Lhasa is the capital city in Tibet, which is situated 3,650m. above sea level. Potala is the highest elevation’s palace in the world, which is known as the roof of the world. Potala palace was built by King Songtsen Gampo 637 B.C., later rebuilt by the 5th Dalai Lama in the 17th Century. The palace is 130 m. above Lhasa city. The palace is built with three meters thick stone walls, 13 floors and more than 1000 different rooms. Today you can visit Potala as a state museum. Paying the entrance ticket, every tourist and pilgrimage can visit as official time. The palace will be closed on Sunday and government holidays in Tibet.
In Buddhism there are three major groups: Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana. In the Vajrayana Tibet Buddhism, there are four different groups Buddhist religion’s Schools (Monasteries) in Tibet. Ningma, Gyaluk (yellow hat) Kagyu and Sakya. These all-religious monasteries you can visit during the trip at central Tibet.
The holy sacred spiritual Mt. Kailash as Hindu religion, Khang Rimpoche as a local Tibetan is 6,714m. high above sea level, situated in west Tibet. As local Buddhist religious believe the eastern face of Kailash is Crystal, the western ruby, Northern gold and the Southern face is Sapphire. Which is the holy mountain for Buddhist, Hindu, Bon and Jain religion.
The rocky path around Kailash is 52 km. During the trip the most difficult part is Dolma la pass 5,630m. because of high elevation and dry thin air. Local pilgrims walk around Kailash rocky path in a single day about 14 hours journey. But you can do it slowly in three days to complete the journey around Kailash. Some people may get high altitude sickness, if someone has difficulty walking, they can ride a yak or pony to complete the journey.
The holy lake Manasarovar, As Hindu Sanskrit word ‘Manas’ means mind and ‘Sarovar’ means lake as Buddhism is called Tso Ma pham. The sacred holy lake situated 4,590m. path around the lake 88km. 90 meter deep. Once there were eight Buddhist monasteries around the lake, symbolizing the wheel of life. Most of the monasteries have disappeared, but you can still visit Gotsuk, Seralung, Trugo and Chiu Gompa (monasteries) around the lake. A small spring flows from Mansarovar to Rakshas Tal which is called Gang Ga. At the same place there is a natural hot spring, you have to pay a certain amount for a hot shower or bath.
The age doesn’t make any difference for this trek, between 17 to 70 years, anyone can do this trip if you are physically fit and healthy. If someone is seriously injured or sick, the only option is rescue by jeep. The rescue is quite expensive, everyone needs to buy travel insurance from their own country.
This trip will start from Lhasa, and end at Kerung as our itinerary. Our Lhasa agent will provide comfortable tourist standard vehicles, Jeep for small groups, van for middle group and Bus for big groups. During the trip all the hotel or Guest house accommodation with breakfast, dinner and hot drinks.
| Best season | May to November. |
| Trip details | 20 days Tibet + Nepal. |
| Maximum elevation | Dolma la pass 5,630m. |
| Group size | 4 to 18 persons. |
Upon your arrival at Lhasa, Gongkar airport our Tibet agent’s representative and guide will welcome you with Tibetan tradition Khatak. Lunch at Gongkar after lunch drive to Samyea monastery Guest house check in room. Buffet dinner at restaurant your tour guide will brief you about tours and other necessary information about Tibet.
After breakfast at the Guest house, visit Samyea monastery. Samyea is the first and oldest monastery in Tibet, which is known as the mother monastery of the Nyingma Buddhism. The monastery was built by king Trisung Detsen held by Guru Rimpoche (Padma Sambawa) at the bank of the Brahmaputra river. The monastery itself has a very interesting story, there are White, Red, Green and Black colours four different stupas around the monastery. Nowadays there are around 300 monks at Samyea monastery.
After lunch at Guest house restaurant drive to visit Samyea Chembu and Amanu, the main place of Guru Rinpoche at the hill side. After visiting all this holy site back to Samyea Guest house. Buffet dinner at a restaurant.
After breakfast check out the room, walk to visit Habu Ri near from Samyea monastery. Drive to visit Yumbu Lhakhang, Traduk monastery and Mindurling monastery on the way back. Drive onward VIA Gongkar airport to Lhasa stars hotel as your booking. Welcome drink at reception check in room, buffet dinner at hotel’s restaurant.
