Seven Days in Tibet: Lhasa-Nyingchi-Yamdrok Lake-Karola Glacier

As the year drew to a close, I decided to give myself a big vacation to truly relax. After all, it's been a hectic year with overwhelming work pressure. I've always heard that Tibet is a good place to relax and purify the mind and body. So, I boldly signed up for a 7-day Tibet tour, looking forward to a thorough "cleansing" of my body and soul. Just the thought of being able to breathe freely between the snow-capped mountains and lakes made me super excited! Now the trip is over, I’m ready to share my travel story with you, covering food, accommodation, transportation, and attractions. There are both pleasant surprises and some letdowns.

7 Days in Tibet:

The original plan was 7-day Lhasa - Yamdrok Lake - Everest. However, an earthquake struck Shigatse when I landed in Lhasa, so we had to change our route to Nyingchi and Yamdrok Lake.

Arriving in Lhasa: Since I booked an early flight, I got up at about five o'clock and took a taxi to the airport. As soon as I got on the plane, I fell asleep. When I woke up, I saw beautiful mountains beneath the clouds, which look like a dragon spine. After getting off the plane, Tibet Horizon arranged a pick-up service for me and I was warmly greeted with a Hada. The tour guide was really thoughtful! After dropping off my luggage at the hotel, I headed straight to the Border Pass Office because I was planning to go to Mount Everest. The Border Permit is a must for Hong Kong and Macau compatriots. The whole process was quite simple, and then I returned to the hotel to have a good rest, giving myself time to deal with the jet lag and regain physical strength.

Two days in Lhasa: The itinerary included visits to Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, Jokhang Temple, Potala Palace. Lhasa city tour is a very classic itinerary, with most of the stops being temples. Our tour guide provided detailed explanations, and even though I'm not very interested in Buddhism, I didn't find it boring.

Jokhang Temple in Lhasa

Two days in Nyingchi: The main attractions were Namcha Barwa Peak and Basumtso. The way to Nyingchi is relatively long and it took a whole day to reach Sejila Mountain Pass by car. Fortunately, the weather was good to see the full view of the Namcha Barwa Peak. At that moment, all the fatigue of the day seemed to disappear. We also climbed up the side of the hill with prayer flags flattering in the wind. Standing at the top, I could take in the beautiful scenery as far as the eye could see. However, due to time constraints, we didn’t see the golden sunshine scattering on the mountain and had to hurriedly go down the mountain to the hotel.

Namcha Barwa Peak is seen clearly from Sejila viewpoint.

The next day, we headed to Basumtso Lake Scenic Area. Basumtso is really one of the most beautiful lakes I have ever seen. The lake water is as green as jade, surrounded by snow-capped mountains. There is a small temple on the island in the center of the lake. After the visit, we began a ten-kilometer hike around the lake. It was tiring, but it allowed me to enjoy the scenery of Basumtso and forests up close. Of course, if you do not want to hike, you can choose to ride a horse or take a vehicle.

One day in Yamdrok Lake - Karola Glacier: On this day, we went to Yamdrok Lake. At a viewing platform stop, many Tibetans with their lambs, Tibetan mastiffs, and yaks were inviting tourists for photos. What I did not expect was that they even had territorial divisions. At Gangbala Viewing Platform, we could see the panoramic view of Yamdrok Lake. The weather was great, and the lake water was as blue as the sky, glistening in the sun. The beauty of Yamdrok Lake is unforgettable, but the wind at the lake was extremely strong! Then we came to Karola Glacier. From the bottom up, the glacier was magnificent. I climbed up along the plank road with several group members. We were gasping for breath, but we didn't stop. The wind at the top was also outrageous!

The cute lamb enjoys being photographed.

Leaving Lhasa: After having breakfast and good rest at the hotel, the tour guide and driver took us to Lhasa airport, and the trip ended perfectly!

