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Lhasa Mt Kailash Kathmandu Group Tour

Duration: 12 Days
Price: From USD1990
Route: Lhasa – Gyantse – Shigatse - EBC - Kailash Trek - Lake Manasarovar – Zhongba - Gyriong
Season:
  • Spring
  • Summer
  • Autumn
  • Winter
Tour Type: Group Tour
Group Size: Max 12
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Overview

This 12-day Lhasa Mt.Everest & Mt Kailash Kora Pilgrimage group tour is for travelers who'd like to have three days trekking around Mt.Kailash and an overland tour to Kathmandu. This tour starts from Lhasa, and you can visit the best holy part of Lhasa city like the world heritage Potala Palace, the sacred Jokhang temple, etc. Then, you will drive to the west of Tibet, Ngari, via Shigatse and Saga. Along the way, you will visit the deep turquoise Yamdroktso Lake, the world's highest peak - Mount Everest, and famous monasteries. When you arrive in Darchen, you will start three days Mt Kailash Kora from here. The altitude would be 4,700m. Your three days of trekking would be at this altitude, more or less 100m around. After that, you will drive to the Gyirong border.

DayRouteAttractions & Activities AccommodationMeals
1 Arrival in Lhasa (3,650m) Pick up and transfer to the hotel Lhasa, 3★/4★
2 Lhasa Sightseeing Drepung Monastery, Tibet Museum, Norbulingka Lhasa, 3★/4★ B
3 Lhasa Sightseeing Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street Lhasa, 3★/4★ B
4 Lhasa- Gyantse- Shigatse, 360km, Approx. 7hrs Yamdroktso Lake, Karola Glacier, Pelkor Chöde Monastery Shigatse, 3★/4★ B
5 Shigatse - Tingri - EBC, 350km, Approx. 7hrs Sunset of Golden Everest Peak Nomad Tent (Dorm Bed) / Guesthouse B
6 EBC - Saga, 450km, Approx. 9hrs Rongbuk Monastery, Far view of Peikutso Lake Saga, Guesthouse B
7 Saga - Darchen, 493km, Approx. 8hrs Sand dunes, beautiful grassland and local's villages, Far view of Mt. Naimonanyi Darchen, Guesthouse/4★
8 Mt Kailash Kora①: Darchen- Dirapuk, Drive 5km, Trek 15km, Approx. 7~11hrs Mt.Kailash kora Guesthouse (Dorm Bed) B(only 4★)
9 Mt Kailash Kora②: Dirapuk- Zutulpuk, Trek 22km, Approx. 11~14hrs Mt.Kailash kora Guesthouse (Dorm Bed)
10 Mt Kailash Kora③: Zutulpuk- Darchen, Trek 9km, Approx. 2~5hrs; Drive from Darchen- Zhongba, 340km, Approx. 5.5hrs Manasarovar Lake Zhongba, Guesthouse
11 Zhongba - Gyirong Town, 344km, Approx. 7hrs Gyirong Valley Gyirong, Guesthouse/4★
12 Gyirong to Nepal border Send off to Gyirong border

Daily Itinerary

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Our staff will greet you at Lhasa Airport/Railway to transfer you to the hotel. From Lhasa Airport to downtown Lhasa, usually, it takes about one hour. It’s about 20 mins drive from Lhasa Railway Station to your hotel. In order to adapt to the high altitude in Tibet, you'd better have rest and don’t do strenuous exercise. If you feel good, you can visit the Potala Palace Square, a far view the Yaowang Mountain and take a panoramic view of the Potala Palace. Remember to drink lots of water, and eat light and high carbohydrate foods to adapt to the high altitude better.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

After breakfast in the hotel, the tour guide will take you to Drepung Monastery, the biggest Tibetan monastery that housed more than 10,000 monks in the past. Drepung means Rice Heap in the Tibetan language. The entire monastery is large in scale and the white buildings cluster and cover the hillsides. It's the highest-ranking monastery in the Gelug Sect.

