KHARTA VALLEY TREK
ITINERARY - TIBET
KHARTA VALLEY
Day 01: Arrive in Kathmandu. Transfer to hotel
Day 02: Full day Kathmandu sightseeing. Evening
on welcome dinner with live Nepali cultural program
Day 03: Kathmandu - Lhasa [3660] Hotel
overnight
Day 04: Lhasa
We will visit Lhasa's many monasteries and sites, such as the Sera Monastery, and the Norbulingka, the
summer palace of the Dalai Lama.
Day 05:
Lhasa
Today we will visit the famous Potala
Palace and Drepung Monastery founded in the 14th century,
and once the largest in the world, with a population of around 10,000 monks.
The afternoon, is a time to
relax or further explore the area.
Day 06: Lhasa - Gyantse [3950M] 261 KM
Travelling by jeep along the Friendship Highway we cross the Khamba La (4794m) and continue westwards over
another high pass the Karo La (5045m) with incredible glacial views. We spend the night in a Hotel at Gyantse. [261km]
Day 07: Gyantse [3950M] - Shigatse [3900M] 90KM
After an early mourning tour of some of the Gyantse Dzong (14th Century fort) and the Kumbum, a large
stupa,
we head off on a short 90km drive to Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet. In the afternoon we will explore the area, local monasteries and market. Overnight
at the Hotel. [90km]
Day 08: Shigatse [3900M] – Shegar [4050M] 244KM
We continue along the Friendship Highway, marvelling once more at the barren yet spectacular landscape of
Tibet. Beyond the small town of Lhatse we cross the highest pass on our journey, the Gyamtso La [5220m]. From here we descend to the plains, passing lonely monasteries
and the camps of nomadic herders, en route to Shegar and our overnight accommodation at Hotel Quomolongma.[244km]
Day 09: Shegar – Kharta (12300)
Drive five hours to Kharta, enjoying beautiful views
from the Pang La (17000) towards Makalu, Lhotse, Everest
and Shisapangma (if weather is clear). Drive down the
Dzakaa Chu and then the Phung Chu valley toward Kharta.
We’ll make camp after the boarding school on the banks
of the Kharta Tsangpo river, the headwaters of Nepal’s
Arun River. Camp
Day 10: Begin Trek. Hike up the Kharta Tsangpo valley past several villages.
The trail to the Shao La leaves the Kharta valley and
climbs steadily up a side valley to the south. We’ll
camp either at the beginning of this climb on a ledge
overlooking the valley and its villages or continue up
the side valley following a small stream for another two
hours to camp on meadows by the stream (14,000) (4 hours
hiking). Camp
Day 11: Shao La
Ascend steadily over rocky ground to reach the Shao La.
Once at the top of the pass we descend for about an hour
and then descend steeply to the valley below. At once
the scene changes from barren rock slopes to lush
rhododendrons, birch, and willow trees. Continue one
hour down this valley to camp. (4 hours hiking). Camp
Day 12: Trek
Hike steeply through rhododendron forests to reach the
high pastures above the Kama River. On clear days, we’ll
see splendid views of Everest and Lhotse. We continue to
traverse alpine meadows and pass yak herders’ camps and
a serene green lake to a campsite on a large meadow with
great views of the Khangshung Valley. (5 hours hiking).
Camp
Day 13: Trek
Hike up a ridge and then down to the Kama River coming
from the Langma La. After wading across the river we
enter the Khangshung Valley, a wide valley drained by
the Khangshung stream. A receding glacier has left
behind wide undulating hill now covered by a thick
growth of willow, rhododendron, juniper, and other
shrubs. Camp at the meadow called Pethang
Day 14: Pethang Ringmo
Hike steeply up onto a large rockslide. The views of
Makalu and the incredible upheaval caused by the
Chomolonzo glaciers are amazing. After the rockslide the
trail traverses around the mountainside to reach a
beautiful glade, locally called Opka. Continue hiking up
meadows of lateral moraine with views of Everest, Lhotse,
and Tserse to reach camp
Day 15: Khanshung Valley
Optional day hikes up the Khangshung Valley alongside
the glacier to the base camp used by expeditions
attempting the east face of Everest. Camp
Day 16: Raabka Chu
Retrace our steps down the valley along the Khangshung
Glaciers, across the rockslide opposite the Chomolonzo
glacier, and past Pethang to a stream crossing at the
Raabka Chu. The camp on the grassy meadow across the
river is a very pleasant place to spend the afternoon.
(4 hours hiking.)
Day 17: Raabka Chu to Tso Tshuringma
Hike steadily uphill, steeply at first to a shelf above
the river, then another hour across relatively flat
ground to a small meadow called Pangboche, where we have
lunch. Continue to hike steeply over alpine slopes for
another couple of hours to a small but beautiful lake at
the base of the Langma La. Camp
Day 18: Tso Tshuringma - Troshay Meadow
Climb steeply over rocky ground to reach the Langma La
in just over two hours. En route we pass another
lake.From Langma La we bid farewell of the Khangshung
Valley and the impressive panorama of some of the
world’s highest mountains, then descend steeply four
hours over rocky moraines and glaciated valleys. Camp is
on a grassy meadow beside a clear stream at Troshay. (6
hours hiking). Camp
Day 19: Troshay - Kharta
We follow the stream from camp down the Kharta Tsangpo
valley along a well defined trail. We’ll hike across
grassy hillsides used for grazing animals and past
villages. After two hours we reach the fork of the trail
where we climbed to Shao La at the beginning of the
trek. Cross the river below Yulba village and reach our
riverside campsite where we started the trek. Camp
Day 20: Rongbuk
Drive five to six hours to Rongbuk monastery, the
highest monastery in the world and a shrine dedicated to
Everest. We spend a night here; this is a good place to
read a book: just how often do you get a chance to sit
and read at 5000m and with the stunning view of
Everest's north face.. Camp
Day 21: Rongbuk[5000M] -
Nyalam 215KM
After arriving back at Rongbuk, we begin our drive towards Tingri, cross another two high passes, and
begin our descent from the Tibetan Plateau to Nyalam just 30 km before the Nepalese border. [215km]
Day 22: Nyalam - Kathmandu [1400M] 153KM
Today we arrive at the Chinese - Nepalese border, say goodbye to our Tibetan team, pass through customs and
join up with our Nepalese staff. We then head back into Kathmandu, a trip which takes about 5 hours, depending on road and weather conditions. [153km]
Day 23: Kathmandu
Day 24:
Departure
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