Kailash Spiritual Tour – 10 Days

Day 1: Kathmandu (1400m) – Kerung (2200 m)(145) km

We enjoy an early morning drive through typical Nepalese rural landscapes (Approx. 8 hours) from Kathmandu to Kerung (145 km). After completing immigration and customs formalities we drive uphill to Kerung. This is a Tibetan border town. The Tibetan guide will meet the group on arrival at the check post and we drive on further road climbs and climb up to Kerung for an overnight. We spend a night in guest houses.

Day 2: Kerung (2200 m)

This is a day for rest & acclimatization to get us used to the higher altitudes to come.

Day 3: Kerung – Saga (4600m)

As We Head away from Kerung, we drive further across Lalung La (5200m) through a perfect merging of breathtaking views, passes through a huge turquoise lake, the Peiku-Tso with spectacular views of Shishapangma (8027m) as the backdrop, the trail follows a route that brushes past the Brahmaputra River. Further ahead, a river valley sprawls over and then traditional chocolate box villages come into a picture frame. This scenically rewarding drive provides plenty of opportunities to get your video cameras into action. From then on, the trail winds towards the northern route. On covering 295km, you reach an elevation of 4600 meters. As soon as you find a suitable campsite in Saga, we will set up camp for the approaching night or stay in a hotel/guest house.

Day 4: Saga – Manasarovar – (4560m) 560km– 7 hours drive

Today is the most auspicious day for all of us as we will see the first glimpse of holy Mt.Kailash and sacred Lake Mansarovar. A lifetime achievement: here we will perform a holy dip, Relax and explore the Mansarovar area. Overnight in a tent/camp or Guesthouse

Day 5: Manasarovar – Darchen (4560m) 30km 

The highest freshwater lake of turquoise color is full of fish and swans. Holy Kailash Parbat, Mt. Gurula-Mandata, & Lake Rishikesh can be found in their surroundings. The region is considered rich in gold and other mines, hot springs, and hundreds of wild living fauna. We explore Lake Mansarovar during the day & then drive down to Darchen which is a one-hour drive. We then spend our night at Chu Gumba.

Day 6: Darchen – Dirapuk (4900m)

Early in the morning after breakfast, our trek begins; you meet your team of yaks and Tibetan yak drivers who will escort you around for the kora. Further ahead from Darchen, you have to trek past verdant meadows and picturesque streams to Lha Chu Valley. The trail overlooks the Turquoise River cascading over a narrow canyon with high cliffs. En route, the north face of Kailash comes into vision. The trail will approach the 13th-century monastery of Dira-Puk. Visiting this monastery is said to be a kind of blessing experience gifted in your Mount Kailash tour and trek. Finally, you will conclude the trek of the day by camping at Dira-Puk / resting in a guest house.

Day 7: Dirapuk – Zutulpuk – (4790m) 22km - 10 hours

Lha Chu Valley is a passing vista as you approach Drolma Chu Valley. Looking forward to the fantastic Mount Kailash tour and trek, you ascend to Drolma La (5630m), the highest point of the trip. But soon after sighting breathtaking views of Thukpe Dzingbu Lake, known as the Lake of Compassion at the summit, you realize that this imposing and challenging ascent has indeed been very worthwhile and profitable. Several prayer flags can be seen at the summit. Further on, the trail descends to the flat fields of Zutul-Puk which houses a monastery and several fascinating caves. The caves at this locale are most popular for meditation; Milarepa’s cave is one of them with Milarepa’s footprints and elbow prints believed to be imprinted all over this cave mani stones. As we continue our Parikrama, we camp at Zutul-Puk for the night & this is pretty exciting, adventurous, and pleasurable.

Day 8: Zutulpuk - Darchen - Saga

Our pilgrimage trek concludes at Darchen and we drive to Saga for our overnight camp/guest house. We feel spiritually satisfied after going to the religious rites during our parikrama & there is a deep sense of gratification as we wearily go to bed after a hard day.

