11-Day Tibet Peach Blossom Discovery: Nyingchi Blossoms, Lhasa, Everest & the Railway

Eleven days that pair the peach blossom season with the classic western Tibet run, so that you see both the green Nyingchi valleys and the high plateau north of Shigatse. You fly into Nyingchi, work through Milin, Gala and the Lulang Forest to Basum Tso, then take the Lalin Expressway to Lhasa for the Potala Palace and the Jokhang.

From Lhasa the route runs the full width of southern Tibet: Yamdrok Lake at 4,441 metres, the Karola Glacier, Gyantse and across the plain to Shigatse, then north over Gyatso La to Rongbuk Monastery and Everest Base Camp at 5,200 metres for two nights, with a dawn on the north face. You return through Tashilhunpo Monastery and leave Tibet overland on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway to Xining, flying on to Chengdu.

This is the version to pick if the Everest section matters to you and the blossom season matters too, and you are willing to accept more driving in exchange for both. If Everest is the priority and blossom is not, take the eleven-day Everest panorama programme instead; if the blossom is the priority and Everest is not, take the ten-day low-altitude programme. Doing all three in one trip is what the thirteen-day grand journey is for.

As with every Tibetan programme, the permit paperwork needs lead time and the altitude needs respect. Two nights at Everest Base Camp is the right shape for it: one to arrive and acclimatise, one to see the face at dawn before the weather closes in.

• Wild peach blossom at Milin, Gala and Basum Tso, sequenced by altitude

• Everest Base Camp at 5,200m for two nights, with a dawn on the north face

• Rongbuk Monastery at 5,100m, the highest monastery in the world

• Lake Yamdrok, the Karola Glacier, Gyantse fortress and Shigatse

• Tashilhunpo Monastery, founded in 1447, with its great Maitreya Buddha

• Return to Lhasa and out on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway

• Tibet Travel Permit and all border permits required for the areas on the route, handled on your behalf

• Private tour vehicle with an experienced local driver throughout, including fuel, tolls and mountain access fees

• English-speaking local guide (Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian or Japanese on request), with the driver's and guide's accommodation and meals covered

• All entrance fees for the sites listed in the daily itinerary, including shuttle buses, eco-buses and cable cars where the site requires them

• Daily hotel breakfast as shown in the itinerary

• Oxygen supply: a portable cylinder in the vehicle on high-altitude days, with in-room oxygen at the Everest Base Camp lodge

• Welcome Tibetan dinner and Everest hot pot where listed, plus bottled water each day

• Travel agency liability insurance, vehicle passenger insurance and travel accident insurance

• Domestic connections listed in the itinerary (Chengdu-Nyingchi flight, Lhasa-Xining soft sleeper, Xining-Chengdu flight, and the Chengdu airport hotel night where shown)

• International air tickets to and from China, and any flights not listed in the itinerary

• China visa and any visa or entry documentation fees

• Lunches and dinners except where the itinerary states a meal is included

• Tips for guides and drivers (suggested USD 8-12 per person per day)

• Personal expenses: laundry, telephone, minibar, shopping and excess baggage

• Single-room supplement if a traveller requires a room alone

• Optional activities and any item not listed under Price Includes

Before booking, please read the entry and health notes below. Tibet is not like the rest of China: entry paperwork, altitude and the pace of travel all need planning, and some of it cannot be arranged at short notice.

Entry formalities. Every foreign visitor needs a Tibet Travel Permit (often called the TTP or 入藏证) in addition to a Chinese visa. Independent travel is not permitted: you must travel as part of an arranged group with a licensed Tibetan guide and a licensed vehicle with driver throughout. For areas beyond Lhasa prefecture — Shigatse, Everest Base Camp and the border counties among them — additional permits are required on top of the TTP. We handle the paperwork, but it takes time, so please book well ahead and send passport details early. Apply at least 15 to 30 working days in advance, and longer in peak season. The original permit must be carried with you throughout the trip: photocopies are not accepted, and it is checked at airports, railway stations, checkpoints, hotels and attraction entrances. The name, passport number, nationality, travel dates and permitted travel shown on the permit must match your actual information and itinerary. Permits are issued at the discretion of the authorities and can be withdrawn at short notice if policy changes.

China visa. You must hold a valid Chinese visa for the whole trip, including the domestic flights and trains used to enter and leave Tibet. In most cases this is an L tourist visa. If you hold another type of visa, tell us when you enquire, as additional supporting documents may be needed.

Altitude. Lhasa sits at 3,650 m and much of this programme runs higher. Acclimatisation days are built into the itinerary for a reason: guests who fly in and drive straight up do not enjoy the trip. Expect some breathlessness and disturbed sleep for the first day or two, drink more water than usual, avoid alcohol on the first nights and keep the first day gentle.

Health. Travellers over 60, and anyone with a heart or lung condition, high blood pressure, or who is pregnant, should consult a doctor before booking and bring a medical certificate. Please tell us about any relevant condition when you enquire. Oxygen is carried in the vehicle on all high-altitude days.

Everest accommodation. Lodging near Everest Base Camp is basic and very cold, and no hotel upgrade changes that. It is a fixed condition of going there, and it is oxygen supplied.

Pace and conditions. Road distances in Tibet are long and journey times depend on road works, weather and checkpoint queues, so treat all driving times as approximate. Accommodation outside Lhasa is simpler than in the big eastern cities, and hotels of the same standard are used where the ones shown are full; specific hotels cannot be guaranteed. Photography is prohibited inside many chapel interiors; your guide will tell you where.

Q: Do I need a Tibet Travel Permit, and do you arrange it?
A: Yes. Every overseas visitor needs a Tibet Travel Permit in addition to a Chinese visa, and for Shigatse, Everest Base Camp and the border counties further permits are required. We arrange them as part of the booking. You cannot apply for them yourself, and you cannot travel in Tibet independently, so please book early and send passport details as soon as you can.

Q: Is the Potala Palace open every day?
A: No. The Potala Palace closes on Mondays. If your programme falls on a Monday, the order of visits is rearranged so that no site is lost.

Q: What should I bring?
A: A valid passport and Chinese visa, your permit, warm layers including a down jacket, sun protection with high-factor sunscreen and sunglasses, a hat, comfortable walking shoes, a light rain jacket, and any regular medication. Lip balm and hand cream are useful, since the air is very dry.

Q: Can the itinerary be adjusted?
A: Yes. These programmes are built to be adjusted — a longer acclimatisation stay, a hotel category upgrade in Lhasa, or a different route out of Tibet. Tell us what you need when you enquire and we will price it.