Mount Kailash trek with Saga Dawa festival (20 days)
Mount Kailash trek with Saga Dawa festival (20 days)
If you haven't visited Tibet before then this is a fabulous opportunity to experience a wonderful country with the most stunning landscape and to be amongst the Tibetan people is a treat. Trekking to Kailash is a hugely significant pilgrimage for Buddhists, Hindus and people from other faiths. The trek around Kailash is part of a journey towards enlightenment and is said to cleanse the sins of a lifetime. Mount Kailash is close to the source of four main rivers of the Indian sub continent and is the highest peak in the Gangdise mountain range at over 6,600 metres. It is a stunningly beautiful mountain. The Saga Dawa Festival is a very special occasion to be a part of and this is included in this trip whenever possible. You will also visit Lake Manasarovar one of the highest fresh water lakes in the world and have time in the city of Lhasa.
Fitness grading: Trekking/Int
Climate: See Climate for likely weather conditions
Duration: 20 Days
Price 1-7 people: POA
Price 8 or more : POA
Deposit: £300
Date: Please contact us for dates
To book your place on this trip please choose the ‘BOOK NOW’ option below and complete your booking form before paying your deposit.
Additional Information
This wonderful adventure will allow you to immerse yourself in the Tibetan culture. You will cover a large area of Tibet as well as completing the superb trek (Kora) around Mount Kailash. To be there at the time that the Saga Dawa Festival is on enhances this deeply spiritual experience.
The trip starts and ends in Nepal the capital of Kathmandu which many find a fun and interesting place to spend some time in, whilst we arrange the Tibet visas. The spirituality of the Tibetan and Nepalese people has a lasting impact on those visiting this ancient culture for its purity, simplicity and kindness.
What’s included:
Nepal airport transfers
Kathmandu hotel & breakfast (5 nights)
Lhasa airport transfer 3.30 – 4.00pm Beijing time (this time only)
Accommodation as mentioned in the Kailash trekking program above
All entry fees to the sites and monasteries mentioned in the above Kailash trekking program
Breakfast for entire tour and full board during three days Kailash trek
All necessary Tibet tour entry and road permits
Special Kailash permit
1 English speaking Local Tibetan travel guide
Tibet tour transportation by one good conditioned minivan or bus according to the group size
Yamdro lake conservation fee
Karola glacier conservation fee
Mt. Kailash and lake Mansarovar conservation fee
Mt. Kailash and lake Mansarovar conservative bus fee
Pack Yak and Yak men for Kailash trekking
Different kinds of snack including biscuit, cheese, dried and fresh fruit, chocolate during the Kailash trek
Oxygen in the tourist vehicle in case it's needed
What’s not included:
Both international and domestic flight ticket
Train ticket
Double entry visa for Nepal
Lunch and dinner for entire tour (Kathmandu and Tibet) except three days Kailash trekking
China Tibet visa
Service of mainland China and Nepal site
Riding horses for Kailash trek
Sleeping bags Insurance including personal, medical, travel and evacuation insurance
Personal expenses such as (alcoholic/bottled drinks, laundry, phone call, etc)
Any extra cost in the event of landslides and personal nature expenses need to be paid by clients themselves
Optional guide, cook and driver tips
Additional visits to the itinerary
Single supplement $480 if required – Kathmandu and Tibet
Click to see Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Depart home country
Day 2: Arrive Kathmandu (KTM)
Day 3 - 5: Kathmandu – visa process, sightseeing, visit monastery, check equipment for the trek ahead
Day 6: Depart KTM - Arrival in Lhasa, transfer to the Yak hotel downtown (3650m/60km). On BB
You will be warmly welcome by our Tibetan guide and driver. Drive to the holy city of Lhasa see views of Bharmaputra, known as YarlungTsangpo in Tibetan and a giant stone carved Buddha.
Day 7: Lhasa sightseeing: Potala, Jokang temple and Bharkor. Yak hotel on BB
Sightseeing - Potala Palace, winter Palace of the Dalai Lama, Jokang temple, the oldest and most sacred temple of Tibet, Bharkor, the ancient market of Lhasa and the oldest, sacred pilgrimage path in Lhasa.
Day 8: Lhasa sightseeing: Drepung & Sera monasteries. Hotel on BB
Sightseeing - Drepung monastery, the largest monastery in Tibet and one of the six biggest monasteries of the Gelukpa sect in Tibetan Bhuddhism. Sera monastery, the second largest monastery of Tibet and time to watch the monks debating.
