You may choose the flight recommended by the travel agency or book your own ticket to Lhasa. Upon arrival at Lhasa Airport, your tour guide and driver will meet you there. Then, you will drive along the scenic Lhasa River to the city center, enjoying the pure air of the plateau. Upon arrival, check in at the hotel arranged by the travel agency. It is recommended to avoid going out and have a good rest to acclimatize to the high altitude. For those feeling well, you may visit the Potala Palace Square in the evening to enjoy the beautiful night view.
Meals: Breakfast: Not included Lunch: Not included Dinner: Not included
Accommodation: Lhasa Susheng Guizang Manor Hotel
In the morning, visit the Potala Palace, Tibet’s most famous landmark and the former winter residence of the Dalai Lamas. After climbing about 365 steps to the Red Palace at 3,700 meters, you’ll enjoy a panoramic view of Lhasa. Inside, explore the main halls, chapels, and shrines filled with exquisite murals, carvings, and treasures that reflect centuries of Tibetan history and devotion. Many pilgrims visit this sacred site to pray. Your guide will also share stories about King Songtsen Gampo, who first built the palace in the 7th century for Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty. (Note: visits follow scheduled ticket times, last about one hour, and photography inside is not allowed.)
Then, visit Jokhang Temple, the spiritual heart of Tibet and a major pilgrimage site for Buddhists. Built over 1,300 years ago by King Songtsen Gampo for his two brides—Princess Wencheng and Princess Bhrikuti—it houses a revered life-size statue of the 12-year-old Sakyamuni Buddha. Admire its traditional Tibetan architecture and observe pilgrims praying outside day and night.
Afterward, stroll along Barkhor Street surrounding the temple. Once a sacred pilgrimage circuit, it’s now a lively market where you can enjoy yak butter tea, try on Tibetan clothes for photos, and shop for local crafts and souvenirs.
Meals: Breakfast: Included Lunch: Not included Dinner: Not included
Accommodation: Lhasa Susheng Guizang Manor Hotel
In the morning, depart from Lhasa and drive toward Yamdrok Lake, one of Tibet’s three sacred lakes, famous for its dazzling colors and ever-changing beauty. Yamdrok Lake, known as the “Turquoise Lake” in Tibetan, is the highest freshwater lake in the world, sitting at an altitude of 4,441 meters. You will descend to the lakeside to get a close-up view — the deep blue waters merging with distant snow-capped mountains, colorful hills along the shores, unique Tibetan villages, and herds of yaks and sheep make the journey truly enchanting.
In the afternoon, continue your journey and enjoy a distant view of the magnificent Karola Glacier. Standing majestically under drifting clouds, the glacier resembles a masterpiece carved by time — a living monument of flowing ice and snow. Afterward, pass by the Manla Reservoir before arriving in Shigatse for an overnight stay.
Meals: Breakfast: Included Lunch: Not included Dinner: Not included
Accommodation: Shigatse Wanglong Hotel
After breakfast, drive to Saga. Along the way, you’ll pass the beautiful Lang Co Lake and the vast Sangsang Grassland. The stunning plateau scenery along the road is truly breathtaking. Continue to Dochen, which serves as the junction point of the Ali South Route and North Route.
From here, you will follow the Ali South Route onward, passing through a region rich in hot springs, where rising steam creates a dreamlike landscape. The turquoise lakes along the roadside mirror the blue sky, forming a spectacular natural panorama. You may also spot wildlife such as wild yaks, Tibetan antelopes, kiangs, hares, and bar-headed geese galloping freely across the grasslands — like a vivid living ink painting of the Tibetan Plateau.
Arrive in Saga in the evening and check into your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast: Included Lunch: Not included Dinner: Not included
Accommodation: Local guesthouse in Coqên County, oxygen-supplied twin room
After breakfast, drive along National Highway G219, passing through Paryang Town in Zhongba County — a small settlement full of Western Plateau charm and known as the highest town in the world, sitting at an altitude of 4,700 meters.
Along the way, enjoy the scenic views of the Maqü River Basin as you gradually approach the sacred embrace of Mount Kailash and the holy Lake Manasarovar. You will also visit the mystical Lake Rakshastal, often called the “Ghost Lake,” located beside Lake Manasarovar and surrounded by spiritual legends.
