Tibet: Lhasa to Mount Kailash Trek & Everest Base Camp

Summary

From Lhasa’s ancient streets to the wild silence of Kailash with Everest sunrise in between

You’ll start in Lhasa’s winding alleys before crossing high passes toward Everest Base Camp, then circle sacred Mount Kailash alongside pilgrims and yaks. Expect long drives through wild valleys, nights in guesthouses, honest food (yak butter tea is everywhere), all guided by locals who know every story behind each monastery wall.

What’s the experience like?

I didn’t expect the air in Lhasa to feel so thin, like my lungs were learning a new language. The first night I just sat on my hotel bed and stared at the Potala Palace glowing across the square — it almost didn’t look real. Our Tibetan guide, Tenzin, met us the next morning with this gentle smile and a flask of salty butter tea (which I tried and honestly… still not sure about). Walking Barkhor Street was a blur of prayer wheels spinning, incense smoke curling up into the cold blue sky, and old women muttering mantras as they circled Jokhang Temple. It felt like everyone was moving with some secret purpose. I kept losing track of time.

By the time we left Lhasa for Shigatse, I’d finally stopped checking my phone for messages from home. The drive over Gampala Pass was all switchbacks and sudden views — Yamdrok Lake below looked impossibly turquoise against the brown hills. There was this moment at a roadside stop where an old man handed me a string of prayer beads without saying anything; I fumbled a thank you in broken Mandarin and he just laughed. We spent nights in simple hotels or guesthouses, sometimes sharing stories over dinner (yak stew is… an acquired taste). At Everest Base Camp, we huddled outside our dorm at Rongbuk Monastery before dawn — everyone quiet except for one guy snoring inside — waiting for that first gold light to hit the summit. It sounds cheesy but I really did tear up a little.

The Mount Kailash trek is something else entirely. Three days walking around this mountain that locals call sacred — every rock painted with prayers, every breeze carrying yak bells or distant chanting. The altitude messes with your head; sometimes you’re just focused on putting one foot in front of the other. But then you turn a corner and see mani stones piled high or pilgrims prostrating along the kora path (I tried to join them for a few steps but couldn’t keep up). Lunches were basic but warm — noodles or bread shared with porters who always seemed to be laughing at our slow pace. By the end I felt both exhausted and weirdly peaceful. Still can’t decide if it was harder physically or emotionally.

We finished back in Lhasa after what felt like years but was only fifteen days. My boots were ruined and my face wind-burned but honestly? I’d do it again just to watch monks debating at Sera Monastery or see those endless grasslands near Manasarovar Lake one more time. You don’t really come back from Tibet unchanged — there’s something about that sky that stays with you.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Arrival and acclimatization in Lhasa

• Arrive in Lhasa by train or flight
• Transfer to GangGyan Lhasa Hotel
• Rest and acclimatize to high altitude
• Optional visit to Potala Square

Day 2 — Lhasa city tour and cultural sites

• Visit Potala Palace
• Lunch break
• Visit Jokhang Temple
• Walk Barkhor Street and do kora
• Taste Tibetan tea in tea house
• Enjoy welcome dinner

Day 3 — Village visit and monastery tour

• Visit Dadong Village and Nyimatang Monastery
• Walk in village and visit local family
• Lunch at local villager's house
• Visit Sera Monastery and watch monks debate
• Tour scripture printing house and see mandalas

Day 4 — Drive Lhasa to Shigatse via Gyantse

• Drive from Lhasa to Shigatse
• Stop at Gampala Pass and view Yamdrok Lake
• Pass Korola Glacier and Manak Dam Lake
• Arrive in Gyantse
• Visit Pelkor Monastery and Gyantse Kumbum
• View Gyantse Fortress

Day 5 — Shigatse to Everest Base Camp

• Visit Tashilunpo Monastery
• Obtain Alien’s travel permit
• Drive to Lhatse for lunch
• Pass Tsola and Gyatsola Passes
• Enter Everest National Nature Reserve
• View Himalaya at Gawula Pass
• Drive to Everest Base Camp
• Enjoy sunset at Everest Base Camp

Day 6 — Everest Base Camp to Saga

• Watch sunrise at Everest Base Camp
• Visit Rongbuk Monastery
• Drive to Saga via views of Mt. Shishapangma and Peiku Lake
• Spot wild animals if lucky

Day 7 — Saga to Darchen via Manasarovar Lake

• Drive through Saga valley and grasslands
• Cross Mayomla Pass
• View Mt. Naimonanyi
• Pass holy Lake Manasarovar
• Arrive at Darchen foot of Mt. Kailash

Day 8 — Start Mt. Kailash trek to Drirapuk

• Take eco-bus from Darchen to Sarshung valley
• Meet yaks and porters at Sarshung village
• Trek 13km to Drirapuk Monastery
• Enjoy views of Mt. Kailash west and north faces
• Visit Drirapuk Monastery

Day 9 — Trek over Dromala Pass to Dzutrpuk

• Trek over Dromala Pass (5630m)
• Rest at teahouse
• See locals prostrating on Kora path
• View Kadoe Lake
• Visit Zutulpuk Monastery

Day 10 — Complete kora trek and return to Darchen

• Trek 7km to Zongto
• Take bus to Darchen
• See Mani Stones along Kora
• Rest at lodging
• Optional bath in Lake Manasarovar and hot spring

Day 11 — Drive from Darchen to Saga

• Drive from Darchen to Saga via Lake Manasarovar

Day 12 — Drive Saga to Sakya

• Drive from Saga to Sakya

Day 13 — Visit Sakya and drive to Shigatse

• Visit ancient Sakya town
• Tour Sakya Monastery murals and scriptures
• Drive from Sakya to Shigatse

Day 14 — Return drive to Lhasa via Yalong Valley

• Drive from Shigatse to Lhasa via Yalong Valley
• Stop at viewing platform over Yalong River
• Visit Water Mill making incense (summer only)
• Drop off at hotel in Lhasa

Day 15 — Tour completion and departure options

• Complete 15-day Tibet journey
• Contact for extended stay or transfers

Top questions

How long is the Tibet tour from Lhasa to Mount Kailash?

The tour lasts 15 days from arrival in Lhasa until return or exit via Nepal.

Is pickup included for this Tibet tour?

Yes, pickup from airport or train station in Lhasa is included.

Do I need a special permit for Mount Kailash trekking?

Yes, your Tibet Travel Permit and other necessary permits are arranged by the operator.

Are meals included during the trek?

Lunch and dinner are included throughout most of the tour.

What kind of accommodation should I expect?

You’ll stay in 3-star hotels in cities like Lhasa and Shigatse; guesthouses or dorms near Everest Base Camp and during trekking days.

Can I join as a solo traveler?

The price is based on double occupancy; single supplement may apply if available.

Is there oxygen available during high altitude sections?

An oxygen cylinder is provided in the vehicle if needed during travel.

Will we visit Everest Base Camp on this itinerary?

Yes, you’ll spend a night near EBC at Rongbuk Guesthouse with time to see sunrise if weather allows.

What’s included

Your journey includes airport or train station pickup in Lhasa, all necessary entry fees and permits (except Chinese visa), English-speaking Tibetan guide throughout, hotel stays with breakfast plus lunches and dinners as listed, comfortable transport with an experienced local driver (and oxygen onboard), plus drinking water along the way — so you can focus on soaking up every moment instead of logistics.