15-Day Kailash Pilgrimage Small Group Tour: Lhasa, Shigatse, Mt. Everest and Mount Kailash

Welcome to Tibet! Upon your arrival, our friendly guide and driver will warmly welcome you at the airport, presenting you with a traditional Tibetan white scarf called "Khata." With just a one-hour drive on the expressway (70 kilometers), the driver will take you to comfortable hotel in downtown Lhasa. After checking in at the hotel, take the time to rest and acclimatize to the altitude (3,650 meters), ensuring a good and healthy start to your journey on the plateau.

Today, you will explore two distinctive Monastery in Lhasa, Drepung and Sera, both offering a unique insight into Tibetan Buddhism. You will visit the Buddhist halls, Buddhist colleges, and the monks' kitchen, witnessing how they engage in special debates to study Buddhist teachings. 

Sera Monastery is renowned for its lively Buddhist debates, showcasing the essence of Tibetan Buddhism. Monks employ exaggerated body language, engaging in dance-like discussions about Buddhist philosophy, demonstrating their knowledge in a spirited manner.

In the evening, the guide will accompany the group to a traditional Tibetan restaurant for a welcome dinner, marking the beginning of your journey in Tibet.

Today, let's explore into the treasures of Lhasa, the Potala Palace, the former residence of the Dalai Lama and acclaimed as the world's highest palace. The Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Street, the Center of Tibetan Faithboth, both designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The Potala Palace, towering majestically over the red hills in the center of Lhasa, was once the religious and political center of Tibet. As you climb the 365 steps to the main building, you'll explore the Dalai Lama's former political hall, the prayer halls, and the tomb stupa. Here, you'll encounter remarkable murals and exquisite Buddha statues, showcasing the accumulated wealth and treasures of ancient Tibet.

The Jokhang Temple, revered for housing the 12-year-old statue of Shakyamuni, is considered the holiest site in Tibet and a lifelong pilgrimage destination for Tibetans. You can join the pilgrims to walk in Barkor street and experience the soul of the city. The guide will also accompany you to a local Tibetan teahouse, offering insight into the social culture.

Drive for approximately 7 to 8 hours (340 kilometers) to reach Shigatse. Along the way, you will visit two breathtaking natural landscapes – Yamdrok Lake and the Karola Glacier. You will enjoy a scenic 20-kilometer drive following the disappearing shoreline of the Lake. We will stop at a village by the lake, where you can walk into the homes of lakeside farmers, explore their households, and indulge in a delightful farmhouse lunch.

After lunch, drive for approximately 1 hour to visit one of Tibet's most beautiful glaciers – the Karola Glacier, the enormous glacier tongue extends to the roadside, resembling a frozen waterfall hanging over the road and above your head.

Following the Karola Glacier, we will pass by Lake Manla and the ancient town of Gyantse, proceed to Shigatse, the second-largest city in Tibet.

After breakfast, we will start a 6.5-hour drive (330 kilometers) to the top of the world – Mount Everest. Along the way, you will visit several viewpoints where you can catch glimpses of Everest. The journey culminates with an overnight stay at Everest Base Camp (EBC).

Departing from Shigatse, you'll be accompanied by rural farmland and villages. Approximately 4 hours into the journey, you'll approach Dingri County, where you'll have your first view of Everest from the Dingri Viewpoint. Upon entering the Everest scenic area, you'll be treated to breathtaking panoramic views of the Himalayan range from Gawula Pass. The 7000 to 8000-meter peaks of the Himalayas stand proudly above the sea of clouds, creating a majestic and awe-inspiring spectacle.

Next, you'll proceed on the dedicated road leading to Everest, with the mountain growing larger and closer until you reach the northern face base camp. From the base camp, Everest appears like a colossal pyramid standing before you. We will strive to arrive at Everest Base Camp before sunset, allowing you the opportunity to witness the magnificent natural phenomenon of the sunset casting golden hues upon the mountain.

* During the winter season, when the Everest Base Camp tented lodges are closed, we will relocate accommodations to the nearest village to Everest, Basong Village.

In the morning you can enjoy the sunrise on Mount Everest (depending on the weather), or go for a walk near the base camp and enjoy the beautiful morning time on Mount Everest. After breakfast, your tour guide will take you to the Rongbuk Monastery, the highest temple in the world. It is the last place in the world that was engulfed by waves in the "Movie 2012". This is also the best photography spot to capture the natural and cultural landscapes of Mount Everest.

After leaving Mount Everest, we will drive you to Saga, the gateway to the Ali Plateau in Tibet. On the way you will see Mount Shishapangma, the only peak above 8,000 meters in China, and the beautiful lake Pekucuo at its feet.

