D1

Lhasa Arrival

D2

Lhasa Suburban

D3

Lhasa Downtown

D4

Lhasa → Holy Lake Yamdrotso → Karola Glacier → Pelkor Chode Monastery with Gyantse Kumbum → Gyantse → Shigatse

D5

Shigatse → Tingri → Rongphu Monastery → Everest Base Camp (5200m)

D6

EBC with up-close view of Mt Everest (8844m) → Peikutso Lake near Mt Shishapangma → Saga

D7

Saga → Darchen the starting point of Mt Kailash Kora

D8

Mt Kailash Kora ❶: Darchen → Sershong Valley → Dirapuk Monastery

D9

Mt Kailash Kora ❷: Dirapuk Monastery → Dormala Pass (5630m) → Zutulpuk Monastery

D10

Mt Kailash Kora ❸: Zutulpuk Monastery → Darchen; Drive: Darchen → Lake Manasarovar including Chiu (Sparrow) Monastery with Hot Springs

D11

Lake Manasarovar → Payang → Saga

D12

Saga → Lhatse → Sakya Monastery

D13

Sakya → Sakya Monastery → Shigatse

D14

Shigatse → Tashilhunpo Monastery→ Tibetan Family Visit → Lhasa along Southern Friendship Hwy

D15

Lhasa Rest Day

D16

Lhasa Departure

    D1

Arrival in Lhasa

- / - / D

Highlights: ✔Acclimation of Tibetan Plateau ✔Explore and get the vibe of Lhasa

DIST. 50km/1.5hrs

Welcome to Lhasa. Our experienced Tibetan guide will greet you outside the exit holding your name sign. A white Khata (scarf) presenting ceremony will be performed according to Tibetan tradition to bless you with a safe and happy journey ahead. After checking in to your hotel the rest of your day is free to explore this "Land of the Gods", which is over 1,300 years old, sitting in a valley right next to the Lhasa River.

    D2

Lhasa Suburban

B / L / D

Highlights: ✔Drepung Monastery ✔Summer Palace Norbulingka ✔Sera Monastery with Lama Debating Ceremony

DIST. 50km/1.5hrs

Potala Palace involves climbing many flights of stairs to a hilltop, thus we arrange the second day for sights in Lhasa suburban, which are less physically demanding. Guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel, and deliver you back afterwards.

Drepung Monastery, located at the foot of Mt Gephel, is one of the "great three" Gelug university gompas of Tibet. Covering an area of 250,000 square meters, Drepung houses many exquisite statues and murals.

Summer Palace Norbulingka is a palace with surrounding park, served as the traditional summer residence of the successive Dalai Lamas. Covering an area of around 89 acres, it is considered to be the largest man made garden in Tibet.

Sera Monastery with Lama Debating Ceremony: Located at the foot of Tatipu Hill, worshipped not only as one of the six main Gelugpa monasteries of Tibet Buddhism, Sera Monastery has assumed another responsibility of cultivating eminent monks by serving as a religious educational institution. It is famous for the Buddhism activities of Monks Debating, which takes place in the afternoons from Monday to Saturday.

    D3

Urban Lhasa

B / L / D

Highlights: ✔Potala Palace ✔Chakpori Hill with Rock Paintings & Carvings ✔Jokhang Temple ✔Barkhor Bazaar

DIST. 50km/1.5hrs

Potala Palace, the winter palace of Dalai Lamas since the 7th century, symbolizes Tibetan Buddhism and its central role in the traditional administration of Tibet. The complex, comprising the White and Red Palaces with their ancillary buildings, is built on Red Mountain in the centre of Lhasa Valley, at an altitude of 3,700m.

Chakpori Hill with Rock Paintings & Carvings: Rising up beside the Potala Palace, the Chakpori Hill (Yao Wang Shan, or literally the Hill of Medicine King) is 3,725 meters above sea level. Ascending the winding path to the top, one can get a panoramic view of the ancient city with its surrounding landscapes, also an ideal location to take photographs of Potala Palace in full view, as on the￥50 Chinese yuan note. On its southern cliff is a large cluster of rock carvings, approximately over 5,000 cliff-side carvings, which is the largest in number and most diversified in contents and style in Tibet.