Day 9: Saga – Kerung

You cross the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra River) by ferry, & continue driving 250 km to Kerung. Soon after leaving Saga the road opens into a wide flat flowing plain and passes through

Day 10: Kerung – Kathmandu (1400m)

From Kerung, you cruise down to the border town of Zhangmu. From Zhangmu, it’s a hop, step & jumps to the Friendship Bridge which spans the Bhote Kosi River and marks the Chinese – Nepalese border where you bid farewell to your Tibetan guide and driver and hike down to the Nepalese Immigration Control in Kodari where you will be met by your Nepalese escorts. After completing the re-entry formalities you continue the scenic drive to Kathmandu which, depending on road and weather conditions, should take about 5-6 hours

Permit Processing:

You need to submit once scanned passport copy of all the members wanting to join this tour 30 to 35 days before the tour date. The permit for Mt Kailash takes a minimum of 30 days to process. Along with 10% of the upfront payment must be done as a last step of booking after which we apply for the permit on your behalf to Tibet.

Visa Processing:

We expect all our guests to be available in Kathmandu Nepal 4 working days before the tour date for the visa processing as it takes a minimum of 3 working days here in Kathmandu for the visa to process. After visiting our office you will have to fill up the visa form along with one white background MRP photo size of (35mm x 45mm) no accessories no glasses no makeup. Your passport must have a validity of a minimum of 6 months along with at least 2 blank pages. After all the paperwork is done full payment should be done for the tour along with the visa fee after which we will apply for the visa on your behalf. If you want us to book the hotels and day tours while you are here in Kathmandu waiting for your visa we can do it for you too.

 Passport

All who intend to enter Tibet must hold at least 6 months valid passport.

Passport - valid for 6 months

Chinese Visa — you can apply for one from a Chinese Embassy or through China Highlights (who entry from China)

Group Visa — those who enter from Nepal to Tibet after the Tibet tour traveler can visit China mainland with a valid group visa.

Individual Visa will be canceled when we apply for group visa (if a key is in the passport)

Tibet Entry Permit — it is issued by the Tibet Tourism Bureau and is an absolute necessity for outsiders entering Tibet.

A few people who wish to travel to specific areas in Tibet must also obtain:

Travel Permit — it is required when you are planning to move to closed areas in Tibet. These are issued after you land in Tibet.

Military Permit — it is acquired to travel to some militarily sensitive regions.

Weather Information

The weather in Tibet is similar to that of Mainland China, though with lower temperatures due to higher altitudes. Summers have warm days with strong sunshine and cool nights, but summer days can even be chilly at higher elevations. Winters are cold but there isn't all that much snow. Lhasa enjoys a lot of sunshine even in winter. Most Tibet experiences frost at least 6 months of the year. Some high lakes are frozen from October to March. The weather varies a lot from region to region. Lhasa is an ideal destination because it is in a valley area of lower elevation.

Safety Guidelines

We recommend you follow our safety guidelines and stay tuned with the latest happening.

• Have at least 2 copies of the Tibet Permit.
• Keep your belongings properly.
• When you feel uncomfortable due to altitude change or have any troubles, report to your guide promptly.
• Never rush to visit attractions shortly after you arrive in Lhasa.
• Shop around but avoid undue bargaining with street vendors and never buy wildlife and unknown Tibetan herbal medicine and fake products.
• Take your money and important belongings with you all the time.
• Spend a few days in Lhasa for acclimation and always follow a gradual ascent when traveling to higher places to avoid altitude sickness.
• Refrain from heavy drinking and smoking.
• Respect the religion, and customs and avoid taboos in Tibet.
• Pay special attention to the unique alpine climates (such as sunburn, dramatic temperature change, etc.)
• Keep necessary medicines at the consult of your doctor.
• Never travel alone at night or venture into unknown places without informing your guide.
• In most places, cash is only accepted. Do prepare enough and make small changes.
• If an emergency arises, report it to your guide promptly.
• Don’t carry any documents or papers related to Dalai Lama or free Tibet.
• We also recommend not carrying any guidebook to Tibet.

