I Slept at 5,000m! The World’s Highest Capsule Hotel Near Everest

I Slept at 5,000m! The World’s Highest Capsule Hotel Near Everest

Hi everyone, welcome back to my channel! Today’s trip is going to be a pretty special one. I’m starting from Shigatse and heading west all the way. My destination? The Everest Base Camp scenic area. And I’ll actually be spending the night in a “capsule hotel” up there. Can’t wait to experience the unique charm of the Roof of the World. Please enjoy the trip! Hey guys, I’m now in Tibet. This is Shigatse Railway Station. And today’s journey officially starts right here. Unlike my previous trips, I’m not taking public transport today. Instead, I rented a car for this adventure. You’ll understand why later on. But before we hit the road— I need to take care of something very important. This place here is an oxygen supply shop. I’m renting a proper oxygen tank. A lot of people go for those small portable cans… But in a real emergency, only a full-sized tank like this can actually save you. With this, I’ll have plenty of oxygen whenever I need it. Alright—let’s hit the road! Weather’s pretty good today, though the clouds are a bit heavy. We’re about six hours away from our destination. Once you leave the city, the scenery gets impressive really fast. Current altitude is around 4,000 meters. I’m feeling pretty good so far. No need for oxygen just yet! This road only has two lanes. So whenever there’s construction, traffic switches to one-way only. Up ahead, the climb begins. This is the first mountain pass of today. That winding road down there—that’s where we just came from. The elevation here is roughly 4,600 meters. Locals believe the higher you hang prayer flags, the stronger the blessings. So whenever you see tons of prayer flags fluttering in the wind… It usually means you’ve reached the highest point of that stretch of road. Next comes a long downhill section. The clouds are so low it feels like I could just reach up and grab one. This road is way busier than I expected. You really have to pick your moment to overtake. I pulled over at a little spot here. There’s a special milestone right beside the road. The road next to us is arguably one of China’s most famous: National Highway 318. If you follow this road east for 5,000 kilometers, you’ll end up in Shanghai. Looks like travelers stop here pretty often. Quite a few people living across the way, too. Imagine enjoying views like this every single day. Alright, time to get moving again. Passing through a checkpoint here. Ahead of us, the road starts to leave the towns behind again. We’re now entering a stunning canyon. The road is practically hugging the vertical cliff face. I really admire these heavy truck drivers. Driving a heavy truck here must be incredibly tough. Suddenly, the landscape opens up quite a bit. It looks flat, but we’re actually above 5,100 meters. At this altitude, even the engine starts feeling “altitude sickness.” You press the pedal… and it takes a moment to think before responding. Looks like there are a lot of cars stopped up ahead. Let’s get out and check it out. This is the Gyatso La Pass—elevation 5,248 meters. The paper slips on the ground and the white Hada scarves are used by locals for blessings. The wind here is seriously strong. Up ahead, we’ll be entering the Mount Everest Nature Reserve. Snowy mountains stretch endlessly into the distance. And soon, we’ll be driving along that very road. Looks like my camera needs a pair of sunglasses too. Road conditions are still pretty good along this section. The asphalt looks freshly paved. The river beside us is getting wider. We just passed a very “minimalist” service area. Mount Everest is in that direction. Too bad we’re not lucky today—clouds are way too thick. It’s almost 8 p.m. already. I just realized I’m not going to make it to my original destination in time. So… time for a quick change of plans. I decided to stay at a nearby hotel for the night. It’s right by the roadside—very convenient. And check out this sunset. Let’s get checked in first. Ran into a tour group from Taiwan. They actually came all the way here from Nyingchi. This is probably one of the best hotels in the area. A night here costs around 400 RMB (~56 USD). Looks pretty decent. We’re at 4,300 meters here, and the room comes with an oxygen machine. Tibet is extremely dry—a humidifier is a lifesaver. I’m not feeling any discomfort for now. Had dinner at a noodle shop just next door. A bowl of beef noodles wraps up today’s journey. Good night. Good morning. Left the oxygen machine on all night. So the oxygen level in the room is like being at only 3,000 meters. Another beautiful day ahead. Breakfast down, time to hit the road again. The clouds up ahead look gorgeous. Since we’re heading