Day 2: Lhasa City Tour – Tibetan Culture Experience & Sera Monastery (No Scripture Debate on Sundays)

Tibetan Culture Experience
In Lhasa, immerse yourself in traditional Tibetan handcrafts. Our guide will take you to a cultural center where you’ll learn how the soothing Tibetan incense is made. You’ll get a chance to make your own incense—completely different from store-bought—and learn to write your name in Tibetan script and do woodblock printing. Your handcrafted incense and prints can be taken home as keepsakes from your journey.

Sera Monastery
One of the six main Gelugpa monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism, along with Drepung and Ganden monasteries, it forms the “Three Great Monasteries” of Lhasa. The monastery houses thousands of Buddha statues. The most famous, the “Hayagriva” statue, is housed in the protector deity hall of the Jikzha Assembly Hall. Locals often touch their heads to the base of the statue inside a small shrine for blessings.

A highlight is the monks’ scripture debate sessions—a unique and vigorous practice of Buddhist learning. Taking place around 3:00 PM daily (except Sundays and special occasions), monks engage in animated scripture debates using handclaps and rosary beads to challenge and respond to each other. Even if you can’t understand the content, the energy and faith are palpable.

Meals: Breakfast included, lunch & dinner on your own

Accommodation: Lhasa

Day 3: Lhasa City Tour – Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple & Barkhor Street

Potala Palace (Tour limited to 1 hour)
Built by Songtsen Gampo, who dedicated half his life to unifying Tibet and the other half to building this glorious palace. As you wander through the golden halls, spiritual towers, and quiet corridors, the aroma of butter lamps fills the air—like stepping into a sacred dream filled with scriptures, statues, murals, and legends.

Potala Palace Ticketing Notice:

1. Tickets are booked using real-name reservations with a valid ID (ID card, household register, or passport). Once reserved, repeat bookings are not allowed for 7 days. Incorrect info may result in denied entry, and the travel agency holds no responsibility in such cases. Bring your original ID to enter.
2. Entry times are randomly assigned by the palace’s ticketing system. Please understand that your visit time cannot be chosen and tour order may change accordingly.
3. In peak seasons, access is limited. Agencies secure tickets through various channels, which may require:
• Splitting groups into smaller teams, possibly combined with strangers.
• Different groups visit at different times or days.
• Groups led by different guides into the palace.

Jokhang Temple (Tour approx. 1 hour)
Blending Tibetan, Tang, Nepalese, and Indian styles, this temple is a masterpiece of Tibetan religious architecture. Pilgrims prostrate before its gates day and night, leaving body-length marks on the stone. Thousands of butter lamps illuminate the sacred space, a testament to time and faith.

Jokhang Temple Ticketing Notice:

1. Tickets require real-name reservation via the “Jokhang Temple Appointment” mini-app on WeChat from 7:00 to 23:59 the day before. Please follow our guide’s instructions to book.
2. As a religious site, access may be limited or closed during religious events. Thank you for your understanding.

Meals: Breakfast included, lunch & dinner on your own

Accommodation: Lhasa

Day 4: Lhasa → Yamdrok Lake → Karola Glacier → Baiju Monastery → Shigatse

After departure, you will travel along the Yarlung Tsangpo River valley, with a bird’s-eye view of the Yarlung Tsangpo River. The Yarlung Tsangpo on Provincial Road 101 near Lhasa is the widest river section in the area. Then you’ll enter Provincial Road 307 and drive to the mid-mountain area for a panoramic view of the Yarlung Tsangpo River valley, with vast, magnificent scenery.

Gongbala Mountain — The Best Viewpoint of Yamdrok Lake
From Gongbala Mountain, you can see the most beautiful side of Yamdrok Lake — the bluest sky and the bluest lake. Here, you’ll understand the meaning of the saying, “Angel’s tears in the sky, Yamdrok’s blue on earth.” Many photographers also say: “No matter how many times you photograph Yamdrok Lake, you can never fully capture its beauty.” Additionally, many Tibetans here offer yak photo shoots; please agree on the price beforehand to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Yamdrok Lake (Yamdrok Tso)
Yamdrok Lake is one of Tibet’s three sacred lakes and a freshwater lake. The water is clear and sweet, drinkable like yak butter. The deep blue lake merges with the distant snow mountains, complemented by colorful mountain ranges on both sides, distinctive Tibetan villages, and herds of cattle and sheep, creating a refreshing journey. Yamdrok Lake covers 638 square kilometers, with a surface elevation of 4,441 meters and a shoreline stretching 250 kilometers. It is also considered a turquoise necklace lost by a goddess on earth. Standing at the 4,950-meter-high summit of Gongbala Mountain and looking south, Yamdrok Lake resembles a sapphire embedded among the peaks, with a mirror-like surface reflecting the bright blue sky.

