Christina

I finally made it! We swapped our itinerary to catch the perfect weather at Everest Base Camp (5,200m). From the brutal 108-bend winding roads to witnessing the magical “Golden Sunset” on the peak of Mt. Everest, here is the honest reality of battling the winds and why you should definitely pay for the buggy!

We’re leaving Lhasa behind and heading for Shigatse, the final stop before Everest! Today was all about sacred lakes and high-altitude glaciers. From the turquoise shores of Yamdrok Tso to trying authentic Tsampa and Yak butter tea, here is the reality of life at 5,000m and why you definitely need motion sickness pills for these…

Is a 12-hour round trip worth it for one lake? Absolutely. Today we headed to Namtso Lake, the highest saltwater lake in the world. From navigating the “oxygen rental” shops in Lhasa to freezing at 5,000m on Nagenla Snow Mountain, here is the reality of visiting this sacred turquoise wonder.

You can’t say you’ve been to Tibet without visiting the Potala Palace! From spinning prayer wheels with pilgrims on Barkhor Street to the breathless climb up the world’s highest palace, here is the reality of a full day in Lhasa (including that classic 50-yuan note photo op!).

Goodbye Nyingchi, hello Lhasa! Today we visited Basong Lake, the “Alps of Tibet,” and it really lived up to the 5A rating. From steaming hot sweet potatoes at the entrance to crossing the 5,230m Mila Mountain pass, here is the reality of the long 5-hour drive to the “Sun-lit City” and our first night at…

Nyingchi is called the “Switzerland of Tibet,” and today we found out why! Even with zero visibility at Namcha Barwa and unexpected October rain, seeing the 3,000-year-old King of Cypress and the misty Lulang Forest felt like stepping into a Chinese ink painting. Not to mention, my first time seeing snow!

A 5 AM morning call is rough, but flying into Nyingchi made it all worth it. From the incredible snow-capped mountain views out the plane window to our first taste of Lulang Stone Pot Chicken, here’s why Nyingchi is the best (and greenest!) place to start a Tibet trip.

Finally, departure day! We’re kicking off our 13-day Tibet adventure with a flight to Chengdu. From the gorgeous new T2 “Wonderfall” to my new favorite airline Sichuan Airlines, here’s how our journey began before the early flight to Nyingchi.

Spent 13 days exploring Tibet — from the lush valleys of Nyingchi and sacred lakes like Yamdrok Tso and Namtso, to the spiritual heart of Lhasa and the once-in-a-lifetime journey to Everest Base Camp. This guide shares our full itinerary, experiences, and practical travel tips for high-altitude travel.

A comprehensive 8D7N Yunnan itinerary covering Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, and Shangri-La. This guide includes a tour package review, attractions visited, hotels, food, and travel tips.