8-Day Tibet Small Group Tour: Lhasa, EBC., Yamdrok Lake & Monasteries
Classic monastery tour
Details
Arrival in Lhasa & Acclimatization
Your driver and guide will meet you at Lhasa Railway Station and transfer you to the city via the scenic Lhasa River corridor. After checking into your pre-booked hotel, we strongly recommend resting indoors to help your body adjust to the high altitude.
Altitude Tips: Lhasa sits at 3,650 meters, with oxygen levels about 70% of those in lowland areas. Most travelers experience some mild altitude sickness symptoms during the first two days. The best ways to acclimate are to stay hydrated, eat fresh fruit, and get plenty of rest.
Meals: Not Included
Accommodation: Taehf PhodragCulture Theme Hotel/Or Upgrade to Lhasa 5-star Senge Kangqiong Grand Hotel
Lhasa Railway Station
Qinghai-Tibet Railway
Lhasa-Nyingchi: Basum Tso-Nyang River Scenic Area-Nyingchi 390KM(Nyingchi Stone Pot Chicken)
Your journey begins with a picturesque drive from Lhasa to Basum Lake in Gongbo’gyamda County. Traveling east along the Nyang River, you’ll cross the 5,013-meter Mila Pass before descending to the lush Nyingchi region—often called “Tibet’s Jiangnan”—situated at a comfortable 2,800 meters. Along the way, admire traditional Tibetan villages and landscapes, with photo stops available.
In the afternoon, visit the breathtaking Basum Lake, renowned as one of Tibet’s most beautiful alpine lakes. Surrounded by snow-capped peaks and forests, it’s known as “Little Switzerland.” Explore a small island in the lake and enjoy panoramic views.
Continue to Nyingchi, meaning “Throne of the Sun.” Enjoy the beautiful Nyang River Valley and pristine forests showcasing the region’s stunning natural scenery.
Meals: Breakfast Included
Accommodation: Kaiyuan Mingting Hotel in Nyingchi
Nyingching
Basum Tso Lake
Nyingchi – Lulang Forest – Ranwu Lake – Bomi 380 km
After an early start, we depart Nyingchi for Lulang (approx. 100 km, a 2-hour drive). En route, we cross the Sejila Pass (4,515 meters above sea level), enjoying views of the colorful forests and the distant Nyingchi town. The pass offers a prime vantage point for viewing and photographing Mount Namjagbarwa.
We arrive in Bomi in the afternoon and visit Ranwu Lake.
The lakeshore features vast, lush green meadows dotted with vibrant *Stellera chamaejasme* (wolf-poison) flowers, creating a stunning landscape alongside the azure waters and snow-capped peaks. The lake’s color shifts between shades of azure and emerald green depending on the season. Numerous rocks and islets dot the water; the scenery is picturesque year-round, with swaying tree reflections in spring and summer, and ethereal mists in autumn and winter.
Meals: Breakfast Included
Accommodation: Hengxin Zangwang Hotel
Namchabarwa
Ranwu Lake
Bomi – Laigu Glacier & Yalong Glacier – Nyingchi 300KM
After breakfast, we set out for Laigu Glacier. Multiple glaciers surrounding Laigu Village have formed several glacial lakes in front of the settlement. Due to varying geological and soil compositions, each lake reflects a unique hue; one lake even features floating icebergs of various sizes. Where the glacier terminus meets the lake, fractured ice reveals towering, deep-blue ice walls over ten meters high.
From Laigu Village, one can view the Meixi, Yalong, Ruojiao, Dongga, Xiongjia, and Niuma glaciers. Collectively known as the Laigu Glaciers, they encircle the village. (Note: Viewing conditions vary by season, so the scenery differs depending on when you visit.)
Among them, the Yalong Glacier—originating at the eastern end of the Gangrigabu Mountains—is particularly magnificent; stretching 12 kilometers, it descends from a main peak over 6,000 meters high down to the edge of Laigu Village at an altitude of approximately 4,000 meters. After concluding the Blue Ice excursion, we returned to Nyingchi to check into our accommodation.
Meals: Breakfast Included
Accommodation: Kaiyuan Mingting Hotel in Nyingchi
Lulang Town
Laigu Glacier
Nyingchi-Lhasa: Lulang Town-Kadinggou Tianfo Waterfall-Lhasa 460KM
After breakfast, we will visit the Kading Tianfo Waterfall, a pristine forest area whose name translates to “Heaven on Earth.” Located about 24 kilometers from Bayi Town along the Nyang River, the gorge features classic canyon terrain—towering cliffs, deep valleys, striking rock formations, and ancient trees. A nearly 200-meter waterfall cascades down powerfully, and within the falls, a naturally formed rock resembles a serene Buddha, giving the site its name, “Heavenly Buddha Waterfall.” The cliff walls also feature other naturally occurring figures resembling Buddha and guardian deities. The gorge is densely forested and rich with legends tied to Tibetan Buddhism. After the visit, we will drive back to Lhasa along the same route.
