Kangshung Face (18 Days) of Everest Trek

Detailed Itinerary of the Kangshung Face (18 Days) of Everest Trek

Day 1 Arrival and acclimatization

Highlights: No visiting today, better take rest in hotel.

Schedule:

Arrive at Lhasa train station or airport, your guide and driver will pick you up there in person with a warm Tibetan style welcome ceremony by presenting you Khata and afterwards transfer you to the hotel, suggest you stay at hotel to have good rest for better acclimatization.

Day 2 Sightseeing in Lhasa

Highlights: Potala Palace, Johkang Temple, Barkhor Street

Schedule:

In the morning, visit Lhasa's landmark-Potala Palace, in which myriad chapels, audience halls, Buddhist frescoes, Thangkas, combinations of Mandela, figures of the Buddha stored. In the afternoon, visit the Johkang Temple, the center of Tibetan Buddhism, built during Songtsen Gonpo's reign by princess Wencheng of the Tang dynasty, 647 A.D. After the Johkang Temple, we will start a circular pilgrim route along Barkhor Street where you can purchase traditional Tibetan and Nepalese artifacts, religious implements, antiques, books, music instrument, Thangkas, and etc.

Day 3 Sightseeing in Lhasa

Highlights: Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery

Schedule:

In the morning, drive to Drepung monastery which used to serve as the government center in Tibet until the fifth Dalai Lama moved to the famous Potala Palace. It is the biggest Buddhism College in Tibet and once homed to more than 10000 monks. In the afternoon, drive to visit Sera monastery which is famous for its scripture debate session among monks that starting every afternoon except Sunday.

Day 4 Lhasa-Gyantse'shigatse

Highlights: Yamdrok Lake, Gyantse Dzong, Kumbum Stupa

Schedule:

In the morning you'll start the drive to Shigatse, via Gyantse on the Southern Friendship Highway. Crossing over the summit of Kamba La (4794 m), you'll see the tranquil turquoise waters of Lake Yamdrok below; one of the three holiest lakes in Tibet. Far in the distance you'll spot the towering massif Mt. Nojin Kangtsang (7191 m), and the staggering Karo-la Glacier (5045 m). After arriving in Gyantse you'll have the choice to either stroll around town; explore Gyantse Dzong, the legendary battle site of the British invasion of Tibet; or visit the Pelkor Tsode Monastery. Afterwards, you'll drive to Shigatse, and overnight there.

Day 5 Shigatse / Shegar

Highlights: Tashilumo Monastery

Schedule:

In the morning, visit Tashilumo Monastery which is the seat of Panchen Lama, the equally important religious figure in Tibet as Dalai Lama. The monastery was built by the first Dalai Lama in 1447, and inside the Monastery placed the highest statue of Buddha in Tibet which is 26.8 meters high. And after lunch, we drive to Shegar.

Day 6 Shegar / Karta County / Yuba ( alt. 3980m )

Highlights: The Himalaya Ranges

Schedule:

In the morning, we drive from Shegar, on the way on the Xiwula Pass; we can see the five highest mountains in the world at the same time, which is very amazing. The road is only 108 km long but little bit bumpy as it has not been paved yet. At the noon time, we will arrive at Zhaxizong, a very small town, where we can have our lunch. After that we have to continue drive to 3 or 4 hours before reaching Karta County where we will get our yaks and yakmen. After all things settled well with our yakmen, we will drive another 20 minutes to camp at Yuba valley.

Day 7 Yuba / Dumpu ( alt. 4300 m )

Schedule:

Hike up the Kharta Tsangpo valley past several villages. The trail to the Shao La leaves the Kharta valley and climbs steadily up a side valley to the south. We'll camp either at the beginning of this climb on a ledge overlooking the valley and its villages (at approximately 13,000 feet) or continue up the side valley following a small stream for another two hours to camp on meadows by the stream at Dumpu (14,000'). (4 hours hiking.)

Day 8 Dumpu/ Xiuwutso Lake ( alt. 4600 m )

Schedule:

Ascend steadily over rocky ground to reach the Shao La (16,300') in about 1.5 hours. Continue one hour down this valley to camp by Xiwutso Lake. (3 hours hiking.)

Day 9 Xiwutso Lake/ Zoksam ( alt. 4100 m )

Schedule:

The trail leads to our next destination just lies south of the Xiwutso Lake, ascend steadily about 300 meters, you will see another bigger lake behind the Xiwutso Lake. Today, you will have a long trekking, so climb slowly as the trail ascending sharp and steep. On the pass of Shao La, you can see Mt. Makalu clearly if weather permits. The trail down goes in a valley is very nice, full of blossoms and bushes, and also you can see a small stream goes beside.

