Kathmandu EBC Lhasa Tour-8 day Travel and Tour to Lhasa via EBC

Kathmandu EBC Lhasa Tour is a comprehensive overland tour to Tibet from Kathmandu to Everest Base Camp Lhasa Tour. This is a cultural and historical exploration tour to Gyirong, north Everest Base Camp, Shigatse, Gyantse and Lhasa. You will visit heritage sites of Tibet like Potala Palace, Sera Monastery, Jokhang Temple, Drepung Monastery, Barkhor street, Rongbuk, Tashilhumpo, Gyantse Kumbum monastery and Namtso Lake. Actually, the north Everest Base Camp Lhasa Tour via Kathmandu is a beautiful tour to enjoy natural and cultural beauty of Tibet.The tour is so popular because of its unique charms and also has become the most popular overland tour in world for adventure travelers.

Seasons for EBC Lhasa Tour
April to December is a good time for Kathmandu to Lhasa Tour, but a bit cold in winter, the weather is fairly ideal for travel since it is dry season in Tibet. Thus, you can enjoy Mount Everest in clear weather. On the other hand, the traditional high season of tourism, July and August are not a good choice to appreciate Mount Everest, as it is the rainy season and the mountain is under the cloud and mist.

Travel Permit and Visa for North Everest Base Camp Lhasa tour
Tibet travel permit and Paper group visa are necessary if you travel to Lhasa Tibet from Kathmandu. Please do not apply China visa in advance in your country if you are getting Tibet entry from Nepal since this visa does not work. We will apply and your visa here at Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu, and it takes 4 working days. 

Kathmandu EBC Lhasa Tour Tour Cost
The package price ranges from $ 850 USD to $ 1500, it depends on private and group tour types and also the standard of the package like budget, standard and deluxe trip. In the budget tour cost, it includes all budget hotel accommodation with breakfast, Tibet travel permit, guide, transfers with driver and taxes.

Number of People in EBC Lhasa Overland Tour
Group sizes are 2 to 24 people in the group. No matter for private group tour. Any number of people will accept for private tour.

Weather and Temperature on Everest Base Camp Overland Tour
Tibet Plateau is the dramatic temperature change between day and night. The annual temperature in Lhasa is 2 to 12 degree in Spring, 9 to 22 degree in Summer, 7 to 19 degree in fall and -7 to 9 degree in winter. Do wear clothes properly such as thermal tops, fleece jacket, breathable underwear, down jacket, jeans, beanie, etc. Of course, sun screen, lip balm, sun glasses are essential to shield you from powerful blinding sunlight on the plateau. Do drink more water and eat more vegetable as you travel in Tibet. It can prevent you from dehydration.

Toilets on Kathmandu to Everest Base Camp Lhasa tour
Admittedly, to many western tourists, using toilets in Tibet is the most dreadful experience. So, please down play your expectation. If you take Tibet train to Lhasa, both western toilet and squat toilet are available in the train. If you stay in hotel above 3-star hotels in Lhasa, Shigatse, etc. you will have no complaining using standard western flash toilet. However, if you visit some of the attractions like Yamdrok or Namtso, EBC outdoor, mostly you will see the smelly and filthy pit toilet. It's better to carry enough toilet paper.

Meals on Kathmandu to EBC Lhasa Tour
Common foods in Tibet are Chinese and Nepalese dishes, local noodles, dumplings (momo), yak butter or local milk tea and even yak burgers. While Lhasa has many cafes and restaurants to choose from, once outside of the capital there will be fewer or no options of where to have our meals. Your guide will choose places to eat that have been well rated by past travelers. Vegan and vegetarian choices are possible to cater for, although choice may be limited. The high altitude can affect how food tastes, so don't be surprised if you end up adding far more chili to your dishes than you would at home. You will get basic food like Instant noodles, Tibetan soup noodles, dried yak meat, pork soup, milk tea, egg fried rice, Tsampa, cabbage with rice, chili potato curry at EBC. It is nice to take some bread or light snacks before heading to EBC from Tingri or Shigatse.

Passport-You will need valid passport to travel to Tibet. As a general rule, Tibet requires that your passport has a minimum of 8 months validity remaining. Your passport details are required. Please ensures that your passport details you provide is accurate. Any errors provided may result in extra fees for making corrections in booking. We recommend taking copies of the main passport pages and other important documents with you as well as leave copies at home with family or friends.

Tour guide-All group trips are accompanied by local Tibetan tour guide. The aim of guide is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Our English-speaking guides are natives of Tibet with good knowledge of Tibetan culture, history, and Buddhism. Most are trained to offer Western-standard service. Throughout your stay in Tibet, we will minor your health and provide prompt help to you. 

Tipping-Travelers’s tipping to Tibetan guide and driver is taken as an extra gratitude to their good service, just like what you do in the west. Normally, a tipping of 7 USD/day is acceptable. The basic rule is good service for good pay.

