15 days Mount Everest and Mount Kailash Small Group Tour

Lhasa
⇀ Shigatse
⇀ Mount Everest
⇀ Saga
⇀ Mount Kailash Kora
⇀ Manasarovar Lake
⇀ Shigatse
⇀ Lhasa
This Mount Kailash group tour takes you to visit two important Tibetan mountains. Hike at Everest Base Camp and complete a full Kora trek at the sacred Mt. Kailash. This Mount Kailash group tour operates from April to October with fixed dates.
Type
Group, maximum of 12 person(s)
Duration
15 days
Theme
Overland, Trekking & Biking
Trip code
FDT-08
Tour dates
From
CN¥ 13,500
This 15-day Mount Kailash group tour operates from April to October with guaranteed departure dates. It starts and ends in Lhasa, with an option to end the trip at the Gyirong border, where you can head to Kathmandu. The tour includes visits to significant sites in Tibet, such as the Potala Palace and Everest Base Camp, as well as the sacred Mount Kailash Kora and Lake Manasarovar. This group Tibet tour also includes a 3-day trek at Mount Kailash. The tour is designed to cater to both spiritual and adventurous interests, ensuring a comprehensive Tibetan experience.
Day 01 :
Arrival in Lhasa [3,650 m]

Upon your arrival at Lhasa Gonggar airport or Lhasa railway station, you will be greeted by your Tibetan guide and transferred you to your hotel in the city. From the airport to Lhasa is 68 km (42 mi), roughly an hour drive to your hotel. After checking into the hotel, you will have the remainder of the day to rest and acclimatize to the high altitude.

Day 02 :
Lhasa Monasteries Tour - Visit Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery (B, D)

Today is your first sightseeing day in Lhasa, you will be arranged to visit two renowned monasteries: Drepung Monastery in the morning and Sera Monastery in the afternoon.

Drepung Monastery was once the world's largest and the governmental seat before the Potala Palace, historically housed up to 10,000 monks. It's renowned for its significant role in Tibetan culture, religion, and education.

Sera Monastery is another the great Gelug university monasteries of Tibet. Renowned for its lively monk debates between 3 pm to 5 pm (daily except on Sunday) on Buddhist philosophy, the monastery is an important center for learning and culture.Your guide will provide a detailed explanation of how Tibetan monks participate in debates to acquire knowledge and progress in their academic studies.

You will have a welcome dinner with your fellow group members tonight.

Day 03 :
Another Lhasa City Tour - Visit Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Street (B)

In the morning start your Lhasa city highlight tour to visit Potala Palace. It is most renowned as the residence of the lineage of Dalai Lamas (Avalokiteshvara), though the massive structure contains a small world within itself. It was first built by 33rd ruler of his dynasty, King Songtsen Gangpo in the 7th century, but still is in surprisingly good repair because of continual rejuvenation projects.

Then proceed to visit Jokhang temple, it is the most scared building in Tibetan Buddhism, located in the heart of Lhasa old town. It is the most sought after pilgrimage destination for all Tibetans.
The Barkhor Street, a renowned Kora (holy walking path) encircling the Jokhang Temple, is constantly bustling with Tibetan faithful. Visitors will discover the unique experience of mingling with local pilgrims along Barkhor Street. It also serves as a vibrant shopping district, offering the perfect opportunity to purchase gifts for your loved ones.

Following your sightseeing adventures, join your guide at one of Lhasa's most vibrant Tibetan sweet tea houses. Here, you can enjoy sipping traditional Tibetan sweet tea while sitting among local Tibetans. Your guide will provide valuable insights into Tibetan social dynamics and daily life, offering a deeper understanding of the culture.

Day 04 :
Lhasa - Yamdrok Lake - Gyantse [4,040 m] - Shigatse[3,840 m], 360 KM 7 Hours' Drive (B, L)

Make your first day's drive towards Everest, with today's highlights including Yamdrok Lake, Karola Glacier, and Gyantse ancient city.

Yamdrok Lake, one of the three holiest lakes in Tibet, is easily accessible from Lhasa. Upon reaching Gampala Pass (4790m), you will get your first glimpse of Yamdrok-tso (4400m). The lake is encircled by numerous snow-capped mountains and offers breathtaking views of Holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar (7191m), the tallest mountain near Lhasa. You will drive along the lakeshore for about half an hour, during which time you can step out of the car to touch the lake's blue waters and take photos. At the end of the lake, enjoy your lunch at a local Tibetan family.

Karo La Glacier, at an altitude of 5,100 meters, provides a stunning overlook of Mt. Nyenchen Kangsar glacier. A brief stop is scheduled here for an excellent photo opportunity.

