Choosing a Trip Lhasa - Kathmandu

You don't have time to get to Everest Base Camp in Nepal -- it takes 10-14 days to trek roundtrip, and you can't fly in (and if you could, you'd die from altitude sickness).

I don't know about overland tours or Everest Base Camp in Tibet, but others will.

You can take helicopter tours of the Everest region from Kathmandu. If money is really no object, you can even stay at the highest hotel in the world, the Hotel Everest View. You can charter a helicopter directly to the hotel or take a plane to the nearby airstrip at Shyangboche, although I think lodge operators between Lukla and Namche have successfully prevented any airlines from operating scheduled flights there. I would think twice about flying to the hotel, however, as you will probably suffer from flying to such high altitude without acclimitizing. Diamox might help.

Jamie McGuinness's project himalaya and explore himalaya do good overland trips between kathmandu and Lhasa. Go to www.project-himalaya.com and click on tibet tours. Also his photogallery has some good pix from prior trips.

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<hr>you can even stay at the highest hotel in the world, the Hotel Everest View. You can charter a helicopter directly to the hotel or take a plane to the nearby airstrip at Shyangboche, although I think lodge operators between Lukla and Namche have successfully prevented any airlines from operating scheduled flights there. I would think twice about flying to the hotel, however, as you will probably suffer from flying to such high altitude without acclimitizing<hr></blockquote>

The Everest Hotel flights has actually been the subject of a
study : 84 % developed AMS, the majority reported bein restricted by it , and 16 % were restricted to bed - in spite of the Diamox that is given after arrival. The altitude is 3740 meters , a mere 100 meter difference over Lhasa , and 200 over Leh. The "worlds highest " would be a commercial hyperbole - there should be hotels in Nakchu , at 4500 meters , for example.

The Kathmandu-Lhasa run gives ample opportinity to sample altitude symptoms , since it starts below acclimatisation minimum, and second and third night are at 3900 and 4200. Some time at 3000 (like Langtang mentioned above) before is a good way to minmise altitude problems.

I expect EBC in this context means the Tibetan EBC : there are some options that means going from around 4300 to 5000 in sleeping elevation (like Shegar) , which are to be preferred over lower starting points.

Vistet, I should have known better. Of course the Hotel Everest View is not the highest hotel in the world, notwithstanding their marketing hype. But it is the highest really expensive hotel in the world.

YOu do have time to do EBC on the Lhasa - Lhasa run but of course it is the Tibetan one (Quongolongma Base Camp). There is accommodation at Rongbuk Monastery and a chinese hotel next to it. (Both are at 5200m so you would want to be acclimatised.) Spend a few days in Lhasa before starting the standard run down to KTM usually Gyantse/Shigatse, Everest, Dhingri, Nyalam, Ktm.
Many companies in KTM can arrange this for you.

Hi there,

I did a trip from Lhasa to Kathmando 16 months ago and it was my second time I did it.

If you got 10 days, forget about going to EBC in Nepal unless you want to end your life and sky bury your body there. :-)

There are a few agents in Lhasa ( in the short main road to Jokheng ), but you need to try your luck to find a good one. I joined 4 guys and hired a Land crusier from an agent ran by an English Speaking Tibetian Fat woman there. It seems that she can be trusted. For hiring a Land crusier be prepare to pay about 1000 RMB / day plus any permission charge.

For entering quomolangma nation park, you need to pay entry fee, and your Landcrusier cannot go up to the EBC in China side. You have to stop at a check point one hour away and pay about 80 RMB for an offical return ride to EBC(by a Ford van). That was a ripping off for every tourist including Chinese and foriegners.

By the way, you may need to pay for a guide for your trip too if the agent insist. We didn't have a guide last time. The guide or driver will lead you to the guesthouses they prefer, but they wont insist, so you may have a look first and decide the one you like. Last time we spent about 30 RMB every night. Dont expect you will have a private clean toilet in this price. The most expensive one is in Rongbuk, it was 40 RMB/night. If you go to the EBC which was 3 hours walking distance away from Rongbuk, there are guesthouses run by tibetian, but you will end up staying in a big Tibetian tent. No concret made guesthouses was found there 16 months ago.

By the way, you can take a donkey ride from Rongbuk to EBC which will take aorund 1/2 hour. You have to pay for that indeed.

If you like taking photos, I think you should spend your night in a tent at EBC rather than in Rongbuk. The view is much better there in the morning.

From Lhasa to Nepal border, it will take to 4 to five days. If you cross the border in the morning, you can catch a bus to Kathmando on the same day. If you dont, you have pay for a taxi there, or spend one night at Nepal border. There are only morning buses to Kathmando. By the way, I didn't catch a direct bus to Kathmando, I had to change bus on the way last time. Dont worry about that, Nepaleses are nice people! They are willing to help! ask them when you are there.

Cheers! Pardon my English.

yeung