- Day 01: Arrival in kathmandu and transfer to the city center. Hotel in Kathmandu on BB
Arrive in Kathmandu and transfer to hotel
- Day 02: Sightseeing tour in Kathmandu. Hotel in Kathmandu on BB
Your tour starts at around 9am, sightseeing in Swayambhunath, Durbar square, Pashupatinath. Soyambunath is the oldest Buddhist stupa in Nepal and it has more than 2000 years history. The distance from your hotel to the stupa is around 15 Km . The Bouddhanath Stupa was built in the form of Buddha??s eyes and surrounding the stupa there is a monastery and it is interesting to give a round to the stupa. The stupa is located on the top of a hill and you can enjoy the view of the whole Kathmandu city.After you visit Swayambunath, You can visit Kathmandu Durbar Square . Kathmandu Durbar Square is architectonic appraised jewels of the Kathmandu city.(Durbar means palace) In her square, we can admire infinity of temples and Palaces such as, Gaddhi Baithak Durbar, Palace of Rana style, constructed in 1908, Basandabur Durbar, Main building of the old Royal Palace and the Kumari Chowk, the living Goddesses and the Kumari bahal, where her family resides. All these objects are located in Basandapur. Pashupatinath is a Sacred Pilgrimage site of all Hindus inKathmandu .
- Day 3: Kathmandu to Dzangmu Tibet border-Nyalam county(3750m/158km) Hotel in Nyalam on BB
Today, You will cross the border at Dzangmu at the elevation of 2200Mt above sea level and then drive to Nyalam.The distance between Dzangmu and Nyalam is 30Km only but it will take 1 and half hrs to get there since the road is very adventurous in the gorge. On the way from Dzangmu to Nyalam, You will view a great gorge with beautiful green forest composed of different kinds of trees. During the monsoon, you can also view lovely water fall from different side of gorge.Nyalam is a small town with some government buildings and Tibetan district buildings.
- Day 04: Acclimatization in Nyalam and side trip to Mila Repa cave, 3hrs walk. Hotel in Nyalam on BB
After breakfast, we will walk to Milarepa Cave along the highway (First meditation cave 4300m):Milaripa cave is one of the oldest historical pilgrimage site for Tibetan Buddhist. It is believed that Milarepa Yogi meditated in this cave for a year while only eating nettle. The cave was re-built after the cultural revelution.The interior has an altar and Thangkas, and a bare inner cell contains Milarepa Yogi’s footprint and carved Mantras. Overnight in Nyalam. Recommendation: If you have power bars/dry nuts, please take this with you.
- Day 05: Drive from Nyalam to Saga (4640m/280km) Hotel in Saga on BB
Today you will drive around 6-7 hrs on a little bumpy road but the scenery is one of the most spectacular one during your journey to Kailash that you can see great Himalayan ranges and one of the most world popular snow mountain called Shisha Bangma (8200Mt) from the top of a pass called Thongla( 5200Mt). Besides a fantastic view of lake Pekutso will be appeared on the way and you can stop for photos with lake and snow mountain behind the valley. Hike around Pekutso lake for a couple of hours in order to acclimatize to the high altitude naturally and slowly. Saga is a small town with some government buildings.
- Day 06: Drive to Mansarovar (Chiu) (4590Mts/485Km) Guest house in Mansarovar on BB
After breakfast, drive to Mansarovar and Mount Kailash by crossing Saga pass, and then to Dargyeling monastery which is on the slop of the beautiful grassland valley. Stop for a while and visit.
You will be continuously driving in the valley with lots of nomad camps, Yaks and sheep are being grazed in the beautiful grass land. Once you see those nomads and their own live stocks, you will naturally feel the beauty of Tibet and her culture and custom. You will also see the longest river flow which is Bharmaputara flows all the way from western Tibet via Shigatse, YarlungValley , Eastern forest region of Tibet and finally emptied into the bay of Bengal. Baryang is a very small village with a few small shops, very basic guest houses and some families. You will continue your journey to Lake Mansarovar. On the way, you will see several different types of wild animals such as wild donkeys, wolves, foxes, ibex etc if you are lucky enough, I mean those wild lives are not certain that you can because sometimes they graze beside the main road, sometimes not that's why I am telling, if you are lucky enough. Of course toady is also the most exciting day for you as it is the day of seeing the first spot of Lake Mansarovar and holy mount Kailash from a site called Chaktsal Kang where pious people do prostration to holy mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar.