Gyantse ancient city, referred to as the 'Hero City', is a historically significant town in Tibet, renowned for its well-preserved ancient architectural wonders. You will spend some time taking photos of Gyantse ancient city. 

Enjoy a beautiful drive along the Tibetan barley fields and farmland from Gyantse to Shigatse. Check into Shigatse, the 2nd largest city in Tibet. 

Day 05 :
Shigatse [3,850 m] - Tibet Everest Base Camp [5,200 m], 340 KM, 7-8 Hours' Drive (B)

Today, you'll undertake an exciting drive to reach Mount Everest Base Camp, immersing yourself in the stunning landscapes of valleys and mountains in the western part of Tibet, including the spectacular Himalayan range.

Start early to drive towards Shegar. En route, weather permitting, you'll catch your first glimpse of Mount Everest at Gyatsola Pass [5,280 m]. Lunch will be in Shegar, the last town before heading to Mount Everest.

In the afternoon, as you enter Mount Everest National Nature Reserve, the winding road takes you to Gawula Pass [5,250 m]. Here, you'll experience breathtaking panoramic views of the Himalayas, including a remarkable view of Mount Everest, which stands at 8,844 meters. You'll also see four other majestic peaks over 8,000 meters: Mt. Makalu (8,463 m), Mt. Lhotse (8,516 m), Mt. Cho Oyu (8,201 m), and Mt. Shishapama (8,020 m).

You will switch to the local sightseeing bus at Tashi Zong Village, and from there, it is another hour's drive before you reach Everest Base Camp (E.B.C.).
Arrive at Everest Base Camp in the late afternoon, just in time to witness a splendid sunset (just depending on the weather).

Stay overnight at the tent guest house at E.B.C or the monastery guest house near Rongbuk. 

Day 06 :
Everest Base Camp - Old Tingri [4,330 m] - Pelku Tso Lake - Saga [4,610 m], 300 KM, 8 Hours' Drive

If the weather is favorable, you'll have the opportunity to witness a magnificent sunrise at Everest, with the first rays of sunlight turning the mountain into a glowing red spectacle.

Morning visit Rongbuk Monastery, the world’s highest-altitude monastery at 5154 meters above sea level.

Then continue today's travel to Saga in Ngari Prefecture, where you will visit the scared Mountain Kailash and lake Manasarovar in the following days. En route, you'll pass by the tranquil Pelku Tso Lake, nestled in the grasslands and famous for its crystal-clear waters and scenic backdrop against the towering Shishabangma Mountain (8,027m) in the Himalayas. After enjoying the lake's serene beauty, you will drive an additional 70km to reach Saga, where you will stay overnight.

Saga is a small town, serves as a pivotal transfer hub for journeys into far western Tibet. Beyond this town, your adventure towards Mount Kailash continues at an average elevation of 4,500 meters. It's advisable to stock up on essentials in Saga for the upcoming days of your travel.

Day 07 :
Saga - Paryang [4,750 m] - Darchen [4,670 m], 520KM, about 9 Hours' Drive

Today is a day to enjoy the beauty of the remote areas of far Western Tibet, including the numerous snow-capped peaks, vast grasslands, stunning lakes, nomad herders with their animals, and wildlife.

During your morning drive from Saga to Paryang, you will pass through the small, dusty town of Zhongba amidst enchanting panoramic views. Dotted nomad tents, mingled with their herds of animals, are scattered across the open plateau. You will pass numerous villages and camps of yak herders, with distant views of snow-capped mountains. Crossing the Mayun-la pass [5,216 m], you may be fortunate enough to see many wild animals in the plateau grasslands. You will also have the first sight of Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar. Finally, you will reach the tiny village of Darchen, which serves as both the starting and ending point of the Mt. Kailash trek. After settling into your hotel, your guide will help prepare everything necessary for the upcoming three-day trek.

P.S. If you require a porter for your Kailash trekking, please decide today and inform your guide. Hiring a porter will incur an additional cost, which you will need to pay on your own.

Day 08 :
Mount Kailash Trekking - Day 1 / Darchen - Dirakpuk Monastery[5,080 m], 13KM, about 6 Hours' Trekking

First Day: 13 km/ 8 miles. Ascent 335 meters.
Highlights: South and West sides of Kailash, Tarboche flagpole and stupa, Dira Phuk monastery

In the morning, take a local eco-bus from Darchen to Sershong Monastery, where you will begin the first day's trek (about 13km). It will be a gradual walk, accompanied by the chants and prayers of many other local pilgrims. From the valley, you can view the Choku Monastery perched on the hillside. The trail will have a few ups and downs until you reach the camp at Dirapuk monastery [4,750 m], located at the foot of the western slope of Mount Kailash. Along the way, you will encounter many Bon pilgrims traveling in the opposite direction (anti-clockwise). This is because Mt. Kailash is revered by four different religions: Buddhism, Bon, Hinduism, and Jainism.

