Lhasa Kailash Tour

Your journey begins early in the morning at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, where you should arrive at least 3 hours before departure for document checks, including your passport and Tibet Travel Permit. You will fly on Himalaya Airlines (H9 774) at 08:30 AM, with a flight time of about 1 hour and 20 minutes, offering stunning aerial views of the Himalayas, including Mount Everest, on a clear day. You will land at Lhasa Gonggar Airport around 12:05 PM (Beijing time), where you will go through immigration with your China Group Visa and Tibet Travel Permit before meeting your local Tibetan guide outside the terminal. From there, you will travel about 60 km to Lhasa city by private vehicle along the scenic Lhasa River, with a traditional khadak welcome from your guide. Upon arrival in Lhasa (3,656 m), you will check into your hotel and spend the rest of the day resting and acclimatizing to the altitude, avoiding physical exertion, alcohol, and heavy food to help your body adjust safely before the journey ahead.

Transfer: 1h 20 min | Accommodation: Hotel |

After breakfast, meet your guide and driver in the hotel lobby for a short briefing. Your guide will outline the day’s itinerary, explain key cultural customs—such as walking clockwise around sacred sites, appropriate temple etiquette, and photography guidelines—and share insights into the history and geography of the Lhasa Valley.

• Norbulingka (The Summer Palace): A short drive takes you to Norbulingka, the former summer residence of the Dalai Lamas and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Known as the “Jewel Park,” this peaceful retreat contrasts with the grandeur of the Potala Palace, featuring beautiful gardens, shaded pathways, ponds, and traditional pavilions. You will explore the New Summer Palace, built for the 14th Dalai Lama, where private chambers, audience halls, and meditation rooms offer a glimpse into Tibetan royal life. The palace is also renowned for its well-preserved murals, which vividly illustrate Tibetan history, culture, Buddhist traditions, and the lineage of the Dalai Lamas.
• Sera Monastery: Set beneath the slopes of Tatipu Hill, Sera Monastery is one of Lhasa’s most important monasteries and a major center of Tibetan Buddhist learning. Founded in 1419, it was once home to thousands of monks and remains an active monastery today. During your visit, you will explore the impressive Great Assembly Hall, with its large wooden pillars, sacred chapels, Buddhist statues, and colorful thangkas. You will also visit the traditional printing house, where ancient scriptures are still produced using hand-carved wooden blocks. The highlight of the visit is the famous monastic debate session held in the afternoon, where monks engage in lively philosophical discussions, using dramatic hand claps and gestures to challenge each other’s understanding of Buddhist teachings.
• Barkhor Square and the Sacred Kora: Your final stop is Lhasa’s ancient Old Town, centered around Barkhor Square and the sacred circuit surrounding the Jokhang Temple, the holiest site in Tibet. Here, you join pilgrims walking the kora in a clockwise direction, spinning prayer wheels, chanting mantras, and witnessing full-body prostrations along the cobblestone streets. The surrounding alleys reveal traditional whitewashed houses, carved wooden balconies, and incense burners filling the air with juniper smoke. The area also forms a lively marketplace where local vendors sell Tibetan crafts such as turquoise jewelry, carpets, prayer wheels, and hand-painted thangkas, offering a vivid glimpse into Lhasa’s living cultural and spiritual heritage.

After your visit to Barkhor Square, your private vehicle and driver will meet you at a designated location near the old town. You will be taken back to your hotel, arriving around 6:30 PM. The evening is yours to relax, unwind, and reflect on the rich historical and spiritual experiences of the day.

Sightseeing: 8-9 hours | Accommodation: Hotel | Meal: Breakfast

After breakfast, meet your guide and driver in the hotel lobby for a short briefing. Your guide will outline the day’s itinerary, explain key cultural customs—such as walking clockwise around sacred sites, appropriate temple etiquette, and photography guidelines—and share insights into the history and geography of the Lhasa Valley.

• Potala Palace: You will meet your Tibetan guide at the base of Marpo Ri (Red Hill) and pass through security before beginning the slow, steady climb up stone stairways, with panoramic views over Lhasa offering natural stopping points along the way. At the top, you enter the White Palace of the Potala Palace, once the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas and the center of Tibetan government, where you explore historic living quarters and administrative halls. You then continue into the Red Palace, the spiritual core of the complex, lit by butter lamps and filled with incense, featuring sacred assembly halls with ancient murals and the richly decorated golden stupas of past Dalai Lamas. The visit concludes at the oldest sacred chapel, linked to the era of King Songtsen Gampo, adding deep historical depth to the site.

After descending the Potala Palace, you’ll head to Zongjiao Lukang Park, where your driver will take you to a traditional Tibetan tea house or local restaurant near Barkhor. Enjoy hearty local dishes like hot thukpa, momos, tsampa, and butter tea, which provide warmth, hydration, and energy for your continued exploration.