Karola Glacier (Visit about 20 minutes)
One of Tibet’s three major continental glaciers, Karola Glacier lies beneath one of Tibet’s four great peaks, the Nyainqentanglha Mountain. The massive glacier extends from the misty mountaintop down to just a few hundred meters from the roadside. Although the glacier has a black-and-white layered appearance due to long-term dust pollution from the highway, the upper part shines like a giant thangka (Tibetan Buddhist painting) hanging on the mountain wall in the sunlight. The glacier gained fame as a filming location for movies like Red River Valley, The Battle of Gyantse, and Cloud Water Ballad.

Baiju Monastery
Known in Tibetan as “Bankor Chöde,” meaning “Auspicious Wheel Great Joy Monastery,” Baiju Monastery is home to the Sakya, Shalu, and Gelug sects of Tibetan Buddhism.

Overnight in Shigatse — which means “Best Manor” in Tibetan and is known as one of “Tibet’s granaries.” It has been the political, religious, and cultural center of Central Tibet (Ü region) historically and is the traditional seat of the Panchen Lamas. Shigatse has a history of over 500 years and is currently Tibet’s second-largest city.

Friendly Reminder:

• Besides the Tibet Travel Permit, foreign travelers going to Everest together must apply for a travel certificate in Shigatse. The guide will adjust the itinerary accordingly and ask for your cooperation.
• Please understand if delays occur due to system failures or peak season crowds during the travel certificate processing.

Meals: Breakfast included, lunch & dinner on your own

Accommodation: Shigatse

Day 5: Shigatse → Gyawula Pass → Rongbuk Monastery → Mount Everest

Travel the Most Beautiful Border Highway – See Majestic Snow-Capped Peaks

En route, enjoy distant views of:

• Kangchenjunga – the 3rd highest mountain in the world
• Lhotse – the 4th highest
• Mount Jomolhari and other stunning Himalayan peaks

Mount Everest (Qomolangma)

With an elevation of 8,848 meters, Everest is the tallest mountain on Earth. Located on the border between China and Nepal, the summit is snow-covered year-round. From a distance, glaciers hang dramatically and the silver peak towers into the sky—a truly awe-inspiring sight.

Dingri Everest Viewing Platform

Located 22 km along Everest Road in Dingri County (Shigatse), this platform lies directly on the route to Everest Base Camp.

• Elevation: 5,200 meters
• From here, you can gaze southward at Everest and several other Himalayan giants over 8,000 meters high.

Rongbuk Monastery

• Elevation: ~5,100 meters
• Known for its remote, stark landscape and breathtaking views
• The new Everest Base Camp campgrounds are located nearby

Everest Base Camp (EBC) Campground

If weather allows, you may witness the iconic “banner cloud” that floats above Everest’s summit like a flickering flame of life.

Accommodation: Shared tents (8–12 people per tent)
Basic conditions—clean but very simple compared to city hotels (thank you for your understanding).
From October to April, tents are removed due to weather, and accommodation will instead be arranged at guesthouses in nearby villages.

Warm Tips:

• Meals and accommodation today are very basic due to remoteness.
• The altitude is very high and temperatures are low—please take extra care.
• Nighttime temperatures in summer: typically 0–8°C.
• Bring warm clothing or rent a down jacket at base camp for approx. ¥100/night (for reference only, actual cost depends on local pricing).
• Be vigilant for signs of altitude sickness.

Meals: Breakfast & dinner included, lunch on your own

Accommodation: Everest Base Camp

Day 6: Everest Base Camp → Shishapangma Nature Reserve → Peiku Tso Lake → Saga

Whether you had a restful night or struggled to sleep, be sure to wake early to greet the dawn at Everest. While the surrounding peaks still slumber in the early morning light, Everest is already adorned with a radiant sunrise, like a goddess wearing a magnificent ceremonial robe.