- Day 07: Drive to Tirthapuri (4330m/60km) Guest house in Tirthapuri on BB
Morning, take a walk around along the Mansarovar lake with fresh air and beautiful scenery of Mount Kailash, Mount Nemo Nanyi(7728m) or Gurla Mandata in Nepal. Visit Chiu gompa ( Sparrow monastery) at the Mansarovar lake's western gateway sits atop a conical outcrop of red rock, originally founded by the Drukpa Kagu Lama Kyapgon Gangriwa. You will enjoy a panoramic view of Mount kailash Mansarovar lake from Chiu Gompa.
Drive to Thirthapuri in the further western Tibet where the Zhangzhung Kingdom was.
- Day 08: Drive from Tirthapuri to Tholing (3780m/240km) Hotel in Tholing on BB
Visit Kyunglung Guru Gyam and then you will be driving across one of the biggest passes during your journey called Jiangla pass (5100Mts ) and from the top of the pass, you will enjoy a unique land view resembling to a pool as it is just consumed it's water from the pool or similar to Egypet mud towers.Afternoon, visit Tholing monastery. THOLING MONASTERY the temples and religious buildings of Tholing are the most significant in far west Tibet . The monastery was constructed under the guidance of the great Tibetan translator Rinchen Zangpo in around 11 th century although some historian refers to the date of 996.During his life time, he is said to have built 108 temples throughout far west Tibet and Ladhak eventhough few still exist, those at Tholing are considered to be the best examples of Guge style of Buddhist art. Tholing was the main religious centre prior to the visit of the great Indian Pandit Atisha due to the influence of Rinchen Zangpo. Atisha was invited by Rinchen Zangpo under the instruction of the Guge King Yeshe-O. As the history goes by, Yeshe-O was very devoted to Rinchen Zangpo's activities and he himself founded the monasteries in Tholing. Yeshe-O sent his men to India to invite Atisha several times but they returned after being refused their request several times. Yeseh-O sacrificed all his life in order to invite Atisha. He was captured by invading troops from Qarloq who demanded ransom. When Yeshe-O's nephew Jangchub O tried to save his life, Yeshe- O responded to his nephew by saying " I am an old man. My life now is short. Use the ransom to invite and assist Atisha to come to Tibet . When Atisha was moved by Yeshe-O's dedication to Buddhism, Atisha finally agreed to visit Tibet and he was amazed to see Buddhism flourishing when he arrived in Guge.
- Day 09: Tholing- Guge Kingdom, 20Km , Visit Guge Kingdom- Tholing, Visit Tholing monastery and late afternoon, drive to Dungkar & Peyang, 80km. Guest house in Peyang on BB
GUGE KINGDOM was founded in the late 10 th century by lineages of Lang Dharma, King Palkor Tsen's son Kyede Nyima Gon after the Tsenpo period was diminished in the late 10 th century and it was resided by 16 lineages of the Kings respectively. The citadel of Guge is situated up on a giant cliff and it has (300Meters) in height and 18,0000 square Meters in length. Eventhough the citadel of Guge was heavily destroyed, it still remains important Buddhist arts in Tsaparang. The wall paintings and the statues paint were influenced by Kashmiri style in 11 th century, Newari style in 14 th and 15th century, and Tibetan style in 17 th century respectively. The least damaged temples now are White, Red and Demchok temples and you can see damaged heads or shoulders of the statues and destroyed wall paintings on the wall in those temples.
- Day 10: Morning visit Dungkar & Peyang and afternoon, drive to Dharchen,4660mts,240Km. Hotel in Dharchen on BB
DUNGKAR PIYANG has around 1100 ye ars history and the murals in the cave are possibly the oldest in Ngari region. The oldest temple at Dungkar is attributed to Princess Lhei Metok, daughter of King Yeshe-O in the 10 th century, but the building that is most prominent nowadays is Tashi Choling. Tashi Choling was built for Tsongkapa's student Ngawang Drakpa in the 15 th century. Piyang is around 3Km from Dungkar at the far end of the valley. The oldest building in Piyang was the Karsak Lhakhang, attributed to King Yeshe-O. Both Dungkar and Piyang have extremely gorgeous paintings. Afternoon, drive to Dharchen and prepare for the three days Kailash trek.
