Day 1: Kathmandu-Lhasa, 3650 m, 90 kms
Transfer to airport to connect CA 408 KTM-LXA flight. Upon arrival you will be met by our Tibet representative and transfer to Hotel.
Day 2-3: Lhasa
We will have two full days in Lhasa to make excursions to the following places:
The Jokhang
The Jokhang is the principal and holiest Buddhist temple in Lhasa , as well as all of Tibet . It is the focus of devotion of hundreds of Tibetans from near and far who circle it to gain spiritual merit. The Jokhang was first constructed in the 7th century and has a large gold image of Sakyamuni Buddha.
Sera and Drepung
Sera monastery, founded in 1419, is a monastery of the Gelugpa order. Its many white buildings sit at the base of a rocky hill. Gilded, bell-shaped gyamtschens grace the roofs of many of the larger buildings. Drepung used to have 8,000 monks who were taught in the traditions of Vajrayana, Mahayana, and Sutrayana, the three vehicles of Tibetan Buddhism.
Potala Palace
The 13-story Potala Palace is reputed to contain 1,000 rooms and hundreds upon hundreds of brilliant thangkas, frescoes, and images built in an era when religious art was created anonymously as a means of gaining merit for future lives. It's one of the world's most extraordinary buildings and completely covers the mountain it stands upon.
Day 4: Lhasa - Gyantse, 3990 m, 350 kms
Drive via Yamdrok, the Turquoise Lake to Gyantse across Kampa La <La in Tibetan means pass>, 5050 m & Karo La, 5045 m. Visit Kubum stupa & Pelkor Chode monastery
Day 5: Gyantse - Shigatse, 3860 m
Drive to Shigatse. Visit Tashilunpo monastery, the seat of Panchen Lama who is the 2nd in the Buddhist religious hierarchy and Shigatse market.
Day 6: Shigatse - Sakya
Today we visit the Tashilunpo monastery, one of the biggest Gelukpa monasteries & the seat of Panchen Lama. In the afternoon, we drive to Sakya, the seat of the Sakyapa School of Tibetan Buddhism.
Day 7: Shigatse - Rongbuk, 5050 m
We head off the main overland route and the road rise steeply up the foothills of the Himalayas via Pangla Pass to arrive at Rongbuk monastery, the world’s highest monastery situated at 5200 m, just below the Rongbuk glacier.
Day 8: Rongbuk monastery - Everest base camp - Tingri
We have the option to hike or drive to Everest base camp. Return to Rongbuk monastery & then continue to Tingri.
Day 9: Tingri - Saga
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 10: 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 11: Lake Manasarovar , 4560 m, 260 kms, 10 Hrs
From Paryang to Lake Manasarovar is a long drive of 10 hrs or more. There will be several river crossings and we drive past Mayum la pass, 4600 m. The scenery is stunningly beautiful with panoramic views of the Himalayas .
Day 12: Darchen, 4560 m, 30 km
About 30 kms north of Lake Manasarovar 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.
Day 13: Kailash 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 14: Diraphuk - Zutrulphuk, 4790 m, 6 Hrs
Toady we cross Drolma la pass, 5630 m and Gauri Kund Lake , 5608 m where Hindus worship and immerse themselves in the icy waters of the lake.
Day 15: Darchen - Tirdapuri
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 Tirdapuri where there is a hot spring. For the Tibetan Buddhist pilgrimage to Mt. Kailash is not complete without visiting Tirdapuri.
Day 16: Tirdapuri -Tholing (Zanda), 11,972 ft distance 170 miles, 7-8 hrs
Today, you will have a long drive along a rough road that first climbs over a high pass, zigzags down into a series of gorges and climbs up the other side before eventually making a long winding and very rough descent down a fantastically eroded gully where the hills on the both sides are worn into incredible shape. The side valley emerges into the wider Sutlez Valley and after crossing a bridge, the road finally reaches the oasis like town of Zanda .
Day 17: Excursions of the ruins Tsaparang and Tholing of Guge kingdom
Today, you will explore the ruins of Tholing and Tsaparang monasteries. Tsaparang lies 21 km further down the Sutlez River to the west.
Day 18: Lake Manasarovar (Chiu Gompa)
Day 19: Paryang
Day 20: Saga
Day 21: Nyalam
Day 22: Nyalam - Kathmandu Across Friendship Bridge to Kodari border where you will be met by our representative and driven to Kathmandu . |
