Kailash Mansarobar Tour with EBC via Chengdu

Trip Facts
Accommodation:	Standard to Deluxe Hotel's Option in major cities and Guest House beyond Saga
Grade:	Moderate
Max Altitude:	5,630 m/18,471 ft
Transportation:	Private Vehicle/Flight
Meals:	As Mentioned In The Itinerary
Group Size:	2 to 15 People
Duration :	15 Nights/16 Days

Highlights

Visit Holy Mansarobar Lake(4,590 m) and Mt. Kailash (6,638 m), abode of Shiva
3 Days Kora to Mt. Kailash and cross highest Dromla La Pass at 5,630 m
Visit World's Highest Rongbuk Monastery at 5,009 m and North Everest Base Camp at 5,150 m
Visit Potala Palace, former Winter Palace of Dalai Lama since 7th Century and Norbulinka Palace, Summer Palace
Visit Sacred Jokhang Temple, Drepung Monastery and Tashi Lunpho Monastery
Witness Monk's Debate in Sera Monastery and walk around Barkhor Street
Drive into High Passes in Tibet above 5,000 m
Visit turquoise Yamdrok Lake and See Tibetan Mastiff
Enjoy Tibetan Authentic Foods, Culture and markets in Tibet
Visit Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Centre
Visit World Renowned Pashupatinath Temple, Boudhanath Stupa and other World Heritage Sites in Kathmandu
Pay Homage to Living Goddess, Kumari and visit Sacred Hindu and Buddhist Temples in Kathmandu

Outline Itinerary

Day 01: Chengdu Arrival (500 m/1,640 ft)

Day 02: Chengdu Sightseeing

Day 03: Fly to Lhasa (3,650 m/11,975 ft) - 2 Hours 30 Minutes

Day 04: Full Day Lhasa Tour- Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street & Norbulinka Palace

Day 05: Full Day Lhasa Tour- Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery

Day 06: Drive to Shigatse (3,800 m/ 12,467 ft) via Gyantse (4,000 m / 13,123 ft) - 260 km/6 Hours

Day 07: Drive to Chuzong & to Rongbuk Monastery (5,009 m/16,434 ft) -335 km/6 Hours

Day 08: Visit Everest Base Camp (5,150 m /16,896 ft) & Drive to Saga (4,640 m/15,223 ft)-460 km/8 Hours

Day 09: Drive to Mansarobar Lake (4,590 m/15,059 ft) and to Darchen (4,575 m/15,010 ft)-450 km/9 Hours

Day 10: First Day of Kora, Darchen to Dirapuk(5,210 m/17,093 ft)-11 km/6.5 Hours

Day 11: Second Day of Kora, Dirapuk to Zutulpuk (4,810 m/15,780 ft)-18 km/9 Hours

Day 12: Third Day of Kora, Zutulpuk to Darchen (11 km/4 Hours) and drive to Saga- 8 Hours

Day 13: Drive from Saga to Kyirong Town- 6 Hours

Day 14: Cross Border and drive to Kathmandu-8 Hours

Day 15: Kathmandu Sightseeing

Day 16: Departure from Kathmandu

Overview

Mt. Kailash with the altitude of 6,638 m is abode of Lord Shiva and sacred to Hinduism, Buddhism, Bon and Jainism. Lake Mansarobar and Rakshas Tal are the source of some of the Asian longest river like Indus, Brahmaputra, Sutlej and Karnali River also known as Ghaghara in India (a tributary of the Ganges). Every year, thousands of people make pilgrimage trip to Mt. Kailas believing circumambulating on foot is a holy ritual and bring good fortune. Hindu and Buddhist Pilgrims circumambulate clockwise while Bon and Jain pilgrims do anti clockwise. Mt. Kailash is around 1,200 km from Lhasa city. The average elevation of the Kora around the Mount Kailash is about 5,000 m, with the highest point of Drolma La Pass at 5,630 m. It usually takes three days to complete Kora in a clockwise direction.