• Drepung Monastery: Drepung Monastery is located about 8 kilometers (5 miles) west of central Lhasa, on the slopes of Mount Gambo Utse. Founded in 1416, it was once home to over 10,000 monks, making it one of the largest monasteries in the world. While visiting, you can explore the former Ganden Phodrang, which served as an early political and spiritual center of Tibet. You'll also find the vast Tsokchen Grand Assembly Hall, supported by 183 pillars and filled with sacred relics and statues, including the revered Maitreya Buddha. Additionally, you can see the traditional monastic kitchens with their giant copper cauldrons, which were used to feed thousands of monks. A visit to the debate courtyard is also a highlight, where scholars engage in lively philosophical discussions using expressive gestures and rhythmic hand claps.

After you visit Drepung Monastery, your private vehicle and driver will meet you at a designated location near the old town. You will be taken back to your hotel, arriving around 6:30 PM. The evening is yours to relax, unwind, and reflect on the rich historical and spiritual experiences of the day.

Sightseeing: 8-9 hours | Accommodation: Hotel | Meal: Breakfast

After breakfast, the drive begins with an early departure from Lhasa (3,650 m), traveling south along the Lhasa River valley before crossing the Yarlung Tsangpo near Chushul, where the road climbs sharply into the G349 mountain route. You then ascend the Khamba La Pass (4,794 m), where you are rewarded with a stunning first view of the turquoise Yamdrok Lake, with its mirror-like surface reflecting snow peaks, prayer flags fluttering at the pass, and opportunities to see decorated yaks and Tibetan mastiffs. The route descends to follow the lakeshore before stopping in Nagarze for lunch and continuing onward to the dramatic Karo La Pass (5,045 m), where the highway runs beside a massive hanging glacier. From there, you descend through Simu La Pass and the Manak Reservoir into the fertile Nyang Chu Valley, a patchwork of fields and seasonal colors, before arriving in Gyantse (4,025 m), a historic town dominated by its fortress-topped red hill. After check-in, you can explore the atmospheric old town or visit the iconic Pelkor Chode Monastery with its remarkable Gyantse Kumbum.

Transfer: 260 km, 8-10 Hours | Accommodation: Hotel | Meal: Breakfast

After leaving Gyantse, you may spend a short morning visiting Pelkor Chode Monastery and the Kumbum Stupa or taking a final look at the Gyantse Dzong before continuing your journey north along the G349 highway. The road opens into the wide, fertile Nyang Chu Valley, often filled with golden barley fields or bright rapeseed flowers, passing traditional farm villages and rural scenery where locals continue harvesting and grinding barley in traditional ways. About 20 kilometers before Shigatse, you may take a detour to visit Shalu Monastery, known for its unique blend of Tibetan and Chinese architecture and beautifully preserved ancient murals. You then arrive in Shigatse (3,840 m), check into your hotel, and enjoy lunch before spending the afternoon at Tashilhunpo Monastery, the historic seat of the Panchen Lama, where you will see the giant Maitreya Buddha statue, golden stupas of past Panchen Lamas, and join pilgrims walking the kora route with wide views over the valley.

Transfer: 90 km, 4-6 Hours | Accommodation: Hotel | Meal: Breakfast

After an early departure from Shigatse, you travel along the smooth G318 Friendship Highway, passing the Yarlung Tsangpo Valley, a 5,000 km milestone marker near Lhatse, and stopping for lunch in the busy junction town of Lhatse (4,010 m). The journey then climbs dramatically to Gyatso La Pass (5,248 m), the highest point on the route, where prayer flags flutter, and you may catch your first distant view of Everest before descending to Tingri for security checks. You then enter Everest National Park and reach Gawu La Pass (5,198 m), which offers a breathtaking panorama of the Himalayas, including Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, and Shishapangma, along with a spectacular view of the 108 switchbacks descending into the valley. From Tashi Dzom, you transfer to an eco-bus for the final ascent through the Dzakar Chu valley, passing remote yak herder settlements before arriving at Rongbuk Monastery (4,980 m), dramatically set beneath Everest’s north face. Here, you can explore the atmospheric monastery and ancient meditation caves and, weather permitting, witness an unforgettable sunset over Everest, with basic guesthouse or tented accommodation options nearby.

Transfer: 340 km, 8-10 Hours | Accommodation: Guesthouse | Meal: Breakfast

Wake up early in the morning to witness the majestic sunrise over the peak of Mount Everest, weather permitting, from the comfort of your lodging area. You will follow the glacial valley toward Mount Everest Base Camp, walking beside the icy Dzakar Chu River, with the massive north face of Everest dominating the horizon. At this extreme altitude (around 5,100 meters), it is essential to move slowly, breathe steadily, and monitor your body carefully. Carry only the essentials, such as warm water, snacks, and emergency oxygen, while eco-buses are available for those who prefer not to trek. The route ends at the Base Camp monument, which marks the official viewpoint of Everest’s towering 3,000-meter north wall.

