Kangshung Face, Tingri, Tibet · 12 days / 11 nights · Challenging (5/5) · $300/day · $3,600 total per person
Duration12 days / 11 nights
DifficultyChallenging (5/5)
Max altitude~5,350 m (Langma La pass)
Best seasonSummer (rhododendron bloom) and autumn (clear skies, still lakes mirroring the peaks)
Group sizeSmall group (guide ratio 1:6)
LanguageEnglish-speaking guide on request · or local guide + Inglite app for English support
Three 8,000-metre giants, one legendary valley.
Highlights
Three 8,000-metre giants at once — Everest (8,848 m), Lhotse (8,516 m) and Makalu (8,463 m) tower over the route, their glaciers and golden summits visible from a single vantage on the east face of the range.
Gama (Kangshung) Valley — praised as one of the most beautiful valleys on Earth, holding the largest expanse of primeval forest in the Everest region, where snow passes near 5,000 m are linked by shaded old-growth woodland and streams.
Cuoxuerenma camp — a string of six small lakes forming the most celebrated viewpoint on Everest's east side, a natural mirror reflecting Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Chomo Lonzo; the light and angle shift endlessly across the day.
Xiaowucuo lake — a serene alpine tarn below the Xiaowu La pass where, on a calm clear day, mighty Makalu is mirrored flawlessly in a perfect 'sky-mirror' surface.
Baidang viewpoint (~5,000 m) — a spur that brings you almost beneath the east walls of Everest and Lhotse, two giants standing breathtakingly close together.
A wild high-altitude garden — blue gentian, towering spires of flowers, pale-lilac iris and white snow-lotus give way to hillsides ablaze with rhododendron, life flourishing on barren frozen ground.
Five wilderness camps — Xiaowucuo, Tangxiang, Ega, Baidang and Cuoxuerenma, each pitched facing the snow peaks, with Tangxiang's meadow opening onto three summits the moment you unzip the tent.
Where in China
📍 Tibet (Xizang) · Tingri, Everest east (Kangshung) face
What you'll do
The Everest East Face trek—threading the Gama (Kangshung) Valley on the boundary of Dingri and Dinggye counties in Tibet's Shigatse prefecture—is routinely ranked among the ten greatest hikes on Earth, and it earns the title. This is the most cinematic high-altitude walk in the entire Himalaya: a journey that averages well above 4,000 metres and tops out at the Langma La pass (5,350 m), strung between snow passes by stretches of ancient forest, swaying greenery, dappled shade and chattering streams. The Gama Valley is celebrated as one of the most beautiful valleys in the world, and it shelters the largest tract of primeval forest anywhere in the Everest region.\n\nWhat sets this route apart is the company you keep. From its viewpoints you stand in the presence of three 8,000-metre titans at once—Everest (8,848 m), Lhotse (8,516 m, the world's fourth-highest, named the \"South Peak\" for sitting just three kilometres south of Everest) and Makalu (8,463 m, the world's fifth-highest, straddling the China–Nepal border northeast of the route). Glaciers spill from their flanks and the summits ignite gold at first light. Between the giants the land shifts constantly: alpine meadow gives way to old-growth forest, then to glacial moraine and frozen tundra where blue gentians, pale-lilac iris and white snow-lotus push through barren ground, and entire hillsides blaze with rhododendron in summer.\n\nThe walking is serious—rated five stars for both scenery and difficulty—but the rhythm is generous. After acclimatising in Lhasa and crossing the high plateau via Yamdrok Lake and Karola Glacier to Shigatse and on to Qudang, the trek proper begins at Yupa village. You climb to the lakeside camp of Xiaowucuo (4,700 m) beneath Xiaowu La, cross the pass at 4,950 m, and descend through the Xueruo Valley to Zhuoxiang—the climatic divide of the Gama Valley, where the vegetation suddenly thickens. From Tangxiang's meadow camp, pitched dead opposite three snow peaks, you push north to Ega, then make the spur up to Baidang (around 5,000 m) to stand almost beneath the east faces of Everest and Lhotse. The climax is Cuoxuerenma (4,950 m), a chain of six small lakes that form the finest natural amphitheatre on the east side of Everest—a mirror that catches Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Chomo Lonzo in a single still surface. A full free day here lets you wait, in silence, for the moment the first light strikes the summits. The trek closes over the Langma La (5,350 m), the route's highest point, with a long descent to Lunzhulin village and the drive out to Dingri, before returning to Lhasa for a celebration dinner and trekking certificates.
Day by day
Day 1
Arrive Lhasa (3,760 m)
Gather in Lhasa; arriving a day or two early is advised to acclimatise — early arrivals can explore the Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street and the Potala Palace. The evening brings a welcome dinner and pre-trip briefing where the leader covers the route and key precautions.
Day 2
Lhasa to Shigatse (3,800 m)
Drive 365 km (about 6 hours) past Yamdrok Lake with distant views of Nyenchen Khangsar, lunch at Nagarze, then visit the Karola Glacier and Manla Reservoir, glimpse Gyantse fortress, and follow the Chu valley to Shigatse, capital of the Rear Tibet region.
Day 3
Shigatse to Qudang (3,800 m)
Cross the Gyatso La pass for a sweeping view of five 8,000-metre peaks including Everest, enter the Everest Nature Reserve, and reach Qudang by afternoon.
Day 4
Qudang (3,800 m) to Yupa village to Xiaowucuo (4,700 m)
A short 0.5-hour drive to the trailhead at Yupa village, then the trek begins. Hike about 10 km / 7 hours up the valley — roughly three significant climbs — gaining 750 m to the lakeside Xiaowucuo camp below Xiaowu La, with Makalu and Everest in view on a clear day.
