Upon reaching the airport, our amiable Tibetan guide will extend cordial greetings and present you with a Hada, the customary Tibetan ceremonial scarf.

You will then be transported to Lhasa, where you will rest for the day and prepare for the tour.

Overnight at Lhasa.

Today, we will visit Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will also visit Barkhor Square market. Potala Palace, the winter home of the Dalai Lama, is a 13-floor building with more than 1000 rooms, several statues, artifacts, murals, and stupas.

Later, we will visit the Jokhang Temple, named Jo for Jowo Buddha and Khang for Chapel. It was built in 642 by the first King of Tibet, Songtsen Gampo, to place the image of Akshobhya Buddha, the gift of a Nepalese wife, Bhirkuti. Later, the temple was known for the gift, a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha, by the King’s second Chinese wife.

We will stroll around the Barkhor market that encircles the Jokhang Temple. Pilgrims usually do the kora(circumambulate) of Jokhang temple in a clockwise direction. Also, you can buy gifts to take home, as numerous artifacts and cultural items like Buddha relics are available in this market.

Overnight at Lhasa.

After breakfast, our guide will take you to two great Gelug monasteries in Tibet, Drepung and Sera Monastery.

Drepung Monastery is one of Tibet’s “great three” Gelug Monasteries. It was established by Jamyang Choge Tashi Palden in 1416. Before the Fifth Dalai Lama constructed the Potala Palace, this monastery served as Tibet’s political hub and the residence of the Dalai Lamas.

Later, we will visit the Sera Monastery, built in 1419 by Tsongkapa. This monastery’s most significant architectural features are the 3 Buddhist colleges, 29 monk dormitories, and Coqen Assembly Hall. If you visit between Monday and Friday, you can witness Monks debate in the monastery’s courtyard. Also, watching the 9-meter statue of Maitreya, constructed in 1419, is one of this monastery’s fascinating features.

In the evening, we will visit the Norbulingka Palace, also known as the “Jewel Park.”, built by the 7th Dalai Lama and the Summer Palace of the Dalai Lama.

Overnight at Lhasa.

After breakfast, we will follow the Friendship Highway to Gyantse. After crossing Kamba La Pass(4794m), we will witness the tranquil, turquoise-toned Yamdrok Lake. Yamdrok-tso Lake is one of Tibet’s holiest, cleanest, and most unpolluted lakes. As our journey continues west, we will encounter Karo La Pass(5045m). We will reach the town named Nangartse, where we will have lunch. After lunch, we will drive for hours, and in the afternoon, we will reach Gyantse.

Gyantse is the third largest historical city of Tibet, where we will visit the famous Khumbum Stupa and Pelkhor Chode. Khumbum is home to a massive 35-meter-tall gold-domed stupa and homes with many chapels and frescoes depicting Tibetan Buddhism. In Tibetan, the Khumbum signifies 100,000 pictures.

Then we will visit the Pelkhor Chode monastery, situated in the Nyangchu river valley. Although the monastery has several distinct buildings, its 108 chapels spread across multiple stories and its historic Dzong, or fort, make it the most well-known. The monastery’s architecture blends Tibetan, Han, and Nepalese styles.

Overnight at Gyantse.

After having breakfast, we will leave for Shigatse, the second-largest town in Tibet. We will stop by two places: Gyantse Fortress and Shalu Monastery. Gyantse Fortress is one of the finest dzongs and was built in 1390. Shalu Monastery, a small monastery, is about 14 miles south of Shigatse. Chetsun Sherab Jungnay founded it in 1040, and for many years afterward, it was renowned as a hub of academic study and psychic arts instruction.

Once we reach Shigatse, we will visit Tashilimphu Monastery, established in 1447 and regarded as the highest monastery in the Gelukpa lineage. Due to its long history as the official residence of Panchen Lamas, the monastery is well-liked by pilgrims. The monastery is an intriguing, expansive blend of halls, chapels, and other buildings built in the classic Tibetan monastic architecture. You can view the enormous statue of Future Buddha, which is 26.2 meters in height and 11.5 meters in width. It is adorned with priceless pearls, turquoise, coral, and amber. It is the most enormous statue of its type on the planet.

Overnight at Shigatse.

This morning, get up early and enjoy a decent breakfast. We will later depart from Shigatse to Saga on a breathtaking journey across the stunning Tibetan grasslands. Saga means “The Lovely Place” or “Happy Land.” At Saga Chakzam, the Dargye Tsanpo River merges with the Brahmaputra after passing through here.

This charming town has many affordable motels or guesthouses, making it the ideal stop. This Saga village has a kind greeting, delicious local cuisine, and a small market worth exploring.

Overnight at Saga.

Today will be the most exciting journey as we get closer to Holy Mount Kailash. We will have breakfast early in the hotel and drive to Holy Lake Mansarovar.

