Pilgrimage to Mt. Kailash — "Center of the World"
14-Day Tibet Tour including Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar
Mt. Kailash, 1,220 km (730 miles) distant from Lhasa, is regarded as the 'Father Mountain' and the center of the world by Tibetan Buddhists. Even when it has nothing to do with religion or beliefs, many travelers are still attracted by the area's remote beauty, atmosphere of reverence, and extreme scenery.
The Ali (Ngari) Prefecture area where Mt. Kailash is located is considered to be "the Tibet of Tibet". It is one of the areas with the lowest population density in the world. The holy mountain and the holy lake stand aloof from the world there, where the mysterious Guge Kingdom flourished and fell. It is also a paradise for the plateau’s wild animals.
With this 14-day Tibet tour including a 3-day Kailash kora (pilgrimage circuit) and a visit to Lake Manasarovar, you can experience the most primeval and extreme beauty of Tibet.
Tour 'Wow' Points
Make a Once-in-a-Lifetime Kailash Kora
Pilgrimage to the holy mountain worshipped in Hinduism, Tibetan Buddhism, Jainism, and Bonism. Do a 3-day trek to witness the mysterious phenomenon of this mountain, which cannot be explained.
Stand between Holy Lake and Ghost Lake
Enjoy the tranquility and pureness of Lake Manasarovar and the gloomy color and windless waves of Lake Rakshastal — 'the Lake of Ghosts'.
Find Traces of the Lost Guge Kingdom
Climb up the soil cliff to discover the remains (earth fort walls) of a splendid kingdom that disappeared overnight.
Feast Your Eyes on the Unique “No-Man’s Land” Landscape
Stand in front of the unbelievable "soil forest", which has never been seen by most travelers.
Stray into the Wild Animals' Plateau Paradise
Driving across the vast grasslands, yaks, Tibetan antelope, and Tibetan donkeys might be running right by your side.
See Premonitions on the Sutra Wall in the Most Mysterious Monastery
Discover Sakya Monastery to learn the history of how Tibet was incorporated into China's territory in the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368). Witness the mysterious sutra wall, which is believed to show signs of disasters in the world.
Why Choose Us
Your Wellbeing is Our Priority.
- 1-to-1 travel expert
- Vaccinated guides
- Private Rides
Your Trip is Perfectly Planned.
- Less crowded
- Exclusive Exciting Experiences
Your Booking is Risk-Free.
- No cancellation fee (up to 22 days before departure)
- Free changes
Finish Your Booking in as Quick as 1 Day
1. Tell us your dream travel idea
2. Work out your unique plan with 1 to 1 expert advice
What Our Customers Said
|
Lhasa Tibet Adventure
Coco helped us plan our ideal trip to recent trip Tibet. She was informative, patient, and helped us tailor the trip to our own needs. She made excellent suggestions and supported us with the permits, travel itinerary, and even flights. She is an incredible asset to the China Highlights Team! Our local guide Tenzin was also excellent and flexible with us each day. I was hit with some altitude sickness and Tenzin helped me get oxygen and medicine needed. He worked with us each day to help us eat local foods and recommended ideal times to visit sites to minimize wait times. We were able to see everything on our list and eat excellent food. Thank you Coco and Tenzin! moreOct 2021, Samantha Jane
|
Spiritual connection brought me back to Potala
Potala Palace mesmerizes me with its charm since 1997 when I first laid eyes on a photograph hung onto a wall at a monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal. From then on, I dreamt of visiting this place before I leave this world. The only thing that held me back choosing from my other favorite travel destinations that I travelled to in the past, is the fear of high altitude sickness and breathing difficulty. Once I step foot onto it, I felt a spiritual connection to this place. I climbed up to the top at the peak without any issue and gazed at Lhasa city from the top. It was a rare and wonderful experience. moreJul 2020, paulinelyepohlinl
|
Lhasa - what a special place
Lhasa welcomed us with sunshine, but Sonem with an even brighter smile. It was a great pleasure to have him as guide - an exceedingly kind person. With his profound knowledge and experience, he gave us deep insights in the daily life of a Tibetan. The highlight of our stay was, of course, the visit of the Potala Palace, but we also wouldn’t have missed the discussion of the monks or the Yoghurt Festival. Thank you, Sonem, for the perfect organization. moreSep 2019, S-T-Travelling
|
Top of the World!