1. Where is Tibet?

Tibet is situated toward the southwest of China, likewise bordering India, Nepal, Burma, and Bhutan. Tibet's three original provinces are U-Tsang, Kham, and Amdo. The general population in these locales all thinks about themselves as Tibetan, although everyone has a solid identity and diverse tongues of Tibetan is used.

Under China's occupation, Tibet has been partitioned up, renamed, and joined into Chinese territories, with little reference to the original borders between Tibet's areas. At the point when China refers to Tibet, it implies the Tibet Autonomous Region or TAR, which incorporates just U-Tsang and part of Kham. The rest of Kham was isolated amongst Sichuan and Yunnan Chinese areas. Amdo was partitioned between Gansu, Sichuan, and Qinghai territories. The region covers a region of around 1.22 million km2, which represents 12.8% of the aggregate of China. The pristine snow-capped view and inescapable Tibetan Buddhism environment and simple access to its neighboring nation Nepal make Tibet rank high on the movement travel bucket list. Its unmistakable geography and land area enable it to share the world's most amazing mountaineering and trekking asset with its neighbor nation Nepal.

2. What is the time difference in Tibet?

Tibet  Standard Time ( IST ) is 0800 hours (6 hours) ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+8).

3. How can I obtain a Visa?

Flying out to Tibet requires a Chinese visa and a Tibet Travel Permit which can both be acquired in Kathmandu with the help of a travel company (Tibet via Nepal). A valid visa for China isn't the same as a Tibet Travel Permit. Those with a Chinese traveler visa will at present need to apply for a Tibet travel permit. The permit is still required for remote foreign travelers traveling to Tibet from the territory of China. To obtain the permit you have to book a guide for your whole trip and pre-organize private transport for trips outside Lhasa. The trip outside Lhasa likewise requires extra permits which the travel agent arranges you are going with.

 Passport

All who intend to enter Tibet must hold at least 6 months valid passport.

China Visa or Tibet Group Visa

To enter Tibet using Mainland China, right off the bat, you have to apply China visa for entry to China. Tibet is a part of China, under the Chinese Central Government's Sovereignty. Therefore to travel from China to Tibet, you need to acquire a China Visa at the first stage before all are followed up. Visas for individual travel in China are very easy to get from most Chinese embassies. Most Chinese embassies and consulates will issue a standard 30-day, single-passage visitor visa in three to five working days (an 'L' Visa means to travel). If you are lucky, some embassies abroad may give you 60 or even 90 days. However, in Hong Kong it is very easy to get a 90-day visa; most agencies can organize it in one day. If you need greater adaptability to enter and leave China a few times, most Chinese embassies will issue a double-entry visa. Indeed, for individuals who are to work, study or live temporarily in China, you may require other related China Visa, for example, an "F" Visa, "X" Visa, or "Z" Visa, and so on. All these sorts of visa holders can go to Tibet with Tibet entry permits and other travel permits which can be obtained by neighborhood travel agencies in Tibet with strict and serious procedures.

4. How to enter Tibet?

By Road: There are five main highways in Tibet, to be specific:

Sichuan-Tibet Highway – it runs between Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province, and Lhasa.

Qinghai-Tibet Highway – it runs between Xining, the capital city of Qinghai, to Lhasa.

Yunnan-Tibet Highway – it runs between Yunnan territory and Tibet.

Xinjiang-Tibet Highway runs crosswise over boundless deserts and lofty and steep peaks.

The China-Nepal Highway – it is the main international highway in Tibet

By Air: Flying to Lhasa dependably requires a stopover in either China or Nepal. Lhasa Gonggar Airport is situated around 98 kilometers (around 61 miles) toward the south of Lhasa City. The main international trip to and from Tibet is between Lhasa and Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.

By Rail: The Gormo to Lhasa railway extends for 1,142 kilometers (710 miles) and serves in as a connection between territory China and Tibet.

