Itinerary : ChongQing – Tibet- Mount Everest Base Camp

2nd February 2018 No comments Article

This was how I planned out the 10 Days/ 9 Nights Itinerary to Tibet region. I flew from Singapore to ChongQing on budget airline West Air and took a train from ChongQing to Chengdu for a day adventure. Followed by the world-renowned Qinghai-Tibet railway 36 hours train ride whereby we witnessed the beauty of nature. The ultimate goal was to reach the Mount Everest Base Camp in Tibet side.

Below is the breakdown of the total trip expenses.

*Note: The tour prices varies according to the season you are going. I went during the winter (Jan, Feb) which is considered as low peak season hence the tour prices are lower due to cheaper hotel room rates. I used the Travel Agent Services of TIBET HIGHLAND TOURS

For more information, I had wrote a post on: 6 Things You Should Prepare Before Heading to Tibet

Here is the itinerary for your reference.

Day 1: Singapore – Chongqing – Chengdu – Tibet Train

0035H: Depart SIN on West Air (PN6358) Cost: SGD$158

0505H: Arrive Chongqing

0630H: Take from Jiangbei Airport to Chongqing North (Line 3 , 36 mins duration; every 5 minutes train interval) This line serves from 06:30 to 22:30 from the airport

0715H: Arrive Chongqing North station

Pingle Old Town (平乐古镇) : * Jinli Mountain Base: famous for the 100m suspension bridge. Abt 1h walk, through the mountain to the bridge. * Lugou Bamboo Forest

Jinli Street : Famous for Chengu Streetfood, Filming location of kungfu Panda 2

Kuan Alley宽窄巷子 : Experience life of old Chengdu & ancient courtyard style

Zhai Alley: buildings of mixture styles

Jing Alley: see the old pictures of Chengdu and taste local snacks along the street

* Jinli Street & Kuan Alley (宽窄巷子) – Take Bus #57 (¥1) to travel between each other

2137H: Take train from Chengdu (Train #Z322)

Day 2: Chengdu- Lhasa Train (36 hours train ride)

0240H: Arrive GuangYuan (17 min stop time)

0910H: Arrive Lanzhou (17 min stop time)

1227H: Arrive Xining (20 min stop time)

1637H: Arrive Delingha (2 min stop time)

1949H: Arrive Golmud (25 min stop time)

Day 3: Lhasa

0955H: Arrive Lhasa

1030H: Check into Hotel

Free & Easy, no activities arranged. Reason is to ensure proper acclimatization. Do not bath for the first 12 hours upon arrival into Lhasa.

If feeling alight after the first hour, take a walk around old town of Lhasa.

Day 4: Lhasa

0900H: Visit Jokhang, the holiest Buddhist temple in all of the Himalaya

1500H: Visit 600 year old huge monastery complex of Sera; watch the monks engage in entertaining Buddhist philosophical debates. Monks debate session starts around 3.30pm- 5pm everyday.

Day 5: Lhasa

1000H: Visit Potala Palace, the most iconic building in Tibet

1400H: Visit Drak Yepra; caves temple , past sky burial site

Day 6: Lhasa—Yamdrok Lake—Karo La Glacier—Gyantse—Shigatse

0900H: Depart Lhasa

1130H: Visit Yamdrok Lake

1200H: Kamba La Pass; get a panoramic view of this spectacular lake with the nearby mountains

1315H: Karo La Glacier;

1500H: Arrive into the town of Gyantse, visit Gyantse Kumbum Stupa

1700H: Arrive Shigatse; Tibet 2nd largest town at an elevation of 3840 meters above sea level

Day 7: Shigatse—Gyatso La Pass—Everest Base Camp

Highlights include:

Cross over the 5248 meter high Gyatso La Pass, which offers a sweeping view of the rolling Himalaya Mountains
Geu La Pass, offers a panoramic view of the glacier-covered Himalaya
Rongphu, the highest monastery in the world at just under 5000 meters in elevation
Tent Hotels, which operate from mid April through mid October, located 2 kilometers before base camp
Otherwise, stay at Rongphu Monastery Guesthouse