Tibetan Buddhism and Motorcycle Adventure: Guided Motorcycle Tour from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp

About this Tibet Motorcycle Tour

What is it like to explore on a motorcycle on the roof of the world? A motorcycle adventure tour from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp is one of the greatest two-wheel experiences in the world and a lifelong dream for many riders. We will get on our motorcycles from Lhasa and pass sparkling blue highland lakes, peaceful villages, sacred temples, over several passes over 4,000 meters, traveling on curvy yet well-traveled mountain roads that take you to the foot of the highest mountain range on earth, where the scenery is transcendent and breathtakingly beautiful.

Highlights of this Tibet Motorcycle Tour

This Tibet motorcycle tour is once in a lifetime. The scenery, people, culture shock and riding experience here will definitely make you remember it for a long time. Here are just a few highlights.

• Great Lhasa, and the great world heritage Potala Palace
• Some of the most important temples in Tibetan Buddhism.
• Riding a motorcycle to Everest Base Camp, the highest peak in the world, is enough!
• Ride on the world’s best roads over 5000m
• Riding along the Brahmaputra River through mountains and valleys, experiencing picturesque scenery, sacred temples, tranquil lakes and admiring several towering 8,000-meter mountains.

Key Information

• Road condition: 99% paved
• Motorcycles: Rental motorcycles, Kove Moto, VOGE Motor, Cyclone Moto, BMW Motorrad, 500cc or above
• Total mileage ridden: 1500 km/930 miles
• Daily ride: 120 – 390 km/75 – 240 miles
• Riding equipment: excluding personal cycling clothing, including helmets
• Motorcycle rental deposit required, in case bike damage and traffic violations
• Includes two types of insurance
• 2.5 days and 3 nights to acclimatize to the altitude in Lhasa

Advanced Skill Level required for this motorcycle tour

• You need to be able to handle any terrain and weather conditions, especially mountain trails and rain and snow.
• You need to be able to drive a variety of motorcycles skillfully
• You must have extensive riding experience, be able to ride 5-8 hours a day
• You need to be able to handle all kinds of bends on a touring bike, including tight switchbacks.

Dates & Price

• April 16 – April 25, 2024
• May 7 – May 16, 2024
• June 11 – June 20, 2024
• July 9 – July 18, 2024
• August 13 – August 22, 2024
• September 10 – September 19, 2024
• October 9 – October 18, 2024
• October 22 – October 31, 2024

Price

• Rider shared room: 3600 USD
• Pillion: 1600 USD
• Single room supplement: 800 USD
• Minimum 4 riders, maximum 12 riders

Itinerary Overview

Detailed Itinerary

D1 Arrival China and our designated city

You need to arrive in China and our designated city today. Go to the hotel and check-in by yourself.

Meals: Dinner

Stay Overnight in our designated city.

D2 Chinese temporary motorcycle driver’s license & Tibet Permits

Apply for a temporary motorcycle driver’s license. If there is still time in the afternoon, explore the city by yourself.

Meals: Breakfast

Stay Overnight in our designated city.

D3 Arrive in Lhasa

We will take you to the airport and take a flight to Lhasa. After arriving in Lhasa, the tour guide will send you to the hotel, and you can adapt to the altitude in the afternoon. Lhasa is 3650m above sea level. We recommend not to do strenuous activities on the first day.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Stay overnight in Lhasa, Altitude 3650m.

D4 Lhasa Tour – Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street (B)

Today is Non-riding days. Today we mainly focus on adapting to the altitude and visiting.

In the morning we first visit the Potala Palace, a world cultural heritage site. It is a large-scale palace-style building complex that was originally built by Zampo Songtsen Gampo of the Tubo Dynasty. After being rebuilt in the 17th century, it became the winter palace residence of the Dalai Lamas of all generations and the political and religious ruling center of Tibet. The entire palace has a distinct Tibetan style. It is built on the mountain and is majestic. The palace houses countless treasures and is an art palace.

After visiting the Potala Palace, go to Longwangtan Park at the foot of the Potala Palace. Here, you can admire the majestic Potala Palace from different angles and participate in local Tibetan folk activities.

In the afternoon we will visit the world cultural heritage Jokhang Temple. It has a history of more than 1,300 years and occupies the supreme status in Tibetan Buddhism. It is also the most splendid Tubo period building in Tibet. The Jokhang Temple combines Tibetan, Tang, Nepalese and Indian architectural styles and has become an eternal model of Tibetan religious architecture.

The Jokhang Temple is considered the “spiritual center of the city” in Lhasa and the holiest temple in Tibet. It is also one of the most sacred places in Tibetan Buddhism and has the highest status in the hearts of Tibetans and Tibetan Buddhist believers. Incense fills the air in front of the Jokhang Temple, and believers devoutly prostrate themselves, leaving deep marks of their entire body on the bluestone floor in front of the temple. Thousands of butter lamps are always bright, leaving traces of time and pilgrims.

Surrounding the Jokhang Temple is Barkhor Street, where you can take Kora with pilgrims and locals and explore the old market. The accurate concept of Barkhor Street is not just a ring street, but an entire old-style neighborhood surrounding the Jokhang Temple with a strong flavor of Tibetan life.

Finally, we’ll head to one of the liveliest indoor Tibetan teahouses in Lhasa. Enjoy traditional Tibetan sweet tea with local Tibetans.

Meals: Breakfast

Stay overnight in Lhasa, Altitude 3650m.

D5 Lhasa Motorcycle Tour – Warm UP Riding – Ganden Monastery – Sera Monastery – Lhasa, 120km

Today is riding day. In order to adapt to riding a motorcycle in Tibet in advance, we arranged a ride around Lhasa.

