Mount Kailash Tour : Best Package and Cost for 2025

Early in the morning, after your breakfast, our guide will come to your hotel and organize a short program briefing about our Mount Kailash Tour. As your partner in Nepal, we will handle the Tibetan Visa formalities and permits required to visit Tibet.
We will drive together to the Chinese Embassy to submit our passports, photos, and fingerprints for biometric registration. Now, we have nothing to do but wait for our Visa permits to arrive. During this time, we will get to know the most important sights of Kathmandu and the Kathmandu Valley.
We will travel to Boudhanath, one of the largest stupas in the world. The 100-meter-diameter, 40-meter-high sanctuary is truly an imposing sight. Then, we will go to Swayambhunath Temple and observe the panoramic view of Kathmandu from its hill.
We will now return to our hotel and enjoy the lovely Nepali meal.

Activity & Duration

Sightseeing

Highest Altitude

1300m. (Kathmandu)

Meals

Vegetarian Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation

Hotel

We will wake up early in the morning, and after a ritual ablution, we will go to participate in the morning arti of Pashupatinath Temple- the most significant Hindu temple in Nepal. Then, with the blessing of a Brahmin, we will perform the Rudravishek Pooja (special worship of Lord Shiva).

After the pooja ceremony, we will walk to the Bagmati River, where ritual cremation takes place. Climbing up the opposite hillside, we will reach the multitude of abandoned temples with symbols of Shiva everywhere: Shiva lingams, Nandi bulls, and three-pronged harpoons. We will also worship goddess Guheswori near Pashupati to seek blessing from goddess Parvati.

We will have a nice vegetarian lunch at Pashupati Complex. Then, we will go on an excursion to Budhanilkantha temple (the temple of sleeping Lord Vishnu).

If time permits, we may also go for a short visit to Doleswor Mahadev, recognized as the Head part of Kedarnath, India.

Highest Altitude

1300m. (Kathmandu)

Meals

Vegetarian Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation

Hotel

Finally, we will obtain our Visa today! Our team will go to the Chinese Embassy on your behalf to collect our Visas and permits. In the meantime, we will explore the Kailashnath Mahadev, located in Sanga Bhaktapur, 20 km away from the capital. The statue here is the fortieth-tallest statue in the world. It is made from copper, steel, zinc, and concrete.

After returning from Sanga, we will rest for a while in our rooms. In the evening, we can visit Durbar Square in Kathmandu and enjoy the enchanting life of the Nepalese.

Activity & Duration

Sightseeing

Highest Altitude

1300m. (Kathmandu)

Meals

Vegetarian Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation

Hotel

Our Mount Kailash tour commences today with a 7-hour drive to the town of Timure near the Kerung border of Tibet. The well-asphalted mountain road of Pasang Lhamu Highway will lead us along the mighty Trishuli River, where you may see numerous rafters fighting with the raging water.
As we reach Trishuli Bazaar, we will pause for lunch and buy some snacks for the road ahead. Now, we will resume our halt and continue with our drive toward the beautiful mountain village known as Dhunche. The majestic Manaslu, Annapurna, and Ganesh Himal ranges will reward us with their captivating views.
After driving for about an hour, we will arrive at Syabrubesi in the Rasuwa district of Nepal near China. The village can be our overnight destination for tonight, but we wish to save a few hours on tomorrow’s journey, so we will advance further along a downhill road to reach Timure.

Activity & Duration

Drive, around 8-9 hours

Highest Altitude

2963m. (Timmure)

Meals

Vegetarian Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation

Hotel

We will leave Timure early in the morning and drive along the exquisite Friendship Highway to reach Rasuwagadhi. Here, our Nepali crew members will complete the immigration formalities for us, and we will have our Visas and permits checked. Then, we will cross the Nepal border to step on the Tibetan side. Here, our Tibetan crew members will receive us and take us to Kerung.
The two-hour journey will slowly open up views of the Tibetan landscape and give us glimpses of the Tibetan plateau. Reaching Kerung, we will check into our hotel and rest for a while.
We have almost an entire day to acclimate to the unique atmosphere of Tibet at Kerung. We will go on an excursion to the town and visit the Pakpa monastery, which is believed to date from the 7th century AD.
The monastery is built in Nepali-style pagoda temples, a testament to Nepal and China’s Friendship and architecture. The remarkable highlight of the monastery is the statue of Brikuti, the daughter of Nepal.
After the moanstery exploration, we will set off for the market visit of the town. It has numerous restaurants serving Nepali, Tibetan, Muslim, and other ethnic cuisines.
We will then rest in our room to allow our bodies to adapt to the new atmosphere of Tibet

