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Mount Kailash Pilgrimage Tour, Mt. Kailash (6638m) in Tibet is one of the most sought-after pilgrimages. Embark on a spiritual journey through the diverse landscapes and terrains inside Southern Tibet towards Lake Mansarovar (4590m). Also known as Mansarovar Yatra, the pilgrimage tour completes the entire 110 km circumambulation of Mt. Kailash and Lake Mansarovar.
Mt. Kailash and Lake Mansarovar Yatra are two of the significant landmarks of Tibet. Named after the Hindu Deity Lord Shiva, many Hindus believe that Mt. Kailash is the abode of Shiva. It is also known as “Meru” –the navel of the earth. The peak is revered by the adherents of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jain, and Bon religions. Lake Mansarovar Yatra remains popular among the pilgrims for its religious significance. Lake Rakshastal, the Indus River, the Sutlej River, and the Brahmaputra are a few of the other major landmarks of the region.
Mount Kailash Pilgrimage Tour begins with an adventurous road journey through the Hills and Himalayas of Nepal towards the desert-like Tibetan Plateau. Enjoy a scenic tour through Southern Tibet overlooking the beautiful mountains.
Drive alongside the massive Brahmaputra River en route to Lake Mansarovar. Hereon, you may witness many Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims on their way to Mt. Kailash’s Parikrama (Kora). The Parikrama begins at Darchen and goes through Yamadwar, Zuthrul Phug, and Dolma La Pass. You’ll encircle both Lake Mansarovar and Mt. Kailash during the Kora.
Upon completing the Parikrama, you’ll drive back to Kathmandu via Saga and Kerung County. Catch the beautiful sights of some of the highest snowcapped peaks, such as Langtang and Manaslu en route to Nepal.
High Route Adventure specializes in custom tours around Nepal and Tibet. We organize all kinds of excursions and treks, whether it is for holiday purposes or religion. You can choose to join our private, group, and family tours at a reasonable cost. Our tours are all-inclusive, which covers entire transportation, quality meals and hotels, an experienced guide, permits, and whole logistics.
Travelers from outside of Nepal must get to Kathmandu 3 days prior to the start of the tour. Keep in mind that you can only apply for a Chinese visa during business hours. Sundays and Saturdays are not regarded as working days.
For the detailed information about the travel visa information regarding Mount Kailash Pilgrimage Tour, you can go through our ‘NOTE’ section below.
You can thus extend your trip and take part in day tours of the Kathmandu Valley over your 3 to 4 extra days in Kathmandu. We’ve got various day tours from visiting some of the most famous UNESCO World Heritage Sites to short treks.
During your stay in Kathmandu, you can take advantage of these tours at a fair price.
The day begins with a delicious breakfast at the hotel. Afterward, you'll embark on a jeep and drive to Syabrubensi village located in Rasuwa District. You'll start driving alongside Trishuli River and continue along the Budi Gandaki River towards Syabrubensi. Syabrubensi serves as the gateway to the Langtang Region. You can continue driving uphill from Syabrubensi and reach Timure village. Spend the rest of the day overlooking the beautiful view of the nearby mountains.
After breakfast, you’ll embark on the road journey and drive towards Rasuwagadhi. You’ll continue driving through the Friendship Highway that goes into Tibet in the north. Driving almost 45min from Syabrubensi, you’ll arrive at Rasuwagadhi village that lies close to the Tibetan border. Here, you’ll get your permits checked and then continue your journey towards Tibet. Almost an hour-long road journey will bring you to the populated Tibetan city of Kerung. Spend the rest of the day exploring Kerung.
From Kerung, you’ll begin driving northwest towards Saga County. Kerung is the southernmost part of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. A four-hour-long journey will take you through the hills and into the Tibetan plateau towards Saga. Saga County is a part of Shigatse prefecture that connects the rest of Tibet with the Kailash Region. A scenic road journey will climb up to 850 meters in altitude. Overnight in Saga.
Instead of moving forward, you’ll spend the day acclimatizing at Saga. After breakfast, you’ll embark on a short journey to the Brahmaputra River. You’ll continue walking alongside Dargye Tsangpo River towards the Brahmaputra. Because of its close location to the Mansarovar region, the river is highly revered by pilgrims. You can also choose to tour around and explore Lhartse in the east, Dzongkha, in the south of Purang in the west. Spend the rest of the day exploring Saga County.
Leaving Saga, you’ll begin driving through the rugged and remote part of Saga country towards Mansarovar. The entire journey may last 9hr and climb almost 200 meters in altitude. Enjoy the majestic sights of snowcapped peaks and High Mountain passes en route to Lake Mansarovar. Witness the nomadic villages en route to your destination. Cross Paryang (4550m) and the high mountain pass of Mayam La (5150m) en route to Lake Mansarovar. Overnight in Horpa town.
Enjoy a delicious breakfast at Horpa, and embark on a scenic tour of Lake Mansarovar. You can choose to take a holy dip in Lake Mansarovar during the tour. The pilgrims believe that taking a dip in the lake rids the humans of their sins. You’ll explore both Lake Mansarovar and Lake Rakshastal. A Hindu legend suggests that Lord Rama meditated in Lake Mansarovar while Ravana meditated in Lake Rakshastal. After a brief tour session, you’ll begin driving towards Darchen village.
After breakfast, you'll begin driving towards Yamadwar. Yamadwar or Tarboche marks the starting point of Parikrama or the Kora. The first day of the Parikrama may last almost 5hr. Catch the majestic sight of Mt. Kailash along the tour. You will also witness many Buddhist Chortens and stupas along the way. It's common for you to meet and greet pilgrims. The first day of Parikrama ends at Dirapuk village. Overnight in Dirapuk.
