Please note the tour price reflected on the brochure is subject to change. Due to seasonality, and taxes prices of the tour are subject to change without due notice. Please consult with the operator directly for the recent price.
Kailash Saga Dawa Festival
Preferred
Overview
Highlights
- Witness pilgrims replace the tarboche flagpole
- Hike the ancient kailash kora
- Visit spectacular palaces and incredible monuments
- Spot everest from the rongbuk monastery
Short Description
Journey overland to Tibet and cross the "roof of the world" to Kailash — Asia's most sacred mountain — in time for the amazing Saga Dawa Festival. You'll embark on a demanding multi-day trek around the holy mountain, which is said to bring good luck to whoever completes it, then join pilgrims and celebrate the renewal of the Tarboche flagpole. Explore Lhasa and experience unparalleled vistas of Mt Everest at its base camp. Full of cultural treasures, remarkable Buddhist monasteries, and the colourful markets of Kathmandu, this adventure truly is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Cities & Attractions
Beijing Everest Base Camp Kathmandu Lhasa Potala Palace The Forbidden City Tiananmen Square TibetAge Requirement
You must be 18 to travel unaccompanied on a G Adventures tour. For minors travelling with a guardian over 21 years old, the minimum age is 12.Trip Includes
- Your Local Living Moment: Rongbuk Monastery Guesthouse
- Rongpu Si
- Great Wall entrance
- Forbidden City tour
- Trans-Tibetan railway
- Kumbum visit
- Potala Palace visit
- Jokhang Temple visit
- Sera Monastery visit
- Yamdrok Tso visit
- Sakya Gompa Visit
- Pelkhor Chode Monastery visit
- Kailash kora
- Lake Manasarovar visit
- Saga Dawa festival experience
- Border crossing support
- All transport between destinations and to/from included activities
Itinerary
Day 1 Beijing
There are no activities planned until an evening welcome meeting. Included Activities: Arrival Day and Welcome Meeting
Day 2 Beijing
Set out early for the Great Wall at Mutianyu. Spend the day wandering from tower to tower along this magnificent feat of construction. Opt to see a Shaolin Monk Kung Fu Show, the Beijing Opera, or the Beijing Acrobats. You can pre-book the Beijing Acrobatics Performance on the checkout page to include this optional activity on your tour. Included Activities: Great Wall Mutianyu Visit Transport: Travel out to the Great Wall and back. Private Vehicle
Days 3-4 Beijing/Lhasa
Enjoy learning about Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City before using some free time to explore more of the capital. In the evening, depart on a 48-hour train journey to Lhasa. Enjoy watching the scenery completely change as you climb onto the Tibetan Plateau. Additional Notes: We aim to get the best sleeping berths available on each train journey. During peak season (summer) we cannot guarantee which beds will be available. Included Activities: Tiananmen Square Forbidden City Tour Transport: The train trip is a long, yet rewarding, journey through the heart of northern China then south across the Tibetan Plateau. The spectacular scenery make this a once-in-a-lifetime train journey. Basic overnight train (beds) (48.00 hour(s))
Day 5 Lhasa
Arrive in Lhasa in the evening. Take an orientation walk around Barkhor Square and start acclimatizing to the altitude.
