Nepal17 days
Tibet: Lhasa, Kailash Kora & Everest Base Camp — 17 Days
Kathmandu to Lhasa via Mount Kailash, Lake Manasarovar, and the northern Everest Base Camp — 17 days across central and western Tibet
This 17-day circuit moves from Kathmandu across the Tibetan Plateau through some of the most geographically and spiritually significant terrain in the Himalayas. The route covers three distinct regions of Tibet: the northern approach to Everest Base Camp at 5,250 meters, the Manasarovar–Kailash corridor in western Tibet, and the historically layered cities of Shigatse, Gyantse, and Lhasa on the return leg. The Mount Kailash section occupies three days of trekking — the full outer Kora (parikrama) — crossing the Dolma La pass at 5,613 meters. This circuit holds deep significance across four religious traditions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Bön. Lake Manasarovar, at 4,558 meters, is the world's highest freshwater lake of significant size and sits directly south of Kailash; both are visited twice during the itinerary, once on approach and once on return. The driving portions follow well-paved roads across the plateau, passing through Tingri with its first sightline of Everest's north face, and along the Brahmaputra River valley between Saga and Shigatse. Cultural stops include Rongbuk Monastery — the highest monastery in the world — Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse (founded 1447), the Kubum Stupa in Gyantse, and, in Lhasa, the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, Norbulingka Palace, and Barkhor Street. Yamdrok Lake and the Karola Glacier at 5,560 meters are passed en route from Gyantse to Lhasa. The itinerary is designed to allow incremental acclimatization before the Kailash Kora, and the pace of driving days builds in rest stops at altitude. The tour departs Kathmandu overland via the Rasuwagadhi border crossing and can return by either a scenic Himalayan flight or overland road.
Highlights
- Three-day Mount Kailash outer Kora (parikrama), crossing Dolma La pass at 5,613 m
- Northern Everest Base Camp at 5,250 m, with access via Rongbuk — the world's highest monastery at 4,920 m
- Lake Manasarovar at 4,558 m — the world's highest significant freshwater lake, with views of Kailash and Gurla Mandhata
- Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, founded in 1447 by the First Dalai Lama
- Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, Norbulingka Palace, and Barkhor Street in Lhasa
- Yamdrok Lake — one of Tibet's four sacred lakes — and the Karola Glacier at 5,560 m, passed between Gyantse and Lhasa
- Kubum Stupa in Gyantse: a 35-meter-high chorten representing one of Tibet's most significant architectural landmarks
- Shishapangma and Everest views from Tingri and multiple high passes along the Friendship Highway
- Sakya Monastery visit — seat of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism
- Chui Gompa near Lake Manasarovar, and the Milarepa cave near the Zuthulpuk area
- Himalayan flight or overland return option from Lhasa to Kathmandu
Day by day
1Kathmandu to Kyirong via Rasuwagadhi Border Crossing (150 km)Kathmandu · Kyirong · Nepalese highway network · Rasuwagadhi–Gyirong border · Friendship Bridge
The journey begins with an early departure from Kathmandu, driving north through the Nepalese highway network toward the Rasuwagadhi–Gyirong border at the Nepal–Tibet frontier. At the border, travelers cross the Friendship Bridge on foot — a walk of roughly 10 minutes — where the Tibetan guide and local drivers take over. Immigration and customs formalities are completed at this crossing before the route continues 35 kilometers into Tibet on a winding ascent to Kyirong at 3,750 meters, a drive of approximately three hours through mountain scenery. The night is spent at a guesthouse in Kyirong, the first stop on the Tibetan Plateau.
2Kyirong to Tingri: First Views of Everest (217 km)Kyirong to Tingri · Tingri
The drive from Kyirong to Tingri (4,330 m) covers 217 kilometers across the wide, open terrain of the Tibetan Plateau, typically taking four to five hours. The route passes through desert plains with Shishapangma's Himalayan massif visible to the south. Tingri offers the first clear sightline of Everest's north face — the characteristic black pyramid rising above the plateau horizon. Overnight at a guesthouse in Tingri.
3Tingri to Rongbuk: World's Highest Monastery (130 km)Tingri to Rongbuk · Rongbuk Monastery
The 130-kilometer drive from Tingri reaches Rongbuk at 4,920 meters, site of the highest monastery in the world. The valley leading toward Everest opens up here, with direct views of both Everest and Cho Oyu visible from the guesthouse. The afternoon includes a visit to Rongbuk Monastery before an early rest period for acclimatization at altitude.
