You will be met upon arrival in Kathmandu International Airport (TIA) and transferred to your hotel. Evening dinner will be organized following a tour orientation.
Lhasa- Kailash & Mansarovar- Lhasa: 15 Days Tour Itinerary
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Day 01 Arrival In Kathmandu (TIA to Hotel: Approx 30 minutes):
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Day 02 Full Day Sightseeing Tour Within Kathmandu:
After breakfast set off on a full day sightseeing tour around Kathmandu Valley. You will visit one of the most important Hindu pilgrim sites in Asia and UNESCO World Heritage Sites including: Pashupatinath temple, Guheshwori Mata temple, Budhanilkantha temple (Jal Narayan or Shesh Narayan) and Swayambhunath temple (also known as ‘monkey temple’), if time permits.
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Day 03 Fly, Kathmandu To Lhasa (Gonggar Airport to Lhasa city: 65 km | 1 hr):
After breakfast, you will proceed to Tribhuvan International Airport for your much-awaited flight to Lhasa (approx. 1 hour 10 minutes). Our Chinese guide will greet you on arrival in Lhasa and will escort you to your hotel.
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Day 04 Lhasa Stay- Sightseeing Tour:
Wake up in the fantastical city of Lhasa and get ready for a full day of sightseeing. You will visit the Potala Palace (outside Parikrama only), Jokhang temple and Barkhor Square, and Sera Monastery. In the evening, take advantage of some free time to relax or wander around the city on your own – a perfect way to make your own discoveries.
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Day 05 Drive, Lhasa To Shigatse (Via Northern Highway) (Lhasa to Shigatse: 270 km | 5 hrs. ):
After breakfast you will set off on a journey to Shigatse - 270km west of Lhasa – that will take about 5 hours due to restricted speed limit. The entire highway drives along the river Bank of Yarlung Tsangpo (river Brahmaputra). In the evening, stretch your legs and take a stroll around the city of Shigatse on your own.
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Day 06 Drive, Shigatse To Saga (Shigatse to Saga: 446 km. | 7 hrs):
Shigatse is the administrative headquarter of Shigatse region of Tibet where you will need to obtain permission from the PSB (Public Security Bureau of Police). Once our guides have helped you obtain permission, your long journey to Saga will commence. On the way to Saga you will cross through several high mountain-passes and green secluded valleys, eventually reaching the small town of Saga, situated on the bank of River Brahmaputra. Here, the route that comes from Kyirong merges with the route that comes from Lhasa.
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Day 07 Drive, Saga To Lake Mansarovar (Saga to Lake Mansarovar: 455 km | 6 hrs):
Today is a long journey so you will need to set off from the hotel very early in the morning. Today’s destination is the holy Lake Mansarovar (link to page) where you will reach by the afternoon. En Route to Mansarovar, 150km into the drive, you will reach Old Dzongba; the habitat of Tibet herders. From old Dzongba, you will continue the drive to Paryang through high passes and wide pastures en route. Paryang is a small town with the Chinese military base situated in a wide-open, Himalaya-facing, pastureland. From Paryang, you will continue your journey West with a quick formality stop at the security check post in Horchu River followed by a lunch break.
From here the drive will continue for around two hours to reach Mansarovar. The holy bathe and puja can be performed either today or tomorrow depending on the time of your arrival as well as the weather conditions. The decision can be made after mutual discussion between guide, group manager and tour leader. In the evening we will drive to Chiugompa (West shore of Lake Mansarovar) and perform circumambulation of the lake in a clockwise direction.
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Day 08 Lake Mansarovar To Darchen (Mansarovar – Darchen- 32km | 45 minutes. ):
After breakfast, you will go on a short 45-minute drive to Darchen where you can take rest, here you can enjoy close up views of Mount Kailash and Nandi Parvat .
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Day 09 Drive To Yama dwar Then Start Parikrama To Dhirapuk (Yama Dwar to Dhirapuk- 10km | 5 to 6 hrs trek):
Today you will start trekking from Yama Dwar, a short 15-minute drive away, and reach Diraphuk – the north face of Mount Kailash. The path is sometimes tricky with small pebbles so walk carefully.
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Day 10 Trek To Shivasthal, Gauriunda (5,620m) Then Zutulphuk (Deraphuk to Zutulphuk: 22 km | 9 hours):
Today is the toughest part (physically) of the trip. You will set off from Diraphuk at 5am and embark on an approximately 22 km trek that will take you through rugged highlands to reach Zutulphuk – here the team will set up camp. Initially the trek from Diraphuk is uphill but after around two hours walking the trail becomes easier with mild ascend. Half of the trail passes through an elevation of 4900m/16,000 ft or above, so do not be surprised if you experience some forms of breathlessness or headaches. Keeping this in mind, the group will proceed at a slow and steady pace.
After hiking for about 4 hours or so, you will reach Dolma La pass at 5,800m – a picturesque high pass full of fluttering Tibetan prayers flags. This is the ultimate highest point of this divine trip. After making a gentle descent from this pass, you will spot a tiny glacial lake on the right side of the trail. This is ‘Gauri Kunda’.
From Gauri Kunda, the trail leads you rapidly down through the icy region for a while then follows a trail that is full of boulders and loose pebbles. Descending can be more difficult than going up, so please pay much attention while walking down.
Note: If someone has taken horse, the horse cannot be used here, after Dolma La pass.
After trekking down for around 90 minutes from Gauri Kunda, you will eventually arrive at the valley floor. From this point on, the trail becomes flat and easy all the way to Zutulphuk – approximately 2 hours walking - where you will spend the night.
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Day 11 End Trek In Zongdau, Then Drive Back To Saga (Zongdau to Darchen: 5 km (30 minutes) , (Darchen to Saga: 490 km | 8 hours drive):
Todays journey is easy compared to the journey of previous day with an easy and flat 3 to 4 hour trail leading to the end point in Zhongdau. Here all members will board the Bus and head to Saga, via Darchen.
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Day 12 Drive, Saga To Shigatse (Saga to Shigatse: 491 km. | 7 hrs):
Today we will begin retracing back to Shigatse.
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Day 13 Drive, Shigatse To Lhasa (Shigatse to Lhasa: 270 km | 5 hrs):
Drive back to Lhasa via northern highway. The drive takes about 5 hours because of speed limit. In the evening, you can enjoy shopping Tibet’s intricate weaves and crafts or discover more of the city on your own.
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Day 14 Fly, Lhasa To Kathmandu:
Early morning, you will be escorted to Gonggar airport. The drive takes about one hour. It is time to say goodbye to our Tibetan staff team and fly back to Kathmandu. In Kathmandu, you will be met by our staff & transferred to hotel. In the evening enjoy your free time.
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Day 15 Departure From Kathmandu:
Transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport for your flight back home. You should be reporting at the airport check-in counter three hours prior to the departure time.
