Lhasa, Everest Base Camp, Mount Kailash & Lake Mansarovar Tour

Detail Itinerary

• Day 1Kathmandu to Lhasa (3,650m/11,972ft) Today you will be embarking on an amazing adventure. Your flight leaves Kathmandu at midday and you will be arriving in Lhasa in the afternoon. On arrival you will be transferred to your hotel where you can spend the rest of the day relaxing or exploring the local area. We will have a welcome dinner tonight where you will be familiarized with the itinerary and be introduced to local cuisine. Overnight in Lhasa.
• Day 2Full Day sightseeing in Lhasa Today you will have a full day tour of Lhasa. We visit the beautiful Potala Palace, once the seat of the Tibetan Government and also the winter home of the Dalai Lama. It is a magnificent architectural wonder some 13 stories high and is the iconic sight in Lhasa. From here there are wonderful views over the entire city and you can visit the private quarters of the Dalai Lama. We also visit the Norbulingka Palace, this was formerly the summer home of the Dalai Lama. Here you will see the largest man made garden in Tibet. After this we visit the Tibet Museum which houses a collection of artifacts relating to the cultural history of Tibet. Overnight in Lhasa.
• Day 3Full Day sightseeing in Lhasa Today we continue our sightseeing tour of Lhasa. We visit the Drepung Monastery which is one of the three most important monasteries of the Gelugpa in Tibetan Buddhism. It was once home to some 10,000 monks but is now reduced to a few hundred. We also visit the Sera Monastery which with it’s white washed walls and golden roofs is another of the important monasteries of the Gelugpa and is an impressive sight. We visit the Jokhang Temple, a 1300 year old temple that is the spiritual heart of Tibet. As a very important spiritual pilgrimage place you can see pilgrims prostrating themselves outside. The golden Buddha here is the most revered in all of Tibet. The Barkhor Bazaar (market) nearby is the heart of Lhasa with it’s open air stalls, shops and crowds of pilgrims. Overnight in Lhasa.
• Day 4Lhasa to Gyantse (3,950m / 12,956ft) 5-6 hours Our road trip starts today with a drive to gyantse. We cross the Khamba La Pass (4794m) and stop to visit the stunning Yamdrok Tso Lake, nestled between the grey and green mountains this is one of the 3 sacred lakes of Tibet and shines a deep turquoise color when the sun is shining. We view the beautiful Nazin Kang Glacier (7252m) before crossing the Karo La Pass (5045m) enjoying the stunning mountain and glacier views before arriving at Gyantse. On arrival we visit the Khumbum Stupa and the Palkor Choede Monastery next to it. This is a very famous giant architectural stupa and is the only Nepalese styled stupa in Tibet. It was started in the 14th Century by the 1st Panchen Lama and is an important place for the Sakyapa (yellow hat) order and pilgrims. We also visit the Gyantse Dzong or Gyantse Fortress, a stunning sight located high on a hill above Gyantse city on a rocky hilltop. Overnight in Gyantse.
• Day 5Gyantse to Shigatse (3,900m / 12,795 ft) 2 hours Today we drive to Shigatse which is the second largest city in Tibet. Here we visit the Tashilhunpo Monastery which was founded by the first Dalai Lama in 1447 and is the seat of the Panchen Lama. It holds great significance and is one of the 6 major monasteries of the Gulugpa tradition in Tibet. After some sightseeing in Shigatse the remainder of the day is free for rest and acclimatization. Overnight in Shigatse.
• Day 6Shigatse to Rongbuk (5000m / 16,400ft) via Sakya 8-9 hours This morning we leave Shigatse heading to Rongbuk. We visit the Sakya Monastery, built in 1073 it is named after the grey earth typical of the region and until 1959 served as the seat of the Sakya Order. From here we drive onto the Rongbuk monastery, spectacularly located at the foot of Mt Everest and is one of the highest monasteries in the world at around 5000m. Overnight in Rongbuk.
• Day 7Rongbuk to Tingri 4200m / 13,780ft) via Everest Base Camp 5-6 hours Leaving Rongbuk this morning we enjoy the spectacular views of the mountains such as Cho Oyu (8201m), Shishipangma (8013m) and Mt Everest (8848m) all among the highest in the world. Mt Everest, known at Chomolungma in Tibetan being the tallest peak in the world. After spending time at the barren base camp surrounded by enormous peaks we continue on our journey to Tingri. Overnight in Tingri.
• Day 8Tingri to Saga (4391m/12,409ft) 5-6 hrs Today we have a lovely drive through the Tibetan countryside. Our destination today is Saga where we spend the night. Overnight in Saga
• Day 9Saga to Manasarovar (4558m/14,954ft) 6-7 hrs It’s an exciting day today as we will get our first glimpse of Mt Kailash. Our destination is Lake Manasarovar where we can have a dip in the sacred waters. The sacred blue and emerald green Manasarovar Lake is known to be an epitome of purity, containing healing properties and the power to wash off all mortal sins. Overnight in Manasarovar.
• Day 10Lake Manasarovar This morning we will enjoy puja on the lake and to bathe in the holy lake. We will enjoy some time by the lake including a picnic lunch before driving to Darchen where we will stay overnight.
• Day 11Drive to Tarboche then trek to Drirapuk (5000m/16,404ft) 6-8 hours Today marks the start of our trek around the sacred mountain. We walk 18km today through the valley with the river on our left and Mount Kailash on our right. Be prepared for some incredible views of Mount Kailash and a feeling that cannot be described but needs to be felt personally. The first day of our Kora is a gradual walk along with many other pilgrims chanting and praying. Overnight at Drirapuk in guesthouse or tents.
• Day 12Drirapuk to Dolma La Pass (5944m/19,500ft) to Zuthulphuk 10-12 hrs Today is the hardest day of our journey but also the most rewarding. Our way today leads us to the much higher path just beneath Mount Kailash and is one of the highest points on our trip. At the pass there is a large boulder festooned with prayer flags, just below the pass is Lake Tuje Chenpo Dzingbu (Gauri Kund) otherwise known as the “Pool of Great Compassion”. From here we descending gradually over grassy fields towards Zuthulphuk, the miracle cave of Milarepa where we stay overnight.
• Day 13Zuthulphuk – Darchen then drive to Lake Manasarovar This morning we can spend some time exploring the caves and visiting the temples and shrine that has been built around Milarepa’s Cave. It is well worth the climb up to these caves before continuing on the final leg of our pilgrimage Kora on a gradually winding track which finishes in Darchen. From here we drive back to Lake Manasorovar where we spend the night.
• Day 14Lake Manasarovar drive to Saga Now we begin our return journey with a drive to Saga. Overnight in Saga.
• Day 15Saga to Kathmandu 6-8 hrs The final day of our journey takes us back to Kathmandu and the end of our journey.
• Day 16Departure Day It’s time for our journey to end. You will be escorted to the airport for your international flight or onward journey.