15 Days Mt. Kailash Kora of Saga Dawa Festival 2024

Day 1 (May 16th) Arrive in Lhasa

Once your flight or train arrives at Lhasa airport or train station. Our guide will be waiting for you there. If you take flight into Lhasa, please go out to the entrance of the parking lot where your guide will be waiting for you. Should you take the train in, you will meet our guide once you come out of the train station and get to the plaza. The guide will always hold your name sign or other placard your travel consultant tells you. The rest of the day is at your own to wander around or just rest to acclimatize.

Day 2 (May 17th) Lhasa Sightseeing [B]

This mystic tour begins with the visit to the Potala Palace, winter palace of the Dalai Lama since the 7th century. It is a wonder of architecture built on the Red Mountain in the center of Lhasa Valley with the White and Red Palace as its wings. The view of the iconic palace will long stay with you. Heading to the Jokhang Temple, which is the most scared shrine in Tibet. This temple was originally built to hold two statues brought here by Songtsen Gampo’s Nepalese wife and the other wife Princess Wencheng from Tang Dynasty. You can see many pilgrims do the prostration in from of the temple. After that, you can join in the locals or pilgrims to do the Barkhor Circuit in a clockwise direction. Afterwards stroll on the narrow streets of Lhasa old town to meet local people and visit their markets. Overnight in Lhasa.

Potala Palace 
Jokhang Temple

Day 3 (May 18th) Lhasa Sightseeing [B]

Drive about 8km west of central Lhasa, we come to the Drepung Monastery, once world’s largest monastery with about 10,000 monks. This day’s sightseeing begins with these white monastic buildings piled up on the hillside. Walking up to the hill is a pleasant thing, an easy break from the solemn ambience inside the halls and chapels. At the plat roof of hillside, you can have very good views of the whole Lhasa city and the distant mountains. Drepung is one of Lhasa’s two great Gelugpa monasteries. Later after lunch, witness the Buddhist doctrines debating session at Sera Monastery. With golden roofs and whitewashed walls, this fifteenth-century monastery is one of the six great Gelukpa sect academies in Tibet. Overnight in Lhasa.

Drepung Monastery 
Sera Monastery

Day 4 (May 19st) Lhasa-Gyantse-Shigatse, 360km 6-7hrs [B]

Morning drive up to Kampala pass [4794m], you will have a glimpse of Yamdrok-tso and spectacular views of Holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar in the distance, the turquoise Lake Yamdrok Tso is one of the three holy lakes in Tibet, the unforgettable vista of pincer-shaped turquoise water of the lake and amazing spectacle of Mt. Nyenchen Khangsar glacier from Karo la pass are the wonders of the day. Far in the distance you’ll spot the towering massif Mt. Nojin Kangtsang [7191m], and the staggering Karo-la Glacier [5045m]. Then drive to Gyantse, we will visit the Pelkhor Monastery and the famous stupa – Gyantse Kumbum, one of the most stunning architectural wonders in Tibet. Drive another 90km to Shigatse.

Yamdrok Lake 
Gyantse Kumbum

Day 5 (May 20th) Shigatse [3840m] / Rongbuk / Everest Base Camp [4900m], 350km, 7hrs drive [B]

Today, we first have an exploration to the Tashilhunpo Monastery and the spectacular tombs of Panchen Lamas in Shigatse. Then drive westwards along the Friendship highway heading to Everest Base Camp. If the weather is good, on the top of the Gyalpo-la pass you can see 4 of the highest mountains over 8000 meters (Mt. Everest; Mt. Makalu; Mt. Lotse; Mt. Cho Oyu) in the world at the same time, what a great picture. Before reaching EBC, we will firstly see the Rongbuk Monastery that is the highest monastery in the world. Tonight, you can either stay overnight in the tent guesthouse or the Rongbuk Guesthouse (dorm bed, share room with other tourists).

