Trip Duration
16 Days
Trip Difficulty
Challenging
Group Size
2-16 pax
Nature of Trip
Tour
Max. Altitude
5,630m. /18,471 ft.
Transportation
Bus , Flight
Best Seasons
Spring, Autumn
Start/End
KathmanduTrip Overview
Follow the worn path of the sages, saints, and monks and feel reborn again after taking a circle of life and death around the holiest Himalaya of the Universe in our Kailash pilgrimage tour.
Not only the mountain itself, but a 53 km long outer circular route around it is also regarded as the holiest. This is what Adventure Tansen Trek is aiming to take you on on our Kailash pilgrimage tour.
Every year from March through October, thousands of pilgrims seek to walk this sacred trail. The act is called the Parikrama among Hindus and the Kora among Tibetans.
Walking this route, pilgrims believe their sins for this life are forgiven, and not to forget the Year of the Horse is approaching in 2026. A single parikrama in this year is believed to yield the spiritual benefits equal to completing the parikrama 13 times.
Mount Kailash is the most pious mountain peak of the Earth at 6638 m in remote Western Tibet called Ngari. The mountain is regarded as the seat of their Gods by four religions mainly: Jains, Hindus, Bons, and Buddhists.
For Hindus, it is the divine seat of Lord Shiva and the peak itself radiates his unwavering sacred energy destroying the negative sins and karma of the pilgrims. For the followers of other faiths too, Kailash is the birthplace of their spirituality and religion.
Right beneath Kailash is the beautiful calm maternal sun-like lake of Mansarovar at 4600 m. It is often called the Lake of Life containing the essence of Goddess Parvati and Lord Brahma.
No wonder, countless travelers, and devotees often gather to take the Kailash pilgrimage tour every year. This tour to the epicenter of the planet is both mentally and physically demanding so a flexible attitude and a good physical condition are required.
Certainly, the Kailash pilgrimage tour is filled with hardships but it also has beauty in it and a great reward that will linger in your memory for a lifetime.
The route that we have chosen for you in our Kailash pilgrimage tour is through the Nyalam border, a calm mountain route away from the chaos and crowd of travelers.
Following rural Tibet, you will then reach Lake Mansarovar where you will spend a day in its peaceful aura. Then the Kailash parikrama begins as you reach Darchen continuing for the next two days under the colossal north face of Kailash.
The second day will be particularly hard as you overcome the daunting glacial walls of the Dolma La Pass at 5630 m. The hardships can be eased by hiring yak men, their yaks, and ponies.
After the Kailash parikrama culmination back in Darchen, you will follow the same classic route and travel back to Kathmandu through the Nyalam border.
Here, we also like to notify you that the Kailash pilgrimage tour is not just a traditional pilgrim trip. The astounding landscape, high plateaus, mountains, lunar-like terrain, local people, a camping night by Lake Pelgu Tso, and the crossing of the Dolma La Pass provide an exhilarating experience that rivals any trekking or touring adventure.
So, let’s set out on the Kailash pilgrimage tour right away which is now open to all foreign travelers, as you never know when China may close its borders again.
Highlights of Kailash Pilgrimage Tour
- A unique traveling experience through desolate Western Tibet
- Remote Tibetan terrain where you will see the real life of people
- Trekking around the Kailash north face
- Meet numerous pilgrims coming from various parts of the world
- Visit Lake Mansarovar for one entire day
- See the very attractive and cultural monasteries such as Chiu Gompa, Dargyeling Gompa, and more
- Triumph over the daunting task of crossing the Dolma La
- Journey along the peaceful Friendship Highway
Itinerary of Kailash Pilgrimage Tour
Day 01: Arrive in Kathmandu
Adventure Tansen Trek is pleased and proud to be a part of your Kailash pilgrimage tour. You will be personally picked up from TIA by our team and will be taken by our private transport to your cozy hotel.
