Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar Tour (Overland tour from Kathmandu): 15 Days
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Day 1 Arrival in Kathmandu
Today marks your arrival at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport. Before escorting you to the hotel, our office staff will meet and greet you at the airport. We will collect your passport along with any other paperwork needed for the Chinese visa application. Evening, you are free on your own. -
Day 2 Tibet visa submission and Sightseeing tour of Pashupatinath temple
Morning: Today, we will apply for the Tibet group visa. The visa process begins at 9:30 a.m., local time. Today, we'll have to wait in the hotel till the visa process is completed. If the visa center (VFS) has any questions or concerns about the documents or information you supplied on the visa form, they may request your presence in their office at any time.
Afternoon: You will travel to Pashupati for Rudra Paath by Brahman priests, Panchayatan, Navagraha Havana, and Mrityunjaya Havan. Following this, you will observe the evening Arati at Pashupatinath Temple.
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Day 3 Sightseeing tour within Kathmandu (Baudhanath Stupa, Sleeping Vishnu and Monkey temple)
Visit the Jal Narayan temple and the Baudhanath temple (stupa) in the morning. Following lunch at the hotel, you will visit the monkey temple after midday.
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Day 4 Sightseeing tour within Kathmandu (Visit of Doleshwor Mahadev temple in Bhaktapur)
Sightseeing tour of Deoleshor Mahadev temple. The temple is situated aabout 7 km away from the main city of Kathmandu. The history of this temple is related to the Kedarnath temple in India. This is a structure having spiritual significance. This temple, among others, is worshiped as Lord Kedarnath's head. According to mythology, the deity's head landed here while his body traveled from Kedarnath in India. People in the forest venerate a massive boulder that they believe to be symbolic of Lord Kedarnath. According to the Doleshwar Mahadev Legend, the Pandav brothers went to the Himalayas after the Mahabharata battle to beseech Lord Shiva to forgive them for murdering so many people. Lord Shiva was unwilling to pardon them, so he changed himself into a bull. Pandavas grasped the bull's tail, knowing Lord Shiva was disguised as a bull and on his way to escape. The bull's head had flown away from its body at this point. People have been searching for the head ever since, believing that the rest of the corpse is somewhere around Kedarnath, Uttarakhand, India. It is currently believed that the head separated from the bull's body fell near Bhaktapur, where the Doleshwor Mahadev temple today stands.
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Day 5 Drive, Kathmandu to Timure Village (Nepal-China border town)
After breakfast, you will travel from Kathmandu to TIMURE village (the border town on the Nepal side). Timure village is a small community located around 1 kilometer within Nepal from the Friendship Bridge. The distance between Kathmandu and Timure village is around 159 kilometers, and the journey takes approximately 7 hours.
The highway to Nepal's China border is narrow and rugged, and small land slides occur frequently during the monsoon season. Due to the severe road conditions and rugged terrain, comfortable tourist vehicles cannot travel between Kathmandu and the Nepal-China border. As a result, we employ municipal buses for transportation on this route.
Overnight stay at a guesthouse in Timure Village.
● Kathmandu to Shyabrubeshi: 159 km/8 hours drive, approximately.
● Elevation of Timure: 1450 m/4,756 fts.
● Expected temperature: daytime: 18°C to 25°C, nighttime: 4°C to 6°C
● Climatic condition: Generally cloudy & rainy -
Day 6 Cross the border then drive to Kyirong town (23 km deep in China side)
After breakfast in the morning, you will walk from Timure village to the Kyirong Gadhi. The word "Gadhi" means Fortress, and the term "Kyirong" alludes to the place. Timure village in Nepal is about a kilometer away from the "Kyirong Gadhi," or the Friendship Bridge. You will drive to Kyirong town (China side) once the immigration processes on both the Chinese and Nepali sides are completed. The distance of approximately 26 kilometers, or Friendship Bridge to Kyirong Town, may be covered in one hour by car. Spend the night in Kyirong town.
● Timure to Friendship bridge: 1 Km, 45 minutes (approx.)
● Border to Kyirong Valley: 23 km, 1 hour
● Elevation of Kyirong: 2600 m/8528 ft. -
Day 7 Drive, Kyirong to Saga
We will leave for Saga early this morning. Saga is a small village on the Tibetan Plateau with a height of 4500 meters. It is located on the banks of the holy river Bramhaputra, which originates in the Kailash area. From Kailash, the river travels eastward to Lhasa before dropping down to the Asam plain, passing through the enormous Namch Barwa region of Tibet and Arunchal Pradesh. We'll be crossing numerous high passes on our way to Saga. Today we will spend the night in Saga.
● Kyirong to Saga: 180 Km/4 Hrs Drive Approx.
● Elevation of Saga: 4,640M/15,223Ft -
Day 8 Drive, Saga to Lake Manasarovar (drive around the from clockwise direction)
Today is perhaps the most anticipated day of our lives. As usual, after breakfast, we will embark from Saga for Lake Manasarovar. From Saga, we will drive west into the high and parched Tibetan plateau. On the route, we'll stop briefly at the Mayum-La checkpoint, where the Chinese army will inspect our travel documents and other relevant licenses. After crossing the checkpoint, we'll stop for a picnic lunch either along the riverbank or on grassland. We then continue driving to Lake Manasarovar, crossing over a high mountain (Mayum-La: 5220 m).
When we reach Lake Manasarovar (east side), we will stop again at a local environmental checkpoint. After completing certain checks and formalities, we will circle the lake clockwise and drive to Chiu Gompa (Monastery). The Chiu Gompa (monastery) is situated on the western bank of Lake Mansarovar. The drive from the environmental checkpoint to the Chiu Gompa (monastery) takes around one and a half hours.