Cost Includes

• Tibet Entry Permits and all other necessary Permits
• Entrance fees of all tourist sites listed in the itinerary.
• Local tour Transfers, 7-23 seats comfortable Tourist Vehicle according to Group Size.
• Local Tibetan English-speaking guide in Tibet
• Accommodation and Breakfast (B.B)
• Free shuttle bus transfer from hotel to Lhasa airport/railway station.
• Oxygen supplied when travelling to high altitude
• Drinking water supply daily
• Safe Transfer from China border to Kathmandu.
• Welcome Dinner in Lhasa before overland tour starts.
• Travel accident insurance covers accident, altitude sickness, up to 45000 USD only in Tibet

• Lunch and dinners are not included, approx. 5-7 dollar per meal
• Tips to tour guide and driver, you are suggested to tip them 7 USD/day
• Visa Fee and Application Service in Kathmandu. US$: 85.00 (If American and Canadian Passport Holder extra US$: 90.00)
• Air tickets Lhasa to Kathmandu, Approx. 300-400 USD
• Train from China to Beijing/Xian/Shanghai/Chengdu to Tibet Booking. from 120 USD.

China Visa
Most nationalities require a visa for mainland China. You must obtain your Chinese visa in advance. It is not possible to get a visa on arrival and Chinese visas can be difficult to obtain outside your country of residence. Tibet is is a province of China and so you will require a Chinese visa for this trip. You will need a Single Entry Tourist for your trip valid for 30 days.

Information Required for Visa Application
For our Tibet trips you will be provided with documentation for your visa application that will not match your true itinerary. While Tibet is not off limits to travellers, you must first obtain a Chinese visa before you apply for the Tibet group permit for your trip. Including Tibet on your visa application will be likely to lead to your visa being rejected, so you must instead use the general China itinerary that we provide to you.

Documents Required for Visa Application
Hotel List - this will be sent to you by your travel agent at time of booking. If you do not receive this, email us.
Official invitation from licensed Chinese tourism company - this will be provided from us together with the Hotel List to all travellers regardless of whether it is required by the consulate or not and will assist with your application.
Photocopy of your passport.
Passport size photo up to 4 may be required.
Check with the consulate for any other specific requirements.

Documents Required for Tibet permit and Ticket booking
The following must be sent at the time of booking or no later than 35 days prior to travel
1. Clear, color scanned copy of the personal details page of your passport
2. Clear, color scanned copy of your Chinese visa
3. Your current profession. Some professions including diplomats, journalists, military or police personnel will be denied permission to enter Tibet.
4. If we do not receive these documents from you in time you will not be able to travel to Tibet.

Equipment Packing List
It is nice to keep your main luggage under 15 kg. What you need to bring will vary according to the trip style you have chosen, the countries you are visiting and when you are travelling. Generally speaking, we recommend you pack as lightly as possible and make sure that you are able to carry and lift your own luggage, and walk with it for short distances or up or down a flight of stairs. Our travelers usually find the smaller their luggage is, the more they enjoy the trip not having to worry about carrying heavy bags. A lockable bag or small padlock will be useful especially when travelling on public transportation as well. You'll also need a day pack/bag to carry water, camera, and jacket etc. when you’re exploring during the day. Below are some ideas and helpful tips on what you specifically need for this trip.
Bring you down jacket, thermal underwear, and warm head wear. Besides, sunscreen, sun hat, toiletries, personal medicine like mountain sickness, cold relief, diarrhea. Some cash are also needed. 

Essential:
Clothing: a mixture of lightweight and dry fast clothing and warm layers like Long shirts, pants, scarves.
Trekking Shoes: sturdy and comfortable shoes.
Personal Travel Documents-Your passport (visa), travel insurance, flight tickets, passport size photos.
Small first aid kit such as mild pain killers, electrolytes, Band-Aids and insect repellent, and essential medicine depending on your doctors advice.
Money: Cash/credit card/EFTPOS card and money belt
Sun protection- A hat, sunscreen, and sunglasses.

Recommended:
Refillable water bottle (1.5-litre capacity suggested)
Cell phone, camera with spare batteries, charger, and adapter plug
Hand wash, travel wipes, toiletries and a small towel
Watch/alarm clock and torch/flashlight (and spare batteries)

Optional:
Sleeping bag(Useful for camping, overnight trains and poorly heated hotels, particularly during the winter months of Dec - Feb when temperatures are low).
Sleep sheet. If you are travelling during the hot season you may wish to pack a sleep sheet so you will be comfortable no matter what the weather.
Earplugs to guard against street noise and snorers.
A good book, a journal and music player for overnight train rides and longer drives.

