15 Days Mount Kailash and Lake Monasarova Group Tour
- Duration: 15 days (published programme)
- Collection: Tibet Group Tours
- Sincere greetings & airport-hotel transfer.
- Potala Palace, Lhasa Traditional Handicraft Art center
- Yamdrok Lake, Karola Glacier, Kumbum Monastery
- Review the programme below for included and optional arrangements.
Planning 15 Days Mount Kailash and Lake Monasarova Group Tour
The published idea runs for 15 days. Consider whether that timing fits your arrival, departure and preferred sightseeing pace.
The published material highlights Sincere greetings & airport-hotel transfer.; Potala Palace, Lhasa Traditional Handicraft Art center; Yamdrok Lake, Karola Glacier, Kumbum Monastery. Use these details to decide which parts of the journey matter most to your group.
- For this group-tour idea, ask about scheduled departures, group arrangements and which variations are possible.
- Check the daily programme, transfer days, optional activities and exclusions before confirming.
- Share your group size and any practical preferences when requesting a proposal.
Ask about this travel idea. The full original programme remains below for reference.
Day 1 Arrival in Lhasa
Highlights: Sincere greetings & airport-hotel transfer.
Upon your arrival at the Lhasa airport, your tour guide will greet you and escort you to your hotel and help you get checked in. You will have the rest of the day and evening to rest and relax to become acclimatized to the higher altitude of Tibet.
Meals: No meals, advice freely available
Accommodation: Lhasa Economic/Comfortable Standard Hotel (Twin sharing)
Today's tour will first bring you to the tourists head to Jokhang temple which was founded by the 33rd great king of Tibet in the 7th century. Inside you can see the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni at the age of twelve. Outside, you can see pilgrims making prostrating in front of Jokhang Temple. Around the temple is Barkhor street , where you can do kora (a religious circle of a building or mountain) with pilgrims and locals, and explore the old market .
In the afternoon, you will visit Sera Monastery , which is one of the ‘great three’ Gelug monasteries of Tibet. The hot attraction is the Monks debate at around 3-5 in the afternoon. In addition, you can tour the Tibetan religious scripture printing house . Inside the monastery, you can see three sand Mandalas and the colorful Rock Painting of Buddha .
Meals: Breakfast Provided by the hotel
Accommodation: Lhasa Economic/Comfortable Standard Hotel (Twin sharing)
Day 3 Lhasa Sightseeing(B)
Highlights: Potala Palace, Lhasa Traditional Handicraft Art center
Today's tour will first bring you to the Potala Palace which is the winter palace of the Dalai lama. It was put to use since the 7th Century by the 33rd great king of Tibet. The most valuable collections of Potala Palace are the gilded burial stupas of former Dalai Lamas and meditation Cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet.
This day will take you to fully immerse yourself in experience traditional Tibetan handcraft art center , including making Tibetan incense, Tibetan calligraphy-the methods behind Tibetan calligraphy and the secrets of block printing.
Meals: Breakfast Provided by the hotel
Accommodation: Lhasa Economic/Comfortable Standard Hotel (Twin sharing)
Day 4 Lhasa – Gyantse – Shigatse(B)
Highlights: Yamdrok Lake, Karola Glacier, Kumbum Monastery
In the morning, drive from Lhasa to Shigatse .On the way, drive over the Gampala pass (4790 m), and you will have a glimpse of Yamdrok-tso (4400m) .The Lake is surrounded by many snow-capped mountains and in the distance you can have spectacular views of Holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar , (7191m) the highest mountain near Lhasa .
Later, we will pass and enjoy the Korola Glacier on the roadside; At Manak Dam Lake , you can hang pray flag at Simila Mountain Pass; Then, we will arrive in Gyantse, historically Tibet's third largest city (after Lhasa and Shigatse).In Gyantse, we will visit the famous Pelkor Monastery and Gyantse Kumbum and enjoy the Far view of Gyangtse Fortress.
