OMG you guys.. I literally just got back from Tibet like 3 weeks ago and my soul is STILL up there in those mountains?? Like how do you even come down from seeing Everest with your own eyeballs? Seriously tho, this Tibet high altitude trekking thing was no joke – I went from “yay adventure!” to “why am I gasping like a fish?” real quick haha. But lemme tell ya, every single lung-burning step was ABSOLUTELY worth it.
Why Tibet High Altitude Trekking? My Pre-Trip Delusions
Soooo confession time: I totally thought Tibet high altitude trekking would be like those Instagram reels – all slow-mo hair flips in front of prayer flags with perfect lighting. Reality check incoming: it’s more like snot freezing to your face while questioning all life choices at 5000m. But hey, that’s the charm right? I chose this Tibet high altitude trekking route specifically for the Everest Base Camp view because… well, it’s frickin Everest. How many people get to say they’ve seen that monster up close?
The Gear Situation (Spoiler: I Overpacked)
- Oxygen canisters: Brought 4, used 1.5 (felt like a wimp but IDC)
- Yak wool everything: Pro tip – smells awful when wet but saved my butt
- Solar charger: Useless. Just… useless. Clouds exist people!
- Hiking poles: My new religion. Praise the poles!
Day 1-2: Lhasa Acclimatization & Culture Shock
Landed in Lhasa at 3660m feeling like a boss. Big mistake. By evening I was hugging my hotel toilet like it was my firstborn. Altitude sickness is REAL folks – like the worst hangover of your life without the fun pre-game. Our guide Tenzin just laughed and gave me butter tea (which tastes like salty pond water btw).
Next day at Potala Palace was… surreal. Like walking through a dream if that dream involved 1000 steep steps while oxygen-deprived. Saw pilgrims doing full-body prostrations and felt like such a wimp complaining about stairs. Major perspective shift right there.
| Altitude | What Happened | My Dignity Level |
| 3660m (Lhasa) | Vomited breakfast | 3/10 |
| 3750m (Sera Monastery) | Got schooled by monks in debate | 5/10 |
| 3800m (Drepung) | Stopped to breathe every 5 steps | 2/10 |
Buddhist Nuns & My Existential Crisis
At Ani Tsangkung nunnery, these tiny elderly nuns kept smiling at me while spinning prayer wheels. One touched my North Face jacket like it was alien technology and said “very strong!” through missing teeth. Cue instant humility avalanche. Here I am complaining about Wi-Fi speed while these women own like two robes and radiate more joy than my entire Instagram feed. Tibet high altitude trekking wasn’t just physical huh?
Day 3-4: Gyantse to Shigatse – When Reality Hit
Drove through Kamba La pass (4794m) and Yamdrok Lake – that turquoise beauty that looks photoshopped but ISN’T. Stopped for pics and nearly got blown off the mountain by wind that felt like ice daggers. Pro tip: layer like an onion. I went from thermal + fleece + puffer + shell to just shell in 20 minutes flat. Tibetan weather is BIPOLAR.
Gyantse’s Kumbum Stupa nearly broke me – 6 floors of narrow, claustrophobic staircases packed with pilgrims and butter lamp smoke so thick you could chew it. But the murals… holy hell. Centuries-old art showing everything from Buddha’s life to what looked like aliens and demons?? Our guide whispered “many meanings” with this cryptic smile. Still processing that.
The Yak Butter Tea Incident
Tried authentic yak butter tea at a family homestay. Imagine salty, greasy broth with lumps. My face must’ve been priceless because granny cackled and gave me tsampa (roasted barley flour) instead. Mixed it with tea into a doughy blob – surprisingly not terrible! Fuel for Tibet high altitude trekking I guess?
Day 5-6: Everest Base Camp Approach – Peak Suffering
Rongbuk Monastery at 4980m – highest monastery globally and my personal altitude nightmare. Breathing felt like sucking air through a coffee stirrer. Head throbbed like a drum solo. But waking up to see Everest’s north face glowing pink at dawn? Unreal. Worth every second of misery. This Tibet high altitude trekking thing rewires your pain receptors I swear.
The hike to EBC (5200m) was… brutal. Each step in thin air required monumental effort. Saw a German guy vomit then immediately take a selfie. Mood. But reaching those iconic stones with prayer flags snapping in the wind – I cried. Actual tears freezing on my cheeks. Sounds cheesy but it’s this overwhelming mix of achievement and raw, humbling nature.
At Everest Base Camp, you don’t conquer the mountain – you surrender to it. And that’s the real Tibet high altitude trekking magic.
