lhotse and Lhotse Shar are with us at the west quit of the valley, whilst Jomolonzo’s common avalanches supply us lots of publicity to the strength of the ice!

From our stunning camp at Pethang Ringmo we head out throughout the meadow to Kangshung Everest Base Camp, the place we will camp for the night. It is a stroll of solely two ½ to three hours up to camp, so in the afternoon we can both loosen up or discover to the west of the camp, following the crest of a lengthy morrain for about forty five minutes to its cease at 5200m. Below us is a giant glacial lake and throughout the valley we have one of the greatest views in the Himalaya, with three of the world’s absolute best peaks in clear view. If we have adequate power we can climb any other two hours to the crest of the principal ridge for even extra superb views.

This morning, after and early and hearty breakfast we make the climb north of camp previous two glacial lakes and on up to a ridge overlooking the Kangshung Valley. From our vantage factor at 5580m we have a absolutely brilliant view described in 1921 by using Lieutenant Colonel Charles Howard-Bury as “a big amphitheatre of mighty peaks culminating in a new and unsurveyed height to which we gave the title Lhotse, which in Tibetan potential South Peak”. We see the big triangular top to the east of Lhotse Shar is Pethangtse (6710m) and we can see Makalu poking out shape in the back of Jomolonzo. We will return to Pethang Ringmo’s amazing meadow campsite tonight.

After some other hearty breakfast we comply with the path from Pethang Ringmo again down the valley to Rabka Chu, two hours or so under camp. From right here we start a huge climb returned up to where we came down from Shao La and our flip off north in the direction of the Langma La. We proceed on thru the afternoon with exquisite views of Makalu summit to our camp at the base of the Langma La, to get prepared for our closing huge ignore of the trip!

While crossing the Langma La ought to solely take us about two hours, we will go away early this morning as a precaution. From our camp we climb previous a attractive glacial lake, with extra super views of the world’s absolute best mountains to the pinnacle of the omit at 5320m. From right here we have a honestly astonishing view, seeing Everest, Lhotse, and Makalu – the highest, 4th highest, and fifth best possible mountains in the world respectively! From right here we have a steep descent to the valley floor, which opens up as we skip yak herders’ camps from Kharta and the close by villages. Heading down to the place we be a part of the Kharta Valley we have views of the gorgeous Kangchenjunga massif rearing above the ridges past Kharta on the Nepal- Sikkim Border. This is a distinct sight, with Kanchenjunga being the 4th perfect mountain in the world and one of the most beautiful. We plunge down into the Kharta Tsangpo Valley, thru the wild rocky terrain under the pass, previous wonderful Tsho Dramnyen, formed like a Tibetan guitar, the place we can also see Blue Poppies. We proceed coming into the first rhododendrons, meadows and juniper, into our pleasant camp at Shomale (4160m).

We proceed alongside our path down into Lungdrubling, above the Kharta Tsangpo. We head downwards thru terraced barley fields, stands of wild rose and stone fences, following the river valley returned down into Kharta. We make camp right here for the night, and put together to power to Rongbuk in the morning.

From Kharta we load into jeeps and power to the village of Phadhruchi earlier than persevering with onto the Rongbuk Valley attaining the Dza Rongbuk Monastery and the Rongbuk Everest Base Camp. Dza Rongbuk Gompa and its accompanying hermitage retreats were delivered to the world in the Nineteen Twenties via the money owed of the first British rock climbing teams. It is located eight kilometres under the Base Camp and was once reconstructed after the excesses of the Cultural Revolution in the 1960’s. We proceed up to Everest Base Camp at 5020m the place we camp for the night.

Today we have the probability to discover Everest Base Camp, which is truly pretty dry and barren, however the views of Mt Everest extra than compensate for this. It is a certainly awe-inspiring area with the sheer north face of the best possible mountain in the world towering above us. Nowhere is the view of Mt Everest as mind-blowing as it is from proper here. We depart the Rongbuk Valley, taking our final lengthy seem at the awe inspiring view it has presented us for the final few days. We have a quick power in the direction of Shegar, crossing the Pang La, a 5150m pass by set lower back away from the principal Himalayan Range. The view from the pinnacle is stupendous (weather permitting) with uninterrupted views stretching from Makalu to Shishapangma. We come lower back onto the Friendship Highway simply earlier than Shegar and proceed on to Lhatse, the place we remain the night. Before accomplishing Lhatse we move the easiest omit on our journey, the Gyatso La (5105m), no doubt grateful we are now not trekking now, earlier than descending as soon as extra to the barren splendour of the plains.

Continuing alongside the Friendship Highway, we pass by by using lonely monasteries and the camps of nomadic herders. On our way to Gyantse for the night, we skip via Tibet’s 2nd greatest city, Shigatse, domestic to the Tashilhunpo Monastery and previously domestic of the Panchen Lama.

This morning we can discover the Pelkor Chode Monastery and the Gyantse Kumbum. The Kumbum is a giant gold-domed stupa and its many chapels residence an awesome array of Tibetan Buddhist murals. Leaving Gyantse behind, we have a impressive power taking us over but any other excessive pass, the Karo La at 4690m. From right here we have the terrific sight of a big glacier tumbling down closer to the road! Leaving the skip and passing thru the small city of Nagartse, we attain the amazing Yamdrok Tso. Also acknowledged as the Scorpion Lake, this is one of the 4 holiest lakes in Tibet, the place the panorama is mapped out with holy lakes and mountains. We wind round the banks of this wonderful turquoise lake for about 20km, earlier than we move our closing pass, the Khamba La (4700m) and proceed on into Lhasa. We have arrived in the Forbidden City!

Today we can immerse ourselves in this incredible town – the coronary heart and soul of Tibet! Our sightseeing will be accompanied through a information and interpreter and we will go to the Sera Monastery, one of the best-preserved monasteries in Tibet. Within its whitewashed partitions and golden roofs, countless hundred monks stay and study. After lunch we’ll go to the Norbulingka, the summer season palace of the Dalai Lama, accompanied by means of the Jokhang Temple. This temple is perhaps the most sacred shrine in Tibet and there is constantly a procession of religious Tibetans via the complex. Surrounding the Jokhang is the Barkor – a maze of slender cobbled streets, which is the central market of Lhasa. This is simply charming stuff and you will be mesmerised via the power and sense of this location of Lhasa.

No visit to Tibet ought to be whole barring touring the Potala Palace. A magnificent building, it actually dominates the skyline of Lhasa. It carries the non-public quarters of the Dalai Lama as nicely as severa grand staterooms and many vital chapels. There has been a palace on this web page given that the fifth or sixth century, however the existing palace was once built in the seventeenth century. After lunch we will go to the Drepung Monastery which was once centered in the 14th century. This monastery used to be as soon as the greatest in the world, with a populace of round 10,000 monks! These days that parent is down to a number of hundred, however there is nonetheless a lot right here of hobby as it was once left quite unscathed throughout the Cultural Revolution.

Fly again to Kathmandu after finishing the immigration formalities at Nepal-Tibet border. Devote the day to exploring this 2000-year-old city. Visit the historic Pashupatinath temple, viewed the holiest temple in Kathmandu and Patan, the metropolis of excellent arts. We shut the sojourn with a Satsang and Guru Pooja, an imparting of gratitude to the first-rate Masters of the previous and present