Upon arrival, meet & greet at Kunming Airport. The group will be transferred to hotel. Overnight in Kunming Hotel.
Stay at: Hotel Greenland
Kunming
After sumptuous breakfast at hotel proceed for sightseeing of Kunming.
Dragon Gate: A group of exquisite stone grottoes, rooms and Buddhist figures carved with excellent craftsmanship on a large natural rock. It is in Western Hill, a forest reserve that is suited at the west bank of the Dianchi Lake with flourishing flowers and dense forest.
Golden Temple: The present Golden Temple was built in 1670 A.D. during the Ming Dynasty. It is the most important and active Taoist temple in Kunming. The whole structure of the temple is made from bronze, weighs 280 tons and stands 6.7 metres in height and 7.8 metres in width.
Dianchi Lake: also known as Kunming Lake, lies at the foot of the Western Hills in Kunming city. With a stunning landscape and an elevation of 1,885 meters (6,185 feet), it is praised as the "Pearl of the Plateau".
Overnight stay in Kunming hotel.
Lunch & Dinner at tibetan restaurant
Stay at: Hotel Greenland
Kunming
After leisurely breakfast, free time. Post lunch, transfer to airport for flight to Lhasa. Upon arrival at Gonggar Airport, the group shall be met by our local representative and transfer provided to predesignate hotel in Lhasa. The group will reach the Hotel in about 2 hrs. The first day will be spent resting to acclimatize with the altitude because Lhasa is at 3650 m. above mean sea level. Overnight at hotel in Lhasa.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner at Hotel
Stay at: Lhasa Intercontinental
Lhasa
After breakfast, proceed for sightseeing. Visit Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street, Sera Monastery and Norbulinka Temple. It is heavily influenced by tibetn Tantrik sect , you will be amazed how far our tibet go.
Jokhang Temple: The Jokhang temple, a massive building consisting of three floors and an open roof all filled with chapels and chambers, has undergone extensive reconstructions and additions since the 7th century, particularly during the 17th century reign of the fifth Dalai Lama. While parts of the existing temple structure date from earlier times, most of the murals are from the 18th and 19th centuries and few statues (with the notable exception of the Joyo Sakyamuni) are older than the 1980's. The temple was sacked several times during Mongol incursions but its worst treatment has been at the hands of the Chinese since their occupation of Tibet in 1959. The Jokhang is the most celebrated temple in Tibet. Because the temple is not controlled by a particular sect of Tibetan Buddhism it attracts adherents of all the sects as well as followers of Bon-Po, Tibet's indigenous religion. Three pilgrimage circuits exist in Lhasa, each directing pilgrims to the Jowo Sakyamuni statue: the Lingkhor, which encircles the city’s sacred district; the Barkhor, which encloses the Jokhang temple; and the Nangkhor, a ritual corridor inside the Jokhang. Every day throughout the year hundreds of pilgrims circumambulate each of these three circuits. Some pilgrims will cover the entire distance by prostrating every few feet, and others will walk slowly, chanting sacred mantras and spinning hand-held prayer wheels. For more than a thousand years millions of pilgrims have trod these sacred paths with devotion in their hearts; this cumulative focusing of intention and love has charged the Jokhang with an enormously powerful field of sanctity.
Barkhor Street: The center of the old Lhasa, Barkhor is a circular street, which is the oldest street in Lhasa and remains very traditional. It is a place where Tibetan culture, economy, religion and arts assemble and a place to which a visit must be paid. It was said that in the seventh century when Songtsen Gampo, the first Tibetan King (617 or 650) who unified Tibet, married Chinese Princess Wencheng and Nepal princess Tritsun. Later Princess Tritsun built Jokhang Temple to accommodate the Jowo Sakyamuni aged 12 brought to Tibet by Princess Wencheng. Barkhor is the road which pilgrims tramped out around Jokhang Temple through centuries. Buddhist pilgrims walk or progress by body-lengths along the street clockwise every day into deep night. They comprise most of Lhasa's floating population.
Norbulinka Monastery: The park was begun by the 7th Dalai Lama beginning in 1755. The Norbulingka Park and Summer Palace were completed in 1783 under Jampel Gyatso, the Eight Dalai Lama, on the outskirts of Lhasa and became the summer residence during the reign of the Eighth Dalai Lama.The stables of the Dalai Lamas in Norbulingka, photographed in 1986.The earliest building is the Kelsang Potang Palace built by the Seventh Dalai Lama which is "a beautiful example of Yellow Hat architecture. Its fully restored throne room is also of interest." The 'New Palace' was begun in 1954 by the present Dalai Lama and completed in 1956. It contains chapels, gardens, fountains and pools. The gardens are a favourite picnic spot and provides a beautiful venue for theatre, dancing and festivals, particularly the Sho Dun or 'Yoghurt Festival', at the beginning of August, with families camping in the grounds for days surrounded by colourful makeshift windbreaks of rugs and scarves and enjoying the height of summer weather. The palace is located three kilometers west of the Potala Palace which was the winter palace. Additional buildings were added to the park during the first half of the 20th century. There is also a zoo at Norbulingka, originally to keep the animals which were given to the Dalai Lama. Overnight at hotel similar in Lhasa.
Breakfast at Hotel
Lunch & Dinner at restaurant
Stay at: Lhasa Intercontinental
Lhasa
After breakfast, visit drive to Shigatse. Shigatse is the second biggest city in Tibet, 90KMs away from Gyangtse. Visit the famous Tashillunpo Monastery in Shigatse, seat of the Panchan Lama, one of the six important Gelupa Monasteries in China, was built in 1447 by the first Dalailama. Overnight at hotel in Shigatse.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner at restaurant
Stay at: Hotel Qo mo lang zong
Shigatse
After early breakfast, leave for Saga (460 km. / 9 hrs.). Packed lunch will be served en-route. Overnight at hotel / guesthouse in Saga.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner at restaurant
Stay at: Guest House
Saga
After breakfast, drive to Prayang for about 250 km, post lunch we continue driving crossing Mayum La pass (5200 m) and then drive to Hor Quo (4560 m). Here group shall leave its vehicle and the group members along with the baggage shall be shifted to battery operated Eco Buses provided by CIPSC as a conservation effort. Group shall drive to Chui Gompa by doing Mansarovar Parikarma by the Eco Bus.
