15 Days Lhasa to Mt. Everest and Mystical Mt. Kailash Trek
15 days Lhasa to Mt. Everest and Mystical Mt. Kailash Trek GROUP TOUR For the journey from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp and on to mystical Mt. Kailash, you will begin by exploring the Tibetan capital of Lhasa and its many ancient monasteries and temples, including the famed Potala Palace. From Lhasa, you will then travel to the beautiful alpine lake of Yamdrok Tso before visiting Karo La Glacier, Tibet’s most famous glacier.
Tour Length
15 Days
Price From
$1,950
At a glance
MINIMUM AGE
Participants must be in good health and be able to spend each day walking around towns, villages and...
ACTIVE ELEMENTS
Include walking over steep, uneven terrain at high altitude
FIRST GROUP EVENT
Briefing will begin on Day 1, upon arrival to Kathmandu.
MAXIMUM ELEVATION
The maximum elevation is at Lhasa at null meters.
GROUP SIZE
Flexible group sizes available.
DIFFICULTY LEVEL
This journey is rated as Hard difficulty.
Trip Overview
For the journey from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp and on to mystical Mt. Kailash, you will begin by exploring the Tibetan capital of Lhasa and its many ancient monasteries and temples, including the famed Potala Palace. From Lhasa, you will then travel to the beautiful alpine lake of Yamdrok Tso before visiting Karo La Glacier, Tibet’s most famous glacier. Shigatse is Tibet’s second largest city and home to Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, one of the largest in Tibet. From there, you will go to the holy lake of Manasarovar and Mt. Kailash, Asia’s most revered peak. You will spend 3 days trekking around this mountain, which is holy to both Hindus and Buddhists. This trek attracts Buddhist pilgrims from across Tibet and offers spectacular views of the Himalayas. From Mt. Kailash, you will go to the North Face Everest Base Camp where you will get an up close look at the world’s highest peak.
After Mt. Everest, you will then return to Lhasa for one last night in the Tibetan capital.
Itinerary
Our experts have designed this gold-standard itinerary to inspire you, featuring our pick of the best hotels and experiences in every thrilling destination.
Day 1: Lhasa
Arrive in Lhasa. When you arrive to Lhasa, you will be met by your guide and transported to your hotel. You can spend the afternoon wandering around the Barkhor, Tibet’s ancient market area that surrounds Jokhang Temple. Each day thousands of Buddhist pilgrims make their way around this sacred temple.
Day 2: Lhasa
You will explore the Jokhang, the holiest Buddhist temple in the Himalaya’s. Founded nearly 1400 years ago, Jokhang Temple houses the most sacred statue of Buddha. You will work your way through this fascinating temple alongside Buddhist pilgrims from the faraway regions of Tibet. The sound of pilgrims chanting mantras fills the air as does the smell of yak butter candle offerings. In the afternoon, you will go to 600 year old Sera Monastery, one of Tibet’s largest Buddhist monasteries. Each weekday afternoon starting at 3pm, monks engage in Buddhist philosophy debates, which are fun to photograph.
Day 3: Lhasa
You will start the day by exploring the Potala Palace, Tibet’s most iconic building. Towering above Lhasa with more than 1000 rooms, the Potala Palace served as the winter residence of the Dalai Lama’s for hundreds of years. After lunch, you will go to Drepung, another of Tibet’s huge monastic complexes. The pilgrimage circuit around Drepung takes about an hour and offers spectacular views.
Day 4: Lhasa - Yamdrok Lake - Karo La Glacier - Gyantse - Shigatse
In the early morning you will depart Lhasa and drive to Yamdrok, one of Tibet’s most beautiful lakes. From the lake, you can see the 7191 meter peak of Nojin Kangtsang in the distance. You will then travel along the lakeshore and drive up to the amazing Karo La Glacier before arriving in the town of Gyantse.In Gyantse, you will visit the Pelkhor Chode Monastery where you can see the largest stupa (Buddhist pagoda) in Tibet. From Gyantse, you will then make the short drive to Shigatse, Tibet’s second largest city. Between Gyantse and Shigatse, you will stop at a couple of traditional farming villages. In Shigatse, you will explore the large monastery complex of Tashi Lhunpo.
Day 5: Shigatse – Lhatse
Today we will visit Tashi Lhunpo monastery in morning and guide will make his/her time to obtain the ATP permit from the local PSB, Tashi Lhunpo monastery is one of the largest functioning monastery in the western part of Tibet which has more than 600 years of history, it is a different experience by walking with local pilgrims through temples and twisted lanes within the old buildings in the campus. Then drive to Lhatse for the night, en route we will drive off the main road to Sakya monastery which is located in a small village, this area and monastery has a different architectural design and color. Sakya monastery was an important scholastic study center in the 13th century and under the leadership of Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyaltsen, Sakyapa ruled Tibet for decades during that period of time. Overnight in Lhatse.
Day 6: Lhatse - Saga
Today we will drive straight to Saga through a long valley of Brahmaputra tributary, compare to the last few years, the road condition is much better as it is recently reconstructed and paved. Overnight at Saga.
