13-day Best of Tibet Tours & Kailash Adventure

Destinations: Lhasa → Gyantse → Shigatse → Ali
Tour Highlights: Sera Monastery, Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Drepung Monastery, Barkhor Street

Overview: This is a 13-day best trail of Tibet from Lhasa, Gyangtse, Shigatse then to the western Tibet for visiting the sacred Mt.Kailash and holy Lake Manasarovar. There is 3-day's trekking pilgrim around Kailash.

  • Day 1 Arrival in Lhasa

    Welcome to Tibet! Your local guide will meet you upon your arrival in Gonggar airport and will escort you to Lhasa. On the 2-hour drive way, you'll enjoy the heart-stopping views along the Yarlong Tsangpo River. After arrival at your hotel, the rest of the day is free for you to explore the local area and acclimatize yourself to this high altitude city at the top of the world.

  • Day 2 Lhasa
    Meals: B
    Visited: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street,

    The overwhelming Potala Palace is your first stop. As the symbol of Tibet, it was built in 641 AD and was the winter palace of Dalai Lama who is Tibet's pope. Impressive Tibetan architecture, huge golden Buddha statues, red-robed lamas and devoted pilgrims all make it a must-visit.
    In the afternoon, you'll visit the Jokhang Temple, the spiritual center of Tibet. Every day, pilgrims from every corner of Tibet trek here from long distances to worship. Finally, walk the special circular pilgrimage route as local followers always do at Barkhor Street.

  • Day 3 Lhasa
    Meals: B
    Visited: Sera Monastery, Drepung Monastery,

    After breakfast, you are driven to visit Drepung Monastery, once the largest Monastery housing 10,000 monks in its heyday. Your tour ends at Sera Monastery, and the 'Buddhism Scriptures Debating' in Sera is very famous. Enjoy the debate!

  • Day 4 Lhasa/Shigatse
    Meals: B

    After Breakfast, drive to Shigatse; en route, you'll stop to see Yamdrok Lake and Tashilunpo Monastery, have a distance view of Karuola Glacier. Lake Yamdrok is one of the four holy lakes of Tibet and the home of the "wrathful deities". The scenery of turquoise blue water in the lake with the reflection of surrounding snow-capped mountains is awesome.

  • Day 5 Shigatse/Sage
    Meals: B

    Driving from Shigatse to Sage, and enjoy the highland scenery along the journey.

  • Day 6 Saga/Paryang
    Meals: B

    Driving to Paryang from Saga, passing the Tibetan villages and camps of yak herders; (250km, 7-8hours, 4600m high)

  • Day 7 Paryang/Darchen
    Meals: B

    Drive from Paryang to Darchen; En route, visit the Manasarova Lake-which is the one of the holy lake for Tibetans. Darchen is the starting and ending point of Mt.Kailash trekking, the guidewill arrange the needed yak and porters after arrival. Stay overnight at Darchen.

  • Day 8 Darchen/Dira-puk Monastery
    Meals: B

    Starting from Sershong, the first day trekking will cover 20km and take around 6 hours; overnight at Dirapuk guesthouse. Mt.Kailash is being worshipped by four different religions, like Buddhism, Bons, Hindus and Jains, so along the journey you will see many pilgrims chanting and praying.

  • Day 9 Dira-puk Monastery/Dzutul-puk Monastery
    Meals: B

    Today's trek from Dira-puk Monastery to Dzutul-puk Monastery, crossing Drolma-la Pass; which will last 6-7 hours at 15km. This trail will lead us to much higher side of the holy path just beneath the mount Mt.Kalash. The highest point is at Drolma La with 5,200 meters high. A quickly descending to Dzutul-puk Monastery for overnight camp which is a small temple about the talent competition between Great Yogi Milarepa(Buddhist) and Naropa(Bon). Stay overnight at Dzutul-Puk guesthouse.

  • Day 10 Dzutul-puk Monastery/Darchen
    Meals: B

    Trek about 4-5 hours (14km) back to Darchen and our pilgrimage ends. Stay overnight at Darchen.

  • Day 11 Darchen/Saga
    Meals: B

    Drive back to Saga from Darchen

  • Day 12 Saga/Shigatse
    Meals: B

    Drive to Shigatse from Saga

  • Day 13 Shigatse/Lhasa
    Meals: B


    Drive to Lhasa Gonggar Airport from Shigatse(4.5 hours) for flight to your next destination.

Price Includes:

Transportation & Private Transfers:

Transportation cost covers all the domestic airfare of economy class with airport tax, train tickets between the cities as the itinerary specified.


Transfer between airports, railway station, hotels and scenic spots for sightseeing around the cities that are specified by the itinerary with private air conditioned vehicle with driver and English-speaking guide. Separate arrivals and departures will incur extra charges.


Entrance Fees:

All entrance fees to the scenic spots listed in the itinerary. The final arrangement will be determined by private tour guides depends on the real-time local circumstances wheather are beyond the control of Access China Travel. We will adhere to the original itinerary as accurately as possible.


Normal Meals:

All normal meals as the itinerary specified: B = breakfast, L = Lunch, D = dinner in local restaurant. Breakfasts are served in hotel, breakfasts have Chinese or Western style for your option; Lunches are served in carefully selected quality local Chinese restaurants with best service, your lunches will be ordered by your guide catering to your preferences within normal standard. Dinners as the itinerary specified will be also served in local Chinese restaurants. The meal quotation is normalized. If you have any special request about meals, like vegetarian, famous rare dishes, Indian food or more, please inform us in advance. For the unspecified dinners, you will have dinner on your own. Feel free to ask your local guide for suggestions or recommendation.


Private Sightseeing Escort:

Normal sightseeing activities as the itinerary listed will be escorted with English-speaking guide. The English-speaking guide and driver in each city are with you throughout the entire itinerary around that city. They do not fly with you from one city to another.


Hotel Accommodation:

Hotel service criterion: two adults share on one standard twin/double-bed room; solo traveler who want to occupy one twin/double-bed room assigned is required for extra single supplement rate. A single room is available on prior request at an additional cost; if a recommended hotel unavailable, it will be replaced by one of the same class. All hotels as the itinerary listed serve daily western or Chinese breakfast. All rooms are air-conditioned with private facilities unless specified.


Tour Arrangements:

The tour cost includes the planning, handling, booking, operation and communication charges.

Service Charge & Government Taxes

Price Excludes:

International airfare or train tickets for entry or exit China, unless that is noted or required otherwise.

Visa Fees, passport application or renewal fee.

Excess Baggage Charges.
Personal Expenses:
Expenses of a purely personal nature such as excess luggage fees, laundry, drinks, fax, telephone call, optional activities (shows) and meals, beverages...

Meals:
Any meal are not specified in the itinerary with "B", "L" or "D".
Any extra cost caused by the changes of natural disasters, fires, weather, government and local authority orders, politics, strikes, war, riots, quarantine, custom regulations; as well as tourist law violation, accident damages or injury incurred out of Access China Travel control.

Gratuities:
Tips to guides, escort, drivers bellman, etc.