Trekking Strategy from Tingri to EBC: know the ultimate guide to trekking from Tingri to EBC

Traveling to Tibet is one of the world’s most fantastic adventures, and it is never more exciting and adventurous than when trekking across the vast Tibetan plateau. One of the best treks in Tibet is the four-day trek that takes you from Old Tingri, on the G318 Friendship Highway to the famous Everest Base Camp, a distance of around 70 kilometers. Passing through some of the most beautiful countryside in western Tibet, this amazing trek is not only a great way to get to the world’s highest mountain, but it is one that gives you several good views of the surrounding mountains, including many of the highest mountains in the world.

When is the Best Time to Trek from Tingri to EBC

The best time to trek from Tingri to EBC is normally during the spring and autumn seasons, though it is possible to make this trek almost all year round. However, since the weather in the mountains of the western Himalayas around Mount Everest is notoriously hard to predict, most treks tend to stick to the recommended seasons for trekking, for the sake of safety.

Spring, which runs from April to May, is the first of the two main periods for taking this trek, as the weather is starting to warm up from the ends of the winter months, and the skies are normally fairly clear for most of the season. Temperatures in spring range from around 10-15 degrees during the day, to as low as -5 degrees at night. Most of the season sees very little rain, and it is an ideal time for trekking.

Our clients were trekking from Tingri to EBC

Autumn, which runs from September to November, is the next best time for trekking to EBC from Tingri, as the weather is cooler and milder than in the summer months, and the monsoon rains have all cleared off, leaving the area lush and green from the summer rain. Skies in autumn are as clear as in spring, though it can start to get very chilly at night. Temperatures range from around 7-12 degrees during the day, to as low as -12 degrees at night by the time November rolls around.

What to Prepare to Trek from Tingri to EBC

Trekking Documents

Preparation of your documents for trekking in Tibet is one of the most important parts of the whole preparation for the tour, and without the correct documents, you will not be able to enter the region, let alone trek through it. The main document you need for travel to Tibet is the Tibet Travel Permit (TTP), which is required for all tourists to enter and travel in Tibet. The permit is obtained once you have booked your tour with us, and we will make the application on your behalf using scanned copies of your passport and visa. Once the application is complete, we will forward the permit to your hotel in China ready for your trip to Tibet.

Tibet Travel Permit is an indispensable travel document for Tibet entry.

As you will be traveling outside of Lhasa, you will also need the Alien’s Travel Permit, which is needed for all travel in the region outside the Lhasa Prefecture-level city. The permit is easily obtained in Lhasa, before you depart for the west, and takes just an hour to process. Your guide will use your passport and Tibet Travel Permit to obtain the Alien’s Travel Permit on your behalf, as personal applications are not permitted.

Travel in the far west of Tibet around the area of the Chinese border with Nepal is regulated, and you will need to have a Frontier Pass for travel in this area. The pass is available from either Lhasa or Shigatse, and can be easily processed by your guide in a short time, using your passport and permits. The pass will be needed for checkpoints in the area around the Sino-Nepal border, which includes the area of Mount Everest.

Packing List for Trekking from Tingri to EBC

If you are planning a trek across the plateau from Tingri to EBC, then you need to pack carefully, to ensure that you have all that you need, but are not carrying any unnecessary stuff that will just weight you down. Warm clothing for the right time of year in which you are trekking is essential. Warm clothing, especially layers, is essential when trekking to EBC, as it can still be cold in the area, especially at night, even in the summer months. While it may not be freezing, it is still close to 0 degrees, and can be cold enough to make you ill. You should include:
● Warm Jacket
● Sweater and windbreaker
● Rain jacket
● Sun cap
● Hat and gloves
● Comfortable trekking shoes or boots
● Breathable socks
● Sunglass
● Sleeping bag
● Sleeping bag inner

You should also have a good first-aid kit that includes medicines for common illnesses such as cold and flu, bandages and band-aids, alcohol or alcohol wipes, gauze, antiseptic cream, agua, betadine, and Vaseline. Hand sanitizer, lip balm, and sun block are all essential, and you should also have the same toiletries that you would normally use at home.

Food should be a mainstay of your packing for this trek, as you will not be stopping at places with guesthouses, and all three nights of the trek will be spent camping in the provided tents. Food should be dried or packaged, for ease of carrying, and should be enough to cover the entire four days, as you will not be able to add more along the way. Plenty of water should also be carried, or bring along a water bottle and purification tablets.

