MT. KAILASH JOURNEY VIA LHASA

On arrival at Kathmandu and Nepal International Airport, received by our guides and staff for short transfer to your hotels in the hub of Kathmandu city.

Checking your lovely room, and after a refreshing rest join with other members of
Panchase Hill Trekking. Our guide or group leader brief you about Tibet and Nepal with journey to Mt. Kailash, do’s and don’ts, local culture, as well foods provided and lodges on route Kailash.

A full good information which will help to enjoy your adventure with us, followed with welcome group dinner in a Nepalese restaurant with folk-culture program as entertainment while you enjoy the dinner.

Morning after breakfast at given time, our city guide will meet for interesting sightseeing of best world heritage sites around Kathmandu.

Tour includes old Durbar (royal palace and courtyard) square, with Temple of Kumari (Living young virgin Goddess). Visit famous Nepal landmark Swayambhunath Stupa a 2,500 years old, a Buddhist Stupa with all seeing eyes of Lord Buddha. Afternoon tour of holy Hindu Temple of Pashupatinath and visit Bouddhanath, Asia’s largest Stupa with four cardinals eyes of Buddha surrounded with prayer wheels and small market, this place is also known as Little Tibet due to strong Tibetan influence.

After an exciting day tour back to hotel for Tibet preparation with last minute briefing from your leader and guide.

Morning as time for flight to Lhasa, transfer to Kathmandu and Nepal international airport terminal for an hour or little more scenic flight to land at Gongor airport near Lhasa. During airborne enjoy grand panorama of Himalayan peaks that straddles the border of Nepal and Tibet, with views of Mt. Everest.

On landing at Gongor international airport near Lhasa, our Tibetan guide will receives with warm welcome in traditional greeting. An hour drive to Lhasa, on reaching Lhasa transfer into best available hotels. Located around the old areas of Lhasa city near famous Barkor Square and market, the hub of Lhasa city where Jhorkang Temple located.

These two days in Lhasa city, engrossed with exciting tour at places of great cultural and historical interest. As well a perfect and ideal altitude for acclimatization before heading towards higher areas of Tibet.

Lhasa at 3,650 m provides good acclimatization, start the morning visiting around great places that Lhasa has to offer. Morning after breakfast our native Tibetan guide and driver will receive you for tour of Potala Palace, Norbulingkha Summer Palace, Sera and Drepung Monastery.

Lhasa, regarded as a holy spot for many Tibetans as well central Asian explorers in the past centuries, the Lhasa city since last few decades been changed with the impact of foreign visitors. However much of the original character remains while jostling to Potala Palace among crowds of ethnic Tibetans. Enjoy being captivated by the magnificent culture, religion and traditions.

Two days in Lhasa busy with exciting and interesting tour of Drepung Monastery one of the largest in Tibet, as well important old monastery of Tibet actually a collage and a university for Tibetan Buddhism in earlier days.

After Drepung, tour of Jokhang Temple which is another important and interesting site to visit as it boasts historic importance and tales of old days.
The tour concludes for the day visiting Barkor Bazaar.

Next morning guide will take you on tour to famous Potala Palace, originally built during 640 AD. Potala Palace the landmark of Lhasa and Tibet dominates the Kyuchi or Lhasa valley.
The 13 storied palaces with 1,000 room stands at 117.19 m high includes 1000 rooms. Where only some important areas are open for visitors, afternoon tour of Shera monastery, observe young monks in debates one of the highlight of the visit.

Starting with scenic drive to Shigatse and Gyantse, drive leads over Yarlung Tsangpo River or Brahmaputra River, flows from Mt. Kailash.
As drive climbs to the top of Khamba-La pass at 4,800 m high, offers grand panorama of Tibetan dramatic landscape with snowcapped peaks. After short stop drive continues towards Yamdrok Tsho, the beautiful Turquoise Lake and then reach at Ngartse town for hot lunch in a nice local restaurants.
After lunch drive leads to cross Karo-La pass at 5,050 m high facing close view of
Mt. Nzongkhangsa 7,206 m with its ice-fall and glaciers right close to the highway. From here drive for few hours to Gyantse city, the third largest settlement in Tibet, in Gyantse tour of Kumbum Stupa built in early 15th century and contains thousands of frescoes.

From Gyantse a short distance drive of few hour to Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet after Lhasa. The road has recently been improved from bumpy and rutted portion. Drive follows Nyang Chu River past farm villages and crops fields to reach Shigatse with nice hotel accommodation.

Morning after a good breakfast, guide will take you to large Tashilumpo monastery complex, the traditional residence of Panchen Lama contains a
27 m high gold plated Matriya Buddha (future Buddha), afternoon visit local market, here observe the Tibetans of all walks of life with various interesting culture, a nice place to witness traditional heritage custom of Tibet.

After an exciting and pleasant time in Shigtse, our real adventure begins with morning drive on main Kathmandu / Lhasa Friendship highway, heading to Larze town where route to Mt. Kailash and Nepal border joins.
From Larze drive leads over several high passes, as journey continues further south west past many farm villages and wild country. The drive reaches near Yalung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) River flows from Mt. Kailash, and then reaching at Saga town, which is slowly turning into a city provides lodge, hotels and restaurants, at Saga check into a best available hotels or guest houses for overnights, where our Nepali staff joins from here on.