With the first rays of sunlight illuminating Mount Everest, travel through the majestic, vast, and winding Himalayan mountain range. Cross the Gaula Pass at 5,200 meters, surrounded by barren silence. Beyond Everest (8,848 m), the view includes nearby snow-capped giants such as Labuche Kang (7,367 m), Cho Oyu (8,201 m), Lhotse (8,516 m), and Makalu (8,463 m). Look out for the imposing and solemn Shishapangma Peak (8,012 m), the only 8,000-meter peak located entirely within China.

Reluctantly leaving Everest behind, continue onward to enjoy the stunning mountain scenery and pass by the beautiful highland lake, Peiku Tso.

Meals: Breakfast included, lunch & dinner on your own

Accommodation: Saga

Day 7: Saga → Paryang → Mount Kailash → Darchen

After breakfast, follow National Highway 219 and pass through the town of Paryang, part of Zhongba County. Paryang is a small, quintessentially western-style Tibetan town, and one of the highest-altitude towns in the world at about 4,600 meters above sea level. Along the way, take in the vast, sweeping landscapes of the Tibetan Plateau.

Continue on to Lake Manasarovar (Mapam Yumtso), gradually entering the sacred realm of Mount Kailash. Located in Burang County of Tibet’s Ngari Prefecture, Mount Kailash is the main peak of the Gangdise Range, standing at 6,638 meters.

Mount Kailash is universally regarded as a sacred mountain and is considered the spiritual center of the world by Hinduism, Tibetan Buddhism, Bon (Tibet’s indigenous religion), and Jainism. Though not the tallest peak in the region, its summit remains snow-capped year-round and glistens mysteriously in the sunlight. Its unique pyramid-like shape and striking contrast with surrounding peaks evoke awe and spiritual reverence.

Mount Kailash faces Mount Naimona’nyi (Namu Nani) about 100 kilometers away, with the holy lake Manasarovarand the mystical Lake Rakshastal (Ghost Lake) nestled in between.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner on your own

Accommodation: Darchen

Day 8: First Day of the Kailash Kora (Darchen → Drirapuk Monastery – 22 km)

From Darchen (altitude 4,675m), head west: passing the Two-Legged Stupa, Prayer Flag Pole, Chuku Monastery (alt. 4,860m), and finally reaching Drirapuk Monastery (alt. 5,210m).

In the early morning, take an eco-bus from Darchen deep into the valley to begin the sacred kora (circumambulation). In the valley, yaks, horses, and porters are available to assist those who wish to ride or need help transporting large luggage. (Note: horseback/yak riding and porter fees are not included in the tour price.)

Adjust your breathing, ready your posture, and prepare to measure this sacred land with your own footsteps.

As you ascend through the valley, you’ll be accompanied by blue skies and snow-covered mountains. Rivers occasionally weave through the terrain, revealing nature’s raw, majestic craftsmanship. Along the way, you’ll catch stunning views of the western and northern faces of Mount Kailash — one towering skyward, the other layered and expansive. In this awe-inspiring landscape, you’ll experience a unique connection with the sacred peak, gaining fresh perspectives and a profound sense of reverence.

After trekking approximately 22 kilometers, you’ll arrive at Drirapuk Monastery, where you’ll sleep among vibrant, fluttering prayer flags — resting with a heart full of spiritual devotion and deep respect for nature.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner on your own

Accommodation: Drirapuk Monastery – dormitory bed

Day 9: Second Day of the Kailash Kora (Drirapuk Monastery → Zuthulpuk Monastery – 20 km)

From Drirapuk Monastery (alt. 5,210m), trek across the Drolma-la Pass (alt. 5,630m), with its Mani Stones, and descend to Zuthulpuk Monastery (alt. 4,810m).

After a restful night and with renewed energy, begin the second and most challenging day of the pilgrimage. Today, you will cross the highest point of the entire kora — the Drolma-la Pass, at an altitude of 5,630 meters. Along the way, you will likely encounter devout Tibetan pilgrims prostrating in reverence. The snow-covered path can be slippery, with loose stones tumbling down the valley, making this section more demanding.