How to Trek from Tingri to EBC

Stage One: Tingri to Lungthang (5 hours/12km/150m ascent)

The trek begins at Old Tingri, and heads out across the grasslands of the Tingri Plain. The route of the trek takes you through the stunningly beautiful Ra-chu Valley, where the amazing scenery and extensive meadows are filled with flocks of sheep and goats grazing on the lush grasses. After a stop to explore the Choelun Monastery, you will stop for the night at the campground in Lungthang.

Beautiful scenery of Tingri plain

Stage Two: Lungthang to Lamna La (8 hours/21km/200m ascent)

The second day of the trek is the most challenging, as you start to head up into the mountains at the end of the Ra-chu Valley. The climb is fairly steep as you head up to the famous Lamna-la Pass, at 5,150 meters above sea level. The pass gives you a great view of the surrounding mountains, and is the first point where you get a good view of the world’s highest mountain in the distance ahead of you. Camping for the night is done just below the crest of the pass, heading down to the Lamna Valley.

Stage Three: Lamna La to Zommug (8 hours/22km/360m descent)

The third day of the trek is relatively flat, heading first down into the valley and across the vast meadows with their herds of yaks and herder’s tents. You will get the chance to meet some of the nomadic yak herders that stay here for the lush grazing for their yak herds. Then it is on to the village of Zommug, where you will camp for the night. The village is remote and barren, lying in an area of arid land, but has a great sunset view in the evening.

Stage Four: Zommug to Rongbuk and EBC (15km/6hours/290m ascent)

The final day of the trek takes you along the barren valley floor to the world’s highest Buddhist monastery, Rongbuk, which lies at the end of the glacial moraine of the Rongbuk Glacier. The route to Rongbuk takes around 5 hours, and once there, you can stop for a while to explore the monastery before heading the last few kilometers to the base camp itself, and its great views of Mount Everest.

Rongbuk Monastery is the highest monastery in the world.

Having a great view of Mt.Everest at Everest Base Camp.

Insider Tips for Trekking from Tingri to EBC

The rainy season from July to August should not be chosen for this trek, as the roads are usually blocked and debris flow may happen. It's better to trek in May or from September to October. Proper rest is essential when trekking in high altitudes and you should stop and rest as often as necessary to maintain your strength for this arduous trek.

When camping during the journey, do not set the tent below any mountain streams, so as to avoid any sudden flash floods at night. Moreover, all the pegs on the tent should be set well into the ground and stones should be used all round the tent to stabilize it. The campsites are well-used now, and are well defined, so you will not be uncomfortable while camping on the EBC trek.

Camping during EBC trekking

Another concern when trekking from Tingri to EBC is your trash. Over the years, there has been a lot of trash left in the shadow of this massive mountain, which has had a detrimental effect on the delicate environment of the area. Collect all your trash and take it with you. There are disposal bins at EBC for trash to be left in.

While this trek in Tibet is not the hardest of them all, it is an arduous and tough trek, and reaches altitudes of well above 5,000 meters along the route. In comparison with the trek to EBC in Nepal, this is a short trek, and is less physically demanding. The trek in Nepal takes around 9 days to reach the base camp, and has similar altitude heights as the trek in Tibet. However, the trek in Nepal starts from a lower altitude, so you need to make two stops along the way to acclimatize for a day each time.

While the trek in Nepal is longer and has a higher altitude gain, the trek is not as tough and the route is well-worn by millions of feet over the years. In Tibet, the trek to EBC is always done as part of an organized tour, which means that you do not need to make all the arrangements yourself, as you need to in Nepal. And with our amazing 12-day classic trek to EBC, which includes a tour of the region’s major highlights, there is no better way to get to see Mount Everest.

Conclusion

If you are planning a trek to EBC, then taking the route from Tingri to EBC in Tibet is the best option. Not only can you get great views of the mountain as you get closer and closer, but the base camp itself also has one of the best views of Mount Everest in the world, which cannot be said of the base camp in Nepal. Careful planning is always essential, no matter where you are trekking, but with our expert advice and help, this is made much easier when trekking in Tibet.

Trekking from Tingri to EBC