West Tibet · On-road · Rental or own bike
The pilgrimage ride to the most sacred mountain in Asia - across the vast far west of Tibet, past Everest and the holy lake Manasarovar to Kailash itself. Thirteen days, the deepest journey we run.
The ride
Mount Kailash is holy to a fifth of humanity - Buddhists, Hindus, Jains and the Bön all turn toward this single pyramid of rock at the far western edge of Tibet. Reaching it by motorcycle is one of the great overland journeys on Earth: nearly 3,000 km across the roof of the world, most of it far from anywhere.
The route carries you past Everest, along the Himalaya, to the twin holy lakes of Manasarovar and Rakshastal, and finally to Darchen at the foot of Kailash. This is the most remote and demanding ride we run - long days, high and constant altitude, real distance between towns. It rewards riders who want the deepest version of Tibet.
Private only, with a local travel guide, a road captain, a mechanic, and a fully equipped support vehicle carrying fuel, spares, oxygen, and everything the empty west demands.
Where it goes, and how high you sleep
The blue line is the road as actually ridden. Click a stop to open its day.
Arrive Lhasa
Arrive in Lhasa at 3,650 m. Rest, hydrate, and let the altitude settle before the longest ride in Tibet begins.
Motorcycle license · Sera debate
Temporary Chinese motorcycle license in the morning; the monks’ debate at Sera Monastery (1419) in the afternoon.
Jokhang · Barkhor · Potala
The Jokhang (647) and Barkhor circuit, the Potala Palace, and a sunset panorama from the Parla Lupu cave shrine.
Lhasa → Kamba La → Yamdrok → Karo La → Gyantse
Over Kamba La (4,796 m) to turquoise Yamdrok (4,441 m), past Nojin Gangzang (7,191 m) and the Karo La glacier (5,010 m) to Gyantse and the Kumbum stupa.
Gyantse · Shigatse · Sakya
Through Shigatse and Tashilunpo Monastery (1447, seat of the Panchen Lama), then on to the great grey monastery of Sakya (1073).
Sakya → Shegar → Jiawu La → Rongbuk → Everest BC
Over Jiawu La (5,210 m) - Makalu, Lhotse, Everest, Nuptse, Cho Oyu across the skyline - to Rongbuk (4,980 m) and Everest Base Camp at 5,154 m. Sunset on the north face.
Rongbuk → Everest sunrise → Paiku Tso → Saga
Everest at dawn, then west past Paiku Tso (4,590 m) beneath Xixiabangma - the world’s 14th-highest peak - to the frontier town of Saga (4,487 m).
Saga · Paryang · Manasarovar
The long ride into the far west: Himalayas to the south, Trans-Himalaya to the north, wild kiang and antelope on the plains. To holy Lake Manasarovar (4,588 m) as the light goes.
Manasarovar → Chiu Gompa → Darchen → Kailash
A short ride to Chiu Gompa above the lake, then to Darchen (4,800 m), the start of the Kailash kora. A first walk at the foot of the holiest mountain on earth - sacred to Buddhists, Hindus, Jains and Bon alike.
Darchen · Saga
Turn back east along the southern route, retracing the vast emptiness of Ngari to Saga.
Saga · Angren · Shigatse
Eastward via the small town of Angren back to Shigatse - the plateau slowly greening as you return.
Shigatse → Tunba incense → Lhasa
Back to Lhasa, stopping at a traditional Tibetan incense workshop in Tunba village by the Yarlung Tsangpo. Return the bikes - the great circle closed.
The fine print, in plain words
See it to believe it
Photography by Liu Bin · Greatway field archive
Dates & enquiry
Private departures on your dates, roughly April to October. Tell us when you're free and how many are riding - our motorbike travel consultant will get back to you within 24 hours.
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