In the afternoon you will first visit the Tibet Museum. Here you can see life scenes, exquisite clothing, house architecture, and festival customs, etc. to explore the special and mysterious Tibetan customs. Then you will visit Norbulingka, which is a typical Tibetan-style royal garden, the summer resort of the Dalai Lama.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

  • Meals:
  • Breakfast

Today, you will visit the most famous Potala Palace, which is the cardinal landmark of Tibet and the masterpiece of Tibetan architecture. Potala Palace was the winter palace of successive Dalai lamas. It was built by the 33rd great king of Tibet - Songtsen Gangpo in the 7th Century. The most valuable collections of Potala Palace are the gilded burial stupas of former Dalai Lamas and the meditation Cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet. 

At noon, the tour guide will bring you to a good restaurant to have lunch and have a rest. In the afternoon, you will go to visit Jokhang Temple in the center of the Lhasa old town. Jokhang Temple is the most sacred temple in Tibet and it is always bustling with earnest local pilgrims since the early days. After that, you will take a walk around the Barkhor Street - one of the most devotional circuits as well as a crowded central market of Lhasa. Barkhor Street is a very ancient round street surrounding the Jokhang Temple and the locals are always proud of it. As a symbol of Lhasa, it‘s also a must-see place for visitors.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

  • Meals:
  • Breakfast

We will pass by Kampala Pass (4,790m) on the way from Lhasa to Shigatse and visit Yamdrok Lake, one of the three holy lakes in Tibet. Standing at the lakeside, you can see its blue water shimmering with charming light, as well as the snow-capped holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar (7,191m) in the distance.  

Next we will pass and enjoy the Karola Glacier on the roadside. It is about 300m from the main highway on your way to Gyantse.

Then visit the main monastery in Gyantse - Pelkor Chode Monastery, famous for its exquisite architecture and intact murals and statues.

Stay overnight in Shigatse

  • Meals:
  • Breakfast

In the morning, you will drive to Lhatse, a small town located 150 km from Shigatse, and you may have lunch in the local restaurant. After a short rest, you will go ahead to Tingri by passing through Tsola Pass (4,600m) and Gyatsola Pass (5,248m), with countless prayer flags flying in the wind. In the late afternoon, you enter Mt. Everest National Nature Reserve. Afterward, you will ascend to Gawula Pass (5,198m), where you can enjoy the panorama of the Himalayas. Then you will drive along the new zigzag road to Everest Base Camp (5,200m) to stay overnight. If the weather is good, you can have a clear view of the sunset of Golden Everest Peak.

Stay overnight in Nomad Tent (Dorm Bed) / Guesthouse

  • Meals:
  • Breakfast

You can get up early and enjoy the sunrise of Everest Peak if the weather is good. After that, you will go to the Rongbuk Monastery, which is the highest monastery in the world. Then drive to Saga, on the way, you can view the world's 14th-highest peak - Mt.Shishapangma (8,012m). Later, you will have a far view of the huge sapphire-like Lake Peikutso (4,590m) beneath the Shishpangma peaks, and finally arrive in Saga (4,600m). If you are lucky, you are very likely to see wild animals like the wild donkey, wild antelope, etc.

Stay overnight in Saga, Guesthouse

Today, you will spend a lot of time on the way, but it’s worth seeing the landscape along the way.You’ll have stunning views of the great Himalayas to the south and Trans-Himalayan to the north as we drive across the vast plains. This region is home to nomads, you’ll see the beautiful grassland and local's villages. As we cross the Mayomla Pass (5,112m), you can enjoy the spectacular vista of Mt. Naimonanyi (7,694m).

During this thrilling journey, you’ll pass by sand dunes, mountains, and sandstone valleys before we reach the Darchen (4,560m), a small nomadic village and an important launch point for pilgrimages around Mt. Kailash. Upon your arrival, you can explore the Darchen town on your own. If you need porters and yaks, your tour guide will arrange it for you this afternoon.