Day 9: Drive from Lhasa to Gyantse.(3950m/ 280Km ) Yuthok Hotel on BB
Today you'll start early and drive towards Gyantse through 3 big mountain passes, Kampa La, Karo La, Simila respectively. Karola is the highest pass among them which is over 5000m with the most beautiful glaciers and the beautiful coral coloured Yamdrok lake visible from the top of the Kampala pass. You will have your lunch at Nakartse which is just between the Yamdrok lake and Karola glaciers. Visit Gyantse in the afternoon.
Day 10: Drive from Gyantse to Shigatse. (3900m/ 90Km ) Mansarovar hotel 3 star on BB
There'll be a morning visit a Tibetan carpet factory in Gyantse to see how Tibetan Carpet is made before driving from Gyantse to Shigatse to visit the Tashi Lhunpo monastery, taking a walk around the monastery and finishing your Kora at the foot of Shigatse Dzong where there is a beautiful local market.
Day 11: Shigatse-Lhatse- Ngamring Tso-Saga(4640m/440km). Guest house on BB
After breakfast your journey continues crossing several mountain passes including Ngamring la 4650m and some beautiful villages on the way. The road condition is good and it will take you around 8 hours to get to Saga.
Day 12: Drive to Mansarovar-Chiu Gompa (4750m/435km). Guest house on BB
We follow the road towards Kailash in breathtaking landscape with some beautiful Tibetan nomad camps and many animals on the grasslands. Reaching Lake Mansarovar and Kailash there's an amazing view when you see them from Chaktsalkang for the first time. You will likely feel extremely peaceful, calm and joyful when you see beautiful Lake Mansarovar and Mt Kailash right in front of you.
Day 13: Kailash festival at Tarpoche-Dharchen. Guest house in Dharchen
The Saga Dawa festival is to commemorate the birth, death and enlightenment of Buddha Shakyamuni. Thousands of Tibetan pilgrims gather in Lhasa, circumambulate the Lingkor (Outer circumambulation), Bharkor (Middle circumambulation) and Nangkor (inner circumambulation) including the Potala Palace. They also climb to Bumpari and Gephel Utse in Lhasa to make incense and prayer flag offerings. At the same time during the Saga Dawa festival, thousands of pilgrims and tourists also gather at Mount Kailash where they raise a great prayer flag in Tarpoche in order to pay homage to the great deeds of Buddha.
Day 14: Tarpoche - Dira Phuk. 18Km 5210m
Today is the first day of your Kailash Kora which is 53km in total. You start your from Tarpoche. You will see the Trulku monastery on your left as you start the trek today. You may see ibex and blue sheep in the rocky hillside. You will reach Dhira Phuk, which was a monastery before, and now there are only see the ruins left as it was destroyed in the cultural revolution. Camp or lodge.
Day 15: Trek to Zutrul Phuk (4810m) via crossing Drolma la pass(5200Mts/15KM). Lodge on BB
Today is the second day of your Kailash Kora and is the hardest day of the three day trek. You will have to climb up to the top of Drolma La pass (5000m). There will be a tough hike to get to the top of the pass and then pretty steep downhill with a rocky path all the way to the valley. On the right side of the path there is a small lake called Thuje Lake, meaning compassionate lake. Zutrul Phuk was the cave where Mila Repa and NagroBonchung debated for their religion sects and nowadays is a small monastery. Camp
Day 16: Trek to Dharchen and then drive to Mansarovar-Baryang-Saga, 4450Mts/435. Lodge on BB
Today is the easiest and last day of your Kailash trekking as you will trek down in the valley with beautiful distant scenery of Rakshas Tal lake. From here you will leave the Yak men and Yak and meet our Tibetan drivers. Continue your Mt. Kailash journey back towards Lhasa.
Day 17: Drive Saga-Lhatse-Shigatse (3900m/ 405km). Guest house on BB
Today you'll be driving across the vast grassland surrounded by a beautiful mountain range, possibly seeing gazelles and wild donkeys.
Day 18: Drive from Shigatse to Lhasa (3650m/ 430km ) Tibet heritage hotel on BB ( Boutique hotel )
Starting early you'll drive along the Bharmaputra river with a landscape of sandy hills, villages and Rulak Yungdrung ling at the other side of the river. You will have lunch in a small town called Nyenmo which is the border point between Shigatse and Lhasa . Free afternoon for shopping.
Day 19: Drive to Lhasa airport (3600m/ 60km ) fly to KTM
Day 20: Depart Kathmandu to home country.