Mt. Kailash & Lake Manasarovar

Your fantastic tour of Tibet will start from Lhasa city. We would suggest hiring a car in Lhasa, as it the most convenient and economical way of getting around. After having breakfast at your hotel, drive to the Heavenly Lake Namtso for 230 kilometers along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway. The lake sits at an elevation of 4,718 m, and has a surface area of 1,870 square kilometers. It is the highest salt lake in the world, and largest salt lake in this region. You could have lunch at a local restaurant or bring some snacks for a picnic beside the lake. Tonight, you may wish to stay at a better hotel, but you will need to drive to Damxung County, as there are no hotels in the Scenic area. However, many tourists choose to camp at the lakeside, as it is so picturesque and peaceful. We strongly recommend the Namtso Tent Hotel, which is the best tent hotel in Namtso area. The hotel is situated about 3-5 minutes walk from the lake and does not offer twin or double rooms, but only triple or quadruple occupancy, and the room rate is around CNY50.00 net per bed.

On the fourth day you will drive to Nyima County for 350 kilometers. Nyima County is located in the north of Tibet in the northwest of Nagqu. With an area of 150,000 square kilometers, it has a population of 30,000. In the local language Nyima means 'the sun'. There are lots of the lakes within the territory of the county and all of them are typical highland enclosed lakes. Here you can stay at the Zhongcang Hostel, the room rate is CNY50.00 net per person. Or you may prefer to enhance your Tibetan experience by spending the night lodging with a local family, at the lesser rate of CNY10.00 net per person.

Go ahead to Dongcuo for 350 kilometers, where you will have a chance to enjoy beautiful natural scenery along the way. However, we would like to point out at this time that the road conditions and surfaces during this part of the tour will not be of the same quality as at home, so we strongly suggest that you make any preparations you feel might be necessary. Tonight we will stay at a rest house in Dongcuo.

Going towards the Gegye County from Dongcuo for 485 kilometers, you may stay at a local rest house in Gegye Country at the rate of CNY10.00 net per person.

Moving toward Zanda for 210 kilometers, you may visit the Zanda Tulin. Stay at the rest house here at the rate of CNY30.00 net per person or at the Zanda Guge Hotel at the rate of CNY40.00 net per person.

We will then continue our tour to Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar, as there are only 40 kilometers between them. Mt. Kailash is the most sacred mountain in the Tibetan Buddhist world is considered to be the centre of the universe. Lake Manasarovar is relatively round in shape. The circumference of Manasarovar is 88 km, depth is 90 m and it occupies a total area of 320 km. The lake freezes in winter and melts only in the spring.The best time to make a tour to Mt. Kailash & Lake Manasarovar region is between mid-May and mid-October.

After visiting the holy mountain and the holy lake, you may drive back to Lhasa directly or extend your tour to some other places by yourself.