Kathmandu

AM: Arrive in Kathmandu. PM: visit to Swoyambhunath.

4 pm: Orientation meeting in the lobby, followed by a visit to the miraculous ‘self arisen mount’ Swoyambhunath Temple.

Kathmandu

Full day trip to Pharping.

8am: Drive to Pharping to visit the power sight of the Tantric Yogini tradition. This exquisite mountain temple town is home to several thousand long term meditators. Then we drive to Boudha for lunch, the religious center for Tibetan refugees living in Nepal. The fabulous stupa here marks the sight of 6th and 7th religious exchanges between Nepal & Tibet.

Meet in the hotel at 4 pm for Tibet preparation and check list.

Tsedang

Fly to Lhasa Gonggar airport. Transfer to Tsedang.

7.30 am: leave for airport

9:45 am: fly to Lhasa Gonggar airport arriving at 1 pm local time.

Note that we lose 2.15 minutes on this flight since Tibet is on Beijing time.

Before arriving in Tsedang we will visit Mindroling Monastery. This is one of the six great Nying Monasteries of Tibet, and had an especially close relationship to the Dalai Lamas.

Tsedang

Tsedang, Yumbulakhang, Traddruk.

Yambulakhang: It is one of the oldest buildings in Tibet overlooking the Yarlung Valley. It’s a tapered finger like structure sprouting from a craggy ridge. It provides a breathtaking view of the village, hills and the river. The original one was larger and the design suggests a mad Bavarian prince’s dream as it was built as a palace – the first fortified house in Tibet – for the first Tubo King and only transferred to a monastery in the 7th century.

Trandruk Monastery: It is 5 km before entering Tsedang. An ancient tale says that the site was a large lake which Songsten Gampo tried to drain to build a city but was stopped by a ferocious dragon. He then retreated to a cave and meditated for 14 years after which he came out as an eagle, slew the dragon, dried the lake and was able to build the town and monastery.

Tsetang

Visit Machik cave.

The great Machik Labdon stands as one of the greatest female mystics in eleventh century Tibet, and probably the most important woman in Buddhist history. The two schools of Tibetan Buddhism descend from her: the Zhichey and the Tsar Chod. Although these no longer exist as independent entities, they can be found within all schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The small cave where she lived and meditated for sixty-two years is located just an hour's drive from Tsetang. It was here that she achieved her enlightenment and delivered most of her teachings.

Samye Monastery

Visit Samye .

After breakfast we will drive to Samye Monastery. We spend the night here in the guest house next to the monastery. The accommodation here is very basic with common bathroom facilities. There is a restaurant that serves simple Tibetan food.

Samye is Tibet’s first monastery. It was built in the mid-eighth century by the Indian tantric master Padma Sambhava with the assistance of his female disciple, the yogini Yeshe Tsogyal. It was greatly damaged by the Cultural Revolution, but was not totally destroyed. One can sense its long history and spiritual power.

Chimpuk Hermitage lies in a nearby valley, and here the female mystic Yeshe Ysogyal, who became Padma Sambhava’s main Dharma heir, led the 25 adepts in a 12 year retreat and attained realization. Since that time it has served as a long term meditation retreat site for men and women practitioners alike. At the foot of the hill is a small female lama school where we might be able to sit in on the daily chanting session.

Lhasa

Drive to Drak Yerpa Caves. Overnight in hotel in.

In the morning we will cross the Yarlung Tsangpo on the ferry and drive to our hotel in Lhasa to drop our luggage and continue to Drak Yerpa Caves.

Drak Yerpa is about 18 miles to the northeast of Lhasa, it is probably not of great interest for the average traveller but, for those with a particular interest in Tibetan Buddhism, Yerpa is one of the holiest cave retreats ever. At one time the hill at the base of the Cave – dotted cliffs was home to Yerpa Monastery. The history of Dark Yerpa includes many of the great names responsible for the establishment of Buddhism in Tibet. Emperor Songtsen Gampo meditated in seclusion here : Guru Rimpoche and several of his disciples also meditated here. Here Jowo Atisha chose to preach extensively. Although the ancient Kadampa Gompa has been destroyed, the geomantic qualities that made Drak Yerpa a major power place still remain and still attract hermits to its caves.

Lhasa

AM: Potala Palace.

PM: Jokhang & Barkho Market. Overnight in Hotel.

Potala, the traditional home of the Dalai Lamas, is the site where King Songtsen Gampo built his castle when he moved his capital from Yarlung to the Lhasa area. His two wives, one an incarnation of Green Tara and the other an incarnation of White Tara, were instrumental in bringing the qualities of the female buddhas and the dakinis to it, and it is filled with chapels dedicated to these feminine divine forms.

