A journey to Mt. Kailash the sacred Himalaya of Tibet is holy to the two Hindus and Buddhists. Mt Kaliash is the wellspring of four incredible Asian waterways. For Hindus it is the royal position of Shiva, for Buddhists, an enormous common Mandala. The Guge Kingdom was established in the tenth century by a relative of the King Lang Darma, who fled from Lhasa after the breakdown of the Tubo Kingdom. The Guge Kingdom made due around 700 years and vanished bafflingly in the seventeenth century. The Guge ruins lie at a slope top almost a stream and spread 180,000 square meters. Houses, cavern abodes, religious communities and stupas are disseminated on the slope and encompassing regions. There are royal residences set on the summit and cloisters on the mountain side.
The attractions of Guge Kingdom visit are the covered up Guge Kingdom, Guge Valley, Tsaparang Castle, Tholing Monastery, Palaces and Monasteries under Guge Kingdom, Zhada nation, heavenly Mt. Kailash,Trekking around Mt.Kailash, Manasarovar Lake, high passes, Land and brilliant slopes while in transit to Guge The Guge Kingdom is acclaimed for its wall paintings. Figures and stone engravings can likewise be found on the enduring structures. The White castle, Red royal residence, Yamantaka Chapel, Tara Chapel and Mandala Chapel all despite everything exist in great condition.
The beginning of the trek start from Kathmandu flying up to the Lhasa following immigration and formal documentation to travel over Kailash. Our day two begin with sightseeing in the Lhasa help you to explore the ritual places and beauties. Moving on we will leave Lhasa joinig shihgatse continuing our tour via road reaching hotel following the tour route we will explore the relaveant place like Saga, holy Manasarabor taking the beautiful memories and mesmerizing view of the mount kailash. After that our main focus over the tour the most holy and sacred place i.e. Guge kingdom where we follow over the lake Manasarover enjoying the beautiful scenario of lake discovering Chui Gompa and meditation where religious tarvelers will perform rituals and meditation late afternoon driving over Darchen. On the 10th day of the tour we will ran over Derapuk exploring its ancient rituals. People of every side of tibetian gather in that place so that they can celelbrate saga (especially in the full moon day). Where we explore all their tradition and cultural program they have thrown to us. Then finally we came to the end of the trek exploring those places like White palace, Red palace, Yamantaka Chapel, Tara Chapel, and Mandala Chapel. While exploring the cultural heart of Tibet, Lhasa, their daily lifestyle ( People in Tibet are living the same lifestyle as they used to live hundreds of years ago) local markets buying handicraft items as well to the keorng and back to the Kathmandu finishing our immigration and legal procedure.
Kailash with Guge Kingdom Tour
Itinerary
This tour, other than the holy Kailash Kora, also takes us to the heart of the mystical Guge Kingdom of Tibet. Largely unexplored, the Guge kingdom in Tibet, is an ancient land of temples, monasteries, and ancient ruins where a kingdom once thrived. Located in Zanda county, and Ngari Prefecture of western Tibet, Guge dates back to the 10th century AD, when this massive and powerful kingdom held sway over a vast area including south-eastern Zanskar, Upper Kinnaur, and Spiti valley.
On arrival at Gonggar airport, you will be met by our representative from Golden Tibet Travel. Upon completion of airport and immigration formalities, drive to Lhasa along a beautiful road for about an hour to reach Lhasa. Overnight at hotel in Lhasa.
After breakfast we will begin our sightseeing in Lhasa. We will visit Jokhang Temple, Sera Monastery, and Barkhor Market. Overnight at hotel in Lhasa.
Jokhang Temple: This temple venerates JowoJampa (the Tibetan representation of Sakyamuni Buddha) whose 5 feet idol is housed in the central hall. Within the temple, there are several chapels with murals of Buddhist sutras and other legends, and many idols of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. This temple was founded by the Tibetan king SongstenGampo in 652 CE. The central building has four stories with architectural influences from Nepal, China, and Tibet and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Sera Monastery: Sera is one of three major Gelug university monasteries in Tibet. The original monastery was founded in 1419 by JamchenChojeySakyaYeshe. The Sera complex has been classified into two sections- the Great Assembly Hall and the quarters, and the three colleges: the Sera Je Dratsang, the Sera Me Dratsang; and the NgakpaDratsang, all dedicated to the principles of Gelugpa school of Buddhism. The Hall has scriptures, idols, scented cloth, and murals. All three colleges within the complex teach different levels of spiritual arts, Buddhist theology, and practice.
