Details
Arrival in Lhasa & Acclimatization
Welcome to Tibet! Upon your arrival at Lhasa Gonggar Airport or Lhasa Railway Station, your local guide will greet you and transfer you to your hotel. During the drive into the city, enjoy your first views of the Lhasa River and the surrounding plateau scenery. After check-in, spend the rest of the day resting to help your body acclimatize to Lhasa’s altitude of 3,650 meters. Avoid strenuous activities and drink plenty of water.
Meals: Not Included
Accommodation: Hotel in Lhasa
Leisure Day in Lhasa – Explore at Your Own Pace
Today is reserved for altitude acclimatization. You may relax at the hotel or explore Lhasa independently at an easy pace. Visit local cafés, stroll through nearby streets, or choose an optional cultural activity. Taking it slow today will help prepare you for the higher elevations later in the journey.
Meals: Breakfast Included
Accommodation: Hotel in Lhasa
Discover Lhasa – Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple & Barkhor Street
Begin your sightseeing with the magnificent Potala Palace, the iconic symbol of Tibet and former winter residence of the Dalai Lamas. Continue to the sacred Jokhang Temple, the spiritual heart of Tibetan Buddhism, where pilgrims gather from across the plateau. Finish the day wandering through the lively Barkhor Street, filled with traditional shops, prayer wheels, handicrafts, and local culture.
Meals: Breakfast Included
Accommodation: Hotel in Lhasa
Lhasa – Yamdrok Lake – Karola Glacier – Pelkor Chode Monastery – Shigatse
Travel southwest across the Tibetan Plateau and cross the scenic Kambala Pass for breathtaking views of the turquoise Yamdrok Lake, one of Tibet’s three sacred lakes. Continue past the impressive Karola Glacier, whose massive ice wall stretches close to the roadside. Later, visit the historic Pelkor Chode Monastery in Gyantse before arriving in Shigatse, Tibet’s second-largest city.
Meals: Breakfast Included
Accommodation: Hotel in Shigatse
Shigatse – Everest Base Camp
Drive along the legendary Friendship Highway toward the Himalayas. Cross Gyatso La Pass and stop at Gyawu La Pass, one of the best panoramic viewpoints for Mount Everest and several surrounding peaks over 8,000 meters. Continue into Qomolangma National Nature Reserve, visit Rongbuk area, and arrive at Everest Base Camp. If weather permits, enjoy the unforgettable sunset over the world’s highest mountain.
Meals: Breakfast Included
Accommodation: EBC Tent Guestroom (Multi-bed sharing)
Everest Base Camp – Saga
Wake early to witness the spectacular sunrise over Mount Everest before visiting Rongbuk Monastery, the highest monastery in the world. Continue westward across the remote Tibetan Plateau, passing the towering Mount Shishapangma, Tibet’s only 8,000-meter peak located entirely within China. Along the route, admire the beautiful Pelkhu Tso (Peiku Tso) Lake before reaching the small town of Saga for the night.
Meals: Breakfast Included
Accommodation: Hotel in Saga
Saga – Lake Manasarovar – Darchen
Continue along the vast western Tibetan plateau toward the sacred Lake Manasarovar, one of the holiest lakes in both Buddhism and Hinduism. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains, the crystal-clear lake is an important pilgrimage destination. After spending time at the lakeshore, continue to Darchen, the starting point for the Mount Kailash pilgrimage.
Meals: Breakfast Included
Accommodation: Hotel in Darchen
Mount Kailash Kora – Day 1: Darchen to Dirapuk Monastery
Begin the legendary Mount Kailash Kora. After taking the eco-bus into the valley, start trekking toward Dirapuk Monastery. Today’s route follows a relatively gentle trail with magnificent views of Mount Kailash’s western and northern faces. Upon arrival at Dirapuk, enjoy one of the closest views of the sacred mountain before resting for the night.
Meals: Breakfast Included
Accommodation: Dirapuk Monastery Guestroom (Multi-bed sharing)
Mount Kailash Kora – Day 2: Dirapuk Monastery to Zutulpuk Monastery
Today is the most challenging yet rewarding section of the pilgrimage. Trek over Dolma La Pass (5,630 m), the highest point of the entire circuit. Along the way, pass colorful prayer flags and the sacred Lake of Compassion (Gauri Kund) before descending into the valley toward Zutulpuk Monastery, where you’ll spend the night.
Meals: Breakfast Included
Accommodation: Zutulpuk Monastery Guesthouse (Multi-bed sharing)
Mount Kailash Kora – Day 3: Zutulpuk Monastery – Darchen – Zhongba
Complete the final section of the Mount Kailash circuit as the trail gradually descends through beautiful valleys and streams. After returning to Darchen, meet your vehicle and continue driving east across the plateau to Zhongba, where you’ll stay overnight after completing one of the world’s most meaningful pilgrimages.
