Overland Route 9: Kyrgyzstan – China – Tibet – Mongolia

Duration: 38 days
Distance: ca. 9.000 km
Highlights: Tibet, 3 day Mt. Kailash hike
Best travel time: May, June, September, October

Itinerary

Duration	Details
Day 01	Enter China from Irkeshtam (Kyrgyzstan) and to Kashgar Meet the guide at Irkeshtam border. Customs paperwork. Onward to Kashgar. Duration: approx. 170 km
Day 02	Kashgar Customs paperwork at the Office of Traffic Administration outside of Kashgar. Exhibition temp. Driver’s license, temp. license plate, vehicle inspection, etc. Duration: approx. 100 km
Day 03	Kashgar Free day (weekend). Visit to the historic old town of Kashgar. Day of rest.
Day 04	Kashgar Visit to the Sunday market in Kashgar. Duration: approx. 50 km
Day 05	Kashgar – Yengisar – Yarkant – Kargilik Stopovers in Yengisar and Yarkant on the way to Kargilik. Yengisar is famous for its traditional knife production. Yarkant is known for its historic old town, the Ammanisaham Mausoleum, and the Altun Mosque. All three places are important oasis stops on the Silk Road. Google Maps for the first 5 days: https://goo.gl/maps/mJzAm3yVGkw Duration: approx. 250 km
Day 06	Kargilik – Mazha On this day, we ride from the “deep” of the Tarim Basin and the desert-like areas on the Silk Road up into the Tibetan mountain world with the first mountain pass on our journey that is higher than 4000 meters. Duration: approx. 250 km
Day 07	Mazha – Duomaxiang A long day driving across the Tibetan plateau. Duration: approx. 500 km
Day 08	Duomaxiang – Ali Ali is the administrative capital of western Tibet. Between Ali and Lake Manasarovar, we visit the areas around Tholing with their spectacular views of the Himalayas. Duration: approx. 230 km
Day 09	Ali – Manasarovar Lake Today´s destination is lake Manasarovar – a holy lake on the foot of the holiest mountain for Buddhists and Hinuists alike – Mt. Kailash. Duration: approx. 250 km
Day 10	Manasarovar – Darchen – Mt. Kailash First hiking day around Mt. Kailash. The first days brings you to Chöku manstery and into the valley of Indus river on the north-east face of the mountain. The day´s destination is Dirapuk monastery (5000m) which offers excellent views on the east face of Mt. Kailash.
Day 11	Mt. Kailash On the second day you will cross 5650 meter high Drölma La pass. Hiking to the pass takes around 3 – 5 hours, depending on you physical strength. Often, the pass is snow covered. Tibetans believe that they symbolically experience birth, death and reincarnation by surrounding the mountain clockwise. You will stay overnight at Dzutrulphuk monastery (4800m). After Drölma La its another 9 km to there.
Day 12	Mt. Kailash The last part of circumbulation leads you back to Darchen. This is only a half day walk and rather relaxing than challenging.
Day 13	Mt. Kailash (Darchen) – Saga Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/4kZxfaaRh9U2 Duration: approx. 480 km
Day 14	Saga – Everest base camp We drive along Lake Pelkhu Tso, which is located directly on the Himalayan backbone. During the day’s journey, we drive on the Friendship Highway to Tingri. From there, the journey follows a spectacular byway leading to Rongbuk (5000 m), the famous monastery at the foot of Mount Everest. Duration: approx. 300 km
Day 15	Everest base camp – Lhatse We visit the base camp in the morning at sunrise. The traveling time to the camp is about 1.5 hours. After that, we drive to Lhatse. Duration: approx. 200 km
Day 16	Lhatse – Shigatse – Gyangze We visit the Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, one of the largest monasteries in Tibet. It was formerly the seat of His Holiness the Panchen Lama. During the two-hour walking tour through the monastery, we will be able to see the huge, gilded grave monuments of the Panchen Lamas and visit the impressive central meeting hall. The journey continues to Gyangze. Duration: approx. 245 km
Day 17	Gyangze – Lhasa We drive to Lhasa along the Yamdrok Lake. Attention: This day marks the begiining of the October holidays in China. You should pre-arrange hotel bookings through your guide. Duration: approx. 280 km