to higher altitudes, oxygen is still the top priority. I wanted to refill my tank, but the oxygen station here wasn’t open yet. We’re now in Dingri County, Tibet. Earlier this January, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck this area. You can still see quite a few tents stamped with “Disaster Relief.” It’s great to see that life here seems to be returning to normal. Let’s continue our journey. Leaving the town behind, we’re back in the wilderness. With weather like this, driving is an absolute joy. In Tibet, the most beautiful scenery is always found along the road. Passing a border checkpoint. Our destination lies within a border-control area. So you need a permit in advance. That mountain-shaped building up ahead is our first stop. Surprisingly, even such a remote place has plenty of EV charging stations. And they’re all high-power superchargers, too. You could totally drive an electric car all the way here. China’s new-energy vehicles are booming for a reason— Cheap and convenient charging makes a huge difference. The view from the parking lot is quite something. This mountain-shaped building is the ticket office for the Everest Scenic Area. We’re buying our tickets here. Price is 160 RMB (~25.5 USD). A lot of people are taking photos with the landmark sign. We’ll also be driving through this entrance shortly. Met two adorable cats. Are you guys also heading to Everest Base Camp? Once you enter the gate, there’s still a bit of driving to do. Passing through a village. And very soon, we’ll be arriving here. Ahead lies the famous “108 Turns.” We’ll be climbing nearly 1,000 meters of elevation within just 20 kilometers. Just look at how crazy these curves are. Here we go! Let’s conquer these legendary switchbacks. And *this* is why I didn’t choose public transportation. Once you enter the scenic area, there’s basically no public buses anymore. Aside from joining a tour group, driving yourself is the only option. Even if there *were* public buses, I wouldn’t take them. On a road like this, I’d probably lose my breakfast halfway up. But now? I get to enjoy the view— And the fun of driving at the same time. Feels like I’ve been driving forever… but nope, we’re only halfway. That winding line below is the road we came up from. And we still have a long way to climb. These curves feel like they go on endlessly. They really should rename this “The Endless Turns.” As we get higher, the view gets better and better. Looks like we’re finally reaching the top. This is the Gawu La Pass, elevation 5,198 meters. There’s a dirt road over there that goes even higher. Let’s check it out. Switching to four-wheel drive first. It really feels like I’m driving straight into the sky. Quite a few cars made it up here already. Looks like a temporary parking area. We’re now close to 5,300 meters above sea level. And right in front of us is the magnificent Himalayan range. From here, you can see five peaks over 8,000 meters. This stone marker shows the layout of the peaks ahead. The world’s 1st, 4th, 5th, and 6th highest mountains are all right before us. Plus the 14th highest peak. Which… requires *very* good luck. Except for that “gentle-looking” summit over there— Most of the world’s highest peaks are hiding behind the clouds today. If I’m not mistaken— That flatter-looking mountain is Cho Oyu, the “Turquoise Goddess.” It’s the 6th highest peak in the world at 8,201 meters. Far to the west is Shishapangma, the world’s 14th highest mountain— And the only 8,000-meter peak entirely within China. The scenery behind us is just as stunning. Prayer flags are everywhere up here. These stone piles are also common in Tibet— They’re built for good fortune and blessings. The view here is absolutely spectacular. Almost all the snow peaks in front of us are above 7,000 meters. From the sound of the wind, you can probably tell—it’s really strong up here. It’s giving me a bit of a headache actually. Time to take a few breaths of oxygen. This is exactly why bringing an oxygen tank is worth it. With high-concentration oxygen, my blood oxygen level goes back above 90 in just a few minutes. Up ahead is the road going downhill. More endless switchbacks waiting for us. If it weren’t for these thick clouds— Mount Everest would be right in front of us. But even like this, the scenery is breathtaking. (Sorry about the shaky footage—the camera was mounted on the window.) From the side, this road looks like a giant staircase. There’s an interesting little tunnel up ahead. The cliffs here are reinforced with protective nets— Which probably means falling rocks happen a lot. After about ten minutes of driving, we finally arrived here. This is a transfer center. It’s under construction inside, so cars are just temporarily parked on the roadside. We