Once you are rested and settled in, you will receive an orientation about your Mount Kailash pilgrimage tour via Nyalam.
Max. Altitude: 1350m./4,429ft. (Kathmandu)
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 02: Kathmandu Sightseeing
Today is all about preparing for your Kailash pilgrimage tour and seeing some of the very significant temples and monasteries of Kathmandu. After you have a great breakfast, our guide will be at your hotel to lead your way to Pashupatinath Temple, Boudhanath, and Swayambhunath monasteries. We will then quickly get back and start packing for the adventure set for the next day.
Activity: Sightseeing
Max. Altitude: 1350m./4,429ft. (Kathmandu)
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 03: Drive to Nyalam from Kathmandu
Early morning, we will set off out of Kathmandu along the Araniko Highway to reach Tatopani alongside the Bhotekoshi River. The road ahead will then direct us toward the Kodari border (2300 m).
From here, we will drive across the Friendship Bridge and then travel onward to Khasa or Zhangmu. Here, our team will walk you through the immigration formalities before crossing the border to Tibet.
Once we are inside the Chinese land, our Tibetan guide will receive us and then drive us further to Nyalam along the climbing road. Make sure to sleep early and enough and hydrate yourself adequately. The distance from Kathmandu to Nyalam is approximately 165 km.
Activity: 8 hours drive
Max. Altitude: 3800m./12,467ft. (Nyalam )
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 04: Drive to Pelgu Tso from Nyalam
Today, our Kailash pilgrimage tour will take us through the impressive panorama of the Tibetan Himalayas over the high highland passes and a tranquil lake.
At first, we will be over the Thong La Pass(5153 m) and then over the Lalung La Pass (5030 m) from where we will have the exceptional spectacle of Shishapangma, Cho Oyu, and Gaurishankar.
On the way ahead to Pelgu Tso, we will see numerous small Tibetan towns such as Khunmen Tso, Sinling, and Karru Ongchen. Then in the late afternoon, we will reach at the intense blue lake of Peiko Tso or Pelgu Tso. We will have a very enchanting camping stay near its green and sandy shore. The distance from Nyalam to Pelgu Tso is approximately 221 Km.
Activity: 7/8 hours drive
Max. Altitude: 4590m./15,059ft. (Pelgu Tso)
Accommodation: Lodge
Day 05: Drive to Saga from Pelgu Tso
The road ahead after Pelgu Tso will slope down into the tight gorge at first. Then, it reaches a ferry over the long and wide Brahmaputra River, also the Yarlung Tsangpo River.
The final segment is now fairly very comfortable occurring along the paved Tibetan Highway till we are at Saga, a very happy and graceful town that has led countless tourists and pilgrims to Kailash. The distance from Pelgu Tso to Saga is approximately 115 km.
Activity: 6/7 hours drive
Max. Altitude: 4640m./15,223ft. (Saga )
Accommodation: Lodge
Day 06: Drive to Paryang from Saga
After Saga, our Mt. Kailash pilgrimage tour will propel us further along the Brahmaputra River to Old Dzongba. It is a tiny hidden sandy type of herder town and a little farther, we can also look at the vivid Dargyeling monastery.
After a small monastery tour, we will continue further to reach Paryang, a wild-west village with a large prayer wheel, a few restaurants, and small shops. The distance from Saga to Paryang is approximately 185 km.
Activity: 7/8 hours drive
Max. Altitude: 4540m./14,895ft. (Paryang)
Accommodation: Lodge
Day 07: Drive to Lake Mansarovar from Paryang
With our bellies full, we will prepare to set off from Paryang towards Lake Mansarovar. Driving further west over the endless plateaus, we will be at the checkpoint by the Horchu River.
Our visas, permits, and passports will be checked here after which we will climb over the Mayum La Pass (5211 m). Gurla Mandata appears on the horizon after which we will drive downward and on leveled ground for around 2 hours to finally see Mount Kailash on Lake Mansarovar.