4Everest Base Camp (5,250 m) and Sakya MonasterySakya Monastery · Everest's northern Base Camp · Rongbuk to Sakya
An early excursion covers the 8 kilometers from Rongbuk to Everest's northern Base Camp at 5,250 meters, with a short walk and time to look around the camp area. The afternoon involves driving back east to Sakya for an overnight stay, with a visit to Sakya Monastery — the historic center of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism.
5Sakya to Saga: Gateway to the Kailash Region (346 km)Sakya to Saga · Saga
A long driving day of 346 kilometers, approximately seven hours, crosses into the Kailash region and arrives at Saga (4,640 m) on the banks of the Brahmaputra River. Saga serves as the main access point for both the Manasarovar–Kailash corridor and the Guge Kingdom further west. The day is given over largely to the drive, with the evening at a guesthouse in Saga.
6Saga to Lake Manasarovar: First View of Kailash (277 km)Saga to Lake Manasarovar · Lake Manasarovar · mud-brick guesthouse on the lake's edge
The drive to Lake Manasarovar (4,558 m) covers 277 kilometers in four to five hours, arriving in the late afternoon when the first views of Mount Kailash and the lake typically emerge. Manasarovar is the world's highest major freshwater lake — a broad expanse of turquoise water at 14,950 feet, home to fish and migratory birds including swans. The surrounding landscape also takes in Mount Gurla Mandhata and the adjacent Rakshastal Lake. A circuit of the lake by vehicle is included. The small village of Hor sits near the lakeshore. The region around Manasarovar is noted for hot springs and wildlife, and is considered sacred in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions. Overnight is in a mud-brick guesthouse on the lake's edge.
7Manasarovar Morning and Drive to Tarchen: Kailash Kora Base (40 km)Manasarovar · Tarchen · Chui Gompa · Manasarovar to Tarchen
The morning at Manasarovar allows time for a lakeside walk and further exploration. If schedule permits, a stop at Chui Gompa — a monastery situated near the lake — is included. The group then drives 40 kilometers north to Tarchen (Darchen) at 4,575 meters, the staging point for the three-day Kailash outer Kora. During major pilgrimage periods, Tarchen fills with tents from Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Bön practitioners converging for the circuit. Overnight at a guesthouse in Tarchen.
8Tarchen to Dirapuk: Start of the Kailash Kora (7 km trek)Dirapuk · Tarboche valley · Tarboche to Dirapuk
The first day of the Kailash parikrama begins with a short drive to Tarboche valley — the ceremonial starting point of the outer Kora, also referred to as the outer Ashtapad. The 7-kilometer trek from Tarboche to Dirapuk (4,909 m) follows a trail alongside rocky cliffs and past waterfalls, with the north face of Kailash appearing intermittently throughout the walk. Despite the relatively short distance, the trail takes five to six hours at altitude and serves as an important acclimatization day before the Dolma La crossing. Overnight is in a mud-brick guesthouse at Dirapuk.
9Dirapuk to Zuthulpuk: Crossing Dolma La Pass at 5,613 m (18 km trek)Zuthulpuk · Dolma La pass · Dirapuk to Dolma La pass · Dolma La pass to Zuthulpuk
The longest and most demanding day of the Kailash Kora takes nine to ten hours, ascending from Dirapuk to the Dolma La pass at 5,613 meters before descending to Zuthulpuk at 4,760 meters. Dolma La is considered the spiritual high point of the circuit and is marked with prayer flags and offering sites. The descent passes Parvati Kund (Parvati Stal) and Gauri Kunda before reaching the valley floor. Overnight at a mud-brick guesthouse in Zuthulpuk.
10Zuthulpuk to Manasarovar via Darchen: Completing the Kora (10 km trek)Zuthulpuk area · Lake Manasarovar · Zuthulpuk to Darchen
The final section of the Kora covers approximately 10 kilometers on relatively flat terrain to Darchen, with time in the morning to look around the cave temples and shrines in the Zuthulpuk area, including the Milarepa cave. The walking portion of three hours concludes at Darchen, from where the group transfers by vehicle to the shore of Lake Manasarovar for the overnight stay.
