The Everest Kangshung Face trek shows you the hidden and probably the most beautiful face of Mt. Everest. Mount Everest has three faces- the North Face, South Face and the East Face, which is the kangshung face. This trek takes you through a journey in Tibet to see the rarely seen face of Mt. Everest up close.
This 21-day-long journey in Tibet follows pristine valleys like the Kharta valley and Karma Valley. These valleys are full of alpine lakes, grazing pastures, meadows full with wildflowers, and stunning views of some of the tallest mountains in the world; Mt. Cho Oyu (8201m), Mt. Makalu ( 8,481m), Mt Lhotse (8,516m), and Kanchenjunga (8,586m), including Everest Kangshung face, of course!
We start this incredible journey in Lhasa, which is at an altitude of 3,650m. We spend two days in Lhasa sightseeing and acclimatizing. We visit some of Lhasa’s iconic and historical landmarks; Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, Jokhang Temple, Potala Palace, and Norbulingka Palace among others. The actual trekking on foot doesn’t begin until Day 7 as we drive from Lhasa to Gyantse then to Shigatse and to Kharta in the first few days.
And, at this point we’d have already crossed Tso La(5,420m), Gyatso La(5,252m, and Pang La(5,150m). We follow the Everest Kangshung Face ( The East Face) from Kharti to the Khangsung Valley and beyond, and back to Kharti. We then drive through the Everest Base Camp ( north face) to Rongbuk, crossing high passes while in the vicinity of igh Himalayan peaks and glaciers throughout the journey. The Himalayan village is home to the world’s highest monastery, Rongbuk Monastery. We drive to Zhangmu and finally end our journey in Kathmandu.
The Everest Kangshung Face Trek combines the historical side of Tibet with its high Himalaya, thus making it one of the most surrealistically beautiful treks in the world. Adventure Club trek has been organizing treks and trips in Tibet since 2008. Apart from Everest Kangshung Face Trek-21 Days, we also offer Tibet - Everest Base Camp Trek-18 Days. For shorter Everest Base Camp trip in Tibet, our Lhasa and Everest Base Camp Tour-8 Days or Kathmandu to Lhasa via Everest Base Camp -9 Days are ideal. CLICK HERE for all our Tibet Trips.
There are two ways to reach Lhasa; one via direct flight from Kathmandu and the other through any major cities in the world to Mainland China. The direct flight from Kathmandu is considered one of the scenic flights as we fly close to snow clad Himalayas including the mighty Everest. If we choose the latter option we fly to Mainland China and from there take the world’s highest train route to Lhasa.
Upon your arrival either at the train station or the airport, a representative from Adventure Club Trek for Tibet will pick you up. You then board a private vehicle to your hotel. Overnight in a hotel at Lhasa.
Today, we visit some of the places of cultural importance in Lhasa
Drepung Monastery: Built in the 14th century, Drepung Monastery housed around 10,000 monks before but now the number has decreased drastically to only few hundreds. It is one among three Gelug university gompas of Tibet and also the largest one as well. The monastery was close for five years reopened again in 2013.
Sera Monastery: It is another of the three Gelug university gompas of Tibet. The monastery was named Sera(wild roses) as the site where it stands was once filled with wild roses. The main complex of the monastery includes Great Assembly Hall and three colleges.
Jokhang Temple: Founded during the reign of King Songtsen Gampo, Jokhang Temple is considered one of the most sacred and important temple related to the Tibetan history. The temple is a mixed architectural style of Indian vihara design, Tibetan and Nepalese design. Outside the temple is Barkhor Bazaar, a narrow street crowded with shops and pilgrims.
Overnight in a hotel at Lhasa.
Today, we visit some of the main attractions of Lhasa. We start off after breakfast, firstly visiting the Potala Palace. Located on top of Marpo Ri, the palace was established in the 17th century. The Dalai Lama used to reside here until the 1959 Tibetan uprising. The palace is now a museum and houses shrines, statues and chapels. The premises of the palace has a great view of the entire Lhasa. Next, we explore Norbulingka Palace also known as the summer palace of the Dalai Lama. The garden surrounding the palace is considered the largest man-made garden in Tibet. We also pay a visit at Tibet Traditional Hospital,a center for training, treatment and research-production of Tibetan medicine.Overnight in a hotel at Lhasa.
