China Tibet Train (China Tibet Tour) · Small group tour

18 Days EBC Kailash and Guge Kingdom Tour with Tibet Train Experience

Small-group Tibet train tour to Everest, Kailash and Guge Kingdom

China Tibet Train runs this 18-day small-group tour from Xining to Lhasa, Everest Base Camp, Mount Kailash and the ruins of the Guge Kingdom. Day 1 boards the hard sleeper train at Xining Railway Station, with the first night spent aboard while acclimatising gradually to the altitude. After Lhasa's Potala Palace and monasteries, the route crosses the Gyatsola and Gawula passes to an overnight stay at Everest Base Camp on day 6, then continues west past Mt. Shishapangma and Lake Manasarovar to Darchen. Days 11 to 13 cover a 3-day trek around Mount Kailash, crossing the 5,630m Dolma La Pass, before the tour visits Zanda County's Toling Monastery and the ruins of the Guge Kingdom, and the Donggar and Piyang Buddhist cave complex. A local Tibetan English-speaking guide accompanies the group throughout, and a porter is available to hire on the trek. This suits experienced travellers prepared for sustained high altitude and multi-day trekking, alongside major Tibetan religious sites.

What to know before you look closer

  • The overnight at Everest Base Camp on day 6 may be substituted with a nearby village if the EBC tent hotels are closed for winter.
  • Guesthouses on the 3-day Kailash trek (the Dirapuk and Zutulpuk Monastery Guesthouses) are basic; a porter can be hired for the trek at an additional cost, arranged a day in advance.
  • The included train fare is for a hard sleeper berth; a soft sleeper upgrade or a different train route costs a fare difference.
  • The evidence lists no current departure dates for this tour.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: On the train

    Board the train to Lhasa from Xining

    Board the Xining-Lhasa train at Xining Railway Station; the local guide provides the train ticket and Tibet travel permit in advance. First day acclimatising gradually to altitude on board.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Lhasa

    Arrive in Lhasa

    Welcomed at the airport or train station with a traditional Hada scarf, then transferred to the hotel in downtown Lhasa past the Yarlung Tsangpo and Lhasa Rivers. Rest to acclimatise to the altitude.

  3. Day 3overnight: Lhasa

    Lhasa Sightseeing: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, and Barkhor Street

    Visit Drepung Monastery, the largest in Tibet, including Coqen Hall and Loseling College, then Sera Monastery to see the monk debates. Welcome dinner at a local Tibetan restaurant. (Note: the page's own day title names Potala Palace/Jokhang/Barkhor, but the day's body text actually describes Drepung and Sera Monastery, duplicating Day 4's theme; the description here follows the body text.)

  4. Day 4overnight: Lhasa

    Exploring Lhasa - Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Street

    Visit the Potala Palace and the Dalai Lamas' history, folk activities at Longwangtan Park, the Jokhang Temple's Shakyamuni Buddha statue, and Barkhor Street, finishing at a Tibetan tea house.

  5. Day 5overnight: Shigatse

    Lhasa to Shigatse Via Gyantse

    Drive via Yamdrok Lake and the Gambala Pass, lunch with a local family, the Karola Glacier and Simila Mountain Pass, sightseeing in Gyantse, then on to Shigatse.

  6. Day 6overnight: Everest Base Camp (or nearby village if EBC tent hotels are closed for winter)

    Journey from Shigatse to Everest Base Camp

    Drive via Gyatsola Pass (5280m) and Gawula Pass (5198m) into Everest National Nature Reserve to Everest Base Camp (5200m), with sunset and night views of the peak.

  7. Day 7overnight: Saga

    Everest Base Camp - Peiku Tso Lake - Saga

    Visit Rongbuk Monastery, the world's highest monastery, then drive west past Mt. Shishapangma (8027m) and Pelku Tso Lake through the Tibetan plateau of Ngari to Saga County, the gateway to the Mount Kailash region.

  8. Day 8overnight: Darchen

    Saga - Zhongba - Darchen

    Drive past Gongzhucuo Lake, cross the 5,211m Mayum La Mountain into the Ngari Region, view Lake Manasarovar and Mount Kailash, and arrive in Darchen to prepare for the 3-day Kailash trek.

  9. Day 9overnight: Guesthouse in Zanda

    Darchen - Tholing Monastery - Guge Kingdom

    Drive to Zanda County, visit Toling Monastery's Buddhist murals, then explore the Ruins of Guge Kingdom, including the 'Guge Silver Eyes' murals and carvings.

  10. Day 10overnight: Darchen

    Dongga - Piyang - Darchen

    Visit the Donggar and Piyang Caves, one of the world's largest Buddhist cave complexes with ancient murals, then return to Darchen to prepare for the Kailash trek.

