It is an adventurous and spiritual journey. This 14-day itinerary includes important sites in central and western Tibet, as well as Tibetan Buddhist culture. The tour starts in Lhasa, the holy city of Tibet, and you will visit the landmarks of Tibet in the first few days, such as Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street. Depart from Lhasa along the G318 Sino-Nepal Highway, pass by Yamdroktso Lake, Gyantse Kumbum, Shigatse Tashilhunpo Monastery, and head to Mount Everest Base Camp. Here, you will have a lifetime experience of facing the world's highest mountain.
Then you continue to the west of the Tibetan Plateau, overlooking Shishapangma Mountain (the 14th highest peak in the world), the azure Peikutso Lake, and the nomadic tents on the vast arid plain. Before Mount Kailash, you will visit the beautiful high-altitude holy lake "Mansarovar". After savoring the beauty of this great lake and the holy bath in the lake, you will head to Mount Kailash. Here you will start your 3-day pilgrimage kora. On the 52-kilometer trekking route, you can not only enjoy breathtaking views of the Sarshung Valley and Lachu Valley, but also get up close and personal with devout pilgrims from all corners of the world.
Brief Itinerary:
Day01 Arrival in Lhasa (3650m) Pick up and transfer to the hotel.
Day02 Lhasa City Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street, Tibetan Thangka Studio
Day03 Lhasa Sightseeing Drepung Monastery, Sera monastery
Day04 Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse Yamdroktso Lake , Karola Glacier, Pelkor Chode Monastery
Day05 Shigatse - Tingri - Rongbuk - EBC Rongbuk Monastery, Everest Base Camp
Day06 EBC - Saga Peikutso Lake
Day07 Saga - Darchen Enjoy the scenery along the way
Day08 Mt Kailash Kora①: Darchen - Dirapuk (4700m), Drive 5km, Trek 15km, Approx. 7~11hrs Mt.Kailash kora
Day09 Mt Kailash Kora②: Dirapuk - Zutulpuk (4790m), Trek 22km, Approx. 11~14hrs Mt.Kailash kora
Day10 Mt Kailash Kora③: Zuktulpuk- Darchen, Trek 9km, Approx. 2~5hrs; Drive from Darchen -Manasarovar (4560m)-Zhongba, 340km, Approx. 5.5hrs Manasarovar Lake
Day11 Zhongba - Lhatse, 470km, Approx. 8hrs Enjoy the scenery along the way
Day12 Lhatse - Shigatse Sakya Monastery
Day13 Shigatse - Lhasa, 300km, Approx. 6hrs Tashilhunpo Monastery, Yarlung Tsangpo Valley
Day14 Departure from Lhasa Send off to the airport/railway station
Day by Day Arrangement:
Day 1 Arrival in Lhasa (3650m)
This is the first day in Tibet. Your guide will greet you at Lhasa Gonggar Airport/Railway Station and transfer you to your hotel. It usually takes around 1.5 hours to drive from Lhasa Airport to downtown Lhasa and takes about 20mins from Lhasa Railway Station. Tourists could have a look at the Yarlung Tsangpo River, the largest and longest river in Tibet on their way to the hotel. After check-in, you can have a good rest first. And if you feel like going out, you can wander around the city. But just remember that don't take too much stuff, try to go with a light pack. Meanwhile, drink some more water, do not move strenuously. It’s really useful to get acclimatized to the high altitude.
Stay overnight in Lhasa
Day 2 Lhasa City
In the morning our guide will meet you at the hotel and first take you to visit the famous Potala Palace, the cardinal landmark of Tibet and the masterpiece of Tibetan architecture. It was first built by the 33rd King - Songtsen Gangpo in the 7th century and rebuilt later by the 5th Dalai Lama in the 17th century. Now it's a museum and world heritage site.
