20-Day 4+2 Great Tibet Tour from Lhasa to Mt. Kailash & the Ruins of Guge Kingdom via EBC

Jokhang Temple

Barkhor Street

After your delicious breakfast, you will start your Tibetan Buddhist journey today. Certainly, the Potala Palace, reputed as the landmark of Tibet, must be the first site. It is enclosed with the White Palace and the Red Palace ancillary buildings of the Potala Palace which rise from Red Mountain in the center of Lhasa Valley (3700m). The most valuable burial stupas of former Dalai Lamas and meditation Cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet are housed inside.

Having a lunch, you will continue to visit the "spiritual heart of the city" and the most sacred monastery in Tibet - the holy Jokhang Monastery. The monastery is located at Barkhor Square in Lhasa, in general, considered as the most important and sacred monastery by Tibetan. In fact, it is packed with pilgrims from four corners to pray. Therefore, not only will you see the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni at the age of twelve, also the pilgrims making prostrating in front of Jokhang Temple.

After visiting the monastery, you can stroll along the Barkhor Street surrounding the monastery where you can take part in the pilgrimage to do kora, a religious circle around a building or mountains, or wandering to buy some Tibetan handicrafts and so on.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Drepung Monastery

Sera Monastery

Today, you will go on basking in Tibetan Buddhism. Drepung Monastery, as the beginning site of today’s journey, is one of the “great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet. It is founded in 1416 by Jamyang Choge, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples, also the biggest monastery among Tibetan Buddhist buildings. Here, we will offer you an opportunity to visit the biggest monastery kitchen, and enjoy the rock paintings, then, the tour guide will lead you to see Buddhist Sculpture Carving workshop near Drepung Monastery.

In addition, after your meal, continue to visit another Gelug monastery in Tibet - Sera Monastery. As we all know, the highlight of touring Sera Monastery is to watch an excellent Monks Debate lasting from 3 pm to 5 pm. Then, you can explore the Choding Khang which is the hermitage located just behind the Great Assembly Hall (on the hill slope of Sera Utse).

(Notes; due to the ticket reservation of Potala during the peak season, the Sightseeings on “Day2 and Day3” need to be switched sometimes.)

Overnight in Lhasa

Karola Glacier

Yamdrok-tso Lake

Highlights: Yamdrok lake, Karola Glacier, and part of Himalayan Range(if the climate permits).

Your 4+2 adventurous tour starts, there are two sections of biking today:
1. From the top of Kampala Pass(4800m) to Nagarze County along the beautiful Yamdrok Lake(48km).
2. Nagarze Town to Simik La Pass(4500m)(10km) via Karo La Pass(5050m)(65km).

Starting from Lhasa with a vehicle to the top of Kampa La Pass, about 100km, you will be accompanied by beautiful scenery of countryside and junction of Lhasa river and the Brahmaputra from Chushur County. Then, ascending 1200m through zigzag road to the summit of Kampala from where you can see a panoramic view of Yamdrok Lake with mount Nyenchen Kangsang (7,200m). After stopping for photography, start with your mountain bike descending 400m to the lakeside and continuously ride along the lake with gorgeous scenery surrounding, enjoy a picnicking lunch nearby Kungmotso a small branch lake of Yamdrok close to Nagarze. Taking 20km by a vehicle after lunch, start biking again towards Karola Pass, 600m slide ascending. It will be one of the nicest rides during your trip, only 400m distance from the glacier, Mount Nyenchen Kangsang at the right side and branch of Himalayan Range to the left side, flocks of mountain sheep, nomad's tents, and yaks. After riding 60km via the beautiful valley, you will meet your guide and driver at Simik La side or before it. A short stop at the pass where you will see a special geographic feature as in the Mars and Manak Dam in the valley down, even though it’s an artificial lake, many tourists are attracted by its beautiful color, then drive to Gyangtse 30km.

Overnight in Gyantse

Palchoe Monastery

Tashilunpo Monastery

Highlights: Palchoe Monastery, Gyantse Ancient Town and Tashilunpo Monastery in Shigatse.

It is not interesting to make a cycling from Gyantse to Shigatse and the road is also very dangerous with big lorries and too many local tractors. Therefore, make a small riding in the morning to Palchoe Monastery, cross the famous ancient town of Gyantse, visit Palchoe Monastery, and Kubum Stupa with its unique architectural design and old murals, then we will drive to Shigatse via beautiful valley of Nyangchu, the largest agricultural area in Tibet. After lunch in Shigatse, visit Tashi Lhunpo, the largest monastery in the western part of Tibet and home of the successive Panchen Lama.

