Everest Kangshung Face Trek

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1. Arrival day in Kathmandu (1,300m/4,264 ft)
Welcome to the Himalayan country of Nepal. Our representative will be waiting for your arrival at the Tribhuvan International airport to welcome you and assists you to transfer into your hotel in Kathmandu. After taking some time to get refreshed, you'll meet again in the evening. We will transfer together for a welcome dinner in one of the typical Nepalese restaurants in the heart of Kathmandu and a short briefing about your trip will also be provided. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 2. Trip preparation (1,300m/4,264 ft)
You'll be free to explore Kathmandu on this day. We will prepare all of our Tibet travel documents, and Chinese visas from the Chinese Embassy.

Day 3. Fly to Lhasa (3,650m)
As soon as you arrive in Lhasa, you will get a transfer to the hotel. We will spend a couple of days in Lhasa to help you acclimatize and explore the city and surrounding hills. Over the next two days, there will be organized tours where you can see the main sights such as the Potala Palace, Norbulingka Palaces, Jokang temple, and Barkhor Bazaar.

Day 4. Acclimatization & sightseeing in Lhasa (3,650m)
After breakfast, we will drive to Potala Palace which will take us about 10 minutes from your hotel. The Potala Palace is considered one of the great wonders of the world. It is held sacred by Tibetans as the former residence of successive Dalai Lamas and is one of Tibet's most holy pilgrimage sites. A palace was originally built in the 7th century by King Songtsen Gampo and was believed to have been nine stories high which is believed to be destroyed by fire later.

The great fifth Dalai Lama constructed the present Potala Palace in the 17th century after he became ruler of Tibet. The Potala Palace is divided into two sections, the White Palace (completed in 1653) and the Red palace (completed in 1694). It has more than one thousand rooms and is thirteen stories high. The White Palace was secular in nature and mainly used for government administration, whilst the Red palace was mainly used for religious functions and still has numerous chapels, including those containing reliquary stupas of the successive Dalai Lamas, which are richly decorated in gold, and silver, and semi-precious stones.

Day 5. Acclimatization & sightseeing in Lhasa
After breakfast, we will have a drive to Drepung monastery which will take about 15 minutes from your hotel. Drepung Monastery is the largest monastery in Tibet, built in the 15th century by Jamyang Choeje who is one of Tsongkapa’s foremost disciples. The monastery is beautifully located up on a hill at the distance of 7km from the old section of the city and it is the biggest monastery in Tibetan Buddhism. The monastery has four main colleges with numerous small chapels and house chapels, known as Khangtsen in Tibet. The Drepung monastery has around six hundred monks.

In the afternoon, we will visit Sera Monastery which was founded around the 15th century by Jamchen Choeje, the famous disciple of Tsongka pa. It is the second-largest monastery in Tibet. There are three big colleges with numerous chapels and house chapels. The most attraction to visiting this monastery is to see the monks debating which hold from 3 pm to 5 pm every day apart from Sunday. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 6. Drive to Gyantse (4,000m)- 5 hours of driving
The road from Lhasa to Gyantse is 260km which will take us about 5 hours to drive. The views we get from the place will be completely superb as we cross three passes: Khamba La Pass at 4,900m, Karo La at 5,000m, and Simi La pass. You will have your lunch at Nakartse country which is just between the Yamdrok lake and Karola glaciers. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 7. Drive to Shigatse (3,800m)- 2 hours driving
In the early morning, we will explore Gyantse and visit the Gyantse Kumbum, which is a really impressive octagonal chorten. After lunch, we will drive to Shigatse, which is at a distance of 90km, taking a couple of hours. We will then pass through an important agricultural region of Tibet where people grow barley, wheat, and different kinds of vegetables. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 8. Drive to Sakya monastery (4,050m)- 3 hours driving
We will drive over one high mountain pass in the early morning. The mountain is named Tso La(4,500m). On the way, we will pass through a few traditional villages along the way. We will also visit the Sakya monastery built in the 12th century by Khon Konchok Gyelpo from the Sakya clan. The monastery was originally built for the schools of the Sakya tribe and later on Dogon Chogyel Pakpa expanded it to the present size. Drogon Chogyel Phakpa is the first Tibetan Lama who took the ruling power in Tibet. Sakya is the mother monastery of the Sakyapa sect. The temples of North Sakya were built first and within these temples, and the Gorum temple to the northeast was the oldest, built in 1073 by Khon Konchok Gyelpo.

The Utse Nyingpa, Utse Sarpa, and Manjughosa temples were constructed by Sachen Kunga Nyingpo, Choje Drakpa Gyeltsen, and Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyeltsen around the meditation cave of Sachen but most of those temples are invisible now. The temples of South Sakya, composed of one main assembly hall, college buildings, palaces, and some chapels were gradually built during the time of Drogon Chogyel Phakpa. The Sakya monastery has 160 monks. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 9. Drive to Kharta (3,690m)- 4 to 5 hours driving
We will drive to Kharta, which typically takes about 4 to 5 hours. Along the way, we will be rewarded with beautiful views from the high passes of Gyatso La(5,220m) and Pang La(5,000m). On a clear day, we can get the views of  Makalu, Lhotse, Everest, and Shishapangma from the summit of these passes. The road will then descend the Dzakaa Chu and then the Phung Chu valleys towards Kharta. We will be camping on the banks of the Kharta Tsangpo river, which is also known as the headwaters of Nepal's Arun River. Overnight camping.

