FORBIDDEN TIBET & MT. KAILAS (SKTBT – 124) |
|||
20 days exploration of Lhasa & journey overland to Mt. Kailas, Lake Manasorovar, Tirthapuri, Khojarnath and Purang |
|||
| Mt. Kailash, at 6714 m also known as Tise, Kailasa & Kang Rinpoche (Jewel of the Snows), has since time immemorial been celebrated in many Eastern cosmologies as Mt. Meru, the axis mundi. And as the center of the physical & metaphysical universe, Mt. Meru is sacred to the Buddhist, Jains, the Hindus & the Bons. |
|||
TREK ITINERARY |
|||
Day 1: Kathmandu-Lhasa (3650 m), 90 kms Transfer to airport to connect SZ 408 KTM-LXA flight. Upon arrival you will be met by our Tibet representative and transfer to Hotel. |
|||
Day 2: LHASA Guided sightseeing tour of Potala, the winter palace of the Dalai Lama; Drepung, the biggest monastic university of Tibet and Nechung Monastery, temple of the State oracle of Tibet. |
|||
Day 3: LHASA Guided sightseeing tour of Jokhang, the central cathedral of Tibet, Barkhor, the bustling Lhasa market encircling the Jokhang Temple, Tibetan Medical Center and Norbulinka Palace. |
|||
| Day 4: Lhasa-Gyangtse (3990 m), 350 kms |
|||
Day 5: Gyangtse-Shalu-Shigatse (3860 m), 90 kms Drive to Shigatse. En route visit Shalu Monastery. Visit Tashilhunpo Monastery, the seat of Panchen Lama who is the 2nd in the Buddhist religious hierachy and Shigatse Market. 0/N Shigatse Hotel. |
|||
Day 6: Shigatse - Ngamring (5220 m), 160 kms, 6-7 hrs Drive to Ngam ring. En route visit Sakya Monastery. |
|||
Day 7: Saga, (4280 m), 190 kms, 7-8 hrs The road follows south of the Pelgu-Tso, continues across the plain with stunning Himalayan views. The route then follows a narrow gorge before climbing to a pass and dropping steeply down to a ferry crossing over the Yarlung Tsangpo. |
|||
Day 8: Paryang, (4750 m), 250 kms, 8-9 hrs From Saga it is 145 km to Zhongba. The road is good and the trip can be completed in 4-5 hrs. There is also a small monastery at the western end of town on a hill. From Zhongba onwards the southern road deteriorates. There is also danger of vehicles getting stuck. But this section of the road has panoramic views of mountains on either side of the road. |
|||
Day 9: Lake Manasarovar, (4560 m), 260 kms, 10 hrs From Paryang to Lake Mansorovar is a long drive of 10 hrs or more. There will be several river crossings and we drive past Mayum Ia pass (4600 M). The scenery is stunningly beautiful with panoramic views of the Himalayas. |
|||
Day 10: Darchen (4560 m), 30 kms About 30 kms north of Lake Manasorovar is Darchen, the main gateway and the village. The monastery at Darchen, Darchen Gon, is a part of the Drukpa sect. The two-story monastery structure in the center of the town serves as a trading post and shelter for pilgrims. Within the dukhang assembly hall are new and old thangka paintings and some statues, the main image being Sakyamuni. West of the gompa is the Mani Lhakhang that has a large, new mani prayer wheel. This is the site where the original old flagpole (a darchen is a flagpole for prayer flags) of Darchen was located. When beginning their kora pilgrimage around Kailash, many pilgrims often circumambulate the Darchen Gon monastery and the Mani Lhakhang before setting out. We organize yaks or ponies for the Kailash circuit trek at Darchen. |
|||
Day 11: Kailas circuit trek - Diraphuk: (6 hrs) This Kailash circuit covers 53 kms and can be done in 3 days. We head west in clockwise direction and after a few kilometers the trail climbs up to a cairn at 4730 m from where the southern face of Mt. Kailash comes to view. En route visit Tarboche where annual flagpole raising ceremony takes place during Saga Dawa. |
|||
DAY 12: Diraphuk - Zutrulphuk, (4790 m), 6 hrs Toady we cross Drolma Ia pass (5630 M) and Gauri Kund Lake (5608 m) where Hindus worship and immerse themselves in the icy waters of the lake. |
|||
DAY 13: Darchen - Tirthapuri The final end of the parikrama is an easy 2-3 hrs walk down to where the river emerges on to the Barga plain. We complete the 3 day circuit trek of Mt. Kailash and drive to Tirthapuri where there is a hot spring. Pilgrimage to Mt. Kailash is not complete without visiting Tirthapuri for the Tibetan Buddhists. |
|||
| DAY 14: Tirthapuri - Khojarnath - Purang Visit Tirdapuri Monastery and the pilgrim circuit and drive to Purang. En route visit Khojarnath Monastery. |
|||
| DAY 15 - 16: Purang - Lake Manasarovar (Chiu Gompa) Rest day and excursion around the Lake. |
|||
| Day 17 / 19: Nyalam We will use the same route to retrace back to Nyalam. |
|||
| DAY 20: Zhangmu-Kathmandu |
|||
Cost Includes: |
Cost Excludes: | ||
|
|
||
|
|||
