15 Days Kailash Tour in Saga Dawa Festival

When you arrive in Lhasa either by train or flight, your guide will greet you and take you to your hotel. Tourists may view the Yarlung Tsangpo River/ Bhamaputra River (the longest and largest river in Tibet) and Lhasa River on their way to Lhasa.

After arriving in Lhasa, you can take a rest and get acclimatized to high altitude. If you feel to go out, then you can go to the Potala Square, where you will enjoy the fountain with different colors and get amazing photos of the Potala and around.

Insider Tips:
For the new-comers of Tibet, to get acclimatized to the high altitude in Tibet, having a good sleep in your hotel is a good option. Don not rush to visit attractions inside Lhasa City.

Stay overnight in Lhasa (3-Star Hotel)

Today's tour will first bring you to the Potala Palace which is the winter palace of the Dalai Lama. It was put to use since the 7th Century by the 33rd Great King of Tibet. The most valuable collections of Potala Palace are the gilded burial stupas of former Dalai Lamas and Meditation Cave of the 33rd Great King of Tibet.

Then after lunch, tourists head to Jokhang Temple which was founded by the 33rd Great King of Tibet in the 7th century. Inside you can see the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni at the age of twelve. Outside, you can see pilgrims making prostrating in front of Jokhang Temple. Around the temple is Barkhor street, where you can do kora (a religious circle of a building or mountain) with pilgrims and locals, and explore the old market.

Besides, We can taste Tibetan tea with locals in tea house. The welcome dinner will also be arranged accordingly.

Optional:
With time permitting, you may go with tour guide to visit Tibetan Handicraft Art or Tibetan Traditional Medicine Center. You can upgrade your service to enjoy Tibetan Culture Show in the evening (fr. 60USD)

Stay overnight in Lhasa (3-Star Hotel)

In the morning, you are going to visit Drepung Monastery which is one of the “great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet, founded in 1416 by Jamyang Choje, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. You can visit the biggest monastery kitchen inside the monastery and enjoy Buddhist Sculpture Carving Workshop near Drepung.

In the afternoon, tourists will visit Sera Monastery which is another one of the “great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet. The hot attraction is the Monks Debate at around 3 - 5 in the afternoon. In addition, you can tour the Tibetan religious scripture printing house. Inside the monastery, you can see three Sand Mandalas and colorful Rock Painting of Buddha.

Stay overnight in Lhasa (3-Star Hotel)

In the morning, drive from Lhasa to Shigatse. On the way, drive over the Gampala Pass (4790m), and you will have a glimpse of Yamdrok-tso (4400m). The lake is surrounded by many snow-capped mountains and in the distance you can have spectacular views of the holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar (7191m), the highest mountain near Lhasa .

Later, we will pass and enjoy the Korola Glacier on the roadside. At Manak Dam Lake, you can hang pray flag at Simila Mountain Pass; Then, we will arrive in Gyantse, historically Tibet's third largest city (after Lhasa and Shigatse). In Gyantse, we will visit the famous Pelkor Monastery and Gyantse Kumbum and enjoy the far view of Gyangtse Fortress.

After one and a half driving, we arrive in Shigatse, which is the second largest city in Tibet. In Shigatse, we may visit traditional Barley Mill and view the landscape of Barley Field if time permits (in summer).

Stay overnight in Manasarovar Hotel

In the morning, we will visit the home of Panchan Lama - Tashilunpo Monastery. Then, we’ll leave Shigatse after getting your Alien’s Travel Permit, and then drive to Lhatse, it is a small town where you can have lunch.

After that, we will pass Tsola Pass (4600m), and Gyatsola Pass (5248m). Shortly after we enter Mt. Everest National Nature Reserve, tourists can enjoy the panorama of Himalaya at Gawula Pass (5198m). Then we drive along the new zigzag road to Everest Base Camp (5200m). You can get closer to gaze at the Mt. Everest peak. The sunset of golden Everest peak if time and weather permits at the lodging area.

Stay overnight at Tent Guest House

In the morning, we can enjoy the sunrise of Everest peak at lodging area if weather permits. Then as we head to saga, you can view of the world's 14th highest peak Mt.Shishapangma (8012m), and turquoise Lake Peiku tso (4590m). If you are lucky enough, you are very likely to see wild animals like wild donkey, wild antelope etc.

Stay overnight in Saga Xibuyizhan Hotel or Mu Linsen Hotel

On the way to Darchen, you will have a chance to appreciate the stunning view of the Saga Valley between Gangdise Range and Himayala Range. Meanwhile, the beautiful grassland and local's villages can also be seen. As we cross the Mayomla Pass (5112m), you can enjoy the spectacular vista of Mt. Naimonanyi (7694m). Then we are supposed to pass by the holy Lake Manasarover and finally arrive at the southern foot of Mt.Kailash, the most holy mountain in Tibet.

Stay overnight in Tarchen Chongqing Hotel

In the morning, you will join the flagpole-erecting ceremony at Tarboche. Every year on this day, the old prayer flagpole is taken down and the new one is set up. It is a great time to experience the solemn religious ritual and feel the devout of Buddhists.

Then you will continue your trek to Sarshung Valley and start the trekking there. You’ll meet Yaks and porters at Sarshung Village if you have hired them (the cost of hiring yaks, horses, and porters are not included in the package). You will trek around 13km from Sarshung to Drirapuk Monastery along the Lachu Valley and rivers. You can enjoy the both west and north face of Mt Kailash and visit Drirapuk Monastery.

Stay overnight in Guest House

Today, we will trek over Dromala Pass (5630m), the highest pass of the Kora. On the way you can have a rest in a teahouse. All the way, you can see locals Tibetans prostrating in the Kora path and beautiful Kadoe Lake when walk downhill. We may also visit Zutulpuk Monastery.

Stay overnight in Guest House

On the day three of the Kora. you will trek 7km to Zongto where you can take bus to Darchen. Along the Kora, you can see piles of Mani Stones. We will end the trek around noon, rest in the lodging place.

(Optional): Taking bath in Lake Manasarova and enjoy hot spring

Stay overnight in Tarchen Chongqing Hotel

Drive from Darchen to Saga via Lake Manasorova

Stay overnight in Saga Xibuyizhan Hotel or Mu Linsen hotel

Drive from Saga to Sakya.

Stay overnight in Sakya Yuan Fu Hotel

In the morning, we will visit ancient Sakya Town and you can tour Sakya Monastery with amzing murals and huge collection of scriptures and statues. Then we are abou to drive from Sakya to Shigatse.

Stay overnight in Manasarovar Hotel

We will follow Yalong Valley back to Lhasa. On the way, you can stand on the viewing platform to view the vast Yalong River bed and visit Water Mill making Tibetan Incense Workshop (in summer, if time permits). Drop off at hotel in Lhasa.

Stay overnight in Lhasa (3-Star Hotel)

Hotel to airport/train station transfer, end the tour.

(Or go to Nepal after Tibet Mt.Kailash Tour)
The tour is also available for tourists who start in Lhasa and end in Gyirong border, so if the group has members to exit Tibet to Nepal from Gyirong, we will see them off at the Sino-Nepal border, thus the itinerary from the Day 12 will be done with valuable detour to Gyirong, which will give you one extra destination to Kelong Valley, this destination is considered the most beautiful valley at the foot of Himalaya Mountain Range and attracts many tourists a year.