Saga Dawa Festival Tour

Regarding your flight schedule, you'll be transferred to an international airport for your flight to Lhasa for your Kailash - Mansarovar Holy Yatra, one of the most dramatic and scenic short flights in the world. At the Gonggor airport we'll be met by our local Tibetan representatives and assist you to transfer to Lhasa after an hour drive check in hotel and the remainder of today is at leisure to relax and acclimatize at Lhasa. We'll stay in hotel in Lhasa on shared accommodation.

After having breakfast we'll take time to explore the heart of Tibet, the holy and Forbidden City of Lhasa, by now you should already be acclimatized. You will explore Norbulinka Palace, 'beautiful gardens' and the summer palace home for the 7th to the 14th Dalai Lama and visit serene Sera Monastery, enjoy watching wonderful collection of ancient murals and statues as well as scriptures written in gold powder, wonderful scroll paintings, tapestries and Thangkas. Join the medieval bustle of pilgrims, worshippers, performers and traders in and around Jokhang Temple, the most revered religious structure in Tibet and return back to hotel for overnight stay.

Today, we'll explore the heart of Tibet, the holy and Forbidden City Lhasa. You will visit the vast halls and shrines of impressive Potala Palace, former home of the Dalai Lamas and an awe inspiring landmark that dominates the skyline over Lhasa. Then we go to holy Dreprung Monastery, once the largest monastery in the world and now the largest and richest monastery in Tibet, founded in 1416 and a place of study for many of the most learned lamas and enjoy the day and return back to hotel for overnight.

We will begin our overland journey towards the Shigatse, which is the second largest city of Tibet and seat of the Panchen Lama (ranking close to the Dalai Lama). En route we'll visit Tashilumpo monastery, the seat of the Panchen Lama and one of the most important monasteries in Tibet. It lies at the foot of Drolmari, or Tara's Mountain, on the western side of Shigatse. This is one of Tibet's most influential monasteries, founded in 1477 by Gendun Drubpa, the first Dalai Lama. Inside the monastery, the Maitreya Chapel is the tallest building and houses the world's largest brass statue of Buddha at 26.2 meters high, seated on a 3.8 meter high lotus throne made of gold, brass and precious gems. The hotel is quite large and comfortable in Shigatse.

This is a long day trip, an easy 3 hours smooth drive to Lhatse, from here our route diverts from the main Lhasa-Kathmandu highway,we drive continues on the dirt road with interesting views of the rural life hood along the way, crossing few high passes of nearly 5,000m till we make a final stop for the day at Sang-Sang, a growing town. We stay at tented camp for night.

Today, our drive continues on the wild windswept terrain passing through a few villages and farm fields then crossing high several pass with brief stop en-route to stretch our legs and for lunch. Then reaching to the check post near Saga, after a 6 hours drive. After completion of the passport and visa formalities, a half hour’s drive brings us to Saga for the overnight camp. Saga previously a small village few years, is at present a growing town with almost modern amenities.

After breakfast, prepare for the next long drive to Paryang, just an hour leaving Saga campsite the road strolls to the high pass of near 5,000m. The road descends on the large valley, with great views of the snow capped peaks in the distance on the Nepal border side. Our drive continues through some sandy portion just few hours before get in Praying. This is a sleepy village on this windblown region, we overnight at camp here.

Praying to Mount Kailash tour and trek you have to transverse along 270 km distance from Paryang to Manasarovar. This route goes through the very essence of Manasarovar Lake amid extraordinary landscape. As you near this breathtaking sacred lake, historic Chiu Monastery becomes visible on the Northwest shore of the lake. From this vantage point, you can even glimpse at majestic Mount Kailash. This journey stimulates you spiritually.

This is our rest day from the few days of long drives, depending upon the camping site at Lake Mansarovar, usually coming from Paryang we camp on the north-east side of the lake on the grassy field with great views of the Lake and the peak of Gurla Mandata. Today we will take a drive to the east coast of the lake to visit the Chui Gompa and return back to our camp and rest of the time enjoy the scenic beauty in the surrounding area. Stay overnight at Camp.

Two hours drive will bring us to Darchen, a small settlement with few guesthouses. This place can be quite busy with pilgrims during the auspicious time for the Kora (circumambulation). The holy walk leads west from the guest house compound high above the Barkha plain to a cairn and prayer flags, an excellent view of Mt. Kailash. The trail continues across the plain to Shershong, an hour past bridge leading to Chhuku Gompa high on the hill above. The west bank trail leads transversely the screed slopes to our overnight camp near Damding Donkhang that offers a good view of the west face of Mt. Kailash.

The second day of the pilgrimage Trek begins, crossing log bridges as the north face of Kailash comes into view. As you reach the Gompa and guest house at Dirakphuk, you are rewarded with a fine view of the north face of the holy Mt. Kailash, the Kora route climbs onto a moraine, finally meeting the trail from the east bank. Then the trail climbs gradually to a meadow for the overnight camp.

Today, the trail leads up past piles of clothing, the local Tibetan pilgrims leave an article of clothing or some of their possessions leaving their past life behind them, the Kora continues past thousands of small rock cairns beyond to a stone hut and across a boulder field and up to the high pass of Dolma la (5, 470m). A big boulder represents the goddess Dolma (Tara) is festooned with prayer flags. This spot is the physical and spiritual high point of the pilgrimage Kora. The track from here descends to the plain below, a few hours walk brings you to the overnight camp at Zutul-Puk Gompa (cave). The place is named after a cave in which the poet, saint Milerepa stayed, meditating. Still we can see his footprints remaining on the roof.

This is last day of our holy walk 'Kora' and leads to a stream of Kailash, then contour up as the river descends towards the plain. The last leg of the trek make a dramatic exit from the river valley on to the plain then passes to a Mani wall decorated with carved yak skulls. A short walk brings you to the windswept little township of Darchen for the celebration after completing the most anticipated highlight of the trip. Then a short drive will lead us to our overnight camp at Lake Mansarovar or near the base of Mayum-la.

Today, after breakfast we'll leave Lake Mansarovar today and drive 300 km drive crossing Mayum-la and several rivers to Paryang, a beautiful small Tibetan village, where we'll camp overnight. The scenery along this section is some of the most beautiful of the entire journey, and a distant storm drifting in back of Tibetans, horses & sheep is a surreal sight.

After having breakfast, we’ll leave Paryang and continue our journey remaining beautiful landscape and people activities which takes us back to Saga, where we'll camp overnight stay.

We take a ferry at Yarlung Tsangpo (Bhramaputra River). On reaching the river bank we board on the barge with the vehicle to get across the other side of the river bank. From this point the drive takes on the valley and through the passes till we reach near the lake Paigutsho, where we stay overnight at a camp nearby a lake.

Today, enjoy the scenic drive through the beautiful countryside of Tibet with excellent panoramic views (weather permitting) of Mt Cho-Yu (8,201m) and Mt Shishapagma (8,012m) from the Lalung La pass, at 5,050m. We’ll spend tonight at our tented camp at Nyalam.

This is our last trip day in Tibet, we’ll drive down the Tibetan Plateau first to the Chinese border town of Zhangmu and then to the Nepalese border town of Tatopani for the necessary border formalities before entering back into Nepal across the border at Kodari. After completing the re-entry formalities you continue the drive to Kathmandu which, depending on road and weather conditions, should take about 5-6 hours.

Today is free or last minute shopping for souvenirs or gift to your family, friends or relatives for you until your departure flight/drive or to commence any extra trips or activities you may have booked with us. If departing, you'll be transferred to the International Airport for your departure flight to your onwards destination. We wish you a wonderful Himalayan adventure with us!