11Manasarovar to Saga: Final Views of KailashManasarovar to Saga · Saga · Lake Manasarovar · Mount Kailash
The morning offers a last view of both Lake Manasarovar and the profile of Mount Kailash before the group retraces the driving route east to Saga, following the same road used on the approach. Overnight at a guesthouse in Saga.
12Saga to Shigatse Along the Brahmaputra Valley (447 km)Saga to Shigatse · Shigatse
A 447-kilometer drive east along the Brahmaputra River valley, passing through Lhatse and continuing to Shigatse (3,900 m) — Tibet's second-largest city. The road follows the river through open valleys, farmland, and occasional lakes. Overnight at a hotel in Shigatse.
13Shigatse to Gyantse: Tashilhunpo Monastery and the Kubum Stupa (94 km)Shigatse to Gyantse · Gyantse · Tashilhunpo Monastery · Palcho Monastery
The morning is spent at Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, founded in 1447 by the First Dalai Lama and one of the largest functioning monastic institutions in Tibet. The 94-kilometer drive to Gyantse (4,025 m) follows in the afternoon, where a visit to Palcho Monastery includes the Kubum Stupa — a 35-meter-high chorten whose white tiers are divided by decorative bands and contain numerous chapels across multiple floors. Overnight at a hotel in Gyantse.
14Gyantse to Lhasa via Yamdrok Lake and Karola Glacier (264 km)Lhasa · Yamdrok Lake · Karola Glacier
The 264-kilometer drive from Gyantse to Lhasa passes Yamdrok Lake — one of Tibet's four sacred lakes, a broad blue expanse at high altitude — and the Karola Glacier at 5,560 meters, which descends visibly close to the roadside. The route arrives in Lhasa (3,650 m) in the late afternoon for a hotel check-in.
15Lhasa: Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, and Norbulingka PalaceDrepung Monastery · Sera Monastery · Norbulingka Palace
The first full day of sightseeing in Lhasa opens at Drepung Monastery, which at its 17th-century peak housed four colleges and around 10,000 monks, making it one of Tibet's largest monastic institutions. The complex sits on a hillside against the backdrop of Mount Gambo Utse, with views over central Lhasa from the upper buildings. The next stop is Sera Monastery, historically associated with its Dob-Dob warrior monks and still active as a debating monastery. The afternoon visit is to Norbulingka Palace — the former summer residence of the Dalai Lamas — a walled complex containing multiple palaces, chapels, and garden pavilions.
16Lhasa: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, and Barkhor StreetPotala Palace · Jokhang Temple · Barkhor Street
The second full day in Lhasa begins at the Potala Palace, the most architecturally prominent structure in Tibet — a 13-story complex of red and white buildings rising from Marpori Hill. Originally the seat of both religious and civil government, its interior includes assembly halls, private chapels, the tombs of former Dalai Lamas, and extensive collections of thangkas, statues, and manuscripts. The afternoon visit is to Jokhang Temple in the old quarter of Lhasa, the most sacred Buddhist temple in Tibet and a focal point for pilgrims from across the plateau. The temple's interior holds butter lamp shrines and receives a constant circuit of worshippers. Adjacent to Jokhang, Barkhor Street forms the main outer circumambulation route around the temple — a bustling lane of market stalls, incense, and prayer-wheel stations where pilgrims and traders share the same narrow path.
17Lhasa Departure: Gongar Airport or Overland ReturnLhasa · Lhasa Gongar Airport · Lhasa to Kathmandu
Transfer to Lhasa Gongar Airport for onward flights to Kathmandu or to mainland China. An alternative departure is by train from Lhasa to mainland China. A third option is an overland return drive to Kathmandu, retracing part of the inbound route.
Where you go
- 1Kathmandu
Included
- Private transportation for the entire tour
- Tibet travel permit and group visa
- Accommodation in Tibet and Kailash on twin-sharing and group-sharing hotel/ guest houses
- Breakfast in Tibet (Shigatse, Gyantse, Lhasa, and EBC part)
- An English-speaking Tibetan guide
- Entrance fees for Manasarovar
- Sightseeing in major monuments and their entrance fees
- Yaks or helpers to carry goods during the Kailash parikrama
- Emergency evacuation arrangement
- Service charge and government taxes
Not included
- Lunch and Dinner in Tibet part (Shigatse, Gyantse, Lhasa, and EBC part)
- All the foods (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner) in the Kailash part
- Personal horse and helper during Kailash parikrama
- Personal equipment, Insurance, Medical expenses
- Cost of emergency evacuation