Everest Base Camp Trek is the most sought-after trek in Nepal. It is arguably the best trek in the world, drawing hundreds of thousands of trekkers every year. It is recorded that more than 40,000 trekkers embark on a journey to Everest Base Camp every year. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that every trekker has Everest Base Camp trek on their bucket list, and most of them have already ticked it off the list. While the Everest Base Camp trek is popular from the Nepal side, taking at least two weeks, it can also be done from Lhasa, Tibet.

Everest Base Camp trek from Nepal has at least 14 days itinerary, but the same trek from the Lhasa side can be completed in about 8 days. This 8-day itinerary covers Lhasa sightseeing and visiting major monasteries and landmarks before actually heading to the base camp. Everest Base Camp tour from Lhasa is equally rewarding as from Nepal. It takes you from the capital city, passing through monasteries, glaciers, and pristine lakes, to the foothill of the base camp of the highest mountain in the world. The trek from the Lhasa side covers major towns like Lhasa, Gyantse, Shigatse, and Rongbuk. This trek is an opportunity to explore prominent landmarks like Potala and Norbulingka palaces, the Tibet Traditional Hospital, Barkhor bazaar, and Gyantse Dzong. Cross several high passes, explore beautiful turquoise-colored Yamdrok Tso Lake and visit Tibetan monasteries like Sera, Drepung, and Jokhang, to name a few.

How To Reach Everest Base Camp From Lhasa

So how to get to Everest Base Camp from the Tibet side? Well, we will discuss it in this blog. The best way to reach the base camp is by car or tour vehicle. It is also the quickest and most luxurious way to reach Everest Base Camp. The overland route to Everest Base Camp  from Lhasa is done on paved roads through the Friendship Highway. The first stop when departing from Lhasa is Shigatse, which is the second largest city in Tibet after Lhasa. There are two routes to reach Everest Base Camp from Tibet. The north route is the direct route via Shigatse, and the total distance covered is 268 kilometers. And the other route is the south route, which is considered better than its counterpart. It covers the region’s most stunning attractions, covering a total distance of 358 kilometers.

Major highlight of EBC Tour From Lhasa

The major highlight of the south route is Lake Yamdrok and Gyantse along the route to Shigatse. From Shigatse, you will have to drive to Tingri. The road to Tingri from Shigatse is around 243 kilometers, taking about 3 hours. The road conditions to Tingri covering the Friendship Highway are in good condition. En route, there are no stopping points; however, you can request the driver to stop for a while to get some beautiful shots or perhaps for lunch.

In the final part, you will drive to Everest Base Camp from Tingri, which takes about 70 minutes. That said, on average, it should take around 2 hours to reach the base camp of Everest from Tingri. The total distance is just 100 kilometers. One thing to consider is the road condition, which may disappoint you. Most travelers claim that the road condition is in a poor state.

Alternative Options

That said, another way to reach the base camp is by trekking. The trek officially starts with a short drive to Shigatse from Lhasa. From this starting point, you will trek for about 4 days, covering 70 kilometers. Arguably, the trek from Tingri to the base camp is the best itinerary for Lhasa to Everest Base Camp trek. The first day of the trek takes you to Lunthang at 4150m. You will trek for 5 hours, crossing the Tingri Plain and traversing the Ra-Chu Valley. On this day, you will explore Choelun Monastery. The next day, trek for 8 hours to reach Lamna La at 5150m. It is a bit challenging as you will climb up the mountains to crest the Lamna La Pass. The following day, you will head to the lower valleys of the area, covering 22 kilometers. It can take you 8 hours to reach Zommug from Lamna La. On day 4, the last day of the trek, you will reach the base camp. On the same day, you will visit Rongbuk Monastery, perched near the base of the north side of Mount Everest at 5,009 meters.

If you are an adventure seeker, you can also opt for cycling. Yes, you heard it right. Following the same route, you can cycle from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp. The only downside is that it takes more days to reach the base camp. Besides, it’s arduous to cycle all day for days on end and across 5000m altitude. You can complete the adventure in about 20 days of cycling from Lhasa. Truth be told, only a few travelers choose to do this, but arguably it is a thrilling experience.

Are there more ways to reach Everest Base Camp from Lhasa?

To answer this, no, there’s no other way except trekking, via vehicle, or cycling. The most popular way to reach the base camp from Lhasa is by vehicle. You can drive all the way to Everest Base Camp from Lhasa. The good roads let you enjoy a comfortable journey. One thing to consider is altitude sickness; ensure the sharp increase in altitude while driving continuously does not develop altitude sickness.

However, trek enthusiasts love to trek to the base camp. They definitely love to traverse the rugged trail and take in the beauty of Tibet. The best route to the base camp for trekking starts from Tingri. It is recommended to acclimatize in Lhasa before trekking or driving to the base camp. And very few travelers would dare to cycle for 20 days to the base camp. The best time to trek Everest base camp is May-June and September-October. You can customize the itinerary that best fits your interest. There are travel agencies who are ready to organize the trek for you.

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