Days 6-8 Lhasa
Over three days, explore all Lhasa and the surrounding areas have to offer. Visit Barkhor Square, the Jokhang Temple, the Potala Palace, and either Sera or Drepung Monastery. With free time, opt to visit the local markets or find a teahouse to spend a few hours relaxing. Included Activities: Barkhor Square Orientation Walk Potala Palace Tour Jokhang Temple Tour Sera Monastery Tour
Day 9 Lhasa/Shigatse (1B)
The drive to Gyantse is a spectacular one, crossing three passes over 5,000m (16,404 ft) and skirting the shores of the beautiful turquoise lake, Yamdrok Tso. Included Activities: Pelkor Chode Monastery and Gyantse Kumbum Visit Transport: Private Vehicle (8.00 hour(s), 267km) Private Vehicle (1.50 hour(s), 90km)
Day 10 Shigatse/Tingri
Sakya is the base of the once politically powerful Sakya sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Its huge fortified walls are testament to the turbulent past of the region. There is time in the late afternoon or early morning to explore the monastery and the ruins of north Sakya across the river. Additional Notes: Accommodation in these areas can be quite basic. Be prepared for shared toilet facilities, no running water, and often only multi-share rooms available. Included Activities: Sakya Gompa Visit Transport: Private Vehicle (4.00-5.00 hours, 172km) Private Vehicle (136km)
Day 11 Sakya/Rongbuk
Travel to Rongbuk Monastery, the highest in the world. Enjoy views of Everest from the Monastery and opt to go into the Rongbuk Monastery. Included Activities: Rongbuk Monastery Guesthouse Transport: Private Vehicle (2.00-3.00 hours, 100km)
Day 12 Rongbuk/Saga
Leave the Rongbuk Monastery behind and make the scenic journey to Saga. Transport: Private Vehicle (10.00 hour(s), 293km)
Day 13 Saga/Darchen
Take another travel day to reach Darchen, home base for the Kora Trek. Follow the road across grasslands for the first spectacular view of Mt Kailash and Lake Manasarovar. Transport: Private Vehicle (7.00 hour(s), 500km)
Day 14 Darchen to Kailash Range
Begin the kora from Darchen. Staying in basic guesthouses, the full kora takes 2.5 days to complete. The experience and scenery are well worth the effort. Additional Notes: If you are unable to participate in the kora, it is possible to remain in Darchen with our drivers. Accommodation on the kora is extremely basic and food options are limited in their variety. It is a good idea to bring snacks. Included Activities: Kailash Kora Day 1 Transport: Hike 20km (12.4 mi) from Darchen around the base of Mt Kailash. Hiking (20km)
Day 15 Kailash Range
Continue on the kora for the toughest stretch of the hike. Included Activities: Kailash Kora Day 2 Transport: Hike 18km (11.2 mi) to the highest pass of the trek and back down into the valley. Hiking (14km)
Day 16 Kailash Range
After completing the kora, relax in Chiu Gompa for the evening. Included Activities: Kailash Kora Day 3 Lake Manasarovar Visit Transport: Hike the last 14km (8.7 mi) to make it to Chiu Gompa. Hurrah! Hiking (14km)
Day 17 Kailash Range/Saga
Stop in Saga for the evening and reflect on the magical experience you've had before continuing on. Additional Notes: Please note: the departures of this trip starting May 16 2018 will visit the Saga Dawa Festival on Day 14 prior to starting the Kailash Kora hike. Included Activities: Saga Dawa Festival Transport: Private Vehicle
Day 18 Saga/Zhongba
Travel from Saga to Zhongba. Transport: Private Vehicle (330km)
Day 19 Zhongba/Kyirong
Travel from Zhongba to Kyirong. Get ready for the most scenic drive of your trip tomorrow and some more ink in your passport! Transport: Private Vehicle (6.00 hour(s), 340km)
Day 20 Kyirong/Kathmandu
Prepare for another beautiful driving day on your way to Nepal. There's plenty of lush green forests along the highway towards the Tibet – Nepal border at Rasuwa Gadi. After immigration, cross the bridge joining Tibet and Nepal by foot. Jump on a bus and make the winding, bumpy, yet extremely scenic drive to Kathmandu. Additional Notes: Kyirong is the main customs border crossing between Tibet and Nepal, for tourists and for commercial purpose. As such, it can be quite busy and there can be long wait times. Included Activities: Border Crossing (Kyirong to Kathmandu) Transport: Private Vehicle (1.00 hour(s), 30km) Private Vehicle (9.00 hour(s), 140km)
Day 21 Kathmandu
Depart at any time.
Availability
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42,501 G Adventures Travel Reviews & Ratings
Kailash Saga Dawa Festival
Write a ReviewA very enjoyable and educative experience and would recommend anyone to do it and ensure that Jason is leading the tour for full satisfaction
a very special trip with great guides
Amazing experience
An extremely intense experience not only of Tibet, but also of China as well
Incredible experience that met (and exceeded) the tour brochures and printed itinerary
Company Reviews
Amazing Trip!
