TIBET PILGRIMAGE TO MOUNT KAILASH July 21 August 3, 2018 Mount Kailash in western Tibet is held by many faiths to be the meeting place of Earth and Heaven, and it is one of the most ancient and spectacular pilgrimage destinations on the planet. Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, and Bönpo pilgrims ritually circumambulate the mountain as an act of spiritual renewal, while innumerable others discover inspiration and wonder at its many sacred sites. Beginning in Tibet s vibrant capital city of Lhasa, our pilgrimage to Mount Kailash will also include visits to Tibet s most iconic monasteries, palaces, and temples, while immersing ourselves in Tibet s ancient Buddhist and pre-buddhist cultures, art, and yogic traditions. Please see the itinerary below for further trip details and information. For further information, please contact Ian Baker at ianbaker108@gmail.com. "There is no place more powerful for practice, more blessed, or more marvelous than this! May all pilgrims and practitioners be welcome! Jetsun Milarepa (1052 1136), Tibet s poet-saint, describing the merits of visiting Mount Kailash
TRIP ITINERARY July 20 21: Travel to Chengdu, China, with recommended overnight stay on July 21 at BuddhaZen Hotel, next to one of China s most intriguing Buddhist monasteries. July 22: Transfer to Chengdu International Airport for a morning flight to Tibet s ancient capital city of Lhasa, situated at 11,975 feet above sea level. O/N Kyichu Hotel, July 23: A morning visit to the Dalai Lama s Potala Palace and the Lukhang Temple will be followed, after lunch, by a visit to the Jokhang, Lhasa s most revered pilgrimage site, and exploration of he city s vibrant markets. O/N Kyichu Hotel (11,975 ) July 24: Drive via the turquoise-colored Yamdrok Lake to the historic trade and pilgrimage center of Gyantse, crossing the glacier-flanked Karo La pass along the way. O/N Gyantse Hotel (12,585 ) July 25: Visit Pelkhor Chode Monastery and the spectacular chapels of the Gyantse Kumbum. Afterwards, drive to Shalu Monastery, renowned for its sumptuous 14 th century wall paintings. Continue to Shigatse. O/N Hotel Tashi Choden (12,585 ) July 26: Drive through Tibetan villages and across high plateaus to Saga, a small town near the banks of the Tsangpo- Brahmaputra River. O/N Camp (14,960 ) July 27: Drive through spectacular landscapes inhabited by nomadic yak herders and continue to the sacred lake Manasarovar. Visit Chiu Monastery, perched on a rocky outcrop with views of
Mount Kailash across the plains. O/N Manasarovar Camp (15,052 ) July 28: Today, we begin a four-day circuit around Mount Kailash, camping on the first night near Drirapuk Monastery, with stunning views of Kailash s northern face. On the way, we will share the path with Tibetan pilgrims from far corners of the Tibetan plateau. O/N Drirapuk Camp (16,666 ) July 29: Visit Drirapuk Monastery, followed by an optional acclimatization trek to the glacier beneath Kailash s north face. O/N Drirapuk Camp (16,666 ) July 30: Trek over the 18,471 feet high Dolma La pass, the highest point on the Kailash pilgrimage. Continue past a sacred lake revered as the source of the Tsangpo- Brahmaputra River to the Medicine Buddha Valley. O/N Menla Camp (15,831 ) July 31: Visit Zutrulpuk Monastery, Milarepa s Cave of Miracles. Afterwards, trek to the road head where we will rejoin our vehicles and drive towards Saga. O/N Saga Camp (14,960 ) August 1: Drive to Shigatse and visit Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, the historical seat of Tibet s Panchen Lama. O/N Hotel Tashi Choden (12,585 ) August 2: Return to Lhasa for final exploration, shopping, and a farewell dinner. O/N Kyichu Hotel (11,975 ) August 3: Depart Lhasa and arrive at Chengdu International Airport at approximately 1:00 PM. Onward international flights can be safely booked from 4:00 PM onwards.