Chengdu, Lhasa, Everest Base Camp, Mt. Kailash and Mansarobar Lake Tour has been specially designed to make the best Tibet trip which includes Chengdu, Lhasa city, Shigatse, Rongbuk Monastery and Everest Base Camp, Mt. Kailas and Lake Mansarobar. In Lhasa, we visit historic monuments like Potala Palace, winter palace of Dalai Lama while Norbulinka is the summer palace. We visit largest monastery of Drepung Monastery and visit Sera Monastery to see the monk’s debate. Then we drive to Shigatse via Gyantse while visiting Yamdrok lake, which is a holy lake and drive into high passes to Rongbuk monastery. Rongbuk Monastery is the highest elevated monastery in the world and the view of Mt. Everest is life time experience. Then we drive to Lake Mansarobar and do Kora of Mt. Kailash. After visiting Mt.Kailash, we will drive back to Border at Kyirong and exit to Kathmandu. This Tibet Trip is the most practical Tibet trip and you have to apply Chinese Visa in your home country, then we will apply for Tibet Travel Permit.

Detail Itinerary

Day 01: Chengdu Arrival (500 m/1,640 ft)

We will arrive at Chengdu Airport; our guide will receive you at the airport and transfer to hotel. Evening is at leisure for rest and you can explore around your hotel. We will handover you Tibet Travel Permit.

Accomodation: Overnight at Hotel in Chengdu.

Meals:

Activity Duration:

Day 02: Chengdu Sightseeing

After breakfast in the morning, we will drive about half an hour to Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Center, where you will catch pandas' feeding time; they are at their most active, both Adults and Babies. There's a wealth of information and a Panda Museum in this 230-hectare park 10 km (6 miles) north of Chengdu. It takes about 2.5 hours to visit this site. In the afternoon, we will move back to downtown Chengdu to visit Jin Li Street, a vivid replica of the old commercial street of Qin, Han, and Three Kingdom dynasties. You can take a leisurely stroll along the street and buy some souvenirs. After that, we will go to Renmin Park, which is a beautiful city park often filled with locals, and you can enjoy a cup of tea to experience the slow life of Chengdu there.

Accomodation: Overnight at hotel in Chengdu.

Meals: B

Activity Duration:

Day 03: Fly to Lhasa (3,650 m/11,975 ft) - 2 Hours 30 Minutes

After breakfast, we will fly to Lhasa, the exciting capital of Tibet. You will be met at the airport by our local Tibetan guide and transferred to the hotel. Afternoon is at leisure for acclimatization & rest or just takes a leisurely walk around the Barkhor Bazar.

Accomodation: Overnight at hotel in Lhasa.

Meals: B

Activity Duration:

Day 04: Full Day Lhasa Tour- Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street & Norbulinka Palace

After breakfast, we visit Potala Palace, the winter palace of the Dalai Lama. It has been used since the 7th Century by the 33rd great King of Tibet. The most valuable collections are the Gilded Burial Stupas of past Dalai Lamas and meditation Cave of the 33rd Great King of Tibet. Then we visit Jokhang Temple which was founded by the 33rd Great King of Tibet in the 7th century to promote the Buddhist Religion in Tibet. Inside the Temple, we see the statue of Buddha Shakyamuni at the age of twelve, perhaps the single most venerated object in Tibet Buddhism. We do Kora around the Temple to the Barkhor Street with the local pilgrims and at the same time, you can enjoy shopping at local street shops. Then we will visit Norbulinka Palace, the winter palace of the Dalai Lama which was built in the eighteenth century and is the biggest man made garden.

Accomodation: Overnight at hotel in Lhasa.

Meals: B

Activity Duration:

Day 05: Full Day Lhasa Tour- Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery

After breakfast, we visit Drepung Monastery which was one of the ‘Three Great’ Gelug Monasteries of Tibet and was founded in 1416 by Jamyang Choge, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. Garden palace is used as Dalai Lama’s palace in the Drepung before moving to the Potala Palace. Afternoon, we visit to Sera Monastery,is one of the ‘Three Great’ Gelug Monasteries of Tibet and was founded in 1419 by Jamchen Chojey, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. The major highlight is Monks debate around 3 - 5 in the late afternoon.

