Duration : 14 Nights / 15 Days
Destination Covered : Lhasa – Gyantse – Shigatse - EBC - Saga – Darchen - Kailash Trek - Lake Manasarovar – Saga - Shigatse - Lhasa
DAY 01 : Arrival In Lhasa (3680m)
Our staff will greet you at Lhasa Airport/Railway to transfer you to the hotel. From Lhasa Airport to downtown Lhasa, usually, it takes about one hour. It’s about 20 minutes driving From Lhasa Railway Station to your hotel. In order to adapt to the high altitude in Tibet, you'd better have a rest and don’t do strenuous exercise. If you feel good, you can visit the Potala Palace Square, far view the Yaowang Mountain and take a panoramic view of the Potala Palace. Remember to drink lots of water, eat light and high carbohydrate foods help you adapt the high altitude better.
Stay overnight in Lhasa, 3★/4★
Other service: Free Lhasa Railway Station transfer at all time on first & last day, Free Lhasa Airport transfer on first & last day at times
DAY 02 : Lhasa Sightseeing
After breakfast in the hotel, tour guide and driver will meet you in the lobby of the hotel and pick you up to Drepung monastery, located about 45km to the north of Lhasa. Drepung monastery is one of the “great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet with Sera Monastery and Ganden Monastery.
In the Afternoon, you will visit Sera Monastery, another one of the “great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet, home to over 600 monks. The hot attraction is the Monks debate at around 3 - 5 in the afternoon from Monday to Saturday. Even if you can’t understand their debating, it’s interesting.
You will have a welcoming dinner this tonight, talk with group members from all over the world.
Stay overnight in Lhasa, 3★/4★
Attraction: Drepung Monastery Sera Monastery
Meals: Breakfast & Welcome Dinner
DAY 03 : Lhasa Sightseeing
Today, you will visit the most famous Potala Palace according to the time of ticket and in peak season, there is a visit time limitation. Potala Palace is the winter palace of the Dalai lama. It was put to use since the 7th Century by the 33rd great king of Tibet. The most valuable collections of Potala Palace are the gilded burial stupas of former Dalai Lamas and meditation Cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet.
At noon, the tour guide will bring you to a good restaurant to have lunch and have a rest. In the afternoon, you will head to Jokhang temple which was founded by the 33rd great king of Tibet in the 7th century. Inside you can see the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni at the age of twelve. Outside, you can see pilgrims making prostrating in front of Jokhang Temple. Around the temple is Barkhor Street, where you can do Kora with pilgrims and locals and explore the old market.
Stay overnight in Lhasa, 3★/4★
Attraction: Potala Palace Jokhang Temple Barkhor Street
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 04 : Lhasa- Gyantse(4040m)- Shigatse(3840m), 360km, Approx 6 hrs
We will pass by Kampala pass (4794m) on the way from Lhasa to Shigatse and visit Yamdrok Lake, it is one of the three largest sacred lakes in Tibet, and it’s around 70km long. The lake is surrounded by many snow-capped mountains and is fed by numerous small streams.
Later we will pass and enjoy the Karola Glacier on the roadside. It is about 300m from the main highway with easy access on your way to Gyantse.
Then visit Pelkor Chode Monastery is the main monastery in Gyantse. Pelkhor Choede in Gyantse town is located about 230km to the south of Lhasa and 100kmto east of Shigatse. The monastery is a short walk from the heart of the town.
Stay overnight in Shigatse, 3★/4★
Attraction: Yamdroktso Lake Karola Glacier Pelkor Chöde Monastery with Gyantse Kumbum
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 05 : Shigatse -Tingri -Rongpuk –EBC(5200m), 350km, Approx. 7hrs
In the morning, you will leave Shigatse to Lhatse, a small town located 150 km from Shigatse, and you may have lunch in local restaurant. After a short rest, you will go ahead to Tingri. You will pass Tsola Pass(4600M), and Gyatsola Pass(5248M). In the late afternoon, you enter Mt. Everest National Nature Reserve. You can enjoy the panorama of Himalaya at Gawula Pass (5198m).Then we drive along the New zigzag road to Rongpuk or the Tent Camp to stay overnight. If the weather is good, you can have a clear view of the sunset of golden Everest peak.
Stay overnight in Nomad Tent, (Dorm Bed) or Rongpuk guesthouse
Attraction: Rongbuk Monastery
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 06 : Eevrest Base Camp - Saga (4600m), 450km, Approx. 9hrs
You can get up early and enjoy the sunrise of Everest Peak at lodging area if the weather is good. And then, we can drive you to the Everest Base Camp. After that, drive to saga, on the way, you can view of the worlds’14th highest peak Mt.Shishapangma (8012m). Later, you will reach Lake Peiku tso(4590m) and have a rest there. Then continue to Saga, If you are lucky enough, you are very likely to see wild animals like the wild donkey, wild antelope etc.
