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Top things to do in Chengdu - Fabio Nodari

Mt. Kailash Tour from Chengdu via Lhasa with Aradhya Tours

Aradhya Tours presents a unique and spiritually enriching 17-day journey to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar, specially designed for tourists and pilgrims from countries like the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, and other non-Indian passport holders. This exclusive tour combines spiritual devotion with remarkable travel experiences.

Your journey begins with a visit to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding and the Leshan Giant Buddha. Afterward, travel by flight to Lhasa, where you’ll immerse yourself in the rich Tibetan Buddhist culture and visit sacred sites like the Barkhor Kora. From Lhasa, the tour proceeds westward to Darchen for the three-day Kailash Kora trek. Along the way, witness the stunning views of Yamdrok Lake, visit Tashilhunpo Monastery (home of the Panchen Lama), and enjoy breathtaking sunrises and sunsets over Mount Everest.

For those with extra time, the tour also includes an optional bath in the holy Lake Manasarovar. This tour is the perfect combination of spiritual exploration, adventure, and unforgettable natural beauty, all organized meticulously by Aradhya Tours.

Trip Schedule
Full details of the trip schedule will be provided upon booking, ensuring a seamless, enriching, and memorable pilgrimage experience.

16 nights / 17 days from Chengdu to Chengdu by flight + road

Day 01 : Arrive Chengdu

Take an international flight from your home city to Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. When you arrive at Chengdu airport, our guide will meet you and transfer you to your hotel in Chengdu. The rest of the day is free. (You have to pay for the Direct international flights from home to Chengdu on your own.)

Meals included: No meal
Max. Elevation: 500 meters
Accommodation Style: Hotel dbl/twin sharing basis

Optional: If you have enough time, you can enjoy a short walk on Jinli Ancient Street. Later, proceed to Wenshu Monastery to taste delicious vegetarian cuisine. Another option is to enjoy a cultural show – Sichuan Opera in the evening. (The expense of the activity will be on you, depending on your interest.) Spend the night in Chengdu.

Day 02 : Tour Chengdu Panda Breeding and Leshan Giant Buddha

Drive for around 30 minutes in the morning to the giant panda breeding and research center, Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Center, where you will witness the pandas dining. The adults and babies are at their most energetic. Ten kilometers (6 miles) north of Chengdu, this 230-hectare park has a panda museum and plenty of information on these pandas. Approximately 2.5 hours are needed to get a proper tour of this place.

It is anticipated that we will travel from Chengdu to Leshan in the afternoon for a two-hour boat ride to see the renowned Giant Buddha. The magnificent Buddha was sculpted from the cliffs where the Dadu, Minjiang, and Qingyi Rivers converge. You will travel to the river’s center for a sightseeing trip where you will encounter the enormous stone, Buddha. We will stay in Chengdu for the night. Spend the night in an accommodation in Chengdu.

Meals included: Breakfast
Max. Elevation: 500 meters
Accommodation Style: Hotel on dbl/twin sharing basis

Day 03 : Chengdu to Lhasa Flight

Tourists will take a morning flight from Chengdu to Lhasa. When you will arrive in Lhasa, our tour guide will welcome you and take you to your hotel. Tourists can watch the fantastic sight of the Yarlung Tsangpo River / Brahmaputra River (the longest and largest river in Tibet) and the Lhasa River on their way to Lhasa. When you arrive in Lhasa, you can relax and adjust yourself to the high altitude. If you like to go out, you can go to Potala Square, where you can enjoy different colored fountains and capture plenty of pictures of Potala and its surroundings. Stay for the night in Lhasa.

Meals included: Breakfast
Max. Elevation: 3556 meters
Accommodation Style: Hotel on dbl/twin sharing basis

Day 04 : Lhasa Sightseeing

Today’s tour will first take you to the Potala Palace, the winter residence of the Dalai Lama. It has been used since the 7th century by the 33rd emperor of Tibet. The most valuable collections of the Potala Palace are the golden tombs of the ancient Dalai Lamas and the meditation cave of the 33rd emperor of Tibet. After lunch, tourists will go to see the Jokhang Temple, which the 33rd King of Tibet founded in the 7th century. Inside, you will also see a statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha when he was twelve years old. Outside, you can see pilgrims bowing before the Jokhang Temple. Next to the temple is Barkhor Street, where you can do kora (a holy circle or holy mountain) with pilgrims and locals and explore the old market. Besides that, we can enjoy Tibetan tea with the locals at the tea house.