Meals: Breakfast Included
Accommodation: Taehf PhodragCulture Theme Hotel/Or Upgrade to Lhasa 5-star Senge Kangqiong Grand Hotel
Kadinggou Tianfo Waterfall
Lulang Forest Sea
Lhasa: Potala Palace-Jokhang Temple-Barkhor Street (Includes Tibetan Dinner)
In the morning, visit the Potala Palace, the world’s highest ancient palace complex. This historic site served as the residence of successive Dalai Lamas and the political/religious center of Tibet. Its halls house golden stupas containing the remains of past Dalai Lamas, along with priceless collections of murals, thangkas, and Buddhist statues—making it the ultimate embodiment of Tibetan culture.
After lunch, explore the Jokhang Temple, Tibet’s earliest Buddhist shrine dating back to the Tibetan Empire. The temple enshrines the Jowo Shakyamuni statue, brought to Tibet by Princess Wencheng, which remains the most sacred object of devotion for Tibetan Buddhists. Here you’ll witness devout pilgrims performing prostrations, and you may join locals in circling the Barkhor Street pilgrimage route, turning prayer wheels while offering prayers for all beings.
When entering temples in Tibet, we kindly ask you to:
Remove hats and sunglasses
Refrain from smoking, touching statues or sacred texts, and striking bells or drums
Avoid handling religious objects such as prayer beads or amulets without permission
Follow photography restrictions where indicated
Meals: Breakfast Included
Accommodation: Senge Kangqiong Grand Hotel
Potala Palace in autumn
Barkhor Street
Lhasa-Shigatse: Lhasa-Yamdrok Yumtso-Karola Glacier-Shigatse
We depart Lhasa in the morning for a scenic drive to Yamdrok Lake, one of Tibet’s three great sacred lakes, renowned for its stunning and shifting colors. As one of the world’s highest freshwater lakes, lying at an elevation of 4,441 meters and aptly named “Jade Lake” in Tibetan, it captivates every visitor. We then descend to the shore for an up-close experience, where the brilliant turquoise waters blend with distant snow-capped peaks, flanked by richly colored mountains, traditional Tibetan villages, and grazing livestock—a truly uplifting journey.
In the afternoon, we pass by the majestic Karola Glacier, witnessing its towering presence, mist-shrouded beauty, and timeless grandeur—a flowing record of time and ice, a masterpiece sculpted by nature. We then continue to Gyantse County, known as Tibet’s “Hero City,” for a distant view of the historic Gyantse Fortress. Finally, traveling across the Gyantse plain, we arrive in Shigatse, the vibrant center of Tsang.
Meals: Breakfast Included
Accommodation: Shigatse Cangyu Yabu Hotel
Yamdrok Lake
Shigatse
Shigatse-Tingri-Jiacuola Mountain Pass-Everest Base Camp-Basong Village
In the morning, we will drive through Lhatse to Shegar, the new Tingri county town. Along the way, we will cross the 5,220-meter-high Gyatso La Snow Mountain Pass. As we approach Shegar, you can catch a distant view of the majestic Mount Everest.
In the afternoon, we will arrive at the Mount Everest Nature Reserve, the highest-altitude reserve in the world. From the south of Rongbuk Monastery—the world’s highest temple—you can enjoy what is widely considered the best view of Everest. At this 5,100-meter-high monastery, white stupas stand tall, and colorful prayer flags flutter in the wind. An eco-friendly bus will then take you to Everest Base Camp at 5,200 meters, where you can experience the awe-inspiring presence of the world’s highest peak.
Meals: Breakfast Included
Accommodation: Basong Vienna Hotel
Tingri
Drive to Everest Base Camp
Basong Village-108 Turns-Gawula Pass-Jiacuola Mountain Pass-318 Highway-Shigatse
Greet the morning sun at the roof of the world as you gaze upon Mount Everest. Its peak, crowned with eternal snow, stands tall against the sky, with glaciers clinging to its slopes—a vision of pure serenity. Here, you may feel both humbled and awakened by the vast silence, a small yet clear presence within the universe’s untouched beauty.
Carrying the memory of Everest in your heart, you’ll journey back through the majestic, winding ranges of the Himalayas, arriving in Shigatse by afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast Included
Accommodation: Shigatse Cangyu Yabu Hotel
Mount Everest
318 Highway
Shigatse-Tashilhunpo Monastery-Lhasa
Explore one of the six great monasteries of the Gelug school, the Tashilhunpo Monastery—the traditional seat of successive Panchen Lamas and the former political and religious center of Tsang. Inside, you will encounter the world’s largest seated copper Buddha statue, the 28-meter-high Maitreya Buddha.