In the afternoon, we will go to visit Jokhang Temple in the center of the Lhasa old town. Jokhang Temple is one of the most sacred temples all over Tibet and it is always bustling with earnest local pilgrims since the early days. After that, you will take a walk around the Barkhor Street - one of the most devotional circuit as well as a crowded central market of Lhasa. Barkhor Street is a very ancient round street surrounding the Jokhang Temple and the locals are always proud of it. As a symbol of Lhasa, it‘s also a must-see place for visitors.
Stay overnight in Lhasa
As the winter palace of the Dalai Lama, Potala Palace is an important religious landmark of Tibet.
Day 3 Lhasa Sightseeing
In the morning, you are heading to Drepung monastery, which means Monastery of Rice Heaps in the Tibetan language. It’s a white magnificent construction that looks also like rice heaps in the distance. Drepung monastery is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery, where lived more than 10 thousand monks before Tibet's liberation.
In the afternoon, tourists will pay a visit to Sera Monastery, which is one of the “great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet. Monks debate from around 3pm to 5 pm. It’s very attractive even if you don’t understand what they are talking about at all. If the debate is not your type, you can also see the three sand Mandalas and colorful Rock Painting of Buddha inside the monastery. Besides, the sight in the Sera Monastery is quite good because you can see wild roses around. That’s why people also call it “the court of wild rose”.
Stay overnight in Lhasa
Drepung Monastery was built in 1416 and located in the suburb of Lhasa, 5 kilometers western from it.
Day 4 Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse
From Lhasa to Gyantse is about 264km, en route you will pass by Gambala Mountain Pass (4790m), where's the best place to overlook the Yamdroktso lake. Then head to Shigatse via the fertile Nyangchu Valley, a wide agricultural plain where colorfully decorated yaks and horses are used by Tibetan farmers to cultivate this land.
Stay overnight in Shigatse
Amazing Yamdroktso Lake
Yamdroktso Lake
Day 5 Shigatse - Tingri - Rongbuk - EBC
Tibet has a serious rule about the speed limit. Though from Shigatse to Everest region is only about 350km or so, no-more-than-40km/hr speed limitation, and the many road checks dotted on the way, really slow us down. So be prepared to spend around 8~10hrs on the road including mealtime. The upside is the view along the way is superb. Also please take some snacks with you for the long-time driving.
In summer, usually May~Oct, we will stay overnight at Everest Tent Camp; in winter, usually Nov~Apr, we will stay at Rongbuk Monastery’s guesthouse. There are dorm beds available in the 2 places. In both places, you can see the glorious Everest sunset if the weather is good.
Stay overnight at EBC
prayer wheels at Rongbuk Monastery
Rongbuk Monastery
Day 6 EBC - Saga
Get up early to enjoy a beautiful sunrise over the stunning landscape surrounding Mount Everest. You can see Mount Everest gradually emerging, the clouds being blown away by strong winds. If you are lucky, you will have the chance to see the famous "flag clouds" of Mount Everest. In the late morning, we need to travel 330 kilometers from EBC to Saga County via old Tingri, which takes about 8 hours. From old Tingri, you can see Mount Everest, Cho Oyu and Shishapangma at 8000m+ above sea level. The road runs parallel to the Himalayas. On the Nepalese side of the mountain range, it's called the Anapurna Mountains. In addition to overlooking the snow-capped peaks and the desolate wilderness, you can also enjoy the pure scenery of the cobalt blue Peikutso Lake (4600 meters).
Lake Peikutso and Mt.Shishapangma
Day 7 Saga - Darchen
Drive from Saga to Zhongba to Paryang to Hor Qu then finally today’s destination of Darchen. A photogenic section of dunes, lakes, and mountain views in 60km from Zhongba. Photos taken along this route can often get steppe, streams, desert dunes and snowcapped mountains in the same shot.
The scenery along the way.
Day 8 Mt Kailash Kora①: Darchen - Dirapuk (4700m), Drive 5km, Trek 15km, Approx. 7~11hrs
In the morning, you will take an eco-bus (included in the cost) to Sarshung valley and start the trekking from there. Then you will meet your porters and yaks at Sarshung Valley(the cost of hiring yaks, horses, and porters are not included in the package). You’ll trek about 15 km from Sarshung Valley to Drirapuk Monastery along the Lachu River Valleys. During your trekking today, you can see both west and north face of Mt.Kailash. Finally, you will visit Drirapuk Monastery and stay overnight here.
