Lhasa, Central Tibet and Mt. Kailash Trek
For this 15 day journey from Lhasa, Central Tibet and Mt. Kailash, you will begin by exploring the Tibetan capital of Lhasa and its many ancient monasteries and temples, including the famed Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple. From Lhasa, you will then travel to the beautiful alpine lake of Yamdrok Tso before visiting Karo La Glacier, Tibet’s most famous glacier. In Gyantse, you will visit the 600 year old Pelkhor Chöde Monastery, one of Tibet's most important pilgrimage destinations. Shigatse is Tibet’s second largest city and home to Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, one of the largest in Tibet.
After your time in Shigatse, you will go to the holy lake of Manasarovar and Mt. Kailash, Asia’s most revered peak. You will spend 3 days trekking around this beautiful mountain, which is holy to both Hindu’s and Buddhist’s. This trek attracts Buddhist pilgrims from across Tibet and offers spectacular views of the Himalayas. From Mt. Kailash, you will then return to Lhasa for one last night in the Tibetan capital. An alternative is to depart Tibet into Nepal, which we can easily arrange. We can customize this journey package to include more days and destinations in Tibet.
NOTE: This specific package journey does not go to Mt Everest. If you wish to include Mt Everest, please go to the following link: 17 Day Journey from Lhasa to Everest and Mt Kailash Trek
For more information on the journey from Lhasa to Mt Kailash, email us at: info@himalayajourney.com
Call us at (+1) 253 289 9166 in the US/Canada, (+44) 20 3239 2917 in the UK, (+61) 2 8003 5630 in Australia
Tibet Mt Kailash Trek
NOTE: Itinerary can be modified or customized to suit you and can begin anytime from mid April thru mid October
HOTELS: In Lhasa, we stay in a nice, modern hotel in a good location. Outside of Lhasa, we place clients in the best hotels that each location has. Go to the following link for specific hotels we stay at: Hotels We Stay In
Day 1: Lhasa Elevation: 3600 meters
Arrive in Lhasa. When you arrive to Lhasa, you will be met by your guide and transported to your hotel. You can spend the afternoon wandering around the Barkhor, Tibet’s ancient market area that surrounds Jokhang Temple. Each day thousands of Buddhist pilgrims make their way around this sacred temple. You will stay at a highly rated hotel within walking distance of the Lhasa Old Town.
Day 2: Lhasa
You will explore the Jokhang, the holiest Buddhist temple in the Himalaya’s. Founded nearly 1400 years ago, Jokhang Temple houses the most sacred statue of Buddha. You will work your way through this fascinating temple alongside Buddhist pilgrims from the faraway regions of Tibet. The sound of pilgrims chanting mantras fills the air as does the smell of yak butter candle offerings. In the afternoon, you will go to 600 year old Sera Monastery, one of Tibet’s largest Buddhist monasteries. Each weekday afternoon starting at 3pm, monks engage in Buddhist philosophy debates, which are fun to photograph.
Day 3: Lhasa
You will start the day by exploring the Potala Palace, Tibet’s most iconic building. Towering above Lhasa with more than 1000 rooms, the Potala Palace served as the winter residence of the Dalai Lama’s for hundreds of years. After lunch, you will go to Drepung, another of Tibet’s huge monastic complexes. The pilgrimage circuit around Drepung takes about an hour and offers spectacular views.
Day 4: Lhasa—Yamdrok Lake—Karo La Glacier—Gyantse Distance: 260kms Elevation: 3840m
In the early morning you will depart Lhasa and drive to Yamdrok, one of Tibet’s most beautiful lakes. From the lake, you can see the 7191 meter peak of Nojin Kangtsang in the distance. You will then travel along the lakeshore and drive up to the amazing Karo La Glacier before arriving in the town of Gyantse.
Day 5: Gyantse—Farming Villages—Shigatse Distance 95kms Elevation: 3840m
In Gyantse, you will visit the Pelkhor Chode Monastery where you can see the largest stupa (Buddhist pagoda) in Tibet. From Gyantse, you will then make the short drive to Shigatse, Tibet’s second largest city. Between Gyantse and Shigatse, you will stop at a couple of traditional farming villages. In Shigatse, you will explore the large monastery complex of Tashi Lhunpo.
Day 6: Shigatse—Saga Distance: 450kms Elevation: 4500m
After breakfast, you will drive thru the stunning wilderness of Western Tibet to the town of Saga. On the left side (south side), you will follow the Himalaya Mountains, which form the border between Tibet and Nepal. This is a longer driving day thru mostly uninhabited high plateau, but you can take numerous stops for pictures and a lunch break before arriving to the small town of Saga.
Day 7: Saga—Lake Manasarovar Distance: 485kms Elevation: 4590m
The ninth day of this journey will take you across the wilderness of western Tibet to the shores of the holy lake of Manasarovar. The lake offers spectacular views of the surrounding Himalayas.
Day 8: Lake Manasarovar—Darchen Distance: 35kms Elevation: 4690m
In the late morning, you will make the short drive to Darchen, the traditional starting point for the trek around Mt. Kailash. In Darchen, you will make final preparations for the 3 day trek around the peak.
Day 9: Kailash Trek Day 1 Distance: 20kms Elevation: 5080m
The first day of our trek will take us 20 kilometers from Darchen around Mt. Kailash to Dira Puk Monastery. You will follow this ancient pilgrimage route with Tibetan Buddhist and Indian Hindu pilgrims. You will stay in a small guesthouse near the monastery. The elevation of Dira Puk Monastery is 5080 meters.