Money Matter
The official currency in China and Tibet is the Yuan or Renminbi (CNY). 1 renminbi (yuan) = 10 jiao (mao). ATMs are widespread, so the easiest way to access cash on your trip is to bring a credit/debit card. Please check with your bank about overseas withdrawal fees before you depart and look for ATMs with your card logo. You may find that your card does not work in certain ATMs, so we recommend purchasing some CNY in your home country so you have some cash for your first day. Credit cards are mostly acceptable in bigger cities and establishments while in small towns, they may not work. 

Currency exchange is available at major banks and some hotels. The easiest foreign currencies to exchange are USD and EUR, however, please be aware of the security risk of carrying large amounts of cash. Commission is sometimes charged for currency exchange. Please note that due to restrictions on currency conversion for foreigners in China it may not be possible to change leftover CNY back into foreign currency, so please plan your budget and spending money well by withdrawing/exchanging what you need as you go.

Phone and internet access
Please note while traveling through mainland China you will not be able to access some popular internet websites. It’s important to let your family and friends know that you might not be able to stay in touch over your usual methods, be it – social media or email. The Chinese Government restrict certain websites such as Google, Dropbox, Gmail, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, WordPress. It may be possible to still access some of these websites using a VPN. If you wish to stay in touch with your friends and family through the above blocked sites, we suggest you research installing a suitable VPN on your device prior to travel.

Travel to Tibet
Due to the political sensitivities and increased security in this region it is important to understand that unexpected difficulties in obtaining Tibet permits may arise, and are out of our control. Regularly and without any official announcements by the government authorities permitting travel, the region of Tibet can be closed to visitors, and travel permits denied without warning. It is impossible to predict if or when such issues may be encountered again in the future. In the event of an individual or group permit being denied, or last minute closures of the Tibetan Autonomous Region to foreign travelers, we will endeavor to provide an alternative itinerary.

Altitude Sickness
Parts of your trip go above 2800 meters / 9200 feet where it is common for travelers to experience some adverse health effects due to the altitude - regardless of your age, gender and fitness. This can be life-threatening and affect anyone, even people who are very physically fit. There is a higher risk for those who have had altitude sickness before, who exercise or drink alcohol before adjusting to the altitude, or who have health problems that affect breathing. If your tour travels to high altitude, see your doctor for advice specific to you and your situation before you depart. It is important to be aware of the normal altitude symptoms that you may encounter but no worry about:
1.Periods of sleeplessness
2.Occasional loss of appetite
3.Vivid, wild dreams at around 2500-3800m in altitude
4.Unexpected momentary shortness of breath, day and night
5.Periodic breathing that wakes you occasionally
6.Blocked nose
7.Dry cough
8.Mild headache
If you are feeling nauseous, dizzy, or experience other symptoms, please be sure to let your guide know immediately so that we can monitor your condition.

Other things to consider
Check weather in destinations you are travelling to online a few days before you go to make sure you pack appropriate clothing. Laundry facilities may not be available in all destinations, so make sure you have a few cycles of clothes to tide you over until your next chance to wash. Local authorities will react negatively if you are found carrying letters or packages from Tibetan nationals to be posted in other countries. Do not carry images of the Dalai Lama, Tibetan flags, literature or books on Tibet during your travels in this region as they may be confiscated or you may be detained. A hot water bottle and thermal clothes can be very useful for cold nights in Tibet and when heating is not adequate. Bedding is always provided, but some travelers have found that a thin sleeping sheet useful for hygiene purpose in the overnight train, tent and guesthouses. Bring good quality walking shoes as there are many steps in monasteries and some uneven terrain. Due to the altitude weather can change very quickly. A windproof jacket is essential as are warm layers of clothes that can easily be added or removed as needed.

Phone and internet access
Please note while traveling through mainland China you will not be able to access some popular internet websites. It’s important to let your family and friends know that you might not be able to stay in touch over your usual methods, be it – social media or email. The Chinese Government restrict certain websites such as Google, Dropbox, Gmail, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, WordPress. It may be possible to still access some of these websites using a VPN. If you wish to stay in touch with your friends and family through the above blocked sites, we suggest you research installing a suitable VPN on your device prior to travel.

Tibet/China National Holidays
Please note that China's national holidays are the peak travel season for Chinese nationals. During this time, literally the whole country is on the move - that's over a billion people. Although these are fascinating and exciting times to travel in China, please be aware you will almost definitely experience transport delays and massive crowds at tourist attractions and train stations. It's common for there to be difficulties in securing train or flight tickets at your preferred times, hotels become overbooked, traffic chaotic and changes to the itinerary are often necessary as a result. If clockwork organization is important to you we advise you book outside of the weeks of the extended Chinese New Year in January/February, in the first week of May and the first week of October. If you decide to travel during this period please come with an open mind and be prepared for changes on the ground.Here are the major holiday periods in China:
1.Chinese New Year
2. Qingming Festival
3. Labor Day Holiday
4.Dragon Boat Festival
5.Mid-Autumn Day
6.National Day