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Tibet Travel (Tibet Vista) · Private escorted tour

14 Days Mt. Everest Adventure Tour from Beijing by Train

Beijing to Everest Base Camp by train, monasteries, and high-altitude camp

Illustration of 14 Days Mt. Everest Adventure Tour from Beijing by Train

Tibet Travel operates this 14-day private escorted tour departing daily from Beijing and ending at Everest Base Camp. The journey combines famous Chinese heritage sites with Tibet's sacred landscapes and monasteries. You begin in Beijing with visits to the Great Wall at Badaling, the Forbidden City, and Summer Palace, then board an overnight train to Xi'an to see the Terracotta Warriors. The centerpiece is the Qinghai-Tibet Railway sleeper journey from Xi'an to Lhasa, crossing high-altitude terrain for 32 hours. In Tibet, you spend four nights exploring Lhasa's monasteries including Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, and Drepung and Sera Monasteries. From there, you drive north to camp at sacred Namtso Lake, then travel south through Shigatse to Everest Base Camp at 5,200 meters, where you watch sunrise over Mount Everest and visit Rongphu Monastery. Your personal English-speaking Tibetan guide and driver accompany you throughout. The tour is rated 4.95 out of 5 on TripAdvisor based on 642 reviews. It suits couples, families, history enthusiasts, and travelers seeking guided comfort at high altitude.

What to know before you look closer

  • The tour includes two overnight train journeys (Beijing to Xi'an and Xi'an to Lhasa sleeper). Final accommodation tier depends on your choice: luxury 5-star, standard 4-star, economic 3-star, or budget guesthouse/tent.
  • Days 9 and 11 involve overnight stays in tents or basic guesthouses at high altitude (Namtso Lake and Everest Base Camp area). Meals not specified in the itinerary (typically USD 3-15 per meal in Tibet) are not included.
  • Chinese visa and international flights to and from China are not included. Tibet travel permits and all domestic transport, accommodation, and site entrance fees are included.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Beijing

    Arrive in Beijing

    Private car transfer to the hotel in Beijing; free time to rest or explore.

  2. Day 2overnight: Beijing

    Beijing Sightseeing: Great Wall at Badaling, Ming Tombs-Changling

    Group tour of the Badaling section of the Great Wall, then the Ming Tombs, burial site of Emperor Wanli.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Train

    Beijing Sightseeing: Forbidden City, Summer Palace

    Visit Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, then the Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven before boarding the overnight train to Xi'an.

  4. Day 4overnight: Xi'an

    Sightseeing in Xi'an: Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses

    Transfer to the hotel after arriving in Xi'an, then visit the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Train

    Board the overnight train to Lhasa from Xi'an

    Board the sky train to Lhasa at Xi'an railway station for the roughly 32-hour journey.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Lhasa

    Sightseeing along the railway and arrive in Lhasa

    Full day of window sightseeing along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway before arriving in Lhasa in the afternoon and resting to acclimatize.

  7. Day 7overnight: Lhasa

    Lhasa sightseeing: Potala Palace/Tibet Museum/Jokhang Temple/Barkhor Street

    Visit the Potala Palace and the free Tibet Museum in the morning; Jokhang Temple and the Barkhor Kora in the afternoon.

  8. Day 8overnight: Lhasa

    Lhasa Sightseeing: Drepung Monastery/Sera Monastery

    Visit Drepung Monastery, once home to 10,000 monks, then Sera Monastery to watch the afternoon monk debate.

  9. Day 9overnight: Lake Shore Tent Guest House (dorm bed)

    Lhasa to Namtso Lake (220km, ~4 hours driving)

    Drive north past Nyenchen Thanglha to Namtso Lake, one of Tibet's three holy lakes, with an overnight tent stay at the lake shore.

  10. Day 10overnight: Shigatse

    Namtso to Shigatse via Dazhuka (385km, 8-9 hours driving)

    Trek along the lake shore to Tashi Dor Island in the morning, then a long drive via Yangpachen and Dazhuka to Shigatse.