After breakfast at the hotel, visit Tibet’s most sacred Jokhang monastery, located at the heart of the ancient town of Lhasa. It was built in the 7th century by the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo’s queen Bhrikuti princess of Nepal. The monastery is 3 stories high, inside the monastery at ground floor you can see the most sacred beautiful golden statue of Buddha Shakyamuni. It has around 70 monks nowadays.
After Jokhang, walk to visit another sacred Ramuche Cho. Lunch near Potala palace. After lunch visit Potala palace; the palace was built by king Songtsen Gampo 637 B. C. after being rebuilt by the 5th Dalai Lama in the 17th century. The palace is 130 m. above Lhasa city. The palace is built with three meters thick stone walls, 13 floors more than 1000 different rooms with two different colours. The White Palace mainly used for government administration, the Red palace was mainly used for religious functions and still has numerous chapels, including those containing reliquary stupas of the successive Dalai Lamas which are richly decorated in gold, silver and semi-precious stones. Today you can visit Potala palace as a state museum. Paying the entrance ticket, every tourist and pilgrim can visit as official time, the palace will close Sunday and government holidays at Tibet.
Afternoon sightseeing at ancient Bhakor street market. Dinner at Tibetan restaurant at Bhakor, back to the same hotel.
After breakfast 7 km. drive to Drepung monastery which will take you 15 minutes. Drepung is the largest monastery in Tibet, built in the 15th century by Jamyang Choeje, one of Tsongkapa’s disciple. The monastery located up in a hill. There are four main colleges with numerous small chapels and house chapels, known as Khangtsen in Tibetan. Nowadays there are around six hundred monks at this monastery. Near Drepung there is a sacred Neachung Lhamu monastery which you can visit as same time.
After visiting Drepung, drive to Norbu Linka summer palace. Norbu Linka is the first summer Palace which was founded by the 7th Dalai Lama in the 18th century. Nowadays there are few monks who look after the summer palace.
After visiting Norbulingka summer palace, drive to sera monastery. Sera monastery was founded in the 15th century by Jamchen Choeje who is another famous disciple of Tsongka pa, which is the second largest monastery of Tibet. There are three colleges with numerous chapels and house chapels. The most attraction to visit this monastery is to see the monks debating which is held from 3:00 to 5:00 Pm. Monday to Saturday.
After visiting Sera and the monk's debating drive back to the hotel, a buffet dinner at the hotel's restaurant.
After breakfast at your hotel, about 60 km. drive along the Lhasa river, beautiful Tibetan villages, and the monastery at the mountain. Ganden is the six biggest Gelukpa monasteries and it is the mother monastery of the Yellow hat school. Where you can see the golden seat of Dalai lamas. From Ganden you can see beautiful views of the valley and mountains.
After visiting Ganden monastery, drive back to Tsurphu H.H. Karmapa’s monastery which is 70 km. away from Lhasa. Lunch at Ganden or Tsurphu your guide will decide and inform you. The 1st Karmapa Dusum Khyenpa founded the Tsurphu Monastery in 1189, which became the main residence of the Karma Kagyu school. Tsurphu monastery’s Buddha statue was the largest one-piece statue in Tibet.
After breakfast check out the room, drive about 260km from Lhasa to Gyantse town, which is the nearest border (Nathula pass) with India Sikkim. On the way you will drive through high passes Kamba la, Karo la and Singi la. You can see beautiful holy lake Yamdrok Tso, which is known as Turquoise lake in Tibet. Lunch stop at Yamdrok. Drive onward to Gyantse stars hotel as your booking, check in room, after short rest walk to visit Palkhor monastery and Kubum. Kubum Choten and Monastery was built in the 15th century by Rabten Kunsang and the first Penchen Lama. After visiting the monastery and stupa back to the hotel for buffet dinner.
After breakfast at the hotel check out the room, drive about 90 km. Gyantse to Shigatse. Shigatse is the second largest city in Tibet, which is the home of H.H. Panchen Lama. En- route visit Shalu monastery. Drive to the stars hotel as your booking check in room after short rest visit Tashilumpo monastery the seat of Benchen Lama. Tashilhunpo Monastery which was built in 1447 by the first Dalai Lama. After visiting the monastery, back to the hotel for a buffet dinner.
After breakfast check out the room, visit Norbulingka palace of Benchen laka. Drive from Shigatse to Sakya monastery about 150km. check in a room at a hotel or guest house. After a short rest visit Sakya monastery, which is a very famous and old monastery in this region. There are a lot of historical articles in the monastery, among them are found a lot of the imperial certificates, gold signets, crowns, over 10,000 volumes of Tibetan books on astronomy, medicine, calligraphy, and history. Inside the monastery you can see several old Buddhist texts, huge juniper tree’s pillars and many others.