Stay overnight in Guesthouse, Dorm Bed
Far view of holy Mount Kailash
Day 9 Mt Kailash Kora②: Dirapuk - Zutulpuk (4790m), Trek 22km, Approx. 11~14hrs
Today is the most challenging day of the trekking, you’ll climb over the highest pass of the Kora, the Dromala pass(5630m). After a short rest at the top, we will climb down into the long valley and stop for lunch at the Shabjay Dakpo nomadic tent. On the way, you can have a rest in a teahouse. Then you will continue to the Zultulpuk , built by two important religious figures, Milarepa and Naro Bonchung. At last, you will visit Zutulpuk Monastery. You will find the footprint and handprint of Milarepa inside the cave.
Stay overnight in Guesthouse, Dorm Bed
The top of Mt. Kailash is covered with sparkling snow all year round. You will be deeply touched by its sacred and solemn face!
Mount Kailash
Day 10 Mt Kailash Kora③: Zuktulpuk- Darchen, Trek 9km, Approx. 2~5hrs; Drive from Darchen -Manasarovar (4560m)-Zhongba, 340km, Approx. 5.5hrs
It's an easy day of the trek. You'll trek 9km to complete the Kora then take the eco bus back to Darchen. According to Buddhism theory, doing a kora around a holy mountain for one circle can get rid of the sins and miseries for the whole life. Only after going through lots of hardships, you can feel the happiness and gratification brought by kora. Then you take the shuttle bus back to Darchen, about 3km. We will drive you from Darchen to Mansarovar, the top holy lake in Tibet. It’s 40km to the southwest of Darchen. If the weather is good, you can see the splendid scenery of the lake Manasarovar. If you feel good, you can do a trek along the shore of the lake for a while. And then you'll head to Zhongba.
Stay overnight in Zhongba, Guesthouse
Day 11 Zhongba - Lhatse, 470km, Approx. 8hrs
Today we will drive to Lhatse from Zhongba. The reason why we don't stay overnight near Manasarovar is the poor accommodation condition. You can enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way.
Stay overnight in Lhatse
Day 12 Lhatse - Shigatse
You will get back to Shigatse via Sakya County. There is a famous Tibetan Buddhism monastery in Sakya County - Sakya Monastery, the main monastery of Sakyapa, built in the 1360s. The walls around this monastery were mainly in gray, but the top part of the walls was painted in red and white stripes. That’s why Sakyapa is also called Variegated Buddhism.
There are many cultural relics such as seals, Buddha statues, a large collection of books, more than 3000 exquisite murals, etc. The murals of the Yuan Dynasty are the most distinctive, which makes Sakya Monastery known as the "second Dunhuang".
Stay overnight in Shigatse
Exquisite painting
Day 13 Shigatse - Lhasa, 300km, Approx. 6hrs
In the morning, we will visit the home of Panchen Lama - Tashilunpo Monastery, which was founded by the 1st Dalai Lama in 1447. It is a historic and culturally important monastery in Shigatse. It's located on the central hill of the city. The full name in Tibetan of the monastery means "all fortune and happiness gathered here" or "heap of glory".
Then, we will drive back to Lhasa from Shigatse along the Friendship Highway, via the northern route to Lhasa. It is the most direct route and usually takes around 6 hours to reach the capital. We will make several stops on the way in order to enjoy the views of the Yarlung Tsangpo River Valley.
Tashi Lhunpo Monastery is seat to the Panchen Lama, the second most important spiritual leader of Tibet
Day 14 Departure from Lhasa
Your tour ends today. Our guide and driver will collect you from your hotel to transfer to Lhasa Airport/Railway Station for your next destination.
Based on 3-star hotels for 2 people in low seasons. Price varies according to travel season, number of people and level of accommodation.
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