Day 01 Arrival Kathmandu
Arrive Kathmandu. Upon arrival, you will be met by our representative at the Tribhuvan International Airport who will assist you to transfer to your prebooked hotel. Overnight in the hotel.
Day 02 Temple visit in Kathmandu
After breakfast, proceed for a half day sightseeing tour of Pashupatinath Temple and Budhaneelkantha. Evening at leisure in Kathmandu. We'll obtain your Chinese VISA in Kathmandu on this day however your travel permit for Tibet would be applied well in advance by us.
Day 03 Fly Kathmandu to Lhasa (3650 m) 1 hr. 30 minutes flight
After breakfast, we will transfer the group to Tribhuvan International Airport to board Air China's Flight No. CA 408 to Lhasa at 10:25 am. Upon arrival at Gonggar Airport, the group shall be met by our local representative and transfer provided to your hotel in Lhasa. The group will reach the Hotel Lhasa at approx 5 pm. The first day will be spent resting to acclamatize with the altitude because Kathmandu is at 1200 m above sea level and Lhasa is at 3650 m. So it needs some time to acclimatize with the altitude. Overnight at Hotel Lhasa.
Day 04 Lhasa - Visit Sera Monastery, Jokhang Temple & Barkhor Street
Sera is the second biggest Gelupa Monastery in the north suburb of Lhasa, which was built in 1419 by Tsongapa's disciple Sakya-yeshi. Situated at the heart of the oldest section of the Lhasa city, Jokhang, one of the oldest temples in Tibet, was built in the 7th century by the 33rd king Sontsanganbu. Barkor is the middle pilgrimage circuit around Jokhang temple.
Day 05 Lhasa - Visit Potala palace, Drepung Monastery & Norbulingka
Potala was the winter palace of the Dalailama, which was originally built in the 7th century by the king Sotsen Gampo and rebuilt to the present size by the 5th Dalai lama in the 17th century. Built in the mid-18th century by the 7th Dalailama, Norbulingka, the Jewel Park was the Dalai lama's summer palace, it covers 100 acres with palaces, pavilions and a zoo.
Drepung monastery; Built in1416 by Tsongapa's disciple Jamyang-choje, Drepung Monastery is the biggest Gelupa monastery in the west suburb of Lhasa.
Day 06 Drive Lhasa to Gyantse (3650 m) 260 km/ 6 - 7 hrs.
Gyantse lies 260kms southwest of Lhasa on the Northern bank of Nyang Chu River. It takes around 8 hours to reach Gyantse crossing the Kamba La Pass (4800m) where the beautiful Yamdrok Tso will be seen and the Karo La Pass (5010m) where the year-around glacier will be seen. Gyantse has been known as a heroic town since Tibetans resisted the Young husband's British Expedition to Tibet in 1904. Overnight at Hotel Gyantse.
Day 07 Visit Khumbhum Stupa & Phalkor Monastery & drive to Shigatse (3900 m) - 90 km/ 2 - 3 hrs.
Phalkor monastery was built in the 15th century by the local chieftain Raptan Kunsang under the guidance of the first Panchan lama. There are 100,000 images in the Kumbum Pagoda, both solid and painting. It is a real work of art; one of the most magnificent buildings in Tibet, strongly of Newari (Nepal) architecture, erected in 1440 by Rabtan Kunsang.
Shigatse is the second biggest city in Tibet, 90KMs away from Gyangtse. The famous Tashillunpo Monastery in Shigatse, seat of the Panchan Lama, one of the six important Gelupa Monasteries in China, was built in 1447 by the first Dalailama. Overnight at Hotel Mansarovar.
Day 08 Drive from Shigatse to Lhatse (4350 m) 308 km. / 6 - 7 hrs.
After early breakfast, leave for Lhatse (308 km. / 6 - 7 hrs). Packed lunch will be served en route. Arrive at Latse. Dinner and overnight at Guest House.
Day 09 Drive from Lhatse to Saga (4640 m) 300 km. / 8 - 9 hrs.
After early breakfast, leave for Saga (300 km. / 8 - 9 hrs.). Packed lunch will be served en route. Dinner and overnight at Guest House.
Day 10 Drive from Saga to Prayang (4520 m) 200 km. / 6 -7 hrs.
After early breakfast, proceed for Prayang (200 km. / 6 -7 hrs). Drive through the windswept territory passing many villages and camps of Yak herders. On this day the road is quite flat, hence the drive will be comfortable compared to other days. Overnight at Hotel Prayang.
Day 11 Drive from Prayang to Hor Quo, Mansarovar (4560 m) 223 km/ 5 - 6 hrs.
After breakfast, drive to Mayum River for 112 km and have lunch. Thereafter drive to Hor Quo (4560 m) 223 km/ 5 - 6 hrs. We continue driving crossing Mayum La pass (5200 m) and arrive at Hor Quo. Today is the day of lifetime, as we will have the first sight (darshan) of Holy Mt. Kailash and Holy Lake Manasarovar. Camp on the bank of Holy Mansarover Lake. Overnight in Camp.
Day 12 Mansarovar Parikarma (4520 m) 115 km/ 4 - 5 hrs.
After breakfast, it is a day for Puja & Holy bath in the holy lake. We will be doing Mansarover Parikarma by Jeep (4520 m) 115 km/ 4 - 5 hrs. On the way, we will stop near Trugu Gompa for Holy Bath in Holy Lake Mansarovar. We will be setting seperate bathing tents for changing your clothes. During this parikarma, we will have a picnic lunch on the bank of Holy Lake Mansarovar. Time Permitting visit Chui Gompa.
