Kailash & Guge Kingdom Adventure

Tour Overview

The ultimate Tibetan odyssey. This 15-18 day expedition ventures deep into far western Tibet (Ngari Prefecture) — one of the most remote and spiritually charged regions on Earth. You'll circumambulate sacred Mount Kailash (6,638m), revered by Buddhists, Hindus, Jains, and Bon followers as the center of the universe. You'll camp beside the sapphire waters of Lake Manasarovar, explore the haunting ruins of the Guge Kingdom — a lost civilization that thrived for 700 years — and traverse vast high-altitude wilderness at an average elevation of 4,500m. This is not a tour; it's a transformation.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1-2: Arrival in Lhasa & Acclimatization (3,650m)

Arrive in Lhasa, transfer to hotel. Day 1 is pure rest. Day 2 light exploration: Barkhor Street, Tibet Museum, or Norbulingka Palace. These two days are critical for adapting to altitude before the long journey ahead.

Overnight: Lhasa 4-star hotel | Meals: Day 1: Welcome Dinner; Day 2: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 3: Lhasa — Potala Palace & Jokhang Temple

Full day exploring Lhasa's UNESCO sites. Morning at the Potala Palace, afternoon at Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Street. Evening: trip briefing for the Kailash journey.

Overnight: Lhasa 4-star hotel | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 4: Lhasa → Yamdrok Lake → Gyantse → Shigatse (3,800m, 350km)

Begin the westward journey. Cross Kambala Pass for Yamdrok Lake views, visit Karola Glacier, tour Gyantse Kumbum, and arrive in Shigatse.

Overnight: Shigatse 4-star hotel | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5: Shigatse → Saga (4,500m, 450km)

Morning visit to Tashilhunpo Monastery, then drive west across the vast Tibetan Plateau. Cross Gyatso La Pass (5,248m). The landscape transforms into wide-open grasslands with distant snow peaks. Arrive in Saga, the gateway town to western Tibet.

Overnight: Saga 3-star guesthouse | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Saga → Lake Manasarovar → Darchen (4,575m, 500km)

The most dramatic driving day. Cross the vast Changtang plains, passing herds of wild ass (kiang), Tibetan antelope, and occasional nomad camps. Arrive at Lake Manasarovar (4,590m) — one of the highest freshwater lakes in the world, sacred to Hindus and Buddhists. Its sapphire-blue waters with Mount Kailash reflected on the northern shore is an unforgettable sight. Evening arrival in Darchen, the base town for the Kailash Kora.

Overnight: Darchen guesthouse | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7-9: Mount Kailash Kora (3-Day Trek, up to 5,630m)

The spiritual climax of the journey. The 52km circumambulation (kora) around Mount Kailash is one of the world's great pilgrimages.

Day 7 — Darchen → Dira Puk Monastery (20km, ~7-8 hours): Begin from Tarboche (4,675m). Gentle ascent through the Lha Chu Valley with the west face of Kailash in constant view. Stop at Chuku Monastery for tea. Arrive at Dira Puk Monastery facing the magnificent north face of Kailash.

Day 8 — Dira Puk → Zutrul Puk Monastery (18km, ~8-10 hours) — THE HARDEST DAY: Ascend to Drolma La Pass (5,630m), the highest point of the trek and a deeply emotional moment for all pilgrims. The pass is festooned with thousands of prayer flags. Descend past the turquoise Gauri Kund Lake (Lake of Compassion) into the eastern valley. Arrive at Zutrul Puk Monastery, built around the cave where Milarepa meditated.

Day 9 — Zutrul Puk → Darchen (14km, ~4-5 hours): Easy final day following the river back to Darchen. Celebrate completion with your team. Optional hot springs visit near Darchen.

* Porter horses or yaks can be arranged to carry luggage during the trek. You only carry a daypack. If physically unable to complete the Kora, the guide can arrange vehicle pickup at certain access points.

Overnight: Monastery guesthouses (basic) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10: Darchen → Zanda (3,700m, 280km)

Rest day from trekking. Drive to Zanda through the spectacular Zanda Clay Forest — an otherworldly landscape of eroded clay formations sculpted by wind and water over millennia. The golden-and-red geological formations at sunset are a photographer's dream.

Overnight: Zanda guesthouse | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 11: Guge Kingdom Ruins — Full Day Exploration

The Guge Kingdom (10th-17th century) was a flourishing Buddhist civilization in western Tibet, mysteriously abandoned around 1630. Explore the dramatic fortress-palace built into a 300m cliff face. Climb through crumbling corridors to reach the Red Palace and White Palace with their remarkably preserved 11th-century murals — some of the finest surviving Tibetan Buddhist art. Visit the Tholing Monastery (996 AD), founded by the great translator Rinchen Zangpo and one of the earliest Buddhist monasteries in western Tibet.

Overnight: Zanda guesthouse | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 12: Zanda → Saga (450km)

Begin the return journey, retracing the route through the spectacular western Tibetan landscape. Overnight in Saga.

Overnight: Saga guesthouse | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 13: Saga → Shigatse (450km)

Continue eastward to Shigatse. Evening free time.

Overnight: Shigatse 4-star hotel | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 14: Shigatse → Lhasa (270km)

Final drive to Lhasa along the Yarlung Tsangpo River. Afternoon arrival and free time.

Overnight: Lhasa 4-star hotel | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 15: Lhasa — Free Day or Departure

Relax, shop, or depart. Meals: Breakfast

* 18-day option adds 2 acclimatization days in Lhasa at the start and 1 buffer day in Zanda for deeper exploration.

What's Included

• Tibet Travel Permit (TTP) + Alien's Travel Permit + Military Permit
• All accommodations (hotels in cities, guesthouses in remote areas, monastery guesthouses during Kora)
• English-speaking licensed Tibetan guide (experienced in Ngari routes)
• Private 4WD Land Cruiser or similar with experienced driver
• All entrance fees (Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Kumbum, Tashilhunpo, Kailash, Manasarovar, Guge Kingdom, Tholing Monastery)
• All meals during remote sections (Saga onward); Breakfast + Lunch in cities
• Airport/station transfers
• Oxygen bottles (large capacity), first-aid kit, portable altitude chamber (PAC)
• Kailash Kora support: porter horses/yaks for luggage, trekking permits

What's Not Included

• Flights/train tickets to/from Lhasa
• Chinese visa fees
• Travel insurance (mandatory, must cover trekking up to 6,000m and helicopter evacuation)
• Personal trekking gear (boots, sleeping bag, trekking poles — rental available)
• Personal expenses, drinks, tips
• Single room supplement
• Emergency evacuation costs (insurance should cover this)

Pricing (Per Person in USD)

* Prices valid for May-September departures. Kailash Kora porter horse/yak included in price. Customization available for pilgrims who wish to perform specific rituals at Manasarovar and Kailash.

Recommended Gear List

• Sturdy waterproof trekking boots (broken in)
• 4-season sleeping bag (comfort rating -10°C or lower)
• Trekking poles (highly recommended)
• Down jacket, fleece layers, thermal underwear
• Waterproof jacket and pants
• UV protection: sunglasses (category 4), SPF 50+ sunscreen, wide-brim hat
• Headlamp with extra batteries
• Personal first-aid (blister kit, any personal medications)
• Water bottles (insulated) and purification tablets
• Power bank (charging limited at guesthouses)