Stay overnight in Darchen, the small town at the foot of Mount Kailash and the starting point for the Kailash Kora.
Meals: Breakfast: Included Lunch: Not included Dinner: Not included
Accommodation: Local hotel in Tarchen or equivalent, oxygen-supplied twin room
Today, you will depart from Saga and head toward Darchen, the base camp for Mount Kailash kora. Along the way, enjoy distant views of the sacred Lake Manasarovar and the mystical Lake Rakshastal before arriving at the starting point of the Mount Kailash trek.
Your kora begins from Darchen at an altitude of 4,675 meters, passing by the Two-Legged Stupa and prayer flag poles, then reaching Chuku Monastery at 4,860 meters and finally Dirapuk Monastery at 5,210 meters. The trail winds through valleys accompanied by blue skies and snow-capped peaks, with rivers flowing quietly along the way — a true encounter with the raw beauty of nature.
During the trek, you’ll have stunning views of Mount Kailash’s western and northern faces, each offering a unique and magnificent perspective of this sacred peak. After trekking about 22 kilometers, you’ll reach Dirapuk Monastery, where colorful prayer flags flutter in the wind — a perfect place to rest, filled with reverence for nature and faith.
Note: The journey from Saga to Darchen is by vehicle; the Darchen–Dirapuk section is on foot. If you need a porter or horse service, the cost will be at your own expense.
Meals: Breakfast: Not Included Lunch: Not included Dinner: Not included
Accommodation: Drirapuk Monastery, dorm bed
After a night of rest and recovery, you’ll begin the second day of your trek. Today’s route crosses the highest point of the Mount Kailash kora — the Dolma La Pass at 5,630 meters. Along the way, you’ll encounter many devout Tibetan pilgrims prostrating step by step, creating a deeply spiritual atmosphere. The snow-covered trail can be slippery, and loose stones occasionally tumble down the slopes, making the ascent challenging. The so-called kora path is, in fact, a sacred route carved over centuries by the faithful — step by step, body by body.
As you make your way toward the pass, you may stop at a small teahouse for rest and to regain strength. At the Dolma La Pass, colorful prayer flags flutter in the wind, creating a breathtaking and sacred scene. Below the pass lies the serene Lake Thukpe Dzingbu (also known as Gauri Kund), a small turquoise lake shimmering like a piece of white jade set amid towering peaks — regarded as a lake of compassion in Tibetan belief.
After crossing the pass, the trail descends gradually, and the walking becomes easier. Continue trekking until you reach Zutul Puk Monastery, where you’ll stay overnight in a local guesthouse.
Meals: Breakfast: Not Included Lunch: Not included Dinner: Not included
Accommodation: Zutrulpuk Monastery, dorm bed
On the third day of the trek, as the altitude gradually decreases, the surrounding landscape transforms from pure white snow to vibrant green valleys. Small shrubs and wildlife begin to appear, bringing a renewed sense of life to the plateau. Piles of colorful mani stones scattered across the meadows beneath the snow-capped mountains resemble monks lost in deep meditation, quietly blessing every traveler passing by.
After completing the final 10 kilometers of the kora around Mount Kailash, you’ll arrive at the ending point around noon, where your tour vehicle will be waiting to pick you up. From here, you’ll continue your journey by car toward Zanda (Zhada).
Meals: Breakfast: Not Included Lunch: Not included Dinner: Not included
Accommodation: Zanda Earth Forest Castle Hotel
The ruins of the Guge Kingdom are an ancient highland city located on a clay hill along the Xiangquan River in Zanda County, Ngari Prefecture. Covering an area of about 180,000 square meters, the site contains more than 300 cave dwellings, over 10 stupas (each about 10 meters high), four temples, two palace halls, and two underground tunnels. The complex is divided into upper, middle, and lower sections, which served as the royal palace, temples, and residential areas respectively. The entire site is surrounded by city walls with watchtowers at the four corners. The murals and sculptures in the Red Temple, White Temple, and Samsara Temple are among the finest examples of ancient Tibetan art.
Donggar and Piyang are two famous grotto sites located about 40 kilometers north of Zanda (Tholing) in Ngari Prefecture. They are well known for their exquisite murals that depict Buddhist stories and deities, reflecting the cultural and artistic achievements of the ancient Guge civilization.