Stay overnight in Darchen

In the morning, you will take an eco-bus (included in the cost) to Sarshung Valley and start the Mt. Kailash trek from there. Then you will meet your porters and yaks at Sarshung Valley (the cost of hiring yaks, horses, and porters is not included in the package). You’ll trek about 15 km from Sarshung Valley to Drirapuk Monastery (4,700m) along the Lachu River Valleys. During your trekking today, you can see both the west and north face of Mt.Kailash. Finally, you will visit Drirapuk Monastery and stay overnight here.

Stay overnight in Guesthouse, Dorm Bed

  • Meals:
  • Breakfast

Today is the most challenging day of the trekking, you’ll climb over the highest pass of the Kailash Kora, the Dromala pass (5,630m). After a short rest at the top, we will climb down into the long valley and stop for lunch at the Shabjay Dakpo nomadic tent. On the way, you can have a rest in a teahouse. Then you will continue to the Zultulpuk (4,790m), built by two important religious figures, Milarepa and Naro Bonchung. At last, you will visit Zutulpuk Monastery. You will find the footprint and handprint of Milarepa inside the cave. 

Stay overnight in Guesthouse, Dorm Bed

It's an easy day of the trek. You'll trek 9km to complete the kora, then take the eco bus back to Darchen. According to Buddhist theory, doing a kora around a holy mountain for one circle can get rid of sins and miseries for the whole life. Only after going through lots of hardships can you feel the happiness and gratification brought by Kora. Then you take the shuttle bus back to Darchen, about 3km. We will drive you from Darchen to Mansarovar (4,560m), the top holy lake in Tibet. It’s 40km to the southwest of Darchen. If the weather is good, you can see the splendid scenery of Lake Manasarovar. If you feel good, you can do a trek along the shore of the lake for a while. And then you'll head to Zhongba.

Stay overnight in Zhongba

Today we will drive to Gyirong town from Zhongba. In the afternoon, you will pass through Gyirong Valley, which is regarded as the backyard garden of the Himalayas. You will see the forest and breathe fresh air. You will be amazed by the creator's masterpiece that 4 seasons exist in such a narrow valley. Gyirong, in the Tibetan language, means comfort or happiness. It's said Gyirong was named by Padma Sambhava Buddha when he entered Tibet from here.

Stay overnight in Gyirong

Your tour guide will assist you in exiting China and see you off at the Gyirong Port. We can organize a jeep for transfer from Gyirong to Kathmandu, but it's not included in the package. Or you can take a bus to Kathmandu, which costs about 40 US$, depending on your negotiation with the driver. The road condition is not good, and it takes 8-10 hours from the border to Kathmandu. Thus, taking a bus is not recommended.

Cost & Calendar

All prices are in US Dollar / Person

Economic Class (3-Star Hotels)

2026-04-01 ~ 2026-05-31 2026-06-01 ~ 2026-06-30 2026-07-01 ~ 2026-10-10 2026-10-11 ~ 2026-10-31
USD1990 USD2170 USD2280 USD2100

Comfortable Class (4-Star Hotels)

2026-04-01 ~ 2026-05-31 2026-06-01 ~ 2026-06-30 2026-07-01 ~ 2026-10-10 2026-10-11 ~ 2026-10-31
USD2110 USD2260 USD2380 USD2200

Schedule

Starting DatePrice FromBookedBook Now
2026-04-25 USD1990 8 Book
2026-05-04 USD1990 open for booking Book
2026-05-11 USD1990 open for booking Book
2026-05-18 USD1990 open for booking Book
2026-05-24 USD1990 12 Book
2026-05-25 USD1990 open for booking Book
2026-06-01 USD2170 open for booking Book
2026-06-08 USD2170 open for booking Book
2026-06-10 USD2170 2 Book
2026-06-15 USD2170 open for booking Book
2026-06-22 USD2170 open for booking Book
2026-06-29 USD2170 open for booking Book
2026-07-06 USD2280 open for booking Book
2026-07-13 USD2280 open for booking Book
2026-07-20 USD2280 open for booking Book
2026-07-27 USD2280 open for booking Book
2026-08-03 USD2280 open for booking Book
2026-08-04 USD2280 3 Book
2026-08-10 USD2280 open for booking Book
2026-08-17 USD2280 open for booking Book
2026-08-24 USD2280 open for booking Book
2026-08-31 USD2280 open for booking Book
2026-09-07 USD2280 open for booking Book
2026-09-14 USD2280 open for booking Book
2026-09-21 USD2280 open for booking Book
2026-09-28 USD2280 open for booking Book
2026-10-05 USD2280 open for booking Book
2026-10-12 USD2100 open for booking Book
2026-10-19 USD2100 open for booking Book
2026-10-26 USD2100 open for booking Book

