7 Days, 6 Nights in Tibet for Only ¥4,000 per Person: The Ultimate Self-Drive Everest Route – A Complete Travel Guide
Foreword: When traveling to Tibet, besides planning your itinerary, the first thing to worry about is altitude sickness. Generally, everyone experiences altitude sickness to varying degrees. Mild symptoms like headache and dizziness often resolve on their own as your body adjusts, usually within a day or two. More severe symptoms such as headache, dizziness, vomiting, rapid heartbeat, and difficulty breathing can take about a week to subside. If altitude sickness strikes, here’s what I’ve learned from experience.
1. Start taking rhodiola rosea a week before entering Tibet; it effectively helps prevent altitude sickness.
2. If mild symptoms appear, drinking glucose and taking Gaoyuan'an (a local herbal remedy) can ease them.
3. For headaches, ibuprofen works well.
4. The most direct and effective method is oxygen inhalation (though I don’t recommend it – letting your body adapt naturally is best).
Upon arriving in Lhasa, the very first thing you should do is rest and assess your physical condition to see if you're ready for higher altitudes before planning the rest of your trip. You can explore the city, sample local Tibetan food, and try some butter tea and sweet tea (butter tea is a bit greasy; sweet tea tends to suit our palates better). If you're feeling well, visit the Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple to immerse yourself in traditional Tibetan Buddhist culture. (Spend the night in downtown Lhasa.)
After getting all our supplies ready, we set off at 8:00 a.m. to begin our self-drive journey (we'd rented a car in advance). Our first stop was Yamdrok Lake, one of Tibet's three sacred lakes and a must-see for every visitor. The lake's scenery is like a painting; you'll feel as if you've stepped into a paradise on earth. As the sunlight shifts throughout the day, the water displays remarkably rich shades of blue, almost dreamlike—like a gemstone set in the high plateau. After exploring Yamdrok Lake, we followed the road onward and unexpectedly came across Karola Glacier. This enormous glacier stretches from the mist-shrouded summit all the way down to a point just a few hundred meters from the road. Its translucent, blue-tinted ice brings a refreshing chill. Leaving Karola Glacier, we headed west toward Shigatse. (Spend the night in downtown Shigatse.)
Shigatse means 'the estate with the finest soil' in Tibetan and is Tibet's second-largest city. It's an essential stop on the way to Mount Everest. Since our itinerary wasn't too rushed, we took a half-day rest in Shigatse. We visited a local Tibetan family's home to experience authentic Tibetan culture, and also explored the village's local temple. In stark contrast to the crowded tourist sites, the atmosphere here gave us the true flavor of a Tibetan Buddhist temple—something that's often diluted in the commercialized attractions. After leaving the Tibetan home, we headed to Lhaze Fort, a relatively off-the-beaten-path site and a prototype of mountaintop fortress architecture. (Spend the night in Tingri County.)
We left the hotel in the early morning and set off for the most important destination of our trip—Everest Base Camp. From Tingri, it takes about two and a half hours by car to reach the Everest ticket office. Once inside Everest Geopark, you’ll start the famous winding mountain road, the most daunting part of which is the '108 hairpin turns.' Be sure to have an experienced driver behind the wheel; novice drivers should not attempt it lightly. When you arrive at Everest Base Camp, you'll notice the former tents have been removed for ecological protection. Now, besides the mani stone piles left by past visitors, the camp offers views of the snow-covered peak and swirling clouds. You can send a letter or postcard to loved ones from the post office at the top of the world, or visit the world's highest monastery to reflect on life's deeper meaning. Travel isn't just about the destination; the journey itself is equally worth savoring.
After completing the Everest leg, we began our return journey. To keep everyone from getting too exhausted, we scheduled a full day of rest. We drove leisurely, stopping whenever we saw something interesting or a beautiful view to take photos. Whenever anyone felt tired from driving or riding, we pulled over to stretch and snap pictures. By evening we reached downtown Shigatse, enjoyed a good night's sleep, and then continued our journey back.
We returned to Lhasa before sunset, rested for a night, and then headed to the final spot on our itinerary—Nam Co (Namtso) Lake. Nam Co is about a three-hour drive from Lhasa, crossing the Tanggula Mountains and driving across the high plateau. Along the way, stunning scenery unfolded nonstop: alpine meadows and lakes appeared one after another, a true feast for the eyes. The end of our visit to Nam Co brought our journey to a perfect close.
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