are now in Tashi Zom Township, altitude roughly 4,300 meters. This is one of the closest townships to Mount Everest. Tourism has brought many new hotels here. And also… a lot of dust. Can’t forget the most important thing. From this point on, we’re no longer allowed to drive ourselves. We must switch to the scenic area’s “eco-friendly” buses. A round-trip ticket costs 120 RMB (~17 USD). So in total, visiting the base camp area costs 280 RMB (~39.5 USD). We still need nearly an hour on the bus before reaching the destination. The speed of development in Tibet is honestly surprising. Everywhere you look, something is being built or upgraded. That’s Basong Village ahead, the closest village to Everest. Lots of hotels there too. You can drive your car to there, but still have to take the bus up the mountain. This is probably the furthest point private cars can reach. We need to get off here for a ticket inspection. And another round of border checks. The bus is already waiting for us at the exit. The driver has a perfectly sized cup for that holder. And wow—he drives really fast. Fast enough that I’m getting a little nervous. And someone actually cycled up this road. Absolute legend. Whoa! Guys! The moment we’ve been waiting for! Lady Luck is finally smiling on us. That majestic peak ahead is the world’s highest: Mount Everest. And we’ve finally reached our destination for today. Welcome to Everest Base Camp—well, the *tourist* base camp. The altitude here is over 5,000 meters. Everest is just a “short” distance away. This place is basically run like a full-on hotel area. They even have a reception center. Looks like I didn’t need to bring my oxygen tank up here—
they rent them on site too. A staff member led me to my room. The tent entrance is a bit low. But the inside looks pretty new—recently renovated. And this is my capsule room for the night. A pillow, a quilt, and a blanket—simple but practical. There’s even an electric heating pad under the sheets. Emergency call button. Free Wi-Fi. They even have a humidifier. Let’s go outside and take a look around. This is the living area. One tent has 8 rooms of different sizes. This table has both a heater and an induction cooker built in. You could literally have hotpot here. There’s air-conditioning and water boiling facilities, but no showers. Though honestly, I doubt anyone wants to shower at this altitude. Like most capsule hotels, the bathroom is outside. My tent is a bit far from the toilet. In many remote Tibetan areas, the toilets are just pit toilets— Meaning… no running water to wash your hands. Just a year or two ago, these were all temporary tents dismantled every winter. But things seem to be changing now. They even have a BBQ shop here. And the world’s highest post office? Next to it is a huge square. A few monuments here. Printed with Everest’s height. There’s even a cell tower here—my 5G signal is full bars. An ambulance is on standby, just in case. These two unique buildings are oxygen cabins. They can even provide pressurized oxygen. Let’s head inside and take a look. Buy a cup of coffee or tea, and you can sit inside and take in oxygen. Not a bad deal, maybe. You can even stay overnight here. You get a direct view of Everest right from the room. Unlike most of China, crows are considered auspicious symbols in Tibet. There’s a wooden walkway that leads further ahead. At this altitude, you really have to walk slowly. There’s a huge open area up ahead. Hello, Mount Everest. More monuments here—perfect for photos. These two guys actually cycled all the way here. Major respect to them. Some… pretty strange slogans around here. “This moment, I’m above everything—except you.” Even though I’ve seen it in videos a few times, actually standing here, these majestic peaks are still breathtaking. It’s not peak time yet, so there aren’t many people behind me. If you keep going forward, there’s a cliff. Unless you’re climbing Everest— This is the closest an ordinary visitor can get to the world’s highest mountain. We’re around 19 kilometers from Everest right now. The real mountaineering base camp is hidden beneath the glacier ahead. Crazy! It’s getting cold now. There’s a lodge here. Looks like you might be able to shower there? Across from it is Rongbuk Monastery— One of the highest temples in the world. This area is known as Lower Rongbuk Monastery. And Upper Rongbuk Monastery—200 meters higher—is where the real mountaineering base camp is located. So, same description as before: Unless you’re here to climb Everest— This is the highest-altitude temple an ordinary visitor can reach. They have a sheep here. Hello there. This seems to be one of their living areas. They’re performing some kind of ritual inside. Monks must take off their shoes before entering, but