Welcome to Tibet! Upon arrival in Lhasa Gongkar a travel-to-nature Asia guide/representative will be at the airport to greet and take us to our hotel in Lhasa (approx. 70 km), soaking up the wonderful mountain scenery en route. Please look out for your name-card once you exit out of arrival area.

Lhasa, the heart and soul of Tibet and one of the highest cities on earth at 3,595 m; Lhasa is also the most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau. Home of the Dalai Lamas and historic Potala Palace, the city reveals modern influences and a beautiful dichotomy between past and present.

Check into our hotel and spend the remains of the day at leisure, to acclimatize.

Over the following two days we visit most of the most important sites in and around Lhasa with our Tibetan guide. Late afternoons will be free for us to discover the endlessly fascinating bazaars, walk koras around the Jokhang with the myriad other pilgrims, or sit in the Barkhor square, immersing ourselves in the exoticism of Lhasa. Overnight stay in Lhasa.

Accommodation: Kyichu Hotel
Meals: Dinner

Potala Palace, Sera Monastery and Norbulinka Monastery

Today we enjoy a guided tour of the autonomous region’s capital. Sightseeing includes a visit to the beautiful Potala Palace – the dominant landmark of Lhasa, towering 117 meters above the city below. Construction started on the red hill in 1645 under the 5th Dalai Lama. This immense building is a masterpiece in design, 13 storey high with walls 3 meters thick, containing over 1000 rooms, 10,000 shrines and 200,000 statues, it was both the residence of the current Dalai Lama and tomb of the former Heads of state. The entire building is made of stone and wood and covers an area of 130,000 square meters. The Potala is full of elaborate art work and frescos that tell many stories.

Sightseeing also includes the Sera Monastery and Norbulinka monastery – the Dalai Lama’s summer palace which was completed in 1783 under the Eighth Dalai Lama. Set in beautiful grounds with fountains, chapels and pools, Norbulinka is located on the outskirts of Lhasa and it is from here that the present Dalai Lama fled in the 1950’s. Sera Monastery is still a working retreat, 600 years after its foundation as a main teaching monastery and one of the three great Gelukpa ‘universities’ once housing more than 5500 monks. The best thing to see here is the live debate-talking place among the competing monks from the different monasteries in Tibet. Overnight stay in Lhasa.

Accommodation: Kyichu Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Jokhang Temple – Buddhist Treasures

The Jokhang Temple is situated in the central part of the old section of Lhasa. It was built in the mid 7th century. With successive extensions, it has now become a gigantic architectural complex which houses various wives of King Srontsen Gampo including the Nepalese queen Bhrikuti. The Bazaar of Barkhor is the downtown of Lhasa city with Jokhang Temple as its centre from where one can enjoy the hustle and bustle of every day Tibetan lifestyle with thousands of Pilgrims from all over Tibet paying homage to Holy City of Lhasa.

We will also visit Drepung the biggest monastery in Tibet which once housed ten thousand monks. Situated on the foothill to the northern direction of the Lhasa City, it was built in 1416 by Jymyang Choje, a disciple of Tseng Khapa. Overnight stay in Lhasa.

Accommodation: Kyichu Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

After our leisurely breakfast today, we will drive about 3 hours to Tsedang Town in the Yarlung Valley. This region is the birthplace of Tibetan Civilization, as well has played an important role in the development of Tibetan Buddhism. Upon arrive we will check in to our hotel.

This afternoon we visit the three most important sites in and around Tsedang. There are two historical and influential sites are waiting for us to visit – Yumbulakang and Trundruk monastery. Yumbulakang is known as Tibet’s first palace. It has a very long history of over 2,000 years, and boasts many rare sculptures and paintings from ancient times. While visiting Trundruk monastery, we will see a stunning Tangkha of Pearls decorated with a total of 29,026 pearls. Overnight stay in Tsedang.

Accommodation: Tsedang Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Renowned for being the oldest Buddhist Monastery in Tibet, Samye Monastery to the northwest of Tsedang, on the northern side of the Yarlung Tsangpo River (Brahmaputra). A distance of just 25 kilometers, the road distance is around 40 kilometers, as we will need to cross the river before traveling west to Samye.

Samye Monastery is an important religious site that was constructed in the late 8th Century, and the place where Buddhism was first established in Tibet. The Monastery has an atmospheric setting in a barren valley surrounded by sand dunes and mountains. The central building of the monastery is a fusion of architectural styles combining Tibetan, Chinese and Indian influences.