- Day 11: Kailash trek to Dhirtaphuk (5210m/18km)
Today is the first day of your KailashKora which is totally around 53Km . You start your Kora from Darchen and after like 2 hrs walk, you will face DarpoChe where there is a huge prayer flag pole which is annually replaced by the pilgrimages on 15 th of forth Lunar month, known as Saga Dawa festival, As well as Trulku monastery on your leftside up on the hill side. You can also see ibex and blue sheep running in the rocky hillside while you are walking and then you will reach DhiraPhuk which was a monastery before but nowadays you can only see the ruins of the monastery as the monastery was destroyed in the cultural revolution.Camp or lodge
- Day 12: Kailash trek to Zutrulphuk (4810m/15km)
Today is the second of your KailashKora which is indeed the hardest day of your three days trek. You will have to climb up to the top of Drolma La pass which is more than 5000Mt. There will be three sloppy hike to get to the top of Drolma La pass from DhiraPhuk and then pretty steep down hill with rocky path all the way to the valley. On the right side of the down hill path, there is a small lake called Thuje Lake, meaning compassionate lake.ZutrulPhuk was the cave where Mila Repa and NagroBonchung debated for their religion sects and nowadays, it is a small monastery.Camp or Lodge
- Day 13: Trek to Dharchen and then drive to Mansarovar ((4590Mts/50Km) Guest house in Mansarovar on BB
Today is the easiest and last day of your Kailashkora as you will trek down in the valley with beautiful distant scenery of Rakshas Tal lake .From here you will depart your Yak men and kind Yak and shift to jeeps. You will meet your drivers and continue your tour to Lake Mansarovar. Rest and free afternoon around the lake.
- Day 14: Mansarovar-Drongpa-Saga, 4640Mts/435Km Mansarovar hotel on BB
It's in the vastness of the Changtang, Tibetan plateau, that we measure the Tibetan space from where suddenly emerge herds of gazelles or Kyang, wild donkeys.
- Day 15: Drive Saga-Shigatse (3900Mts/ 440KM )Mansarovar Hotel on B.B
Drive along the Tibetan nomad camps on the vast grassland in the western Tibetan high plateau, beautiful Himalayan mountain range, Tibetan farmers with their beautiful Tibetan traditional houses.
- Day 16: Visit Shigatse and then drive to Gyantse (3950m/90km) Hotel in Gyantse
Morning, visit Tashi Lhunpo monastery which is dedicated to the tomb stupa of the successive of the Penchen Lama and a giant Bronze made statue of Maitreya or the future Buddha. After lunch, drive to Gyantse which is just one hour and thirty minutes drive from Shigatse. Visit Palchoe monastery and Kubum Pagoda stupa in Gyantse and walk in the old town of Gyantse.
- Day 17: Gyantse to Lhasa (3650m/260km) Hotel in Lhasa
After breakfast, drive towards Lhasa, crossing the first mountain pass called Simila and a lovely view of Simila lake, a great view of Mount Noejing Kangsang from road side. You will stopped at Karola glacier for photos. Drive along the Yamdrok lake and a fantastic Panoramic view of Yamdrok lake and Mount Noejing Kangsang from the top of Kampala pass which is the last high mountain pass for you entire Kailash journey. Drive down through many zigzag road and view the Barhmaputra river valley, you will finally reach holy Lhasa with a great Potala Palace.
- Day 18: Lhasa sightseeing: Potala, Jokang temple and Bharkor. Hotel in Lhasa
Sightseeing Potala Palace, winter Palace of the Dalai Lama, Jokang temple, the oldest and most sacred temple of Tibet, Bharkor, the ancient market of Lhasa and the most oldest and sacred pilgrimage path in Lhasa.
- Day 19: Lhasa sightseeing: Drepung& Sera monasteries. Hotel in Lhasa
Sightseeing Drepung monastery, the largest monastery in Tibet and one of the six biggest monasteries of Gelukpa sect in Tibetan Bhuddhism. Sera monastery, the scond largest monastery of Tibet and it is very interesting to watch the monks debating in the monastetry.
- Day 20: Drive to Lhasa airport(3600m/45km)
Drive to Lhasa airport and on the way enjoy the beautiful Tibetan farmers and their beautiful Tibetan traditional houses in the Kyichu valley. Arrival in Lhasa airport and say good bye to your Tibetan friends and wish you a safe journey back home.