Jokhang Temple has been listed in the UNESCO's World Heritage since 2000. It is the spiritual center of Tibet and the holiest destination for all Tibetan pilgrims. Situated at the heart of Lhasa Old Town and surrounded by Barkhor Bazaar, this 4 storied building, built in the 7th century by Songtsan Gambo, with roofs covered with gilded bronze tiles, demonstrates a combination of the architectural style of Han, Tibetan, India and Nepal, as well as a Mandala world outlook of Buddhism. Devoted Tibetan pilgrims perform body length prostration in its courtyard all year long.

Barkhor Bazaar is located in Lhasa Old Town, surrounding Jokhang Temple. It is the best place to shop for authentic Tibetan souvenirs where are full of shops and stands at its every corners. It is also of extraordinary historical and cultural significance. Barkhor was developed along with Jokhang Temple in the early 7th century.

    D4

Lhasa → Holy Lake Yamdrotso → Karola Glacier → Pelkor Chode Monastery with Gyantse Kumbum → Gyantse → Shigatse

B / L / D

Highlights: ✔Holy Lake Yamdrotso ✔Karola Glacier, Pelkor Chode Monastery with Gyantse Kumbum

DIST. 360km/7hrs

✚Drive along Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) River by Southern Friendship Hwy via Kamba-la Pass (4794m)

✚Holy Lake Yamdrotso lies to the south of Yarlong Tsangpo River in Shannan Region of Tibet. The lake is one of three holy lakes in Tibet with the easiest access of them all. It is the largest freshwater lake at the south foot of the Himalayas with an area of about 638 square kilometers (about 246 square miles). The lake is in a length of 130 kilometers (about 81 miles) and a width of 70 kilometers (about 43 miles).The surface of the lake is about 4,441 meters (about 14,570 feet) above the sea level. Far in the distance is the huge massif of Mt Nojin Kangtsang (7191m). We will go all the way down to the lake shore

✚Karola Glacier is a beautiful glacier perched between Nangartse County of Shannan and Gyantse County of Shigatse. Backing to the south face of Mt Noijin Kangtsang, Karola Glacier is made of an ice cap with slow slope and two hanging-glacier typed glacier tongues. Mt Noijin Kangtsang is one of the four greatest snow-capped mountains in Tibet. Among its glaciers, Karola Glacier is the biggest one occupying 9.4 square kilometers and reaching to 5,560 meters high. Contrasted with the blue sky, soft clouds and colorful prayer flags, the scenery of Korala Glacier is magnificent. Many Tibetan films had been shot here, the most famous one called Red River Valley.

✚Pelkor Chode Monastery with Gyantse Kumbum: the read-walled Pelkor Chode Monastery was founded in 1418. There’s a small but visible population of 80 monks and a steady stream of prostrating, praying, donation-offering pilgrims doing the rounds almost any time of the day. Sitting inside the Pelkor Chode complex, its Gyantse Kumbum is the town’s foremost attraction. This 32m-high Chorten, with its white layers trimmed with decorative strips and its crown-like golden dome, is awe-inspiring. And its inside is no less impressive, and in what seems an endless series of tiny chapels you will find painting after exquisite painting (Kumbum means ‘100,000 images’).

    D5

Shigatse → Tingri → Rongphu Monastery → Everest Base Camp (5200m)

B / L / D

Highlights: ✔Rongphu Monastery

DIST. 360km/7hrs

Get your Alien’s Travel Permit done in Shigatse which takes abt 30mins;

Pass by Tropu-la Pass (4540M) and Gyatso-la Pass (5248M);

Enter Mt Everest National Nature Reserve, some 27,000 sq km of territory around Mt Everest;

Enjoy the panorama of Himalaya Mountain Range at Gawula Pass (5198m);

Rongphu Monastery (4980m) is located at the northern foot of Mt Everest, famed as the highest altitude monastery in the world. The monastery and its large Chorten makes a superb photograph with Everest thrusting its head skyward in the background.

    D6

EBC → Peikutso Lake → Saga

B / L / D

Highlights: ✔Everest Base Camp ✔Peikutso Lake

DIST. 300km/10hrs

Everest Base Camp (5200m) with up-close view of Mt Everest (8844m), the highest mountain on Earth, unobscured by other mountains from Tibet side.