Check into the guesthouse at Dirapuk Monastery, and, if the weather permits, enjoy the awe-inspiring spectacle of the sunset over Mount Kailash from this vantage point.

Day 09 :
Mount Kailash Trekking - Day 2/ Dirakpuk Monastery - Drolma La Pass [5,630 m] - Zuktulpuk Monastery [4,820 m), 22KM, 7-8 Hours' Trekking

22 km/ 13.6 miles. Ascent 730 meters. Descent 850 meters.
Highlights: North and East side of Kailash, Drolma La Pass (5,630 m), Buddha footprint

 

On the second day of your Mount Kailash trek, you will face the most challenging part of the route. The trek will lead you along a higher section of the holy path just beneath Mount Kailash, and you will ascend to the trek's highest point - Drolma La [5,630 m]. This part involves a steep uphill climb. After reaching the pass, you will encounter a steep and rocky descent, where at times you may need to jump from stone to stone. Upon reaching a sandy hill, you might consider to take a short break and drink some warm tea at the rest stop. Then following the path through gradual fields, you will reach Dzutul-puk for an overnight camp. Dzutul-puk, meaning "magical cave" in Tibetan, is a small monastery linked to an intriguing story of a talent competition between the Great Yogi Milarepa (Buddhist) and Naropa (Bon).

Day 10 :
Mount Kailash Trekking - Day 3 / Zutulpuk Monastery to Darchen, 14KM, about 3 Hours' Trekking

Complete the Mount Kailash trekking and refresh yourself at the holy Lake Manasarovar.

Today's trek is an easy walk back towards Darchen, taking only about 3 hours in total. The path gradually winds out of the valley, and you'll follow the river into the Barka plain. The trekking journey finally concludes at Darchen. Congratulations, you have just completed a lifetime spiritual trek!

After the trekking, you will drive about half an hour to visit the Lake Manasarovar. Manasarovar is the lake of compassion, tranquility, and bliss. Enjoy your relaxing moment at the holy lake or spend several dollars to enjoy the hot springs at the lake side. 
Return to Darchen for overnight. 

 

Day 11 :
Darchen - Paryang - Saga, 450KM, 6-7 Hours' Drive

Today, as you drive back to Saga retracing the same route, you will have your last view of Mt. Kailash along the way. Overnight at Saga. 

Day 12 :
Saga - Gyirong Town, 180KM, 4-5 Hours' Drive, Explore Gyirong Valley

Today's highlight is exploring the snowy mountains and forests on the edge of the Himalayas.
In the morning, you will start your journey to Gyirong Valley, a hidden gem on the Tibet Nepal border. As the altitude decreases, the scenery along the roadside transitions from snow-capped mountains and wastelands to dense forests and canyon landscapes.

Upon reaching Gyirong Town in the afternoon, you'll have the opportunity to explore Gyirong Valley, described by British explorer Howard-Bury as "the most beautiful valley in the world" in his book 'Mount Everest: The Reconnaissance'.

In the Gyirong Valley, you will visit Sherpa villages and admire the dense forests, serene villages, and beautiful snow peaks above the woods.

You will stay overnight in Gyirong.

Day 13 :
Gyirong Town - Shegar, 340 KM, 6-7 Hours' Drive (B)

This morning, you will have some free time at your hotel, while some members of the group will be dropped off at the border to continue their journey to Kathmandu in Nepal.

After lunch, you'll begin your journey back to Shegar in Shigatse. As you ascend the plateau of the Himalayan region, once again, you will be treated to breathtaking views of the Himalayas.

Check into a hotel in Shegar for an overnight stay.

Note: If you plan to travel to Kathmandu after Mount Kailash, you can depart this morning.

Day 14 :
Shegar - Shigatse - Lhasa, 500 KM, 8 Hours' Drive (B)

Morning drive back to Shigatse from Shegar, in Shigatse, you will visit Tashilhunpo monastery, the home of the Panchen Lama, features grand and magnificent halls that occupy an entire hillside. It is the spiritual heart of the Tibetan people in Shigatse and houses the world's largest statue of Maitreya Buddha.

In the late afternoon, you will drive back to Lhasa via the northern friendship highway. This scenic route, which runs alongside the Yarlung Tsangpo River, offers a diverse array of landscapes that are sure to capture your attention.

Day 15 :
Lhasa Train Station or Airport Drop Off (B)

Today is your last day of this 15 days Mount Kailash group tour in Tibet, your guide and driver will see you off at the Lhasa Airport or Train Station, which concludes the tour.

