Lhasa to KTM overland

Hi all, long time no see

I am organising an overland (jeep) trip for three ppl (incl self) from Lhasa to Kathmandu, or vice versa, for May next year. We would also like to stop over at Everest Base Camp.

Most of the tours on the internet are of 15 days duration, if with EBC, or budget version of 8 days but without EBC. Now I am thinking to request custom made tour, or just hire a jeep (but what about overnight stays??), but I don't know of reputable agencies that would make custom tour at reasonable cost.

I understand the jeep hire is quite cheap in KTM, but my agency is saying the custom made tour will cost a LOT (am still waiting for the quote).

so my questions:

- which direction is better to go, KTM to Lhasa or Lhasa to KTM?
*we are all altitude-proof (have prior experience).

- next, can we make it in 8 days AND still stop over at Everest Base Camp?

- last, which tour agency would you recommend? we are seasoned travellers and don't need to be taken by hand everywhere, and we know our ways around PRC (one of us is mainland Chinese) so I don't see the point of paying for "all arranged" tour although it would be nice to land in KTM and have the driver, hotels and permits arranged already.

cheers

v_v

I have just received a customised itinerary from my travel agent and would like to know what you think about it. I have asked for a roughly week trip overland from Lhasa to KTM, with an Everest Base Camp stopover.

Day 1 - Arrive Chengdu and transfer to Hotel.
Day 2 - Morning flight to Lhasa & transfer to Yak hotel x 3 nights
Day 3 - Lhasa sightseeing Drepung, Norbulinka and Jokhang
Day 4 - Lhasa sightseeing Potala and Sera
Day 5 - Gyantse / Jianzang hotel
Day 6 - visit Pelkhor - Shigatse / hotel Manasarovar
Day 7 - visit Tashi Lumpo - Sakya - Sakya gompa / Sakya hotel
Day 8 - Rombuk / Rombuk GH* ( common room with common bathroom )
Day 9 - Hike to EBC - Lao Tingri / Snow Leopard GH* ( common room with common bathroom )
Day 10 - Zhang Mu - Kodari- Kathmandu.
Day 11 - Airport transfer for departure.

I need to assess whether we will be travelling to places which we may safely skip, or staying in hotels with unnecessary "luxuries", as the trip cost is quite high.

Also, can someone tell me what is the jeep rental per day (with driver) if hired from Lhasa to go to KTM?

many thanks!

Wow Volga! Sounds like an amazing trip! I'm afraid I can't help answer your questions but just wanted to say have a fab time! :-)

Hi, V-V,

cant help you with itinerary as I stayed in Lhasa.

In Chengdu , I arranged everything with Sam Yue from Sam's guesthouse. Email : samtour@yahoo.com

Very near Lhasa, Samye, Ganden and Namtso lake are not included in the project but as i see, you have only 2 days in Lhasa

For hotel in Lhasa , see this : http://www.pentoc.com/guesthouse.html

bon voyage

thanks kailash35, i might need some bigger agency as I am looking to arrange everything from Hong Kong

I have got some cost info from LP (jeep cost btw 4000 and 7000 RMB for this itinerary, hotel *** btw 80-150 RMB) etc and looks like the agency is quoting TOO MUCH. I would welcome any cost information (transport, entry fees, hotel *** per double room with hot water- where available) to help me to negotiate with them!

cheers

v-v

Just to say Hi! [ dont know the answers ]

Good to see you now & then...

I'm thinking of driving in my Mahindra Bolero from Pune to Lhasa via Kathmandhu and return via Nathu La in Sikkim. Any inputs on this route (cost of hotels, food, gas, road quality etc.) welcome.

Has anyone taken the new bus service from Ktm to Lhasa?

is there such a bus?

Yes, the bus service began this summer. Fare is US$70 for Nepal citizens. I don't know if it's different for other nationalities.

anybody here took this bus? I mean foreigners. I think I heard something like foreigners are not allowed to take that bus.

Take a look at this link. The bus seems to have ground to a halt.

http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanhe...8112005817.asp