From our welcome at the airport with the traditional Tibetan scarves to our departure 3 days later, out time in Lhasa was nothing short of fabulous! Our guide, Tenzin was exceptionally energetic, knowledgeable and friendly. He made sure our time was spent experiencing the many wonderful sites as well as learning about the history and culture of this exciting place. Potala palace is magnificent inside and out. Be sure to return to the nightly fountain show... the icing on the cake! The monasteries were very interesting and the location of many is breathtaking. We enjoyed Barkhor Street, especially at night when the lights create a serene atmosphere, a great contrast to the hustle and bustle during daylight. Outside the city, the drive to Yomdrok Lake is beautiful and the lake itself amazing. Stopping along the way to see the prayer flags flying in the wind left no doubt that you are in a special place. Thank you to China Highlights and their local partners, in particular our fabulous guide Tenzin for organizing and executing a most wonderful trip! moreAug 2019, anaI39VU
|
Top of the World!
From our welcome at the airport with the traditional Tibetan scarves to our departure 3 days later, out time in Lhasa was nothing short of fabulous! Our guide, Tenzin was exceptionally energetic, knowledgeable and friendly. He made sure our time was spent experiencing the many wonderful sites as well as learning about the history and culture of this exciting place.Thank you to China Highlights and their local partners, in particular our fabulous guide Tenzin for organizing and executing a most wonderful trip! moreAug 2019, anaI39VU
|
Great time with the Best Guide Norbu
I can’t say enough good things about China Highlights as they organized everything for us - the visa, guide and itinerary. When I asked for changes to make sure we saw the debates (none on sundays) they made the change. When my daughter was suffering from altitude sickness itinerary was adjusted to give her more time to recover. We had a fantastic guide - Norbu. His background was as interesting as Lhasa. While all of the guides we have had so far have had good English command, some are harder to understand than others making it hard work at times. Norbu’s English is embarrassingly good (as I have no capability in any other languages and am dependent on others learning English). He was very kind to my daughter while she was struggling. I highly recommend you ask for him as he will add to the enjoyment of your trip moreJul 2019, 913WorldTraveler
|
LHASA - TIBET WITH KELSANG FROM CHINA HIGHLIGHTS
KELSANG was our Guide Tour in LHASA - TIBET. His English was great and he was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Since he picked us up from the airport till we left LHASA, KELSANG had always a smile, showed us his heart and soul and accommodate all our needs. We had a great time with KELSANG! All places mentioned above are unique and very special! Our experience in Tibet was stunning and we will not forget it for the rest of our lives! We will highly recommend KELSANG as your local guide tour in TIBET and ask for ALISA when contacting China Highlights as she will organize your tours as no one else will! Believe me! moreJun 2019, Fabian D
|
china highlights is well organized(Tibet and Beijing)
I could say so many wonderful things about China Highlights; they have great qualified, knowledgeable guides and drivers, they understand the flight in and out and work around it beautifully, the prices are good, and the correspondence is top notch. Bit tops I would say, is they are efficient and organized. It can be a little worrisome planning a trip to the other side of the world. My agent through the whole process was Coco and she couldn't have done better. She answered every question, before and during the trip. moreMay 2019, Tim S
|
Itinerary Quick Look
Here is a suggested itinerary. We are happy to customize a tour according to your interests.
Your private guide and driver will pick you up at Lhasa's airport or train station and accompany you to your hotel.
Pilgrimage to the Potala Palace in the morning. Discover this architectural marvel created by the hands and wisdom of Tibetan people. Admire the treasures housed in the palace and you may be intrigued by the stories behind every piece of art work. View the palace from four expertly-chosen angles to fully enjoy its beauty.
Enjoy a walking tour in the afternoon. You may be moved by the devoted pilgrims prostrating themselves at Jokhang Temple.
Then walk along Barkhor Street to experience Tibetan daily life in a local market. Learn the history of Tibet at a Qing Dynasty ministerial office site and a wealthy merchant’s residence — the Pandatsang Compound.
Finally, have a rest and enjoy a cup of Tibetan sweet tea in less-touristy Ani Tsangkhung Nunnery at the end of the day's touring.
You will get out of Lhasa and travel into the west on day 3. First, you will stop at Lake Yamdrok, which has a charming blue color, and then you can enjoy the fabulous scenery of the Karola Glacier up close.
