Tibet Trekking
Activities
Trekking
Trip Length
13 days, 12 nights
Departure Date
TBD
Tibet is a spectacular travel destination. The Tibetan people are welcoming, the scenery is awe-inspiring, the religious fervor is transfixing, and the trekking is relatively easy given the high altitudes.
What Nepal was 20 years ago, a relatively unvisited travel destination, Tibet is today. With little restrictions for organized groups to travel to Tibet, now is the time to visit this wonderful area of the world.
Traveling in Tibet for most people consists of two parts: acclimatization in Lhasa and a trek. Lhasa is located at a lofty 11,850 feet! We spend three days in the Forbidden City to let our bodies adjust to this altitude. A captivating city, Lhasa is well worth the time we spend there.
What makes Tibet truly astonishing is the high-altitude plateau and the native Tibetans. A trek is the best way to experience this. We spend four days on an unexplored trek, not far from Lhasa, at a reasonable altitude. Our trekking is considered "semi-luxury trekking", meaning you only carry a small daypack while our yaks and yak drivers take care of all your gear. It also means we have the benefit of a large mess tent, a private toilet tent, hot water for washing, and an abundance of excellent food.
Perhaps the highlight of the trek, and what makes our trip so special, is that we have selected a route practically unknown by other travel companies. You will trek through villages rarely seen by westerners. This rare opportunity brings with it emotional highs as well as responsibilities — we take great pains not to intrude or impact upon the villagers we meet.
In addition, one of Equinox's top yoga instructors will join you on your trip and conduct 2 yoga classes a day.
Price
Double Occupancy $3495 (+ $610 air transport to and from Lhasa) / Single Occupancy $4095 (+ air transport to and from Lhasa)
Difficulty
More Challenging — Although the hiking itself is not strenuous, contending with the altitude increases the difficulty. However, with our acclimatization schedule, most people have little or no problem with the altitude.
What's Included
Eight nights hotel lodging, four nights camping (including tents and all group equipment), yaks, all meals (breakfasts, lunches, and dinners), airport transfers, ground transportation, museum entrance fees, and guides.
Not Included
Transportation to and from Beijing, air transportation to and from Lhasa, drinks, personal expenditures, sleeping bag (available for rental), and guide gratuities.
Accommodations
We begin and end our adventure at the Novotel Peace Hotel in Beijing, a five-star hotel in the heart of town. Here we enjoy a luxurious Chinese & American buffet breakfast as well as close access to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. In Lhasa, we stay in the Dhood Gu Hotel, a faithful replication of a traditional Tibetan hotel but with modern amenities and located near the main Barkhor area. We stay in two modest hotels (clean and the best available) in the towns of Shigatse and Giyantse as we move towards our trek location and continue acclimatizing. Finally, we spend four nights camping where we provide camping gear. You need only a sleeping bag and pad. Remember, this is luxury camping.
Suggested Readings & Films
Two popular movies about Tibet are Seven Days in Tibet (also a book) and Kundun, a Martin Scorsese film about the current Dalai Lama. For good travel stories read Trespassers on the Roof of the World by Peter Hopkirk or Travelers' Tales Tibet, one of the Travelers' Tales series.
Weather
The average high temperature in Lhasa in September is 67 degrees Fahrenheit while the average nighttime low is 45 degrees. September is the end of the rainy season so we should have clear skies. During the trek, daytime temperatures will be in the 50s or 60s with overnight lows often below freezing.
Arrival & Departure
We meet and end in Beijing and will provide you with airport transfers to our downtown hotel.
More Information
Dalai Lama's Government in Exile and the Tibet Information Network
Dates and itineraries are subject to change. Availability and itineraries will be verified upon request.