Everest Base Camp with Lhasa Tour

Mount Everest, at 8,848 meters (29,029 ft), is the highest mountain on earth, located on the border of Nepal and China. Everest base camp refers generally to two base camps on opposite sides of Mount Everest: South Base Camp is in Nepal at an altitude of 5,364 metres (17,598 ft), while North Base Camp is in Tibet at 5,150 metres (16,900 ft). North Base Camp is used when climbing via the northeast ridge.

A visit to the North Base Camp requires a permit from the Chinese government, on top of the permit required to visit Tibet itself. Permits could be arranged via travel companies in Lhasa through Asian Hiking Team as part of a package tour that included hiring a vehicle, driver, and guide.

It was also possible to trek up from the tourist camp, but only when properly acclimatized. The tourist Base Camp is located about halfway between Rongbuk Monastery; the actual climbers' Base Camp is at the foot of Rongbuk glacier.

There are several major rivers that have their source in the Tibetan Plateau. These include Yangtze, Yellow River, Indus River, Mekong, Ganges, Salween and the Yarlung Tsangpo River (Brahmaputra River). The Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, along the Yarlung Tsangpo River, is between the deepest and longest canyons in the world. The Indus and Brahmaputra rivers originate from a lake (Tib: Tso Mapham) in Western Tibet, near Mount Kailash. The mountain is a holy pilgrimage site for both Hindus and Tibetans. The Hindus believe the mountain to be the abode of Lord Shiva. The Tibetan name for Mt. Kailash is Khang Rinpoche. Tibet has numerous high-altitude lakes referenced in Tibetan as two or Co. These include Qinghai Lake, Lake Manasarovar, Namtso, Pangong Tso, Yamdrok Lake, Sealing Co, Lhamo La-Tso, Lumajangdong Co, Lake Puma Yumco, Lake Paiku, Lake Rakshastal, Dagze Co and Dong Co. The Qinghai Lake (Koko Nor) is the largest lake in the People's Republic of China.

The Asian Hiking Team begins Everest Base Camp trekking drive across the Tibetan hinterland to Nepal border visiting Everest Base Camp continues to drive an ancient town of Gyantse, Shigatse by exploring the sights and sounds of the fabled city of Lhasa and flight back to Kathmandu. We are probably one of the few Nepalese outfits that engage our own Sherpa staff for all our trek services in the Tibetan Himalayas.