We leave Lhasa and travel to Gyantse. It is a pleasant drive and enroute we cross Khamba La (Pass) and Karo La (Pass). First we cross Khamba La which offers fantastic views of Mt. Nazin Kang Sa and Yamdrok Tso(Turquoise Lake). We then cross Kar La Pass enjoying the views of glaciers from our window. In Gyantse we explore Phalkot Monastery and Kumbum Stupa. Gyantse also houses Gyantse Dzong, one of the best preserved dzongs in Tibet. Overnight in a hotel at Gyantse.
Today, we leave for Shigatse after breakfast. It is the second largest city in Tibet after Lhasa. The city houses the Tashilhunpo Monastery, founded by the First Dalai Lama in 1447. We can go sightseeing around the city, after which we are free for the rest of the day. Overnight in a hotel at Shigatse.
Today, we cross three passes; Tso La(5,420m), Gyatso La(5,252m), and Pang La(5,150m). We take the route via Shegar. After that we cross Pang La enjoying spectacular views of Mt. Everest, Mt. Makalu and Mt. Cho Oyu among others. The road then leads us downhill towards Rongbuk Valley to finally arrive at Khatra. Overnight in a hotel at Kharta.
Put on your trekking shoes as today marks the beginning of our trek. The trails to Landrubling starts with a walk alongside Kharta River with spectacular views of nearby villages and green fields. We continue on the trail until we come across two paths, we choose the main trail to Shao La Pass. It is a gradual climb to Landrubling, passing through rhododendron and conifer forest. Overnight in Landrubling.
Today is relatively shorter trek. We walk on the moraines conquering few ridges to come across twin lakes called Jorpokhari. Overnight at Jorpokhari.
We overcome a steady uphill climb to arrive at Shao La Pass which offers unobstructed views of Makalu, Cho Oyu, and Mt. Everest Kangshung face or the East face among other high Himalayan peaks. Soak in the mesmerizing views of the mountains before we descend on a rocky path. The landscape turns colorful as we trek through rhododendron and birch forest. We further pass through fir and juniper forest before finally arriving at Joksum. Overnight in Joksum.
The trail to Sumthang starts with a steep climb through juniper and rhododendron forest. Beyond the forest is viewpoint that provides fantastic views of Lhotse and Everest along with some ridges to the south of Kama River. We continue forward through alpine meadows and also pass camps of yak herders. Before arriving at Sumthang we walk past a green lake. Sumthang offers a spectacular view of Kangshung Valley. Overnight in Sumthang.
The trail starts with an ascend towards the Kangshung Valley followed by a downhill climb through conifer and rhododendron forest. Along the way views of Everest, Lhotse Shar, Lhotse and other himalayas accompany us. As we climb higher the vegetation gradually gets scarce. Before arriving at our destination we step foot in Kangshung Valley. Overnight in Perthang.
We ascend alongside Kangshung Valley glacier. The further we go the steeper the climb gets, exposing a close up view of mountains like Lhotse, Chomo Lonzo and Everest. We also come across a cave where Padmasambhava was believed to have meditated. After crossing the bend of Orga we reach Pethang Ringmo. Overnight in Pethang Ringmo.
Acclimatization plays an important role to determine your trekking experience. If you often acclimatize while climbing high altitudes, there is a maximum chance that you won’t get Acute Mountain Sickness. So today we acclimatize in Pethan Ringmo. As part of our acclimatization activity we hike up to Kangshung Base Camp. It is where the climbers camp before they climb the east face of Everest. Bask in the unobstructed close up views of the Kangshung face and Lhotse. We also hike to the northern base camp located in the Nepal side. Overnight in Pethang Ringmo.
Weather can change anytime at high altitudes, so a day is set aside as contingency in case of bad weather or any other unforeseen events. If this day is not used we can utilize it at the end of the trip, for shopping or rest.
Our destination for the day is Rabka Chu. But before we head to our main destination we take a short detour to explore Guru Rinpoche’s cave located in Tse Chu Lake. We have to overcome a steep climb to Okpa through Lamtsho to get to the cave, before heading downhill to reach Tse Chu Lake. Overnight in Rabka Chu.
We retrace our steps back to Opka and then climb up to Pangboche. The trail continues along the moor of Karma Changri with glacier in the backdrop. It is then followed by a steep climb which eventually leads to Tso Tshurigma, a lake located at the base of Langma La.Overnight in Tso Tshurigma.
