17 Days Kailash Manasarovar Full Moon Tour & Guge Kingdom Exploration
Mount Kailash is considered to be sacred in four religions: Jainism, Buddhism, Bon and Hinduism. Guge Kingdom, built around 10th century and perished at 17th century, boasts many caves, fortresses, pagodas, arm storerooms, granaries and all kinds of burial places. Starting from Lhasa, this tour will take you appreciate the sacred Lake Manasarovar and explore the ruins of Guge Kindom. Then you will spend three days trekking around Mt. Kailash and move on to admire the beautiful views of Mount Everest.
Highlights:
- Visit the must-see attractions in Lhasa: Potala Palace, Johkang Temple, etc.
- Appreciate the sacred Lake Manasarovar and explore the ruins of Guge Kindom.
- Trek around holy Mt. Kailash.
- Admire the beautiful views of Mount Everest.
Brief Itinerary
- Day 1: Lhasa Arrival
- Day 2: Lhasa
- Day 3: Lhasa
- Day 4: Lhasa – Shigatse
- Day 5: Shigatse – Tashilunpo – Saga
- Day 6: Saga – Lake Manasarovar
- Day 7: Manasarovar – Zanda valley
- Day 8: Zanda valley – Toling – Tsabrang
- Day 9: Tsabrang – Darchen
- Day 10: Kora
- Day 11: Kora
- Day 12: Kora – Paryang
- Day 13: Paryang – Tingri
- Day 14: Tingri – Rongbuk
- Day 15: Rongbuk – Shigatse
- Day 16: Shigatse – Gyantse – Lhasa
- Day 17: Lhasa Departure
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Lhasa Arrival
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: Lhasa
Meals:
Welcome to the roof of the world – Lhasa! Upon arrival, met by tour guide and transferred to you hotel. Have a good rest and get acclimatized to the high altitude in Tibet.
Day 2 Lhasa
Sightseeing and Activities: Potala Palace, Johkang Temple, Barkhor Street
Accommodation: Lhasa
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
After breakfast at hotel, the Lhasa tour begins with the must-see attraction – Potala Palace, the largest monastery of its type in the world and official home to Dalai Lama.
In the afternoon, move on to Jokhang Monastery and walk along the Barkhor Street nearby. Enjoy the local Tibetan culture here. If time allows, visit Tibetan handicraft art or Tibetan Traditional Medicine center(Optional).
Besides, taste Tibetan tea with locals in tea house and then enjoy the welcome dinner. In the evening, enjoy Tibetan Culture Show(optional).
Day 3 Lhasa
Sightseeing and Activities: Drepung monastery, Sera Monastery
Accommodation: Lhasa
Meals:
After breakfast at hotel, drive to visit Drepung Monastery – one of the three great monasteries in Tibet. Visit the biggest monastery kitchen inside the monastery and enjoy Buddhist Sculpture Carving workshop near Drepung.
In the afternoon, move on to another one of the “great three” Gelug university monasteries of Tibet – Sera Monastery. Visit Monks debate, Tibetan religious scripture printing house, three sand Mandalas and colorful Rock Painting of Buddha.
Day 4 Lhasa – Shigatse
Sightseeing and Activities: Yamdrok-tso, Pelkor Monastery, Gyantse Kumbum, Gyangtse Fortress, Barley Mill, Barley Field
Accommodation: Shigatse
Meals:
After breakfast, we will drive over the Gampala pass to Shigatse. On the way, have a glimpse of Yamdrok-tso – one of the three largest sacred lakes in Tibet, which is surrounded by many snow-capped mountains and is fed by numerous small streams. Also have spectacular views of Holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar in the distance, the highest mountain near Lhasa.
Then pass the Korola Glacier and enjoy it on the roadside. At Manak Dam Lake, we can hang pray flag at Simila Mountain Pass. After Gyantse arrival – Tibet’s third largest city, visit the Pelkor Monastery, Gyantse Kumbum and enjoy the far view of Gyangtse Fortress.
Continue the drive to Shigatse – the second largest city in Tibet. In summer, we will visit traditional Barley Mill and view the landscape of Barley Field.
