Kailash Mansarovar Tour: 9 Nights 10 Days (Drive In Drive Out Tour)
Trek Overview
Are you looking for a journey that honors a millennia-long history, faith, and spiritual ties? Then, welcome to our Kailash Mansarovar tour through which you will feel the energy of Mount Kailash, the most sacred peak for Hindus, Bons, Jains, and Buddhists for ages.
Here, Prime Holidays Travels and Tours would like to promise you that our Kailash Mansarovar tour will not only inspire you for a deep reflection but will also let you appreciate the breathtaking culture and tradition of the region.
However, be prepared, for our calming 9 nights 10 days Kailash Mansarovar tour will push your physical limits but will also help you admire the endless beauty of the world around you.
At 6638 m, Mount Kailash in the Ngari prefecture of western Tibet is the untouched and unconquered mountain on Earth. People call it the Umbilical Cord of the World.
For Hindus, it is the peak where Lord Shiva and Parvati reside. Its four sides symbolize the four faces of Shiva, each facing a cardinal direction of the Universe.
It is the sacred dwelling of Buddha Padmasambhava for Buddhists, while Jains regard it as the Nirvana site of their Master Rishabhadeva, and Kailash itself is projected as Mount Ashtapad. For Bon followers, Kailash is the center of their Sgang Shung, the birthplace of their faith.
Lake Mansarovar, on the other hand, sitting at 4600 m below Kailash, is said to have come from Lord Brahma’s mind, a creator god. It has a solar shape and contains life-giving waters unlike its nearby counterpart, Rakshas Tal.
It is believed that those who bathe in its pious water will reach Brahma’s heaven after death, thus attaining the immortal salvation. And, those who perform the puja rituals on its edge will wash away all their negative Karma of a hundred past lives.
That’s why each year, pilgrims from all over the world gather in Kailash to walk around both the lake and the mountain. Hindus and Buddhists go clockwise, while Bons walk counterclockwise. Hindus refer to this journey as Parikrama, while Buddhists and Bons call it Kora.
However, the purpose of their Kailash Mansarovar tour is the same: to honor the deities that live here and in return seek the protection from illness, negative Karma, and evil spirits.
We will also make the same journey and walk the 53 km outer circuit of Kailash that starts and ends in Darchen, displaying the incredible sight of the north face of Kailash. Your route in our Kailash Mansarovar tour will follow the Kerung border, driving through Saga to Lake Mansarovar.
After performing a puja, worship, and parikrama of Lake Mansarovar, your trek around Kailash begins the next day lasting three days. The second day will be particularly hard as you will cross the imposing Dolma La Pass (5630 m), the highest and most challenging part of our 9 nights 10 days Kailash Mansarovar tour.
Overall, this tour is going to be quite a challenge for both your physical and financial health. However, as a solution, we have included enough acclimatization days for your physical health, while we have eliminated the Lhasa flight altogether.
Instead, we will drive in and drive out of Tibet in a private four-wheel vehicle, thus lightening the financial load on your wallet. Further, you can also hire horses, yaks, and porters for your Kailash parikrama.
March through October is the perfect time for our Kailash Mansarovar tour. It is open to anyone in decent health who truly wants to experience Kailash and Mansarovar at least once in their lifetime.
Note
The upcoming 2026 is going to be really special for the Kailash Mansarovar tour, especially for Buddhist pilgrims. It is the Horse Year, and during this time, circling around Kailash will give you merit that is equal to what you will earn by going around the mountain thirteen times in other years.
Remember, the Horse Year comes around every 12 years, so don’t let this amazing opportunity slip by. Book our Kailash Mansarovar tour for 2026 now!
Trip Highlights
- Beginning of the tour with the stunning mountain journey in Nepal and its crisp air
- The stunning sights of the Gaurishankar, Lhotse, Shishapangma, and numerous others on the journey
- Cross the high, imposing passes of Tibet
- Rest a night by Lake Mansarovar and circle its perimeter in the morning
- Walk with the pilgrims of the world around Kailash
- See and feel the energy of the northern face of Kailash
- An extra optional tour of Chiu Gompa in Lake Mansarovar
- An option of hiring the services of ponies, yaks, and porters for the Kailash parikrama
- Entirely guided and supported tour
Trek Gallery
Day-by-Day Itinerary
01
Our Kailash Mansarovar tour will commence early morning with a long, majestic drive along the lush hills of Nepal. After Kathmandu, the Pasang Lhamu Highway will start to guide us through Trishuli, Rani Pauwa, and then Dhunche to Syabrubesi of Rasuwa District in Langtang National Park.
