This is the story about one of the most impressive moments we have ever witnessed anywhere. "Saga Dawa is an important Tibetan Buddhist festival, held each year on the full moon day of the fourth lunar month of the Tibetan calendar, to celebrate Sakyamuni's enlightenment", that's what every guidebook will tell you. But actually having been there, at that moment it is more like being part of a magic event, something that gets a total grip on all of your senses. So what's going on? Each year, they replace the Tarboche flagpole, a huge pole that stands round of Kailash. People from all over Tibet gather here that day to attach their prayer flags they brought from home, to pray, and to help erect the flagpole. The flagpole should stand perfectly upright, or else things are not good for Tibet . A Lama leads the whole ceremony from the nearby monastery. It's his job to make it work 'right first time'.

Day of Saga Dawa: People circulate the flagpole that is down on the ground now. They pray and throw 'wind horses' (little pieces of colored paper with Buddhist scriptures on them) into the air. They help to remove last year's prayer flags and attach new ones. As a visitor you are almost forced to follow them as they go around and around, time after time. Along the sides, on the slope of the nearby hills, a lot of people are sitting to watch the 'spectacle' and there are musicians, which play all the time on their horns and symbols.

The flagpole is first erected halfway, using A-structures and ropes. The Lama continually gives instructions on how to do it, when to stop and when to go on. Everyone can help pulling the ropes, that's the 'non-organized' part of it, but there are always plenty of people doing this spontaneously. When they cannot go further using the A-structures, they pause for about half an hour. The Lama sits on the side, and all the time people come to sit in front of them, to talk to him, to give him some gift (mostly some drink!), to ask him for good fortune. They do not 'queue' however, as soon as someone is gone, someone else comes out of the walking crowds - it all seems not organized, but in fact it's a very special way of organization

Then comes the final part, the last step that has to result in the perfect upright position of the flagpole, A steel cable is attached to two trucks, engines are warmed up, and then, on the sign of the Lama, and they go backward, pulling the flagpole. To be able to control the movement, on both sides of the flagpole people pull ropes too, to prevent it doesn't incline to one or the other direction. Once the trucks start moving, it all goes very fast, the flagpole is moving, the A-structures that were supporting it, fall down, and only seconds later it is all over. And then big magic occurs, the flagpole stands upright, and at that very moment, thousands of wind horses fly into the sky... like an explosion of prayers going to the heavens. You can really feel a sudden great sense of happiness surrounding you.

The next moment, people start incubating the flagpole again, this time to assure them the job is well done, and that all is well. We join them in some kind of almost euphoria. Some hours later the place is empty again, except for the tents further away belonging to the people that will spend the night here, maybe to return the next day, or to do the Kailash Round.

Itinerary Details: Saga Dawa Festival to Mount Kailash Mansarovar Tour

06 June 2011 Day 01: Arrive in Kathmandu & Trasfer hotel
07 June 2011 Day 02: Briefing and preparing visa and tours arrangements
08 June 2011 Day 03: drive from Kathmandu to Zhangmu, overnight at gueshouse
09 June 2011 Day 04: Drive Zhangmu to Nyalam - Gueshouse
10 June 2011 Day 05: Rest and day hiking Nyalam - guest house
11 June 2011 Day 06: Drive from Nyalam To Saga
12 June 2011 Day 07: Saga to Paryang
13 June 2011 Day 08: Drive from Paryang - Manasarovar Lake - Camping
14 June 2011 Day 09: Drive from Manasarovar Lake to Tarboche (or Darchen) Camping
15 June 2011 Day 10: Attend to the Saga Dawa at Tarboche - Camp
16 June 2011 Day 11: Start to the Kora, night camp at Dira Puk - Camp
17 June 2011 Day 12: Continue Parikarma over Drom La Pass & Zutul Puk - Camping
18 June 2011 Day 13: End Parikarma & Darchen camp
19 June 2011 Day 14: Darchen - Manasarovar Lake
20 June 2011 Day 15: Drive from Manasarovar to Paryang, night at guest house/Camping
21 June 2011 Day 16: Drive from Paryang to Saga, night at guest house/Camping
22 June 2011 Day 17: Drive from Saga to Nyalam, night at guest house/Camping
23 June 2011 Day 18: Drive from Nyalam to Kathmandu - Hotel
24 June 2011 Day 19: Kathmandu - Hotel
25 June 2011 Day 20: Final Departure.

Tour Cost:

2-5 Persons, Per Person USD 2500.00
6-9 Persons, Per Person USD 2200.00
9-12 Persons, Per Person USD 2000.00
13 + Persons, Per Person USD 1800.00
Single supplementary USD 200.00

Cost: Ask for Quotation
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Cost include:

• Accommodation On Twin Sharing basis bed & Breakfast in 3 star hotel in Kathmandu
• Sightseeing in Kathmandu with Italian guided.
• Budget lodges or hotel in Tibet best available en-route very basic.
• English Speaking Tibetan Guide
• Privet Japanese Lancruiser Jeep + 1 Support Truck for carrying staff, food
• Kathmandu - Nepal - Tibet border - Kathmandu privet land transfer
• Yaks & Yak-Man For Porte Range During round Kailash
• Sightseeing Tour and Everest Base Camp Permit
• Kailash Permit Monastery Entrance Fees
• All Tibet Travel Permit & Normal Tibet Visa Fee.
• All Camping tent, Mat, Table & Chair
• Guide, Cook & Kitchen Crews
• Food- Breakfast, Lunch, dinner & Snacks
• Gamow Bag (life saving device incase of altitude sickness)
• Insurance for trekking crews
• Farwell dinner

Cost does not include:

• Nepal Re - Entry Visa Fee
• Your Travel Insurance
• Emergency rescue charges, Evacuation Cost per Jeep USD 800-1000.
• Bar bills & Beverage
• Lunch & Diner in Kathmandu
• Sleeping bag & Jackets as well as personal equipment.
• Tipping
• Phone calls & Laundry

Tibet Tours & Treks Programs:
Maha Shivaratri with Kailash Tour by Overland - 12 Days Shivaratri with Kailash Yatra by Helicopter - 08 Days Tibet with Everest Base Camp Trek - 10 Days Kailash Mansarover Tour by Overland- 14 Days Budget Tour of Kailash Yatra by Bus - 14 Days Days Lhasa with Mt. Kailash Tour - 16 Days Kailash Inner Kora - 17 Days Kailash Tour by Helicopter - 11 Days Kathmandu-Lhasa-Ali-Kailash Tour - 13 Days Tibet Overland Tour - 08 Days	Lhsa Tour - 05 Days Tibet/Everest BC by Cycle Mt. Kailash Route Map Tibet Information Tibet Visa Tibet Expedion Programs: Everest North Expe - 55 Days Cho Oyu Expedition - 45 Days Shishapangma Expe - 40 Days
Other Related Programs: Trekking In Nepal Nepal Peak Climbing Nepal Expedition Popular Tour Packages River Rafting in Nepal Tibet Tour Bhutan Tour India Tour Ladakh Tour