Destination Lhasa EBC Kailash Guge Kingdom

Trip Difficulty Moderate Trip

Duration 16 days

Activities Tour and Trek

Accommodation Hotel and Guest House.

Max altitude 5600m

Group Size 1-30 pax

Meals Breakfast

Vehicle Bus/Car/Jeep/Flight

Price starts from
$4500 - $8500

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@ USD 900

Highlights of Guge Kingdom Garuda Valley Tour-16 Days

Take 3-day Mount Kailash kora trek for a spiritually uplifting experience.
Admire the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest from base camp.
Visit Rongbuk Monastery, probably the highest monastery in the world.
Visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites-Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple in Lhasa.
Explore naturally decorative ruins and beautiful landscape of Guge Kingdom
Discover Garuda Valley, an architectural sites for Bon religion.
Visit Tirthapuri Hot Spring and get Vasmeshower Ashes.
Take holy bath and offer water/jal to the ancestors soul.
Cheap and best price guaranteed with fixe trip departure dates.
Lhasa Guge Kingdom Tour Itinerary and price, possible to customize as per your time and interest.

Overview of Guge Kingdom Garuda Valley Tour-16 Days

Fascinating Guge Kingdom Garuda Valley with Kailash Tour is to enjoy the lost civilizations and sacred landscapes. Discover ancient Guge Kingdom and mystical Garuda Valley—Tibet’s blend of history, art, and spiritual intrigue.

Guge Kingdom Garuda Valley Tour discovers the natural, cultural, and religious essences of Tibet with the ancient ruins of the Guge Kingdom. Guge Kingdom Tour-Tsamda (Zada / Tsada) county is the current name for the region which once known as the Guge kingdom. It extends along the banks of Sutlej river.

Guge Kingdom Garud0 Valley Tour caters an ultimate travel experience. The trip is full of religious atmosphere, exotic culture and architecture. In addition, snow-capped mountains and countless stunning lakes make you feel thrills. Explore lost civilization of Guge Kingdom and trek around holy Mt. Kailash, religion center in the world.

Guge Kingdom is famous civilization centre of western Tibet. Guge Valley is an ancient trading route between central Tibet and India, and the Silk road approaching from the North. The Guge kingdom ruins date back to the 9th century.

Guge was a wealthy kingdom until 11th century. The king used trading routes to exchange cultural achievements. He sent monks to India to study Buddhism. One of them, Richen Zangpo studied in India for 17 years before returning to Tibet. Atisha, an important Indian master also travel to central Tibet, spending 3 years in Guge Kingdom to spread Buddhism in Tibet.

Rinchen Zangpo is a key figures of Tibetan Buddhism once also the king of Guge kingdom. He translated many Sanskrit Buddhist texts to Tibetan. Also, Rinchen Zangpo built 108 monasteries in Western Tibet and Ladakh in Northern India. Skillful Indian Kashmiri masters were invited to paint Tholing and Tsaprang monasteries. Some of these incredible murals you can see now.

In the 15th century, the Guge king moved the capital of Guge Kingdom to Tsaprang. Still, Tholing remained an influential religious center. It is famous for establishing Guge style of Tibetan art. However, the art forms are more refined in Tsaprang. In addition to the large monastery, kings established a citadel(Castle) on the mountain.

The Guge kingdom was existed until early 17th century. Later, it was destroyed by the invading army of Ladakhi king. Tsaprang was completely abandoned, while some monks stayed in Tholing monastery. Under a leadership of Fifth Dalai Lama at the end of 17th century, Guge Kingdom was returned to Tibet. In 1960, both Tholing and Tsaprang monasteries were destroyed during cultural revolution. They are now being rebuilt and reconstructed, some murals are cleaned. Guge Valley and Guge kingdom has become the most popular travel destination in the world.

Guge kingdom also known as Zanda. Toling is a capital of Zanda county. Zanda and Guge kingdom is full of canyons cutting through red sandstone composite, once an ocean floor, all descending into upper Sutlej River.

Garuda Valley Tour
Garuda Valley is an ancient complex of living caves and meditation caves set in the mountains on the north bank of Sutlej River. Sutlej River is a holy river which starts from Mount Kailash. Garuda valley is 35 km west of Tirthapuri. There are more ancient ruins on tops of the mountains and also Bon monastery. Garuda Valley is a beautiful complex of caves. There are many caves on the mountain slopes. Most of them are small. One of the highlights is the Bon monastery Gurugem. Garuda Valley is not suitable for comfortable living. The water sources are far and soil is not good for agriculture. Some scientists believe that Bon practitioners used caves for some rituals but didn’t stay there for a long time. Garuda Valley is a good archaeological site to research Bon history and civilization in Tibet.

