Lhasa with Mansarovar Lake and Kailash Kora

- 13 Days

We arrive in Lhasa either from a direct flight from Nepal or via mainland China. If we decide to fly from Nepal, then we get to enjoy a beautiful hour-long trans-Himalayan flight that takes us over Everest (8,848m), Kanchenjunga (8,536m) and other Himalayan peaks and glaciers. If we choose to go to Lhasa via mainland China, we may fly from any of the major Chinese cities or take the world’s highest train route to Lhasa. Upon our arrival in Lhasa, a representative from Himalayan Glacier will pick us up either from the airport or the train station for about an hour’s drive to our designated hotel in Lhasa.  We are advised to take plenty of rest for the remainder of the day in order to minimize altitude sickness. Overnight in Lhasa.

We begin sightseeing in Lhasa after breakfast. Today is the day we visit the beautiful Potala and Norbulingka Palaces. Built in the 17^th century, Potala Palace provides amazing views of the entire city and houses the private quarters of the Dalai Lama, numerous grand state rooms and chapels. Norbulingka Palace is the summer palace of the Dalai Lama and houses what is considered to be the largest man-made garden in Tibet. Next, we visit the Tibet Traditional Hospital which is the center for the treatment, training, research and production of Tibetan medicine. Overnight in Lhasa.

After breakfast we visit Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Bazaar. Drepung Monastery, which was built in the 14th century, is believed to have sheltered around 10,000 monks in the past but as of now there has been quite a declination resulting in only a few hundred. The history, culture, and religious beliefs of the Tibetan people are strongly concentrated and centered in this marvelous monastery. Sera Monastery is a preserved monastery of white-washed walls and golden roofs. Jokhang Temple is another important sacred site which unravels more deep-seated mysteries of Tibetan Buddhism. We further stroll through Barkhor Bazaar (market). With its open air stalls, shops and crowd of pilgrims, it is the nerve centre of Lhasa. Overnight in Lhasa.

After breakfast, we embark on a pleasant drive to Shigatse, the second biggest city in Tibet via Gyantse. We drive past Khamba La (4,794m) pass and savor the enthralling views of Yomdrok-Tso (Turquoise Lake), one of the Holy Lakes in Tibet and Mt. Nazin Kang Sa (7,252m). Further to the west, we come across another pass, Karo La (5,045m) and take in amazing views of the majestic glaciers. Upon reaching Gyantse, we visit the Khumbum Stupa, Phalkot Monastery and Gyantse Dzong(Fortress), which is one of the best preserved dzongs in Tibet. From Gyantse, we continue to Shigatse enjoying a captivating mountain landscape along the way. Overnight in Shigatse.

After breakfast we travel to Saga via Lhatse and along the Brahmaputra River. We stop for a while at Lhatse which is considered as one of the best counties of Shigatse and enjoy the beautiful landscape. Overnight in Saga.

We travel to Saga enjoying the beautiful snow-covered peaks and the Tibetan plateau. We cross several rivers and drive past Mayum La Pass at 4600m. Today is also the day we reach the beautiful Manasarover Lake. Shrouded in myth and legends, Mansarover Lake is located at the southern foot of Mount Kailash and extremely beautiful with the image of snow-capped mountains in its crystal-clear waters.

We take a Kora around the Manasarovar Lake which is a sacred circuit following the edge of the lake Manasarovar which displays brilliant color at the height of 4560m. After completing the kora, we head for Darchen which is located at the foot of the sacred Mt. Kailash. Overnight in Darchen.

Kailash Kora is an exciting 3-day trek around the sacred Mt. Kailash (6714m/22156ft). We will circle around the mountain in the following three days to appreciate its beautiful scenery, explore its historical sites and experience the mountain’s religious significance. We drive up to Tarboche and trek up to Diraphuk Gompa. We continue walking for a few kilometers before ascending to a cairn from where the southern face of Mt. Kailash comes into view.

Today is the second day of our three-day Kora and the toughest part of our journey. We continue the trek around Mt. Kailash and cross Dolma La pass (5604m) which is the highest point of the Kora. We can do a short prayer at Dolma la. Today we also visit the Gauri Kunda which is an important place for the Hindu pilgrims.

We cover around 10km distance and end our Kora around Mt. Kailash today. After the completion of Kora, we drive to Darchen and pick participants who did not complete the Kora. From Darchen we drive to Saga to spend the night. Overnight in Saga.

From saga we travel to Shigatse via Latse. Our trail will be along the Tsangpo River in a region crisscrossed by the upper Brahmaputra and its tributaries. Upon reaching Shigatse we freshen up and later visit the Tashilhunpo Monastery which was founded by Pachen Lama in 1447. Overnight in Shigatse.

After breakfast, we drive towards Lhasa. On the way, we visit Shalu Monastery. Founded in 1040, Shalu Monastery is known for its beautiful and ancient mural paintings. After the tour we continue to Lhasa. On the way, we come across the Karo La Pass (5,045m). Before reaching Lhasa, we also cross the Khamba La Pass (4,794m) with a brief halt to savor the beauty of the Yamdrok Tso (Turquoise Lake), one of the three largest sacred lakes in Tibet and the beautiful Nazin Kang Sang glacier (7,252m). Overnight in Lhasa.

Our journey on Tibet also known as the “Roof of the World” ends today. A representative from Himalayan Glacier will take us to the airport or the train station for our next journey.