Day 10: Kailash Trek Day 2 Distance: 18kms Elevation: 4820m
The second day of our trek around Kailash will take us up and over the Dolma La Pass, the highest pass on the circuit at 5630 meters. Excellent mountain and glacier views will follow you for most of the day. From the Dolma La Pass, you will descend to Zultul Puk Monastery, elevation 4820 meters. The total trekking distance this day is 18 kilometers.
Day 11: Kailash Trek Day 3 Distance: 14kms Elevation: 4590m
The third and final day of our trek will cover 14 kilometers from Zultul Puk Monastery back to the town of Darchen. You will stay at a hotel in Darchen this night.
Day 12: Darchen—Saga Distance: 485kms Elevation: 4500m
After breakfast, you will begin the journey back to Lhasa. From Darchen, you will head east to the town of Saga going through the rugged beauty of western Tibet. This will be a longer driving day, but you can stop anytime to take pictures or to take a nice walk among the stunning beauty of the region.
Day 13: Saga—Shigatse Distance: 450kms Elevation: 3840m
You will continue driving back to Lhasa while stopping at Shigatse for the night. Along the way there will be opportunities to see wildlife as well as the Himalaya Mountains, river and lakes.
Day 14: Shigatse—Lhasa Distance: 260ms Elevation: 3600m
The final full day of your Tibet journey will lead you back to the Tibetan capital of Lhasa. You will arrive in the mid afternoon with enough time to stroll the pilgrimage path around Jokhang Temple one last time.
Day 15: Depart Lhasa
You will be transferred to the airport or train station to depart Tibet for your next destination.
All of our travel routes are built with altitude acclimatization in mind to reduce the risks of altitude-related illness. Contact us today to begin arranging your journey from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp and the 3 day trek around Mt. Kailash! Send your inquiries to: info@himalayajourney.com
Journey from Lhasa to Mt. Kailash
This 15 day package journey from Lhasa to Mt. Kailash can be done anytime from mid-April through late October, however, the months that offer the best views are from mid April through mid June and again from mid-September through October.
We can arrange this journey for clients who are traveling with a group of friends/relatives of 2 to 8 people. Sorry, we do not offer this journey for solo travelers, but can recommend you to one of our Small Group Tours. Price is discounted for groups of 4 people or more.
Email for more details: info@himalayajourney.com
Call us at (+1) 253 289 9166 in the US/Canada, (+44) 20 3239 2917 in the UK, (+61) 2 8003 5630 in Australia
Included in the price:
- All accommodations (based on double occupancy)
- Breakfast each morning in Tibet
- Bottled drinking water (except during Kailash trek)
- All ground transportation in Tibet
- All entrance fees for the itinerary listed
- All Tibet travel permits
- Local Tibetan guide fees
- All Kailash Permits
- All meals and accommodations for the driver and guide
- Lhasa Airport or train station pick up and transfer
Not included in the price:
- Passport and Chinese Visa fees
- International airfare to/from Lhasa, Tibet
- Yak, horse or porter fees at Mt. Kailash (available for an extra cost)
- Lunch and dinner
- Bottled water along the Kailash trek (available for purchase)
- Travel vaccinations
- Insurance (travel, medical, etc)
- Souvenirs or personal items such as laundry, snacks, alcohol drinks, etc
- Photography fees inside temples and monasteries
- Gratuities to the Tibetan guide and driver
- Slight additional cost to depart Tibet at the Nepal border
Travel Gear: Upon joining, each participant will be sent a list of required and recommended gear for this journey that they will be responsible for.
Accommodations: In Lhasa, Gyantse, Shigatse and Saga, you will be staying in comfortable and pleasant locally-rated 3 or 4 Star Tibetan-owned hotels. At Everest Base Camp, accommodation will be either simple tent hotels or a simple guesthouse. At Lake Manasarovar and along the trek around Mt. Kailash, accommodations will be very simple guesthouses as these areas are very remote and poor. Guesthouses have no heat, but plenty of blankets. Toilets are usually outside and are not always clean. Showers are often unavailable at guesthouses or are available at a local shower house that is not attached to the hotel. Hotel upgrades available in Lhasa upon request. For a list of the hotels we use in Tibet, go to the following link: Hotels We Stay At in Tibet
Meals: Breakfast is included in the price for each morning you are in Tibet. Lunch and dinner are not included in the price. Restaurants are available all along this travel route.
Eligibility: Participants must be in good health and be able to spend each day walking around towns, villages and monasteries. Most of this tour will take place in mountainous terrain between 3600 meters and 5200 meters (11,800 feet to 17,000 feet) above sea level. The 3 day trek around Mt. Kailash is 52 kilometers long and will take 3 days to complete. This trek is beautiful, but is quite demanding as the high pass rises to 5640 meters (18,500 feet). You will spend 3 nights in Lhasa for altitude acclimatization before going above 3600 meters. Ascent will be slow and gradual along the way from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp and on to Mt. Kailash.
Responsible Tourism: Himalaya Journey is a joint American and Tibetan owned company with offices in the US, Tibet and Nepal. All of our guides and drivers are local Tibetans who have been working in tourism for many years. It is a top priority for us to support as many Tibetan-owned businesses as possible. During this journey, all of the hotels you will be staying at in Tibet are locally-owned. The preservation of the culture of Tibet, as well as the protection of the environment of Tibet, are extremely important to us. In fact, when we are not out leading and arranging journeys across Tibet, we are working with local Tibetans in numerous eco-tourism and conservation projects.
Take a moment to read more about us and why ethical tourism in the Himalaya is so important to us: Why Use Us?
