HIGH PLACES (SKTBT- 128) |
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22 days exploratory tour to Lhasa & Mt. Kailash via Simikot |
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| Before the opening of the Simikot - Hilsa route travelers used to travel to Mt. Kailas either via Lhasa or Zhangmu.
This route is the shortest and most practical for trekkers in terms of both elevation and distance. The tour to Mt. Kailas commences from Simikot which is situated at an elevation of 2910 meters and climbs up to Na-Lagna pass (4330 meters) before reaching the arid Tibetan Plateau. From Simikot, it takes a 6 day’s journey to reach the Tibetan border town, which is plenty of time to be acclimatized in high altitude. There is no direct air service from Kathmandu to Simikot, so travelers generally have to fly Simikot via Nepalgunj, the regional hub of Western Nepal. Nepalgunj-Simikot flight operates early in the morning, so we must stay a night in Nepalgunj to catch the early morning flight the next day. Monsoon rains often delays the Nepalgunj - Simikot flights and makes it difficult to get tickets, so it is always better to book this trip as earlier as possible. |
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TREK ITINERARY |
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DAY 1: Kathmandu- Nepalgunj Transfer to airport to connect for your flight to Nepalgunj. Upon arrival you will be met by our representative and transfer to Hotel. Nepalgunj is in the sub-tropical lowlands of the Terai close to the border with India. |
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Day 2: Simikot, (2960 m) - Dharapari, (2250 m) Fly to Simikot, and begin trek to Dharapari. The flight takes 50 mins and offers some fantastic views of Himalayan peaks. The landing at the tiny mountain airstrip at Simikot is an unforgettable experience. There is an initial climb above Simikot before descending towards the village of Tuling and follow a level trail through walnut and apricot trees to the village of Dharapari. Overnight camp. |
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Day 3: Kermi, (2682 m) We follow the Humla Karnali and trek through rice and wheat fields to a point where the valley narrows and the river is choked with large boulders. According to legend, these represent silver fish that swam up from the Ganges and could make it no further. Above this point rice is not grown and we trek through small fields of buckwheat and open pine woodland. Towering above the surging waters of the Humla Karnali are snow capped peaks and a series of gentle waterfalls that provide ideal shower facilities! |
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| Day 4: Yalbang Gompa, (2950 m) |
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Day 5: Tumkot Khola, (2800 m) The trail continues, at times close to the river, on a path that is built up with rocks and timber. We cross the Humla Karnali and climb gradually to Muchu (2920m) where there is a police checkpost. The trail passes below the gompa and stone houses of the village before gently descending to our camp by the river. |
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Day 6: Thado Dunga, (3854 m) After crossing the Tumkot Khola we leave the Humla Karnali behind and will meet it again in two days time. A two hour climb brings us to a ridge crest at 3310m marked by a large cairn. We continue through open juniper woodland past Palbang to the village of Yari where there is a small shop and a school. About half an hour beyond Yari there is a nice camping place in an area of small meadows known as Dzungjen. As an aid to acclimatisation we can climb one of the ridges above Dzungjen for some excellent mountain views of the Saipal Himal. |
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Day 7: Hilsa, (3720 m) The high pass of the Nara Lagna (4580m) is reached after a 3 1/2 to 4 hour climb. The summit is marked by two large cairns draped with prayer flags. Below, we can look into Tibet where the arid hillsides are a stark contrast to the greenery of the Humla region we have recently trekked through. It looks a long way down to Sher where our landcruisers await. The descent is steep and loose in places as the trail crosses scree and debris slopes. We may meet traders with large herds of sheep and goats. Each animal carries saddlebags loaded with rice from the Terai which is bound for Tibet, or if travelling in the opposite direction loads of salt bound for Nepal. |
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Day 8: Purang We climb a short distance to Sher, a Tibetan salt trading post at 3860m that is a windswept place of government buildings where passports and daysacks will be inspected. At Sher we meet our Tibetan guide and board our landcruisers for the two hour drive to Purang, (Taklakot) at 3930m. It is a rough fantastic drive that gives a taste of what lies ahead. En route visit Khojarnath where a large red gompa of the Sakya sect of Buddhism |
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Day 8: Lake Manasarovar, (4558 m) Drive to Lake Manasarovar , and overnight camp near Chiu Gompa. |
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Day 9: Darchen It is a short 11/2 to 2 hour drive to Darchen, a cluster of buildings within a walled compound that marks the pilgrim’s gateway to Mt Kailas. |
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Day 11: Diraphuk, (5010 m) We head north up the Lha Chu Valley and enter the ‘Valley of the Gods’ through the ‘two legged chorten’ known as Chorten Kangnyi. It is a gentle walk on a well defined path that remains on the right bank of the river. The towering cliffs each have a name and are believed to be the abode of supernatural protectors. There are many nomads herding yak and sheep to grazing areas west of the mountain. We cross the Lha Chu to camp below Dri Ra Phuk gompa at 5010 m. The views of Kailas’ north face are particularly impressive from above the gompa. |
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Day 12: Zutrulphuk gompa, (4820 m) Today we cross the Dolma La 5630m. The day begins with a steep climb on a winding path over a moraine ridge to a level meadow area. Our route climbs to the Shiwa Tsal cemetary where Tibetans leave part of their clothing or a drop of blood to symbolise leaving part of their past life behind them. It is a slow steady climb to the Dolma La which is marked by streamers of prayer flags and the huge Dolma Stone that represents the goddess Dolma. The trail descends by a series of rocky switchbacks above the frozen waters of the holy lake of Gourikund to reach the valley of the Zhong Chu. We follow the river to camp in the vicinity of Zutul Phuk gompa at 4820m after 6 to 8 hrs of walking. A truly memorable day. |
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Day 13: Darchen - Lake Manasarovar (2-3 hrs) 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 & drive to Hor Qu, camp at Lake Manasorovar. |
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| Day 14: Paryang, (4050 m) |
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| Day 15: Saga, (4600 m) Drive on to Saga Camp. |
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| Day 16: Lhatze Drive to Lhatze. Overnight camp. |
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| Day 17: Shigatse (3860 m) Drive to Shigatse. En route visit Sakya 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. |
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| Day 18: Gyangtse, (3990 m), 90 kms Drive to Shigatse. En route visit Shalu Monastery. Visit Kubum stupa and Pelkor Chode Monastery. 0/N Gyantse Hotel. |
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| Day 19: Gyangtse - Lhasa (3990 m), 350 kms Drive to Lhasa. Overnight hotel. |
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| Day 20: 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. |
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| Day 21: 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. |
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| Day 22: LHASA - KATHMANDU Early morning breakfast at hotel & transfer to Gongar Airport to connect flight to Kathmandu / Chengdu / Beijing. |
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