You will traverse the gorge formed by the Himalayas and Gangdise Mountains, witnessing the continuous snow-capped mountains on both sides of the gorge. Along the way, you will pass through the pastures, wetlands, and lakes, with magnificent scenery and straight roads. After crossing the 5211m Mayum La Pass, you will catch the first glimpse of Lake Manasarovar and Mount Kailash. Continuing for about 50 kilometers along the lake shore, you will reach the town of Tarchen at the foot of Mount Kailash. Tarchen is the starting and ending point for the Mount Kailash pilgrimage. The town offers a variety of shops, restaurants, and hotels. If you need to hire a porter to carry your luggage and accompany you on the pilgrimage, you can communicate your requirements with the guide, and they will help you to communicate with the local.

Taking the Mount Kailash sightseeing bus 7 kilometers from Tarchen to SeShong, where the first day of the Mount Kailash kora trek begins, as well as the Sagadawa Festival grand blessing ceremony take place. 

A new prayer flag poles will be raised by the crowd in the central square and renew the old one. Buddhist followers cheer joyfully, praying for world peace, prosperity, and the well-being of all beings. The chanting of mantras by the monks echoes through the valley, harmonizing with the mysterious Mount Kailash. At this moment, Mount Kailash is extraordinarily sacred.

After participating in the celebrations, you will trek along the valley at the foot of Mount Kailash clockwise for 13 kilometers, then reach the accommodation for the first day of the trek, Driapuk Monastery, which located at the foot of west slope of Kailash.

Today of the Mount Kailash circuit is the most challenging and longest. You will be on a trek to cross the 5630 meters high Dolma La Pass, covering a distance of 24 kilometers.

Starting from Driapuk Monastery before dawn, you will ascend to the mountainside of Dolma La, where you can witness the sunrise over the northwest slope of Mount Kailash. In the morning, you'll climb over the Dolma La Pass adorned with prayer flags, providing a view of the glacier on the northwest slope of Mount Kailash and the Mercy Lake below the pass. According to legend, bathing in the Lake can cleanse one of a lifetime of sins and lead to rebirth. Following this, you'll navigate a lengthy downhill section filled with stones, passing through the valley beneath Mount Kailash to the Dzultripuk Monastery. In the summer, this valley transforms into lush grassland, with herds of livestock and wildlife visible.

In the morning, we will leave Dzultripuk Monastery and continue walking to the ending as well as the starting point of the Mount Kailash circuit, Tarchen. You can take a short rest at the hotel and in the afternoon, we will head to Lake Manasarovar.

The distance from Dzultripuk Monastery to Tarchen is not long, and you can choose to walk or take a 5-kilometer bus ride. Along the valley at the foot of Mount Kailash, you can see a vast plain in the distance, adorned with Lake Manasarovar, and the Naimonanyi Peak 7694m towering beside it.

By the shores of Lake Manasarovar, you'll spend some delightful moments. You can mimic the Buddhist devotees by approaching the lake to collect some holy water for washing your hands or face, cleansing away the fatigue of the past kailash kora days and refreshing your soul. There are hot spring cabins by the lake where you can also soak your feet or take a bath.

Today we will return to Saga County along the coming road. During the hundreds of kilometers of journey, you will once again enjoy the grasslands and lakes of the Ali Plateau, the snow-capped mountains of the Gangdise Mountains and the Himalayas. When passing Gongzhu Lake, you can stop and walk around the lake or pasture to get close to nature again.

Having been to the highest peak in the world, we will take you to the lowest altitude place in western Tibet – Kyirong Valley. High snow mountains at an altitude of 2,800 meters is surrounded by dense forests, crisscrossed canyons, and abundant oxygen. Here you can have a good rest, hike in the countryside surrounded by forests, and breathe in the fresh oxygen in the forest to relieve the fatigue of the journey. If there are tourists in the tour group heading to the Nepalese border, you can also go with them to visit the border between China and Nepal and take photos in front of China’s majestic national gate.

You will return to the snowy expanses of the Himalayas, once again enjoying the breathtaking views of the Himalayan mountain range. Along the way, you will pass by peaks such as Shishapangma, Cho Oyu, and Mount Everest. The foothills of the Himalayas are abundant with lush meadows, herds of cattle and sheep, and the snowy peaks against the backdrop of the blue sky provide an eternal and unchanging scenery.

Concluding the journey to Mount Everest and Mount Kailash, we will return from Dingri to Lhasa. During the journey, we will have another view of Mount Everest and bid farewell to this majestic peak. Passing through Shigatse, we will drive through the Yarlung Tsangpo River Gorge between Shigatse and Lhasa on our way back to Lhasa.

Your Tibet journey officially concludes today, and we will accompany you to the airport/train station. We appreciate to spend this wonderful time with us in Tibet. Wishing you a safe journey ahead!