Day 18	Lhasa A day visiting Lhasa. In Lhasa, we experience one of the high points of our Tibetan journey: the Potala Palace. We take a walk through the old city and visit the temple that is most important to the Tibetans, the Jokhang temple. Google Maps for days 14-18: https://goo.gl/maps/oEq8GACcQxF2
Day 19	Lhasa – Ganden – Nyingchi From Lhasa, the route leads to the Ganden Monastery, another spectacular monastery. It is built at an elevation of over 4,000 metres, overlooking a wide gorge. After a short visit to the monastery, we continue to Nyingchi. Duration: approx. 410 km
Day 20	Nyingchi – Ranwuzhen The next two days we travel down from the Tibetan plateau along mountains and woods that are often covered with snow. The landscape is changing, and the regions are increasingly forested. Duration: approx. 380 km
Day 21	Ranwuzhen – Zogang The route takes us via Markham along the Yangtze, and the beautiful views are, once more, impressive. Duration: approx. 290 km
Day 22	Zogang – Deqen (overnight stay at a Tibetan farmer’s home) We have arranged something special for this day, one of the last days in the Tibetan area: spending the night with a Tibetan family in a traditional Tibetan farm on the banks of the Mekong near Deqen. Here you can experience life in a small Tibetan village. Our Tibetan family likes to cook the local, traditional dishes for our guests. This trip is optional. You also have the possibility to stay overnight in Deqen. Duration: approx. 380 km
Day 23	Deqen – Shangri-la The journey to Shangri-la. In the historic old town of Shangri-la, we visit the largest prayer wheel in the world. There are two routes to Shangri-la: The longer route along the Mekong and another across the main road G214. Google Maps for days 19-23: https://goo.gl/maps/9K5iLYfAKmK2 Duration: approx. 200 km
Day 24	Shangri-La – Tiger Leaping Gorge – Lijiang We drive to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Lijiang. Along the way, we drive through the Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the deepest gorges in the world. It is possible to do a hiking tour in the gorge (2.5 hrs. hiking time), hiking to the Tiger Leaping Stone. In the town of Lijiang, there is the possibility of taking a walk through the historic old town and visiting the Black Dragon Pools. This is the day when we finally leave the world of the Tibetans. The Naxi and other minorities live in Lijiang. Duration: approx. 320 km
Day 25	The day in Lijiang Lijiang and the surrounding areas have a lot to offer the traveller. Baisha and Shuhe are old towns at the foot of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountains, and it is worthwhile to take a break and relax here. The day in Lijiang can also serve as a flex day if it turns out that the trip schedule cannot be kept.
Day 26	Lijiang – Xiangcheng From Lijiang you need to drive the road back to Shangri-la for about 2.5 hrs. From Shangri-la you take a mountainious road to Litang. Parts of the road are not paved (around 50km). Duration: approx. 350 km
Day 27	Xiangcheng – Litang Today you will drive across the “Plateau of Lakes” to the highest town on earth: Litang, which is located 4.100 meters above sea level. Litang has several historic places such as the birth house of the 6^th Dalai Lama and a sky burial ground. Duration: approx. 200 km
Day 28	Litang – Kangding: Duration: approx. 290 km
Day 29	Kangding – Chengdu Google Maps for days 25-30: https://goo.gl/maps/ujo93o337tq Duration: approx. 320 km
Day 30	Chengdu – Leshan Giant Buddha – Emei Shan Today´s sights are being put onto the permit, in case you want to drive there yourself. Duration: approx. 330 km
Day 31	Chengdu
Day 32	Chengdu
Day 33	Chengdu
Day 34	Chengdu – Hanzhong From today roads will remain mainly highways with toll gate fees almost all the way up to the border at Erenhot. Duration: approx. 460 km
Day 35	Hanzhong – Terracotta Army – Xian On the way to Xian you can visit one of China´s most spectacular sights: The Terracotta Warrior Army. Duration: approx. 360 km
Day 36	Xian – Pingyao Pingyao is the best preserved ancient walled old town of China. A stroll through this town is a highlight Duration: approx. 500 km
Day 37	Pingyao – Yungang Grottoes – Ulanqab From historic Pingyao you take the highway. Duration: approx. 530 km
Day 38	Ulanqab – Erenhot – Mongolia Google Maps for days 31-39: https://goo.gl/maps/bHeBKz3jhKQ2 Duration: approx. 350 km