The kora trail isn’t a conventional road but rather a sacred path carved by the devotion and footsteps of countless pilgrims, etched into the snow and rock over generations.

Though the terrain is tough, you can stop and rest at small teahouses along the way to regain strength. At the pass, prayer flags flutter in the wind, creating a vibrant spectacle. Below the pass lies a small, jewel-like lake called Thukje Tso, known as the “Lake of Compassion.” Like a piece of white jade, it nestles peacefully among the majestic mountains.

After crossing Drolma-la, the path descends, making the walk less strenuous. Continue the trek toward Zuthulpuk Monastery, where you will spend the night in a guesthouse near the monastery.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner on your own

Accommodation: Zuthulpuk Monastery – dormitory bed

Day 10: Third Day of the Kailash Kora (Zuthulpuk Monastery → Darchen – 10 km) → Zanda

From Zuthulpuk Monastery (elevation 4,810m) to Darchen (elevation 4,675m)

On the final day of the kora, the descent in elevation brings a change in scenery — the stark white of snow gradually gives way to vibrant greens, and small animals begin to emerge from the shrubbery, adding a lively touch to the serene landscape. Along the path, you’ll also notice colorful mani stones stacked prayerfully among snow-capped fields and pastures, resembling meditative monks silently chanting.

After completing the final 7 km of the trek — typically around midday — you may feel exhausted and hungry. If so, you can take the eco-bus back to your accommodation and rest. However, if you still have the energy and desire, you can make a detour to visit the stunning Lake Manasarovar, where the sacred blue waters and warm spring streams offer a moment of peace and reflection — the perfect way to end this spiritual journey and preserve the joy of your accomplishment.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner on your own

Accommodation: Zanda

Day 11: Zanda → Toling Monastery → Guge Kingdom → Zanda Earth Forest → Darchen

【Toling Monastery】
With a history of over 900 years, Toling Monastery was the first Buddhist temple built by the ancient Guge Kingdom in the Ngari region. The monastery’s architecture and statues reflect a fusion of styles from Kashmir, Ladakh, and Nepal. Around the monastery, you can still see the ruins of over a hundred stupas, and inside, ancient murals remain intact — a glimpse into the grandeur and spiritual importance the monastery once held.

【Guge Kingdom】
The Guge Kingdom traces its origins back to the ancient Zhangzhung Kingdom. It was established around the 9th century, after the disintegration of the unified Tibetan Empire (Tubo), and lasted until the 17th century, ruled successively by 16 kings. As a local regime founded by the descendants of the Tubo royal family in western Tibet’s Ngari region, its influence at its peak extended across the entire Ngari area.

【Zanda Earth Forest】
The Zanda Earth Forest is one of the most stunning natural wonders of Ngari. Formed by geological uplift and erosion of ancient lakebed sediments over millions of years, the terrain features bizarre and dramatic landforms. The towering “trees” of the earth forest rise in jagged heights and shapes, some dozens of meters tall, resembling a petrified forest sculpted by time. Driving through it feels like weaving among the feet of ancient giants.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner on your own

Accommodation: Darchen

Day 12: Darchen → Saga

Saga is located in the northwest of Shigatse Prefecture. The county has a 105 km border line, and National Highway 219 runs through it—eastward to Shigatse and Lhasa, and westward to Ali and Purang. It borders Gyirong County and the Kingdom of Nepal to the south.

Saga lies on the northern slopes of the Himalayas and the southern edge of the Gangdise Mountains, in the upper reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo River. The region features sacred mountains, holy lakes, vast grasslands, and herds of yaks, showcasing the quintessential highland scenery. The average elevation across the county is over 4,600 meters. It has a typical continental plateau climate—cold and harsh, with long winters and short summers, thin air, strong sunlight, and significant temperature differences between day and night.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner on your own

Accommodation: Saga

Day 13: Saga → Gyirong Valley → Gyirong

Drive from Saga to Gyirong, the “back garden” of the China-Nepal border. Experience the local villages influenced by some Nepalese culture. Along the way, enjoy beautiful border snow-capped mountains, lush green forests, canyons, and waterfalls. All passengers will visit Gyirong Valley together, exploring the canyon and suspension bridge. After the visit, travelers who need to exit the country will depart from the border port in the afternoon, marking the end of the trip.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner on your own

Accommodation: Not included