Tashilhunpo Monastery 
Rongbuk Monastery

Day 6 (May 21st) Everest Base Camp / Saga [4487m], 300km 7-8hrs

In the morning, if weather is good, you can choose to wake up early to appreciate the stunning sunrise of Mt. Everest. Passing by the Peikutso Lake and leaving behind the breathtaking views of the snow-capped Shishapangma, you will come to the small town-Saga. You might find many dogs on this street. Be careful with the dogs to avoid unexpectable bite.

Everest Base Camp 
Peikutso Lake

Day 7 (May 22nd) Saga / Lake Manasarovar / Darchen [4600m], 510km 8-9hrs

Starting from Saga, we will firstly come to Zhongba, the last county in Shigatse area before we enter Nagari district. It is an area with extremely serious geological desertification. You can see heaps of desert everywhere. Forward to Lake Manasarovar, one of the holiest lakes in Tibet and the world’s highest fresh water lake. Spend some time here to adore the beauty of the lake. In summer, you might see flocks of swans gathering on the lake, bringing life and harmony to this land. Drive to Darchen, a small town in the foot of Mt. Kailash, the starting point of the Kailash Kora.

Lake Manasarovar 
Darchen

Day 8 (May 23rd) Saga Dawa Festival, Trek from Darchen to Dirapuk [5080m], driving 7km, trekking 13km

In 2024, Saga Dawa falls on May 23rd. From Darchen, we will take the green car and drive 7kms to Sershong village where we will start our kora. Before that, you might need to rent horse, yak or porters to carry your belongings. We will come to the Tarboch Flag Pole, one of the most essential facets of Tibetan spirituality. Here is the site for the Saga Dawa Festival. Today this giant flagpole which has multitudinous prayer flags on it will be pulled down and replaced with new flags. There are many pilgrims coming for this big ceremony. Around you can see a small bazar selling food and pilgrim stuff etc. After joining the ceremony, trek along the Lha-chu river and valley, we head to our destination today, Dirapuk Monastery. On the way, we can see occasionally the west and north face of Mount Kailash.

Darchen 
Saga Dawa Festival at Mt. Kailash

Day 9 (May 24th) Trek from Dirapuk to Zutulpuk via Dolmala Pass [4820m], trekking 18km

We will climb up to the Dolmala pass which is at an elevation of 5640m. It is the hardest part of the three days’ Kora considering all the climbing and strong wind. Be prepared with plenty water and some snacks. You can also find some teahouses to drink some tea or restore your energy. Our trekking ends till we come to Zutulpuk Monastery. According to the legend, it was built by Milarepa as a shelter from the rain.

Dolmala Pass 
Kailash Kora

Day 10 (May 25th) Trek from Zultulpuk to Darchen & Drive to Zhongba, trekking 14km

The locals always do the kora in 1 or 2 days. We normally cut it into 3 days to make it possible to finish for normal tourists. Just some easy trekking will take us back to Darchen in early afternoon, Then we’ll drive to Zhongba and spend the night there.

Kailash Kora 
Kailash Kora

Day 11 (May 26th) Zhongba / Zhangmu or Gyirong Town, 432km, 6.5-7hrs drive

Today, we drive to Zhangmu / Gyirong town. You’ll have time to rest and have a chance to have a leisure tour in Zhangmu.

Day 12 (May 27th) Zhangmu or Gyirong / Tingri 184km, 3.5hrs drive

Today we drive back to Tingri. You might sit back and have a good rest or enjoy the view of the vast land of western Tibet. Overnight at the hotel in Tingri.

Note: For those who like to head to Kathmandu, we drive to Gyirong boder and Exit the custom this morning.

Day 13 (May 28th) Tingri / Shigatse 500km, 8hrs drive

We head for Shigatse, which has a history dating back to 600 years ago and it serves as the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama, one of the spiritual leaders in Tibet. Today, we’ll visit Sakya Monastery en route.

Day 14 (May 29th) Shigatse / Lhasa 280km, 5-6hrs drive [B]

Today, we drive back to Lhasa along the northern friendship way, marvelous landscapes and sceneries along the Brahmaputra River will accompany you all the way back to Lhasa. Overnight in Lhasa.

Day 15 (May 30th) Depart Lhasa, tour ends [B]

Airport and train station send off will be arranged today. Thanks for traveling with SGTREK.