With the edgy points of Annapurna, Ganesh, Manaslu, and Langtang on the horizon, a dirt, bumpy road will now begin to carry us to Timure and then Ghatte Khola.
Here, we will go through the formal immigration procedure and proceed to the Rasuwagadhi border post, where our Nepali and Tibetan guides will finalize everything.
After getting into Tibet, our Tibetan guide will then take us for another two-hour comfortable drive along the wide Highway to Kerung. Please rest early to acclimatize adequately.
Activity: 8hrs drive
Max. Altitude: 3,000m/9,843ft. ()
Meal: B L D
Accommodation: Hotel
02
We are stopping at Kerung for one more night so you can acclimate well to the Tibetan air. Kerung has lots of heritage to see, but among them, the notable one is the Pakpa Monastery in the heart of the town.
Decorated with Tibetan and Nepali art, here, you will find a grand statue of Nepali princess Bhrikuti, erected by King Songtsen Gampo ages ago. There are also gorges to visit and many cuisines to enjoy.
Meal: B L D
Accommodation: Hotel
03
After Kerung, our drive will continue across the magnificent Thong La Pass (5153 m) and then Lalung La Pass (5030 m), incredible spots to see the Shishapangma (8027 m) and Gaurishankar (7181 m) very close.
We will make the descent then and travel via Khunmen Tso, Sinling, and Karru Ongchen until we arrive at Peiku Tso/Lake. Close by, Milarepa Cave will steal our glance.
Next, the holy Brahmaputra River (Yarlung Tsangpo) will show us our way over a strong concrete bridge, thus leading us to Saga, a town of only Happy People.
Activity: 4-5hrs drive
Max. Altitude: 4,640m/15,223ft. ()
Meal: B L D
Accommodation: Hotel
04
Today, our Kailash Mansarovar tour will reach the divine location of the lake itself. From Saga, the Brahmaputra River will continue to show us our way to the Old Dzongba, the lonely shepherd town in Tibet.
The Dargyeling monastery is worth a brief visit here, after which our road will lead us to the green land of Paryang. The Horchu River will follow us from here, and soon we will arrive at the military checkpoint.
After verification, our Tibetan road will go across the Mayumla Pass (5211 m) from where the outstanding icy flute of Gurla Mandhata Peak (7694 m) can be seen.
The road from the pass will now go down for around 2 hours, thus leading us to the shore of Lake Mansarovar. Kailash will be sparkling under the late afternoon sun.
Activity: 8-9hrs drive
Max. Altitude: 4,600m/15,092ft. ()
Meal: B L D
Accommodation: Guesthouse
05
The Kailash, Chiu Gompa, and Gurla Mandhata will renew our spirit early in the morning. Since we can’t directly bathe in Lake Mansarovar, we will collect some water for our baths.
After that, we will engage in puja, yagya, and hawana by the lake bank and pray for our ancestors’ liberation. Then, you can take a bus or a jeep to circle the perimeter of the lake, which may take around 2 to 3 hours.
You can also explore the Chiu Gompa and hot spring (entrance fee payable on-site). Now, we will drive towards Tarchen/Darchen, where the route to Kailash commences.
After checking into our nice guesthouse, our guide will then share details about the Kailash trek. If you like to engage horses, yaks, or porters, please tell our guide now so he can organize them for you in advance.
Please note that payment for them will be on-site and not included in our service.
Activity: 2hrs
Max. Altitude: 4,670m/15,322ft. ()
Meal: B L D
Accommodation: Guesthouse
06
From today, the most anticipated day of our Kailash Mansarovar tour begins. A short drive along the sandy dunes of Darchen will take us to the Tarboche Gate.
The Tibetans set up the long flagpole here annually during the Saga Dawa festival. This gate represents the Yama Gate or Yamadwar, which Hindus thought was guarded by Yama, the Sun God’s son and the God of Death.
According to the belief, he will only permit the righteous soul to pass through it. We will first circle the gate and then meet our horses or yaks (if you have requested them).
If not, we will start to trek through the sacred ancient grounds of the Sky Cremation Site of the Tibetans. We will then step into the vast expanse of the Lhachu Valley and begin to ascend gradually towards Dirapuk.
Please keep your head held high because you may see a very quick west face of Kailash en route. In Dirapuk, a hostel-style guesthouse will welcome us for the night.
There are also some new government lodgings, but they tend to fill up quickly during the peak season of the Kailash Mansarovar tour. If necessary, our team will set up a warm tent for us to sleep in directly in front of the north wall of Kailash.
