Lhasa to Kashgar Overland
Get a taste of China’s cultural and ethnic diversity as you take a unique journey from Tibet’s capital city Lhasa and through the stunning beauty of the far western historic province of Ngari before heading all the way to the ancient Silk Road city of Kashgar. Visit the Potala Palace and Lhasa’s famous monasteries. Take the trek of a lifetime around the holy Mt. Kailash and see the ruins of the Kingdom of Guge.
Lhasa to Kashgar Overland Tour is famous itinerary. Get a taste of China’s cultural and ethnic diversity as you take a unique journey from Tibet’s capital city Lhasa and through the stunning beauty of the far western historic province of Ngari before heading all the way to the ancient Silk Road city of Kashgar. Visit the Potala Palace and Lhasa’s famous monasteries. Take the trek of a lifetime around the holy Mt. Kailash and see the ruins of the Kingdom of Guge. Traverse beautiful grasslands, eerie moonscapes, and the vast desert before arriving to the open markets and ancient architecture of China’s westernmost border city.
Lhasa to Kashgar Overland Tour is amendable and can be done with or without the trekking component near Mt. Kailash. Additional days in Kashgar can be added upon request.
Itinerary – Lhasa to Kashgar Overland Tour
Day 1: Arrive in Lhasa (3658m)
On arrival you will be met by our local Tibetan guide. You will be presented with a khata (a white scarf which is a symbol of good luck and happiness in Tibetan culture). The drive to our hotel takes about two hours. Later this afternoon you will have time to explore the local area and acclimatize to the high altitude.
- Accommodation: Tibetan style hotel
- Sleeping altitude: 3514m
- Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 2: Sight-seeing in Lhasa City (3658m)
Today your guide will give you a tour of Lhasa City, where you will have a chance to see some of Tibet’s most important and iconic sites, like the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa’s famous Barkhor Square, the renowned Potala Palace, and Ramoche Monastery.
- Accommodation: Hotel
- Sleeping altitude: 3514m
- Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 3: Lhasa’s Surrounding Monasteries
Today you will have a chance to see two of Tibet’s most famous Gelugpa monasteries, Sera and Drepung. Located just north of Lhasa on Mt. Gambo Utse, Drepung one housed ten thousand monks. Meander your way through the dormitories and prayer halls before making a visit to the former home of the state oracle at Nechung Temple. In the afternoon, take a trip to Sera Monastery, best known for its lively tradition of debate. Take a walk around the monastery or catch the monks debating in the late afternoon before returning to Lhasa City and preparing to hit the road the following morning.
- Accommodation: Hotel
- Sleeping altitude: 3514m
- Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 4: Lhasa – Tsedang
Today we leave Lhasa for Tsedang. Traveling alongside the Yarlung Tsangpo River (Tibet’s mother river), we will have a chance to visit Tibet’s first monastery, Samye before arriving in the immensely important town of Tsedang. Located in the heart of the Yarlung Valley, Tsedang is the birthplace of Tibetan civilization and home to the early Tibetan kings. Here we will visit Tibet’s first castle, Yumbu Lhakhang.
- Accommodation: Hotel
- Distance: 90km
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 5: Tsedang – Chimpu Nunnery
Today we leave Tsedang for Chimpu, the site of a nunnery and over 100 meditation caves important to the histories of a number of Tibetan Buddhism’s key religious figures. If you are feeling up to it, try your legs out and have a short trek!
- Accommodation: Hotel
- Maximum Altitude: 4800m
- Distance: 70km
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 6: Chimpu Nunnery – Gyantse
Experience breathtaking views as we cross the Kamba Pass (4795m) when we will have an opportunity to stop at the sacred Yamdrok Lake. After crossing the Karo Pass (5010m) we will arrive in Gyantse, stopping to visit Pelkor Chode Monastery and Kumbum Stupa.
- Accommodation: Hotel
- Maximum Altitude: 5010m
- Distance: 286km
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 7: Gyantse – Shigatse (3750m)
In addition to being an important political and religious city, Shigatse was historically Tibet’s second largest town. Shigatse is home to Tashilhunpo Monastery, the historic residence of the Panchen Lama lineage of reincarnate lamas.
- Accommodation: Hotel
- Maximum Altitude: 3750m
- Distance: 90km
- Meals Included: Breakfast & Lunch
Day 8: Shigatse – Saga (4560m)
Today we catch our first glimpses of the Himalayas as we traverse the gorgeous countryside. Depending on the time of year, you may even see nomad camps in the valleys below. Late in the afternoon we will cross the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra River and arrive in Saga, the first county we reach in Ngari.
- Accommodation: Hotel
- Maximum Altitude: 4500m
- Distance: 448km
- Meals Included: Breakfast & Lunch
Day 9: Saga – Lake Manasarovar (4590m)
Today we will finally see Mt. Kailash as we head out west. On the way we explore the holy Lake Manasarovar, a large, high altitude fresh water lake which, like Mt.Kailash, is held to as sacred for the followers of Buddhism, Bon, Hinduism, and Jainism.
- Accommodation: Guesthouse
- Maximum Altitude: 4590m
- Distance: 500km
- Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 10: Lake Manasarovar – Dharchen (4600m)
We will spend the morning at the lake before driving to Dharchen, our campsite for the night and the starting point for our trek.