Following our tour of the monastery, we set out on a challenging but rewarding hike up to the Chim-puk Hermitage (optional), which is located on the hills nearby Samye Monastery. Chimpu or Chimphu hermitage is one of the most sacred place in Tibet. It is said to be the Indian master Guru Rinpoche’s speech. This is where the Indian Master taught the Twenty-Five Disciples and where numerous disciples had profound realizations. Today, there are still over 50 or more yogis, men and women, living in the cave and doing retreat.

The Chim-puk Hermitage is made up of a warren of caves on the hillside. 108 is a sacred number in many Eastern religions, including Buddhism, and it is said that there are 108 meditation caves, 108 spring mouths, and 108 sky burial grounds. The hermitage can be reached by a scenic uphill hike. The hike is around 7km each way, and can be taken at our own pace. Depending on how fast we wish to move, a round trip will take approximately 5-6 hours. We should be back to our hotel returned not before by early evening. Overnight stay in Tsedang.
(Please note this trek is at high altitude and should only be undertaken by those who are fully acclimatized to the thin air.)

Accommodation: Tsedang Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

The real adventure begins today. We will travel along picturesque Friendship Highway crossing over Karo la (5,010 m), Kambala (4,794 m) colorful Yamdrok lake and the Tibetan country. Appreciate the majestic views of Yamdrok lake, a deep blue body of water renowned for its unique beauty, and the Nazin Kang Sang glacier standing proud at 7,252 m. Driving about 261 km, we will enter the town of Gyantse, a stunning example of a traditional Tibetan village filled with beautiful stone farmhouses. Gyantse is the third largest city in Tibet and it’s also known as the granary of Tibetan plateau. Overnight stay in Gyantse.

Accommodation: Gyantse Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

This morning, we’ll venture the jewels of Gyantse, the Gyantse Dzong and the Kumbum monastery. Gyantse Dzong is a historical fort built in the 14th century, and overlooks Gyantse and the surrounding Nyang Chu Valley. The Kumbum rises 35 km above the town, and is crowned by a golden dome. The grounds boast a chorten (stupa), several chapels and a stunning collection of Tibetan Buddhist murals, which inspired the name of the complex. The word ‘Kubum’ means 100,000 images in Tibetan.

After lunch, we continue driving another 90 km to Shigatse. Enroute, we stop at Shalu monastery (optional); the structure embodies the Han, Tibetan and Indian styles of architecture. Following a brief look at Shalu, the journey continues to Shigatse, the second largest city of Tibet with perhaps the best preserved but controversial monastery, the Tashilhunpo Gompa. Tashilhunpo Monastery of Gelugpa order, home to the Panchen Lama, is one of the largest functioning monasteries in Tibet. The main chapel – Maitreya Chapel posses a giant 26 meter high sculpture of Maitreya Buddha (the future Budhha). Overnight Gyantse.

Panchan Lama’s Thashilumpu Monastery: It is the seat of Panchen Lama, founded in 1447 by Gedun Drup, the first incarnation of Dalai Lama and a disciple of Tsong Khapa. It is the largest monastery in Xigatse proper, which once housed almost 4000 monks. The main chapel- Maitreya Chapel posses a gaint 26 meter high sclupture of Maitreya Buddha (the future Budhha). Overnight stay in Gyantse.

Accommodation: Xigatse Hotel or Hotel Manasarovar
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

We continue along the Friendship Highway. Beyond the small town of Lhatse we cross the highest pass on our journey, the Gyamtso La, 5220m. From here we descend to some of the most spectacular panoramas of the drive. As the landscape opens into vast plains, many monasteries and camps of nomadic herders become visible in the distance.

En-route we take the opportunity to visit Sakya Monastery (optional), the seat of the Sakya or Sakyapa school of Tibetan Buddhism, it was founded in 1073 by Konchok Gyelpo. Its powerful abbots governed Tibet during the whole of the 13th century after the downfall of the kings until they were eclipsed by the rise of the new Gelukpa school of Tibetan Buddhism. There is also preserved in this temple the largest book in the world in the great library written in gold letters; the pages are six feet long by eighteen inches in breadth. Overnight stay in Xegar.

Accommodation: Chomolungma Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Shortly after leaving Xegar, we turn off the Friendship Highway and head south over the Pang La pass 5,150 m towards the main Himalayan range. The view from the top is incredible with uninterrupted views stretching from Makalu to Shishapangma, and including Everest. Below the pass, Everest initially is hidden from view, but as we turn the corner into the upper Rongbuk Valley it reappears, more impressive than ever.The view here are stupendous on a clear day.