Peikutso Lake is a beautiful alpine lake, with a water area over 300 square kilometers. The light salty lake is near the world's 4th highest mountain, Mt Shishapangma. Peikutso Lake is just on the way to Ngari, the western Tibet.

    D7

Saga → Darchen

B / L / D

Highlights: ✔Preparation for Mt Kailash Kora

DIST. 630km/9hrs

The road from Saga to Darchen is now well paved and drivable in a single day. Along the way, there is a photogenic section of sand dunes, lake and mountains from Zhongba to Paryang. The route from Paryang to Hor Qu is a pleasant drive along the spine of the Himalaya, passing through yellow steppes, with craggy, snow-capped peaks looming to the south. At the Mayum-la (552m), the road crosses from the drainage basin of the Yarlung Tsangpo to that of the Sutlej, as you cross from Shigatse to Ngari prefectures. A descent leads to the long Gung Gyu-tso. Your first magical view of Mt Kailash come into view approximately 90km after the Mayum-la, just before the town of Hor Qu (4620m).

Nestled below the foothills of Mt Kailash, the small town of Darchen (4670m) is the starting point of the kora. It is a rapidly expanding settlement of hotel compounds, tourist restaurants and newly built blocks, much improved on the miserable hovel that greeted travellers to Kailash a few years ago.

    D8

Mt Kailash Kora ❶: Darchen → Sershong Valley → Dirapuk Monastery

B / L / D

Highlights: ✔Mt Kailash Kora: Barkha Plain, Lha-chu Valley, Lha-chu River, Tarboche Flagpole, Chuku Monastery, Dirapuk Monastery, north face of Mt Kailash, Chana Dorje, Jampelyang, Chenresig, etc.

DRV DIST. 7km/20mins

TREK DIST. 13km/5hrs

This morning meet your guide to board the eco-friendly shuttle bus and set off for Sershong Valley, where we will meet up with yaks/horses/porters. They will carry your supplies for the following three days trek. En route, we will pass by Barkha Plain, a sandy expanse speckled with greenery; barren Lha-chu Valley with narrow Lha-chu River which flows all the way to Dirapuk Monastery; Tarboche Flagpole (4750m), the site for Saga Dawa Festival.

The Mt Kailash Kora starts now. First comes into view is Chuku Monastery (4820m), perched high above the valley floor. Follow the trails along the riverbank and head towards Dirapuk Monastery (5080m), sitting in a superb location on the hillside north of the Lha-chu, facing directly the astonishing north face of Mt Kailash. The lesser mountains are arrayed in front of Mt Kailash: Chana Dorje (Vajrapani) to the west, Jampelyang (Manjushri) to the east and Chenresig (Avalokiteshvara) in the centre.

    D9

Mt Kailash Kora ❷: Dirapuk Monastery → Dormala Pass (5630m) → Zutulpuk Monastery

B / L / D

Highlights: ✔Mt Kailash Kora: Drolma-chu Valley, Jarok Donkhang, Shiva-tsal, Dormala Pass, Gauri Kund (Lake of Compassion), Dzong-chu (Fortress River), Zutulpuk Monastery, etc.

DRV DIST. - / -

TREK DIST. 18km/8hrs

The main kora path heads off to the east, crossing the Lha-chu by bridge and then climbs on to a moraine to meet the trail on the east bank. The long ascent up the Drolma-chu Valley now begins.

Less than an hour long is the meadow at Jarok Donkhang (5210m). A short distance later, there is the rocky expanse of Shiva-tsal (5330m), where pilgrims are supposed to undergo a symbolic death, entering in the realm of the Lord of the Dead, until they reach the top of Dorma-la and are reborn again.

Allow around 1hour for the 200m climb to the Dormala Pass (5630m), the highest point of Mt Kailash Kora. Pilgrims perform a circumambulation, pasting money onto the rock with yak butter, and stooping to pass under the lines of prayer flags and a new string or two to the collection. They have now been reborn, and, by the mercy and compassion of Drolma, their sins have been forgiven.

Rest a while before start the steep descent. Almost immediately, Gauri Kund (5608m), the Lake of Compassion, comes into view below. It takes approximately an hour to make the long and steep 400m descent to the grassy banks of the Lham-chu Khir.