Day 5 Shigatse – Tashilunpo – Saga
Sightseeing and Activities: Tashilunpo Monastery
Accommodation: local guesthouse
Meals:
After breakfast, head to visit the home of Panchan Lama – Tashilunpo Monastery. Founded in 1447 by the 1st Dalai Lama, it is a historic and culturally important monastery. Then drive to Saga.
Day 6 Saga – Lake Manasarovar
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation:
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Today we will drive about 8 hours to Lake Manasarovar. On the way, pass
For about 8 hours on the road
and pass the first mountain passe higher than 5,000 meters, the first species on the sacred Kailash. Arriving at the Lake Manasarovar and accommodation in a guest house on the lake.
Day 7 Manasarovar – Zanda valley
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: local guesthouse
Meals:
In the morning, enjoy the waters of Lake Manasarovar and visit the Monastery Chiu. Then move to the Zanda Valley.
Day 8 Zanda valley – Guge – Tsabrang
Sightseeing and Activities: monastery complex Toling, the ruins of Toling
Accommodation: local guesthouse
Meals:
Today we will visit the Zanda Valley. The first stop is monastery complex Toling and then visit the ruins of Toling which was built around 10th century and perished at 17th century. Tsabrang city is the capital of Guge. The Ruins of Guge Kingdom boosts around the sides of a mountain with many caves, fortresses, pagodas, arm storerooms, granaries and all kinds of burial places.
Day 9 Tsabrang – Darchen
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: guesthouse
Meals:
In the morning, drive to Darchen. Have a good rest and prepare for the Kailash Kora.
Day 10 Kora
Sightseeing and Activities: trekking, monastery Dirapuk
Accommodation: guesthouse
Meals:
Today we will trek about 20km to the monastery Dirapuk, which will take about 6-7 hours.
Day 11 Kora
Sightseeing and Activities: trekking
Accommodation: guesthouse
Meals:
Today is the most difficult part of the trekking tour. We will cross the pass Dromla-La (5600 m) – the high pass on the Kailash Kora and visit the monastery.
Day 12 Kora – Paryang
Sightseeing and Activities: trekking
Accommodation: guesthouse
Meals:
Today we will trek down the mountain. Then back to Darchen and have lunch. After that, drive to Paryang.
Day 13 Paryang – Tingri
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: guesthouse
Meals:
Today we will drive a long way to Tingri.
Day 14 Tingri – Rongbuk
Sightseeing and Activities: trekking
Accommodation: guesthouse
Meals:
In the morning, drive to the Rongbuk Monastery and then trek about 2 hours from the foot of Everest to the Everest Base Camp. On the way, we will pass the ruins of the monastery Rong Chung and the monastery Sherab Cheling. After that, back to Rongbuk Monastery.
Day 15 Ronbuk – Shigatse
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: Shigatse
Meals:
In the morning, drive to Shigatse and have a rest.
Day 16 Shigatse – Gyantse – Lhasa
Sightseeing and Activities: Gyantse Fortress, Pelkor Monastery, Gyantse Kumbum
Accommodation: Lhasa
Meals:
Today we will drive back to Lhasa. On the way, we will visit Gyantse Fortress, Pelkor Monastery, and Gyantse Kumbum. Then back to Lhasa and have a glimpse of Yamdrok-tso on the way.
Day 17 Lhasa Departure
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation:
Meals: Breakfast
Today your wonderful tour will complete. Be escorted to the airport for your flight and service ends.
Service Included:
- Admission fees for all of the sightseeing spots listed in the itinerary;
- Meals as listed in the itinerary;
- Accommodations: hotels based on twin occupancy as specified(Except day tours);
- Sharing English-speaking tour guide;
- Sharing vehicle for transfers & sightseeing with skilled driver;
- Service charge & government taxes;
- Luggage transfers between airports and hotels;
- Domestic train tickets of soft sleeper.
Service Excluded:
- Any arrival and departure international airfares or train tickets;
- Chinese visa fees;
- Excess baggage charged by Airlines;
- Single room supplement;
- Tips to guides and drivers;
- Personal expenses and gratuities to service staff;
- Personal travel accident insurance;
- All optional programs.
