12 Days Mount Kailash to Kathmandu Overland tour

Today is your first day on the high plateau and some of you may have a little headache which is very common for travelers by the high altitude, so drinking enough water and mild activity in the first few days is recommendable. In the morning our guide will meet you at the hotel and take an easy visit to Jokhang Temple in the center of the Old Lhasa city. Jokhang temple is one of the most sacred temples all over Tibet and it is always bustling with earnest local pilgrims from the early days.

After that, you have time to walk around the Barkhor street which is the one of the most devotional circuit as well as crowded central market of Lhasa, during the old days it is the most famous local market but now it is changed to tourist gift shopping center. In the afternoon we will visit the famous Potala Palace, the cardinal landmark of Tibet and the masterpiece of Tibetan architecture, it was first built by 33rd King Songtsen Gangpo in the 7th century and later in 17th century rebuilt by 5th Dalai Lama, since then it was home to the Dalai Lama and his government.

Walking through the long steps are quite challenging it is worthwhile to leave your footsteps in the spiritual palace of God of compassion which listed in the world heritage in 1994. Continues acclimatize and alleviate jet lag rest of the day. Overnight in Lhasa.

Today we will visit Drepung Monastery in the morning, once the world’s largest monastery that housed for more than 10,000 monks, it was resident of the Dalai Lama prior to Potala Palace, but several destructions were taken place in different time but still you have lots of things to see by walking through numbers of narrow and twisted lane through the monks apartments is thrilling.

The amazing day will be ended with a visit to the Sera Monastery, it is built in the fifteenth century by the Jamchen Choji Sakya Yeshi who is disciple of Tsongka pa, few different monastic colleges in Sera is home to several hundred monks from different part of Tibet, the famous Buddhist philosophical debates among the monks are happening every day in the afternoon except Sunday. Continues acclimatize and alleviate jet lag rest of the day. Overnight in Lhasa.

Today is day 3 of our Tibet travel adventure and we are excited to explore some of the most iconic attractions in the region. Our first stop is the breathtaking Potala Palace, a must-see for any traveler to Tibet. This magnificent structure was built in the 7th century by King Songtsen Gangpo and remains a masterpiece of Tibetan architecture.
Next, we will visit the Drepung Monastery, one of the three great monasteries of Tibet and home to thousands of monks. As we explore this ancient monastery, we will learn about Tibetan Buddhism and its rich history.
But before we head out for another day packed with adventure, let’s address a common question: is Tibet a safe place to travel? The answer is yes! Despite some misconceptions, Tibet is a peaceful and welcoming destination for travelers from all over the world.

Attractions: Yamdrok Lake, Mt.Nyechen Kangsar glacier, Gyantse Kubum stupa, and Pelkhor Choede monastery.


We begin our journey by heading southwest, navigating the winding road that ascends the Kampa La Pass (4700m). From this vantage point, you’ll be captivated by a stunning view of the sacred Yamdrok Lake, its vibrant turquoise waters contrasting against the backdrop of snow-capped Mt. Nyenchen Khangsar in the distance. Continuing along the lakeshore for several kilometers, we’ll stop for lunch in Nagar Tse.

The rest of the day is spent exploring picturesque valleys and charming Tibetan villages. Along the way, we’ll pause at Karo La (5150m) to witness the awe-inspiring Nyenchen Khangsar Glacier, a holy and majestic sight. Upon reaching Gyantse, we’ll visit the iconic Kumbum Stupa and the Palkhor Choede Monastery. This impressive multi-tiered stupa is the largest in Tibet and is renowned for its intricate architecture, as well as the ancient sculptures and paintings adorning its inner walls.

In the late afternoon, we drive to Shigatse, a short 90km away, where we’ll spend the night.

Today, we will drive directly to Everest Base Camp (EBC), crossing several passes along the way. The first breathtaking views of the mighty Himalayas will appear as we reach the Gyatso La Pass (5400m), just after Lhatse. Soon after descending from Gyatso La, we will have a distant glimpse of Mount Everest from its designated viewpoint.

After passing the border checkpoint at Shegar, we will leave the Friendship Highway and head south into the valley. From there, we will cross the Gawu La Pass (5250m) via a winding, zigzagging road. The view from this pass will be nothing short of spectacular, with a panoramic display of the towering Himalayan peaks, many of which rise above 8000 meters. From left to right, you’ll see Mt. Makalu (8463m), Mt. Lotse (8516m), Mt. Everest (8844m), Mt. Cho Oyu (8201m), and Mt. Shishapangma (8020m).

As we descend through numerous switchbacks, we’ll make our way to the dry valley of Tashizom, our final stop for the day—Everest Base Camp, nestled in the Rongbuk Valley. Rongbuk is home to the highest monastery in the world, which is inhabited by both monks and nuns.

Note: Before leaving Shigatse, your guide will need some time to obtain the ATP (Alien’s Travel Permit) from the local PSB. This permit is required for the border checkpoint at Shegar.

ttractions: Mt Shishapama and Peikutso Lake

Today we will drive straight to Saga through a long valley of the Brahmaputra tributary. After the Thongla pass, we will take a detour toward Sag, and from there, you will have great views of the Mt Shishapama and Peikutso lake, and a short stop at the Peikutso lake viewpoint to have the best view of the lake. Then continue the drive to Saga. Overnight at Saga.