Today we cross Langma La (Pass), 5,320m/17,454ft. The path to the top is rocky and steep. We then head down accompanied by fantastic mountain views leaving the Kangshung Valley. We further descend on moraines towards Troshay. Overnight in Troshay.
We trek back to Kharta, the place where we started our trek. We descend to Lhundupling and cross a river just below the Yulba village. From Kharta, we board a vehicle to Rongbuk enjoying the changing landscape and occasional view of the north face of Everest. While in Rongbuk, we visit the world’s highest monastery, Rongbuk Monastery.Overnight in a hotel in Rongbuk.
Today is one of the highlights of the trip as we step foot on the Base Camp of world’s highest mountain, Mt. Everest. On our way to the North Base Camp of Everest, we are rewarded with spectacular views of Everest known as Chomolungma in Tibet and the surrounding mountains including Cho Oyu and Shishapangma. From the Base Camp we get a close up view of the mighty Everest after which we make our way to Zhangmu. Overnight in Zhangmu.
We drive towards Kodari crossing the Friendship Bridge where we have to fill some immigration forms. We bid goodbye to our Tibetan guide and head towards the Nepal side of the border where our Nepali staff will pick us up. It is nearly 4 hours of drive to Kathmandu. Overnight in a hotel at Kathmandu.
Farewell! Today concludes your Everest- Kangshung Face Trek (Tibet side)- 21 days trip. Exchange emails and pictures with your trek companions. A representative from Adventure Club Trek drop you off at the airport according to your flight’s schedule.
Note: Your safety is of the utmost concern whilst you are traveling with Adventure Club Trek. We will make every effort possible to follow the original itinerary but we reserve the right to change that itinerary if a segment of it becomes a safety issue. Certain mountain regions are remote, natural disasters can happen, weather conditions can decline and there can be illness or an injury. To avoid dangerous situations we may occasionally have to make changes to the itinerary to ensure everyone’s safety. That having been said, Adventure Club Trek will strive to provide you with the best possible trekking experience and to keep your safety our number one priority. We thank you for your understanding.
Pre-Trip Meeting
Prior to all the treks and expeditions, Adventure Club Trek hosts a pre-trip meeting in Kathmandu. The primary purpose of the meeting is to provide an opportunity for individuals to ask questions about the forthcoming trek and to introduce other team members. The meeting covers topics as diverse as personal equipment and acclimatization and usually involves a hike and some skills training. Pre-trip meeting is very important in order to have a better preparation of the trekking.
Visa Information
Flying out to Tibet requires a Chinese visa and a Tibet Travel Permit which can both be acquired in Kathmandu with the help of a travel company (Tibet via Nepal). A valid visa for China isn't the same as a Tibet Travel Permit. Those with a Chinese traveler visa will at present need to apply for a Tibet travel permit. The permit is still required for remote foreign traveler traveling to Tibet from territory China. To obtain the permit you have to book a guide for your whole trip and pre-organize private transport for trips outside Lhasa. The trip outside Lhasa likewise requires extra permits which are arranged by the travel agent you are going with.
Passport
All who intend to enter Tibet must hold at least 6 months valid passport.
Passport - valid for 6 months
Chinese Visa — you can apply for one from a Chinese Embassy or through China Highlights (who entry from China)
Group Visa — whom entry from Nepal to Tibet after Tibet tour traveler can visit China mainland with valid group visa.
Individual Visa will be cancel when we apply for group visa (if a visa is in the passport)
Tibet Entry Permit — it is issued by the Tibet Tourism Bureau and is an absolute necessity for outsiders entering Tibet.
A few people who wish to travel to specific areas in Tibet must also obtain:
Travel Permit — it is required when you are planning to the movement to closed areas in Tibet. These are issued after you land in Tibet.
Military Permit — it is acquired to travel to some militarily sensitive regions.
Weather Information
The weather in Tibet is similar to that of Mainland China, though with lower temperatures due to higher altitudes. Summers have warm days with strong sunshine and cool nights, but summer days can even be chilly at higher elevations. Winters are cold but there isn't all that much snow. Lhasa enjoys much sunshine even in winter. Most of Tibet experiences frost at least 6 months of the year. Some high lakes are frozen from October to March. The weather varies a lot from region to region. Lhasa is an ideal destination because it is in a valley area of lower elevation.
Safety Guidelines