Details
Flights & Transport
Only ground transport Train, plane, private bus, 4x4, walking.
Local Flights
All local flights are included in the cost of your tour unless otherwise noted. It is important that we have your passport information at the time of booking in order to process these tickets. Internal flight tickets are issued locally and will be given to you prior to the flight departure.
Group Size:
Small Group - 24 max
Maximum Number of People in Group: Max 16, avg 10
Max 16, avg 10
Solo Notes
We believe single travellers should not have to pay more to travel so our group trips are designed for shared accommodation and do not involve a single supplement. Single travellers joining group trips are paired in twin or multi-share accommodation with someone of the same sex for the duration of the trip. Some of our Independent trips are designed differently and single travellers on these itineraries must pay the single trip price.
Accomodations
Hotels/guesthouses (11 nts), very basic guesthouses (7 nts, possibly multi-share), sleeper train (2 nts).
Accommodation in western Tibet is very, very basic. After Saga there are only basic guest houses with multi-bed rooms, shared pit toilets, essentially no running water and electricity only in the evenings. A sleep sheet is recommended as whilst there is plenty of bedding and (in most cases) it does get washed, it can be dusty.
Guides
Chief Experience Officer (CEO) throughout, local guides.
Age Notes
Min. Age: You must be 18 to travel unaccompanied on a G Adventures tour. For minors travelling with a guardian over 21 years old, the minimum age is 12.
Additional Information:
Important Notes
1. ALTITUDE SICKNESS This trip operates at altitudes over 3500m (max altitude 5630m). Whilst we travel slowly allowing plenty of time to acclimatise you may experience headaches, nausea, lethargy on arrival in Lhasa and on the Kailash kora. It is important to be aware of the affects of altitude on one's tolerance especially on long driving days. 2. PARTICIPATION IN KAILASH KORA If anyone is unable to participate in the Kailash kora they may remain in Darchen with our drivers. 3.ACCOMMODATION Accommodation in western Tibet (particularly on the Kailash kora) and at Everest Base Camp) is extremely basic - only multishare rooms may be available and little or no running water. Basic pit toilets. 4. WEATHER The sun is intense - hat and sun screen are essential as well as drinking plenty of water as altitude exacerbates dehydration.
Meals
Eating is a big part of traveling. Travelling with G Adventures you experience the vast array of wonderful food that is available out in the world. Generally meals are not included in the trip price when there is a choice of eating options, to give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat. It also gives you more budgeting flexibility, though generally food is cheap. Our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. There is no obligation to do this though. Your CEO will be able to suggest favourite restaurants during your trip. Included breakfasts will usually be asian style consisting of noodles or congee (rice porridge) or bread and eggs. Vegetarians will be able to find a range of different foods, although in some areas the choice maybe limited. For all trips please refer to the meals included and budget information for included meals and meal budgets. Food in Western Tibet is limited in variety - we recommend bringing snacks, museli bars etc for snacks on the Kailash kora.
Dossier Disclaimer
The information in this trip details document has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it is subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client and the operator. The itinerary featured is correct at time of printing. It may differ slightly to the one in the brochure. Occasionally our itineraries change as we make improvements that stem from past travellers, comments and our own research. Sometimes it can be a small change like adding an extra meal along the itinerary. Sometimes the change may result in us altering the tour for the coming year. Ultimately, our goal is to provide you with the most rewarding experience. Please note that our brochure is usually released in November each year. If you have booked from the previous brochure you may find there have been some changes to the itinerary. VERY IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you print a final copy of your Trip Details to review a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans.
Rules & Other Requirements
Illegal drugs will not be tolerated on any trips. Possessing or using drugs not only contravenes the laws of the land but also puts the rest of the group at risk. Smoking marijuana and opium is a part of local culture in some parts of the world but is not acceptable for our travellers. Our philosophy of travel is one of respect towards everyone we encounter, and in particular the local people who make the world the special place it is. The exploitation of prostitutes is completely contrary to this philosophy. Our CEOs have the right to expel any member of the group if drugs are found in their possession or if they use prostitutes.
Trip ID#:
gadventure-22784
Meals Included:
4 breakfasts
Preffered
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