Mount Kailash Trekking

Mt. Kailash Trekking (Fly in Lhasa & Drive out from Tibet Border kodari)

Day 01: Arrive in Kathmandu, Eco Trip Nepal airport representative will transfer to hotel. Mt. Kailash trekking briefing with officially arrangements. Overnight at Kathmandu hotel. .

Day 02: After breakfast , Eco Trip Nepal representative will take your original passport for issue the Tibet Visa at Chinese Embassy Kathmandu and our tour guide will take to you historical monuments sightseeing around kathmandu valley such as Pashupatinath, Bouddhanath, Kathmandu Dubar square, Sywambhunath ( Monkey temple) and prepare for Tibet tour. Overnight at Kathmandu hotel.

Day 03: Arrive Lhasa (3660m)
Arrival in Lhasa. You will be met at Gonggar Airport by our local Tibetan agent. After immigration formalities, you will be driven to Lhasa (3650 meters). It takes around an hour to reach the old city. After checking in at your hotel, you are advised to take rest and take it easy. Drink plenty of fluids and let your body get used to Lhasa’s high altitude.

Day 04: Sightseeing in Lhasa,
After breakfast, you will be briefed on the day’s program. An experienced guide will take you on a tour to Sera Monastery, Norbulingka and the Barkhor Square. At the famous Sera Monastery, you will get an insight into the important aspects of Tibetan Buddhism. You pay a visit to Norbulingka, the summer retreat of the Dalai Lama. Completed in 1956, the handsome building is ornately decorated with Tibetan carvings and paintings. Jokhang temple provides yet another glimpse of the rich Tibetan cultural heritage. You will also get the chance to stroll around the busy Barkhor Square, the nerve center of Lhasa. After the day’s tour, you will be escorted back to your hotel.

Day 05: Lhasa sightseeing excursion tour
After an early breakfast, you will be escorted by your guide to the majestic Potala Palace. The imposing structure of the palace dominates the landscape of Lhasa. As you are guided through the ancient chambers of the palace, you get to see Tibetan art at its best. The Potala Palace has a vast array of intricate Tibetan murals and beautiful statues. You will also get to view the tombs of the eight Dalai Lamas. Later in the day you will visit the beautifully landscaped Drepung Monastery where you can observe nuns and monks chanting and performing religious discourses. After the day’s tour is over, you are escorted back to your hotel for a well- earned rest.
Note: Since only a limited number of visitors are allowed inside the Potala palace every day, the order of sightseeing places will be decided upon by your guide.

Day 06: Drive to Gyantse (3950m)
Driving along the Friendship Highway, you drive past Khamba La, at 4794 m, with a brief halt to take in the majestic views of Yamdrok-tso Lake and Nazin Kang Sa, standing at 7252m. On turning westwards, you come across the Karo La pass at 5045m. If you take a glance at the road, you can see huge glaciers tumbling down onto the road. After driving 261 km, beautifully landscaped Tibetan villages become visible as you enter the town of Gyantse.

Day 07: Sightseeing in Gyantse & drive to Shigatse (3900m)
Gyantse prides on Gyantse Dzong and Kumbum. Gyantse Dzong, a 14th century historical fort, overlooks the entire Gyantse and the surrounding Nyang Chu Valley. Kumbum has a large gold-domed stupa and houses several chapels and Tibetan Buddhist murals. After you enjoy exploring Gyantse, you take a 90 km drive and arrive at Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet, which lies at an altitude of 3900 meter.

Day 08: Sightseeing in Shigatse & drive to Lhatse (4050m)
Shigatse was previously both a stronghold and a monastery city. At the western tip beneath Mt Drolmari, lies Tashilhunpo Monastery. This monastery is the major attraction of Shigatse. Today you shall get to visit this ancient monastery, which is also the seat of the Panchen lamas and one of Tibet's four great monasteries. After the visit to the monastery you will get to explore Shigatse's free market. The free market bustles with vendors offering a selection of practical and souvenir items.
Later in the day, you drive along the Friendship Highway to Lhatse. After a drive of 157 km, you will finally reach the small dusty town of Lhatse. Good restaurants, well-stocked shops and guesthouses are available in Lhatse. This place has many ruined dzongs(forts) which were built by the Tibetan kings in the olden days. The small Changmoche Monastery lies at the west end of the town. ;In Lhatse, you will meet your Nepalese Sherpa cooking staff. They reach Tibet by traveling overland from Kathmandu. They will be in charge of the cooking and camping chores from this point onwards.

Day 09: Drive to Saga (4600m)
Heading away from Lhatse, the road goes past the Tsang Po river (Brahmaputra river). Further ahead, a river valley sprawls over and you see picturesque traditional villages. This drive provides plenty of opportunity to photograph the scenic vistas. Thereon, the road moves towards the northern route. On covering 295km, you reach Saga at an elevation of 4,600 meters.