Day 7: Saga – Darchen
Today the thrilling journey across the dry and vast plain with stunning views of great Himalaya in the south and Trans-Himalayan in the north, the moonscape plain of the region is home for sparse lone nomads whose lifestyle remains close to what it has been for centuries, and numbers of plateau wild lives. Different natural landscapes like sand dunes and picturesque mountain views are not only the great beauty of the day but also the holy lakes and mountains. Then we will reach to the Manasarovar Lake (victorious lake) in the late afternoon, which is one of the holiest lakes in Tibet and every year it receives hundreds of hundreds of pilgrims from all corner of Tibetan plateau, India and Russia. The lake is surround by several prominent peaks like Gurla Mandata (7760m). Then we will further drive to Darchen which is the starting point of the Mt Kailash (7762m) trekking, you will also have great view of the Kailash from the front. Darchen is a small nomadic village and now increasing number of guesthouses and restaurants make it more commercial. At your arrival you have plenty of time to explore around the town and prepare for the trekking, you can also hiking around the hills to get physically ready for the trekking. In the afternoon, your guide will arrange others trekking necessities like porters and yaks for your luggage transportation. You can find different restaurants according to your taste or your guide will help you to find some better ones.Overnight at Darchen.
Day 8: 1st Day Trekking: to Dirapuk
Today our trekking start from Darchen and tracing the small trail in the clockwise circuit around the Peak on an average altitude of 4700m. You will encounter numbers of local Buddhist pilgrims doing along your way and several Bon believers in the anti-clockwise direction. After 4hours trek we will reach to Tamdin(4780m) where a nomadic tents serves simple lunch and boil water. From there it is only 4km to Dirakpuk monastery but between this stretches has the some of the best scenery of the entire kora. Dirakpuk was rebuilt in 1985 located on the north side of the Lha-chu River facing to the north face of the Mt. Kailash. Dirakpuk name originally comes from a word Dira that means female yak horn and Puk means cave that in a mythical story says a female yak opened the cave. Overnight at Dirapuk guesthouse.
Day 9: 2nd Day Trekking: to Zultul Puk
Today is the most challenging part of the trekking where we will cross two passes, though there are not too steep but the altitude make is more tiring and slow, after we cross Dikpala (5000m) & Dormala (5600m), the passes are remarked by heaps of prayer flags and cairns, It is worthwhile to spend some minutes on the pass to view and relax, as you are right backside of the Mt. Kailash and offers great view of the holy peak. Then we will climb down into the long valley and stop lunch at Shabjay Dakpo nomadic tent for lunch. Zuktul puk monastery (4790m) also calls the miracle cave that is built by two religious figure Milarepa and Naro Bonchung. And still you can see the footprint and handprint of Milarepa inside the cave. Overnight at Zultul Puk.
Day 10: 3rd Day trek from Zutulpuk to Darchen, Drive to lake manasarova
Last day of Trekking and drive to Lake Manasarovar Today is an easy day trek to complete the circuit and your driver will pick you up from Tashi Do (which is also called as Dzongsar). Then continues drive to Lake Manasarovar and overnight at guesthouses near the lake.
Day 11: Trace the road back to Saga
Today we will trace the road back to Saga for the night.
Day 12: Saga - Everest Base Camp
Today we will drive straight to EBC by driving along the Pekutso Lake, you will have a picturesque of Mt Shishapama and other peaks of mighty Himalayans too. Continues drive towards south-east, from Old Tingri you will amaze the spectacular Himalayan Ranges and its mighty peaks beyond 8000m, Mt.Makalu (8463m), Mt.Lotse (8516m), Mt.Everest (8844m) and Mt.Cho Oyu (8201m) from Left to right, drive off the main road and head into the valley to the south to the day’s destination – Everest Base Camp located in the Rongbuk valley. Rongbuk is the highest monastery in the world and it consist both monks and nuns. Afternoon you have an option to do a short trekking from the tent guesthouses community to E.B.C, it will take you about 2 hours or more per your physical condition (6Km). Or you can take the dedicated minibus instead. We suggest you to bring your own sleeping bags for the night if available as the local tent guesthouses reuse the blankets for several weeks due to their poor facility. Overnight at local tent guesthouses except from Nov – Mar where the tent guesthouses close and only Rongbuk monastery guesthouse is available.
Day 13: Everest Base Camp – Shigatse
After we enjoy the sunrise view of the Mt Everest, we will gradually drive back to Shigatse through the friendship highway, you will have beautiful hot shower at the hotel and rest. Overnight at Shigatse.
Day 14: Shigatse - Lhasa
The final full day of your Tibet journey will lead you back to the Tibetan capital of Lhasa. You will arrive in the mid afternoon with enough time to stroll the pilgrimage path around Jokhang Temple one last time.
Day 15: Depart Lhasa
You will be transferred to the airport or train station to depart Tibet for your next destination. All of our travel routes are built with altitude acclimatization in mind to reduce the risks of altitude-related illness. Contact us today to begin arranging your journey from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp and the 3 day trek around Mt. Kailash
What's Included
All accommodations (based on double occupancy)
Breakfast each morning in Tibet
Bottled drinking water (except during Kailash trek)
All ground transportation in Tibet
All entrance fees for the itinerary listed
All Tibet travel permits
Local Tibetan guide fees
All meals and accommodations for the driver and guide
Lhasa Airport or train station pick up and transfe
What's not included in this package
Passport and Chinese Visa fees
International airfare to/from Lhasa, Tibet
Yak, horse or porter fees at Mt. Kailash
Lunch and dinner
Bottled water along the Kailash trek
Travel vaccinations
Insurance (travel, medical, etc)
Souvenirs or personal items such as laundry, snacks, alcohol drinks, etc
Photography fees inside temples and monasteries
Gratuities to the Tibetan guide and driver
Slight additional cost to depart Tibet at the Nepal border
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