  11. Day 11overnight: Dirapuk Monastery Guesthouse

    Darchen to Dirapuk Monastery (Trek Day 1: 13km)

    Eco-bus from Darchen to Sarshung Valley, then a 13km trek around the base of Mount Kailash to Dirapuk Monastery, with views of the sacred mountain's southern and western slopes.

  12. Day 12overnight: Zutulpuk Monastery Guesthouse

    Dirapuk Monastery to Zutulpuk Monastery (Trek Day 2: 24km)

    The most challenging trek day, crossing the 5,630m Dolma La Pass with pilgrims, past the Lake of Compassion, descending to the valley at Mount Kailash's southeastern foot.

  13. Day 13overnight: Darchen

    Zutulpuk Monastery to Darchen (Trek Day 3: 12km)

    Final trek leg back to Darchen, then a 30km drive to Lake Manasarovar for meditation and a holy-water ritual, with stops at Trugu Monastery and the Demon Lake viewpoint and optional hot springs.

  14. Day 14overnight: Saga

    Darchen to Saga

    Retrace the route back to Saga across the Ngari Plateau, Himalayas and Gangdise Mountains.

  15. Day 15overnight: Gyirong

    Saga to Gyirong

    Journey to the Gyirong Valley, visiting Sherpa villages, forests and snow-capped peaks, with a farewell dinner with fellow group members.

  16. Day 16overnight: Tingri

    Gyirong to Tingri

    A rest morning (optional point to split off toward Kathmandu after the Kailash visit), then an afternoon drive to Tingri County.

  17. Day 17overnight: Lhasa

    Tingri to Lhasa

    Visit Tashilhunpo Monastery, home of the Panchen Lama and the world's largest Maitreya Buddha statue, then return to Lhasa along the Yarlung Tsangpo River.

  18. Day 18rail

    Finish Your Memorable Journey and Depart from Lhasa

    Transfer to the airport or train station to depart. Tour ends.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 1The group boards the hard sleeper train from Xining to Lhasa, spending the first night on board while acclimatising gradually to the altitude.
  • Day 6The route crosses the Gyatsola Pass (5,280m) and Gawula Pass (5,198m) to reach Everest Base Camp at 5,200 meters, with sunset and night views of the peak.
  • Day 9The tour visits Toling Monastery's Buddhist murals and the ruins of the Guge Kingdom, including the carvings known as the 'Guge Silver Eyes'.
  • Day 12The most demanding trek day crosses the 5,630m Dolma La Pass on foot with pilgrims, passing the Lake of Compassion on the Mount Kailash kora.
  • Day 13The trek ends back in Darchen, followed by a visit to Lake Manasarovar for meditation and a holy water ritual.

Included

  • Tibet Travel Permit and all other necessary permits to Tibet
  • Hard sleeper train ticket from Xining to Lhasa (soft-sleeper upgrade available for a fare difference)
  • All lodging listed in the itinerary (solo travellers share a room unless a single room supplement is paid)
  • Meals listed in the itinerary
  • Entrance fees for all tourist sites listed in the itinerary
  • Local tour transfers according to group size
  • Local Tibetan English-speaking guide
  • One shared oxygen tank in the vehicle

Not included

  • Chinese visa
  • International flight to and from China
  • Domestic train/flight out of Tibet (booking service available on request)
  • Price difference if upgrading the train ticket or taking a different train to Tibet
  • Meals not specified in the itinerary
  • Tips and gratuities for tour guide and driver
  • Personal expenses (laundry, phone calls, snacks, soft drinks, optional activities, etc.)
  • Porter service during the Mount Kailash trek (available on request, additional payment)

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included in the price?
Yes, a hard sleeper ticket on the Xining to Lhasa train is included; a soft sleeper upgrade is available for an extra fare.
Is this an escorted or independent tour?
It's an escorted small-group tour with a local Tibetan English-speaking guide throughout; a porter is available to hire for the trek.
How physically demanding is the route?
The tour includes a 3-day trek around Mount Kailash (13km, 24km, and 12km stages) crossing the 5,630m Dolma La Pass, an overnight at Everest Base Camp (5,200m), and other mountain passes up to 5,280m; a shared oxygen tank is carried in the vehicle.
What is not included?
The Chinese visa, international flights, onward domestic travel out of Tibet, porter service on the Kailash trek, meals not listed in the itinerary, tips, and personal expenses are not included.
What are the main highlights on this tour?
An overnight stay at Everest Base Camp, a 3-day Mount Kailash kora trek, sacred Lake Manasarovar, the ruins of the Guge Kingdom and Toling Monastery, and the Donggar and Piyang Caves.
What happens if Everest Base Camp is closed in winter?
The operator substitutes a nearby village for the overnight stay if the EBC tent hotels are closed for winter.

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