Mount Kailash Saga Dawa Festival Tour (2027)

Upon arrival at Lhasa airport or train station, your guide and driver will meet and transfer you to your hotel. Rest for the remainder of the day to begin acclimatizing to the altitude. Overnight in Lhasa.

Today you will explore two of Tibet’s most revered sites. Jokhang Temple, established in the 7th century, is the spiritual heart of Tibet, nestled in the historic Barkhor Street where pilgrims circle continuously in devotion. Potala Palace, the iconic former winter residence of the Dalai Lamas, dominates the Lhasa skyline with its chapels, galleries, and libraries housing centuries of Buddhist art and history. If time allows, enjoy a cup of sweet tea in a local teahouse before returning to your hotel. Overnight in Lhasa.

Visit Drepung and Sera monasteries, along with Norbulingka, the Summer Palace of the Dalai Lama. Drepung was once the world’s largest monastery, housing up to 10,000 monks. Sera is renowned for its lively philosophical debates, where monks clap and argue scripture in the afternoon courtyard — a remarkable sight. Norbulingka offers a quieter glimpse into the private residences of successive Dalai Lama lineages. Overnight in Lhasa.

Drive up to Kamba La Pass (4,794m) for your first view of the turquoise Yamdrok Lake, one of Tibet’s three holy lakes. Continue past the Karo La glacier and on to Gyantse, where you will visit the iconic Gyantse Kumbum, one of Tibet’s finest examples of Buddhist architecture. Overnight in Gyantse

Drive to Shigatse to visit Tashilhunpo Monastery, the traditional seat of the Panchen Lamas and one of Tibet’s largest functioning monasteries. If you enjoy hiking, the monastery kora offers excellent views over Shigatse. Continue driving west to Shegar, crossing several high passes with your first distant glimpse of Mount Everest on the horizon. Overnight in Shegar.

Enter the Mount Everest National Nature Reserve and drive up to Gawula Pass (5,250m) for panoramic views of the Himalayas, including Mount Everest (8,848m), Makalu (8,463m), Lhotse (8,516m), Cho Oyu (8,201m), and Shishapangma (8,020m). Transfer to the local sightseeing bus at Tashi Zong Village for the final approach to Everest Base Camp. In the afternoon, visit Rongbuk Monastery, the world’s highest Buddhist monastery at 5,154m, before reaching Everest Base Camp in time for sunset. Overnight at the tent guesthouse at EBC or Rongbuk Monastery guesthouse.

After the morning views of Everest, then drive west toward Saga. Along the way, stop to see the stunning Pelku Tso Lake with Shishapangma in the background. The rest of the drive crosses open grasslands where nomadic herders and their yaks are a common sight. Overnight in Saga.

Drive from Saga through the small town of Zhongba, crossing the Mayun La Pass (5,220m) with sweeping views of the plateau. Keep an eye out for wildlife on the open grasslands. Arrive in Darchen, the small village at the foot of Mount Kailash, and prepare for the Kailash Kora. Overnight in Darchen.

This morning, head to Tarboche to witness the Saga Dawa Festival, the most sacred day in the Tibetan Buddhist calendar, celebrating the birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana of Buddha Shakyamuni. The highlight is the raising of the Tarboche flagpole, a ceremony attended by pilgrims from across Tibet and beyond. In the late morning, begin the first day of the 3-day Kailash Kora, walking clockwise from Sershong through the valley with views of Choku Monastery above. You will share the trail with Buddhist, Bon, Hindu, and Jain pilgrims, each walking their sacred circuit. Overnight at Dirapuk guesthouse.

The most challenging day of the Kora. The trail climbs steeply to Drolma La Pass at 5,630m, the highest and most sacred point of the circuit. Many pilgrims prostrate the entire way. After the pass, descend gradually to Zutul-puk Monastery, named after the cave where the legendary competition between yogi Milarepa and Naro Bon Chung is said to have taken place. Overnight at Zutul-puk guesthouse.

Complete the final stretch of the Kora through the Barka plain, finishing at Darchen. After a short rest, drive 50km to sacred Lake Manasarovar (4,590m), one of the highest freshwater lakes in the world and a site of profound significance in both Buddhism and Hinduism. Walk along the lakeshore or climb to Chiu Monastery for panoramic views of the lake and Mount Kailash in the distance. Overnight at the guesthouse near Chiu Monastery.

Wake early for sunrise over Lake Manasarovar, then begin the long drive back east toward Saga, retracing the route with one last view of Mount Kailash. Overnight in Saga.

Drive back to Shigatse through the western plateau landscapes. Overnight in Shigatse.

Drive back to Lhasa via the northern Friendship Highway, following the Yarlung Tsangpo River through a beautiful river valley. Overnight in Lhasa.

Transfer to Lhasa airport or train station. Your guide and driver will see you off — end of the tour.