Day 5
Xiaowucuo (4,700 m) to Xiaowu La pass (4,950 m) to Zhuoxiang (4,000 m)
Rise early for golden summits of Makalu and Everest mirrored in Xiaowucuo — one of the best Makalu viewpoints of the whole trek. Cross the Xiaowu La, then descend through the Xueruo valley to Zhuoxiang camp. Hike 9 km / 7 hours, +250 m / -1,000 m. Zhuoxiang is the valley's climatic divide, where vegetation grows lush.
Day 6
Zhuoxiang (4,000 m) to Tangxiang (4,550 m)
Cross a tract of primeval forest to the second terrace on the north side of the Gama Valley, traverse alpine meadows and descend a steep slope to Tangxiang pasture. Camp on open ground directly opposite three snow peaks. Hike 9 km / 7 hours, +550 m.
Day 7
Tangxiang (4,550 m) to Ega (4,700 m)
One of the finest photo spots of the trip: at dawn, three peaks stand silently under a pale-pink sky, then glow softly as the sun rises. Hike 9 km / 6–7 hours, +500 m / -350 m to Ega camp.
Day 8
Ega (4,700 m) to Baidang (4,950 m) to Ega (4,700 m)
A day hike to the Baidang viewpoint (around 5,000 m) for a close-up of Everest's east face and the equally spectacular Lhotse beside it — two giants astonishingly close. Hike 6 km / about 5 hours, +250 m / -250 m, returning to Ega camp.
Day 9
Ega (4,700 m) to Cuoxuerenma (4,950 m)
Reach the trek's climax: from Cuoxuerenma you see Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Chomo Lonzo, the lakes mirroring every peak in turn. Hike 12 km / 8–9 hours, +750 m / -500 m, to the Cuoxuerenma camp.
Day 10
Cuoxuerenma — free day
A reserved day at Cuoxuerenma to simply wait — for the still sky, still mountains, still lakes, and the instant the first light ignites Everest, Lhotse and Makalu. A moment worth every step.
Day 11
Cuoxuerenma (4,950 m) to Langma La pass (5,350 m) to Qudang to Dingri
Climb in three stages — the first steep — to the Langma La (5,350 m), the highest point of the trek, finishing at Lunzhulin village. Hike 12 km / 6–8 hours, +400 m / -1,100 m, then drive 4–5 hours to Dingri.
Day 12
Dingri to Lhasa
Drive 6–8 hours back to Lhasa, arriving around 6 pm for a celebration dinner and the awarding of trekking certificates, closing one of China's most beautiful treks.
Why this trek
Three 8,000ers in one frame
Few treks on the planet put Everest, Lhotse and Makalu — the 1st, 4th and 5th highest mountains on Earth — in view together. This one does it again and again from the wild east side of the range.
The mirror lakes of Cuoxuerenma
A reserved free day at a chain of six glacial tarns, the most celebrated viewpoint on Everest's east face, where the giants double themselves in still water at first light.
Fully supported expedition camping
Yak-portered gear, an alpine cook, set-up crew, oxygen and a hyperbaric chamber on the route, and 8,000-metre-grade guides at a 1:6 ratio — wilderness immersion without the logistical weight.
Included
Transport: private tourist coach throughout the itinerary
Accommodation: 5 nights in hotels and 7 nights camping, from the day of gathering through the return to Lhasa
Meals: all meals during the trek, plus the welcome and celebration dinners in Lhasa
Permits and fees: all in-itinerary entrance tickets, trekking permits and conservation fees
Yak transport for gear (15 kg/person baggage limit) and a free 90-litre waterproof duffel per person
Professional high-altitude mountain cook, full camping equipment (alpine tents, mats, kitchen/dining/toilet tents, tables, chairs, tableware, generator) and camp set-up service
Experienced high-altitude photography leaders and 8,000-metre-grade guides at a 1:6 ratio, with communications gear (radios, satellite phone), first-aid kit, bottled mountain oxygen and a hyperbaric chamber on the route
FAQ
How many days is the Everest East Face (Kangshung) trek?
Everest East Face (Kangshung) runs 12 days / 11 nights.
How hard is the Everest East Face (Kangshung) trek?
It's rated Challenging (5/5), topping out around ~5,350 m (Langma La pass). Reasonable hiking fitness and time to acclimatize to altitude are recommended.
What is the maximum altitude on the Everest East Face (Kangshung) trek?
The high point is around ~5,350 m (Langma La pass). Acclimatize gradually and take altitude-sickness precautions — consult your doctor before any high-altitude trek.
What is the best time to do the Everest East Face (Kangshung) trek?
The best seasons are Summer (rhododendron bloom) and autumn (clear skies, still lakes mirroring the peaks).
Do I need a guide for the Everest East Face (Kangshung) trek, and is there English support?
English-speaking guide on request · or local guide + Inglite app for English support It's run by an independent, licensed local mountain operator, with Inglite supporting you in English the whole way.
How much does the Everest East Face (Kangshung) trek cost?
Approximately $3600 per person ($300/day · $3,600 total). You arrange payment directly with the licensed local operator — Inglite never collects payment.
Who runs this
This trek is operated by an experienced, licensed local Tibet mountain outfitter, with professional high-altitude photography leaders and 8,000-metre-grade guides at an industry-leading 1:6 ratio. English-language support is provided throughout via the Inglite app and your guide.
Run by an independent, licensed local operator. You arrange payment with the operator directly — Inglite connects you and never collects payment. Outdoor travel carries inherent risks; we recommend travel/outdoor insurance. Terms