● Saga to Lake Manasarovar: 508 km (7 hours) drive approximately.
● Elevation of Lake Manasarovar: 4600 m (15,088 Fts)
● Expected temperature: daytime: 22°C to 32°C; night time: -3°C to -4°C
● Climatic condition: Windy -
Day 9 Drive from Lake Mansarovar to Darchen (town situated foothill of mount Kailash)
We will pray, take a holy bath, and carry out other religious rites in the morning. After lunch at Lake Manasarovar, we will depart for Darchen in the afternoon. Darchen is 37 kilometers away, and a 45-minute journey will get us there.
● Lake Manasarovar to Darchen: 37 Km/ 1hr approx.
● Elevation of Darchen: 4690 m/15,010Fts
● Expected temperature: Day time: 22°C to 32°C; night time: -3°C to -4°C
● Climatic condition: Windy -
Day 10 First day's trek around Mount Kailash (Drive to Tarboche then trek to Deraphuk)
We will drive from Darchen to Tarboche (Yam Dwar) in the morning after breakfast. It takes roughly twenty minutes to get there by car. Beautiful views of Mount Kailash's west and south slopes, as well as the surrounding area, are visible. Tarboche is a gathering place for local porters, yaks, and horses. If you have scheduled a local porter or horse, they will meet you here and escort you to your next destination.
Tarboche is the beginning point for the circumambulation of Mount Kailash. Your goal today is Deraphuk (the north face of Mount Kailash). Deraphuk has a height of 5080 meters (16,663 ft). You have two options for getting to Deraphuk: walk or ride a horse. The Chinese government has deemed vehicular transportation illegal. You must schedule and pay for your horse transportation in Darchen with your Tibetan guide one day in advance. Those who want to travel to Deraphuk can take a porter.
The distance to Kailash's north face is only three kilometers from your guesthouse in Deraphuk. The only place to see the North Face up close is here.
NOTE:
Those who are participating in the trekking portion will proceed to Deraphuk from Yama Dwar. The rest of the members who are not traveling to Deraphuk will return to Darchen by bus and stay for three days. Those staying in Darchen must wait for their group members to return from their Parikrama journey.● Overnight: Guest house, dormitory bedroom with common toilet
● Yama Dwar to Dhirapuk: 13 km/05 to 06 hrs trek
● Elevation of Deraphuk: 4920 m/16,138Fts
● Expected temperature: Day time: 12°C to 18°C, Night time: -05°C to -08°C
● Climatic condition: Windy, partly cloudy & rainy -
Day 11 Second day's trek around Mount Kailash (start trekking from Deraphuk to Zutulphuk)
Today is the longest and most difficult day of our trip. We must go 22 kilometers in total to reach Zutulphuk. The journey from Deraphuk to Dolma la (5650 m) is straight upwards across a tough and rugged topography. It takes five hours to drive the approximately six kilometers from Deraphuk to Dolma La.
If you descend around 400 meters from Dolm La, you may see a little frozen lake on the right, about 140 meters off the main route. This is Gaurikunda Lake. The path then descends to the valley's bottom, where a Tibetan tea shop is located. The three-kilometer route between Dolma La and the local tea shop on the valley bottom requires considerable caution because this portion of the trail is regularly covered in ice and scree.
Although the terrain is quite flat, it will take you an extra 13 kilometers from the small tea shop to Zutulphuk. This part of the voyage will take roughly four more hours to complete.
● Overnight Norpel Guesthouse or Monastery Guesthouse (Mud house)–dormitory
● Dhiraphuk to Zutulphuk: 22 km (08-09 hrs trek)
● The highest point to cross over: Dolma-La pass (5650 m/ 18,532 fts)
● Elevation of Zutulphuk: 4830 m/ 15,845 fts
● Expected temperature: Day Time: 14°C to 22°C, Night Time: -3°C to -5°C
● Average climatic condition: Windy -
Day 12 Third day's trek around Mount Kailash (End trek in Zongdao, drive to Darchen then onward journey to Saga)
Today marks the final day of this magnificent circumambulation. After breakfast, we pack our gear and head to Darchen. The trek from Zutulphuk to the final point (Zongdou) is approximately 7 kilometers long and takes around 3 to 4 hours to complete. All members congregate at the end point and drive back to Darchen, which takes about 20 minutes. The final stretch from Zongdau (the end point) to Darchen is around 4 kilometers. After reuniting with the members who were left behind in Darchen, we will travel to Saga.
The approximate distance between Darchen and Saga is 510 kilometers, which takes about 8 hours to drive. We shall arrive at Saga late in the evening.
● Zutulphuk to trek ending point: 07 km/ 3 hrs
● Darchen to Saga: 510 km / 9 hrs approx. -
Day 13 Drive back to Kyirong town - Cross the border and stay overnight in Nepal side
We pack up our things in the morning after breakfast and head toward Kyirong Bridge. We have to drive 180 km today, which takes around 4 hours, to get to Kyirong Bridge. We will walk to Timure after completing the immigration procedures on both the Chinese and Nepalese sides, and then check into the hotel.
●Saga to Kyirong bridge - 180 km / 4 hours drive approximately.
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Day 14 Early morning, drive back to Kathmandu
Following breakfast in the morning, you will head towards Kathmandu. Returning to Kathmandu takes roughly seven hours. The road is small and winds across a challenging terrain. You will get to Kathmandu in the evening.
●Timure to Kathmandu: 180 km
●Duration: 7 to 8 hours drive. -
Day 15 Departure from Kathmandu
Our office personnel will transport you to the international airport for your travel back home. According to international flight rules, you must report to the airport counter three hours before your flight's departure time.
