15-Day Everest and Mount Kailash Pilgrimage Tour
Lhasa · Lhasa · Lhasa · Shigatse · Everest Base Camp · Saga · Lake Manasarovar · Darchen · Dirapuk · Zutulpuk · Saga · Shigatse · Lhasa · Lhasa · Lhasa
This is the journey of a lifetime for the committed traveler: a two-week passage across the Tibetan plateau that combines the north face of Everest with the sacred summit of Mount Kailash, the most revered mountain in Asia. Pilgrims of several faiths walk the 52km kora around Kailash, crossing the Drolma La pass at 5,630m, the high point of the trip and of most travelers' lives.
The itinerary builds carefully. You acclimatize in Lhasa, tour the cultural heartland and Everest, then drive the long, remote road west via Saga to holy Lake Manasarovar and the trailhead at Darchen. The three-day kora is done on foot, with the option of a supporting horse or porter for your pack, before the long return to Lhasa. This is a demanding, high, and deeply rewarding trip best suited to fit, well-prepared travelers.
Foreign visitors must hold a Tibet Travel Permit plus additional permits for the far western Ngari region, and must travel with a licensed agency and guide, all of which we arrange. We run this as a small group on set dates or as a fully private departure.
Trip Highlights
- ◆Walk the sacred 52km kora around Mount Kailash over three days
- ◆Cross the Drolma La pass (5,630m), the spiritual high point of the trek
- ◆Stay beside holy Lake Manasarovar (4,590m)
- ◆See the north face of Everest from Rongbuk (around 5,150m) en route
- ◆Journey the remote western plateau via Saga, rarely seen by visitors
- ◆Full Lhasa cultural program with careful acclimatization throughout
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Arrive in Lhasa
Met on arrival and transferred to your hotel. Rest and acclimatize at 3,656m. This trip goes very high later, so a calm, well-hydrated start matters.
Meals: None·Overnight: Lhasa
Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple
Morning at the Potala Palace, afternoon at the Jokhang Temple and the Barkhor pilgrim circuit.
Meals: Breakfast·Overnight: Lhasa
Drepung and Sera Monasteries
Drepung Monastery in the morning and Sera Monastery in the afternoon. A final acclimatization day in Lhasa before heading west.
Meals: Breakfast·Overnight: Lhasa
Lhasa to Shigatse via Yamdrok Lake and Gyantse
Cross the Gampa La (4,790m) for the Yamdrok Lake overlook, pass the Karola Glacier, and visit the Kumbum in Gyantse before reaching Shigatse.
Meals: Breakfast·Overnight: Shigatse
Shigatse to Everest Base Camp via Gawu La
Tour Tashilhunpo Monastery, then drive south over the Gawu La (5,198m) to the Rongbuk valley for sunset on Everest's north face (around 5,150m). Overnight in the area.
Meals: Breakfast·Overnight: Rongbuk / Everest Base Camp area
Everest to Saga
Sunrise on Everest, then a long drive west along the southern plateau road to the frontier town of Saga, your staging post for the far west. Big, empty, beautiful country all the way.
Meals: Breakfast·Overnight: Saga
Saga to Lake Manasarovar
Continue west across the high plains, with distant views of Mount Naimona'nyi (Gurla Mandhata). Arrive at holy Lake Manasarovar (4,590m), one of the most sacred lakes in Asia. Time at the lakeshore and your first sight of Mount Kailash beyond. Overnight near the lake.
Meals: Breakfast·Overnight: Lake Manasarovar
Manasarovar to Darchen, kora preparation
Short drive to Darchen (4,575m), the small town at the foot of Kailash that serves as the trailhead for the kora. Afternoon to rest, organize, and arrange an optional pack horse or porter before the trek begins.
Meals: Breakfast·Overnight: Darchen
Kora day 1: Darchen to Dirapuk
The first day of the kora. Walk from Darchen up the Lha Chu valley beneath the dramatic west face of Kailash to the monastery and guesthouses at Dirapuk (around 4,900m), with the great north face rising directly above. Roughly 20km on foot. Overnight in a basic guesthouse.
Meals: Breakfast·Overnight: Dirapuk
Kora day 2: Dirapuk to Zutulpuk over Drolma La
The hardest and highest day. Climb steadily to the Drolma La pass at 5,630m, draped in prayer flags, then make a long descent past Gauri Kund to the valley and the guesthouses at Zutulpuk (around 4,790m). Around 22km. A demanding but profoundly moving day. Overnight in a basic guesthouse.
Meals: Breakfast·Overnight: Zutulpuk
Kora day 3: Zutulpuk to Darchen, drive to Saga
A shorter final walk out of the valley to the road, completing the circuit, where your vehicle meets you. Drive back east to Saga for the night.
Meals: Breakfast·Overnight: Saga
Saga to Shigatse
Long drive back east across the plateau to Shigatse, returning to lower altitude and more comfortable accommodation.
Meals: Breakfast·Overnight: Shigatse
Shigatse to Lhasa
Drive back to Lhasa along the Friendship Highway. Arrive in the afternoon with time to rest after the long western loop.
Meals: Breakfast·Overnight: Lhasa
Lhasa at leisure
A free day in Lhasa to revisit favorite sights, shop around the Barkhor, or simply rest. Optional guided visits can be arranged.
Meals: Breakfast·Overnight: Lhasa
Departure
After breakfast, transfer to the airport or railway station for your onward journey.
Meals: Breakfast·Overnight: None
What's Included
- ✓Tibet Travel Permit, Everest permits, and the additional Ngari (Ali) permits for western Tibet
- ✓Licensed English-speaking Tibetan guide
- ✓Private vehicle with experienced driver for all driving sections
- ✓14 nights accommodation (hotels in Lhasa and Shigatse, guesthouses elsewhere and on the kora), twin-share
- ✓Daily breakfast
- ✓All entrance tickets listed, including the Everest reserve fee, Manasarovar, and Kailash area fees
- ✓Eco bus fare at Everest
- ✓Airport or train station transfers
- ✓Oxygen available on the vehicle
- ✓24/7 support during your trip and no hidden fees
Not Included
- —China entry visa
- —Flights or train tickets to and from Lhasa
- —Lunches and dinners
- —Optional pack horse, yak, or porter on the Kailash kora
- —Travel insurance (mandatory for this trip; must cover high-altitude trekking)
- —Tips for guide and driver
- —Personal expenses and trekking gear
Accommodation
Hand-picked hotels in Lhasa and Shigatse; elsewhere along the western road and on the kora, accommodation is in basic guesthouses with shared facilities, minimal heating, and no reliable hot water. This is expected on the Kailash route and part of the pilgrimage experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quite fit. The kora is three days on foot at very high altitude, with the Drolma La at 5,630m on the hardest day. You should be in good health, comfortable with long days of walking, and well acclimatized, which our itinerary builds toward. A pack horse or porter can carry your gear.
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