Gurugem/Gurigyan Bon Monastery
Bon is an ancient religion, wide-spread in Tibet before Buddhism. Some Tibetans still believe in Bon religion. Bon religion is mostly popular in the Eastern Tibet. Guru gem is one of the few Bon monasteries in Western Tibet. You can see ruins of monastery perched on mountain slope.

Guge Kingdom Garuda Valley Tour Itinerary

Day 01: Arrive in Lhasa(3600m)
Day 02: Lhasa Tour – Potala Palace, Jhokang Temple, and Barkhor Street.
Day 03: Lhasa Tour – Drepung and Sera Monastery.
Day 04: Lhasa- Shigatse via Gyantse(360km, 7 hours)
Day 05: Shigatse (3900m) to Everest Base Camp (5200m, 350 km, 7 hours)
Day 06: EBC to Saga (450km, 7 hours)
Day 07: Saga to Darchen via Lake Manasarovar (4400m, 520km, 8 hours)
Day 08: Darchen to Guge Kingdom(3700m, 260km, 5 hours)
Day 09: Day tour around Guge Kingdom
Day 10: Guge Kingdom to Darchen(4800m, 260m, 5 hours)
Day 11: Darchen to Dirapuk (5200m, driving 7km, Trek 13km, 6 hours)
Day 12: Dirapuk to Zuthulphuk(4800m, Trek 27km, 9 hours)
Day 13: Zuthulphuk to Saga(, 4500m, Trek 10km, 590km drive)
Day 14: Saga to Gyirong(3700m, 350km, 6 hours drive)
Day 15: Gyirong to Kathmandu(1300m, 230km, 8 hours)
Day 16: Kathmandu Departure

Detail Itinerary of Guge Kingdom Garuda Valley Tour-16 Days

Day 01: Arrive in Lhasa(3600m)

Pick up from Lhasa airport or train station and drive to hotel in Lhasa. After arriving in Lhasa, take a rest and get acclimatized to high altitude. Also, possible to to Potala Square for amazing photos if you feel good. Do not rush to visit attractions inside Lhasa city. Stay overnight in hotel in Lhasa (3-star hotel)

Day 02: Lhasa Tour - Potala Palace, Jhokang Temple, and Barkhor Street.

Breakfast and tour around Potala Palace, the winter palace of the Dalai Lama. Visit Jokhang temple, built in 7th century, in order to promote the Buddhism in Tibet, Barkhor Street, old local Tibetan market for souvenirs after lunch. Stay overnight in Lhasa (3-star hotel)

Day 03: Lhasa Tour - Drepung and Sera Monastery.

Breakfast and tour to Drepung monastery, one of the “great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet, founded in 1416 by Jamyang choge, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. Enjoy Buddhist Sculpture Carving workshop near Drepung.

In the Afternoon, you go to visit Sera Monastery which is another one of the “great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet. The hot attraction is the Monks debate at around 3:00 to 5:00 in the afternoon. Explore Tibetan religious scripture printing house inside the monastery, you can see three sand Mandalas and colorful rock painting of Buddha. Stay overnight at hotel in Lhasa (3-star hotel)

Day 04: Lhasa- Shigatse via Gyantse(360km, 7 hours)

Breakfast and drive from Lhasa to Shigatse via Yamdrok Tso lake(4400m), crossing Gampala pass (4790m). Enjoy spectacular views of Holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar (7191m) the highest mountain and Korola Glacier on the roadside. Lunch at Gyantse, historically Tibet’s third largest city. You will visit famous Pelkor Monastery and Gyantse Kumbum and enjoy view of Gyangtse Fortress and continue drive to Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet. Stay overnight in Shigatse (3-star hotel).

Day 05: Shigatse (3900m) to Everest Base Camp (5200m, 350 km, 7 hours)

Breakfast and visit Tashilhumpo Monastery, home of Panchen Lama. Drive to Everest Base Camp crossing Tsola Pass (4600m), Gyatsola Pass (5248m) and Gawula Pass(5198m) caters majestic view of Everest, Makalu and Kanchenjunga mountain range. Enjoy the sunset view of Everest if time and weather permit from Rongbuk. Stay overnight in guest house.

Day 06: EBC to Saga (450km, 7 hours)

In the morning, enjoy the sunrise view of Everest if weather permits. Breakfast and then drive towards Saga enjoying Mt. Shishapangma (8012m), and Turquoise Lake Peiku Tso(4590m). If you are lucky enough, you may see wild animals-wild donkey and wild antelope. Stay overnight in local hotel

Day 07: Saga to Darchen via Lake Manasarover (4400m, 520km, 8 hours)

On the way to Darchen, you will see beautiful grassland and local’s villages. As we cross Mayola Pass(5112m), you can enjoy the spectacular vista of Mt. Naimonanyi(7694m). You will pass by the holy Lake Manasarovar, get first Darshan of Kailash and finally arrive at Darchen, the southern foot of Mt.Kailash, the most holy mountain in Tibet. Stay overnight in local hotel.

