Western Tibet Himalayas and Kailash Adventure
| Tour Code: KAT-04
Destination: Lhasa, Shigatse, Sagar County, Lake Manasarovar, Darchen, Drirapuk, Dzultripuk, Guge Kingdom Tour Price: From $/ ?? p/p Availability: Daily, but early booking is highly recommended!
|
 Mt Kailash |
TOUR ITINERARY
| Day 1: Arrival – Lhasa (3650m) |
|---|
| Arrive by flight or train to Lhasa. Upon arrival in the Lhasa Gongar airport or the Lhasa train station, you will be met by your tour guide and driven to Lhasa downtown. Have a rest in Lhasa to acclimatize the high altitude. Overnight in Lhasa |
| Day 2: Lhasa Sightseeing – Potala Palace and Johkang Temple (B) |
 In the morning, you will go to the most sppendid museum, the Potala Palace, and explore the grandest of its myriad chapels. See the jeweled burial chorten of past Dalai Lamas as well as statuary, frescoes and paintings. Later visit the Jokhang Temple, which is considered as the most sacred temple in Tibet, it draws tremendous number of pilgrims from all over Tibet each year for it houses a magnificent image of Sakyamuni at 12 years old. Then stroll around Barkhor, a pilgrimage circuit that encircles the Jokhang, it also serves as the biggest bazaar in Lhasa, where you can find some handicrafts, ambers, jewelry, Tibetan clothes, etc. Overnight in Lhasa |
| Day 3: Lhasa sightseeing-Sera Monastery and Drepung Monastery (B) |
 Today, you will explore Tibet’s two greatest monasteries, Drepung and Sera. which once housed about 10,000 monks. Drepung monastery is situated at the foothill of a mountain and was founded by Jamyang Choeje in 1416. The monastery is divided into two different colleges that is Drepung loselling and Drepung Gomang college. The Ganden podrang is famous among them as it is the government centre during fifth Dalai lama and later moved to the famous Potala palace during fifth Dalai lama. In the afternoon explore the Sera monastery which was founded in 1419 by Tsongkapa’s disciple Jamchen Choeje. The whole monastery is divided into two colleges and there are Sera ‘jhe’ and Sera ‘may’ respectively. Among them ‘Tsokhang chenmo’ is where the monks from all the colleges assemble and pray together there. You can also see monks debating there in the courtyard at around 6-7:30 in the afternoon section. Note: if you don’t feel tired, you can try for the khora(circumambling around) Drepung and Sera monastery. Your tour guide and driver will drop you back to your hotel. |
| Day 4: Moving forward to Shigatse via Yamdro-tso Lake and Shigatse |
 The first day we drive westwards to Mt. Kailash will reach Shigatse, which is the second biggest city in Tibet. on the way to Shigatse, we will pass kangpa-la with 4700m, from the top of the pass in clear weather, we can see the Yamdrotso lake in fabulous shade of deep turquoise, Just a few kilometers driving through the shore of lake yamdrok-yutso reaches Nangartse county and is the largest town on the lake side. then we driving from yamdrok-tso to Gyantse city, is a spectacular as arriving, since you have to cross the 4960m karo-la with its awesome roadside views of the Nanchan- Kangtsang glacier. in Gyantse city, you will explore the Kubum Monastery which is the town’s foremost attraction. The 35m-high chorten (stupa) with its white layers trimmed with decorative stripes and its crown-like golden dome, is awe-inspiring. Drive to Shigatse. Overnight in Shigatse |
| Day 5: Moving to Sakya Monastery and to Shekar along with smooth friendship highway |
 Advancing towards the Sakya county where you can visit to the sakya monastery. On the way you will cross the Tso la pass(4410m) and on the long descent from this pass, the Sakya bridge is visible in the distance. The sakya county is 21km from the friendship highway. The sakya tridition is one of the four main Buddhist schools in tibet. it was from here that the whole of tibet was governed during the period of Sakya hegemony and even now there are buildings of historic importance to be seen here. You can see the largest book in the world in Sakya’s great library written in gold. The most interesting thing in Sakya sect is that the sect donot believe in reincarnation and the head of sakya sect will wear white cassock and also marry to birth their child for next generation. Then moving towards the shegar with the highest altitude pass in whole Tibet called Gyatso la pass 5200m above sea level same as to everest base camp. Overnight in Shegar |
| Day 6: From Shekar moving towards the famous Rongpuk Monastery, Everest Base Camp (180km) |
 It is not easy to travel upto Everest Natural Preserve. Like you need two permits to visit base camp. the first is the usual PSB travel permit and second, a park-entry permit for everest nature preserve. There is about 90km bumpy road from Tingri to Rongpuk, road is under construction. From Tingri to E.B.C with the very rough road, pass the wild grassland, cross the rapids river and high mountains. If it is in clear whether, you can have a glimpse of 4 mountains which is 8000m high or more, such as: Mt. Lhotse(8516m),Mt. Everes(8848m), Mt. Qowowuyag(8201m),Mt Mayalu(8463m). Overnight at Rongphu Monastery Tent |
| Day 7: Drive to Sagar County (290km) |