In Rongbuk, make the pilgrimage to Rongbuk Monastery, a Buddhist pilgrimage site founded in 1902 by a Nyingmapa Lama. Rongbuk is claimed to be the highest monastery in the world. Venture the cluster of meditation huts used by monks and hermits for over 400 years and feel the powerful spirit of Tibetan Buddhism. In addition to the huts, hermits retreated to the many caves that dot the cliff walls around the monastery and valley below. Explore the very paths used by hermits – ancient trails lined with hundreds of carved stones that embody sacred syllables and prayers. We may capture this accomplishment with our camera while keeping ourselves busy with short treks which will help us in acclimatizing to the high altitude. Overnight stay in Rongbuk.

Accommodation: Everest View Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Today we only spend two to three hours on short trek to Everest Base Camp. One can also take horse cart to Everest base camp & back (optional). Our aim is to get to the base camp as slowly as possible in order to avoid any kind of high altitude problems. On our way back, we enjoy the beautiful mountain landscape that Tibet so proudly boasts.

Alternative – this is a good place to read a book: just how often do you get a chance to sit and read at 5,000 m and with the stunning view of Everest’s north face. Overnight stay in Rongbuk.

Accommodation: Everest View Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Today, the road continues across the plain with stunning Himalayan views in the South, including the worlds’14th highest peak Mt.Shishapangma (8,012 m), and Turquoise Lake Peiku tso (4,590 m). As we drive west we are very likely to see wild animals like wild Tibetan Ass, Tibetan Antelope etc. The route then follows a narrow gorge bfore climbing to a pass and dropping steeply down to a bridge crossing over the Yarlung Tsangpo and arrive Saga the last biggest town on the southern route. Overnight stay in Saga.

Accommodation: Xibu Yizhan Hotel Saga
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Today we will be driving through the most panoramic scenery crossing the three tributaries of river Yarlung Tsangpo and passing by the vast lake Kongyu Tso to Lake Manasarovar crossing Mayuml-la (5,151 m) pass. After crossing Mayumla-la pass the road drops down to a marshy plain to the settlement of Hor Qu. From here it is 1 hour more hours to Chiu Village. Chiu (Little Bird) Monastery enjoys a fabulous location atop a craggy hill overlooking the sapphire blues of Lake Manasarovar and enshrines a cave said to have been used by Guru Rinpoche at the end of his life. There is a hot spring behind the monastery and a small pond for bathing close to the village. We will spent a night in local guest house in the Chiu village.

Accommodation: Chiu Monastery Guest House
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

We will explore the Chiu village and visit the monastery in the morning.

After lunch an hour drive will bring us to Darchen about thirty-three kilometres north of Chiu Monastery. Darchen is a forgettable little village with many waste scattered all around with many pilgrims tents. We have to overnight here to organise our Kora (circuit) of Mt. Kailash. We will explore the village and visit the important Tibetan Medical School. Overnight stay in Darchen.

Accommodation: Himalya Kailash Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

In the morning we drive to the road head at Darchen where we start our Kora trek around Mount Kailash. We start our circuit trek around Holi Mt. Kaiash heading west and climbing the ridge to the series of prayer flags and marks the first views of the Holi Mt. Kailash’s southern or sapphire face. From here the more rounded profile of Mt. Nanda devi (7,816 m) in India can be seen to east of Mt. Kamet. In the south the vast Barkha plain spreads out, the Mt. Gurla Mandata (7,728 m) rises off to the south-east, Mt. Api and other peaks in Nepal to the south and twin, sharp humps of Mt. Kamet (7,756 m) in India off to the south-west. From this point we head north and enter the Lha Chu valley passing through the Tarboche flagpole.

From Tarboche and Chuku Gompa, we follow the Lha Chu river through a serene, meadow-lined valley, hopping over small streams, the West face of Mount Kailash towering above us. The river enters a narrow canyon with high, steep cliffs and spectacular waterfalls. Midway along the trek at the second prostration point the secret entranceway to the Inner Kora is visible to the right. One must complete 13 koras to enter inside. Continuing up the valley, the north face of Kailash comes into view just as we reach the 13th century monastery at Dira-puk. There are two routes to the camp from the convergence of the valleys, and we have the choice of crossing a small moss bridge and following a small path to the gompa, which has awesome views of the north face of Kailash, or continuing on along the main trail. We overnight at the monastery guest house at the river side with the stunning view of the massive north face of Kailash. A sunset walk up to the ridge overlooking the north face is a must!