After returning to collect your gear, you will embark on a long overland drive west, climbing back over Gawu La Pass (5,198 meters). A lunch stop in Old Tingri offers views of Cho Oyu. Continuing along the G318 and then the remote G219 highway, the landscape opens up into vast, empty high-altitude plains where wildlife such as wild asses and gazelles may be spotted. You will pass Peiku Tso Lake, which reflects Mount Shishapangma, before reaching Saga (4,485 meters), a key logistical town where you will check into a hotel equipped with heating and oxygen support after a long day of travel.

Hiking: 5 km, 3-4 Hours | Transfer: 330 km, 6-8 Hours | Accommodation: Guesthouse | Meal: Breakfast

After leaving Saga, you travel along the G219 National Highway through the wide Himalayan valleys that run alongside the upper Yarlung Tsangpo River. Gradually, you enter the stark desert landscapes of Zhongba, where dunes rise beside the road against a backdrop of distant snow-capped peaks. The route passes through Paryang (4,600 m), a remote frontier town where you stop for lunch and prepare for the high pass ahead. From here, the road climbs steadily into the Gangdise Range and crosses Mayum La Pass (5,211 m), a major watershed boundary marked by prayer flags and thin, high-altitude air. After crossing the pass, you descend into the sacred lake basin of western Tibet.

As you approach Lake Manasarovar, the scenery becomes particularly striking, with magnificent snow-covered peaks encircling the area and their reflections in the tranquil turquoise waters of the lake. Lake Manasarovar is revered in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Nearby lies the contrasting dark waters of Lake Rakshastal. You settle near the shoreline around Chiu Monastery, which is perched on a rocky hill above the lake. Here, you may have the opportunity to witness pilgrims walking the kora (circumambulation) and, on clear days, enjoy distant views of Mount Kailash, especially at sunset over this deeply spiritual landscape.

Transfer: 490 km, 7-9 Hours | Accommodation: Guesthouse | Meal: Breakfast

After a cold, clear morning at Lake Manasarovar, you witness the still waters reflecting the golden light on Mount Kailash and Gurla Mandhata (7,694 m), followed by a final walk along the shoreline near Chiu Monastery, where pilgrims make offerings, and the vast sacred basin is seen one last time. You then depart north across the Barkha Plain along the G219 Highway, where Lake Rakshastal and Lake Manasarovar appear side by side in striking contrast. At the same time, Mount Kailash (6,638m) dominates the horizon ahead. The journey continues into Darchen (4,675m), a small frontier town at the base of the sacred mountain, where you check into your hotel, have a warm, energy-rich lunch, and prepare for the upcoming trek. The afternoon is dedicated to essential logistics, including verifying permits, registering with local authorities, arranging porters or yaks if needed, checking trekking gear, and taking a short acclimatization walk around town to adjust to the high altitude before beginning the Kailash kora.

Transfer: 50 km, 1 Hour | Accommodation: Guesthouse | Meal: Breakfast

After an early morning departure from Darchen, you take a short shuttle ride to the Sarshung Trailhead, where permits are checked, and your porter or yak team is assigned before officially beginning the kora. The trail leads into the wide Lha-chu Valley, following an easy gravel path alongside the glacier-fed river, with the vast Ngari sky above and Mount Kailash gradually revealing its different faces. Along the way, you pass the historic chorten gateway and Chuku Monastery, perched on a cliff, while the mountain’s western face appears as a massive wall of dark rock and ice. After about three hours, you reach the Tamdin rest point at 4,860 m, where you pause for a simple hot meal and tea in nomadic tents before continuing into the more rugged terrain of boulders and moraine above 4,900 m, where breathing becomes noticeably harder and a slow, steady rhythm is essential. As the valley opens dramatically, the towering North Face of Mount Kailash comes into full view, leading to your arrival at Dirapuk Monastery, where you settle into basic accommodation, visit the small shrine above the guesthouse, and witness an unforgettable sunset over the sacred mountain as it shifts from gold to deep blue under the night sky.