Day 10

Place & Transport:

Zoksam/ Tangsum (alt. 4220 m)

Schedule:

Hike steeply through juniper and rhododendron forests to reach the high pastures above the Kama River. On clear days, we'll see splendid views toward Everest and Lhotse. The high ridges south of the Kama River drip with hanging glaciers and in the spring are alive with bellowing avalanches. We continue to traverse alpine meadows and pass yak herders' camps and a serene green lake to a campsite (14,500') on a large meadow with great views of the Khangshung Valley. (5 hours hiking.)

Day 11

Place & Transport:

Tangsum/ Raga (alt. 4300 m)

Schedule:

Hike up a ridge affording a clear sight right up the Khangshung Valley, with views of Everest, Lhotse, Lhotse Shar, Tshertse, Petangtse, Chomolonzo, Makalu, and a myriad of other great peaks. From this ridge we descend rather steeply down to the Kama River coming from the Langma La. After wading across the river we enter the Khangshung Valley, a wide valley drained by the Khangshung stream. A receding glacier has left behind wide undulating hillocks now covered by a thick growth of willow, rhododendron, juniper, and other shrubs. Camp at the meadow called Raga (14,200'), about an hour's walk uphill from the stream crossing.

Day 12

Place & Transport:

Raga-Pethang Ringmo--Raga ( alt. 4300 m )

Schedule:

Our cook and yak men will be waiting for us just at Raga, today our guide will show us the way to Pethang Ringmo. Moraines and landslides make the going difficult. In 1 3/4 hr, around a bend called Orga to view Mt. Everest properly for the first time. Reach the Kangshung Face base camp (5000 m) in 3 hr. This large, grassy area with stunning views of Mt. Everest (8848 m) and Lhotse (8516 m) to the left (south) is known as Pethang Ringmo. To the southeast is a striking amphitheater of peaks dominated by Lhotse. Makalu rises dramatically farther to the southeast. Between Lhotse and Makalu, on the left along the Nepal-Tibet border, is the conical peak of Pethangtse (6724 m).

Day 13

Place & Transport:

Raga-Tsoshutrima (alt. 4900 m)

Schedule:

Hike steadily uphill, steeply at first for an hour to a shelf above the river, then another hour across relatively flat ground to a small meadow called Pangboche, where we have lunch. Continue to hike steeply over alpine slopes for another couple of hours to a small but beautiful lake at the base of the Langma La (17,500'). The views of Makalu and Everest are great from here! Camp at Tsho Tshurigma (16,000'). (4 hours hiking.)

Day 14 Tsoshutrima-Langma La--Shomela ( alt. 4700 m )

Schedule:

Climb steeply over rocky ground to reach the Langma La (17,500') in just over two hours. En route we pass another lake, and the views of Makalu become more impressive as we climb upwards, while Everest and all the other attendant peaks are visible all the way to the pass. From Langma La we bid farewell to the Khangshung Valley and the impressive panorama of some of the world's highest mountains, then descend steeply four hours over rocky moraines and glaciated valleys. Camp is on a grassy meadow beside a clear stream at Troshay (14,000'). (6 hours hiking.)

Day 15

Place & Transport:

Shomela-Yuba-Rongbuk Monastery (alt. 5200 m)

Schedule:

In the morning, we will still trek 2 hours from Shomela back to Yueba where we start our trekking, and our driver will pick us again there to take us to our next destination-Rongbuk Monastery, the highest monastery in the world and it is very close to the EBC that we will visit the next day.

Day 16 Rongbuk Monastery-EBC'shegar

Schedule:

in the morning, we will visit the famous Everest Base Camp, before that if you are lucky you can see the very breathtaking golden sunrise over the peak of the Everest. About the noon time after lunch, we will drive back to Shegar, on the way back you will have the last chance to see various peaks of Himalayas.

Accommodation: Shegar Snowland Hotel or similar if late booking

Day 17 Shegar-Lhasa

Schedule:

Today we will have a long drive back to Lhasa. No visiting on the way.

Accommodation: Kangdro Hotel in Lhasa

Meals: Breakfast

Day 18 Tour ends, leave Lhasa for home

Schedule:

Our guide and driver will transfer you to the airport to catch the flight leaving Lhasa, welcome back to Lhasa again.