Today is the day of lifetime, as we will have the first sight (darshan) of Holy Mt. Kailash and Holy Lake Manasarovar. Stay in a guest house on the bank of Holy Mansarover Lake. Overnight at guest house in Chui Gompa.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner at restaurant.
Stay at: Guest House
Chui Gompa
After breakfast, it is a day for Puja and Holy bath in the holy lake. We will continue our drive post lunch by be Eco Buses to reach Darchen (4620 m). Darchen is located beneath the majestic holy Mount Kailash, a small town with couple of guesthouses and a few hotels as well. During the auspicious pilgrimage time, this place is flooded with Pilgrims with hundreds of tents/guest houses all around. Darchen is the beginning and end point of the Kora. Overnight at a guest house in Darchen. This a place from where your guide shall coordinate for all your yaks and ponies along with yak-men and pony-men / porters however you will have to inform your requirement for Pony / Porter while you are at Mansarovar.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner at restaurant
Stay at: Himalaya Hotel
Darchen
After breakfast, drive approx. 13 Kms. to Tarboche by Eco Buses, the trek starting point of Kailash Parikrama. Tarboche is also known as the outer "Asthapath". The first day of our Kora is a gradual walk with multitudes of other local pilgrims chanting and praying. The trail leads us to few ups and downs till we reach our camp / guest house at Dirapuk (4860 m) 7 km/ 5 - 6 hours trek. Overnight at Dirapuk Hotel / Guest House.
Those not feeling comfortable to continue parikarma shall stay back at Darchen and wait for the Parikarma group to return.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner at predesignate place.
Stay at: Guest House
Darchen
Today our circumbulation (Kora) leads to much higher side of the holy path just beneath the Holy Mount Kailash. The walk will bring us to one of the highest point at Drolma La, 5,200 m. before descending to the gradual field towards Zuthulphuk for the overnight stay after 5-6 hours walk. Zuthulphuk (4760 m) 18 km/ 9 - 10 hrs.
After early breakfast, group will set off as the sun's ray break over the ridges above. After the footbridge the trail rises up a rocky slope. Take this gently but steadily. It soon reaches a level walk. The peak of Mount Kailash rises to the right and can now be seen linked to a long spur, which joins the eastern ridge. This is the top edge of the glacial valley from which the Lhachu ("Divine River") flows.
This day is the climax of this holy journey & is the most difficult day of our journey. One has to pass through Drolma La Pass – 5200 m - highest altitude on this tour. Physically it is the most arduous day. At the pass is a large boulder depicting Tara, festooned with prayer flags. Here too Tibetans leave a memento of themselves such as a tooth, a lock of hair or even a personal snapshot. After perhaps 30 minutes, we descend a steep, rock-strewn path to the valley below. Just below the pass is Lake Tu-je Chenpo Dzingbu (Gauri Kund) i.e. "The Pool of Great Compassion". Take great care now because it is easy to sprain your ankle or worse. You must negotiate steep staircases down to a snowfield. The only way down is to jump from boulder to boulder across a large rock fall. On the ridge above is a formation known as the Lekyi Ta-ra ("Axe of Karma"), as though one's moment ripen in an accident, suffering or death.
A final steep descending staircase brings you to the valley floor. From here it is still about 5 hours to the day's destination with no shelter in between. It is vitally important to remain on the right hand side of the river, the West bank. If not, you will get trapped, unable to cross it. The walk now becomes very pleasant and relaxing (as long as the weather is clear and there is no howling gale.) The path follows the gentle slope of the valley over grassy fields and clear brooks for several Kilometers before it narrows and turns further south to merge with another valley before reaching Zuthulphuk, the "Miracle Cave" of Milarepa.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner at restaurant.
Stay at: Guest House
Dirapuk
The morning can be spent exploring the caves and visiting the temples and shrine that has been built around Milarepa's cave. A married elderly couple supervises the temple, which is usually an active residence for over half a dozen Tibetan devotees, helpers, or relatives who continuously busy themselves with the tasks of maintaining the buildings.
One imagines Milarepa's disciples meditating here. Many of the caves contain meditation platforms, self-contained by dry stonewall which divides them from their cooking partitions and entrance areas. It is well worth the short climb up to these caves before beginning the final stage of the trek. The winding gradual tracks finally ends our holy pilgrimage walk 10 km/ 4 - 5 hrs. Once we reach at the trek end point near Darchen, our Eco Bus (mandatory) will be waiting to take the group back to Chui Goempa Information Centre from where the group shall board its luxury bus for return journey to Lhasa. Overnight in Saga.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner at restaurant.
Stay at: Guest House
Darchen
Saga
After breakfast, drive to Shigatse. Overnight at hotel in Shigatse.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner at restaurant
Stay at: Hotel Qo mo lang zong
Shigatse
After breakfast, drive to Lhasa and the day is free to relax after a tough journey! Overnight at hotel in Lhasa.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner at restaurant
Stay at: Lhasa Intercontinental
Lhasa
After breakfast, take flight to Kunming and the day is free to relax after a tough journey! Overnight at hotel in Kunming.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner at restaurant
Stay at: Hotel Greenland
Kunming
After breakfast, transfer to International Airport to board your onward flight to Delhi.
Kunming