Trek: 19 km, 6-8 Hour | Altitude Gain: 480 m | Altitude Loss: 80 m | Accommodation: Guesthouse | Meal: Breakfast

The day begins before dawn at Dirapuk Monastery in freezing conditions, as you start a steady and demanding climb over rocky terrain toward Shiva-tsal at about 5,330 meters, a sacred site where pilgrims symbolically leave behind items to represent the end of their old life and past karma before crossing the pass. From there, the route becomes steeper and more difficult as you move through boulders and possibly snow or ice toward Dolma La Pass at 5,630 meters, marked by prayer flags, incense, and pilgrims performing rituals and chanting prayers at the highest point of the journey. After reaching the pass, you begin a very steep and challenging descent past the sacred Gauri Kund lake, a turquoise high-altitude lake associated with Goddess Parvati, carefully navigating loose rocks and slippery ground using trekking poles for stability. Eventually, the terrain eases into a long valley walk along the Zhong-chu River, which feels exhausting despite being flatter, until the landscape gradually opens up and the stone structures and prayer flags of Zutulpuk Monastery appear at the end of the day.

Trek: 18 km, 8-10 Hour | Altitude Gain: 550 m | Altitude Loss: 840 m | Accommodation: Guesthouse | Meal: Breakfast

The day begins at the Miracle Cave, following the right bank of the Zhong-chu River along an easy canyon trail lined with mineral-stained cliffs, sacred Mani stone mounds, and prayer flags, eventually passing the confluence of streams known as the “Gold River” and “Silver River” before the canyon opens dramatically into the vast Barkha Plain. From there, sweeping views reveal Lake Manasarovar and the distant peak of Gurla Mandhata at 7,694 meters, and the route continues to a checkpoint near Tangser or Dzong-chu where permits are verified and trekkers may either be picked up by support vehicles or walk the final stretch back to Darchen, completing the 52-km Mount Kailash circumambulation. After resting and regrouping in Darchen, the journey continues by road across the Tibetan Plateau along the G219 highway, passing the sacred twin lakes of Manasarovar and Rakshastal, contrasting symbols of purity and darkness, before crossing vast high-altitude steppe regions inhabited by nomadic herders and wildlife such as Tibetan antelope and wild ass. The route then moves past surreal dunes near Paryang and over the high Mayum La Pass at 5,211 meters before descending into the valley toward Saga at 4,450 meters, a well-equipped regional hub offering comfortable accommodation and facilities for recovery after the long overland journey.

Trek: 10 km, 3-5 Hour | Altitude Gain: 50 m | Altitude Loss: 160 m | Transfer: 490 km, 7-9 hours | Accommodation: Guesthouse | Meal: Breakfast

Leaving Saga, the journey begins with a crossing over the vast Yarlung Tsangpo River before heading through wide, sandy valleys and smooth highways that gradually turn south away from the main G219 route toward the central Himalayan borderlands. The road then enters the spectacular Pelkhu Tso basin at about 4,600 meters, where the deep turquoise lake stretches beneath the towering presence of Shishapangma (8,027 m), a fully Tibetan 8,000-meter peak whose glaciated walls dominate the horizon. Continuing onward, the route climbs steadily to the Gongtang La Pass at 5,236 meters, marked by prayer flags and harsh winds, offering a dramatic contrast between the flat Tibetan plateau behind and the plunging Himalayan valleys ahead. From the pass, the road drops sharply into the Kyirong Gorge through a series of steep switchbacks, passing through a rapid ecological transition from barren alpine terrain to lush forests, waterfalls, and bamboo-filled valleys as oxygen levels increase noticeably. The journey finally ends in Kyirong Town at 2,700 meters, a green and sheltered valley settlement surrounded by misty cliffs and snow peaks, offering a warm, low-altitude refuge and a comfortable place to recover after the high Himalayan crossings.

Transfer: 160 km, 5-7 hours | Accommodation: Guesthouse | Meal: Breakfast

After breakfast, the journey begins with a smooth descent from Kyirong Town, situated at 2,700 meters. Travelers drive through a well-paved gorge road to reach the Chinese immigration checkpoint at Kyirong Port. After passing through the checkpoint, they cross the Friendship Bridge over the Lende River, formally exiting China and entering Nepal while adjusting their watches by -2 hours and 15 minutes. On the Nepal side at Rasuwa Gadhi, passengers complete the visa and customs procedures and switch to a 4WD vehicle. They then immediately face rough off-road driving through the Trishuli River canyon, navigating cliffs, river crossings, and constant jolts. The route climbs to Dhunche within Langtang National Park before descending through dramatic hairpin bends into the lowlands of Trishuli Bazaar. Here, subtropical vegetation replaces the alpine landscapes, and traffic begins to increase. From Trishuli Bazaar, the final stretch follows increasingly busy highways through Nuwakot and the valley rim checkpoints before descending into the Kathmandu Valley. The journey concludes amid the dense traffic, urban energy, and bustle of Thamel at 1,400 meters, marking the end of a long trans-Himalayan crossing.

Transfer: 165 km, 8-10 hours | Meal: Breakfast