On the return journey to Lhasa, we invite you to slow down and pause in the Yarlung Valley, the cradle of ancient Tibetan civilization. Stand in quiet contemplation as rivers, icy peaks, pastoral fields, wetlands, and mountain vistas blend under a crystal-clear blue sky. The soft shadows that dance across the landscape are not flaws, but the beautiful interplay of sunlight filtering through scattered clouds—a scene of pure serenity.
Meals: Breakfast Included
Accommodation: Taehf PhodragCulture Theme Hotel/Or Upgrade to Lhasa 5-star Senge Kangqiong Grand Hotel
Tashilhunpo Monastery
Namtso-Lhasa: Northern Tibet Grassland-La Ghen La-Namtso-Lhasa
Set off in the morning for Namtso Lake, enjoying scenic views along the way of the Nagqu River, the vast grasslands of Northern Tibet, the Qinghai-Tibet Highway, and the main peak of the Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains. Cross the 5,190-meter-high Nagela Pass and arrive at Namtso Lake, one of Tibet’s three great sacred lakes. At an elevation of 4,718 meters, it is the world’s highest saltwater lake—a vast, stunningly clear, and magnificent expanse, gleaming like a crystal embedded in the endless Changtang Grassland.
In the afternoon, begin the return journey, taking in the captivating landscapes of the Northern Tibetan grasslands once more.
Meals: Breakfast Included
Accommodation: Taehf PhodragCulture Theme Hotel/Or Upgrade to Lhasa 5-star Senge Kangqiong Grand Hotel
Namtso and Yaks
Namtso Lake
Tour Concludes in Lhasa
Your memorable journey through Tibet concludes this morning. After enjoying breakfast at the hotel, we will provide timely transfers to the airport or railway station based on your departure schedule. We wish you a smooth and pleasant journey home, carrying with you the profound peace and wonder of the plateau.
Meals: Breakfast Included
Dates & Prices
| Month | Date | Price | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec | 2026-12-20 | $ 1394 | Book now |
| 2026-12-25 | $ 1394 | Book now | |
| Jan | 2027-01-01 | $ 1394 | Book now |
| 2027-01-05 | $ 1394 | Book now | |
| 2027-01-10 | $ 1394 | Book now | |
| 2027-01-15 | $ 1394 | Book now | |
| 2027-01-20 | $ 1394 | Book now | |
| 2027-01-25 | $ 1394 | Book now | |
| Feb | 2027-02-01 | $ 1394 | Book now |
You are consulting 2025-04-12 12-Day Tibet Winter Blue Ice Tour: Lhasa-Nyingchi-Lulang-Everest Base Camp-Namtso
Fee Description
Discount:
1.) Group Discoount: $50 off for those booking the tour together with 4 or 4 above in total at the same time; $99 off for those booking the tour together with 8 or 8 above in total at the same time.
2.) Early Bird Discount: $15 off for those booking the tour 2 months in advance. $30 off for those booking the tour 4 months in advance. $45 off for those booking the tour 6 months in advance. $60 off for those booking the tour 8 months in advance. $75 off for those booking the tour 10 months in advance.
3.) The two discounts mentioned above can be enjoyed simultaneously.
Services Included:
Permits: Arrangement of all required travel documents, including the Tibet Entry Permit.
Transport: Dedicated tourist vehicle (9-17 seats) throughout the tour, with a 20% seat vacancy rate guaranteed for comfort.
Driver: All driver services and associated expenses.
Guide: Professional English-speaking guide service.
Admission Fees: All entrance tickets and sightseeing shuttle buses specified in the itinerary, including off-season pricing.
Accommodation: All hotel stays with daily breakfast; oxygen-enriched hotels in Lhasa (Upgrade to a 5-diamond hotel in Lhasa: +500 RMB/person) and Shigatse. Hotels of the same standard cannot be specified.
Insurance: Travel agency liability insurance.
Services Excluded:
Transport: International & domestic airfare and train tickets.
Gratuities: Tips for guides and drivers.
Meals: Lunches and dinners throughout the trip.
Single Supplement: Additional charge of 2200 RMB for single occupancy.
Complimentary Services & Gifts:
Traditional Khata scarf greeting at the airport/station.
1 bottle of mineral water per person per day.
10L oxygen tank + 2 portable oxygen cans per person.
Complimentary Nyingchi Stone Pot Chicken dinner.
Welcome dinner in Lhasa.
Notes: If Laigu Glacier is closed, the itinerary will be switched to Midui Glacier; no price adjustments (refunds or surcharges) will apply. If the road to Namtso Lake is closed, the activity will be changed to a Thangka painting workshop in Lhasa city; no price adjustments (refunds or surcharges) will apply.
