







On August 25, 2011, together with 24 group members on a 35-seat bus, after 5 hours’ bumpy drive, we successfully reached the Mt.Everest Base Camp and (EBC) and saw the unparalleled beauty of the snow-covered peak of Mt.Everest under a clear sky. I’d like to make a trip report on our exciting trip, which may be helpful for those who have the same dream to view the highest mountain in the world at a shortest distance as a common tourist.
All the 24 foreign travelers on our tour group were from Venezuela. In the past few days all the way from Lhasa to Yamdroke Lake, Nangartse, Gyantse, Shigatse and Tingri, our bus driver and I used every chance to inquiry about the road condition leading to the Mt.Everest Base Camp through other drivers and travelers who had just returned from the Everest Base Camp since it was our first time to visit Mt.Everest. But our local Tibetan tour guide having been to Mt.Everest Base Camp for many times was very carefree and confident about the trip.
Later we knew a bus trip from the main National Highway 318 to the Mt. Everest Base Camp would take 5 or 6 hours for a 100km mountain road mainly due to the poor and bumpy dirt road, but 3 and half hours for a land cruiser.
On August 24, 2011, we had a very easy schedule starting from Shigatse at 11:00am and arriving at Baiba Township of Shegar Town in Tingri at 3:00pm. Later in the afternoon we either took a break at our lodging hotel – Qomolangma Hotel or wandered on the only street in the Baiba Township, grabbing some snacks and water, or bottled oxygen for the next day’s expedition.
We all agreed to get up early due to the long road trip the next day. To our pleasant surprise, Qomolangma Hotel was very cooperative and ready to provide breakfast or dinner at any time clients demanded. We planned to get up at 4:00am and set the breakfast at 4:30am the next day.
Though in August, in the early morning we all felt a little bit cold because of the day and night temperature difference on the plateau. Some of the tourists had bought bottled oxygen from the shops on the street in the township just in case. Sunglass, sunscreen, sun hats and water were basic for the long and hard road trip at an average sea-level of 4000m. We set off at 5:30am from Qomolangma Hotel and it was still a little dark outside. I took my first photo on our long march to Mt.Everest.
It was still a little dark outside
We had to stopped for border check at Lugonggong Police checkpoint
After finishing the border security check and we all got on the bus again, and continued to drive about 7km along the National Highway 318, then we saw a signboard pointing to the special road forking from the main asphalt road to Mt.Everest. Now we knew we were about to be on the bumpy road to fulfil our dream.
Embarked on the 100km Mt.Everest Base Camp dirt road
A signboard pointing to the special road forking from the main asphalt road to Mt.Everest Base Camp.
The moment we touched on the mountain road, we realized that why the 100km Everest Base Camp Road would take 5 or 6 hours for a bus trip. The dirt road condition was terrible, tough, harsh, bumpy like a washing board with a corrugated surface and some full of dirt holes!
Bumpy like a washing board with a corrugated surface
Not long we had to stop again to have our entrance tickets checked for Qomolangma (Mt.Everest) Nature Reserve at the checkpoint in the first village on our 100km road trip.
Entrance tickets checked for Qomolangma (Mt.Everest) Nature Reserve
We had to endure endless twists and turns, and hairpin bends.
Just over the Gula Pass 5200m, there was an open platform for people to park and view the magnificent Mt.Everest and other peaks. All of us were amazed by the view unfolding before us and couldn’t belive the beautiful views of the snow mountains were real! It was so beautiful!
People were busy taking pictures of the fantastic beauty of highest mountains in the world.
We drove slowly down the Gula Pass 5200m with solemn Himalayan hillsides framing before us.
checkpoint at the last Village – Quzong Hamlet (Quzong Village) before we reached Mt.Everest Base Camp, we again had to go through the border check at the checkpost at Quzhong Village, the last village on the way to the base.
The border check at the checkpoint at Quzhong Village, the last village on the way to the base.
Some climbers rode bikes to the camp
Everybody again had to go through security check at the small room by the entrance to the base camp.
9. Best time: March, May, September and October
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Plan your trip to Mt.Everest in Tibet? Then Tingri County ( 定日县 ) is the last place to get youself refreshed before you are on your challenging expedition to Mt.Everest. Having some basic information on Tingri County is very important for your successful trip to Mt.Everest.
Tingri County administrates two towns ( Shegar Town and Gangkar Town ) and 19 townships.
Shegar Town (协格尔镇) is the seat of Tingri County. The best hotels in Tingri County are located in Baiba Township of Shegar Town. The National Highway 318 passes through Baiba Township. Most travelers stay overnight at the hotels in Baiba Township of Shegar Town. The Baiba Township is about 7km east of the center of Shegar Town. Baiba Township is about 14km away from the fork at the National Highway 318 leading to the special mountain road (100km) to Mt.Everest.
Gangkar Town (岗嘎镇) is also known as “Old Tingri” due to the fact that it used to be the seat of Tingri County. In 1968, the local government of Tingri was moved to the present Shegar Town. But people sometime still call Gangkar Town the “Old Tingri”.
Gangkar Town is about 60km southwest of Shegar Town (Baiba Township). From Gangkar Town, travelers can have a short cut to Mt.Everest, about 70km starting the National Highway 318 to the base of Mt.Everest. The mountain road is worse than the road starting from Shegar (Baiba Township). If you enter Tibet from Zhangmu Fort, you may explore Mt.Everest from Old Tingri ( Gangkar Town ) by using a jeep. It is impossible to take a bus from Gangkar Town to Mt.Everest.
Apart from the two towns, Tingri County also administrates 19 townships including Zha Xiang, Zhaxizong Xiang, Zhaguo Xiang, Yunqiong Xiang, Basong Xiang, Dongba Xiang, Changsuo Xiang, Baiba Xiang, Jiacuo Xiang, Nixia Xiang, Qudang Xiang, Quluo Xiang, Kema Xiang, Lamudui Xiang, Nanguo Xiang, Pengji Xiang, Rongxia Xiang, Cuoguo Xiang and Wengga Xiang.
Basong Xiang (Basong Township 巴松乡) is on the north foot of Mt.Everest and Rongbu Temple is in the township.
If you drive from Shigatse to Baiba Township of Shegar Town of Tingri County, you have to have your Alien Travel Permit checked at the checkpoint at Baiba Township. The Baiba Township is located just by the National Highway 318 and only have one street along the highway. There are a few restaurants, shops and hotels along the street.
The best hotel in Baiba Township is Qomolangma Hotel Tingri. Qomolangma Hotel is located north of Highway 318, at the northern bank of the river north of the street in Baiba Township of Shegar Town.
On August 24, 2011, we stopped at the checkpoint Baiba Township of Shegar in Tingri to have our travel permit checked.
Tingri Tour Guide Map (click Large)