Attractions: View of Lake Manasarovar and Mt Kailash.

Today, the thrilling journey across the dry and vast plain offers stunning views of the Great Himalaya in the south and the Trans-Himalaya in the north. The moonscape plain of the region is home to sparse, lone nomads whose lifestyle remains close to what it has been for centuries, as well as numerous plateau wildlife. Different natural landscapes, such as dunes and picturesque mountain views, are not only a great beauty of the day but also include holy lakes and mountains. Then we will reach the Manasarovar Lake (victorious lake) in the late afternoon, which is one of the holiest lakes in Tibet, and every year it receives hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from all corners of the Tibetan plateau, India, and Russia. The lake is surrounded by several prominent peaks like Gurla Mandata (7760m). Then we will further drive to Darchen, which is the starting point of the Mt Kailash (7762m) trekking, and you will also have a great view of the Kailash from the front. Darchen is a small nomadic village, and now an increasing number of guesthouses and restaurants make it more commercial. On your arrival, you have plenty of time to explore around the town and prepare for the trek. You can also hike around the hills to get physically ready for the trek. In the afternoon, your guide will arrange other trekking necessities like porters and yaks for your luggage transportation. You can find different restaurants according to your taste, or your guide will help you find some better ones. Overnight at Darchen.

Attractions: the views on both sides of the valley that you are going to trek.


Today our kora starts from Darchen, and you will take an eco-bus (including in the cost) to Sershung Valley and start the Mt. Kailash trek from there. Then you will meet your porters and yaks at Sershung Valley (the cost of hiring yaks, horses, and porters is not included in the package). From there, tracing the small trail in the clockwise circuit around the Peaaton at an average altitude of 4700m. You will encounter several local Buddhist pilgrims along your way and several Bon believers in the anticlockwise direction. After a 4-hour trek, we will reach Tamdin (4780 ), where a nomadic tent serves a simple lunch and boiling water. From there it is only 4km to Dirakpuk monas, tery, but between this stretch has some of the best scenery of the entire kora. Today’s trek is about 15 km from Sarshung Valley to Drirapuk Monastery (4,700m) along the Lachu Valley. Dirakpuk was rebuilt in 1985, located
on the north side of the Lha-chu River facing the north face of Mt. Kailash. The Dirakpuk name originally comes from a word, Dir, which means female yak horn, rn and Puk means cast, in a mythical story that says a female yak opened the cave. Overnight at the Dirapuk guesthouse dormitory.

Attractions: the once and only chance of challenging to cross the Dikpala (5000m) and Dormala (5600m) next to Dikpala

Today is the most challenging part of the trekking where we will cross two passes, though there are not too steep but the altitude make is more tiring and slow, after we cross Dikpala (5000m) & Dormala (5600m), the passes are remarked by heaps of prayer flags and cairns, It is worthwhile to spend some minutes on the pass to view and relax, as you are right backside of the Mt. Kailash and offers great view of the holy peak. Then we will climb down into the long valley and stop for lunch at Shabjay Dakpo nomadic tent for lunch. Then continue the trek to Zuktul puk monastery (4790m), also known as the miracle cave, which was built by two religious figures, Milarepa and Naro Bonchung. And still, you can see the footprint and handprint of Milarepa inside the cave. Overnight at Zultul Puk Guesthouse Dormitory.

It’s an easy day of the trek. You’ll trek 9km to complete the kora, then from Dzongdui take the eco bus back to Darchen. According to Buddhist theory, doing a kora around a holy mountain for one circle can get rid of sins and miseries for the whole life. Only after going through lots of hardships do you feel the happiness and gratification brought by the Kora. Then you take the ecobus back to Darchen, about 3km. We will drive you from Darchen to Mansarovar (4,560m), the top holy lake in Tibet. It’s 40km to the southwest of Darchen. If the weather is good, you can see the splendid scenery of Lake Manasarovar. If you feel good, you can do a trek along the shore of the lake for a while. And then you’ll head to Zhongba.

Stay overnight in Zhongba.

Today we will drive from Zhongba to Lhatse. Although there is no famous scenic spot on the way, the scenery is endless. On the way, you will see a lot of unnamed lakes and rivers, cross 7 high mountain passes, and experience different weather. You will see natural scenery, rural cattle and sheep, wild animals, and unknown purple flowers all over the mountains all the way.

If any group members would like to continue to Kathmandu, we will send them off at the Gyirong border. Therefore, you’ll have a chance to explore the Gyriong Valley, called the backyard of the Himalayan Mountains.

Stay overnight in Lhatse.

Today you will be drive to the border which is about 30km from the Gyirong town to the border, then our guide will help you to clear the China Customs and then enter into Nepal, the trip ends and you can easily get jeep and bus from the Nepal side going to Kathmandu, you will also get the 15 days Nepalese tourist visa for USD30.