Holy Mount Kailash tour has remained most popular tour in Tibet for both group and private tour. Especially for the traveler who likes to do extensive trekking with the touch of spiritual insight.
Driving from Lhasa after acclimatization towards the further west part of the Tibet offers many sights to visit on the way such as Yamdrok lake, Karola glacier, Kumbum stupa at Gyangtse, Tashi lunpu monastery, Sakya monastery etc.
It has the complete package of standard 8 days EBC tour and more.
Mt. Kailash and surrounding prefecture of the region has been the holiest site in Tibet. Tibetans called it Gang Rinpoche, Gang means snow peaked and Rinpoche is honorific meaning of precious one. It is the pilgrimage destination for Buddhist, Bon, Hindu and Jain devotees. The mountain is located near Lake Manasarovar and lake Rakshastal.
Songtsan team is solely based in Lhasa. Our Tibetan guides and drivers are also based in Lhasa. From last more than 10 years, our only goal is to provide authentic Tibetan tour service, that means every word we say and steps we take has the touch of local Tibetan essence. It is to consider the very expectation of your visit to a place rich in culture and history. Our reviews will justify that all our guides, drivers and sale’s team have hospitality at their heart. We are 24 hours day in and out at your service.
| Days | Trip Outline | Activity | Accommodation |
| Day1 | Pick up and transfer to hotel. | Rest well to acclimatize | Shangbala |
| Day2 | Lhasa sightseeing | Jokhang temple, Barkhor street, Potala palace | Shangbala |
| Day3 | Lhasa sightseeing | Sera monastery, Drepung monastery, Home dinner | Shangbala |
| Day4 | Lhasa to Shigatse (3900m) 350km 6hrs approx | Yamdrok, Karola, Kumbum stupa | Tashi Choedar |
| Day5 | Shigatse to Lhatse (4000m) 200km 4hrs approx | Tashi Lunpu monastery Sakya monastery, | Farmer’s hotel |
| Day6 | Lhatse to Saga (4600m) 312km 6hrs approx | Landscape of Far west | Tashi Choedar |
| Day7 | Saga to Darchen (4560m) 600km 7hrs approx | Lake Manasarovar, Grand view of Mt. Kailash | Local guesthouse |
| Day8 | Trek from Darchen to Dirakpuk (4700m) 20km 4hrs approx | Landscape of Kailash | Local guesthouse |
| Day9 | Trek from Dirakpuk to Zutulpuk (4790m) 18km 6hrs approx | Landscape of Kailash | Local guesthouse |
| Day10 | Trek from Zutulpuk to Lake Manasarovar (4560m) 12km 3hrs approx | Landscape of Kailash | Local guesthouse |
| Day11 | Lake Manasarovar to Saga 580km 6hrs approx | Lake Manasarovar | Local hotel |
| Day12 | Saga to EBC (5200m) 550km 8hrs approx. | Peikutso lake, Mt.Shishapadma | Monastery guesthouse |
| Day13 | EBC to Shigatse (4000m) 350km 6hrs approx | Rongbuk monastery, Base camp | Tashi Choedar |
| Day14 | Shigatse to Lhasa (3680m) 280km 6hrs approx | Brahmaputra river, Home dinner | Shangbala |
| Day15 | Departure | Drive to airport/train station |
Itinerary Detail:
Day1: Arrival in Lhasa: Acclimatization
Upon arrival at Lhasa Gonggar airport, our guide and driver will be waiting for you at the exit gate, with your name board. Tashi Delek is probably the first Tibetan word you will hear upon arrival, it is an endearing gesture of welcoming our guest followed by offering a white scarf which is called Khata in Tibetan.
It is about 70kms from the airport to the old city Lhasa which will take 45 minutes to 1hrs depending on the traffic. This short trip in your car will allow you to have a short glimpse at the Yarlung river/ Brahmaputra river and close view at the majestic Potala palace.
Check into your hotel, first day is crucial for the travelers to have a good rest at their hotel, acclimatize the environment.
Day2: Lhasa highlights: Jokhang temple, Barkhor street, Sera monastery
Breakfast will be served at your hotel from 7:30am to 10.30am.