Few hours later, comes Dzong-chu, the Fortress River.

Shortly afterwards, we arrive at Zutulpuk Monastery (4820m). Its zutul phuk (miracle cave) that gives the monastery its name is at the back of the main hall.

   D10

Mt Kailash Kora ❸: Zutulpuk Monastery → Darchen; Drive: Darchen → Lake Manasarovar including Chiu (Sparrow) Monastery with Hot Springs

B / L / D

Highlights: ✔Mt Kailash Kora: Gold & Red Cliffs, Lake Rakshas Tal, Barkha Plain, etc. ✔Lake Manasarovar ✔Chiu (Sparrow) Monastery with Hot Springs

TREK DIST. 14km/4hrs

DRV DIST. 50km/1hr

From Zutulpuk Monastery, the trail follows the river closely for 1hour or so then climbs above the river and enters the lovely Gold & Red Cliffs, a narrow canyon whose walls are stained purple, cobalt and rust. In the far distance you can see here the blue water of the Lake Rakshas Tal.

The trail emerges onto the Barkha Plain, and about an easy 1hour walk you will return to Darchen. The tree days Mt Kailash Kora is now completed.

Drive from Darchen to Lake Manasarovar (4575m), which reflects the most lucid shades of blue imaginable. It represents the female or wisdom aspect of enlightenment and is a symbol of good fortune and fertility.

Chiu (Sparrow) Monastery on the northwest corner of Lake Manasarovar, you will enjoy a long post-hike soak at its hot springs.

   D11

Lake Manasarovar → Payang → Saga

B / L / D

Highlights: ✔Return to Saga

DIST. 580km/8hrs

A relaxing return from Lake Manasarovar to Saga via Payang.

   D12

Saga → Lhatse → Sakya Monastery

B / L / D

Highlights: ✔Sakya Town

DIST. 350km/7hrs

A relaxing drive from Saga to Sakya via Lhatse. Sakya Town (4316m) is about 25km off the Southern Friendship Hwy, accessed via a good dirt road through a pretty farming valley.

   D13

Sakya → Sakya Monastery → Shigatse

B / L / D

Highlights: ✔Sakya Monastery

DIST. 152km/3hrs

Sakya Monastery has two monasteries on either side of the Trum-chu. The heavy, brooding, fortress-like monastery south of the river is the more impressive. Unlike the standard whitewashed that you see elsewhere in Tibet, Sakya Monastery’s building are ash grey with white and red vertical stripes. The colouring symbolizes the Rigsum Gonpo (the trinity of bodhisattvas) and stands as a mark of Sakya authority. Sakya literally means ‘pale earth’.

   D14

Shigatse → Tashilhunpo Monastery→ Tibetan Family Visit → Lhasa along Southern Friendship Hwy

B / L / D

Highlights: ✔Tashilhunpo Monastery ✔Tibetan Family Visit

DIST. 280km/5hrs

Tashilhunpo Monastery, the traditional seat of Panchen Lamas, founded in 1447 by the 1st Dalai Lama, is a historic and culturally important monastery in Shigatse. Its huge golden statue of the Future Buddha is the largest gilded statute in the world.

Tibetan Family Home Visit to experience Tibetan life first-handedly and our legendary hospitalities. It is the best way to learn about the culture and way of life of today’s Tibetan families in Tibet. It’s an interactive activities of experiencing the original, unique and colorful Tibetan customs.

Drive along Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) River by Northern Friendship Hwy to return to Lhasa.

   D15

Lhasa Rest Day

B / - / -

Highlights: ✔Rest and have fun

DIST. 630km/9hrs

A rest day on your own in Lhasa before your departure. You can do a little shopping at Lhasa Old Town, or enjoy a coffee under the sun at one of the cafes in Barkhor Bazaar.

   D16

Lhasa Departure

B / - / -

Highlights: ✔Homeward Bound

DIST. 50km/1.5hrs

Time to say adios to the Roof of the World. Thumbs up to yourself for making it happened. Humbled by the marvel and beauty of nature, it’s nature’s way of keeping us in check. Hop on your private vehicle for the transfer to Lhasa Airport/Railway. Say a fond farewell to your Tibetan guide and driver and take home with you the best memories of Tibet.