Meet your private transfer at the airport or railway station and receive a traditional white khata scarf. Transfer to your hotel for check-in and a short rest. In the afternoon, begin exploring Lhasa's highlights with a visit to Jokhang Temple, an important sacred site in Tibetan Buddhism. Then stroll along the Barkhor pilgrimage circuit surrounding the temple and experience the atmosphere of local pilgrimage and kora.
Stop at a century-old sweet tea house for authentic Tibetan sweet tea and noodle soup. In the evening, enjoy a traditional Tibetan welcome dinner featuring local dishes and ethnic song and dance performances, then return to your hotel.

Driving: approx. 2 hours (85 km)
Walking distance: approx. 3-4 km of easy walking around the temple and old town
Elevation: Gonggar Airport (3,570 m) → Lhasa (3,650 m)
Accommodation: Traditional Tibetan-style boutique hotel in Lhasa

In the morning, when local herders are carrying out their daily work, drive to a highland ecological farm or Tibetan agricultural demonstration village near Lhasa. Learn about the habits of yaks, known as the 'ships of the plateau,' and local farming and herding life.
Under the guidance of local herders, try traditional yak milking and sample hot, boiled yak milk, freshly made yak yogurt and other local dairy products. At noon, enjoy a home-cooked lunch with a local family, featuring dishes typical of plateau farming and herding communities.
Return to Lhasa in the afternoon and visit Sera Monastery, where you can observe monks debating Buddhist philosophy through handclaps and questions and answers in the traditional debate courtyard.
In the early evening, time permitting, visit the Nini Tibetan Intangible Cultural Heritage Experience Center to try mineral-pigment thangka painting, traditional woodblock printing and natural Tibetan incense making.

Driving distance: 60 km (1.5 hours)
Elevation: Lhasa and surrounding area, 3,650–3,700 m
Accommodation: Traditional Tibetan-style boutique hotel in Lhasa

Visit Drepung Monastery, an important monastery of the Gelug school.
Walk among its hillside complex of white monastic buildings and learn about traditional Tibetan monastic history and daily life.
Then visit the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Potala Palace.
Climb the palace steps at a gentle pace and discover the history, architecture, art and Tibetan cultural significance of this landmark of Lhasa.
The day's schedule is flexible due to the Potala Palace's strict timed-entry reservation system. If the morning slot is secured, visit Potala Palace in the morning and Drepung Monastery in the afternoon; if an afternoon slot is secured, reverse the order.

Driving distance: 25 km
Walking distance: 3-4 km
Elevation: Lhasa, 3,650 m
Accommodation: Traditional Tibetan-style boutique hotel in Lhasa

Cross Gampa La Pass for panoramic views of the turquoise waters of Yamdrok Lake.
Descend to a traditional lakeside village for an in-depth visit to a Tibetan home and a family lunch, including butter tea, tsampa and local home-style dishes.
A special high-altitude horseback riding experience is arranged beside Yamdrok Lake.
As only a limited number of horses are available, guests will take turns riding in scheduled groups, assisted by local staff, against the backdrop of the sacred lake and snow-capped mountains.
Continue to Karola Glacier for sightseeing and arrive in Gyantse in the evening.

Driving distance: 290 km / 6.5 hours,
Walking distance: 1–2 km
Elevation: 3,650 m → Gampa La Pass (4,998 m) → Yamdrok Lake (4,440 m) → Karola Glacier (5,020 m) → Gyantse (3,980 m)
Accommodation: Traditional Tibetan-style hotel in Gyantse

In the morning, visit Pelkor Chode Monastery and its famous Kumbum Stupa in Gyantse. Admire the distinctive integration of monastery and stupa architecture and the richly preserved traditional murals.
Then drive to Shigatse, the main city of the Tsang region, and visit Tashilhunpo Monastery to learn about its long history and important cultural role.
In the afternoon, visit a thangka art gallery in Shigatse to see traditional Tsang-style thangka paintings up close and learn about their techniques and artistic heritage.