Jokhang Temple is Tibet’s oldest temple and was built by King Songtsen Gampo in approx. 650 AD for his Nepali wife Bhrikuti, who is regarded as an incarnation of White Tara. It is considered to be the primary seat in Central Asia of the Female Buddhas, and also of all Dakinis.

The word Barkhor refers to the middle of the three concentric holy circuits around the Jokhang Temple. The Barkhor Circuit runs through the heart of the old city where life has changed little down the centuries and it gives you a curious sensation of having slipped through time into a medieval carnival. It is an area unrivalled in Tibet for its fascinating combination of deep religiosity and pushes – and – shoves market economics. This is both the spiritual heart of the holy city and the main commercial districts being the center of Tibetan capital's trade for centuries.

Afternoon you have time to explore Lhasa on your and for any last minute shopping before we begin our long drive to Kailas.

Shigatse

Drive to Shigatse via the northern route which is about 4 hours. We will make a stop in a Bon monastery on the way if time permits.

Ngamring

Visit Tashilunpo monastery and drive to Ngamring. Overnight in tented camp.

Tashiluno Monastery: It was founded in 1447 by the first Dalai Lama. This monastery is one of the few monasteries in Tibet that weathered the stormy seas of the Cultural Revolution. This monastery houses the Maitreya Buddha statue weighing 275 Kg made of gold and 26 meters in height.

Saga

Drive to Saga. Approx. drive 8-9 hours. Day drive along the shores of the Tsong Po River to Saga. Along the way we see nomadic Drokpa camps surrounded by the yaks, sheep and goats. Overnight in tented camp.

Paryang

Drive to Paryang. Approx. drive 8-9 hours. Day drive through the village of Zongba and camp at Paryang. Overnight in tented camp.

Manasarovar Lake

Another day of 8-9 hours drive with a few river crossings. We arrive in Chiu Gompa, Manasarovar. Overnight in Guest House.

Manasarovar Lake

Rest day at Manasarovar Lake. The lake is Tibet’s most sacred and beautiful lake. Kora in vehicles of the holy lake. Overnight in Guest House.

Kailas Kora

Drive about an hours to Darchen and (Kora) walk to Tarboche.

Darchen is a little village where most of the travelers organize their Kora to Kailas. Here is a small monastery and a significant Tibetan site. We will trek to Tarboche, about 2 hours of easy walking. Camp after Tarboche (15,500 ft.). The camp is in a large meadow with view of the west face of Mt. Kailas. Overnight in tented camp.

Kailas Kora

Kora to Diraphuk, about 5 hours.

It is an easy walk following the Lham Chhu River. There is a monastery in Diraphuk across the river in the south. To the north of our camp is Kailas. Driraphuk is at an altitude of 16450 ft and it is our highest camp on this pilgrimage. Overnight in tented camp.

Kailas Kora

Kora - Cross Drolma La to Lham Chhu Khyr valley.

Kora to Lham Chhu Valley, about 7 hours walk. This is the longest and most difficult day, also spiritually most rewarding as we trek through Drolma pass at 18,200 ft. We will offer prayer flags (please make sure you buy them in Boudha or Lhasa) and a picnic lunch in Drolma La. As we descend from Drolma La on the right below the path is the Gaurikund Lake, the Tibetans call it Tuje Dzingbu, the Bathing Pool of Compassion. The descent to the valley is steep. Overnight in tented camp.

Kailas Kora

Kora - Cross Zutrulphuk to Darchen. 5 hrs walk. We continue our walk through Lham Chhu Valley along side rows of Mani stone walls before we reach Zutrulphuk, Cave of the Miracles. We continue to Darchen, the end of our Kora. In Darchen we will ride our land cruiser and drive to Mayum La. Overnight in tented camp.

Darchen

Rest day. We will drive to Tirthapuri hot springs for a soak and come back to Darchen. Overnight in Guest House.

Kailas Kora II

We begin our second of Kailas.

Kora to Diraphuk. Overnight in tented camp.

Kailas Kora II

Kora - Cross Drolma La to Lham Chhu Khyr valley. Overnight in tented camp.

Kailas Kora II

Kora - Cross Zutrulphuk to Darchen. We will drive for a few hours to our camp. Overnight in tented camp.

Paryang

Drive to Paryang. 8-9 hours. Overnight in tented camp.

Kathmandu

Drive to Kodari border and to Kathmandu. 6 Hours drive.

After immigration, we drive for about 20 minutes to the Friendship Bridge, the border of Nepal and Tibet. This ride maybe in a truck or a 45 minutes walk, depending on road conditions and weather. Cross the bridge on foot to Kodari. After immigration & custom formalities, we drive to Dhulikhel for lunch and continue to Kathmandu.

Overnight in hotel.

Fly to USA. Transfer to airport for your flight home.

In the morning after breakfast we will transfer you to the airport for your flight home.