No desired date of departure? Please send us an inquiry and we will try to arrange your tour according to your plan.

Discount Policy

You may only enjoy one of the advantageous policy, not both.

Option A:3 or More from You Join Together$105 Off / person
Option B:Tour in Apr~Oct
  • To book 6-month prior tour starts 5% Off / person
  • To book 3-month prior tour starts 3% Off / person

Our Service

Inclusions

* Comfortable Hotel Accommodations as listed in the itinerary;
* Breakfasts provided by hotels & 1 welcome dinner;
* Travel-licensed vehicle according to group size & season as itinerary needed including gas and parking fees;
* Lhasa Railway Station transfer at all times on the first & last day;
* Pick-up from Lhasa Gonggar Airport to your hotel at 9:30 am, 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm on the first day;
* Shuttle Bus fees go to Kailash: USD10/person;
* Shuttle Bus fees back from Kailash: USD10/person;
* Experienced local English-speaking tour guide;
* All entrance fees mentioned in the itinerary;
* All necessary permits to Tibet;
* Sleeping bags;
* Travel Agency Liability Insurance;
* Government Tax;
* Express delivery fee of Permit (eg. SF Express);
* Food & lodgings for guide & driver;
* Oxygen tank for emergency use;
* Two bottles of mineral water per person per day;

EXCLUSIONS

* Yaks & herders during 3-Day Mt Kailash Kora;
* Shuttle Bus fee at Lake Manasarovar: USD 43/person;
* International flight to and from China;
* Domestic flight/train to and from Lhasa; (We can help you book the domestic flight/train ticket at the BEST price. Please contact us for details.);
* If you miss the free transfer schedule due to flight delay or cancellation, then you are required to pay a private transfer from USD 80/vehicle/time;
* Transfer from Gyirong to Kathmandu;
* Nepali Visa;
* Lunch & Dinner are not included but we will recommend some good ones for you according to your requirements. Usually, it takes USD 5-15/person for each meal;
* While the gratuity for guide and driver is NOT mandatory, it is expected. Based on their service, you can tip them on the last day of the tour. Each of you is suggested to tip them USD 8-15/day in total;
* All the commission and tax charged by PayPal, Bank, and government when making payment. (e.g. PayPal --- 4.4%. Wire transfer --- 2%);
* Personal expenses;
* Anything not mentioned in the Inclusions;

Note

* Tibet Tourism Bureau Permit (TTB) & Military Permit usually takes about 30 working days to apply. If you couldn’t provide the required docs & info on time, an extra handling fee will be charged. Please consult your travel consultant for details;
* During the 3-day Mt Kailash Kora—
Lodgings: clean dorm-bed guesthouse; in peak season, we provide the tent in case the guesthouses are fully booked by Indian pilgrims;
Food: locals sell Tibetan noodles (USD 5) & instant noodles(USD 2) along the way;
Luggage: leave most of your luggage in our vehicle, bring only the necessary;
* We reserve the right to change the itinerary order and attractions in Lhasa;
* If you prefer to book your own hotels over those included in our group tour, please meet the rest of the group at their daily hotel on time. Transfers to and from your own hotels are not included;
* The accommodation condition at EBC is kind of basic due to the geographic and climatic situation. If you want a better tour experience, Rongbuk Hotel will be our recommendation for you. However, there are limited rooms, especially during the peak tourist season. Thus, if you want to stay at Rongbuk Hotel, please contact us in advance, as there's some price difference, and we can upgrade the hotel for you;
* We need to pick up and drop off all members of the group on the first & last day from Lhasa Airport/Railway Station, thus there may not always be a guide's presence but a driver;
* Due to the special nature of Tibet travel, any unforeseeable and unavoidable objective circumstances, including but not limited to natural disasters, war, terrorism, riot, civil commotion, strikes, public health emergencies, government action, major traffic jams, delay or cancellation of flight/train, or attractions temporarily closed. etc., resulting in a change of itinerary, the increased cost will be paid by travelers; if any attraction visits have to be canceled due to the same reasons above, GTT won't be held responsible for a refund, except for certain attraction entrance fees, which will be solely decided by GTT;
* Single Supplement: our quote is based on twin rooms. For single travelers, a single supplement is required at the time of booking. If there is another traveler to share the room with you, the single supplement will be refunded;