Accomodation: Overnight at hotel in Lhasa.

Meals: B

Activity Duration:

Day 06: Drive to Shigatse (3,800 m/ 12,467 ft) via Gyantse (4,000 m / 13,123 ft) - 260 km/6 Hours

An early morning after breakfast, we will start our journey to Gyantse via Yamdrok Tso or the “Turquoise Lake”. We will stop by the lake and walk around Lake and Karola Glacier. In Gyantse, we will visit Kumbum Pagoda and Palcho Monastery. After sightseeing in Gyantse, we will continue our journey to Shigatse. It is the second largest city in Tibet and the capital of the province of Tsang. The rulers of this province had dominion over all of Tibet prior to 1,642 AD. If time permits, we will visit Tashilunpo Monastery which is the seat of the Panchen Lama who is second in spiritual importance only to the Dalai Lama. The monastery was built in 1,447 AD by Gendun Drup and once housed upward of 3,400 monks. Of particular interest at Tashilunpo is a nine story Gilded Statue of Maitreya- the “Future Buddha”.

Accomodation: Overnight at Hotel in Shigatse.

Meals: B

Activity Duration:

Day 07: Drive to Chuzong & to Rongbuk Monastery (5,009 m/16,434 ft) -335 km/6 Hours

From Shigatse, we will drive to Xegar via Sakya Monastery. Sakya Monastery is 143 km south of Shigatse and was built in the thirteenth century by Konchok Gyalpo and houses some 30,000 volumes of ancient Buddhist Scriptures or Sutras. Then we continue to Chunzong village where we have to change to ECO bus to Rongbuk Monastery which is just below the spectacular North Face of Everest.

Accomodation: Overnight at Rongbuk Tent Guest house.

Meals: B

Activity Duration:

Day 08: Visit Everest Base Camp (5,150 m /16,896 ft) & Drive to Saga (4,640 m/15,223 ft)-460 km/8 Hours

In the morning, we visit Everest Base Camp though core area is not allowed to visit to protect the environment and drive to Saga. During the drive, we see Mt. Everest, Mt. Cho Oyu and Shisapangma. We pass Ngamring Lake, many beautiful Tibetan villages and see grassland with big Yak and Sheep grazing pasture.

Accomodation: Overnight at Hotel in Saga.

Meals: B

Activity Duration:

Day 09: Drive to Mansarobar Lake (4,590 m/15,059 ft) and to Darchen (4,575 m/15,010 ft)-450 km/9 Hours

Today we drive to Darchen, starting point of our Mt. Kailash Kora. During our drive, we pass high passes, Nomads camps, herds of Kyangs (Wild Donkeys), Gazelles and Antelopes. From the view point at Chaktsalkang, we see the Lake Mansarobar and Mt. Kailash for the first time. Once we reach Mansarobar Lake, we walk around the lake. Then we continue to Darchen. Darchen is a small town at the foothill of Mt. Kailash. We prepare here for the Kailash Kora.

Accomodation: Overnight at Hotel in Darchen.

Meals: B

Activity Duration:

Day 10: First Day of Kora, Darchen to Dirapuk(5,210 m/17,093 ft)-11 km/6.5 Hours

We drive to Sersung for around 25 minutes in Eco Bus. Once we start our Kora and after a while, we reach at Darpoche where we see huge prayer flag pole which is annually replaced on Saga Dawa Festival which falls on 15th of fourth Lunar month. We see many pilgrims doing prostrating along the path and piles of Mani Stones. Dhirapuk Monastery was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution and now left with only Ruins. You may consider visiting Dirapuk Monastery. From the guesthouse, we see North face of Mt. Kailash.

Accomodation: Overnight at Guest House in Derapuk.