The Senggezangbo River (literally “Lion Spring River” in Tibetan) flows through the region for about 405 kilometers within China, covering a drainage area of 27,450 square kilometers. From its source to Geji Town, it stretches roughly 152 kilometers with a drop of 646 meters. The river receives water from perennial springs near Senge Kabab, a mountain that resembles a lion, hence the name.
Meals: Breakfast: Not Included Lunch: Not included Dinner: Not included
Accommodation: Ngari Ali Grand Hotel
From today, we will venture into a true wilderness—desolate, mysterious, and silent, a no-man’s land. At the same time, this is the most “wrong-turn-after-wrong-turn” yet stunning part of the Northern Route, leading us to its very essence. On this sparsely populated land lie countless hidden lakes waiting to be discovered. After stocking up on ample supplies such as dry food and instant noodles, we will depart from Shiquanhe and arrive at Xiongba, where we will check in and rest.
Meals: Breakfast: Included Lunch: Not included Dinner: Not included
Accommodation: Local guesthouse in Xiongba or Rendo
Today we turn south, passing through Yare (elevation 5,300 m) to Renduo Township (elevation 5,000 m). The route is nothing but bumpy, difficult gravel roads, and along the way we see vast, boundless plains and wilderness, endless mountains and drifting clouds. Occasionally, there are green oases and herds of sheep, antelopes and wild donkeys racing alongside our vehicle… with the stunning scenery of Taruo Co along the way.
From Renduo to Cuoqin, it’s a series of breathtaking surprises, wrong turn after wrong turn.
Meals: Breakfast: Included Lunch: Not included Dinner: Not included
Accommodation: Cuoqin Yunduo Hotel
Dangreyong Co is the largest sacred lake of the indigenous Bön religion in Tibet, and also one of the most captivating lakes on the northern Tibetan plateau. Its surface resembles a vajra, surrounded on all sides by mountains, with the snow-capped Dagro Sacred Mountain to the south, whose peak remains snow-covered year-round. In the eyes of the Tibetans, Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar, Dagro Snow Mountain and Dangreyong Co, as well as the Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains and Lake Namtso, are collectively regarded as Tibet’s three great sacred mountains and lakes.
Tibet’s largest lake, Seling Co (elevation 4,500 m), in Tibetan means “Lake of the Radiant Demon.” Like Angla Ren Co, it is considered a “demon lake.” Despite the seemingly fearsome name, what greets the eye is clear blue water, herds of yaks and sheep, and a vast highland pasture.
Meals: Breakfast: Included Lunch: Not included Dinner: Not included
Accommodation: Nyima County Hotel
After finding a spot by the shore of Seling Co for a roadside meal, we continue on, passing many small unnamed lakes (Piluo Co, Guogen Co, Bange Co, etc.), which were once part of Seling Co. We will keep traversing mud ponds and slopes, gradually reaching a long-awaited cement road. By now, we arrive at Bange County (Baingoin Zong, elevation 4,750 m).
Note: Wild animals like Tibetan antelopes are very shy—do not scare them or let the driver chase them; photographing from a distance is sufficient.
The most memorable part of the Northern Route is not the individual sights, but the unforgettable journey and the close companions shared along the way. With this mindset, your trip will already be worthwhile.
Meals: Breakfast: Included Lunch: Not included Dinner: Not included
Accommodation: Bango Lianyi Grand Hotel
Shengxiang Tianmen—the ultimate destination for Tibet’s breathtaking scenery. Never before have we witnessed such a soul-stirring view, where nature and culture blend perfectly across the magnificent landscape. The blue sacred lake stretches like an ocean, imprinting itself directly into the mind. Who could have created such beauty? The purest snow-capped mountains, the clearest waters—on the Tibetan Plateau, they always exist side by side. A naturally formed bay appears before the eyes, merging seamlessly with the azure lake, creating one of the most stunning landscapes on earth.
Meals: Breakfast: Included Lunch: Not included Dinner: Not included
Accommodation:Lhasa Susheng Guizang Manor Hotel
The delightful Tibet journey has come to an end. The hotel includes breakfast in the morning. Our agency will arrange transfers to the airport or train station according to the guests’ return tickets, ensuring a smooth journey back to the comfort of home.
Meals: Breakfast: Included
| Month | Date | Price | Booking |
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