When Technology Betrays You At 5200m
Tried livestreaming from EBC like a dumbass. Lasted 47 seconds before my phone died from cold and my satellite Wi-Fi hotspot ($15/day!!) crapped out. Lesson learned: some moments are meant to be unplugged. Also pro tip: keep electronics in your sleeping bag overnight. My camera froze solid and I missed sunrise pics like a heartbroken tourist.
Day 7: The Descent & Tibetan Hot Springs Bliss
Hiked down to Tingri feeling like a new human as oxygen levels increased. Actual trees! Grass! AIR! Celebrated with a dip in Yangpachen hot springs – outdoor pools with steam rising into Himalayan air while yaks grazed nearby. Surreal doesn’t cover it. Soaked out a week’s worth of grime and muscle aches in geothermal goodness. If your Tibet high altitude trekking doesn’t include hot springs, you’re doing it wrong.
Final dinner in Shigatse was momos (dumplings) bigger than my fist and chang (barley beer) that tasted like fizzy sourdough. Toasted to not dying on a mountain with our guide Tenzin who admitted he thought I’d quit on Day 2. Jokes on you Tenzin! This wheezing foreigner made it!
Tibet High Altitude Trekking: Brutal Truths & Tips
Let’s get real about Tibet high altitude trekking:
- Altitude Sickness Doesn’t Care About Your Gym Membership: I spin 3x/week but was humbled. Acclimatize properly or suffer.
- Toilets Are War Zones: Squat pits over icy holes at -10°C. ‘Nuff said.
- Yak Is… Chewy: Tastes like beef that wrestled with a tire. Try it once for the story.
- Everything Costs More Up High: $8 for a warm Coke at EBC. Capitalism finds a way!
Essential Tibet high altitude trekking gear most blogs forget:
- Wet wipes: Showers? Luxury. Become one with the wipe.
- Lip balm with SPF: Chapped lips at altitude = hellscape
- Hand/foot warmers: Worth their weight in gold
- A sense of humor: Mandatory equipment
Cost Breakdown: Worth Every Penny
| Expense | Cost (USD) | Was It Worth It? |
| Flights (LAX-LXA) | $1,250 | Ouch but unavoidable |
| Tibet Travel Permit | $185 | Govt bureaucracy tax |
| 7-Day Tour (group) | $980 | Guide + transport = essential |
| Oxygen Canisters | $80 | Psychological comfort mostly |
| Hotels/Food Extras | $220 | Snacks and Wi-Fi charges add up |
| TOTAL | $2,715 | 1000% YES |
For booking trains across China, I used China’s official rail site which was surprisingly efficient despite my terrible Mandarin. For navigation, Amap was more reliable than Google Maps in remote areas.
Final Thoughts: Tibet Changes You
This Tibet high altitude trekking adventure messed me up in the best way. Physically? Exhausted. Spiritually? Weirdly refreshed. That thin air does something – strips away the noise until you’re just this small, awestruck human staring at geological giants. Saw pilgrims walking for months to circumambulate sacred mountains and realized my “struggle” was a luxury resort vacation by comparison.
Would I do Tibet high altitude trekking again? Ask me when my lungs recover. But seeing Everest’s north face at sunrise – that silent, monstrous beauty – is tattooed on my brain forever. As the Tibetans say: “La dey” (slowly, slowly). That’s how you climb mountains, and maybe how we should live too.
For more challenging hikes, check out this epic mountain hiking adventure or this soul-stirring Qinghai journey.
OMG your Everest sunrise photo gave me chills! How many days total did the altitude sickness last? I’m terrified of the toilet situation 😂
@PeakChaser Altitude headaches lasted 3 days for me – butter tea became my survival juice! Pro tip: bring Poo-Pourri for those toilet moments 😉
That $8 Coke price tag haunts me! Was bottled water available throughout? And did you really need all that yak wool?
@GlobeTrekkerGal Water available but price climbs with altitude! Yak wool was essential when windchill hit -15°C. Would sacrifice fashion for warmth any day!
Just did this trek last month! Your gear list saved me – especially the hand warmers. That -20°C sleeping bag was LIFE. Anyone know if June has better weather?
Your nunnery moment resonated! I cried at Potala Palace too. Question: how strict are the permit requirements? Heard they changed in 2025.
@SherpaSoul Permits now require guide confirmation + passport scans submitted 30 days prior. Our agency handled everything but triple-check dates!
Booking my trip thanks to you! Was $980 for group tour mid-range? Any hidden costs to watch for? Also – did you tip Tenzin?
@GlacierGoddess $980 was average – watch for “oxygen fees” some add last minute! Tipped Tenzin $50 – he carried my pack when I turned green 😅
That solar charger fail is SO real! Any alternatives that worked? Power banks sufficient? Planning for September!