Recommend Itineraries

-newline"> For most travellers, visiting Tsang means a straight shot from Lhasa to the Nepali border, with stops at Gyantse, Shigatse and Mt Everest. This journey
takes about eight days if done at a reasonable pace.
From Lhasa, head out on the Southern Friendship Hwy, which takes you over the Kamba-la pass to the shores of Yamdrok-tso, then on to
Nangartse and Gyantse. You’ll need a full day in Gyantse before you can move on to Shigatse. West of Shigatse the next obvious stop is Lhatse,
but there are two worthy side trips on the way - Sakya Monastery and Phuntsoling Monastery. From Lhatse it’s on to Baber and Shegar, a key
stop before heading on to Everest Base Camp (EBC). Back on the main highway there is old Tingri and Nyalam before you finally reach the
border town of Zhangmu. The best hike in the region is from old Tingri to EBC (or vice versa), which will add another four days to your journey.
If you are in a hurry, it’s quicker to take the Northern Friendship Road when travelling between Lhasa and Shigatse but going this way you’ll miss
Gyantse, one of the highlights of Tsang. Any way you go you’ll find good facilities along the way and relatively easy drives as the Friendship Hwy is
entirely paved. The exception is the Everest region, which has dirt roads and basic accommodation.

Highlights in Lhasa

  Follow monks, mendicants and fellow pilgrims around the
Barkhor, Lhasa’s fascinating medieval pilgrim circuit.
  Join the shuffling lines of awed pilgrims around the glowing
shrines of the Jokhang, Tibet’s holiest temple.
  Go down into the bowels of the Potala, the impressive but
spiritless citadel of the Dalai Lamas.
  Take in a prayer meeting or some monk-debating at Sera
and Drepung, two of the largest and most intact of Tibet’s great
monasteries.
  A day out to Ganden Monastery and test your sin on its
fascinating kora.
  Explore the traditional whitewashed architecture, teashops
and craft workshops of Lhasa’s backstreets on our Old
Town Walking Tour.
  Track down one of Lhasa’s off-the-beaten-track
temples, such as the Meru Nyingba Monastery or Tengye Ling.
  Get a taste of the northern Changtang at the turquoise
waters, snowy peaks and nomads’ tents of stunning high-altitude
Lake Namtso.
  Marvel at the turquoise waters of Yamdrok-tso, one of
Tibet’s most sacred lakes.