Your guide will pick you up at the hotel to visit Jokhang temple which is not more than 5 minutes’ walk from your hotel. Jokhang temple is located at the center of old city Lhasa and has been very important location for both and religious and business
Center of Tibet in early years.
Barkhor street is approximately 15-20 minutes’ walk around the Jokhang temple. Local pilgrimage will be walking along with their prayer wheels in their hand in a clockwise. The street is filled many shops and now has become a shopping center.
Walking around Barkhor street will be a pleasant experience to see many Tibetan local devotees on their prostration and colorful culture of people from different part of Tibet. After lunch, there is debate session of Sera monks which will start around 3pm in the Sera courtyard. The last sight of the day is Sera monastery which was built in 15th Century by The Jamchen Choji Sakya Yeshi who was a disciple of Tsongkapa the founder of Gelukpa sect, one of four schools in Tibetan Buddhism.
Day3: Lhasa highlights: Potala palace, Drepung monastery, Home dinner with our team.
Morning visit to the palace is as refreshing as jogging alongside the lake with cool breeze and breathe. After checking in at the gate, stairs and steps will take you higher towards the Potala place which has white palace and red palace. White palace was built to attend official matters and red palace was built to attend for religious matter.
Potala palace was initially laid its foundation by 33rd King of Tibet Songtsan Gampo in 7th Century and later rebuilt by 5th Dalai Lama in 17th Century.
Make sure to rest once a while during the visit, every stair is worth the effort for the beautiful bird eye view of Lhasa and its every rooms and chambers inside the palace.
Day4: Lhasa to Shigatse
Leaving Lhasa in the morning has its charm of starting your day along with the rising sun brightening the beautiful day on your way out.
First stop is at Yamdrok lake, Yamdrok is about 2:30-3 hrs drive of about 110km from Lhasa via Gambala pass (4790m).
This holy lake is also called Yamdrok Yumtso in Tibetan. The color of the lake is turquoise, and it has the most beautiful view of the mountains and lake enclosed by an ever-blue sky. The length of the river is 72km, which goes side by side with the main road to Karola glacier which is close to 1hr drive further down.
Second stop is at Karola glacier which is one of Tibet three major continental glaciers located at the boundary of Nangarze county.
Third stop is at Gyantse town’s Kumbum Pelkor chorten monastery. Kum-bum means one hundred thousand holy images. It was built by Gyangtse prince in the year 1427 with nine levels and 77 chapels.
This stupa is unique three-dimensional mandala meant to portray the Buddhist cosmos.
Day5: Shigatse to Lhatse
In the morning we will visit the Tashi lunpo Monastery and your guide will take time to obtain the Alien’s Travel Permit (ATP) from the local Public Security Bureau (PSB). Tashi lunpo Monastery is one of the largest functioning monasteries in western Tibet and boasts over 600 years of history. Founded in 1447 by the first Dalai Lama the monastery is now the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama and contains the tombs of seven of the former Panchen Lamas.
En route to our overnight destination in Lhatse we will drive off the main road to Sakya Monastery to explore the twisting alleys of the monastery alongside the Buddhist pilgrims. In the 13th century Sakya Monastery was an important scholastic study center for Buddhists in Tibet. Divided into two parts the monastery is only active on the southern side of the river with the northern part of the monastery now lying in ruins.
Day6: Lhatse to Saga
We will drive through entire route today. Roads are well paved, and it should be a smooth ride all along with the view of wild landscape of west Tibet.
Day7: Saga to Darchen
Continue with your road trip to Darchen, you will have a chance to appreciate the stunning view of the Saga valley between Gangdise Range and Himalaya Range. Meanwhile, the beautiful grassland and local’s villages, can also be seen. As we cross the Mayomla Pass (5112M), you can enjoy the spectacular vista of Mt. Naimonanyi (7694M). Then we are supposed to pass by the holy Lake Manasarover and finally arrive at the southern foot of Mt.Kailash, the most holy mountain in Tibet.
Day8: Trekking 1st First Day: Darchen to Dirakpuk 20km
After breakfast, we will take Eco-bus from Darchen to Sershung valley. There we will hire yaks and porter if required for the trekking and this expense is not included in the service. From Darchen our trek will follow the small trail in a clockwise circuit around Mt. Kailash at an average altitude of 4700 meters. We will walk side-by-side with local Buddhist pilgrims following the same route and pass by Bon pilgrims walking a counter-clockwise circuit.