Day 08: Darchen to Guge Kingdom(3700m, 260km, 5 hours)

Today we will drive further west to Guge Kingdom, the second highlight of the trip, where we will see the massive ruins of Guge Kingdom. Stay in a small town near the ruin called Zanda.

Day 09: Day tour around Guge Kingdom

In the morning, we drive to Tsaprang (Guge Kingdom, 23km), and drive back to Tholing by the evening. Guge Kingdom is one of the first important cultural relic sites under protection, the grand palace ruins stand on a 300-meter tall yellow earth hill on the banks of Sutlej River in the Tsaprang District.

Toling is the main religious center of Guge kingdom after inviting the great Indian master ATISHA. The kings of Guge replaced the city as a political center of power by establishing capital slightly closer to the Indo-Tibetan trade routes. Toling monastery is still an important cultural heritage of Ngari. Stay overnight in the guest house.

Day 10: Guge Kingdom to Darchen(4800m, 260m, 5 hours)

Breakfast and rive back to Darchen via Garuda Valley exploration and visit Tirthapuri hot Spring.

Day 11: Darchen to Derapuk (5200m, driving 7km, Trek 13km, 6 hours)

In the morning after breakfast, take eco-bus drive from Darchen to Sarshung valley. Meet Yaks and porters at Sarshung village(the cost of hiring horses, and porters are not included in the package). Begin 16km trek from Sarshung to Drirapuk Monastery along Lachu valley and rivers. You can enjoy the both west and north face of Kailash from Drirapuk Monastery. Stay overnight in Guest House.

Day 12: Derapuk to Zuthulpuk(4800m, Trek 27km, 9 hours)

Today, wake up early in the morning and trek for 27 km, crossing over Dromala pass (5630m), the highest pass of Kailash Kora Trek. On the way, rest in a teahouse and locals Tibetans prostrating in the Kora path and see beautiful Gauri Kund Lake when walk downhill to Zutulpuk Monastery. Stay overnight in Guest House

Day 13: Zuthulpuk to Saga(, 4500m, Trek 10km, 590km drive)

The last day of trek, breakfast and trek for 10 km and drive to Saga for 8 hours. Along the Kora, see piles of Mani Stones. Stay overnight in local guest house.

Day 14: Saga to Gyirong(3700m, 350km, 6 hours drive)

Breakfast and drive to Gyirong, enjoy beautiful hot shower, walk around and rest. Overnight at Gyirong hotel.

Day 15: Gyirong to Kathmandu(1300m, 230km, 8 hours)

Local Tibet guide and driver will help you in clearing your border customs and then cross border, and drive to Kathmandu by bus for 6 hours. Stay night at hotel in Kathmandu.

Day 16: Kathmandu Departure

Breakfast and transfer to Kathmandu-TIA airport for your flight to sweet home.

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Includes / Excludes

What's Included ?

Airport pick up and drop by private vehicle
All ground transportation by private vehicle
Lhasa Sightseeing Tour in Tibet
Twin sharing 3 nights hotel accommodation in Lhasa with breakfast.
Twin sharing Guest House accommodation during Kailash trip with breakfast
Necessary Tibet Travel Permits
Border pick up and drive to Kathmandu.
Twin sharing hotel in Kathmandu with breakfast.
All government taxes and company service charge.

What's Excluded ?

Personal Horse and Helper during Kailash Parikrama Trek.
Rescue/ evacuation costs incurred due to split from the main group or serious health condition.
Travel Insurance for emergency rescue and medidcation.
Expenses of Personal nature due to flight delay/ cancel with a valid reason.
Tips for guide, and driver
China Visa Cost
Flight Ticket.
All cost not mention on above cost includes.

Note: We operate private trip everyday.

We can operate private trip for solo, group, family, students as per your requirements.

Trip Information - Guge Kingdom Garuda Valley Tour-16 Days

Necessary Permits for Kailash Tour

Kailash Overland Tour begins from Kathmandu, Nepal and entering into Tibet via Gyirong border, a recently opened entry point to Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. Several permits such as 1. Tibet Travel Permit, 2. Chinese Group Permit, 3. Alien Travel Permit and 4. Military Permit are necessary for Kailash yatra. All these permits we will arrange once you book Kailash trip with us and all these permit fee includes on Kailash tour package.

Booking Procedure for Kailash Overland Tour via Gyirong

Your Kailash Tour is confirmed once you send us your passport copy and some trip advance payment into our company bank account. You passport must be minimum of 8 months validity prior to your travel date to Kailash.