- Accommodation: Hotel
- Maximum Altitude: 4600m
- Distance: 40km
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 11: Trekking Day 1, Dharchen – Dirra Puk (4900m)
We will begin our korra route leaving Dharchen and travelling along the north side of Mt. Kailash. Today’s path is easy and we will gradually ascend, passing through Choku Gompa where the Buddha Shakyamuni is said to have meditated, before arriving to Dirra Puk Monastery.
- Accommodation: Guesthouse
- Maximum Altitude: 4900m
- Distance: 18km
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 12: Trekking Day 2, Dirra Puk – Zultrul Puk (4700m)
Day 2 is a tough one. We set out from Dirra Puk Monastery and cross the highest point of our trip on the Dolma Pass (m), a holy pass where monks perform rituals for souls in the spaces between death and rebirth and where pilgrims leave mementos in their wake. After crossing the pass, we will head down into a long valley, the location of Zultrul Puk Monastery; home to a meditation cave of Tibet’s most famous yogi-bard, Milarepa.
- Accommodation: Zultrul Puk Monastery Guesthouse
- Maximum Altitude: 5700m
- Distance: 22km
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 13: Trekking Day 3, Zultrul Puk – Manasarovar
Our last day will be an easy walk back to Dharchen from Zultrul Puk Monastery where our driver will pick us up and take us back to Lake Manasarovar to spend the night.
- Accommodation: Guesthouse
- Distance: 12 km trek and 40 km drive
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 14: Manasarovar – Tsaparang
Today we will head out west further into the province of Ngari towards the ancient town of Tsparang. We have great landscape of Earthen forest was the remains and marks from Tachok river.
- Accommodation: Hotel
- Maximum Altitude: 4600m
- Distance: 230km
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 15: Tsaparang – Guge Kingdom
Today we take a day trip to the historically rich ruins of the ancient Kingdom of Guge. Founded after the collapse of the Tibetan empire in the 10th century, Guge was a cultural and intellectual hub for 200 years. The haunting beauty of the kingdom’s former glory is still apparent in its crumbling and long abandoned buildings.
- Accommodation: Hotel
- Maximum Altitude: 4700m
- Distance: 20 km
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 16: Guge Kingdom – Dungkar Piyang
Today we head for Dungkar Piyang, a site belonging to the former Kingdom of Guge and home to Ngari’s largest and most extensive cave paintings. Travel through the ruins and witness the magnificent thousand year old murals. Get ready to Lhasa to Kashgar Overland from next day.
- Accommodation: Hotel
- Maximum Altitude: 4600m
- Distance: 45 km
- Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 17: Dungkar Piyang – Ruthog
Today we head for Ruthog alongside one of Tibet’s largest rivers. Architecturally, this county shares much in common with the culture of Ladakh across the India-China border to the west and is also home to a number of interesting, ancient cave paintings.
- Accommodation: Hotel
- Maximum Altitude: 4650m
- Distance: 331 km
- Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 18: Ruthog – Kargilik
Today we set out towards Kashgar. Should road and traffic conditions permit, we will arrive by nightfall. If not, we will be stopping further south in the town of Kargilik and continue the rest of the driving in the morning.
- Accommodation: Hotel
- Maximum Altitude: 4600m
- Distance: 600 km
- Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 19: Kargilik – Kashgar
Today we will explore the culturally rich city of Kashgar. China’s westernmost city, Kashgar sits on the border with Pakistan and Afghanistan and was once a major stop on the Silk Road. Kashgar’s unique culture, food, arts, and open markets boast over 2000 years of history.
- Distance: 600km
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 20: Departure
Our trip has come to an end! Your driver and guide will deliver you to the airport. Good luck on the rest of your journey! Hope you enjoyed Lhasa to Kashgar Overland tour. We would much appreciate to involve in forum to discuss and share your recent Tibet experience.
What’s included in Lhasa to Kashgar Overland Tour
- Tibet travel permit
- All entrance ticket fees for all tourist sites listed in the itinerary
- English-speaking Tibetan tour guide
- Personal comfortable, clean and safe vehicle with reliable Tibetan driver; vehicle ranging from 4WD land cruiser to minibus depending on your group size
- Accommodation proposed during your tour confirmation. Please let us know the accommodation class: luxury 5-star international hotel, comfortable 4-star hotel, economic 3-star hotel or budget hostel, guesthouse or tent. Please tell us your accommodation preference when submitting the inquiry so that we can arrange the best-value hotels for you.
- All meals listed in the above itinerary
- A medium sized oxygen cylinder in the car
- First aid kit
Not Included
- International/domestic flight/train tickets (We can assist with international/domestic ticket bookings upon request)
- Chinese visa (Please read about Chinese visa)
- Meals not specified in the itinerary (usually, USD3-10/person for ranges of meal across Tibet)
- Gratitude for tour guide and driver
- Personal expenses, like laundry, phone calls, snacks, and soft drinks (please do the best to avoid the alcoholic beverages during your Tibet trip), optional tour activities, etc.
Travel guide
Prepare for an adventure in this stunning destination with our travel guide.
Internal useful links: Lhasa to EBC Cycling Tour | China Silk Road Discovery Tour | Top 10 Himalayan Tours | Bhutan Cultural Travel | Tsurphu to Yangpachen Trek | Who Are We | Bhaktapur Tour
Specification: Lhasa to Kashgar Overland
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1 review for Lhasa to Kashgar Overland
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Jan Kopal –
Great help at organising this Lhasa to Kashgar overland trip! Love from Shanghai!