Meals: B

Activity Duration:

Day 11: Second Day of Kora, Dirapuk to Zutulpuk (4,810 m/15,780 ft)-18 km/9 Hours

Today is the tough and longest day of our Kora. We start early in the morning and climb to the Drolma La Pass at 5,630 m. After spending few minutes at the top, we descend down to Lhachu Valley passing by small Khando Tso. You may consider visiting Zutulpuk Monastery and cave of Milerapa where Milerap and Nagro Bonchung debated on religion sects.

Accomodation: Overnight at Guest House in Zuktrulphuk.

Meals: B

Activity Duration:

Day 12: Third Day of Kora, Zutulpuk to Darchen (11 km/4 Hours) and drive to Saga- 8 Hours

Today is the last day of our Kora and on the way down to valley; we see the distance view of Rakshyas Tal (Lake). After our trek, we take Eco Bus to Darchen (4 km) and we will drive back to Saga.

Accomodation: Overnight at Hotel in Saga.

Meals: B

Activity Duration:

Day 13: Drive from Saga to Kyirong Town- 6 Hours

After breakfast, we will drive back to Kyirong Town. We will visit Pakba Temple in Kyirung Town.

Accomodation: Overnight at hotel in Kyirong.

Meals: B

Activity Duration:

Day 14: Cross Border and drive to Kathmandu-8 Hours

After breakfast, we will cross Nepal Tibet Border after the immigration formalities. Then we will drive back to Kathmandu.

Accomodation: Overnight at hotel in Kathmandu.

Meals: B

Activity Duration:

Day 15: Kathmandu Sightseeing

After breakfast, we will visit Sacred Pashupatinath Temple at the bank of Holy Bagmati River. Then we will visit Boudhanath Stupa which is one of the biggest Stupas of Asia. In the evening, we will visit Kathmandu Durbar Square and pay homage to the only living Goddess, Kumari. In the evening, we will organize farewell dinner to celebrate the great success of our Mt. Kailash Trip.

Accomodation: Overnight at hotel in Kathmandu.

Meals: B D

Activity Duration:

Day 16: Departure from Kathmandu

After breakfast, we will drop you to the airport before 3 hours of your flight time.

Accomodation:

Meals: B

Activity Duration:

Cost Info

Cost Includes:

All necessary arrival and departure transfers in Chengdu, Lhasa and Kathmandu.
4 nights in Lhasa, 2 nights in Shigatse and 1 night at Rongbuk Monastery with breakfast inclusive of taxes and service charges.
2 nights at Saga, 1 night at Mansarobar, 1 night at Darchen, 1 night at Zutulpuk and 1 night at Dirapuk in guest house.
2 Nights in Kathmandu with breakfast inclusive of taxes and service charges.
Tibet Visa Fees, all paperwork for Tibet tour, Tibet Travel permit.
All permits for Kailash Mansarobar.
All drives, sightseeing and transfer in Tibet as per the program with English Speaking Tibetan Guide.
Meals as indicated in the Itinerary.
Kathmandu sightseeing with English Speaking Tour Guide with all applicable entrance fees.
Farewell Dinner in Kathmandu.
Bottle Drinking water in vehicle for sightseeing drives and transfers.
All drives, sightseeing and transfers by Deluxe Vehicle as per the group size.
24/7 hours Assistance.

Cost Excludes:

International Fight to Chengdu, and from Kathmandu.
Chengdu/Lhasa flight.
China Visa Fees. (Please apply in our home country).
Nepal Visa fees on Arrival at airport (USD 30/- for 15 Days).
Donation to the Monasteries in Tibet.
Charges for Yak or Porters during Mt. Kailash Kora.
Meals other than breakfast in Kathmandu except farewell dinner.
Personal nature of expenses like tips, bar bills, laundry and personal expenses.
Cost may arise of natural calamities, flight cancellation, illness, hospitalization, tour cancellation, blockade etc.
Other than in our include section.