Mount Everest

 

It is no easy task getting to see Mount Everest. In the past the trip took three days from Lhasa. You have to travel with a tour guide of course. Permits to visit Mount Everest are now obtained in Shigatse. Once you have the permits, your guide will most likely take you to a small town called Tingri. However,with the recent changes to access EBC, guides are now going directly to EBC from Shigatse.  The access road is a few kilometers after the military check point. At this check point, everyone has to exit the vehicle so your paperwork and passport can be checked. With the road now paved, what used to be a 4 hour ride and it is extremely bumpy, is now a smooth ride but still a lot of twists and turns. You will pass several small villages along the way. A few are good to stop in for lunch.

At the end of the road you arrive at a shuttle bus transfer area where you will board a bus to take you to the new high point which is where Rongbuk Monastery is located.  All the tents have been moved to this location and you can no longer access the 5200 meter military outpost.