Overland Mongolia – China – Nepal driving road trip

1.Day: Enter from Erenhot

Document process and get your temporary driving licence and temporary number plate.

2.Day: Erenhot – Ulanqab (339km)

Visit: Wulanhada Volcano Group, Gegentala Grassland Overnight: somewhere on or near the grassland

3.Day: Ulanqab – Simatai Great Wall (440km)

Visit: the great wall
Overnight: You could hiking a bit near the wild great wall and camping there.

4.Day: Simatai Great Wall – Beijing (140km)

Visit: Forbidden City, the temple of heaven, Tianan men square, Houhai hutongs Overnight: Hotels in Beijing

5.Day: Beijing

Visit: Bird Nest, Summer Palace Try the famous Peaking Duck

6.7 Day: Beijing – Pingyao (600km)

Visit: Pingyao Ancient City, Qiao family country yard, Pingyao ancient City Wall. Overnight: Camping or hostel

8.Day: Pingyao – Xi’an (535km)

Visit: Muslim Street, Bell and Drum Tower
Overnight: hostel in Xi’an

9.Day: Xi’an

Visit: Torracotta Army, Shanxi Provincial Museum, Giant Goose Pagoda
Overnight: hostel in Xi’an

10.Day: Xi’an – Tianshui (341km)

Visit: Maijishan Grottes Overnight: Tianshui

11. Day: Tianshui – Labrang (440km) Visit: Langbrang monastery

Overnight: Xiahe

12.Day: Xiahe – Xining (240km, altitude: 2261m)

Visit : Qinghai Lake Overnight: Xining

13.Day: Xining – Zhangye (350km)

Visit: Danxia National Geopark
Overnight: Zhangye

14.Day: Zhangye

Visit: Ice Valley Danxia Geopark Overnight：Zhangye

15.Day: Zhangye – Dunhuang (600km)

Visit: Crescent Lake, Mingsha Mountain
Overnight: Dunhuang

16.Day: Dunhuang

Visit : Mogao cave
Overnigt: Dunhuang

17.Day: Dunhuang – Hami (420km)

Visit: Kumutag Desert Overnight: Hami

18.Day: Hami – Turpan (400km)

Visit : Grape Valley, Flaming Mountain, Jiaohe Ruins Overnight: Turpan

19.Day: Turpan – Korla (400km)

Visit: Bosten Lake Overnight: Korla

20.Day: Korla – Kuqa (300km

Visit: Tianshan Mystery Canyon
Overnight: Kuqa

21.Day: Kuqa – Akesu (260km)

Visit: Kezil Thousands Buddha Cave
Overnight: Akesu

22.Day: Akesu – Kashgar (500km)

Visit: Kashgar Old City
Overnight: Kashgar

23.Day: Kashgar

Visit: International Bazaar Overnight: Kashgar

24. Day: Kashgar – Taklamakan – Yecheng(1700) – Kudi (2900m, 400km)

Drive out of Taklamakan and keep drive to Yecheng. Fill Up Your Car at the Petrol Station in Yecheng … until your fuel tank is full!
If it’s still early when we arrive yecheng and you don’t have any thing to buy or to visit, we will keep driving to Kudi, a small town with 2900m altitude, good place for altitude acclimatization.
Overnight: camping or guest house

25. Day: Kudi – Mazar pass(4969m) – Sanshili Yingfang (3670m, 210km)

Have chance to see the K2 in Mazar from far away. Climb up Mazar mountain today!
Some people may have altitude sickness today, it’s normal. Drink more water, pee more. Walk slowly, don’t jump!
Petrol Station: From Yecheng to Dahongliutan there is no good Petrol Station, you could fill up the car in dahongliutan.

26.Day: Flexible Day

Maybe One more day to adapt to altitude.
If ppl feel good and don’t need 1 more day to adapt to altitude before 4400M, we will use this day to someother places for Visiting, for Repair, for whatever.

27. Day: Sanshili Yingfang – Jieshan Pass (5100m) – Domar (4400m, 470km)

Whole day’s drive! Many mountains, Good road, good view!

28. Day: Domar – Palgon Tso lake – Shiquanhe – Tsada (4255m, 550km)

Visit: Palgon Tso See, Zhada Earth Forest National Geopark
On the road visit palgon tso lake, keep driving to shiquanhe town, a relative big town before lhasa. Then drive to Tsada.

29. Day: Tsada (4255m, 520km)

Visit: trip to Ruins of Guge Kingdom and Tholing Monastery Shopping: prepare food for Kailash Trekking.

30. Day: Tsada – Darchen/Kailash (4560m, 234km)

Keep driving to Mt. Kailash! We will stop at Darchen town, starting point of the Kora. We will arrive in the afternoon, and prepare for Kailash Trekking.
We will rent Yak, hire porter, and local guide in Darchen.
You don’t need to bring your own tent, but if you have your own sleeping bag it would be good.

Day 31 – Day 33 Kailash Kora!

Kailash Trekking for 3 days.
There are tent throughout the trekking, and you could buy food and sleep in the tent. Don’t expect too much, normally only cup noodle. And the “bed” in the tent is not so clean, so it’s better to bring your own sleeping bag.

Day 34: Darchen/Kailash – Manasarovar lake (4588m, 50km)

Visit: Manasarovar See
Drive to Lake Manasarovar and take a walk around it. 1N in Manasarovar Lake

Day 35: Manasarovar lake- Paryang (4598m) – Saga (4504m, 503km)

Whole day’s driving. Beautiful view on the road.
Saga (“happy land”), which is situated along the banks of the Brahmaputra. Feast your eyes on the enchanting beauty of Tibet high land.

Day 36: Saga – Ronqpu Kloster (5154m, 350km)

Whole day’s driving. Opportunity to see Mt. Shishapangma. Good road condition.

Day 37: Ronqpu monastery – Shigatse (3800m, 340km)

Visit: rongpu monastery, Everest Base Camp Sunrise at EBC is an unique experience.
Finally we arrive a Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet. There are fancy hotel with shower, and good restaurant.

Day 38: Shigatse – Gyantse (4000m, 91km)

Visit: Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, Pelkor Monastery and Kumbum Stupa (100-Thousand-Buddha Pagoda). 1N in Gyantse

Day 39: Gyantse – Lhasa (3650m, 200km)

Visit: YamdrokTso lake

Day 40: Lhasa (3650m)

Visit: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and strolling in Barkhor Street

Day 41: Lhasa (3650m)

Visit: Sera Monastery and Drepung Monastery

Day 42: Lhasa – Namtso Lake ( 4720m )

Namtso Lake is the holy lake in Tibet, It was said that in the late 12th century, Buddhist hierarchs including the founder of Tibetan Buddhism once practiced the essence of Esoteric Buddhism on Namtso Lake, which was believed to be the origin of worshipping the holy Namtso Lake in the Tibetan Year of the Sheep.
Overnight: Camping near Namtso Lake

Day 43: Namtso Lake – Lhasa (3650m)

Visit : watch the sunrise of Namtso Lake.

Day 44: Lhasa – Lhatse (413km, 4000m)
Day 45: Lhatse – Gyirong ( 340km, 2800m)
Day 46:Exit from Gyirong to Nepal ( 2800m )