As we travel across the vast plains, you’ll be treated to breathtaking vistas of the Trans-Himalayan to the north and the enormous Himalayas to the south. Nomads live in this area, along with lovely grasslands and local communities. Before the Mayomla Pass (5112m), we will stop for the immigration permit formalities. If we are lucky and the weather is clear, we can view the Holy Mount Kailash from here, too. Once the permit formalities are completed, you may witness the breathtaking view of Mt. Naimonanyi (7694M) as we pass over the Mayomla Pass (5112M) and reach Hor Que. In the Hor Que, we have to leave our vehicles and travel on public vehicles operated by the Tibetan Authority.

From here, we will visit Lake Mansarovar and do a parikrama. You will experience a memorable moment at Lake Manasarovar. Enjoy an elegant evening while taking in the spectacular views of Mt. Kailash and the sacred Lake Manasarovar. One who visits the Lake at Night can see the unique and stunning view.

Overnight at Mansarovar.

Early in the morning, take a holy bath in the bank of the Lake Mansarovar. We will provide you with warm, holy water.

Note: You cannot directly bathe in the Lake. You have to take out water from the bucket and bathe nearby.

After taking a bath, we will continue our journey to Darchen. With rudimentary facilities and infrastructure development, Darchen serves as the primary administrative center for the Kailash region. It is also regarded as the base camp of Mount Kailash, from whence the walk around the peak commences. If you have time, you may take a stroll around Darchen’s modest market.

On the route to Darchen, we will witness the sweeping views of Rakshas Tal, also known as Demon’s Lake (on the other side of Lake Mansarovar). We will take a little detour to Rakshas Taal to get some stunning images. Drive on to Darchen and check into the hotel.

Relax and get ready for the next day’s schedule throughout the remaining time.

Overnight at Darchen.

Today is the first day of the Mt. Kailash circumambulation, and we will head to Tarboche early. Before starting our trek, we will stop at Yam Dwar, where we will find our porters and prepare for the Kora.

From here, we will trek to Dirapuk Monastery, which will take around 6 hours. We will see the north side of Mt. Kailash. Dirapuk is famous for hosting festival events. Suppose we are fortunate enough to arrive during a Saga Dawa festival. In that case, we will witness a grand event and have the opportunity to learn more about the traditions and culture of the local communities that reside in the Dirapuk areas.

Overnight at Dirapuk.

Today is the second day of Kora. You will wake up early today at dawn to see the Golden Kailash. You will witness the breathtaking view of Kailash as the first rays of sunrise dance across the peak of Kailash, turning it into a golden hue.

Then, we will have breakfast and get ready to trek for 6-7 hours to reach Zuthulphuk. This trek can be challenging, so you have to be prepared. We will ascend to the highest point of the Kailash trek, the Drolma La pass(5680m). On the way to Drolma La Pass, we will witness the footsteps of Milarepa and Shiva Tsal (5330m).

We will spend some time at the Drolma La Pass, with prayer flags adorning it. From this point on, we will descend on our trek.

Then, we arrive at Parvati Taal or Gauri Kund along the route. We will stay here for a while because this lake is so serene. After that, we’ll carry on to Zuthulphuk.

Overnight at Zuthulphuk.

On this final trek day, we descended for about three hours towards Darchen. We woke up around 7:00 AM, ate breakfast, and walked to Darchen. When we reached Darchen, our vehicle was waiting for us. Then, we drive west to Tirthapuri.

Tirthapuri is a barren land associated with Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) in Buddhism and is a sacred site for Bhasmasur in Hinduism. We will then ascent to see monasteries where Guru Rinpoche left his imprints.

Overnight at Tirthapuri.

After breakfast, we will visit the Guge kingdom in the Tsabrang District on the banks of the Xiangquang River, a 300-meter-tall yellow earth hill. The striking paintings from the 10th and 12th centuries have proved that this is the heart of Tibetan Culture. After exploring the ruins of Guge, we will go to a small town nearby, Zhada.

Overnight at Zhada.

Today, we will drive back to Lake Mansarovar. Once reached, the rest of the day is yours to relax. You may unwind and enjoy the Mansarovar lake’s natural beauty again. If you visit during summer, you may witness the swarm of swan flocks on the lake.

Overnight at Mansarovar.

Today, you will wake up at regular hours, have a decent breakfast, and we will drive to Saga.

Note: You can also wake up early, visit Lake Mansarovar, and bathe one last time on the bank of Holy Lake before we eat breakfast.

Overnight at Saga.

After breakfast, we will move towards the Kyirong Border. We will enjoy scenic views of mountains, forests, and streams on the way.

Once you reach the Kyirong border, the guide will complete certain formalities, and then you will be driven to Syabrubesi, where you will rest for the day. In the evening, you can stroll around the streets of Syabrubesi.

Overnight at Syabrubesi.

You will have a decent breakfast, and then we will drive back to Kathmandu. Within a few hours, we will reach Kathmandu and drop you off at your hotel.

You can rest the remaining day or stroll around markets like Ason and New Road to shop for something beautiful to return to your home.