Meals included: Breakfast
Max. Elevation: 3556 meters
Accommodation Style: Hotel on dbl/twin sharing basis

Optional: If you have time, you can visit a center for Tibetan Traditional Medicine or view Tibetan handicrafts with your tour guide. With an additional fee of USD 60, you can enjoy the Tibetan Culture Show during the evening. Spend the night in Lhasa.

Day 05 : Lhasa Sightseeing

In the morning, you will visit Drepung Monastery, which is one of the “three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet, founded by Jamyang Choge, one of Tsongkhapa’s leading disciples. 1416. You can visit the kitchen of the largest monastery in the monastery and enjoy the Buddhist sculpture workshop near Drepung. In the afternoon, you will visit Sera Monastery, which is another of the “big three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet. The star attraction is the monk’s debate, which is conducted from 3 pm to 5 pm. In addition, you can take a tour of the Tibetan religious scripture printing house. Inside the monastery, you will witness three sand mandalas and beautiful paintings of Buddha. Spend the night in Lhasa.

Meals included: Breakfast
Max. Elevation: 3556 meters
Accommodation Style: Hotel dbl/twin sharing basis

Day 06 : Lhasa to Shigatse via Gyantse

We will drive to Shigatse from Lhasa in the morning. While traveling, we will cross the 4790-meter-high Gampala Pass to catch a view of Yamdrok-Tso (4400 meters). A number of snow-capped mountains encircle the lake, and the highest mountain close to Lhasa, Holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar (7191 meters), is spectacularly visible in the distance. We will later drive by and admire the Korola Glacier at the side of the road. Pray flags can be flown at Simila Mountain Pass near Manak Dam Lake. After that, we will reach Gyantse, which used to be the third-biggest city in Tibet (after Lhasa and Shigatse). We will see the well famous Pelkor Monastery and Gyantse Kumbum in Gyantse, as well as take in the distant vista of Gyangtse Fortress. Afterwards, we will drive for an hour and a half before reaching Shigatse, the second-biggest city in Tibet. We can explore a classic barley mill in Shigatse and take in the summertime scenery of Barley Field. Stay at Shigatse for the night.

Meals included: Breakfast
Max. Elevation: 3845 meters
Accommodation Style: Hotel on dbl/twin sharing basis

Day 07 : Shigatse to Tingri (Everest Base Camp)

Today we will go to Tashilunpo Monastery, the residence of Panchan Lama, in the morning. After obtaining your alien travel visa, we’ll depart Shigatse and head towards the small town of Lhatse, where you can have lunch. We will next pass Gyatsola Pass (5248m) and Tsola Pass (4600m) after that. Soon after entering the Mt. Everest National Nature Reserve, visitors can take in the Himalayan vista at 5198-meter-high Gawula Pass. After that, we travel to Everest Base Camp (5200m) via the New Zigzag Road. You can climb up close to see the summit of Mount Everest. If time and conditions are preferable, cherish the golden Everest peak sunset view in the lodge area. Spend the night in a guest house or a tent at the Rongbuk monastery.

Meals included: Breakfast
Max. Elevation: 5200 meters
Accommodation Style: Hotel on dbl/twin sharing basis

Day 08 : Tingri to Saga

If the weather permits, we can watch the sunrise atop Everest Peak from the lodge area in the morning. After that, you can see the beautiful Lake Peiku Tso (4590m) and the 14th-highest mountain in the world, Mt. Shishapangma (8012m), as we go to Saga. If you have good luck, you will be able to see wild creatures like antelope, donkeys, and others. Spend the night in the Saga.

