| DAY .1 | Chengdu |
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| We will meet you at the airport in Chengdu. The afternoon is left open for you to either take a rest or stroll around the city to buy souvenirs or necessities. Chengdu is a prosperous and lively metropolis famous for its delicious spicy food and attractive tea houses. |
| DAY .2 | Chengdu to Lhasa |
| | The 2-hour flight, which glides over the snow capped peaks of the Himalayas, is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful flights in the world. We will arrive at Gongga airport at around 11:00am, and drive for 1.5 hours to reach downtown Lhasa. Starting from this drive, you are already thrown deep into a culture which is unknown to most people. Situated at 3,700 m(12,136 ft), Lhasa and surroundings may appear slightly barren, except for the trees lining the roadside. We will spend the afternoon resting and adjusting to the high altitude.
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| DAY .3 | Lhasa |
| | We will have a full day in this mystical capital exploring the Potala Palace, Jokhang (Dazhao)Temple and Norbulingka, the Summer Palace of the Dalai Lama. |
| DAY .4 | Lhasa to Gyantse(Jiangzi) |
| | The road to Gyantse meanders down through the Kyichu Valley to Yarlong Tsampa (Brahmaputra)River before climbing over Khama La Pass at 4,900 m(16,076 ft).We will stop to take a breath in this majestic topography - the serene turquoise lake of Yamdrok Tso with a backdrop of snow-topped mountains. Before reaching Gyantse, we will make one more ascent over Karo La at 5,200 m(17,060 ft). |
| DAY .5 | Gyantse to Shigatse(Rikaze) |
| | Here we will soak up the old-world atmosphere of Tibetan rural life. For centuries, this town has dominated the wool and timber trade routes from Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan.We will explore the 14-15th century fortress and temples, most notably the Gyantse Kumbum, the Stupa of 100,000 Deities, which is one of Tibet's most famous architectural achievements. In the afternoon we will head to Shigatse. |
| DAY .6 | Shigatse |
| | Shigatse is pleasantly covered in trees, a view which is quite rare in Tibet. The city is divided into two parts - the charming old town retaining old Tibetan homes lining the narrow streets, and the newer commercial district with department stores and karakoke bars. We will take the whole day to tour around the grand Tashilhunpo Monastery, which was founded by Pachen Lama I in 1447 and remains the center of the Shigatse's community. |
| DAY .7 | Shigatse to Lhaze(Lazi) |
| | We will leave Shigatse in the morning for Lhaze. |
| DAY .8 | Lhaze to Saga |
| | From Lhaze onwards, we will be driving on rugged roads. Saga, meaning 'Happy Land', is situated along the Tsangpo River in a region criscrossed by the upper Brahmaputra and its tributaries. The land becomes rugged, the air thinner and the sky endless and impossibly blue.
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| DAY .9 | Saga to Paryang(Payang) |
| | Another day's driving will take us to Paryang in the heart of western Tibet, where the four great rivers of South Asia diverge from their glacial sources around Mount Kailash. During the rainy season, the roads to Paryang are likely to be washed out by floods, in which case we may need to drive the truck through a 30 cm(11.7 inches)deep stream. |
| DAY .10 | Paryang to Darchen(Taqing) |
| | In the higher altitudes you would be able to enjoy an uninterrupted view of the Himalayas bordering India and Nepal. |
| DAY .11 | Darchen |
| | Darchen, situated at 4,000 meters(13,123 ft), is the starting point of the route around Mt. Kailas. The town itself may trigger mixed feelings - you may encounter the fascinating sight of pilgrims camping by the town, cooking and washing to prepare for their journey to Mt. Kailas Kora, while the inspiring view of beer bottles, left by tourists who have finished the trek, is likely to bring you back to reality. We will have an early start this day to begin our 3-day trek in Mt. Kailash. |
| DAY .12-13 | Mt. Kailash |
| | The highest pass of the hike is at 5,600 meters(18,373 ft), an altitude at which walking can become quite a demanding task. We will move at a slow pace and take plenty of breaks along the way. Back at Darchen, we will get into our car and drive to Lake Manasorovar to camp for the night. |
| DAY .14 | Lake Manasarovar |
| | We will camp another night at this sacred lake. We will take a walk up to the Chiu Monastery, located atop a cliff, to enjoy the spectacular view of the lake. |
| DAY 14-16 | Zhanda(Zhada) |
| | We will spend a day driving to Zhanda, a small town situated deep in a valley. The drive itself offers a breathtaking view of sand-rock formations shaping the deep valley. We will spend another day in the area to visit the ruins of the Guge Kingdom, which ruled western Tibet 300 years ago. |
| DAY 17-20 | Zhanda to Lhasa |
| | We will return to Lhasa by retracing the original route we took, stopping on the way to play frisbee in the grasslands with Tibetan children or photographing golden haired yaks grazing in the sunset.
Lhasa to Chengdu |
| DAY 21 | Departure |
| | Trip ends |