Meals: Breakfast Included
Accommodation: Hotel in Zhongba
Zhongba – Gyirong Valley (or Nyalam)
Travel toward the Nepal border through dramatic Himalayan scenery. Depending on road and border conditions, the itinerary proceeds either to the lush Gyirong Valley, famous for its forests, waterfalls, and mild climate, or via Nyalam, crossing the spectacular Lalongla Pass, which offers sweeping views of snow-covered Himalayan peaks.
Meals: Breakfast Included
Accommodation: Hotel in Gyirong/Nyalam
Gyirong Border (or Zhangmu Border) – Tour Ends
After breakfast, transfer to the Gyirong Port or Zhangmu Border according to the itinerary. Your guide will assist you with the departure procedures before you continue your journey into Nepal. Your unforgettable Tibet and Mount Kailash adventure concludes here. We wish you a pleasant onward journey.
Meals: Breakfast Included
Dates & Prices
| Month | Date | Price | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul | 2026-07 | $ 1884 | Book now |
| Aug | 2026-08 | $ 1884 | Book now |
| Sep | 2026-09 | $ 1884 | Book now |
| Oct | 2026-10 | $ 1729 | Book now |
| May | 2027-05 | $ 1729 | Book now |
| Jun | 2027-06 | $ 1884 | Book now |
You are consulting 2025-04-12 12-Day Lhasa to Kathmandu Group Tour: EBC, Manasarovar & Kailash
Fee Description
Services Included:
1. Tibet Permits: Tibet Travel Permit, Aliens’ Travel Permit, Border Pass, etc.
2. Transportation: 7-23 seats tourist vehicle.
3. Accommodation: 8 nights in twin sharing room, 3-star standard; 1 night in EBC tent guestroom (Multi-bed sharing); 1 night in Dirapuk Monastery guestroom (Multi-bed sharing); 1 night in Zutulpuk Monastery guestroom (Multi-bed sharing).
4. Meals: 6 breakfasts in hotel; 3 breakfasts in restaurant.
5. Guide: Professional English-speaking local Tibetan guide.
6. Entrance Ticket: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Yamdrok Lake, Karola Glacier, Pelkor Chode Monastery, EBC+Eco-bus, Rongbuk Monastery, Mt. Kailash+Eco-bus, Lake Mansarovar.
7. Oxygen and Water: 1 bottle of portable oxygen for emergency; 2 bottles of 300ml drinking water per person per day; 4L medical oxygen cylinder in car.
8. Travel Insurance: Travel Accident Insurance, Vehicle Seat Insurance, Travel Agency Liability Insurance.
9. Service Fee: All taxes, fees and handling charges; reservation fee for visiting Potala Palace; lodging and dining subsidies for guide and driver.
10. Pick up and Drop off: For Lhasa Gongga Airport, free pick-up is available from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm, and free drop-off from 8:30 am to 10:30 pm. For Lhasa Train Station, both are free.
Services Excluded:
1. Single Room Supplement: If you are a solo traveler, you need to share a twin room with another tourist (same sex in most cases). If you prefer to occupy a single room, or room sharing isn’t available, a single room supplement will be necessary.
2. Meal: lunch, dinner.
3. Tips for guides and drivers.
4. Personal Expenses: Laundry, drink, call, optional tour activities (Lhasa Traditional Handicraft Center, Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, Tibetan Village), etc.
5. Exceptional Events: Extra charges due to irresistible reasons.
6. Chinese Visa/ Chinese Group Visa application fees.
7. Ticket: international and domestic flight/train tickets.
8. Other Insurance: Insurance for common altitude sickness or other medical conditions is not included. Trip cancellation insurance, which covers refunds for prepaid expenses (such as flight tickets) caused by an unexpected situation, is also generally not included. To minimize potential losses, we recommend purchasing the insurance in advance.
Knows before You Book:
1. Travelers to Tibet should have a moderate physical fitness level. Patients with serious hypertension, heart disease, asthma, bronchitis, diabetes, and cold should be restricted from traveling to Tibet.
2. Book at least 20 days in advance so the tour operator may have enough time to apply for and deliver your Tibet Travel Permit. Normally, it takes around 8-9 days to process your Tibet Travel Permit from the Tibet Tourism Bureau and another 3-4 days to deliver your Permit to your address in Chinese mainland.
3. A Tibet train/flight ticket is not included in our tour package. If you book with us, we can help you book your train/flight ticket. The train ticket to Lhasa is normally issued 15-60 days before departure. During peak seasons (from June to mid-October, during the Chinese Spring Festival and other public holidays in China), train tickets may be issued only 1-9 days before departure.
4. Price is based on double occupancy. Solo travelers who prefer to stay in a room by themselves need to pay for the additional charge of single room supplement. Please consult our travel consultants for specific prices.
5. Your airport/train station pick-up and drop-off in Lhasa needed to be arranged by the tour agency as foreign visitors are prohibited from independent traveling.
6. If you plan to travel to Lhasa via Kathmandu, please do not apply for a China L Visa in advance. You need to apply for a Tibet Group Visa from the China Embassy in Kathmandu via a travel agency. If you have your China L Visa, it will automatically expire when applying for a Tibet Group Visa.
7. Please read the Payment Methods, Terms and Conditions, and Cancellation policies before you book.