Enjoy the perfect serene peace and quiet in perfect harmony with the shapes and colors of the empty landscape. The distance from Paryang to Lake Mansarovar is approximately 250 km.
Activity: 6/7 hours drive
Max. Altitude: 4600m./15,092ft. (Lake Mansarovar)
Accommodation: Lodge
Day 08: Full Day Exploration at Lake Mansaorvar
We are now well above 4500 m and it is good that we spend a day at Lake Mansarovar to acclimatize more before we begin our walk to Kailash. In the early morning, we will take a holy bath with the Mansarovar sacred and clean water after which we will do a puja and havan at its edge.
Then, it’s up to you whether you want to walk around the Lake clockwise on a bus, a jeep, or on foot. Direct payment in situ will be necessary for the bus or jeep drive around the lake.
Then, you can also venture on to explore the Chiu Gompa and its hot natural healing spring.
Max. Altitude: 4600m./15,092ft. (Lake Mansarovar)
Accommodation: Lodge
Day 09: Drive on to Darchen, starting point of Kailash Parikrama (4670 m) then hike to Dirapuk via Tarboche (4724 m)
From Lake Mansarovar, we will drive through the overwhelming terrain of Barkha plain to Darchen, the starting point of our holy Kailash pilgrimage tour.
Here, if you want, our Tibetan guide will arrange the yak, yak men, or ponies for your further journey around Kailash which you will meet at the gate of Tarboche.
Once we are through the arrangement, we will drive past beautiful mountains to arrive at Tarboche. This is the symbolic pole all covered with colorful lungtas or the prayer flags.
During the Saga Dawa Festival, thousands of pilgrims attend the erection of this pole. For Hindus, this pole stand as the Yamadwar, the pious gate guarded by Yama, the deity of death.
Belief is the only virtuous souls can pass through this gate and continue their journey to Kailash. Those who have arranged the yak men, yak, or ponies will meet them here.
The rest of us will continue further up to the site with prayer flags and white garments. It is the ancient sky cremation site of Tibet and we will continue to gradually ascend a bit further into the wide valley of the Lha Chu river to arrive at Dirapuk shortly. The distance from Lake Mansarovar to Dirapuk is approximately 52 km.
Activity: 1 hour drive and 5/6 hours hike
Max. Altitude: 4920m./16,142ft. (Dirapuk)
Accommodation: Lodge
Day 10: Second Day of Kailash Parikrama over Dolma La Pass (5630 m) to Zuthulpuk
The tenth day of our Kailash pilgrimage tour is going to be the hardest and lengthy but very monumental. From Dirapuk, our path will persistently keep on rising passing through Jarok Donkhang.
Eventually, we will see the site scattered with old clothes, shoes, and many other old items which are offered by the pilgrims. It is the holy ground of Shiva Tsal cemetery (5330 m) where we will also make our offering and move up ahead along the glacial steep slope of the Dolma La Pass.
The maternal Green Tara Goddess is believed to reside here, thus the pass is also named Green Tara Pass. We have a steep and sharp descent ahead where en route we are at 5608 m, we will meet Gauri Kunda Lake.
Instead of bathing due to hypothermic conditions, we will gather its water in a bottle and head downward further through the Axe Of Karma. Free of every past negative sins, we will now be at the levelled ground till we are at Zuthulpuk. The distance from Dirapuk to Zuthulpuk is approximately 22 km.
Activity: 8/9 hours hike
Max. Altitude: 4790m./15,715ft. (Zuthulpuk)
Accommodation: Lodge
Day 11: End of Kailash parikrama at Darchen and drive to Paryang
Our Kailash pilgrimage tour will complete today we move on a gentle plateau path surrounded by the barren land of Barkha plain to Darchen. After we fill our empty bellies at Darchen, we will get in our 4WD and travel via Mansarovar and then over Mayum La to reach the green pasture of Paryang. The distance from Darchen to Paryang is approximately 227 km.