Activity: 7-8hrs drive
Max. Altitude: 4,900m/16,076ft. ()
Meal: B L D
Accommodation: Guesthouse
07
Get ready for the most difficult and longest day of our Kailash Mansarovar tour. Today, we will take on the ultimate challenge of facing the Dolma La Pass along the steep glacial path that will elevate us by 550 m at first and then descend steeply by 600 m.
Please understand that it may be very difficult for the animals too to cross some sections, so it will be wise if you get off the horses or yaks on these sections of the pass.
The slippery, icy glacial terrain from Dirapuk will at first guide us through Jarok Donkhang and then to the Shiva Tsal cemetery at 5330 m. At this point, we will leave behind our old, worn items like old jewelry, hair, or cloth as a gesture of embracing a new beginning.
After a few more hours, we will finally be atop the Dolma La Pass, aka Green Tara Pass, the holy home of Goddess Tara. Now, we will start our descent very attentively, stopping at 5608 m by Gauri Kunda (Tuksche Tso or Thukpe Dzingbu).
Please do not engage in bathing here due to extreme hypothermic risks; instead, collect its water in a bottle so you can purify your home and workplace.
The next important landmark on our descent is the Axe of Karma. This site will literally cut our ties with our past sins, leaving us with a clean blank slate to write over again.
Again, we will be in a very modest hostel-like atmosphere in Zuthulpuk, which feels very inviting now.
Activity: 8-9hrs drive
Max. Altitude: 5,630m/18,471ft. ()
Meal: B L D
Accommodation: Hotel
08
We will bring an end to our Kailash Parikrama today by walking back to Darchen through the sandy plain of Barkha land. We will find our pick-up vehicle waiting for us, which will transport us back to Saga through Lake Mansarovar, Mayum La Pass, and Paryang again.
Activity: 9hrs drive
Meal: B L D
Accommodation: Hotel
09
Our Kailash Mansarovar tour will take us back to Kerung today, right on the Nepal border. Along the way, we will encounter Peiku Tso, Lalung La, and Thong La Passes.
In Kerung, we will have a final Tibetan dinner with our local team, enjoying some cultural dishes in the evening.
Activity: 8hrs drive
Meal: B L D
Accommodation: Hotel
10
Today, we will return to the city of origin of our Kailash Mansarovar tour, Kathmandu. At Rasuwagadhi, we will once again finish the border formalities and be welcomed by our Nepali team.
Traveling through Syabrubesi, Dhunche, Rani Pauwa, and Trishuli, we will be back in Kathmandu by the early evening, thus ending the service of Prime Holidays.
Activity: 8hrs drive
Max. Altitude: 1,400m/4,593ft. ()
Meal: B L D
Accommodation: Hotel
Note:
If you have a private group and prefer a personalized experience, we can organize a custom trip tailored to your requirements and group size, running it any day you choose.
Trip Information
Best Time
The Kailash Mansarovar tour is best to engage in months between March to October. April of Spring, however, will be a bit cold with day temperatures appearing around 10 degrees in Kailash and colder nights.
However, the rain will be scant, and green terrain will envelop the entire Kailash and Tibet. So, May, June, September, and October should be your choice if you like to engage in the Kailash Mansarovar tour.
The heat will be pretty pleasant, ranging between 15-20 degrees with low rain chances for clear views. July and August will not only be the hottest but also the wettest, with accompanying storms and snow at Dolma La Pass.
However, there will be a larger Hindu crowd on the full moon day of these months who complete Kailash Parikrama, believing that the act will absolve them of sins from 100 past lives.
Winter will hit Kailash hard from November to February with freezing temperatures, strong cold winds, and snow blocking the trail over Dolma La Pass.
Difficulty and Challenges of the 9 Nights 10 Days Kailash Mansarovar Tour
Our 9 nights 10 days Kailash Mansarovar tour is a challenging level III trek that takes place in one of the remote regions in Tibet. The trekking route of the Kailash parikrama ascends to nearly 5700 m at the Dolma La Pass.
Anticipate hiking for around 6 to 8 hours each day for three days of the parikrama, with the Dolma La Pass presenting the greatest challenge with its glacial terrain and high altitude, along with harsher weather.
Additionally, the elevations of the three imposing Tibetan Passes will add to the strain. You will also have to compromise on comfort and diet during the two nights that you will spend at Dirapuk and Zutulpuk.
Who can join our Kailash Mansarovar Tour?
As stated by the Tibet Tourism Bureau, individuals aged between 10 to 75 can get the needed permits for the Kailash Mansarovar tour. For Indians, though, the age limit is set between 18 and 70.