visitors don’t have to. Usually, you aren’t allowed to film inside Tibetan temples. But I asked the monk at the entrance, and he gave me permission. I have no idea what they’re chanting— But it feels incredibly solemn and peaceful. Let’s explore some of the other rooms. Very few tourists right now. To be honest, I don’t really know the difference between the halls. Climbing stairs at this altitude is… a whole different sport. No idea what these two giant poles outside are for. Besides the sheep, it looks like they also have a yak. All this walking is making my blood oxygen drop a bit too much. After sunset, the temperature drops incredibly fast. I’ve already put on my thick down jacket. Suddenly, a whole wave of tourists arrived out of nowhere. Most of them probably left Shigatse early in the morning, and are just getting here at dusk. Now, there’s a pretty long line for taking photos with the monument. Sunset is coming soon. And it looks completely different from just an hour ago. Please enjoy the sunset over the world’s highest peak. Amazingly, people are still here taking photos. Like a factory assembly line. Even though it’s already pitch dark and you can barely see anything. The world’s highest party? Actually, it’s just people lining up for the bus down. Careful, people— Don’t forget we’re still at 5,000 meters. Looks like most people prefer not to spend the night at this altitude. Personally, I think the staff’s “dance” moves are more entertaining. I’ve made it to the base camp restaurant. They actually have hotpot here! Watching people eat hotpot *while* breathing oxygen is quite funny. I really wanted to try it myself— But I’m traveling solo; there’s no way I can finish all that food. It’s not cheap, but considering the altitude, it’s understandable. Another option is the buffet. Well… let’s just say it didn’t look very appealing. So… this is my sad little dinner. Time to sleep. Good night. Good morning. It’s still dark outside. I didn’t turn on the heated blanket and woke up freezing in the middle of the night. Adding the extra blanket helped a lot. Shout-out to this oxygen bottle for keeping me alive overnight. And a huge shout-out to my bladder— For NOT making me trek to the toilet in the sub-zero night. The toilet is pitch black, had to use my phone flashlight. The sky is filled with stars. The hardworking shop owner has already started opening up. The first bus of the day has arrived. Which means the first group of visitors has made it up here. The walkway is covered in a thick layer of frost. Good morning, Mount Everest. Anyone know what that bright star next to it is? These guys wake up really early. There are already quite a few tourists around.
The wind this morning is much stronger than it was last night. I’m holding this very simple breakfast coupon. And once again, I’m heading to the restaurant. Well… breakfast is also quite simple. Let’s put it that way. At least it’s free. Time to leave this little cabin. The highest place I’ve ever slept so far. Another incredibly beautiful day. Goodbye, Mount Everest. Hope I get the chance to see you again someday. Now it’s time to head back along the same route. That’s it for this video. Thanks so much for watching till the end. Safe travels!

This is an unforgettable road trip from Shigatse to the Everest Base Camp Scenic Area — a place close to the real mountaineering base camp, but designed for travelers like us. Along the way, I crossed a 5,248-meter mountain pass, wound through the famous 108 Turns, and stood at Gawula Pass, the only viewpoint on Earth where you can see five 8,000-meter peaks at once. And yes… I also spent the night in what might be the world’s highest “capsule hotel,” inside a tent over 5,000 meters, complete with thin air and a surprisingly cozy bed.

Timestamp:
0:00 Intro
0:50 Leaving Shigatse — taking care of the most important task first
2:25 Driving along China’s most iconic national highway
7:37 Reaching a 5,248-meter mountain pass and entering the Everest Nature Reserve
9:57 A last-minute change of plans: deciding to stay the night nearby
12:47 Passing through an earthquake-affected area
14:53 Entering the Everest Scenic Area and buying the tickets
16:48 The “108 Turns” — a seemingly endless series of switchbacks
19:42 Arriving at Gawula Pass, the world’s only viewpoint for five 8,000-meter peaks
25:43 Switching to the eco-shuttle for the final ride to Base Camp
30:08 Arriving at Base Camp: checking out my capsule room & exploring the area
39:07 Visiting one of the highest monasteries on Earth
42:44 Sunset over the world’s highest mountain & my very sad dinner
46:40 Spending a surprisingly cozy night at the world’s highest capsule hotel

▶ I use automatic translation of subtitles, so please excuse me if some look a little weird.