Activity: 7/8 hours drive
Max. Altitude: 4540m./14,895ft. (Paryang)
Accommodation: Lodge
Day 12: Drive to Saga from Paryang
Persistently following the Brahmaputra River now, we will travel at a good pace over the Tibetan plateau to reach the joyful town of Saga once again where a cozy night on a soft bed awaits us. The distance from Paryang to Saga is approximately 185 km.
Activity: 8 hours drive
Max. Altitude: 4640m./15,223ft. (Saga )
Accommodation: Lodge
Day 13: Drive to Pelgu Tso from Saga 115 km
The reasonably good wide road of Tibet will take us to the tight gorge from where we will reach back the campsite of Pelgu Tso. The distance from Saga to Pelgu Tso is approximately 115 km.
Activity: 6/7 hours drive
Max. Altitude: 4590m./15,059ft. ( Pelgu Tso)
Accommodation: Lodge
Day 14: Drive to Nyalam from Pelgu Tso
We will continue moving further to report at the checkpoint and then drive over the Lalung La and Thong La after which we will turn on the Friendship Highway to reach Nyalam. The distance from Pelgu Tso to Nyalam is approximately 21 km.
Activity: 7/8 hours drive
Max. Altitude: 3800m./12,467ft. (Nyalam )
Accommodation: Lodge
Day 15: Drive to Kathmandu from Nyalam
After we have a great breakfast, we will prepare for our last leg of the Mount Kailash pilgrimage tour via Nyalam. After Nyalam, we will drive straight down through the green jungle to the deep gorge.
From here, we will journey to the Tibetan border of Zangmu and cross the border along the Friendship Bridge to Nepal. Through Kodari and Tatopani, we will be eventually resting at the comfortable establishment of Kathmandu by early evening.
Activity: 8/9 hours drive
Max. Altitude: 1350m./4,429ft. (Kathmandu )
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 16: Departure
Based on your departure time of your home flight, you can take some moment to explore the centuries-old streets of Kathmandu. Do whatever you feel like on your final day in Kathmandu after which the Adventure Tansen Trek team will transport you to TIA.
Includes/Excludes
What is included?
- Airport pick up and drop
- Tibet travel permit
- All surface transfer as per itinerary in private vehicle
- Accommodation as per itinerary on twin sharing with BREAKFAST Only
- Monasteries entrance fees
- Sightseeing tours as per itinerary
- A local English speaking guide throughout the tour.
- All government taxes.
What is not included?
- International Airfare (Applicable)
- Excess baggage charge if any
- Travel insurance
- Chinese visa fee (Normal Visa Cost: US$ 85 Per Person for all nationalities
- Nepal re – entry visa fee
- Expenses of private nature such as Laundry, Telephone calls, Beverages, Tips, etc.
Trip Information
When will be the best time to go on the Kailash Pilgrimage Tour?
The Kailash pilgrimage tour runs every year through the time frame occurring between March to mid-October. The ideal time for you to go on our Mount Kailash pilgrimage tour via Nyalam will specifically depends on the goal of your journey.
If you wish to see the lush Tibet and immerse yourself in the festive time of Saga Dawa, then choose to come in the Tibetan spring of March, April, and May. If you wish to have a persistent and stable climate with a transparent sky, then choose to come in the Tibetan autumn of September and October.
If like Hindus and Buddhists, you also like to earn the special Karma, then you can join our Kailash pilgrimage tour in July and August new moon.
After mid-October, the Mt. Kailash pilgrimage tour will be closed by the Chinese government due to the increasingly tougher living conditions around Kailash.
Difficulty Level and the Challenges of the Mt. Kailash Pilgrimage Tour
Our Kailash pilgrimage tour is a level III demanding journey through the remote western expanse of Tibet. The 16 days adventure will ascend to its highest point when it reaches the Dolma La Pass, just below 5700 m.