Drepung Monastery: This is one of the three major Gelug university monasteries and also the largest of all Tibetan monasteries. Located on the GamboUtse Mountain, Drepung was the residence of the Dalai Lamas until the Fifth Dalai Lama constructed the Potala. Drepung Monastery is a collection of Buddhist chapels and colleges, all dedicated to the teaching of Je Tsongkapa, the founder of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism.
After breakfast we will continue with the second day of our sightseeing in Lhasa. We will visit Potala palace, Norbulingka palace, and Barkhor Market. Overnight at hotel in Lhasa.
Potala Palace: Situated on the MarpoRi Hill, Potala is an imposing building, as iconic as Lhasa itself. Named after Mount Potalaka, the mythical abode of Avalokiteswara, the Potala Palace is 117 meters tall, has thirteen stories, and has over 1,000 rooms. There are more than 10,000 painted scrolls, countless murals, and almost 20,000 statues that display Tibetan art, religion, and culture. The building is divided into two sections—the Red Palace and the White Palace and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Norbulingka Palace: Norbulingka, the 'Park of Treasure, is southwest of the Potala Palace summer residence of the successive Dalai Lamas from the time it was built in 1740. It is said that the 7th Dalai Lama enjoyed going to Norbulingka, so the grand minister resident of Tibet in Qing dynasty decided to build a palace for him. The palace, with 374 rooms has 30,000 cultural relics of ancient Tibetan history preserved here. Norbulingkha has a cluster of buildings like the KalsangPodrang, which is the oldest palace. Then there is TaktenMigyurPodrang, the palace of the 14th Dalai Lama. There is TyokyilPodrang and ChensalPodrang, and a beautiful garden and an artificial lake.
Barkhor: Barkhor is a set of circular streets around the Jokhang temple. One can consider Barkhor a marketplace or a pilgrimage area because of its proximity to the Jokhang temple. While there are various shops along the street with numerous items on sale and display, the streets are also full of monks and pilgrims who walk or prostrate in reverence to the deities. A walk along Barkhor is an immersive experience of cultures, customs, sights, sounds, and smells.
Our drive today will be a total of 7 hours. We begin early morning and move towards Shigatse via Gyantse. The drive will take us across several high passes from where we get exclusive views of the Tibetan Himalayas, including the famed glacier called Khorala glacier at 7200m. Shigatse is the second largest city in Tibet, and we stay overnight at a hotel in Shigatse.
In the morning, after breakfast, we drive towards Lhatse. The drive is just for a few houses, but it will be a good day for you to acclimatize, and prepare you physically for your Kailash Parikrama (Circumambulation). The drive is across a elevated plateau, high mountain passes, and typical Tibetan villages. Halt overnight at a hotel in Lhatse.
Today, the drive will take us 6 hours, and we will drive north-west towards Saga, which is in the Ngari Prefecture of Tibet. Saga, situated at an elevation of 4650m, is also known as 'happy land' sprawling on the side of the DargyeTsangpo River. While Saga is a garrison town where you can see Chinese and Nepalese soldiers patrol their respective borders, it is also one of the main stopping points for pilgrims going for the Kailash Kora ritual. Overnight at a guesthouse in Saga.
In the morning, we will move towards Lake Mansarovar. We will drive 7 hours to reach the small town of Chui Gumba, where we will halt at a guest house. You also can visit the Chiu monastery at the top hill near the bank of Mansarovar.
Chiu Monastery: This monastery is on an inclined red-hued SangtokPelri Mountain by the magnificent Mansarovar Lake. Legend says that Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) was guided here by a sparrow. The central chapel inside the monastery contains the meditation cave and the stone footprint of Guru Rinpoche. The monastery is also famous for the clear view of the Mansarovar Lake and GurlaMandhata Peak (7,694m) from its ramparts.
After breakfast, we head to ZandaCounty, which is otherwise known as the Guge Kingdom. After driving for about four hours, we reach Tirthapuri, a holy place for Hindus and Buddhists. Tirthapuri is considered the third most important Buddhist pilgrimage site in the west of Tibet. Situated at the northwest of Mt.Kailash and the north bank of the Sutlej River, Tirthapuri, also known as Zhadaburi, is renowned for its sacred hot springs andits Guru Rinpoche monastery. Towards the evening, we reach at Thada (Zanda) town and stay overnight at guest house.
Today, we explore Zanda, also known as Tholing. This place has many temples and monasteries which hold great significance among the Tibetan people. The most significant monastery here is the Tholing Monastery. We will also visit the Tsaparang valley and Dungkar cave, located at a distance of 20km east of the town. There are also many ancient ruins and significantly important monasteries which we will visit. Overnight at a hotel in Tholing.