Accommodation: Lodge/Guesthouse
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After our light breakfast we will continue climbing gradually through a moraine to a meadow at 5,210 m. Only a short distance past Jorok Donkhang is Shiva-tsal (5,330 m), a rocky expanse dotted with stone cairns draped with items of clothing. Pilgrims are supposed to undergo a symbolic death at this point, leaving their old life behind along with an item of clothing to represent it. A drop of blood or a lock of hair might be even better. If we really decide to drop dead at this point this is a very meritorious place to die.

We will continue climbing rock cairns to final emerge at Drölma-la (5,630 m) pass. To the south we will have last glimpse of the north face of Holy Mt. Kailash. At this point Pilgrims perform a circumambulation, pasting money on to the Drölma Do, Drölma’s Rock with butter, stooping to pass under the lines of prayer flags and chanting the Tibetan pass-crossing mantras ki ki so so, la gyalo (ki ki so so -long life and happiness invocation, la gyalo – ‘the gods are victorious’) as they go. From the pass we will make a steep descend via Gauri Kund (5,608 m) lake; (one of its Tibetan names translates as the Lake of Compassion) to the Lha Chu valley at 5,150 m, where we will lookout for the footprints which, pilgrims believed belonged to the Buddha. We continue trekking along the Lha Chukhir river and in about couple of hours we should be at Zutul-puk Monastery (4,790 m) for overnight, where there is a cave in which saint Milerepa is said to have meditated.

Accommodation: Lodge/Guesthouse
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Our final day’s walk will only takes two hours. It’s an easy walk along some impressive gorges and around many mani stones and mani walls back to the Barka plains and dusty Darchen where our jeeps await us. The kora is finished – we’ve erased our sins, endured extremely cold nights and mornings, crossed one of the highest passes in the world, met countless fellow pilgrims, sent prayers of peace out to the world. Congratulations! After the permit check-up we will drive to back to Mayum La base for overnight.

Accommodation: Lodge/Guesthouse
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

From Mayumla , we drive another 325 km east, shouting ‘Ki ki so so, Lha gyalo’ (roughly translated ‘May the gods be victorious!’) as we crest the passes marked with prayer flags and cairns. The panoramas are some of the most beautiful on our journey, with the high mountains bordering Nepal on our right, and pebbly streams, small lakes, small Tibetan villages and soft hills surrounding us. We traverse this amazing Tibetan landscape, crossing more high passes, and the landscape gently transforms to a plateau of high-altitude desert sand dunes. There’s time to climb up to the wind-sculpted ridges and gaze over a bordering lake below extensive ripples of peaks. We overnight in Saga, though time permitting, we might make it a bit further along towards Lhasa.

Accommodation: Xibu Yizhan Hotel Saga
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

We take a long, wonderful day of jeeping through the high plains of Tibet, soft, beautiful and photogenic. Just before arriving in the dusty truck stop of Lhatse, we cross the Brahmaputra River, which originates from Kailash. From here, to Shigatse, past lovely Tibetan villages where the spring planting will be in full force, is a scenic one. Shigatse is the second largest city in Tibet, with perhaps the best preserved but controversial monastery, the Tashilhunpo gompa. This Gelugpa gompa, home to the Panchen Lama, is one of the largest functioni ng monasteries in Tibet and there is much to explore within its surrounding walls. We will take a few hours for a visit in the late afternoon or early morning before heading to Lhasa. We stay at a nice hotel in Shigatse, and head out for a good dinner and a few cold beers in the evening. Overnight stay in Shigatse.

Accommodation: Shigatse Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Another day of smooth driving through the wonderful landscapes of central Tibet and towards Lhasa, one of Krishna’s favorite cities in Asia, despite the Chinese presence there. We stay in the heart of old Lhasa at the beautiful, Tibetan-styled Hotel near the Jokhang Temple and Barkhor square (or at a Tibetan hotel of a similar standard), where the character of the city is still very Tibetan. After a quick look at the Barkhor Square, most atmospheric at dusk (and early morning) when all the pilgrims are doing their koras of the square and Jokhang Temple, we will walk across the square to the infamous Dunya Cafe for dinner and a few much-deserved beers after sunset. Overnight stay in Lhasa.

Accommodation: Kyichu Hotel
Meals: Breakfast,  Dinner

Transfer to airport for your homeward-bound flight.

Meal: Breakfast