There will be three days of hardships involved requiring 6 to 9 hours of trekking each day. Other days travel will be conducted on 4WD with the average duration on the road between 6 to 8 hours.
To ease the hardships on the Kailash trek, horses, yak men and yaks are also available for hire. However, steep glacial sections will be tougher for them as well so you will have to be ready to hike.
Besides the higher harsher elevated zone of Tibet, the other contributing factors for making the Kailash pilgrimage tour strenuous are the rustic settings at Dirapuk and Zuthulpuk, camping requirements for a night by the alpine lake, and of course the ever fluctuating climate of Tibet.
How to mentally and physically prepare for the Mount Kailash Pilgrimage tour via Nyalam?
The Kailash pilgrimage tour is certainly a challenging journey for both your mind and body. To prepare your mind for the hardships of Kailash, learn and research about its stories, its legends, the people around, their lives, and most of all the climate and sleeping facilities.
As for preparing your body for the journey, focus on enhancing your endurance, strength, and fitness through hiking trips, walking, stair climbing, running, cycling, or swimming.
Before setting forth for the Mt. Kailash pilgrimage tour, make sure you go through the comprehensive medical review to rule out any issues related to cardiorespiratory health.
When you are actually on the Kailash pilgrimage tour, please listen and follow our guide. After all, he is not only an expert but also the local who has more knowledge about Kailash than us.
Probability of Altitude Sickness in our Kailash Pilgrimage Tour
The onset of altitude sickness is common in our Kailash pilgrimage tour. This physical condition related to the high elevation is also called Acute Mountain Sickness/AMS.
There are several contributing elements that give rise to AMS in our Kailash pilgrimage tour. The low amount of oxygen in the Tibet Highlands, the fluctuating elevations, the faster approach, the long traveling journey per day, and the tough weather are to name a few examples.
We have strategized a rest day at Lake Mansarovar before your approach to Dolma La Pass followed by the slow-paced travel type. Still, headaches, general malaise, nausea, vertigo, and exhaustion can appear in some which are the initial signs of AMS.
Adventure Tansen Trek accompanying team will help you mitigate AMS with the provision of supplemental oxygen if required. Our guide will also be constantly monitoring your health should any problem arise.
Take Diamox if you are new to Tibet and its higher elevation. You can start taking it in Kathmandu unless you have health issues that will stop you from using it.
When in Tibet, take a long sleep and rest, and hydrate your body with enough water. Garlic, ginger, honey, and lemon are some natural remedies to get over AMS.
Sleeping, Eating and Travel Arrangements made by Adventure Tansen Trek for your Mount Kailash pilgrimage tour via Nyalam
During the 16 days of our Kailash pilgrimage tour, the Adventure Tansen Trek team will take care of all your travel arrangements. A twin-sharing room of a standard and hygienic three-star hotel in Kathmandu awaits your arrival with a veg breakfast each morning.
In Tibet, a similar twin-sharing room in a government-approved three-star hotel awaits you except at Pelgu Tso where our team will pitch a tent for your mess eating, cooking, sleeping, and restroom facilities.
At Dirapuk and Zuthulpuk, you will be accommodated in well-organized dormitory rooms with up to five beds in a room. We will try to secure comfortable lodging for you in newly constructed facilities at these two locations.
Throughout your Tibetan journey, three meals will be served at your table.
For transportation, our private 4WD with our personal driver, and guide will be with you for all your surface travels in Kathmandu and Tibet. Please note that the Lake Mansarovar tour in a bus or jeep, and horses, yaks, and yak men costs are excluded which you will have to pay directly on location.
Compulsory Visa and Permit Procedures for our Mt. Kailash Pilgrimage Tour
We kindly request you to understand that for undertaking any type of trek, tour, or trip in Tibet, you must plan ahead and buy the trip package of a reputed government-verified travel agency only.