Tholing Monastery: This monastery was built in 997 AD by Yeshe-O, the second King of the Guge Kingdom. The monastery is located at an elevation of 3,800 m and the complex has many rectangular buildings, but the most important ones are the three temples- the Yeshe-O Temple, the Lhakhang Karpo and the Dukhang. The Yeshe-O temple is made up of red mud-bricks with colourful chortens at the outer perimeter. The Dukhang temple is a single-storied temple which houses various paintings and murals. The Lhakhang Karpo is white in color and has a high ceiling with thin wooden pillars made of Deodar wood. It has well preserved murals that date back to the 15th century.
After breakfast, we move towards Mount Kailash Mansarovar region. The drive will take us 6 hours to reach Darchen, situated at an altitude of 4575m. Once we reach Darchen, we will make preparation for Kailashparikrama/ Kailash Kora that will begin the next day. Stay overnight at a hotel.
FromDarchen, we will drive early towards Yamadwar. This is the starting point of the Kailash Kora, the beginning of circumambulation of Mount Kailash. To the Hindus, this is a very significant location. From Yamadwar, we start walking towards Drirapuk at 4900m. The trekking distance will be about 13km to Drirapuk monastery via the Lachu valley. Stay overnight at a guest house in Drirapuk.
In the morning, our trek will comprise an 18km journey from Drirapuk to Zutulpuk. Also known as outer kora, this trek is somewhat difficult. It is a strenuous uphill climb until you reach the Dolma La pass at 5613m. From this point onward, the trail will descend towards GauriKunda. All along the way, there are exhilarating views of Mount Kailash. Reach Zutulpuk at 4760m and halt overnight at a guest house.
Today is the final day of the Kora. We will walk calmly towards Darchen. From Darchen, we will catch our vehicle and drive back to Saga. On the way, you will have the opportunity to collect holy water from Lake Mansarovar. Stay overnight at a guest house in Saga.
In the morning, we willretrace our journey back to Shigatse. At Shigatse, we will visit the Tashilhunpo Monastery. Stay overnight at a hotel in Shigatse.
Tashilhunpo Monastery: This is the seat of the spiritual leader, Panchan Lama, and is, therefore, extremely significant to the Tibetans. Panchen Lama is the second-highest-ranking Tulku lineage in the Gelugpa tradition. Founded in 1447 CE by GendunDrup, the First Dalai Lama, Tashilhunpo is also renowned for being the tallest Jampa Buddha (Maitreya Buddha) statue in the world. This bronze statue stands 26.2 meters high and is adorned with more than 1,400 precious ornaments, such as pearls, diamonds, and corals. The monastery has the old living quarters of the Panchen Lama, and the fourth Panchen Lama’s tomb is within the temple complex.
After your breakfast, we will to Lhatse. We will reach Lhatse by lunch time. After lunch, we will move towardsRongbuk. The road is beautiful and we will get a view the Mt, Everest from the distance. After 5 hours we will arrive at Rongbuk monastery after crossing the Pang La pass at 5050m. The pass offers beautiful views of the Himalayan Mountains. Stay overnight at a hotel in Rongbuk.
Rongbuk is a small settlement at 4980m and is famous for its monastery and the fact that just 8km away from the monastery, is the Everest Basecamp. At Rongbuk, visit the Rongbuk monastery and hike up to Everest Base Camp. In the afternoon, we will drive to Shigatse.This 334 km drive will take us across the Gyatchu La pass at 5,220m, the highest pass on the route to Lhasa via Lhatse. Shigatse, situated at an elevation of 3900m, is the second largest city in Tibet after Lhasa. Stay overnight at a hotel in Shigatse.
Rongbuk Monastery: Rongbuk Monastery is situated near the base of the north side of Mount Everest at 5,009 meters, at the end of the Dzakar Chu valley. It is the highest monastery in the world and was established in the early part of the 20th century. The monastery belongs to the Nyingmapa Sect, and although destroyed briefly, the monastery has been repaired. Rongbuk monastery is marked by an iconic stupa and has some fascinating murals.
Everest Base Camp: To reach the Everest Base Camp at 5,009 meters and the Rongbuk Glacier, one has to make a 2-3 hour hike from the Rongbuk monastery. The trail takes one across various monastic retreat caves, the ruins of the nunnery of SherabChholing, and the fast-flowing Dzaka Chu River. Just before the starting point of the Rongbuk Glacier is Everest Base Camp. There are spectacular views of mountain peaks all around from this point onwards.
Today we will drive back to Lhasa from Shigatse.
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for departure.
