Mount Kailash Kora tour

Airport pick up and transfer to hotel in Thamel. Rest and further activities like city touring depends on how much time available; so the city tours are planned accordingly.

You will have to fill up some forms and receive your visa copy and also handover your travel insurance papers. You may do any last minute Q&A! In the evening, we will invite you at a welcome dinner in one of the typical Nepalese restaurants.

There're many ways you can spend this day. Kathmandu valley has many beautiful UNESCO heritage sites. Go for visit them. The Pashupatinath temple, Bouthnath Stupa, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Swyambhunath stupa, etc. in Kathmandu. Bhaktapur & Patan are situated a little further but so worthy to visit them as well.

Do last minute shopping if any thing is there. Kathmandu is the last good for to add up if anything is running short or missed at home in your packing. So, double checking and make a list is suggested as well.

It's a 6-8hrs drive from Kathmandu along a scenic but a rough road. Arrival at the Syabrubensi lodge check in and you may wander by the town extended not much but you will see pretty diversified. By the river besides the town has a hot spring pool too, you may try if you like. Dinner and good night by 6:30 ~ 7pm.

After breakfast a short drive (20km) to the border and complete the immigration formalities and enter into Tibet. Your Tibetan guide and driver will receive/drive to Kerung town (dist 70km/ht 2770m) for overnight. Rest and acclimatize the high altitude.

NOTE: some people do make 1 more night stop here, but we don't do it because we've almost the whole day here to do various hiking around; that are good "trek high sleep low" activities. This will be a good chance of adjusting sooner and better like those who make another night stay here. So, it depends on your willing and health condition. But please note that the choices aren't to be made there, that have to be decided before as it does effect on your travel period.

Today you will drive over the sandy and rocky land of Tibet, natural scenery of Pelku Tso and Mount Shishapangma (8020m) are unimaginably beautiful. Nomads are found chasing the herds of yaks and sheep keep you wondering. By the afternoon you will cross Bhramha Purtra river, on the way to typical Tibetan town Saga. Overnight stay at Saga town.

Drive from Saga to Paryang through the windswept territory passing several sparsely villages and camps of Yak herders with the distance view of snow-capped mountains. This vast and dry plateau is the traditional campsite of the nomads, for grazing their animals during the summer. By Lunch time will be at Paryang and also stay here for the night.

A 4 hrs drive from Paryang will bring you to the Lake Manasarovar. It's beautiful open territory, vast grassland site with beautiful view of the snow mountains at distance. Several yak herders' camps are passed and when lucky enough we might get to see the Kyang called locally for the Wild Ass. And you will have the first glorious sighting of holy Mount Kailash from the top of the Mayum La (pass of 5280m) and Manasarovar Lake. Enjoy the nice sunset over Lake Manasarovar. Overnight at guest house at Darchen.

Today our Kora (hiking or trekking) starts from Darchen and tracing the small trail in the clockwise circuit, around the Peak on an average altitude of 4700m. You will encounter numbers of local Buddhists pilgrims doing along your way and several Bon believers in the anti-clockwise direction. After 4 hours trek we will reach to Tamdin (4780m) where a nomadic tents serves simple lunch and boil water. From there it is only 4km to Dirakpuk monastery but between this stretches has some of the best sceneries of the entire Kora. Dirakpuk was rebuilt in1985 located on the north side of the Lha-chu River facing to the north face of the Mt. Kailash. Dirakpuk name originally comes from a word Dira that means
female yak horn and Puk means cave that in a mythical story says a female yak opened the cave from her horns. Overnight at Dirapuk guesthouse.

Today is the most challenging part of the trekking where we will cross two passes, though there are not too steep but the altitude make is more tiring and slow, after we cross Dikpala (5000m) & Dormala (5600m), the passes are remarked by heaps of prayer flags and cairns, It is worthwhile to spend some minutes on the pass to view and relax, as you are right backside of the Mt. Kailash and offers great view of the holy peak. Then we will climb down into the long valley and stop lunch at Shabjay Dakpo nomadic tent for lunch. Zuktul puk monastery (4790m) also calls the miracle cave that is built by two religious figure Milarepa and Naro Bonchung. And still you can see the footprint and handprint of Milarepa inside the cave. Overnight at Zultul Puk.

Today is an easy day trek to complete the circuit (Kora) and your driver will pick you up from Tashi Do (which is also called as Dzongsar). Then continues drive to Lake Manasarovar and overnight at guesthouses near the lake.

It's entirely the tracing, so everything will be swift. The final views will spellbound you. Over night at Guest House in Saga.

Everything just retracing. Enjoy the views and smooth driving. Overnight stay at Kerung. Celebrate the last night in Tibet.

After breakfast a short drive to the Immigration office at the border. Complete the formalities, walk for 5-7min to the Nepali vehicle waiting for you, then drive to Kathmandu. The road is not smooth, but full of beautiful natural views!

Spend the day as you like. You may do nothing, but just rest and visit restaurants in Thamel sampling the foods and drinks or do some spa treats. Or you can even go for city tours in Bhaktapur, Patan etc.

Home sweet home! Have your breakfast and wait for your transfer to airport on the given time. Happy see off...