Mount Everest – Highest Mountain in the World

Highest Banner Cloud

The banner cloud or flag cloud, which is like a banner, is a wonder on Mount Everest. When it is sunny, you will see the milk white streamer floating above the peak of Mount Everest, and that is the banner cloud on Everest. The cloud usually flutters toward one side like a banner in the wind. Sometimes, you can see it change the shape, like the huge waves on the sea or the impetuous horses on the ancient battlefield, and so forth. Once in a while, it is lucky to see the plateau eagles flying above the banner cloud, which is especially a particular sightseeing. And the banner cloud is often used to judge the wind strength. by its location and height, namely, the higher the banner cloud is, the weaker the wind is. And when the cloud is at the same level of the peak, there may be up to a force 9 wind. As a result, the banner cloud of Mount Everest is also regarded as the “highest wind indicator in the world”.

Gorgeous Sunrise & Sunset

You will be a “lucky dog” getting a chance to see the sunrise and sunset of Mount Everest for they are unique and super gorgeous all over the world. Usually, temperature is very low before the sun comes up. But you can see the Mount Everest appears gradually as the clouds are being blown away by the strong wind. The sleeping pure peak puts on a shining costume that is lit by the orange sun. And then, when the sun all rises up, the mountain shows her bright red face completely like a young girl putting up the best blusher ever, with the red cloud fairies dancing by side.

However, the sunset of Mount Everest is also an impressing view on earth. See the peak from a distance, and the evening glow addresses a piece of dark red chiffon for the mountain. And with the banner clouds circling and floating away, the red sky and the red snow peak together forms a fabulous painting of a paradise.

Seeing both the sunrise and sunset of Mount Everest, you will feel yourself is the happiest and luckiest person in the universe for not only the amazing view but also the terrific experience of standing on nearly the highest viewing deck.

Sunrise Time: about 6:00 - 7:00; Sunset Time: 17:30 - 18:30

Shining Night Sky

It is really a fantastic enjoyment to appreciate the dark blue Mount Everest beneath the indigo night sky. Admiring the curtain of night decorated with countless shining stars like scattering diamonds on the silk, you will be amazed at the magic power of nature and feel all the things on earth are so tiny in the vast universe. And if you have more luck, you could sometimes see meteors shooting across the night sky like a flash of lightning.

To view Mount Everest and the appealing natural view, there are two good places nearby, namely the Rongphu Monastery and the Mount Everest Base Camp.

Rongphu Monastery

Rongphu Monastery (绒布寺)or Rongbuk of 4980 m above the sea is the world’s highest monastery and a typical one of Nyingma Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Located 90 km from Tingri County (定日县), Rongphu Monastery is so rare mixed dwelling of both monks and nuns in the world. And since it is about 20 km from the peak of Mount Everest, you can appreciate the giant pyramid of the mountain from south, and can see the charming banner clouds in sunny days. Apart from that, Rongphu Monastery is the best place to see the sunrise and sunset for its high location close to the Everest. Also, you can take many great pictures at Marnyi Stones and the White tower outside of the door. Just get your camera ready to capture the wonders.

Mount Everest Base Camp

Situated at the south side of Rongphu Monastery, the Mount Everest Base Camp (珠峰大本营) is another great viewing deck to admire the magnificent Mount Everest. This base camp is formed by a group of tents in a circle, with a national flag of China in the middle. Having an elevation of 5200 m, Mount Everest Base Camp provides you a super close place to admire the sacred Everest. And especially when during April and June, a lot of mountaineers from all over the world come here and build up their colorful tents in the base camp, so you can see the very grand scene and feel the busy atmosphere. In the base camp, there is a little hill of 20 to 30 m high, and that is the best place to appreciate the holy Mount Everest. Besides, you can mail a postcard at the post office here to your friends and family, and that is the unique and a “sounding nice” gift.

Experience Adventurous Activities in Mount Everest

As a holy mountain full of beautiful natural scenery and multiple types of landforms, Mount Everest has a series of interesting and exciting activities for photographers, trekkers, mountaineers, etc.

Trekking

Take a hike at Mount Everest is a quite different but cool try, because you can do the same activity on the world highest place and have distinct feel. Along the 8 km long way from Rongphu Monastery up to the Everest Base Camp that is the running route of the park car, you can appreciate the look of snow white holy Mount Everest the especially gorgeous sightseeing along the way. And due to the comparatively gentle road, you can hike to the base camp and take the park car back to Rongphu Monastery. In your trekking, you can also view the soft clouds like cottons scattered in the azure sky. All the views are very clear at such a high altitude. Sometimes, you can see the particular animals living on plateau, like Tibetan antelopes, eagles, etc. As the low oxygen environment and hard path, you will be proud of yourself as a bold hero after arriving at the base camp.