Activity & Duration

Drive

Highest Altitude

2700m. (Kerung)

Meals

Vegetarian Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation

Hotel

After leaving Kerung, we will begin our drive along the splendid road that offers breathtaking views of the Tibetan Himalayan chain and Tibetan plateau. You can notice how gradually the landscape gives way to a beautiful alpine panorama.
The trail ahead will then lead us toward Thong La and La Lung Passes, nestled between the stunning peaks. Further on the road, we will pass by the charming alpine Lake of Peiku Tso, a place of pure magic.
We may take a break to explore the Buddhist monastery along the route. Three meditation caves that once belonged to the renowned Tibetan yogi Milarepa are also nearby, which we will obviously not miss.
We will now resume our drive, cross the bridge over the sacred Brahmaputra River, and reach the Happy Land of Saga. It is the last town along the Mount Kailash tour that has modern amenities such as shops, restaurants, and good hotels.
We may have felt the effect of altitude now, having transitioned from almost 3000 m to more than 4000 m within a few hours. So we suggest you rest as much as possible in your room.

Activity & Duration

Drive, around 7-8 hours

Highest Altitude

4640m. (Saga)

Meals

Vegetarian Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation

Hotel

From Saga, we will continue today towards the small town of Paryang, which has a typically Tibetan atmosphere. On the way, we will pass by the Dargyeling monastery and then touch the small settlement of Old Dzongba.
Then, our route follows sand dunes, lakes, and a stunning view of the Himalayas from the south. The Horchu River graciously welcomes us next, and the Chinese Military base will check our permits and Visas.
Moving on, we will cross the 5211-meter Mayumla Pass and drive for two more hours to arrive at Lake Mansarovar. Today, we will finally catch a glimpse of the majestic figure of Kailash.
If you like, after a sacred ablution with the holy water of the Lake, you can perform the evening Pooja (worship) along the shore of the Lake.

Activity & Duration

Drive, around 6-7 hours

Highest Altitude

4556m. (Tibet)

Meals

Vegetarian Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation

Guesthouse

Awakening in the purest and unspoiled nature within the spiritual realm of Kailash and Mansarovar is truly a blessing. Lake Mansarovar, which means Lake of Awakening and Enlightenment, is believed to have originated from the mind of Brahma and been deposited on the Earth.
Many pilgrims, young and old, come to the Lake to bathe and purify in its holy water to extend their lives. Next to Manosaravar is Rakshas Tal, also known as Devil’s Lake.
Mount Kailash, Swastika Mountain (Gurla Mandhata), and the revered Chiu Monastery of Guru Rimpoche (Padmasambhava) surround the lake, adding to its beauty and sacredness.
According to Yatris’ faith, the Parikrama or Kailash Kora is incomplete without the circumambulation of the Lake. Therefore, we will fill our bucket with Lake water (direct bathing in the lake is prohibited), and after an ablution, we will sit on its shore and worship our ancestors.
Then, we will walk around the lake, which can be completed in 4 to 5 hours. If time allows, we may go on an excursion to Chiu Monastery (Guru Padmasambhava’s meditation spot).
It’s time to move forward towards Darchen, from where we will start our 53-kilometer pilgrimage around Kailash the next day. A 40-kilometer road can be covered within an hour, and soon, we will be resting in our rooms in Darchen.

After dinner, our Tibetan guide will brief us on our Kora or Parikrama days.

Activity & Duration

Drive, around an hour

Highest Altitude

4556m. (Darchen)

Meals

Vegetarian Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation

Guesthouse

The first day of our Kailash Parikrama begins today. We will go clockwise to reach Dirapuk Monastery by evening, where we can have darshan of the northern face of Kailash. The Kora/parikrama of Mount Kailash is perhaps the most significant pilgrimage route in all of Asia.
Many Hindus, Buddhists, and Bons come to the sacred route from all over the world. We will soon be joined by other travelers, with whom we will continue along the easy, straight trail with gentle ups and downs.
Leaving Darchen early in the morning, we will walk along the western slope of Kailash and climb a ridge from which we can catch a glimpse of its southern face.
Our path will then touch the pillar holding prayer flags erected annually during the Saga Dawa festival. This gateway is known as Yamadwar by the Hindus and known locally as Tarbcohe by the Tibetans.

