Simikot Kailash Lhasa Tour - 22 days

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A panoramic  thrill flying into Kathmandu on a clear day. The views of snow-capped mountain peaks sprawling down below you are almost ecstatic, beginning a whole chain of memorable experiences that stay with you for a long, long time. A representative and driver from our office will meet you at the airport and escort you to your hotel.

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Kathmandu, the historical and cultural heart of Nepal, has been a popular destination for tourists ever since Nepal opened its doors to visitors. The city presents a wonderful mix of Hinduism, Tibetan Buddhism and Western influence in the Valley.

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Today we take a ninety minute flight to Nepalgunj in the far south-west of Nepal. It is a busy crowded city which lies close to the Indian border.

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This morning we fly north for about 50 minutes to Simikot, the headquarters of Nepal’s most remote district, Humla. After meeting our crew, we set off on our trek, climbing up from the airstrip on a rocky trail past fields of barley and wheat. We ascend a forested ridge above the town of Simikot, before making a long steep descent past Dandaphoya. The trail is then fairly level, through walnut and apricot trees, until we come to the scattered village of Dharapokhari which is divided by the YakbaKhola.

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Leaving our campsite, we cross a long scree slope and follow the river to a waterfall near the shepherds’ camp at Chachera. We then climb over a ridge and bypass the village of Kermi before entering a big valley with walled fields of potato and buckwheat. After walking through a sparse pine forest we descend from the ridge to the SalliKhola and camp by the river

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We cross the river and climb over a rocky ridge before descending to the grey waters of the HumlaKarnali. After crossing another ridge we come to a sandy meadow where goat herders often camp by the river. Beyond the meadow the valley narrows and we cross several more ridges, passing the villages of Yalbang and Yangar. The trail then winds its way precariously above the river before we cross a suspension bridge to the village of Muchu.

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Today is a rest day which we’ll spend in and around Muchu, exploring the village with its stone houses and Gompa.

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From Muchu, we follow the trail over a ridge to the TumkotKhola and then walk along the rocky stream bed for a short distance before beginning a steep climb through a rock-filled gully. We pass through Palbang and its bright yellow mustard fields to the small settlement of Yari and beyond here the route climbs up the valley towards a pass, the Nara Lagna. We camp below the pass in a meadow known as Sipsip.

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From Sipsip we ascend steeply to a rock cairn marking the top of the Nara Lagna [4580m]. Descending from the pass, we have views of the Tibetan Plateau before arriving at the village of Ranipauwa. Beyond here, we slip and slide on a surface of loose pebbles down to the HumlaKarnali.

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Shortly after crossing the Nepal/Tibet border which is marked only by a stone pillar, we meet our transport and drive about 130km, via the large trading centre of Taklakot, to Manasarovar, the most venerated of Tibet’s many lakes.

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Today will be spent at Manasarovar, allowing our bodies’ time to acclimatize to the altitude and exploring this fascinating place. We will visit the picturesque Chiu Monastery on the north-west shore of the lake with the imposing sight of Mt Kailash in the background.

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Leaving the lake, we drive for about 35 km towards Mt Kailash and Tarboche which is marked by a tall pole adorned with prayer flags. This is the starting point for our Kora, the 53 km trek around the mountain.

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From Tarboche, we walk up the Lha Chu Valley through beautiful green meadows and streams with Mt Kailash towering above us. We follow the river which enters a narrow canyon with high, steep cliffs and spectacular waterfalls. Continuing up the valley, the north face of Kailash comes into view before we reach the ancient monastery at Dira-puk.

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We now leave the Lha Chu Valley and enter the Drolma Chu Valley, heading up towards a high pass, the Drolma La [5630m]. It’s a tough climb to the summit which is festooned with prayer flags but from there it is all downhill or flat to Zutul-puk, with views of one of the highest lakes in the world, ThukpeDzingbuLake, known as the Lake of Compassion. At Zutul-puk, there is a monastery and several meditation caves and a cave containing an image of Milarepa.

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We continue driving today along a 255km stretch of road to Saga, passing through the small, dusty town of Zhongba en route.

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Today is the longest drive of our journey, 452km to Shigatse. Leaving Saga, we pass the turn-off for the northern route and skirt around a lake, passing through a series of valleys. Approaching Kaga, we’ll come across the first trees and agricultural fields that we’ve seen for many days and the town itself is situated next to a picturesque lake. We continue on to Lhatse where we join the paved Friendship Highway and follow it for the final 150km to Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet.

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This morning in Shigatse we have time to visit the Tashilhunpo Monastery, one of the largest functioning monasteries in Tibet, before driving 90km to Gyantse. Once in Gyantse, we can explore the PelkorChode Monastery and the GyantseKumbum. The Kumbum is a large gold-domed stupa and its many chapels house an impressive array of Tibetan Buddhist murals.

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A spectacular 261km drive today will take us over the Karo La 5045m, where we are treated to the awesome sight of a huge glacier tumbling down to within a few hundred metres of the road. Beyond the small, developing town of Nagartse, the road follows the bank of a beautiful turquoise lake, the Yamdrok-tso, for about 20km. We then cross the Khamba La [4794m] and continue on to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet.

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Today will be spent visiting several of Lhasa’s many monasteries in the company of a guide and interpreter. One of these is the Sera Monastery, one of the best preserved monasteries in Tibet. Within its white-washed walls and golden roofs, several hundred monks live and study. After lunch we’ll visit the Norbulingka, the summer palace of the Dalai Lama, as well as the Jokhang Temple. This temple is possibly the most sacred shrine in Tibet and there is always a procession of devout Tibetans through the complex. Surrounding the Jokhang is the Barkor – a maze of narrow cobbled streets which is the central market of Lhasa.

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This morning we will visit the Potala Palace which dominates the city of Lhasa. A spectacular building, it contains the private quarters of the Dalai Lama as well as numerous grand state rooms and many important chapels. There has been a palace on this site since the 5th or 6th century, but the present palace was constructed in the 17th century. A visit to the Drepung Monastery this afternoon will complete a truly awe-inspiring day. Founded in the 14th century, this monastery was once the largest in the world with a population of around 10,000 monks. These days that figure is down to several hundred, but there is still much here of interest as it was left relatively unscathed during the Cultural Revolution.

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Our final day in Lhasa is a free day for you to explore further, revisit a favorite monastery or simply sit in a café overlooking the Barkhor and watch the pilgrims as they circumambulate the Jokhang, stopping regularly to peruse the merchandise at the stalls lining the route. There is also the option of an additional tour to places such as the Tibetan Medical Centre, Ganden Monastery and Tsurphu Monastery, but this will incur extra costs.