After breakfast check out the room, drive from Sakya to old Tingri for lunch, from this place you can see the first view of Mt. Everest. After lunch drive to Zha Rongbuck check in room at Guest house. Visit the monastery of Trulshik Rinpoche, which is the highest elevation’s monastery in the world. From Rongbuk there is a high pass (Nangpa la) border with Khumbu region, Nepal. Still many Tibetan people cross the border with Yaks to sell different Chinese goods at Namche Bazaar during August to October.
After breakfast check out the guest house, drive back the same route, after Tingri take friendship highway, take another right-hand side route to Piku Tso for lunch, after lunch drive onward across Brahmaputra bridge. Overnight hotel accommodation at Saga. Dinner at the same hotel’s restaurant.
After breakfast, drive through Dongba, new Dongba to Paryang for lunch. After lunch drive continue Ngari Pingya to Hor chu, issue Manasarovar entry ticket, drive around lake VIA Saralung and Trugu monastery, overnight accommodation at Guest house, Chiu Gompa Manasarovar lakeside. Buffet dinner at a guest house’s restaurant. Saga to Mansarovar lake 435km. drive.
Early morning after bed tea offer the puja at holy Lake, after the breakfast, visit Chiu Gompa back to guest house for lunch, take a natural hot spring bath at GanGa, during the day rest for high acclimatization, overnight same Guest house at Mansarovar Chiu Gompa. Buffet dinner at the same guest house. From the lake you can see a far view of Mt. Kailash.
After breakfast drive to visit Tertapuri monastery after lunch at Tertapuri, drive back to Darchen, check in hotel, buffet dinner at Chinese restaurant.
After breakfast, drive 7 km. to Tarbuche (Yama Dwar). The trek starts along the river for Kailash circuit. Lunch on the way at tea shop, after lunch trek continue to Dera Phuk for overnight accommodation at guest house. En-route you can visit Chhuku and Dira Phuk monastery next to the river. From Dera Phuk you can see a giant view of holy Mt. Kailash north face. Buffet dinner at a guest house restaurant.
13km. path about 3 to 4 hours easy trek.
Early morning after breakfast, take your head torch light, trek start gradually ascend to Dolma la pass 5,648m. from Dera phuk to Dolma la pass 6 km distance you need to climb 568m. because of high elevation and dry thin air you have to walk slowly step by step. Before Dolma la pass, you can see the view of Kailash east face. Pack lunch at the pass with hot Tea or juice. Offering the prayer flags at Dolma la if you like, just below the pass there is a small beautiful glacier lake called Gauri Kunda (as Hindus) descend 6 km. rocky path to the valley Shabji Thato. Stop at the local tea shop to take hot soups and tea, another 8 km. an easy trek to Zuturl Phuk monastery. From this valley you can see the view of Mt. Kailash south face. Overnight accommodation at the Guest house. Buffet dinner at a guest house restaurant.
20 km. path 9 to 10 hours long day adventure trek.
After breakfast, visit Zuthulphuk cave monastery, where you can see the head and fingers print of Buddhist saint Milarepa at rock. From Zuturl Phuk 7 km. about 2-3 hours trek near Darchen, from this place you can see Manasarovar lake, if you like you can drink some tea or juice at the tea shop. Vehicle waiting for you 5 km. drive to Darchen for lunch, after lunch 35 km. drive to Hor chu Manasarovar lake side for overnight accommodation at Guest house. Buffet dinner at a guest house restaurant.
After breakfast, the same route drives back to Paryang for lunch, after lunch drive to Saga for overnight hotel accommodation. Buffet dinner at hotel’s restaurant.
After breakfast, drive to Piku Tso for lunch, after lunch drive continue to Kerung for overnight hotel accommodation. Buffet dinner at Tibetan restaurant. Complete the Tibet trip.
After breakfast check out the room, drive 27km. to the border. Check out visas and customs at Chinese post, cross the friendship bridge. Vehicle and our representative waiting for you, drive to Nepal post, check the visa and custom drive to Syabrubesi for lunch, continue to Kathmandu stars hotel as your booking. Farewell Nepali typical dinner with culture program. After dinner back to the hotel. Complete the trip.
After breakfast or lunch, our representative will pick you up at the hotel, three hours before your flight time drive to the airport, flight back to your destination.