Day 10: Drive to Paryang (4750m) Taking another 255km drive from Saga to Paryang, you weave your way through the small dusty town of Zhongba amidst charming views. When you arrive at Paryang, you prepare yourself for the forthcoming Mount Kailash tour and trek.

Day 11: Drive to Manasarovar (4560m)
Prior to Mount Kailash tour and trek you have to traverse along 270 km distance from Paryang to Manasarovar. This route takes you to the beautiful and sacred Manasarovar Lake amazingly set on the Tibetan plateau bordered by the majestic Gurla Mandata. ;extraordinary landscape. As you near this sacred lake, historic Chiu Monastery becomes visible on the north-west shore of the lake. From this vantage point, you can even get a glimpse of the majestic Mount Kailash and Gurla Mandata. This journey leaves you spiritually fulfilled.

Day 12: Excursion around Holy Manasarovar Lake (4560m)
Free day in Manasarovar. While the trekking crew is busy with the camping arrangement, you can explore the scenic area. Hindus believe that in order to complete the Kailash pilgrimage one should bathe in the sacred Lake Manasarovar. Drive to Darchen. Overnight at guest house.

Day 13: Trek to Dira-puk (4900m)
Early in the morning you meet your team of Tibetan yak drivers with the yaks, who will escort you around the kora. Further ahead from Holy Mansarovar lake, you trek past verdant meadows and picturesque streams to Lha Chu Valley. The trail overlooks a river cascading over a narrow canyon with high steep cliffs. En route, the north face of Kailash comes into view. The trail then approaches the 13th century monastery of Dira-Puk. Visiting this monastery serves for an insightful experience. Eventually, you will conclude the trek of the day at Dira-Puk.

Day 14: Trek to Zutul-Puk (4790m)
Lha Chu Valley blurs as you turn towards Drolma Chu Valley. You ascend to Drolma La (5630m), the highest point of the trip. But soon after the breathtaking view of Thukpe Dzingbu Lake, known as the Lake of Compassion, at the summit, you realize that this tough and challenging ascent has indeed been worthwhile and fruitful. Several prayer flags can be seen at the summit. Further on, the trail descends to the flat fields of Zutul-Puk, which houses a monastery and several fascinating caves. These caves were used for meditation. Milarepa’s cave is one of the most ancient and popular. Milarepa’s footprints and elbow prints is believed to be imprinted all over this cave filled with mani stones. You then reach Zutul-Puk.

Day 15: Trek to Darchen (4560m) & Drive to Manasarovar
Away from Zutul-Puk, you follow the trail through Bharkha plain leading to Darchen. It is an easy walk along some impressive gorges and around many mani stones and mani walls back to the Bharkha Plains and dusty Darchen. The kora has come to an end – you have erased your sins, endured cold nights and mornings, crossed some of the highest passes in the world, met countless fellow pilgrims and sent prayers of peace out to the world. Shortly after arriving at Darchen, you board the waiting vehicle for a short drive to Chiu Gompa, on the shores of Mansarovar Lake.

Day 16: Drive to Paryang (4750m)
After the Parikrama or Kora around Mount Kailash over the 5630 meter Drolma La (pass), clockwise for Buddhists and Hindus, and anti-clockwise for followers of the ancient Bon religion, which is said to erase the sins of a lifetime, you take a 300 km drive crossing Mayum-la and several rivers. On the way you pass green pastures and nomadic herdsmen with their horses and flocks of sheep.

Day 17: Drive to Saga (4600m)
You continue the drive for another 255km that takes you to Saga passing through dusty town of Zhongba and a few smaller passes.

Day 18: Drive to Nyalam (3750m)
Crossing Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra river) by a ferry, you drive 250 km to Nyalam. Soon after leaving Saga, the road opens into a wide flat plain and passes through a huge turquoise lake, the Peiku-Tso, with the spectacular Shishapangma (8027m) rearing up in the background. You further drive across Lalung La (5200m) with picturesque hamlets and craggy windswept hills dotted with tumbling glaciers and finally reach Nyalam, lying at 3750 meter.

Day 19: Nyalam Drive to Kathmandu (1334m)
From Nyalam, you drive down to the border town of Zhangmu. From Zhangmu, it’s a short drive to the Friendship Bridge, which spans the Bhote Kosi river and marks the Chinese - Nepalese border. Here you part with your Tibetan guide and driver and walk to the Nepalese Immigration Control in Kodari, where you will be met by your Nepalese staff. After completing the re-entry formalities, you continue the drive to Kathmandu which, depending on road condition, should take about 5-6 hours drive.

Day 20: Kathmandu journey to onward destination
After breakfast, Relaxing/shopping with own activities, Eco Trip Nepal representative will drop to Kathmandu international airport for onward destination.