After one and a half hours of driving, we arrive in Shigatse, which is the second largest city in Tibet. In Shigatse, we may visit traditional Barley Mill and view the l andscape of Barley Field (in summer).
Meals: Breakfast Provided by the hotel
Accommodation: Shigatse Economic/Comfortable Standard Hotel (Twin sharing)
Day 5 Shigatse to Everest Base Camp via Tingri (B)
Highlights: Rongphu Monastery, sunset at EBC
After breakfast we’ll set out towards the peak of the world – Mount Everest . Departing from Shigatse and traveling via Lhatse and Tingri, you will see some of the most beautiful and unique scenery in the world – incredibly blue skies, floating high clouds, endless grasslands and the highest mountain peaks in the world. We’ll also stop by the Rongbuk Monastery – the world’s highest altitude monastery before spending the night at the Everest Base Camp .
Travel Tips: 1. Tibetan Tent or uegsthouse (8-15 pax/tent, multi-beds room), from Oct to April next year due to the withdraw of Tibetan Tent in Base Camp, travelers will stay in Basongcun/Tashizongcun guesthouse(multi-beds room). 2. Today the accommodation is poor, the altitude is high, and the temperature is low. Please pay attention to keep warm and prevent altitude sickness. The temperature is about 0-8 degrees in summer night, so please bring down jackets, or rent one in the Base Camp.
Meals: Breakfast Provided by the hotel
Accommodation: EBC Tent or Rongphu Guest House (Dorm bed with humble facility)
Day 6 Everest Base Camp – Shishapangma Protection Zone – Pelkhu-tso – Saga
Highlights: Shishapangma Protection Zone, Pelkhu-tso
Today we will drive the old Tingri Road to Saga County , with views of Mount Everest and Mount Shishapangma (elevation 8012 meters), which was the last of the world’s 8000-meter peaks to be climbed. The road conditions get rougher from the old Tingri Road as it runs parallel to the to the Himalayan mountain ranges and the Nepalese sides known as the Anapurna Ranges. The main road passes through the desolate plains of Digur Tang, with its enormous sand dunes contrasting with the neighboring snow peaks of Shishapangma and Langtang to the south. As we leave the Bum-chu basin, we will descend into the relatively lower elevations of the Pelkhu-tso (elevation 4600 meters), a cobalt blue lake. After checking out the lake, we’ll drive the additional 69 kilometers on to Saga County and spend the night in the small town of Saga.
Meals: No Meals
Accommodation:Saga Hotel or Similar
Day 7 Saga – Zhongba – Payang – Darchen – Mt. Kailash – Lake Manasarovar – Lhanag-tso
Highlights: Mt. Kailash, Lake Manasarovar
On this 7th day we will drive to Drongpa County, which was founded around the bountiful resources of the Brahmaputra River . We will make a stop in a small village along the main road that consists of only a few basic guesthouses, restaurants and a small monastery known as “Old Drongpa”. Scattered around the monastery you will be able to observe a pile of yak heads that are carved with “sutras” and “mantras”. New Drongpa is another small town with a few shops, hotels and restaurants located about 25 kilometers from Old Drongpa monastery. We will continue on to the Baryang Township (elevation 4750 meters) and drive around Lake Manasarovar before reaching our final destination for the day, Darchen, where we will spend the night.
Meals: No Meals
Accommodation:Darchen Local Hotel
Day 8 Mt. Kailash Trek Day One – Darchen – Drirapuk (11 kilometers)
Highlights: Trekking Day 1
Buddhist pilgrims traditionally begin the 52-kilometer religious trek around Mt. Kailash at Darchen (elevation 4574 meters), which is also the finishing point for the circumnavigation of the sacred mountain. After hiking for a few hours out of Darchen, we will reach a valley known by the locals as “Sarshung” where we will meet an eager group of porters who will be happy to help us carry our gear on yaks and horses along the rest of the trek. After another couple of hours of trekking, we will find a grassy plain populated by nomads, who will be happy to offer up their tents as a place to relax with some soft drinks for a while. From here, we will travel on for another approximately two hours to a place known as Drirapuk (elevation 4920 meters) where we will spend the night in a monastery’s guesthouse that offers the best accommodations in this area (although it is still very rustic.)