Overnight in Shigatse

Friendship Highway

New Tingri

Highlights: Tibetan village houses and natural sceneries.

Today the biking tour will be divided into two sections:

Section 1: From Narthang Village to the monument of 5,000km since the Friendship High Way starts from Shanghai (60km).
Section 2: From the top of Gyatsola Pass(5,245m) to New Tingri, the destination of today(43km).

In the morning, drive 23km away from the messy traffic from Shigatse to Narthang village then start cycling the first section along the Friendship Highway, not many things to see at that part but you will have a nice experience riding on Friendship Highway. After having packed lunch nearby Tsola Pass(4,500m), continue the tour by the vehicle about 110 km via Lhatse County reaching Gyatsola Pass(5,245m), and it is also entry to the Qomolangma Natural Reserve Zone.

From here you ride the second section of the day all the way to New Tingri, 1,000m descend. Very interesting riding down the valley, but very beginning from high altitude with snowy sometimes, very windy and cold, once you get down to lower part of the valley then it will get much warmer and some parts you will also see the Mount Everest and its ranges from the distance if the weather is clear.

Overnight in hotel or guest house of New Tingri

Rongbuk Monastery

Everest Base Camp

Highlights: panoramic view of Himalayan Range, EBC and Rongbuk Monastery.

Driving around 40km, 900m ascending from new Tingri to Gyawula Pass(5,190m) where you will see a stunning view of Himalayan Range and its five major peaks. Cycling from the rooftop of Gyawula Pass descending 1,200m down to Tashi Zom Village through the incredible twisted and curved road. It will be a very exciting and a good experience for you with marvelous scenery around.

After biking 40km, you will reach a village called Basum from where take the vehicle for 30km ascending 900m to Rongbuk Monastery and guesthouse. After taking a short break at Rongbuk, you can ride continuously to the tourists’ Base Camp(4km).

(Notes: there are two options to sleep. 1. Rongbuk Guesthouse(4,800m). Doms with 3/5 persons available. 2.Tent Guesthouse at tourists camp(5,000m). 8/10 persons in one tent. It’s warm when there is a fire in the stove, but getting cold after the fire is gone in the midnight. So if you decide to sleep at Rongbuk Guesthouse, then you can do a round trip cycling 4km up and 4 km down.)

Old Tingri

Pelkuk Lake

Highlights: close view of Chowuya, close view of Shishapangma and Pelkuk Lake.

Your first part cycling of today is from Namla Pass(5,000m) which is 35km driving from Rongbuk, 400m descend and 500m ascend. Cycling from the pass all the way to Old Tingri(35km), descend 600m. This is also your first and the only off-road riding during the whole trip, very rare traffic, very bumpy via trekking trail, very close view of Chowuya and Nongjiang Valley will make your riding even more exciting.

Having a quick lunch in Old Tingri, drive to Menbu Village, 60km away from Tingri, then start biking again along the Shishapangma grassland and gorgeous range of Shishapangma at the left side of you about 50km till you get to Pelkuk Lake. After Pelkuk Lake, drive 130km to Saga.

Stay overnight in Saga guesthouse or Hotel

Yarlung Tsangpo River

Paryang

Highlights: grassland, wild lives and the origins of Yarlung Tsangpo River.

Drive to Saga Pass(4,900m), only 15km from Saga main town, start your daily cycling for about 40km to a village called Lhaktsang, soon after Lhaktsang, there is another pass called Thogyud La to cross with the elevation of 4,290m and about 500m ascend. So drive again 70km to Old Drongpa where you can have a simple lunch in local Tibetan restaurant . After Old Drongpa, you can try to ride the remaining 90km to Paryang with beautiful scenery of the grassland in western Tibet, so many wild lives such as wild ass/Kyang and black necked crane and etc. Riding on the Paryang desert, pass though the head of Barmaputra River and Western Himalayan Range.

Stay overnight in Paryang Guesthouse

Darchen

Prepare in Darchen

Highlights: Gung Gyud Lake,Manasarover Lake and Mt. Kailash.

Today you can make cycling from the beginning by Paryang till Mayum checkpoint about 50km with a very fine road, nice scenery, and very fresh air, then drive through Mayum La Pass(5,211m), 680m ascent. After Mayum Pass, you can ride again easily in the valley along the Gung Gyud Lake for about 20km where you have a chance to see many different wild lives crossing the road to go to drink water in the lake. Then go back to the vehicle and get quicker to Tarchen for the preparation of next three-day hiking/Kora around the Kailash.