When you stop at Gyantse town, visit the town's top attraction: Palcho Monastery. The huge white pagoda is very impressive. It is a monastery containing the three main sects of Tibetan Buddhism.
Drive west from Shigatse City to Saga County Town. Enjoy the scenery of rivers, lakes, snow-capped mountain, and pasture along the way.
Continue driving to the west on day 5 with the magnificent Himalaya mountains on your left-hand side along the way.
You will get to Lake Manasarovar in the afternoon. In Tibetan people’s hearts, Manasarovar is the “sweet dew” granted by the Buddha. The prayer stones on the lake bank show the respect of believers. Kailash can be seen in the middle distance. The holy mountain and the holy lake have accompanied each other for millions of years, according to geologists.
Don't miss 'ghost lake' (Lake Rakshastal) right by the holy lake. It is also attractive and full of the air of mystery. Let your guide explain why it is called 'ghost lake'.
You will start the 3-day kora trek on day 6. First, you will go by car to a prayer square. Colorful prayer flags are tied on the prayer stones. There is an important ceremony on April 15th every year to change the prayer flag pole. This is a place where you can see a good view of Kailash from close by.
From the square, you will hike downhill into a valley. Walk along the river to Dirapuk Monastery. During your day's trekking, you can see the west and north faces of Mt. Kailash. You will sleep in the guest house of the monastery.
Day two of the trek is the most challenging day. You will ascend about 700 meters (2,100 feet) to climb over a pass, which is the highest place in this trek at altitude 5,600 m (18,400 feet). Then descend to another valley where a beautiful lake with green water will come into sight. You might see devoted pilgrims prostrating themselves on their koras.
You will visit Zutulpuk Monastery, which was built by two important religious figures, and sleep in the guest house of the monastery.
The third day of the trek is the easiest. You will just have 7 km (4 miles) left to finish the Kora. At the end of the trek, you will take a bus back to Darchen. Have a rest in the afternoon, and get ready for the westernmost destination of this trip on the next day.
Driving northwest along the Gangdise (Kailash) mountain range, you will discover the evidence of an old civilization existing in Ali (Ngari) more than 1,000 years ago. The unique landscape there — the soil forest — is a masterpiece of Himalayan orogenic (mountain-forming) movement. Rain and wind have shaped the hills into "towers, camps, castles, and palaces".
You will visit Tholing Monastery, which was the first temple built by the Guge Kingdom, to see its old and beautiful murals.
The remains of the Guge Kingdom still stand on the cliffs, telling people of its glory days. It is nice to climb up to the top of the hill before sunset. The sunlight colors the soil forests golden. The broken soil walls have a kind of mystic and desolate beauty.
On day 10, you will drive eastward on your return trip to Lhasa. Enjoy the scenery of snowy mountains, grasslands, lakes, and the animals running in their paradise.
Stay overnight in Paryang, which is a little town in Zhongba County in the far west of Shigatse Prefecture.
You will drive from Paryang to Sakya County Town via Lhatse County Town. Stop at Lhatse and visit a traditional Tibetan knife workshop to discover the old and exquisite skills of Tibetan knife-making.
Explore the most mysterious monastery — Sakya Monastery in the morning. The murals on its yellow walls, the woman ghost statue tied by iron chains, and the mysterious sutra wall are the highlights you should not miss.
Drive from Sakya to Shigatse. Visit splendid Tashilhunpo Monastery in the afternoon. Admire the architectural beauty of Tashilhunpo monastery: its golden roof, red walls, and white pagodas. Figure out the relationship between Dalai Lamas and Panchen Lamas.
Drive along the Yarlung Zangbo Canyon to Lhasa. Enjoy the marvelous scenery on the way. See plateau lakes, rivers, snowy mountains, and traditional Tibetan villages. Stop at a small village that is famous for Tibetan incense making. Experience producing hand-made Tibetan incense. Get a small box of incense as a gift. Its fragrance when burning will remind you of your great experiences in Tibet.
Your guide and driver will take you to Lhasa's airport or train station on time for your departure.
Hotel Selection
—the Icing on the Cake
Boutique hotels are recommended to enrich your travel experience.
Price includes:
- Tibet Travel Permits
- Private air-conditioned business car with big windows and ample space
- English speaking local guide
- Activities, hotels, and meals listed in the itinerary
- 24/7 helpline for while you are traveling
Tour code: xz-34
Start planning your tailor-made tour now. Your 1:1 travel consultant will reply within 1 working day.
