Tibet Overland Tour is a grand journey through some of the most beautiful landscapes of the Himalayas filled with an immersive cultural experience of the warm Tibetan communities. The journey begins from the hectic city of Kathmandu passing through the lush green hills of the Langtang National Park all the way to the unparalleled landscapes of the Trans-himalayan region filled with captivating sites of the unspoiled terrains leading to the capital city of Tibet, Lhasa. The travelers will be able to witness the dramatic shift in the terrain from the lush green hills to the temperate desert terrains of the Tibetan Plateau.
The Tibet Overland Tour is filled with some of the most spectacular views of the iconic peaks of the Himalayas including Mount Shishapangma(8027 M), Mount Cho Oyu(8188 M) and Mount Everest (8848 M) which can be seen along the tour leading to Lhasa. The journey is also filled with the inimitable views of the pristine lakes and rivers channels along the way increasing the beauty of the journey even more. During the tour the travelers will be participating in an unforgettable sight seeing tour of the capital city of Tibet visiting the UNESCO World Heritage sites and the local market of the Tibetan Towns.
The Tibet Overland Tour arranged by the Mountain Ram Adventures Team is an eight day Journey during which the travelers will be experiencing some of the most mesmerizing landscapes of the Trans-Himalayan Region while traveling in a comfortable vehicle. The travelers will also be able to explore some of the ancient settlements of the Tibetan community including Lhasa, Tingri and Shigatse.
Note for the Participating Travelers
The Policies to obtain the Group Visa for Tibet has been amended by the authority stating that there should be a minimum of four people in the traveling group to apply for the visa. The travelers participating are requested to contact the Mountain Ram Adventures Team before 5-6 working days to apply for the required permits and visa for the Tibet tour. Original passport and of the travelers are required for the visa process.
On the first day of our trip we will be heading towards the Nepal Tibet Border, Kyirong via a scenic drive taking us through the lush green mid hills of the Langtang National Park filled with mesmerizing views of the Himalayas and the surrounding vista. After an off-road drive we will eventually reach the border. We will be presenting our visa and permits to the immigration office and will be entering Tibet. We will be meeting our Tibetan Guide who will be transferring to our hotel in Kyirong where we will be spending our first night of the tour at a Hotel.
On the second day of our tour we will be heading towards Shigatse via Tingir(4300 M) and Lhhatse(4360M). The drive through the beautiful Trans-Himalayan Visa is majestic, filled with beautiful views of the terrain and the north face of the Himalayas including Mount Cho Oyu (8188 M) and Mount Shishapangma (8027 M). As we head towards Tingri we will be able to enjoy the majestic view of the Mighty Everest (8848 M). After enjoying the beautiful views we will be heading towards the Gyatchu La Pass at an elevation of 5220 M which is the highest point of elevation during our tour. After a scenic drive we will eventually reach Shigatse which is the second biggest city of Tibet and the capital of the Tsang Region. We will be staying in a guest house in Shigatse. We can freshen up at our Guest House and explore the ancient city’s attractions including Shalu Monastery and Xigezi Street which is a popular pedestrian shopping street to buy souvenirs in Tibet. The total journey on our second day will be around 550 KM which will take us around 7-8 Hours in total.
We will be exploring the Tashilhunpo Monastery after having our breakfast. The monastery is famous for its gilded Qamba Buddha bronze statue (largest in the world) located in the Quamba Hall. After exploring the Monastery we will be heading towards Lhasa which is around 270 KM from Shigatse and will take us around 4-5 hours in total. The views during the drive will be unparalleled as we will be enjoying the views of Yarlung Tsangpo river which is the biggest river of Tibet. After a beautiful drive we will reach Lhasa, the capital of Tibet autonomous region of China where we will be staying for 3 nights in total visiting the beautiful and iconic landmarks of the city.
On the fourth day of our trip we will be heading for a sightseeing tour of Lhasa City visiting iconic landmarks. The sightseeing tour will begin shortly after we have our breakfast. We will be exploring the Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple which are listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites . After exploring the landmarks we will be wandering around the Barkhor Market which is filled with beautiful and ancient styled buildings with narrow streets. Barkhor market is also considered the best market to buy authentic locally made souvenirs while in Lhasa or even the whole of Tibet.
On our fifth day of our tour we will again be heading for a sightseeing tour of Lhasa City after having our breakfast. The sight seeing tour on our fifth day will include the Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery. The sight seeing tour will be conducted fairly early and we will have some free time exploring the city or the Barkhor Market. We can enjoy various amenities of the city and visit various local Tibetan restaurants to enjoy the scrumptious meals of the Tibetan Cuisines.
As the sightseeing tour of Lhasa is completed we will be heading to Gyantse through the mesmerizing drive over Karola (5010 M), Kambala (4749 M) and the pristine Yamdrok Lake. The drive to Gyantse is a short one as it will take us just around 4-5 hours during which we will cover a distance of 263 KM South-West of Lhasa. We will be exploring the Kumbum Stupa and the Phalkor Monastery bringing an end to our picturesque day. We will be staying in a guest house/ Hotel in Gyantse for the night.