Erected at 4,740 meters, the Gate is supposedly protected by the God Yama himself. He is the eldest son of the Son god and is regarded as the God of Death. According to popular belief, only pure souls with honest hearts can pass through this Gate.

We can find the sky burials nearby, and then our journey continues above the narrow, steep-walled canyon in the Lha Chu Valley. Shortly, we will arrive at Dirapuk monastery, where we can admire the imposing northern face of the Holy Mountain and the ice flow of the Kangkyam glacier from up close.
Our night shelter is a pilgrim’s accommodation; we can only buy the simplest food for dinner in its dining room.
The first day of our Parikrama symbolizes the commencement of a fresh chapter in our spiritual journey.

Activity & Duration

Trekking, around 7 hours

Highest Altitude

4950m. (Dirapuk)

Meals

Vegetarian Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation

Guesthouse

Today is the most difficult part of our tour: we have to climb the Drolma-La pass at 5,630 meters. But before that, we still pass by more glacial streams running down from the northern side of Kailash and cross the Jarok Donkhang. Then, we will ascend steeply for a while to reach the Shiva Tsal cemetery at 5330 meters.

We are at the site of a kind of symbolic rebirth: abandoned pieces of clothing indicate the believers’ belief that they left their previous life behind by taking off an old garment.

Then, a more vertical climb will take us to the top of the Drolma La Pass, where we will be surrounded by a sea of prayer flags. The Pass is regarded as the holy abode of Goddess Drolma or Tara, whom Hindus worship as Goddess Parvati.

Looking around, we can enjoy the unique panorama unfolding before us. A long, steep descent awaits us from the Pass; below the Pass lies the Gauri Kund lake with turquoise water. Locally, the lake is known as Tso Tuksche.

The lake is 5608 m altitude and is said to have transformative powers. Therefore, Hindu pilgrims take a dip in its water. Again, undertaking a steep downhill walk, we will arrive at the Axe of Karma, translated as cutting the Negative Karma (Action) from your life.

After traversing this section, we will walk along the alpine terrain in the Valley and arrive at the guesthouse of Zutulpuk monastery. According to myth, the monastery was built on the cave of Milarepa, the Tibetan sage who fought the sin priest on Mount Kailash.

Our second day of Parikrama indicates that we have shed negative karma, thus paving the path for our soul to be reborn.

Activity & Duration

Trekking, around 9 hours

Highest Altitude

4790m. (Zutulpuk)

Meals

Vegetarian Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation

Guesthouse

The third and last day of our Mount Kailash Kora is the easiest that can be completed in just 2 hours. At the end of the valley, we will be greeted by the sight of hand-carved mani-stones (prayer stones) and the gathered group of pilgrims.

Then, we head west on the southern side of Mount Kailash. On the way, we can see a wonderful view of the Barkha plain, which will lead us to Chasang, from where we will drive to Darchen. Ending our Kailash Yatra, we now drive along the already-known route to reach Saga, where we can again enjoy the comfort of warm lodging.

Activity & Duration

Trekking and Drive

Highest Altitude

4640m. (Saga)

Meals

Vegetarian Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation

Hotel

Completing the challenging yet beautiful Mount Kailash tour is an indescribable feeling. With the complete transformation, we will now head back to Kerung. The beautiful, luxurious road will give us breathtaking glimpses of Shishapangma and Lake Paiku Tso (4591m) once again.
After a five-hour drive, we will be greeted by the familiar surroundings of Kerung. Our Tibetan team will organize a cultural farewell program at the hotel.

Activity & Duration

Drive

Highest Altitude

2700m. (Kerung)

Meals

Vegetarian Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation

Hotel

After breakfast, it’s time to say goodbye to Tibet and drive to Kathmandu. As we approach the Nepal-Tibet border, we will once again go through the immigration formalities to enter Nepal. We will express our gratitude to our Tibetan team and be received by our wonderful Nepali Team, who will drive us to Kathmandu via Syabrubesi.
We will drop you off at your hotel in Kathmandu. Please rest and rejoice in the memory of your spiritual journey. In the evening, you can roam the streets of Thamel or Durbar Marga, now open all night long.
Note
Please keep in mind that if you would like to skip the long road journey to Kathmandu, we can also arrange a short and convenient but expensive helicopter flight back to the capital from Timmure.

Activity & Duration

Drive, around 6-7 hours

Highest Altitude

1300m. (Kathmandu)

Meals

Vegetarian Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation

Hotel