Climbing

Being the world’s highest mountain, Mount Everest has long been a dream and target of many riskers and mountaineers. Through the long process of climbing up from the 5200 m high Base Camp up to the 6000 m, 7000 m and even the peak over 8844 m, you will get very tired and meet a lot of problems. However, when you see the shocking panorama of the Everest region like a kingdom of snow peaks, where the world’s 4th and 5th highest mountains stand, your efforts become so worthy and one of your lifetime dreams would finally come true.

Note: Climbing Mount Everest is dangerous and needs the professional skills, useful experience and strong bodies, so people who want to do the climbing are required to get the permission of the relative departments. We China Discovery have not designed the Mount Everest climbing till now, and if you want to try this exciting venture, you can ask some professional climbing company for help.

>> 8 Days Lhasa & Everest Base Camp Tour

>> 10 Days Tibet Discovery Tour

>> 13 Days Valuable Tibet Mt. Kailash Kora Adventure Tour

Climbing History of Mount Everest

Although human beings have been always longing for climbing up to the peak of Mount Everest that is the highest spot on earth, a lot of people have lost their life along the way. And until May 29, 1953, Tenzing Norgay from Nepal and Edmund Hillary from New Zealand reached the peak from the south part for the first time of mankind. And Chinese people first got to the peak on May 25 in 1960 from the north. During the following tens of years, more people, young, elder, man and women, from many countries and regions like US, UK, France, Italy, Switzerland, India, Austria, Japan, Nepal, Taiwan, etc. reached the peak of Mount Everest team by team. And some people even have made it for 2 to several times, furthermore, a brave man stayed on the peak for nearly 100 min, which is so unbelievable. All the historical records of mankind reaching the peak of Mount Everest completely testify the strong perseverance and super bravery of people all over the world!

Situated at the south of Tingri County, Shigatse (日喀则) District, about 620 km from Lhasa, Mount Everest is not very easy to get to, which usually needs about 1 to 2 days to reach Rongphu Monastery, the place closest to Everest you can get to by driving.

Independent Travel:

Independent travel in Tibet is not allowed for foreign people, and you can contact a travel agency to arrange a tour with the transportation and tour guide to get there safely and conveniently.

From Lhasa to Shigatse

At present, most visitors choose to drive along the new built high-speed way that is an asphalt road of 4 lanes, along Lhasa, Quxu, Nimu, Dazhuka and Shigatse. The whole journey usually measures about 283 hours and costs about 6 hours. Also, you can drive along the G318 (national road) of 2 lanes, passing Yamdrok lake and Gyantze and needing about 2 hours.

From Shigatse to Tingri

You can drive passing Lhatse to the New Tingri along the road of 2 lanes, which is about 240 km long and will drive for about 5.5 hours. Also, you can drive continuously along the G318 to the Old Tingri (岗嘎).

From Tingri to Rongphu Monastery

Coming out from Tingri, You can drive turning left to Rongphu Monastery along the new asphalt road of 2 lanes, which has been opened in 2015 and is about 110 km long. Also, you can drive along the G318 continuously to the Old Tingri (岗嘎) and drive for about 90 km long to Rongphu Monastery, which is a hard and bumpy earth road.

Mount Everest and its nearby region have various and complex climate in one day, which changes boldly in the four seasons. And generally, it rains a lot from the early June to middle of September. During the middle of November and the next middle of February, strong cold current from the northwest would cause very low temperature that can reach down to 30 minutes degree with the fastest wind of 90 m per sec.

April to October is a good period to go to Mount Everest, among which June, July and August are inclined to rain a lot. And during the rest months, you can appreciate more beautiful view under the clear sky for the settled weather.

Accommodate at Everest Region

Most people live in Rongphu Monastery Guesthouse, which provides rooms for 2 people and 3 people, electricity, hot water and food.

Tents arranged by the local Tibetan during April and October are near the monastery, and they are usually for 6 to 12 people to live in one room. Heating equipment and very thick quilts are available. Living here, you can get to the base camp by the park car for about 20 min.

If you would like to live more comfortable, you can drive back to Tingri County, where some hotels with better conditions and well equipment are there for choice.