In recent years, the Chinese have expanded their highway system to reach the Rongbuk Monastery at the foot of Mt. Everest at 4890 meters doing away with the need to trek in and out of the Dzakar Chu valley and camping along the way. Depending on the season (and the mood of the guards at the Monastery) it is also possible to visit the North Base camp 8 kilometers south of the Monastery. From Rongbuk Monastery, there are dramatic views of the north face of Mount Everest, and one of the first British explorers to see it, John Noel, described it: "Some colossal architect, who built with peaks and valleys, seemed here to have wrought a dramatic prodigy—a hall of grandeur that led to the mountain”.
Your fascinating journey to Rongbuk Monastery (the highest monastery in theworld) and the North Base Camp of Mt. Everest will begin with a drive from Kathmandu to Zhangmu, Nyalam and New Tingri. From New Tingri, it is two hour drive to the Rongbuk Monastery which has been a haven for meditation and learning since 1902 when it was founded. You will then continue overland to Xigatse and Lhasa sightseeing at this important Tibetan cities before flying out to Kathmandu or continuing on to Chengdu or points beyond.