After a 4-hour trek we will reach Tamdin (4780m) where we will have a simple lunch inside a nomadic tent. From there it is only 4km hike to Drirapuk Monastery where we will stay at a nearby guesthouse for the night. This 4km stretch contains some of the best scenery of the entire kora.
Drirapuk Monastery was rebuilt in 1985 and is located on the north side of the Lha-chu River facing the north face of Mt. Kailash. The name Drirapuk originally comes from a word Dri-ra meaning “female yak horn” and Puk meaning “cave.” Legend has it that a female yak used her horn to create the cave. The Drirakpuk Monastery guesthouse rooms are very basic.
Day9: Trekking 2nd Day: Dirakpuk to Zutulpuk 18km
Trekking will be little steep upward toward Drolma la pas (5630m) and you will take your time and rest as much as you can on the way. Drolma la pass is the highest pass of the kora. After a short rest at the top we will climb down into the long valley and stop for lunch at the Shabjay Dakpo nomadic tent.
Then will continues on to Dzultripuk Monastery for the night Dzultripuk Monastery (4803m) was built by two important religious figures Milarepa and Naro Bon-Chung. You can see the footprint and handprint of Milarepa inside the cave.
Day10: Trekking 3rd Day: Zutulpuk to Darchen 12km
Last day of the trekking is the easy descend toward Darchen, then drive to Lake Manasarovar and rest there for a night.
Day11: Lake Manasarovar to Saga
After short morning walk and pictures near the lake, we will drive back to Saga and stay there in a local hotel for a night.
Day12: Saga to EBC
In the morning we will head for Everest base Camp located in the Rongbuk Valley. The nearby Rongbuk Monastery is the “official” highest monastery in the world and houses both monks and nuns.
Driving alongside the Peiku Tso Lake you will have a picturesque view of Mount Shishapangma and other peaks of the mighty Himalayas. Mount Shishapangma is the only Peak above 8000m that is fully located in Tibet.
Upon arriving at Rongbuk, you can check in at monastery guesthouse. If weather is nice up there, you can take photos of the peaks.
Day13: EBC to Shigatse
Most probably your breakfast will be Tibetan noodle and bread there at the base camp. If your luck is good, sky will be clear, and you can get a one last good look at the peaks of Everest. Upon arrival at Shigatse, it is best to take good rest in the hotel.
Day14: Shigatse to Lhasa
We will drive straight back to Lhasa on shorter route.
We will arrange home dinner at home with our team in the evening. We have a special cook in our team who will prepare local Tibetan dishes, not too greasy not too spicy. We will also teach you how to make Yak momo. For this delightful evening, conversations are mainly on how we work as a team, your experience in Tibet and feedback on how to improve our service.
Day15: Departure.
As per your flight or train schedule, your guide and driver will pick you up from the hotel and see you off on time. This is the time we always hope in our heart that you had a wonderful time during your visit and our service are up to your satisfaction.
We appreciate for the feedbacks on TripAdvisor which will allow us to continue what we do and what we always try to achieve, which is to provide a real authentic Tibetan tour service in Tibet for all the oversea travelers who has dreamt of coming to Tibet.
The service Includes:
– All necessary travel permits to Tibet;
– Entrance ticket fees for all the sight spots listed in the program
– Private transportation in Tibet: 8 to 15 seated minivan with experienced local Tibetan driver.
– Private guide: English speaking local Tibetan guide;
– Lodging: Comfortable Four star hotel in Lhasa and Shigtse
– Oxygen cylinder for the group;
– Lodging and meals for guide and drivers;
– Two bottles of mineral water per person everyday.
– Liability travel insurance
The service excludes:
– Travel insurance covers trip cancellation and emergency evacuation(recommended);
– Expenses of a personal nature (alcoholic beverages, laundry, phone call, etc.);
– International and domestic flight/train. (Note: we accept flights and train tickets bookings in advance,
– Meals – lunches and dinners, breakfasts at the guesthouses (Averagely a meal in Tibet cost USD7 per person);
– Gratuities for the guide and driver.
-Visa fee
-Yaks and Porter.