New calendar for this tour will be posted on January 11th, 2025. If you have a question about this tour or wish to be notified when it is published, please let us know

Tour notes:

Complementary train station pick up and drop off is included.
Free Airport Pick-up: We have 4 scheduled arrival pick-up shuttles that depart from the airport for Lhasa city at 10:00 AM, 1:30 PM, 4:00 PM, and 6:30 PM.
Free Airport Drop-off: We have 3 scheduled departure drop-off shuttles that depart from Lhasa city to Lhasa airport at 6:30 AM, 8:00 AM, and 12:00 PM.
Please note prices are based in CNY.

General inclusions:

All required government taxes and fees.
Domestic travel accident insurance.
Meals allowance for your guide and driver.
All required Tibet permits and domestic travel documents.
If traveling alone request a private room alone, the single room supplement will be required.
Where possible 3 star hotels will always be provided, if the city or town does not have then the local guest house or monastery guest house will be provided (i.e. tent / dormitory bed, no private bathroom etc.)
All entrance tickets as noted in the tour's itinerary.
Environment friendly local bus between Rongbuk and EBC.
Local Tibetan guide fluent in English, Chinese or Japanese that is certified by the state tourism build. (If your native language is not listed please let us know, we are certain we can assist your needs.)
Transportation will we be provided via a comfortable and clean car, minivan or tourist bus depending upon the groups size.
Vehicle and guide's entrance tickets to Everest Natural Reserve Region.
Welcome dinner.

General exclusions:

Personal expenses such as laundry, drinks, internet access, fax, telephone calls etc.
Tips for your guide and driver.
Optional activity during this trip, such as horse or yak riding.
Meals that are not specified in the tour itinerary.
Yaks and porters for Kailash trekking to carry luggage, can often be arranged during the tour at an approximate cost of CNY 300 per day per yak.
Flight tickets or train tickets in and out of Lhasa (Please note: We can offer you train and/or plane tickets in and out Lhasa from all cities within China. Please check the latest price with us via email.)
Private Lhasa Train station or Airport transfer if your arrival time isn’t within our free service time. 250 CNY per vehicle from/to train station and 400 CNY per vehicle from/to airport.
Tour dates
From
CN¥ 13,500

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Comments

maggie
maggie
Fri, 12/20/2019

Do you have tours in February?

Replied by
Yuki from WindhorseTour
Yuki Yi
Sat, 12/21/2019

In reply to by maggie (not verified)

Hello Maggie,

Thanks for contacting us! We do have tours in February, however, please kindly note that Mt. Kailash is inaccessible by winter due to the heavy snowfalls, besides, the local authorities do not allow all the visitors to enter from Oct. 13th 2019 to Apr. 19th 2020. 

I had sent the details via email, please go through the details and feel free to let me know for any questions.

Best regards,
Yuki

Syed
Syed
Tue, 06/12/2018

Hi, I am interested in the Kailash tour. However, I can only do 23rd Sept. Any possibility.

Replied by
Yuki from WindhorseTour
Yuki Yi
Wed, 06/13/2018

In reply to by Syed (not verified)

Hi Syed,
Thanks for the comments.
Yes, we do have a group tour starts on September 23rd and you can certainly join. I just sent the details via email, please have a look and feel free to share your thoughts on it.
Wish you have a pleasant day!
Warm regards,
Yuki

Uma Iyer
Uma Iyer
Thu, 05/10/2018

I am very keen on this tour n the departure in September as mentioned on your site. I am from India and will be travelling alone and would need a single occupancy.

Could you send me all the details with pricing. Thanks !

Replied by
MurphyF
Murphy Feng
Fri, 05/11/2018

In reply to by Uma Iyer (not verified)

Hi Uma,
Thanks for contacting us. We'd love to help you with your travel plan. I've just sent you an email with some comments, please check it and feel free to contact us again for any further assistance.
Cheers,
Murphy

Arnaldo
Arnaldo
Fri, 06/02/2017

Hi,
I would like to go for a kailash trek. I'm travelling alone and I would like to join a group to share costs. Do you have any group going? I could be in Lhasa around 20th - 22nd july 2017. I checked the dates on your website and 29th july it's too late for me.
Thanks.

Replied by
Yuki from WindhorseTour
Yuki Yi
Fri, 06/02/2017

In reply to by Arnaldo (not verified)

Hi Arnaldo,

Thanks for the comments. It's a good idea to join a group tour to decrease the cost since you are traveling alone. I have sent you the details via email few minutes ago, please have a look and kindly let me know for any further questions on it.
Look forward to your reply soon.
Kind regards,
Yuki