After breakfast we put on our cycling clothes and went to pick up our motorcycles. After getting ready, we ride about 50 kilometers to a small town near Lhasa to visit the first temple built by the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism, Ganden Monastery. This Monastery was personally planned and built by Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug sect of Buddhism in 1409. It can be called the ancestral temple of the Gelug sect.

You should have started to get used to your motorcycle and have a preliminary impression of riding a motorcycle in Tibet. Let’s return to Lhasa and our destination is to Sera Monastery to watch the famous Tibetan monks’ debate activities (Monday to Saturday 15:00-17:00). Your guide will explain in detail how Tibetan monks participated in these debates to gain knowledge and advance their degrees.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Stay overnight in Lhasa, Altitude 3650m.

D6 Tibet Motorcycle Tour: Lhasa – Gyantse – Shigatse, 360 km

After Breakfast we start the motorcycle tour from Lhasa to Shigatse via Gyantse, will visits Tibet’s beautiful lake, glacier, and charming Tibetan villages.

We wil ride over the Gampala pass (4790 m) to catch a glimpse of Yamdrok-tso (4400m), Yamdrok Lake is a freshwater lake and one of the three largest lakes in Tibet. At the end of the lake, we will visit a local family in the village and have lunch there.

We will ride pass the Korola Glacier on the roadside. It is the largest glacier in Tibet. Then we continue our motorbike ride to Gyantse. On the way, we stop at Simila Pass, where you can hang prayer flags to pray for world peace and the health of your family.

After arriving in Gyantse, visit Pelkor Chode Monastery, and then continue our motorcycle tour. On the way from Gyantse to Shigatse, you will pass through green (summer) and golden (autumn) Tibetan barley fields and countless farms.

In the evening, we will arrive in Shigatse, the second-largest city of Tibet.

Have a good rest and prepare for the next day’s Motorcycle Tour to Mt. Everest Base Camp.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Stay overnight in Shigatse, Altitude 3845m.

D7 Shigatse to Everest Base Camp Motorcycle Tour, 330km

After breakfast, let’s start our motorcycle tour towards Everest Base Camp.

First, we will ride through Gyatso La Pass (5280m). At the Gyatsola Pass viewpoint, we will get the first glimpse of Mount Everest.

Continuing riding, at Ghaula Pass (5198m) we can enjoy the panoramic view of the Himalayas and see Mount Everest for the second time.

Continue riding along the new zigzag road to Everest Base Camp (5200m) and watch the Mount Everest for the third time.

Finally arriving at the Everest Base Camp parking lot, we took an environmentally friendly vehicle to the Everest Base Camp, where the huge Mount Everest stands right in front of you. Visit Rongbuk Monastery, the highest temple in the world.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Stay Overnight stay in local village near EBC, altitude 4300m.

D8 Tibet motorcycle tour: EBC – Dingjie – Sakya- Shigatse, 390km

Today we will ride back to Shigatse via Dingjie and Sakya, this is a different Himalayan motorcycle route than the traditional one. We will see the majestic east slope of Mount Everest and Lhotse Peak, the world’s fourth highest peak(8,516 m), at Dinggye Xilin Viewpoint.

Continue riding to Sakya, after a short stop and stroll in the ancient city of Sakya, we ride back to Shigatse.

In the evening, we will enjoy a traditional Tibetan song and dance performance while having dinner with all the group members to celebrate our Tibet Everest motorcycle Tour.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Stay overnight in Shigatse, Altitude 3845m.

D9 Tibet Motorcycle Tour: riding back to Lhasa from Shigatse, 270km

After breakfast we visit Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, founded in 1447 by the 1st Dalai Lama, it is the traditional monastic seat of the Panchen Lama. Tashi Lhunpo Monastery is located on a hill in the center of Shigatse. Pilgrims circumambulate the monastery on the lingkhor (sacred path) outside the walls. And The tallest and largest bronze Buddha statue in the world is in this Monastery.

Next, we will ride back to Lhasa along the Brahmaputra River, the mother river of the Tibetan people.

After returning the motorcycle, you can freely stroll around Barkhor Street, enjoy your leisure time, and buy gifts to take home for your family.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Stay overnight in Lhasa, Altitude 3650m

D10 Depart from Lhasa

Today, the unforgettable motorcycle tour in Tibet comes to an end. The tour guide will send you to Lhasa Airport or Railway Station. If you need to leave Lhasa by train, please contact us in advanced.

Included Insurance

1. Compulsory motor vehicle traffic accident liability insurance: After a traffic accident, only the personal and property losses caused by the third party can be compensated. Loss of one’s own vehicle and personal injuries will not be covered. This means that if a car accident occurs, the car owner needs to bear his own losses. and repair costs. The compensation amount of this insurance is very low. For example, the maximum compensation amount for motor vehicle damage does not exceed 2,000 yuan.
2. Specialist motorcycle and car travel insurance by Asia’s No. 1 property insurance company, PICC. This insurance covers motorcycle or automobile trips within mainland China (excluding Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) at an altitude of less than 6,000 meters above sea level (valid and legally matching motorcycle or automobile driver’s licenses and driving permits must be provided for claims), motorcycle training and amateur races (driver’s licenses/driver’s licenses are not required, and accident certificates issued by motorcycle organizations or site surveillance videos must be provided for claims). Automobile Training and Amateur Racing (no driving license is required, the insured person must hold a driver’s license or a racing driver’s license issued by the relevant state licensing authority, and claims must be settled by providing proof of accident issued by an automobile organization or a video surveillance of the venue).