From Saga on the road to holy Mt. Kailash, morning drive leads past Saga town heading over a pass and then down to follow the river. Slowly reaching a deserted village of Drongba, this old village shifter to another valley into a town.
As drive skirts around the flat plain within vast plateau past few cattle herder settlement with large tents. Drive continues towards further west facing views of distant white peaks that lines Nepal and Tibet border. After few hours of scenic drive then reaching a windblown small town at Paryang for overnight stop in the comfort of a simple cozy lodges and guest-house.

Morning drive continues past small villages and nomads camps reaching a valley by the river side of Sum-Chu, where three streams joins to Brahmaputra / Yarlung Tsangpo River. After a short break here drive leads over Mayum-La at 5,050 m high reaching close to eastern side of Lake Manasarover near Horpa town with first view of Mt. Kailash towards North West direction.

Journey follows on good road further west on dry Barkha plain reaching the western and main spot of Lake Manasarover below Chu-Gompa, a monastery tucked in a high cliff overhanging cave. Overnight in a lodge/guest-house close to the short of holy Manasarover Lake.

After continues drive for several days, enjoy the rest at Manasarover for acclimatization with options for walk up to Chu-Gompa / monastery or walk by the lake with grand views of Mt. Kailash and Gurla Mandhata mountain range towers at 7,694 m high. The lake Manasarover floats beneath the shadow of holy Kailash as the lake formed in the mind of Gods hence the name ‘Manas’ comes from ancient Sanskrit word.

Manasarover Lake is large takes about 3-4 days to do the circuit of the lake, where drive takes about four hours. For pilgrims with time offer prayer and worship by the lake shore.

From Manasarover Lake, after a pleasant and exciting time and rest start the journey taking a short drive close to Darchen the main town of Kailash area.
Darchen is flooded with pilgrims in high seasons of Saga Dawa, birth anniversary of Lord Buddha. Darchen with many hotels and guesthouses, a busy small town with pilgrims for holy Parikrama / Kora or circumambulation.
At Darchen view of Mt. Kailash South Face, from here a short drive north-west to Tarboche, a holy spot with views of Mt. Kailash West Face. From Tarboche walk starts heading north on windswept valley close to a stream with gradual climb to Dhiraphuk for overnight stop after 4-5 hours of good high altitude walk.
Dhiraphuk, located north of Mt. Kailash a place with a small monastery of saint and guru Millerepa of 11th Centuary. Dhiraphuk with few lodges and guest houses with grand view of Mt. Kailash North Face.

Today a grand day as route leads to steep climb on top the highest point of the trip, from Dhiraphuk morning walk starts on gradual path for short while and crossing a stream, climb begins on well-established path all the way to the top of Dolma-La the high ridge and the pass at 5,630 m, which is also a holy spot.
A big black boulder represents the goddess Dolma or Dromo (Tara) festooned with prayer flags. This sacred spot the physical and spiritual high point of pilgrimage. From the top descend to the bottoms of the pass on a wide Lamchu valley, a gradual winding walk to Zutulpuk for overnight in one of its simple basic lodge. The word Zutul means a cave. The place is named for a cave, where poet, and saint Millerepa meditate, his footprint can be seen on the roof of this large cave.

Our final last day walk ‘kora’ or Parikrama, morning starts with easy gradual walk of few hours following the Karnali River, which flows through Western Nepal.
Slowly walk ends on reaching a narrow valley and gorge entering into a dramatic exit on the river valley just before Darchen town. Where our transport and drivers will be waiting for a long drive back to Saga, on completing the last leg of the journey walking around Mt. Kailash, drive leads you to Saga town for overnight halt.

Last day in Tibet, as morning drive leads to cross Yarlung Tsangpo / Brahmaputra River, driving on a long bridge and then entering a wide valley. From the high plateau, drive leads south heading into a gorge following a river most of the way to Kyirong County town for last overnight stop in Tibetan soil.

Morning after breakfast, drive to the border of Nepal and Tibet / China after visa formalities, cross the border bidding farewell to Tibetan guide and drivers.
On entering Nepal side at Rasuwagadhi check-post for visa formalities and then Nepali driver and staff receives you for few hour drive following the river to Syabrubesi village. A popular spot for Langtang and Ganesh Himal trekking, from here drive heads on winding road to Dhunche a large town and headquarter of Rasuwa district within Langtang Himal. Transfer into a nice lodge and guest-house with time to browse around the streets of Dhunche of great cultural interest.

From Dhunche after breakfast, drive takes you downhill to low warm farm villages
to the town of Trisuli Bazaar for possible lunch stop. Afternoon drive past farm
land and rural village and towns then reaching at Kakani, a scenic spot having nice
Mountain resort. After a short refreshing stop drive continues for few hours
reaching back city life at Kathmandu, and then check into your hotel rooms with
rest of the day at leisure.

Last day in Kathmandu and in Nepal, as per your international flight time our staff and guide will transfers for a short drive to Kathmandu and Nepal international airport for final departure, after a memorable experience on Mt. Kailash Journey via Lhasa with pleasant time in Nepal.