Kailash Tour-Accommodation

We try to provide you the best possible accommodation for the entire Journey. The hotel and guest house is comfortable and friendly. Kathmandu-Twin sharing 3 star hotel accommodation. Syabrubesi-Twin sharing best available guest house accomodation. Gyirong-Twin/Triple/multiple-dormitory sharing accomodation. Saga-Twin sharing hotel accommodation. Mansarovar-Twin/Triple/Multiple-Dormitory sharing accommodation. Darchen-Twin sharing hotel accommodation. Twin/triple/multiple-dormitory sharing accomodation during Kailash Trek.

Meals for Kailash Overland Tour

Three times vegetarian meals-breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided. Snacks and drinks like chocolates, cookies, almonds, bhujiya, tea and coffee also served in the trip.

Money Matter and ATMS

Yuan is an official currency of Tibet, China. The other currencies such as US dollar, Euro, and British pound are also accepted. However, before traveling to Tibet, we recommend exchanging your money into Chinese Yuan. If you’re going through Kathmandu, change your money at any money exchange counter in Kathmandu. Also, possible to exchange money and use ATMs in Lhasa if you arrive Tibet from mainland China. Finding ATMs and banks in rural areas of Tibet is difficult, it is recommended that you bring cash with you to cover all of your expenses. Please consult your travel agency to determine how much you should carry for the trip, as it depends on your trip package.

Seasons for Kailash Mansarovar Tour

April to the end of September are good time for Kailash tour. From early November to early April, Kailash tour is not possible due to extreme weather changes. Throughout the winter season, road to Kailash is closed due to heavy snowfalls.

Packing List for Kailash Overland Tour

A good packing is necessary for Kailash tour. It is also possible to buy and renting gears and equipments in Kathmandu too. Below are the necessary packing lists for Kailash Mansarovar Overland trip.

Equipments
1 large duffel bag or backpack.
1 small backpack or day pack.
1 Sleeping bag

Lower body
2 pair of warm synthetic or cotton pants
1 pair light hiking pants
2 pair long underwear tops and bottoms
1 fleece, wool pants

Upper body
1 down jacket
1 rain gear tops and bottoms
2 pair long sleeve cotton shirt
1 fleece, wool jackets

Head wear
1 warm hat
1 sun hat
1 sunglasses (100% UV protective)
Sunscreen, lip guard (at least SPF 25)
1 silk or polyester scarf (neck protection from the sun)

Foot wear
6 pairs warm socks
1 pair comfortable waterproof hiking boots
I pair comfortable sports shoes (at the camp)

Hand wear
1 pair warm gloves or mittens

Others
1 towel
Water bottle 2 liters
1 flashlight (with extra batteries)
Sun lotion and cold cream.

Toilet items
Soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, comb/brush, razor, shaving cream, women’s pad and toilet paper.

First Aid and Medical Kits
Band-aids, bandage, medical tape and other wound dressings
Blister dressing and moleskin.
Cold-flu tablets, nasal decongestant
Antihistamine (for allergies)
Aspirin or ibuprofen
Imodium or Lomotil (for diarrhea)
Re-hydration powder(electrolyte powder)
Throat lozenges, cough medicine
Scissors, tweezers, thermometer
Antibiotics (consult a doctor)
Medicine for high altitude sickness-Diamox tablet.

Documents and Visa

All travelers passports have a minimum of 8 months validity prior to Kailash travel date. All necessary Tibet Travel permits and Tibet/China group visa will take care by us, once you confirm the trip and sending your passport copy and trip advance payment into our bank account.

The Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu will open from Monday to Friday. All you need to arrive in Kathmandu 3 working days before Kailash tour departure dates. It takes 3 working days to apply and get visa from Chinese Embassy. Your original passport is necessary to apply Tibet/China paper group visa at Chinese embassy in Kathmandu.

Travel Insurance

We suggest to buy proper medical and travel insurance prior to the Kailash trip. Make sure that your travel insurance police will cover emergency rescue and medication coverage.

Altitude Sickness

Altitude is a major risk factor. You will drive in an average altitude of 4000 to 4600m crossing above 5000m pass. Common altitude sickness symptoms such as headache, dizziness, nausea, loss of appetite, and difficulty in sleeping may feel during the trip. No need to worry with these symptoms, please keep on re-hydrate and see your body that helps to acclimatize. Diamox is a prescription medication for high altitude sickness. We also carry oxygen tanks.

Physical Fitness

Kailash Trip is an overland driving tour by bus or jeep except 3 days trek around Kailash Parikrama.
Relatively, you should be in good health. If you have any chronic health problems, please consult your doctor. Regular hiking, jogging, gym and yoga-meditation are helpful for the trip.

Additional Costs on the trip

Hiring personal porter and renting a horse for Kailash Parikrama will be an extra price. Your guide will arrange a horse and porter while on Kora, if you would like to hire a horse with a horseman it costs-USD 650 to 700 and USD 190, a porter for 3 days Kailash Kora Trek.