Mount Kailash Pilgrimage

Chengdu/Kathmandu - Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse - Sakya - Mount Kailash - Lake Manasarovar - Paiku Tso - Everest Base Camp - Kathmandu

Truly a jouney to stir the senses and nourish the soul. The days of travel are long, the roads are dusty and bumpy, the scenery will take your breath away - of all the destinations in Asia this is the most sacred and sublime.

Explore the heart of central Tibet, the great temples, monasteries and palaces of Lhasa, Gyantse, Shigatse & Sakya before traveling west, through dramatic landscapes to two of Tibet's most sacred pilgrimage sites - Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar. Stunning views of Shishapangma - the world's 4th highest mountain and beautiful Piku Lake are a fitting finale to this incredible journey before leaveing the Tibetan Plateau behind, plunging into a lush green world as we descend almost 2000 meters in just 30kms to the border town of Zhangmu.

Of incredible geomantic power Kailash (Sanskrit) or Kang Rinpoche (Tibetan) marks the center of the Earth for Buddhists, Hindus, Jains and Bon. To Buddhists it is the abode of Demchok, the wrathful manifestation of Buddha Sakyamuni. To Hindus it is the dwelling of Shiva, the destroyer and according to the Sanskrit tradition of Vishnu Purana it is a representation of Mount Meru, the cosmic mountain at the center of the universe. It is the place where the founder of Bon descended to Earth and where the founder of the Jain faith was spiritually awakened.

Kailash is also the geographical watershed of South Asia, here its great rivers are born - the Indus, the Sutlej, the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) and the Karnali / Ganges. At its foot lies the most venerated of Tibet's lakes, Manasarovar, believed by Hindu's to have been formed in the mind of Brahma.

Itinerary
Days 1-2 Kathmandu or Chengdu Days 3-6 Lhasa Day 7 Gyantse Day 8 Shigatse Day 9 Sakya Day 10 Saga Day 11 Paryang Day 12 Darchen Days 13-14 Kailash Kora Day 15 Lake Manasarovar Day 16 Paryang Day 17 Saga Day 18 Lao Tingri Day 19 Everest Base Camp - Lao Tingri Day 20 Kathmandu

Group Departures
Cost: € 1400 p/p
(minimun 4 people)

2008 Group Departures
May 06 - May 24
July 08 - July 27
August 26 - September 17
September 30 - October 19

2009 Group Departures
May 05 - May 24
July 07 - July 26
August 18 - September 06
September 01 - September 20
September 22 - October 11

Flight cost:
Kathmandu-Lhasa USD 316p/p
or Chengdu-Lhasa € 165 p/p

Private Departures
Available at any time and may be customized for you.

Mount Kailash
Asia's most sacred mountain, Kailash is central to the Buddhist, Hindu, Jain and Bon faiths. To travel here and make the 53km kora (circumambulation) is the most important pilgrimage most will ever make.

Potala Palace
The symbol of Tibet, this awesome palace containing over 1000 rooms and 200,000 images dominates the city. The 7th century building was replaced by the current 130,000square meter structure in the 17th century.

Jokhang Temple
This 1300-year-old, golden-roofed building is the spiritual heart ofLhasa and of the Tibetan world. The courtyard in front of the entrance is almost constantly filled with prostrating pilgrims – inside the labyrinth of shrines, halls and galleries are dimly lit by butter lamps and filled with pilgrims and incense and house some of the finest treasures of Tibetan art.

Gyantse
Built at the center of the trade routes from Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan, by 1440 Gyantse’s most impressive architectural achievements had been completed – the Kumbum, the dzong and Pelkor Chode monastery.

Tashilumpo
Founded in 1447 the original building was built above a sacred sky-burial site, the stone slab of which can still be seen on the floor. At its peak it housed 4700 monks and is still the largest functioning monastic community in Tibet. The most amazing image is the 26m Maitreya, covered with 279 kg of gold.

Lake Manasarovar
The ‘Lake Conceived from the Mind of God’ is a brillant turquoise expanse of water, pure beyond conventional scientific confirmation. Its sun shape a balance and contrast to Rakshal Tal. Chiu Gompa, spectacularly perched on a rocky pinnacle, is the site of the cave where Padmasambhava lived for the last 7 years of his life.

Rongbuk & Everest Base Camp
The view from the world's highest monastery is incredible, and from EBC at 5200m, even more stunning.

Kathmandu
Busy streets, temples and shrines and shopping to keep you busy for days.

Physical Grading: Challenging
Culture Shock Grading: Moderate
Accommodation: Twin share hotel & basic guest house
Transport: 4 WD landcruisers, private bus
Group size: Min 4 / Max 11
Accompanied by: Tibetan Tour Guide
Meals: Tibetan Buffet & cultural show, Lhasa. Please allow approx €6-8 per day for meals not included.

Included Activities:
Panda Breeding Center or Kathmandu City Tour, Jokhang Temple, Potala Palace, Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, Pelkor Choede & Gyantse Kumbum, Tashilhumpo Monastery, Sakya Gompa, Mount Kailash, Everest Base Camp .

Best: May to October

Tibetan Expeditions
100 Beijing Dong Lu, Lhasa, Tibet, PRC
Tel: +86-891-6330489
Fax: +86-891-6330482
Mobile: +86-891-6571338