Lhasa – Everest Base Camp – Mount Kailash Trek

Itinerary & Daily Schedule

For the journey from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp and on to Mt. Kailash, you will begin  by exploring the Tibetan capital of Lhasa and its many ancient monasteries and temples, including the famed Potala Palace. From Lhasa, you will then travel to the beautiful alpine lake of Yamdrok Tso before visiting Karo La Glacier, Tibet’s most famous glacier. Shigatse is Tibet’s second largest city and home to Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, one of the largest in Tibet. From there, 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 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 go to the North Face Everest Base Camp where you will get an up close look at the world’s highest peak.

After Mt. Everest, you will then return to Lhasa for one last night in the Tibetan capital.

For more information please send an email to: info@Tibethighlandtours.com

Day 1

Arrival in Lhasa (Elevation 3600m)

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.

Day 2

Lhasa Sightseeing

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 Sightseeing

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.

Gyangtse Kumbum Stupa Day 4

Lhasa - Yamdrok Lake - Karo La Glacier - Gyantse - Shigatse

Distance: 360kms 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.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 5

Shigatse - Saga

Distance 448kms, Elevation:  4500m

From Shigatse, you will continue driving through the rugged and beautiful landscape of central Tibet. During this 7 hour journey, we will drive trough the wilderness of Tibet and if we are lucky we might spot some wildlife or beautiful landscape with the heavenly display of light.

Day 6

Saga - Darchen

Distance: 520km. Elevation: 5000m

Today the thrilling journey across the dry and vast plain with stunning views of great Himalaya in the south and Trans-Himalayan in the north, the moonscape plain of the region is home for sparse lone nomads whose lifestyle remains close to what it has been for centuries, and numbers of plateau wild lives. Different natural landscapes like sand dunes and picturesque mountain views are not only the great beauty of the day but also the holy lakes and mountains. Then we will reach to 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 hundreds of pilgrims from all corner of Tibetan plateau, India and Russia. The lake is surround 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, you will also have great view of the Kailash from the front. Darchen is a small nomadic village and now increasing number of guesthouses and restaurants make it more commercial. At your arrival you have plenty of time to explore around the town and prepare for the trekking, you can also hiking around the hills to get physically ready for the trekking. In the afternoon, your guide will arrange others 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 to find some better ones. Overnight at Darchen.

Tibet Highland Tours - Mount Kailash Day 7

1st Day Trekking: to Dirapuk

Distance: 20km Elevation: 4790m

Today our trekking start from Darchen and tracing the small trail in the clockwise circuit around the Peak on an average altitude of 4700m. You will encounter numbers of local Buddhist pilgrims doing along your way and several Bon believers in the anti-clockwise direction. After 4hours trek we will reach to Tamdin(4780m) where a nomadic tents serves simple lunch and boil water. From there it is only 4km to Dirakpuk monastery but between this stretches has the some of the best scenery of the entire kora. Dirakpuk was rebuilt in 1985 located
on the north side of the Lha-chu River facing to the north face of the Mt. Kailash. Dirakpuk name originally comes from a word Dira that means female yak horn and Puk means cave that in a mythical story says a female yak opened the cave. Overnight at Dirapuk guesthouse.

Day 8

2nd Day Trekking: to Zultul Puk

Distance: 18kms Elevation: 4790m

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 lunch at Shabjay Dakpo nomadic tent for lunch. Zuktul puk monastery (4790m) also calls the miracle cave that is built by two religious figure Milarepa and Naro Bonchung. And still you can see the footprint and handprint of Milarepa inside the cave. Overnight at Zultul Puk.

First day trek around Mount Kailash Day 9

3rd day of Trekking to Darchen and drive to Lake Manasarovar

Distance: 12kms trek and 80kms drive
Elevation: 4400m.

Today is an easy day trek to complete the circuit and your driver will pick you up from Tashi Do (which is also called as Dzongsar). Then continues drive to Lake Manasarovar and overnight at guesthouses near the lake.

Day 10

Trace the road back to Saga

Distance: 480kms Elevation: 4200m

Today we will trace the road back to Saga for the night.

Day 11

Saga - Everest Base Camp

Distance: 370kms Elevation: 5150m

Today we will drive straight to EBC by driving along the Pekutso Lake, you will have a picturesque of Mt Shishapama and other peaks of mighty Himalayans too. Continues drive towards south-east, from Old Tingri you will amaze the spectacular Himalayan Ranges and its mighty peaks beyond 8000m, Mt.Makalu (8463m), Mt.Lotse (8516m), Mt.Everest (8844m) and Mt.Cho Oyu (8201m) from Left to right, drive off the main road and head into the valley to the south to the day’s destination – Everest Base Camp located in the Rongbuk valley. Rongbuk is the highest monastery in the world and it consist both monks and nuns. Afternoon you have an option to do a short trekking from the tent guesthouses community to E.B.C, it will take you about 2 hours or more per your physical condition (6Km). Or you can take the dedicated minibus instead. We suggest you to bring your own sleeping bags for the night if available as the local tent guesthouses reuse the blankets for several weeks due to their poor facility. Overnight at local tent guesthouses except from Nov – Mar where the tent guesthouses close and only Rongbuk monastery guesthouse is available.

Everest view from Ronpuk monastery Day 12

Everest Base Camp - Shigatse

Distance: 350kms Elevation: 3800m

After we enjoy the sunrise view of the Mt Everest, we will gradually drive back to Shigatse through the friendship highway, you will have beautiful hot shower at the hotel and rest. Overnight at Shigatse.

Day 13

Shigatse - Lhasa

Distance: 260kms  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 14

Depart from Lhasa

You will be transferred to the airport or train station to depart Tibet for your next destination.

Lhasa to Everest Base Camp and Mt. Kailash

The package journey from Lhasa to Mt. Kailash and Everest base camp 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.

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@Tibethighlandtours.com

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.

Meals: Breakfast is included in the price for each morning you are in Tibet. Lunch and dinner are not included in the price.

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 5630 meters (18,465 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: Tibet Highland tours is Tibetan-owned, and Tibetan staffed. 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 tour, 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.

Tour Details

  • 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 meals and accommodations for the driver and guide
  • Lhasa Airport or train station pick up and transfer
  • Passport and Chinese Visa fees
  • International airfare to/from Lhasa, Tibet
  • Yak, horse or porter fees at Mt. Kailash
  • Lunch and dinner
  • Bottled water along the Kailash trek
  • 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

Price per person:

2050USDollar ( April – June )
2100USDollar ( July – Oct )
1950USDollar ( Nov – Feb )

Single supplementary fee: 280 USDollar