Meals included: Veg Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Max. Elevation: 4640 meters
Accommodation Style: Hotel on dbl/twin sharing basis

Day 09 : Saga to Lake Manasarover

In the morning after breakfast head to Lake Mansarovar. The 450 kms drive may take 6-7 hours or more to reach the lake. We will stay near the eastern side of the lake. On the way to Darchen, you will have the opportunity to appreciate the inspiring view of the Saga Valley between Gangdise and Himayala ranges. At this time, lush green areas and beautiful villages are also visible. While crossing the Mayomla Pass (5,112 m), you can enjoy the spectacular view of Naimonanyi mountain (7,694 m). The guesthouses near the lake offer basic facilities for the visitors. Food will be arranged by the chef/guide in the guesthouse. Spend time near the lake while enjoying the beautiful view of the Mt. Kailash, doing meditation and chanting. Take a holy bath here whhich is one of the highlight of the trip.

Meals included: Veg Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Max. Elevation: 4590 meters
Accommodation Style: Dormitory style stay

Day 10 : Lake Mansarovar to Darchen

After breakfast spend some time near lake Mansarovar and then drive to the base town of Mt. Kailash which is known as Darchen. The town of Darchen is a bigger settlement comparitively and has better hotel to stay. Relax here today and prepare yourself for the trekking of the Mt. Kailash the following day.

Meals included: Veg Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Max. Elevation: 4670 meters
Accommodation Style: 4* hotel sharing basis

Day 11 : Darchen – Dirapukh (driving 7km, trek 12km)

In the morning, we are scheduled to take an eco bus from Darchen to Sarshung Valley. Then, we will meet Yaks and gatekeepers in Sarshung village. (boat rental price, horse and porters are not included in the package.) After that, we can start the hike (about 13 kilometers) from Sarshung to Drirapuk Monastery along the river and Lachu Valley. Today, you can also enjoy the sunset and mountain view of Mount Kailash. Finally, we will go to Dirarapuk Monastery. Your stay is arranged in a guesthouse.

Meals included: Veg Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Max. Elevation: 5210 meters
Accommodation Style: Dormitory style stay

Day 12 : Dirapukh to Zuthulpukh Trek (22 kms Approx)

Today, we will cross the Domala pass (5630 m), the highest pass of Kora. Along the way, you can relax in a teahouse in the area. Along the way, you can see Tibetans bowing to Kora Road and the beautiful Kadoe Lake on the way down. We can also visit Zutulpuk Monastery. Spend the night in a guesthouse.

Meals included: Veg Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Max. Elevation: 5630 meters
Accommodation Style: Dormitory style stay

Day 13 : Zuthulpukh to Darchen, Drive to Saga

You will hike 7 km to Zongto on the third day of the kora, from where you can board a bus to Darchen. There are plenty of Mani Stones along the Kora. We will finish the trek at lunchtime. Continue drive to Saga while you rest in your vehicle. Stay at Saga.

Meals included: Breakfast
Max. Elevation: 4640 meters
Accommodation Style: Hotel on sharing basis

Day 14 : Saga to Sakya

Start your drive from Sakya to Saga. The night stay is arranged in Sakya.

Meals included: Breakfast
Max. Elevation: 4300 meters
Accommodation Style: 3* hotel sharing basis

Day 15 : Sakya to Shigatse

We will go to the historic Sakya town in the morning, where you can witness the Sakya Monastery, which has elegant murals and an extensive collection of texts and statues. After that, we will go for a drive to Shigatse from Sakya. Stay at Shigatse for the night.

Meals included: Breakfast
Max. Elevation: 3977 meters
Accommodation Style: 3* hotel sharing basis

Day 16 : Shigatse to Lhasa

We’ll return to Lhasa via following Yalong Valley. Along the route (if time permits in the summer), you can visit a water mill that produces Tibetan incense material and stand on a viewing point to look over the expansive Yalong River bed. Later, we will transport you to the Lhasa Hotel. Spend the night at Lhasa.

Meals included: Breakfast
Max. Elevation: 3656 meters
Accommodation Style: Hotel dbl/twin sharing basis

Day 17 : Lhasa to Chengdu

Start your last day of the tour with a tasty breakfast, and get ready. Afterwards, we will transport you to the railway station or airport for your next destination. Here, the tour comes to an end.

Meals included: Breakfast
Max. Elevation: 500 meters
Accommodation Style: Hotel on dbl/twin sharing basis

 

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