  11. Day 11overnight: Tent or Guesthouse near EBC

    Shigatse (3,900m) to Everest Base Camp (5,200m) via Lhatse, Shegar

    Collect the Alien's Travel Permit, drive via Lhatse and Shegar and over Pang La Pass (5,050m) with views of five 8,000m peaks, arriving at Rongbuk.

  12. Day 12overnight: Shigatse

    Everest Base Camp (5,200m) and return to Shigatse (3,900m)

    Sunrise view of Mount Everest, visit Rongphu Monastery (the world's highest monastery), then drive back to Shigatse.

  13. Day 13overnight: Lhasa

    Shigatse (3,900m) to Lhasa (3,650m): Tashilhunpo monastery

    Visit Tashilhunpo Monastery, seat of the Panchen Lama, then drive back to Lhasa along the Yarlung Tsangpo River.

  14. Day 14overnight: Tour ends

    Departure from Lhasa

    Transfer to Lhasa airport for the onward flight.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Tour the Badaling section of the Great Wall and the Ming Tombs, burial site of Emperor Wanli.
  • Day 5Board the Qinghai-Tibet Railway sleeper train at Xi'an for the 32-hour journey to Lhasa across the Tibetan plateau.
  • Day 9Stay overnight in a tent at the shore of Namtso Lake, one of Tibet's three holy lakes.
  • Day 12Watch sunrise over Mount Everest from Everest Base Camp at 5,200 meters, then visit Rongphu Monastery, the world's highest monastery.

Included

  • Tibet travel permit and all other necessary permits to Tibet
  • All entrance ticket fees for all tourist sites listed in the itinerary
  • Personal knowledgeable English-speaking Tibetan local tour guide
  • Personal comfortable, clean and safe vehicle with reliable Tibetan local driver (4WD land cruiser to minibus depending on group size)
  • All lodging listed in the itinerary (traveller chooses accommodation class: luxury 5-star, standard 4-star, economic 3-star, or budget guesthouse/tent)
  • Domestic flight/train tickets listed in the itinerary
  • All meals listed in the itinerary
  • Tourist accident/casualty insurance
  • First aid kit

Not included

  • International flight to and from China
  • Chinese visa (application support available on request)
  • Domestic flight/train not listed in the itinerary
  • Meals not specified in the itinerary (approx. USD 3-15 per meal in Tibet)
  • Tips and gratuities for guide and driver
  • Personal expenses (laundry, phone calls, snacks, drinks, optional activities, etc.)

Questions travellers ask

Is the train travel included?
Yes. The itinerary includes the overnight Beijing to Xi'an train and the Qinghai-Tibet Railway sleeper from Xi'an to Lhasa (roughly 32 hours). All train tickets are included.
Is this an escorted or independent tour?
This is a private escorted tour. Tibet Travel provides a personal English-speaking Tibetan local guide and driver in a 4WD vehicle throughout the 14 days. The tour departs 365 days per year.
What accommodation is provided?
You choose your tier: luxury 5-star hotels, standard 4-star, economic 3-star, or budget guesthouse/tent. Stays include Beijing, Xi'an, Lhasa (four nights), a tent at Namtso Lake, Shigatse (two nights), and a tent or guesthouse near Everest Base Camp.
What is the physical activity level?
The operator rates it as easy, suitable for all fitness levels, families with kids, and senior groups. However, days at Everest Base Camp reach 5,200 meters altitude, and Day 10 includes a trek along Namtso Lake shore.
What meals are included?
All meals listed in the itinerary are included. Meals not specified in the itinerary are not included and typically cost USD 3-15 per meal in Tibet.
What permits and visas do I need?
Tibet Travel obtains your Tibet travel permit and all other necessary permits. You must obtain a Chinese visa separately; the operator offers application support on request.

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