5. How is the weather in Tibet?

Since the country expands at high elevations, usually difficult to predict the climate. It is cold for the most part. Lhasa and around it is a cool, and bright day during the day time however evening, night, and morning will be cold. Need to bring sufficiently warm clothes.

6. When is the best time to visit Tibet?

The Tibetan atmosphere isn't as harsh as we imagine it to be. Tibet's climate is ideal to travel from April to the start of November, and most perfect in August and September. In any case, Lhasa's climate is more clement than the rest of Tibet and is suitable to travel year-round. The sun radiation in Tibet is extremely strong. It's not for nothing that Lhasa is known as the Sunlight City. The months of May, June, and September are the primary tourist season in eastern Tibet.

7. What are the documents necessary for visiting Tibet?

Passport - valid for 6 months

Chinese Visa — you can apply for one from a Chinese Embassy or through China Highlights (who entry from China)

Group Visa —entry from Nepal to Tibet after the Tibet tour traveler can visit China mainland with a valid group visa.

Individual Visa will be canceled when we apply for group visa (if a visa is in the passport)

Tibet Entry Permit — it is issued by the Tibet Tourism Bureau and is an absolute necessity for outsiders entering Tibet.

A few people who wish to travel to specific areas in Tibet must also obtain:

Travel Permit — it is required when you are planning to move to closed areas in Tibet. These are issued after you land in Tibet.

Military Permit — it is acquired to travel to some militarily sensitive regions.

8. Can I organize a Tibet visa myself? Can I travel alone in Tibet?

Sadly, because of China's extremely strict tourism policy for Tibet, you can't get a visa independent from anyone else and it isn't conceivable to not possible to travel Tibet on your own. As an authorized travel company we can organize everything; visa, allow to permit, and all other paperwork.

9. Is altitude sickness a problem?

As Tibet is known as the Roof of the World it is one of the highest places on the earth. Due to this many visitors from lower altitude areas may suffer from altitude sickness. Most people endure minor effects of altitude sickness only including loss of appetite, headache, and a propensity to have no vitality until the point when their bodies conform to the high landscape. This adjustment can take place for a few hours and in a rare cases for a few days. If visitors do some simple preparations before going to Tibet, most of the symptoms of altitude sickness can be avoided. We recommend you talk to your local physician about AMS pills to help combat altitude sickness. Your guide will be there to assist you and help you throughout the trip.

10. Are there ATM counters in Tibet?

There are ATM facilities easily available in Lhasa and Shigatse; however, it might be difficult to find one in other small towns.

11. What currency do I have to use in Tibet?

The unit of currency is the Chinese Yuan. The Bank of China can exchange all foreign currencies. The bank in Tibet /China is closed on Saturday and Sunday. Traveler’s cheques and credit cards are very difficult to be cashed outside the banks, especially outside Lhasa.

12. Is politics a problem? 

Most tourists, who stay with their tour and avoid getting engaged in the politics of the country, will not encounter issues.

13. What vaccination is recommended for Tibet travelers?

The suggested vaccination you should consider for this trip includes the following:

• Chickenpox (Varicella)
• Diphtheria & Tetanus Vaccinations
• Hepatitis A The vaccine for Hepatitis A (eg Avaxim, Havrix 1440, or VAQTA)
• Hepatitis B
• Influenza The flu vaccine
• Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR)
• Pneumonia A vaccine
• Polio
• Rabies
• Tuberculosis
• Typhoid
• Yellow Fever

14.  Will the language barrier be there are problems?

Visitors to Tibet don't have to worry about the language barrier at all. Every visitor will have an English-talking visit guide, and most of the front work area staff in the big hotels can communicate in English. The main languages used in a part of Tibet are Chinese, Tibetan, English, and Nepali.

15. Is there internet access in Tibet for the foreign traveler?

Certainly, there is web access for the foreign traveler in Tibet yet just in limited areas like Lhasa, Shigatse, Gyantse, and Tsedang where some bistro gives web offices. Moreover, hotels in some cities like Lhasa and Shigatse also provide internet facilities to their customers.