Stay overnight in Tarchen

Dirapuk Monastery

Pilgrims along the Road

As a tourist, if you don’t want start hiking from Darchen, you can take the eco-bus to Sershong about 8km from where most tourists usually begin their hiking, the porters and yaks also start from there.

If you start the Circuit Kora from Sershong, then it’s an hour shorter walk with 12km. Hike along the Lhachu valley the marvelous sceneries around and the north face of Mount Kailash. Local pilgrims believe every single of the stones or plants are holy.

Stay overnight in Dirapuk Gonpa or guesthouse

Dolma la pass

Mount Kailash

Today is the most challenging day, start hiking toward Dromala Pass(5,630m), about 580m ascending the zigzag trail with harsh climate will make you very exhausting but no matter very devoted local pilgrims who do prostrate all the way make you encourage and incredible landscapes on the way including the stunning view of sunrise on Mount Kailash will give you more energy to complete your Kora/circuit. After crossing Dromala La Pass, descending 500m the trails turn rocky, dry and steep. Walking sticks are very helpful here. Soon afterward you will likely reach a tent guesthouse where trekkers usually take a break for hot tea, then hike continuously along the Dzong-chu to Zutrulpuk Gonpa.

Stay overnight in a guesthouse

Paryang

The Herds of Yaks

Leaving from Zutrulpuk the trail follows the river closely, after walking about one and half hours climb above a Red Cliffs glance back the beautiful valley which you have hiked through. After ten minutes walking down the cliff, you will reach to Barkha where most trekkers are picked up by eco bus accept the pilgrims, but still, there are some trekkers who continue the circuit ending at Tarchen as local pilgrims, 1 more hour hike to Tarchen so it’s up to your decision. Have a good relax and a nice shower in the afternoon.

Stay overnight in Tarchen

Tholing Monastery

Tsaparang Monastery

Highlights: stunning view of Zangda Earth Forest and Tholing Monastery.

Today you are back on the road, driving about 150km to the entry of Earth Forest. 500m ascending and 1,000m descend, then start biking all the way down to Zanda Valley via forest like earth some part you may feel like in Arizona 25km. Visit Tholing Monastery in Zanda County which is one of the most famous and oldest monasteries in Ali/Nagri. After visiting Tholing Monastery in the late afternoon, you can ride to Tsaparang/Guge 18 km with the incredible landscape the whole valley turns into golden color during the sunset. People are very hospitable, you can taste the real Tibetan home cooked food, experience real Tibetan lifestyle, and you can even cook on your own using their fresh veggies growing in the yard.

Stay overnight in a home like Tibetan family guesthouse

Zanda Valley

The Caves of Guge Kingdom Ruin

Visiting the white and red chapel, their unique artwork and paintings history back to thousand years are the main attractions, and climbing the stairway up the ruins of King’s Palace to view the panoramic of Tsaparang valley and hundreds of caves where the villagers are used to live in former time are the day’s highlights 10km.

Stay overnight again in this enjoyable family Inn

Lake Manasarovar

Bathe in Lake Manasarovar

Highlights: the lake Manasarover, Rakshas Tso and Chiu Gonpa/Monastery.

Driving all the way back by the same route 230km. At the village called Barkha not far from Tarchen, you can make your last cycling of the trip to Manasarover lake about 27km. It will be a nice riding again with gorgeous view surrounding, Mt. Gurla Mandata(7,700m) from Himalayan Range is in front of you, to the left side of you is the Manasarover, to the right side is Rakshas Tso/lake and back of you is the Mt. Kailash. After riding 27km, you will reach to Chiu Gonpa which is located on a cliff at the northwest of Manasarover. From there you will see a stunning view of lake Manasarover especially the sunrise in the morning.You can also do your own exploring at the lakeside by biking.

Stay overnight in a local guesthouse at the lakeside

Drive all the way back to Saga via the same route, you can enjoy the scenery through the vehicle again.

Stay overnight in Saga.

Highlights: the view between Saga and Lhatse.

Drive back to Shigatse via main highway. The route from Saga to Lhatse is new for you, you will see something different scenery at this section including some small lakes.

Stay overnight in Shigatse 

Drive all the way back to Lhasa via main Friendship Highway passing throughput Nyimo Canyon the second deepest Canyon of Yarlung Tsangpo river/Brahmaputra. By lunchtime, you will be back in Lhasa and have a free sightseeing in Lhasa after the long trip and enjoy your last day in Tibet!

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Your guide and driver will transfer you to the airport or train station and say goodbye to Tibet. Your trip is successfully end.