9 Days Lhasa to EBC Photography Expedition: Capturing the Essence of Tibet Through Your Lens

Upon your arrival in Lhasa, our Tibetan guide will be greeting you at airport or train station with auspicious white Hada. Then you will be transferred to hotels in Lhasa.

The guide will briefly introduce the itineraries and remind you about other dos and don’ts for new comers. To quickly get acclimatized to Tibetan plateau, it’s better to have a good rest in the hotel.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Pack your gears, it’s time to document holy Tibet with your unique perspective. Our first shot would center around the Jokhang Temple and its surroundings. We will follow the famous Barkhor Circuit to visit Jokhang Temple, the heart of Tibetan Buddhism in Tibet.

It’s the perfect place to capture the prostrating Tibetan pilgrims around Jokhang Temple. And never miss the stunning visa of Potala Palace and panorama of Barkhor street on the rooftop of Jokhang.

Then you can soak up the atmosphere of bustling Barkhor Bazaar and shoot loads of engaging photos of Tibetan hawkers, Thangka painters, delicate souvenirs, and farm produces sold in Tromzikhang, and old alleys of Lhasa cities nearby.

After lunch, we head to the Sera Monastery, one of the Three Great Gelugpa Monasteries in Lhasa. You can tour the religious compound first. Then from 3:00 PM, the dramatic monk debate will be held in the debate courtyard. Do prepare a telescope lens for stunning monk portrait.

Later, we will drive back to downtown Lhasa, and enjoy the sweet tea and local snacks like Tibetan momo, and Tibetan noodels in Canggu Nunnery. Perfect place to document peaceful life of locals.

Tips: Inside the hall of Buddhist Temple, normally photo taking is forbidden. Telescope lens are recommended for portrait shots.

Stay overnight in hotels in Lhasa

• Jokhang Temple in Lhasa is the holiest site in Tibetan Buddhism.
• Tourists can do kora (circling the Barkhor street) with pilgrims and locals and buy the souvenirs.

Get up early and take tour vehicle to Chagpori for the daybreak of Potala Palace; You can take the iconic image of majestic Potala. Then we will follow the stone steps to visit legendary Potala Palace, the winter palace of former Dalai Lama.

When reaching the top, remember to take panorama of Lhasa city and great vista of Lhasa valley. You can also explore the mysterious chapels inside Potala. Then, we will descend to experience the Potala kora circuit down below the Red Hill.

In the afternoon, we move to Ganden Monastery, the first Gulgpa Monastery founded by Tsongkhapa. Built on Wangbur Mountain, Ganden Monastery is your best choice for landscape photography around Lhasa.

You can follow the winding road to visit the monastery, and enjoy scenic Ganden kora around the mountain to have a incredible panoramic view of Ganden Monastery and Lhasa valley.

Tips: tripod and remote shutter are recommended. Do dress warmly to brave the chilly wind at daybreak and on mountain passes.

Stay overnight in hotels in Lhasa

• Drepung Monastery was one of the “three greet” Gelug monasteries of Tibet.
• Dramatic monk debate in Sera Monastery

After two day’s acclimatization and warm-up in Lhasa, we will head westward. The turquoise Yamdrok Lake will blow your mind away. Standing on Gangbala Pass(4790m) to capturing the scorpion-shaped lake against the massif of Mt. Nojin Kangtsang(7191m). For pet lovers, you can take photos with adorable Tibetan mastiffs at the mountain pass.

Then we will stop by the magnificent Karola Glacier. You can photograph the massive icy glacier just beside the highway, and snap shots of white Tibetan stupas and Tibetans dressed in traditional costumes. Keep moving to Simila Mountain pass. You may hang an auspicious hang prayer flag on the mountain pass and view manla reservoir.

After arriving in historical Gyantse town, you can explore the photogenic Palcho Monastery. Nepali-style Kumbum stupa will be the focus of our visit. Climb to the top of nine-story Kumbum to enjoy the spectacular vista of Gyantse Fortress. And later tour the Tsulaklakang Monastery right beside.

Stay overnight in hotels in Gyantse

• Bathing in sunshine, Yamdrok lake is dispalying its dazzling beauty to visitors both home and abroad.
• A great view of Palkhor Monastery

In the morning, we would visit the historic Gyantse Fortress; you can climb to the top of the awe-inspiring fortress, you will be awarded the panorama of Gyantse town and bird's-eye view of Palcho Monastery.

Then, we will head to Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse. You can take photos of pencil-thin cobbled lanes, fluttering door curtain and gigantic festival Thanka Wall and monks in assembly hall. Later, we will follow the classic kora route of Tashilhunpo Monastery to capture the past glory of Shigatse Dzong, known as the small Potala.

Finally, we hit the road again to Tingri via Tsola Pass(4600M), and Gyatsola Pass (4528m).

Stay overnight in Tingri

• Gyantse Dzong is a fortress high on top of a hill in the middle of town.
• Tashilhunpo Monastery, the home of Panchan Lama

Rise early to hit to road to enjoy sunrise over top 4 peaks along Himalayas at Gawu La Pass(5198m). It’s the best place to enjoy mind-blowing vista of Mt. Everest (8844.43m), Cho Oyo8201m), Lhotse (8516m), Makalu (8463m).

Then we keep travelling to Rongbuk Monastry, the highest Buddhist site in the world. You can photograph Everest with White Stupas as the foreground. And explore the medication cave of Tsongkhapa.

Then we are about to trek 4 km to camping site of EBC(5200m) and you can get close-up of the massif of north face of Mount Everest, unobstructed and see the Everest monument.

At night, you may do the time-lapse photography of stunning starry night sky at EBC.

Tips: Due to extreme altitude, do walk slowly and bundle up in warm clothes. If you venture out of the camp at night for night photo shooting.

Stay overnight in the tent at EBC

• Scene of Everest Base Camp
• Drive along the zigzag road to Everest Base Camp

In the morning, you can see the sunrise of Everest Peak if weather permits at the lodging area. Then we will drive back to Shigatse.

Stay overnight in Shigatse.

Today, we will drive back to Lhasa by following Yalong Valley. You can stand on the viewing platform and view the vast Yalong River bed. Finally the guide will transfer you back to your hotels in Lhasa.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

The guide will transfer you to the airport or train station and help you get on board.