Adventure Tansen Trek offers various travel packages inside Tibet which you can also tailor-made according to your choices before we move ahead with the permit application procedure.
While private tours are possible within Tibet, you must still be traveling with a local licensed Tibetan guide and driver and all your travel arrangements must also be approved ahead.
Thus for a smoother experience, we suggest you buy our Kailash pilgrimage tour package and leave the rest of the headache on us.
Concerning the compulsory permits and Visa, we will be organizing for you the TTP (Tibet Travel Permit or Tibet Visa) along with the Chinese Group Visa.
Rest of the obligatory permits: the Alien travel permit, the Military permit, and the Foreign Affairs permit will be handled and managed by our affiliated travel agency of Tibet.
We urge you to secure your seat in our Kailash pilgrimage tour 15 to 30 days early and send us the following:
- Your digital colored copy of Passport with a minimum of 2 empty pages and 6 months minimum validity period remaining after you leave Tibet
- Passport-sized photos with the measurement of 51 mm x 51 mm recently taken by the plain white backdrop, no specs, and makeup
Attention
The TTP will be finalized by us and collected by our Tibetan guide shown on the time of your arrival in Nyalam.
Also know that the Chinese Group Visa from the Chinese Embassy is meant as a single visa for the entire members of a Kailash pilgrimage tour group. It means all members should have the same departure date.
The group visa process will commence when all pilgrim members are in Kathmandu, and we kindly ask that you arrive on weekdays. Your passport will be retained by the embassy and returned along with your Visa and your fingerprints will also be verified.
The average fee for the Chinese group visa will be between US Dollars 70 to 180, depending on your passport’s country of origin and the processing method you select (standard or express).
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is a strict compulsion for anyone participating in our Kailash pilgrimage tour. It is because of the risks that are present associated with the high altitude environment of Kailash, its remoteness, and the lack of efficient medical facilities.
Please know that your personal travel insurance will be solely your responsibility. When you buy the policy for the Kailash pilgrimage tour, make sure you mention to your insurer about your hiking adventure to almost 5700 m elevation.
Your travel insurance must have the Helicopter rescue, transport, or evacuation from 5700 m minimum along with medical, accidental, and tour postponement and delay coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, although shut down in the 2015 earthquake, this border has been reopened for not only commerce but also for international travelers getting into Tibet from Nepal.
There is not much of a difference between these two entry portals as the travel duration, length, road, and formalities to adhere to are the same. Kerung border will be quite busy though than Nyalam.
Certainly, 2025 has brought this amazing news for Indians that China has once again started accepting Indian pilgrims to Kailash both from Nepal and India.
If you are an Indian citizen, you must be between 18 to 70 years old, and if you are from other countries, you must be between 10 to 75 years old.
The standard processing for the Chinese Group visa is the general method that needs 4 days to complete with relatively cheaper cost. The express method will hand you your visa within 2-3 days at a higher price.
April, September, and October will be excellent times for the Mount Kailash pilgrimage tour via Nyalam.
For Nepal, buy the Namaste or NCELL mobile SIM cards available from nano to standard sizes. In Tibet, get the China Telecom, China Mobile, or China Unicom SIM Cards.
WiFi (free) is available for your use in Kathmandu and in the good hotels of Tibet. When camping and around Kailash, you can benefit from the 5G internet of your local Chinese mobile network.
Installing a VPN can be the way out for you to get access to these Western social media websites.
In case of our Kailash pilgrimage tour, we will be traveling the remote western region of Tibet where currency exchange services may not be found as much as in big cities. Therefore, we suggest you convert the needed amount of money into Chinese Yuan when you are staying in Kathmandu.
Except for the big cities of Tibet like Lhasa, and Shigatse, you may not be able to use your bank card in western Tibet.
We have only one night of camping set for the Mt. Kailash pilgrimage tour for which tents and other necessary supplies will be provided to you. So unless you want to have your personal sleeping bag, it may not be necessary.