Day 10. Trek to Dambuk (approx 4,260m)- 3 to 4 hours walking
We will start the trek by walking up the Kharta Tsangpo valley past several villages. The trail to the Shao La will leave the Kharta valley and climbs steadily up a side valley to the south. The camp will be either at the beginning of this climb on a ledge overlooking the valley or two hours further up a side valley to a camp in meadows. Overnight camping.

Day 11. Trek to Shau Tsho (4,560m)- 3 to 4 hours of walking
The trail for the day will ascend steadily over the rocky ground before getting to the glacial lakes before Shao La pass that we will be crossing the next day. Overnight camping.

Day 12. Cross Shao La pass (4,915m) and trek to Dzokshan (4,040m)- 4 hours of walking
It will take us around 2 hours to reach the summit of Shao La pass (4,915m) where we will be rewarded with stunning views of Makalu, Lhotse, and Everest. Once at the top of the pass, we will then descend steeply to the valley below where the scene will change from barren rock to lush rhododendrons, birch, and willow trees. A further hour down this valley, following a stream through thick fir and juniper forests, will bring us to Dzokshan. Overnight camping.

Day 13. Trek to Shalung Tsho (4,425m)- 5 to 6 hours of walking
The trail for the day will climb to a ridge with spectacular views right up the Kangshung Valley. The trail is also a host of mountains including Everest, Lhotse, Lhotse Shar, Tshertse, Petangtse, Chomolonzo, and Makalu. From this ridge, we will descend rather steeply down to the Kama River coming from the Langma La. After crossing the river, we will enter the Kangshung Valley, a wide valley where the receding glacier has left behind undulating hillocks covered by a thick growth of willow, rhododendron, juniper, and other shrubs. After passing through the meadow called Pethang, we will continue to our camp at Shalung Tsho. Overnight camping.

Day 14. Trek to Pethang Ringmo (4,900m)- 4 to 5 hours of walking
The trail for the day will climb up a large rockslide then traverse around the mountainside to reach a beautiful glade locally called Okpa. We will continue to hike up meadows on the lateral moraine to reach the camp on the grassy knolls of Pethang Ringmo. Overnight camping.

Day 15. Trek to Kangshung Base Camp (5,200m)- 3 to 4 hours of walking
We will walk up the Kangshung Valley to the Base Camp used by expeditions attempting the east face of Everest. In the afternoon, we will explore the area as there are a number of options for superb walks around Base Camp. Overnight camping.

Day 16. Exploration day 
You'll be free to explore Kangshung Base Camp on this day. You can spend time exploring the beauty of the Kangsubg base camp. You can go for an early sunrise view. Taking pictures from multiple viewpoints can be also a part of your day. This day can also be a day to acclimatize. Overnight camping.

Day 17. Trek to Rabka Chu (4,265m)
From Base Camp, we will head down towards the valley for our return trek via Langma La. We will spend the night at Rabka Chu. Overnight camping.

Day 18. Trek to Tsho Zhukri-me at the base of Langma La at (5,000m)- 5 hours of walking
From Rabgka Chu camp,  the trail will be completely uphill through a number of yak pastures till we reach Tsho Zhukri-me at around 5,000m. The views of Makalu from this camp are superb. Overnight camping.

Day 19. Cross Langma La (5,370m) and trek to Shomak Lhe (4,230m)- 6 to 7 hours of walking
It takes around one and a half hours from camp to reach the top of the Langma La (5,370m). After we reach the top of Langma La, the trail is completely steep downhill for 1,100m to our camp at Shomak Lhe. Overnight camping.

Day 20. Trek to Kharta- 4 hours of walking
We will complete our circuit trek on this day. We will start our trek back to Kharta which will take us about four hours. After walking downhill for a few hours, we will certainly arrive back at our camp outside Kharta. Overnight camping at Kharta.

Day 21. Drive to Rongbuk monastery- 9 hours driving
We will drive to Rongbuk monastery located below the impressive north face of Everest. The distance to drive to Rongbuk monastery is 110km. This monastery is also known as the highest monastery in the world. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 22. Day walk to Everest North Base Camp
We will start the day enjoying the morning sunrise view of Everest from Rongbuk monastery, having our breakfast, and then trekking slowly to Everest Base Camp which will take us around one hour and forty minutes to get there. You can enjoy taking photos, have the most beautiful view of Everest, and then trek back to Rongbuk monastery. This will take you around one hour and twenty minutes. On the way back, you can also visit a Guru Rinpoche cave. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 23. Ronbuk to Everest Base Camp to Kerong (2700m) 315km
After breakfast, we will drive to Kerong which is the border between Tibet and Nepal border. Overnight at Hotel

Day 24. Kerong to Kathmandu ( 6-7 hours) 155km
After breakfast, we will drive to Rasuwagadi Border between Tibet and Nepal. After taking the necessary border formalities, you can cross the border. You'll meet with our representative there and drive back to Kathmandu. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 25: Departure from Kathmandu
On the last day of the trek, you are completely free for last-minute shopping for souvenirs or gifts for your family, friends, or relatives for you until your departure flight/drive. You can also commence any extra trips or activities you may have booked with us. If you are ready for departing, you'll be transferred to the International Airport for your departure flight to your onward destination.
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