Driving distance: 95 km / 2 hours
Walking distance: 3 km along monastery paths
Elevation: Gyantse (3,980 m) → Shigatse (3,840 m)
Accommodation: Thangka-themed hotel or traditional Tibetan boutique hotel in Shigatse

Travel west along scenic National Highway G318. Pass through Lhatse and visit a traditional Tibetan knife-making workshop to learn about the metal-forging techniques preserved in western Tibet.
Continue over Gyatso La and Gawula passes. Weather permitting, enjoy views of several Himalayan peaks above 8,000 meters from the viewing platform.
Reach the Everest region in the evening and visit Rongbuk Monastery and Everest Base Camp to watch the sunset over Mount Everest. On clear nights, enjoy the pristine high-altitude night sky.
Driving distance: 340 km / 7 hours
Walking distance: 1–2 km along viewpoints and scenic paths
Elevation: 3,840 m → Gyatso La Pass (5,248 m) → Gawula Pass (5,198 m) → Everest Base Camp (5,000–5,200 m)
Accommodation: Everest Base Camp

Enjoy morning views of Mount Everest, weather permitting.
Leave the Everest region and continue west past Peiku Lake, with views of Shishapangma when weather conditions allow.
The landscape gradually changes from the Lhasa Valley to the distinctive high plateau of western Tibet. Stops will be arranged as road conditions permit, allowing guests to rest, stretch and appreciate the scenery.

Arrive in Saga in the evening.

Driving distance: 330 km / 6.5 hours
Walking distance: short walks at scenic viewpoints
Elevation: Everest (5,000 m) → Peiku Lake (4,590 m) → Saga (4,450 m)

Accommodation: Traditional Tibetan boutique hotel or guesthouse in Saga

Continue along National Highway G219 into the Ali Plateau of western Tibet, passing Zhongba on the way to the sacred mountain and lake area.
Road and weather conditions permitting, stop along the way to rest and enjoy the vast wilderness, wetlands, snow-capped mountains and high-altitude lakes of western Tibet.
At Lake Manasarovar, take part in a lakeside blessing experience and admire distant views of Mount Kailash.

Arrive in Darchen at the foot of the mountain in the evening. Check the equipment, clothing and supplies needed for the three-day kora starting the next morning.

Driving distance: 490 km / 8.5 hours
Walking distance: approx. 2 km along the lakeshore
Elevation: Saga (4,450 m) → Lake Manasarovar (4,588 m) → Darchen (4,575 m)
Accommodation: Traditional Tibetan guesthouse or boutique hotel at the foot of Mount Kailash in Darchen

On the first day of the kora, ascend gradually through the Lha Chu Valley, enjoying close-up views of the west and north faces of Mount Kailash. Pilgrims gather along the route. In the evening, wait opposite Dirapuk Monastery to watch the setting sun illuminate the mountain's north face.

Transfer: 15 minutes
Trekking distance: 20 km / 6–7 hours
Elevation: Darchen (4,575 m) → Prayer Flag Square (4,730 m) → Dirapuk Monastery (4,920 m); total ascent approx. 345 m
Accommodation: Stay overnight in the local Guesthouse

This is the most demanding and spiritually significant day of the kora.
Climb at high altitude to Dolma La Pass (5,630 m), marked by countless colorful prayer flags. Then descend a steep, rocky trail past the sacred Lake of Compassion (Gauri Kund), reaching Zutulpuk Monastery in the evening.

Driving distance: 0 km
Trekking distance: 18 km / approx. 7-8 hours
Elevation: Dirapuk (4,920 m) → Dolma La Pass (5,630 m) → Lake of Compassion → Zutulpuk Monastery (4,790 m); total ascent +710 m and descent -840 m
Accommodation: Stay overnight in the local Guesthouse

This is the most demanding and spiritually significant day of the kora.
Climb at high altitude to Dolma La Pass (5,630 m), marked by countless colorful prayer flags. Then descend a steep, rocky trail past the sacred Lake of Compassion (Gauri Kund), reaching Zutulpuk Monastery in the evening.

Driving distance: 0 km
Trekking distance: 18 km / approx. 7-8 hours
Elevation: Dirapuk (4,920 m) → Dolma La Pass (5,630 m) → Lake of Compassion → Zutulpuk Monastery (4,790 m); total ascent +710 m and descent -840 m
Accommodation: Stay overnight in the local Guesthouse

Depending on the day's flight schedule, take a private transfer to Ali Pulan Airport and fly back to Lhasa Gonggar Airport.
After arrival in Lhasa, do not return to the city. Instead, connect at Gonggar Airport to your onward flight to another city in China or another destination, according to the group's travel plans.
As flight days and schedules between Pulan and Lhasa may change seasonally, allow sufficient connection time based on the final confirmed flight schedule.
This concludes the 12-day Tibet journey featuring Everest, the sacred mountain and lake, and the Mount Kailash kora.

Flight route: Ali Pulan Airport (APJ) → Lhasa Gonggar Airport (LXA), approximately 2 hours
Elevation: Pulan (4,250 m) → cruising altitude → Gonggar Airport (3,570 m) → lower-altitude cities in mainland China
Airport Transfer: Private transfer to Ali Pulan Airport