A challenging part of the Parikrama will follow today. After breakfast, you'll embark on the second day of Parikrama and begin trekking towards Dolma La Pass (5600m). The weather around the Dolma La remains famous for being unpredictable. You'll start climbing the pass overlooking the beautiful glacial lake of Gauri Kunda. The trail continues towards another high pass of Khanda Sanglo. From here, you'll start climbing down towards Zuthrul Phug. Spend the evening visiting the magnificent Zuthrul Phug Gomba (monastery).
The third day of the Parikrama takes you around the trail towards Lake Mansarovar. After breakfast, you'll embark on an easy trail and begins climbing towards Darchen village. It may take almost 2-3hr to reach Darchen. You’ll continue towards Lake Mansarovar. After a brief tour of the lake, you’ll embark on a road journey back to Saga County. Continue driving through the rugged terrain towards Saga.
After breakfast, you'll leave Saga town and begin driving south towards Kerung County. The trail goes along the beautiful mountainous pass and hills towards Kerung town. A short journey spanning almost 4hr will bring you back to Kerung. Enjoy the rest of the day, exploring the quaint and beautiful surroundings.
Leaving Kerung, you'll begin driving back to Nepal. After breakfast, you'll embark on a road journey and head south through the Friendship Highway. After getting your permits checked, you'll cross the border and continue driving through Rasuwagadhi towards Syabrubensi village. Catch the beautiful sights of some of the highest mountains on earth as you make your way back. From Syabrubensi, you'll begin driving along Budi Gandaki River and Trishuli River towards Kathmandu. Spend the evening enjoying a delicious farewell dinner in one of the most excellent restaurants in Kathmandu.
On the last day in Kathmandu, you can indulge in a brief shopping spree and visit the nearby Thamel to buy souvenirs. We’ll drop you off at the airport in time of your flight back home.
The Mount Kailash Pilgrimage Tour requires two major documentation in order for you to visit. They are China Visa and Tibet Travel Permits. Since the tour takes place in the two key locations, you must prepare all of your documents prior to the tour without any delay.
In order to obtain the Tibet Travel Permit, it usually takes around 15 days for a regular tour. As for obtaining all the essential permits required for the Mount Kailash Pilgrimage Tour, it is common for it to take 20 days.
Therefore, travelers must submit all the necessary information and documentation at least 20 days before the scheduled departure date.
People out of Nepal must arrive in Kathmandu at least 3 days before the tour. Remember that the Chinese visa can be applied only during working days (Saturday and Sunday are holidays).
The following documents are essential for the Mount Kailash Mansarovar Tour:
(Note: For now, only a group of 4 people or more can apply for the Chinese Group Visa.)
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the criteria for anyone to undertake the Mount Kailash Pilgrimage Tour:
The Mount Kailash Pilgrimage Tour is possible only when it is planned before a month of the tour. This is because most travelers need to apply for a Chinese visa and then apply for all the essential permits in Tibet. And when it comes to obtaining all the permits in Tibet, it typically takes around 15 days minimum.
Here are the key points about the booking and cancellation policies:
Booking Policy:
Cancellation Policy:
The months from April to October are the best times for Mount Kailash Pilgrimage Tour yet it can be done all year round.
When undertaking the tour during spring and autumn, the weather during the day is pleasant however, the higher altitude experiences cold weather. During these times, the skies are clear with dry air making it ideal for the tour and even the trek. And thus witness the majestic views without any obstructions.
As for traveling during summer which is the rainy season, the tour is still enjoyable. This is because this part of Tibet receives less rainfall.
However, traveling during winter can be challenging, especially for trekking. The walking trail is blocked by a lot of snow and the bitterly cold temperature.
Best Time | |||
Month | Temperature Range | Weather Conditions | Additional Information |
| March - April | -5°C to 10°C (23°F to 50°F) | Relatively cold | - |
| March - June | 5°C to 15°C (41°F to 59°F) | Pleasant, blooming flowers, lush greenery | Some snow patches at higher elevations |
| July - August | 15°C to 25°C (59°F to 77°F) | Warmest months, sporadic monsoon rains | Environment gets greener, water bodies are revitalized. Saga Dawa festival (Buddha's enlightenment) |
Though the journey begins from Syabrubensi (1600m) or Timure (1800m), the actual parikrama begins from Saga at an altitude of 4400m. Some travelers may currently encounter moderate altitude sickness symptoms. Due to the high altitude, the first day is scheduled for an acclimatization day.
The journey continues to Mount Kailash while traversing through several high passes. Dolma La Pass is the highest point of this trip at an elevation of 5,600 meters. For additional support, travelers can hire porters or yaks in Darchen.
For those on the Kailash Pilgrimage Tour, the food options are rather minimal. Along the route, the only accommodation alternatives with shared restrooms are tent teahouses, guesthouses, or modest inns. Simple meal alternatives like egg-fried rice and instant noodles are available here.
In comparison to other cities, the cost of the meal is higher. This is due to the limited availability of vegetables and meat in the surrounding area. Every ingredient comes from other bigger cities like Lhasa and Shigatse and is transported here.
There is a significant altitude involved in the Kailash Pilgrimage Tour. At 5,600 meters, Dolma La Pass is the highest point on the journey. The trip can be challenging since traveling above 3,000 meters increases the risk of altitude sickness.
We put your safety first, so don't worry. We've created the ideal schedule, which includes a day for acclimatization. Additionally, you are led by our knowledgeable guides for an excellent journey.
Our guides have received extensive training in first aid and high-altitude survival. They will always keep an eye on your health status. If there are any discomforts, it is preferable to let trip guides know.
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