Stay overnight in Saga, Guesthouse
Attraction: Everest Base Camp Peikutso Lake
DAY 07 : Saga – Darchen (4560m), 490km, Approx 9hrs
Today, you will spend a lot of time on the way, but it’s worthy to see the landscape along the way.You’ll have stunning views of the great Himalayans to the south and Trans-Himalayan to the north as we drive across the vast plains. This region is home to nomads, you’ll see the beautiful grassland and local's villages. As we cross the Mayomla Pass (5112M), you can enjoy the spectacular vista of Mt. Naimonanyi(7694M).
During this thrilling journey, you’ll pass by sand dunes, mountains, and sandstone valleys before we reach the Darchen, a small nomadic village and important launch point for pilgrimages around Mt. Kailash. Upon your arrival, you can explore the Darchen town on your own. If you need porters and yaks, your tour guide will arrange it for you this afternoon.
Stay overnight in Guesthouse or 4★
DAY 08 : Darchen-Dirakpuk (4700m), (Driving 7km, Trek 13km)
In the morning, you will take an eco-bus (included in the cost) to Sarshung valley and start the trekking from there. If you have hired porters and yaks in the last day, you’ll meet them there. (The cost of hiring yaks, horses, and porters are not included in the package). You’ll trek about 13 km from Sarshung valley to Drirapuk Monastery, where you will stay overnight there in a guesthouse.
Stay overnight in Guesthouse, Dorm Bed
Attraction: Mt. Kailash
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 09 : Trek From Dirakpuk-Zuktulpuk (4790m), 18km, Approx 6hrs
Today is the most changeling 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
Attraction:Mt. Kailash
DAY 10 : Trek From Zuktulpuk - Darchen, 7km, Approx 2hrs; Drive From Darchen - Manasarovar (4560m), 40km, Approx 1hr
It's an easy day of the trek. You'll trek 7 km to complete the Kora. In the afternoon, the car will pick you up in Darchen and drive you to the holy lake Manasarovar, which is just 40 km in the southwest of Darchen. If the weather is good, you can see the splendid sunset of the lake Manasarovar. If you feel good, you can do a trek along the shore of the lake.
Stay overnight in Guesthouse, Dorm Bed
Attraction: Mt. Kailash Lake Manasarovar
DAY 11 : Manasarovar – Payang-Saga, 490km, Approx 9hrs
You can get up early to go for a stroll along the shore of the Lake Manasarovar. And then you’ll go back to Saga.
Stay overnight in Saga, Guesthouse
DAY 12 : Saga-Lhatse(4000m),312 Km, Approx 7hrs
On the way back to Lhatse, you’ll see beautiful grassland and local's villages.
Stay overnight in Lhatse Guesthouse
DAY 13 : Lhatse-Sakya-Shigatse,200 Km, Approx 4hrs
In the morning, we will drive along the main road to Sakya to visit ancient Sakya town and explore the twisting alleys with the pilgrims. You can also tour Sakya monastery for the amzing murals and a huge collection of scriptures and statues. In the afternoon, we will drive back to Shigatse and visit Tashilunpo Monastery the home of Panchen Lama, it was founded by the 1st Dalai Lama in 1447, is a historic and culturally important monastery in Shigatse and also the second-largest city in Tibet. It located on a hill in the center of the city, the full name in Tibetan of the monastery means "all fortune and happiness gathered here" or "heap of glory".
Attraction: Sakya Monastery Tashilhunpo Monastery
DAY 14 : Shigatse – Lhasa, 280km, Approx 5hrs
In the morning, drive back to Lhasa from Shigatse along the friendship way, the northern way to Lhasa. On the way, you’ll see the Yarlung Tsangpo valley. In Nyemo, you’ll have a chance to visit the Tibetan Incense Workshop. Nyemo County has a history of more than 1,000 years. Except for sacrificial ceremonies, this fragrant incense also can be used to prevent infectious diseases like flu and influenza, for its ingredients contain herbal medicines such as saffron, Sandalwood, Chinese Usnea, and borneol.
Stay overnight in Lhasa, 3★/4★
Attraction: Tibetan Incense Workshop in Nyemo
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 15 : Lhasa Departure
Tour ends today. Tour guide and driver will drop you to the Lhasa airport or railway station for your next stop.
Meals: Breakfast
Other service: Free Lhasa Airport transfer on first & last day at times, Free Lhasa Railway Station transfer at all time on first & last day