Meals: No Meals
Accommodation:Local Guest House (Dorm Bed with humble facility)
Day 9 Mt. Kailash Trek Day Two – Drirapuk – Dzultripuk (22 kilometers)
Highlights: Trekking Day 2
This second day of our circuit of Mt. Kailash will be the toughest as we ascend 762 meters up to the Dolma-la Pass. The peak of this pass lies about 5630 meters above sea level, so we’ll get an early start as the sun begins its rise over the mountain ridges above us. Once we have reached the peak of the Dolma-la Pass , we’ll stop for a rest and the opportunity to admire all of the fantastic scenery around us. Then we will begin our descent to the Lhachu Valley, which will take us about one hour. After another short rest, we’ll trek on for another four hours to our final destination for the day. We will walk along the right side of the river to finally reach Dzultripuk , whose name means “miracle cave of Milarepa” in the local language. We will be glad that we got an early start to reach Dzultripuk so that we will get there before the other groups – there are a limited number of rooms available here. We will have time this evening for some rest and relaxation in the guesthouse as we prepare for the final stretch of our trek tomorrow.
Meals: No meals
Accommodation:Local Guest House (Dorm bed with humble facility)
Day 10 Mt. Kailash Trek Day Three – Drirapuk – Dzultripuk (22 kilometers) to Zanda
Highlights: Trekking Day 3
Today we will complete our trek around Mt. Kailash, beginning by visiting the many caves, temples and shrines that have been built upon around Milarepa’s cave. It is an easy walk back towards Darchen, taking only about 3 hours of trekking to reach the end of the valley where our driver will meet us to take us back up to Darchen and then the driver will take us to Zanda where we will spend the night.
Meals: No meals
Accommodation:Zanda
Day 11 Zanda to Darchen
Highlights: Guge Kingdom, Earth Forest, Torling Monastery
We will visit the ruins of the ancient 【Guge Kingdom】 and the 【Torling Monastery】 . Located in the Ngar Region of Tibet, the ruins of the Guge Kingdom were once an imperial estate that fell into disrepair after the civil war revolt and the invasion of the 8 Allied Forces of foreign countries that destroyed the once prosperous state. Luckily the legendary kingdom has not been totally lost as much can still be learned from what remains of it.
And after that,you will see the magnificent Zanda 【Earth Forest】 . Entering into Zanda county, the earth forest standing on both sides of Elephant Spring River winds over more than five kilometers. The earth is like warriors defending the mountaintop, some like thousands of horses galloping, and some like devout followers of a religion nurturing themselves, standing there quietly. From different angles, you can see wonderful scenery.
The earth forest in geology is known as "the Level Terrane Physiognomy," formed by erosion, where the sediment of lakes and rivers, mainly composed by sandstone and earth, have formed into various shapes. The Level Terrane has developed upright qualities, and the valley is deep.
Meals: No meals
Accommodation:Darchen hotel or Similar
Day 12 Darchen – Saga)
Highlights: Enjoy Scenery en Route
Today we will drive through the windswept territory of rural Tibet, passing through numerous small villages as well as camps of yak and sheepherders on our way back to Saga. With all of the beautiful scenery surrounding us, we will have plenty of opportunities to stop and take photos if you like.
Meals: No meals
Accommodation:Saga hotel or Similar
Day 13 Saga – Shigatse
Highlights: Enjoy Scenery en route
More spectacular scenery awaits us as we continue on our leisurely drive back to Shigatse where we will spend the night.