Typically Asked Questions from Our Clients

Asked by Caro***

I am hoping to travel overland from Central Asia to Lhasa next July arriving in Lhasa on 10 July. I would like to book a trip from Lhasa to Kathmandu via Mount Kailash as soon as possible after that date. I see you have one scheduled for 1/7 but that is too early for me. Would you be able to organise a trip departing on 11 or 12 July?

Merry
Merry

Dear Caro***,

For the 12-day Lhasa Mt Kailash Kathmandu Group Tour, we have a planned departure date on 13 July. We can open one for you, which needs further confirmation. Is the date available for you?

Asked by moha***

Hi Team,

we are 2 person.

1- staying in Hyderabad, INDIA.
2- Iam indian with indian passport, currently staying in singapore.

can i come directly to kathmandu and apply visa from there.

could you please tell us the process.

Merry
Merry

Dear Mohan

The 12-day Lhasa Mt Kailash Kathmandu Group Tour is for non-Indian citizens. Do you have another passport?

For Indian citizens, we offer specially designed tour packages. You can consult us around March 2026, as there's no official notice on which month Mount Kailash is open for Indian citizens in 2026.

Asked by Barr***

Dear Friend, Please let me know if you have a trip that would include the Shoton festival first or at the end of the trip...if you come back to Lhasa Thanks,

ViVi
ViVi

Dear Barry****,

We can arrange a 13/15 day Lhasa, Mt Everest & Mt Kailash Kathmandu Group Tour for you. This year's Shoton Festival is from August 23 to 29. Currently, we have a group departure on 24 August.

Please kindly note that the Friendship Bridge connecting Tibet and Nepal at the Gyirong border has been washed away by flooding. The exact repair timeline remains uncertain and awaits further notice. The Zhangmu border is very close to the Gyirong border. If the Zhangmu border opens later, you can exit through the Zhangmu border on Day 13. You can also choose to return to Lhasa and leave Lhasa on Day 15.

Asked by Giul***

Looking for another traveler to share the room. Is the 3%discount available?

Merry
Merry

Dear Giul****,

We can open a 7-day Lhasa Mt. Everest Kathmandu Overland Group Tour for you departing on 20 October.

We can try to find another traveler to share a room with you. You can enjoy a 3% discount on the tour cost if you book the tour 3 months in advance.

Asked by Dan ***

Hi there - if I were to book the 12 Days Lhasa Mt Everest & Mt Kailash Kathmandu Group Tour that begins on May 26 would i completely miss the Saga Dawa experience?

Emily
Emily

Dear Dan,

We can arrange the 12 Days Lhasa Mt Everest & Mt Kailash Kathmandu Group Tour for you. If you want to encounter the Saga Dawa ceremony, you'd better join the group departs on June 4th. Since we need to apply for the military permit to Nagri region(Mt.Kailash), there is not much time left. If you want to join the group, please decide it asap.

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What Our Customers Say
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First of all, let me thank you and your team for the very nice trip I had in/around Chengdu and Tibet. All went very well and smoothly and I enjoyed it a lot. Sophie was a real joy to have as a guide, very kind, helpful and enthusiastic - big thanks to her for making me feel very comfortable ....

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