| We need to take the old tingri road to Sagar county. From the old Tingri, you can see the mount Everest and Shishapangma which is at 8012m was the least of the world’s 8000m peaks to be climbed. The road condition worsen from old tingri and runs parallel to the Himalayan ranges and Nepalian sides called Anapurna ranges. The main road passes through the desolate plain of Digur tang, with its enormous sand dunes and the closely neighbouring snow peaks of Shishapangma and langtang to the south. Leaving the BUM-CHU basin, it then descends into the depression of PELKHU TSO (4600m), a cobalt blue lake. Saga county is only 69km from the Phelgu tso and spend a night in sagar town. |
| Day 8: Moving Saga to Lake Manasarovar (500km) |
 Then you are moving towards the Drongpa county, the region around the sources of Brahmaputra river, which is about 167km from the sagar town. then you will reached a tiny dusty on the main road with a couple of basic guest houses, restaurants and a small monastery called “old Drongpa” Around the monastery you can see a pile of yak heads which is carved with “sutras”and “mantras” like “OM MA NI PAD MEY HUM” which is mantra of god of compassion. And new Drongpa is a small town with a couple of shops, hotels and restaurant is about 25km apart from the old drongpa. Then forward towards the Baryang with 4750m above sea level. Drive to Lake Manasarovar. Camp by the lake |
| Day 9: Spending a day around Manasarovar lake, then to Darchen to prepare your trekking (30km) |
| You can relax around the lake shore and experience the natural beauty of the lake. In the summer time, flocks of swans will gather on the lake, bringing grace and life to the area. You can also seen so many Tibetans and Hindus praying and circling around the lake shore for the whole day. you can see snow capped mountains on the background and hundreds of swans gather on the lake will attacks hundreds of thousands to tourist from all over the world. Overnight in Tarchen |
| Day 10: Trek day one(Outer circuit), Darchen to Drirapuk 11km |
 Traditionally pilgrim undertakes 52 km trekking circuit around mount Kailash commencing at darchen (4574m) and crossing the Dolma-la pass on the second day of the three day walk. Darchen is the starting and completion point for the general circuit of the sacred mount. A few kilometers after leaving Darchen, there is a valley called “sarshung” where porters are waiting for their client. They will help the client to take every necessary thing on yaks and horses. After two hours, you came upon a grassy plain with populated by nomads. There you can refresh yourself in nomadic tent by drinking some soft drinks there. For this turn in the valley it is another two hours at least before reaching Drirapuk (4920m). You need to camp or can rest in monastery’s guest house made from cement with little bit good facilities than others in Drirapuk. At the opposite side of Drirapuk, there you can see small monastery with its guest house little bit cleaner than others. Camping |
| Day 11: Trek day two, Drirapuk to Dzultripuk 22km |
 The second day is the hardest and most tough circuit with the Dolma-la pass lies 6.4km ahead but 762m above Drirapuk. The peak of Dolma-la pass is about 5630m above sea level, so it is better to set off early in the morning as the sun’s ray’s break over the ridges above. After taking a rest on the peak of Dolma-la pass, you will descend staircase brings you to Lhachu valley floor, about one hour from the pass. From here it is still four hours trekking to the day’s final destination with no shelters in between. It is better to walk on the right side of the river and finally reached to Dzultripuk (miracle cave of milarepa). It is advised you to get there before than other groups because of limited number of rooms available there in Dzultripuk. Take a good rest in the guest room and prepare for next morning’s departure. Camping |
| Day 12: Trek day three- Dzultripuk to Darchen-11km |
| The tour guide will arrange yours time and ask he/she to visit the caves and visit the tmple and shrines that has been built around Milarepa’s cave. The walk back to Darchen is easy and the exit from the valley can be reached within three short hours. At the ending point of valley, the drivers will come to pick you and take you back to Darchen. Overnight in Darchen |
| Day 13: Darchen to Zanda, visit Guge Kingdom and Torling Monastery |
 It is about an eight hours drive from Darchen to zanda, though the distance is only about 243km from darchen. After several hours of zigzagging down and up fantastically eroded gorges and gullies, enters to wider Sutlej Valley and after crossing a bridge, finally reaches Zanda.Tsamda county is the current name for the region and was known as Guge kingdom. And the county capital is located at Toling. Toling monastery, founded by Richen zangpo in the 10th century, was once Ngari’s most important monastic complex. It was due to the influence Richen Zangpo that Toling became the main religious centre of Guge kingdom after inviting of the great indian master ATISHA. The kings of GUGE replaced the city as a political centre of power by establishing capital slightly closer to the Indo-tibetan trade routes. But the monastery is still important cultural heritage of Ngari. Overnight in Zanda |
| Day 14: Zanda to Lake Manasarova |
| Day 15: Manasarova to Saga (500km) |
| Day 16: Saga to Lhatse |
| Day 17: Lhatse to Lhasa |