About Tibetan Food and Drink:

For me, food was a bit of a letdown during this trip to Tibet. During the journey, I didn't really enjoy most of the meals, but two dinners left a lasting impression on me, and I'd like to share them with you:

Tibetan welcome dinner in Lhasa: The dinner arranged by the tour guide for us was a Nepalese buffet. It was very distinctive, and we also enjoyed the song and dance performances by Tibetan people.

Tibetan welcome dinner in Lhasa

Tibetan family dinner in Nyingchi: We had a variety of local specialties like yak yogurt, milk crumbs, Tibetan pork, and many other dishes. The host enthusiastically served us their home-brewed barley wine which tasted sweet and delicious.

Tibetan family dinner in Nyingchi

Also I’d like to share some small restaurants I visited:

Linju Tea House: Highly recommend it! Recommended by a local sister, it mainly serves rice with meat and vegetables. It’s unique that the rice is covered with a layer of fried egg on top. It was the best-tasting rice with toppings we had. If you like spicy food, you can try adding some of hot sauce.

drink butter tea in Linju Tea House

Yak Yogurt Workshop: It’s located at the exit of Potala Palace. Inside, there were many message notes, train tickets, and plane tickets pasted on the wall, typical of an internet-famous spot. I thought it might be overrated, but their yogurt and noodles were actually good, and the portion was generous.

yak yogurt and cheese cake

Cangse Tibetan Restaurant: It's a popular restaurant recommended on Xiaohongshu. When I went, there were many people. As soon as the food was served, I smelled a burnt smell, and it was even more obvious when I ate it. I thought it might be a special flavor at first, but a guy next to me said he didn't taste the burnt smell when he ate it for the first time. Later, a couple also said their food had a burnt smell. So, I guess I was just unlucky.

rice with potatoes and beef

Guangming Gangqiong Sweet Tea House: It’s also a well-known place. The sweet tea and fried potatoes were okay, but the Tibetan noodles were really bad. The noodles felt like they had been soaked in water until they became mushy.

Guangming Gangqiong Sweet Tea House

About Tibet Hotel and Accommodation:

I stayed overnight at the Xinding Hotel. The hotel room was quite big, but the facilities were a bit old. It's said that this hotel has been open in Lhasa for a long time, so it's understandable. The room was equipped with an oxygen generator. What's more, the room faced the Potala Palace. Whether I appreciated the Potala Palace in the day or night, the view was beautiful. I'd rate the vista five stars.

About Tibet Winter Tour Clothing:

In winter, Tibet bathed in the sunshine during the day so be sure to bring sunscreen. During the daytime in Lhasa, it's not cold at all and even hot at noon. But the temperature difference between day and night is huge, so warm clothes are indispensable. Leaving Lhasa, whether you're going to Yamdrok Lake or Sejila Pass, hats, scarves, and gloves are essential. Most importantly, Lhasa is extremely dry. So, you must pay attention to moisturizing. Otherwise, chapped and aging skin, as well as nosebleeds, are common. Anyway, I turned the humidifier in the hotel to the maximum every night before going to bed.

About Tibet Altitude Sickness:

A lot of people concern about this problem, worrying that it might spoil the trip. In fact, it wasn't too bad for me. On the first day I arrived in Lhasa, I only had a slight headache, and after an hour's sleep in the hotel, I felt fine. Later, when I climbed the hill at Sejila Pass, hiked around Basumtso Lake, and even went to the top of Karola Glacier, I didn't have any discomfort. So, getting enough rest is the key. In our tour group, there was only a Thai girl who still had a headache on the first day. When we visited Drepung Monastery, it was obvious that she didn't feel well and kept looking for places to sit or squat. But she recovered in the afternoon and didn't have any more problems. If you're worried about altitude sickness, you can take anti-altitude sickness medicine in advance.

By the way, I'd like to remind everyone that when signing up for a tour, make sure to choose a regular travel agency. There are many people on the streets of Tibet trying to get you to sign up for tours. Please be cautious. In winter, there's plenty of sunlight in Tibet, and the blue sky, white clouds, and snow-capped mountains are more distinct. It's very photogenic. Moreover, many scenic spots are free in winter, which is very cost-effective!