Meals: No Meals
Accommodation:Shigatse Econimic/Comfortable Standard Hotel (Twin Sharing)
Day 14 Shigatse – Lhasa
Highlights: Tashilunpo Monastery(B)
We will get an early start today to visit the Tashilunpo Monastery , which was founded in 1447 by the 1st Dalai Lama. After visiting this ancient monastery, one of the most important sites in Tibetan Buddhism, we will head back to Lhasa in the afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast Provided by the hotel
Accommodation:Lhasa Economic/Comfortable Standard Hotel (Twin sharing)
Day 15 Depart from Lhasa(B)
Highlights: Airport/Train Station Drop off
Today you will have free time until your tour guide escorts you to the Lhasa train station or airport for your departing train or flight from Lhasa. This will end your tour services in Tibet.
Meals:Breakfast Provided by the Hotel
What’s Included
- Tibet Travel Permit and all other necessary permits to Tibet
- All entrance ticket fees for all tourist sites listed in the itinerary
- Meals as specified in the itinerary
- Local tour Transfers, 5-29 seats comfortable Tourist Vehicle according to Group Size.
- Knowledgeable English-speaking Tibetan local tour guide shared in your group
- Comfortable Hotel Accommodations
- Service Charge & Government Taxes
- The above tour price does not include single room supplement. If you are a solo traveler, you need to share one room with another tourist (same sex in most cases); if you prefer to stay in one room by yourself, you will have to pay the single room supplement. And the exact price depends on market fluctuation in high and off season of Tibet tour. For the exact price, please refer to your travel consultant.
- Arrangements include planning, handling, operational and communication charges.
- Welcome Dinner in local restaurant when group members meet in Lhasa
Not Included
- Personal expenses, like laundry, phone call, snacks, soft drinks (please do the best to avoid the alcoholic beverages during your Tibet trip), optional tour activities, etc.
- Travel Tips for 15-day Mount Kailash Tour
- Yes, Indian travelers can join this trip to Kailash according to the latest policy in 2022. You can apply for the Tibet Travel Permit through us with your Indian passport.
- Traveling light is the best advice for such an arduous trek. Breathable and thermal underwear will keep you comfortable and warm. Dressing in layers, such as fleece jacket, sweater, wind/water-proof jacket, and down jacket and vest, trekking pants will help you deal with the fluctuation of temperature during the trek.
- Besides, the sun protection gears, warm headwear, and comfy trekking boots and a pair of trekking poles are also essential. You may also bring personal stuff, like toiletries, medicine and a vacuum flask for drinking and headlamp, etc.
- Well, it depends on your physical level and how heavy the gears you carry. If you are above the average fitness level and are determined to complete the holy yourself, you are fine to give it a go.
- However, if you carry too much stuff and not confident enough for the challenging trek, given the thin air, high altitude and treacherous terrain on day 2, hiring a porter and a horse will give you the backup you need.
- Physically, the biggest challenge is to walk 52km in 3 days, with thin air, the unforeseeable climate at the mountain pass and rugged terrain. While mentally, your tenacity will be put to a real test. Only those with strong faith and unyielding spirits can single-handly finish the entire trek.
- During the 3-day trek, you will stay in the guesthouse of Dirapuk Monastery and Dzultripuk Monastery respectively. Though no compare to the hotel quality in Lhasa, the basic facilities here offer you a warm shelter from the biting wind outside.
- You may also have chances to enjoy a tea break in locally-run yak tents after you descend from Dolma La Pass. You can enjoy warm butter tea, noodles, stairred fried rice, etc. A great idea is to stock up own food and have it whenever you need it during the trek. Why choose us?
Pricing Note
Final pricing is tailored to your travel dates, party size, hotel preferences and confirmed services. Your proposal will clearly list every included and excluded item.
Travel Tips
Pack comfortable walking shoes and clothing suited to the season. Keep your passport available on travel days, and tell your planner about mobility or dietary needs before departure.