TRIP LEADER IAN BAKER studied art history, literature, and comparative religion at Oxford University and Columbia University and Medical Anthropology at University College London. He is the author of seven books on Himalayan and Tibetan culture including The Heart of the World: A Journey to the Last Secret Place and a collaborative work with H.H. The Dalai Lama illuminating Buddhist meditation practices, entitled The Dalai Lamas Secret Temple: Tantric Wall Paintings from Tibet. His latest book, Tibetan Yoga: Secrets from the Source, will be published in 2019. A leader of numerous Himalayan expeditions, he was profiled by National Geographic Society as one of seven explorers for the millennium. In addition to leading numerous private and group trips to Tibet, Ian has also designed and conducted educational travel programs in Tibet and other parts of Asia for Smithsonian Institution, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and National Geographic Society. As the Dalai Lama wrote; Ian Baker s journeys... inspire others not only to venture into unknown lands on a geographical level, but also to discover the inner realms within which our own deepest nature lies hidden. More background and information will be available at Ian s website: www.ianbaker.com. For any questions concerning the trip itinerary and logistics, please contact Ian at ianbaker108@gmail.com TRIP LOGISTICS The comprehensive land cost for this journey to Tibet and Mount Kailash is US $4,000. The fee includes all land transportation within Tibet; all meals and accommodations in Tibet; all necessary travel permits, entrance fees, and local guides; and all camping equipment. Please note that the following additional costs are not included in the comprehensive trip fee: China tourist visas; airfare; hotels and airport transfers in Chengdu; optional horses on the circumambulation around Mount Kailash; and customary gratuities to local guides and drivers. Accommodations in Tibet are on a double occupancy basis unless participants choose to reserve a single room and tent for the duration of the trip for an additional $400. Roundtrip airfare between Chengdu and Lhasa can be estimated at approximately $450. As flights to Lhasa cannot be purchased without a Tibet Travel Permit, our affiliated agency in Lhasa will ultimately book the Chengdu-Lhasa-Chengdu flights for all participants. Luxury camping with catered meals will be at the highest standard throughout the trip, and all hotel accommodations after Lhasa will be the best available. Travel in Tibet inevitably entails unforeseeable circumstances and necessitates flexibility. Trip participants should thus be both physically and mentally fit. An initial trip deposit of $500 is payable by February 15, with the remaining balance payable
on or before March 15. Payment for the roundtrip Chengdu-Lhasa-Chengdu flight will also be payable on March 15 to ensure favorable rates. Both the initial $500 trip deposit and the balance of payment will be fully refunded if unforeseeable political circumstances arise in Tibet whereby the trip cannot operate. As per industry regulations in Tibet, if a trip participant voluntarily chooses to cancel prior to the trip s start date, a full refund, minus the $500 trip deposit, is payable up until three months before the trip s starting date. If a participant cancels their trip within two months of the starting date of the journey, a 50% refund applies. If a participant cancels their trip within one month of the starting date, or during the trip, a refund is not possible. At the time of paying the initial trip deposit, participants should also provide images of their passport photo pages, in order to process Tibet Travel Permits for the group. At the same time, trip participants should apply for a China tourist visa from the nearest Chinese Consulate. Detailed information about how to complete the visa application form will be sent to participants together with receipt of payment for the initial trip deposit. Once all participants have received their China tourist visas, scanned images of the visas will be sent to Lhasa for finalizing the group s Tibet Travel Permit and associated documents. Once trip deposits have been received, participants will receive personal information forms, health & travel guidelines, preparation & packing guidelines, recommended pre-trip reading, and procedures for applying for China tourist visas. To reserve a place on this journey to Tibet and Mount Kailash, please transfer $500, as a trip deposit, to the following account: Account Name: Ian A. Baker Account Number: 39252731 Bank Address: Citibank, 2861 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10025 Routing Number: 021000089 Swift Address/ BIC Code: CITI US 33 Account Holder Address: 812 Seashore Avenue, Peaks Island, ME 04108 USA Please feel free to contact me at ianbaker108@gmail.com.with any questions or concerns. With all best wishes, Please note that the image quality on this PDF is reduced so as to make it easier to send and receive. The images used are from diverse sources and are not for further use or publication.