Day 13 Drive to Datrchen (4620 m)
After breakfast, drive to Darchen (4620 m). Darchen is located beneath the majestic holy Mount Kailash, a small village with couple of guesthouses. During the auspicious pilgrimage time, this place will be flooded with Pilgrims with hundreds of tents all around. Darchen, the beginning and end point of the Kora.
Day 14 Drive to Tarboche (13 km) and trek to Dirapuk (4860 m) 7 km/ 5 - 6 hrs.
After breakfast, drive approx. 13 Kms. to Tarboche, the trek starting point of Kailash Parikrama. Tarboche is also known as the outer "Asthapath". The first day of our Kora is a gradual walk with multitudes of other local pilgrims chanting and praying. The trail leads us to few ups and downs till we reach our camp/guest house at Dirapuk (4860 m) 7 km/ 5 - 6 hours trek. Camping on the nice grassy meadows with a view of Kailash, north west face. Those not feeling themselves fit to continue parikarma will drive back to Darchen and wait for the Parikarma group to return. Overnight in Camp.
Day 15 Trek to Zuthulphuk (4760 m) 18 km/ 9 - 10 hrs.
Today our circumbulation (Kora) leads to much higher side of the holy path just beneath the Holy Mount Kailash. The walk will bring us to one of the highest point at Drolma La, 5,200 m. before descending to the gradual field towards Zuthulphuk for the overnight stay after 5-6 hours walk. Zuthulphuk (4760 m) 18 km/ 9 - 10 hrs.
After early breakfast, group will set off as the sun's rays break over the ridges above. After the footbridge the trail rises up a rocky slope. Take this gently but steadily. It soon reaches a level walk. The peak of Mount Kailash rises to the right and can now be seen linked to a long spur, which joins the eastern ridge. This is the top edge of the glacial valley from which the Lhachu ("Divine River") flows.
This day is the climax of this holy journey & is the most difficult day of our journey. One has to pass through Drolma La Pass - 5680m - highest altitude on this tour. Physically it is the most arduous day. At the pass is a large boulder depicting Tara, festooned with prayer flags. Here too Tibetans leave a memento of themselves such as a tooth, a lock of hair or even a personal snapshot.
After perhaps 30 minutes, we descend a steep, rock-strewn path to the valley below. Just below the pass is Lake Tu-je Chenpo Dzingbu (Gauri Kund) i.e. "The Pool of Great Compassion". Take great care now because it is easy to sprain your ankle or worse. You must negotiate steep staircases down to a snowfield. The only way down is to jump from boulder to boulder across a large rock fall. On the ridge above is a formations known as the Lekyi Ta-ra ("Axe of Karma"), as though one's moment ripen in an accident, suffering or death.
A final steep descending staircase brings you to the valley floor. From here it is still about 5 hours to the day's destination with no shelter in between. It is vitally important to remain on the right hand side of the river, the West bank. If not, you will get trapped, unable to cross it. The walk now becomes very pleasant and relaxing (as long as the weather is clear and there is no howling gale.) The path follows the gentle slope of the valley over grassy fields and clear brooks for several Kilometers before it narrows and turns further south to merge with another valley before reaching Zuthulphuk, the "Miracle Cave" of Milarepa. Overnight stay in the Second Camp.
Overnight in Camp.
Day 16 Zuthulphuk to Darchen trek 10 km/ 4 - 5 hrs.
The morning can be spent exploring the caves and visiting the temples and shrine that has been built around Milarepa's cave. A married elderly couple supervises the temple, which is usually an active residence for over half a dozen Tibetan devotees, helpers, or relatives who continuously busy themselves with the tasks of maintaining the buildings.
One imagines Milarepa's disciples meditating here. Many of the caves contain meditation platforms, self-contained by dry stonewalls which divide them from their cooking partitions and entrance areas. It is well worth the short climb up to these caves before beginning the final stage of the trek. The winding gradual tracks finally ends our holy pilgrimage walk 10 km/ 4 - 5 hrs. Once we reach at the trek end point near Darchen. (Those who could not do parikarma would be waiting to welcome other group members at this point). Our land cruisers will be waiting to take the group to the guest house in Darchen or at Holy Lake Mansarovar for overnight camping.
Day 17 Drive from Darchen/Mansarovar to Prayang (4750 m)
After breakfast, our land cruisers will be ready to take the group back to Prayang by tracing our footsteps returning home leaving the Holy place. Overnight at Hotel Prayang or in Guest House.
Day 18 Drive Prayang to Saga (4600 m) 255 kms/ 6 - 7 hrs. drive
After breakfast, drive to Saga. Overnight at local guest house.
Day 19 Drive Saga to Nyalam (3700 m) 240 Kms./ 6 - 7 hours drive
After breakfast, drive to Nyalam. Overnight at Hotel Nyalam or similar.
Day 20 Drive Zhangmu to Kathmandu
Drive downhill to Zhangmu & Friendship Bridge where transportation awaits for our final leg of journey to Kathmandu (150 Kms)/ 8 - 9 Hrs. After reaching Friendship Bridge, we'll be leaving our Tibet side vehicles on the other side of border and will walk for approximately 15 minutes towards Nepal Immigration Post where our coach for Nepal would be waiting for us. Our Border guide will assist us to shift our belongings towards Nepal Side of the bridge. Overnight at Hotel in Kathmandu.
Day 21 Fly back to your home with memories of Mount Kailash & Holy Lake Mansarovar
After breakfast, free for souvenir shopping and other independent activities. In time transfer to International Airport to board your onward flight.
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