On our 7th day of the trip we will be heading back to Tingri from Gyantse which will be around 5-6 hours through the mesmerizing landscapes of the Temperate desert. We will be covering around 320 KM in total passing through Xegar along the way. We will be staying in a hotel for the night in Tingri and exploring the city during our free time.
Note: the travelers can visit the Rongbuk Monastery or the base camp of Mount Everest (north face) which will cost additional charges for the travelers and is not covered by the Mountain Ram Adventures team. The travelers are suggested to inform the team if they want to visit the place before the beginning of the trip.
As The Tibet Overland tour is coming to an end. We will be returning back to Kathmandu from Tingri via the Kyirong Border. After having our breakfast in Tingri we will be heading back, reaching Kyirong Border where we will be bidding our farewell to our Tibetan Team members and completing our immigration formalities and entering Nepal. After a beautiful drive through the lush green hills of Rasuwa we will reach Kathmandu where there travelers will be dropped at an agreed upon stop or the head office of the Mountain Ram Adventures team at Z Street, Thamel.
An elevated point of 5416m. You will be mountain climbing in the main on well established trails. Come and join a Great adventure trip.
It is safe to explore the Cities of Tibet during the night time but one must be careful depending on what part of town they are in. The Tibetan community are renowned all over the world for their hospitable nature so the places are mostly safe and secure. The travelers are however suggested to be aware of their surroundings and contact the team members immediately if any problems arise while exploring.
During the Tour the travelers will be traveling to Gyatchu La Pass at an elevation of 5220 M which will be the maximum altitude during our tour. The risk of altitude sickness is high as the average altitude of Tibet is around 4000 M which can become a problem for travelers who are not properly acclimatized with the altitude.
During the Tibet Overland Tour the team will be providing the travelers accommodations on twin sharing basis on a B & B meal plan (Bed and Breakfast) in the Guest house or Hotel for the entirety of the trip. The rooms provided will have basic facilities including proper bedding, hot shower and Internet.
While participating in the Tibet Tour it is recommended to have a Tibetan Tour Guide as traveling without one is difficult and much more expensive. The package designed by the Mountain Ram Adventures will include a Tibetan Guide who will accompany the travelers for the entirety of the trip whilst in Tibet.
The transportation for the Tibet Overland Tour depends upon the size of the traveling group. The travelers need not to worry as the vehicle arranged for the journey will be comfortable and clean. The travelers will be transferred in a jeep from/ to Kathmandu to/from Kyirong Border at the beginning and end of the tour.
During the Tibet Overland Tour the travelers will be traveling through some of the major cities of the Tibet region including Lhasa, Shigatse, Tingri and many more where restaurants with good food and hospitable services can be found. While in the smaller towns the travelers can also enjoy good meals from the restaurants but the items will be limited in comparison to major cities restaurants. The restaurants usually serve delicious meals from the Tibetan Cuisine.
As Tibet is the Autonomous Region of China the official currency of Tibet is Chinese Yuan (Renminbi) which the travelers can easily exchange from the Money exchange vendors around the Thamel area in Kathmandu. If the travelers need assistance then they can contact the team members as well.
For the Tibet Overland Tour the travelers will be required to obtain the Tibet Travel Permit (TTP) and the Tibet Group Visa which will be on an A4 size paper containing the passport details and members of the group information. The Mountain Ram Adventures team will be applying for the permit and visa for the tour on behalf of the travelers participating in the tour with the team. It usually takes around 4-5 working days to obtain the visa and permits for the Tibet Tour.
The travelers can obtain the Tibetan Permits required for their Tibet tour by visiting the Embassy of China in Kathmandu if planning to travel through Nepal. The permits for Tibet Tour can be done through the help of tour agents as per the rules of the concerned bodies of Tibet.
The documents to apply for the Visa and permits include original passport, passport size photos, purpose of Travel to Tibet and other basic information of the travelers.
To obtain the Visa and Travel Permits for Tibet it takes around 4-5 working days. The travelers planning to travel with the team are suggested to contact the team before 5-6 working days so that the team can apply for the permit and visa for the travelers.
To participate in the Tibet Overland Tour with the Mountain Ram Adventures there is no age limit and travelers of all ages can apply for the tour. However the average altitude of Tibet is 4000 M. The travelers are required to be fit and be able to tackle the altitude which can cause a lot of problems during the tour if not properly acclimatized to the altitude.
The travelers can carry medicines for altitude sickness if they want to but it is not compulsory as the team representatives will be carrying a first aid kit with them for the journey which contains basic medicines for altitude sickness. The travelers can carry a personal kit of medicine if they want but it is not compulsory for the journey.
The best time to participate in the Tibet Overland Tour is during the months from May to October as the conditions are ideal for traveling in Tibet. The views of the Himalayas and the surrounding vista are clear with less obstruction. The remaining six months from November to April is the winter season in the Tibetan Plateau during which traveling becomes very difficult, so travelers are suggested to wait for the weather conditions to become favorable if they are planning their journey during the Winter time.
The Health facilities in Tibet’s major cities are better but in smaller towns the health facilities include basic facilities like clinics with medical teams. The hospitals and clinics around the major cities are under the supervision of the Chinese Government but the cities and towns are also filled with small medical clinics in the nearby areas.