8-Day Tibet Nyingchi Tour: Lhasa, Basum Tso, Lulang Forest & Namtso

Eight days built around the green side of Tibet. Lhasa gives you the Potala Palace and the Jokhang; then you drop over Mila Pass into the Niyang River valley, where Nyingchi sits at only 2,800 metres in larch and pine forest. From there the programme takes in Basum Tso and its island, the classic Mount Namjagbarwa view from Sejila Pass, the Lulang Forest Sea, and the Kading Valley waterfall with the Buddha face formed in the cliff.

What makes this route different from a standard Lhasa and Shigatse loop is the altitude profile. After the first two days in Lhasa you spend three nights around 2,800 to 3,300 metres, in forest and farmland rather than on a cold grassland plain, and only then climb again to Yamdrok Lake at 4,441 metres and Namtso at 4,718 metres. Guests consistently tell us that the middle of the trip is what they remember.

The closing days are deliberately varied: the loneliest monastery in the world on a peninsula in Yamdrok Lake, then the northern grasslands and the Heavenly Lake, with a long final day back to Lhasa. This is a walking-light programme — the sights are seen from short, easy walks and from the vehicle, and no day requires serious hiking.

Note that Nyingchi hotels are not oxygen supplied, which is another reason the altitude here feels easier. The Tibet Travel Permit and border permits are handled on your behalf, and Everest-free routes like this one need fewer permits than the classic line, so the paperwork is simpler and faster.

• Basum Tso, the little Switzerland of Tibet, and its island in the lake

• Mount Namjagbarwa from Sejila Pass, the classic Tibet view

• Lulang Forest Sea, the place where gods live

• Kading Valley Waterfall and the Buddha face formed in the cliff

• Rituo Monastery, the loneliest monastery in the world

• Three nights at 2,800-3,300m in the forests of Nyingchi

• 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.

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.