So, if you are a healthy individual within these age ranges, you are certainly welcome to join our Kailash Mansarovar tour. However, please note that the challenging and extreme climate of Kailash may exacerbate symptoms for those who are already suffering from cardiorespiratory conditions.
We therefore highly suggest that these individuals consult their doctor and inform them about the travel program of our Kailash Mansarovar tour.
If you have joint issues or difficulties in walking, kindly know that we offer you the option to hire horses and yaks for the Kailash parikrama.
Training and Preparation
Our 9 nights 10 days Kailash Mansarovar tour contains only a long but light hiking adventure, while most of the route will be traversed in a private drive.
You can tackle the toughest section of the Dolma La crossing with the assistance of horses and porters. Therefore, the tour needs moderate physical preparation, which you can achieve through aerobic exercises such as running, walking, swimming, and stair climbing.
To adapt to the altitude beforehand, you can think about going on a mountain hike nearby.
The Kailash Mansarovar tour, however, demands the cultivation of strong mental determination and motivation. We thus suggest you know all about Kailash, Mansarovar, the outer kora route, and its weather patterns.
Also, be positive, and develop a sense of humor and the habit of cooperation and working in a team. When the tour is ongoing, pay close attention to our guide and take your steps with care.
Altitude Sickness/Acute Mountain Sickness/AMS
The air in Tibet has about 35% less oxygen than at sea level. In addition, the air is drier and the altitude during our Kailash Mansarovar tour is typically high between 4000 to 5000 m.
Therefore, getting the AMS during the tour is common and can occur in any healthy individual as well. Thus, we have a rest day with an acclimating tour in Kerung.
Our guide will also keep advising you to drink more water and rest plenty from Kerung onwards. We kindly request you to listen to what they say; after all, they are the locals and know how to deal with AMS.
We also like to assure you that oxygen supplementation will be available to you when needed. Also, try to eat ginger, lemon, honey, and garlic every day like the locals, which helps you in fighting against AMS.
If you face digestive issues, sleep problems, breathing difficulties, or headaches, please inform our Tibetan guide immediately. You may have to move down a little or halt your tour for a day or two.
You can also begin taking Diamox when starting the tour from Kathmandu to Kerung so your acclimatization can occur quickly. However, please ensure you have no health issues that prevent you from taking Diamox.
Sleeping, Eating, and Transportation
Prime Holidays has booked a twin-sharing room in a nice three-star hotel for your accommodation during your stay in Kerung and Saga. In Darchen, though, a guesthouse will be available, but equipped with an in-room bathroom and hot and cold water.
In Dirapuk and Zutuhulpuk, you will have dorm-style rooms of a monastery guesthouse with 4 to 5 beds each, and the bathrooms will be outside and common, with little privacy and limited hot water.
There are now new government-run guesthouses in these areas with better facilities, and our guide will try to get you a room there. But if there are a lot of pilgrims, then we may have to set up the tents for the night.
Regarding meals, you will get a vegetarian breakfast throughout the Kailash Mansarovar tour, but lunch, dinner, and drinks will be on you. You can budget around $25 to $30 per person per day for these expenses.
Kindly understand that on the Kailash parikrama route, the food will be basic Tibetan, like bread, noodle soup, rice, tofu, and tea.
And for your transportation, we will use only private means such as van, car, jeep, or minibus for all your travel throughout the Kailash Mansarovar tour, including a trip between Kathmandu and Kerung.
We can also organize a bus or jeep for the Lake Mansarovar parikrama, and horses, porters, and yaks for the Kailash parikrama, but the related fee is to be paid in situ, not included in our program.
Needed Permits and Visa
Kindly know that any trip and tour in Tibet is limited to only organized group tours consisting of at least 4 participants. Therefore, you must partner with a registered Nepali trek and tour agency like Prime Holidays for any Tibet trips starting from Nepal.
Also, you can only travel in a private vehicle with a local Tibetan driver (except for treks) and a guide.
As for the visa and formal permits, you will need a Tibet Visa and a Chinese Group Visa, which we will organize for you on your behalf.
For the Kailash Mansarovar tour, we will need three more mandatory permits (Foreign Affairs permit, Aliens’ Travel Permit, and Military permits) because of its sensitive location in the military zone. Prime Holidays has teamed up with an authorized travel agency in Tibet to manage these permits.
Each of these permits (except for the Aliens’ travel permit) will take 10 to 15 office days for processing, so it’s necessary for you to sign up for our Kailash Mansarovar tour at least a month before your selected departure date.
After booking, you will have to provide us with your documents 20 days ahead of the tour date. We need you to send us the following documents for our 9 nights 10 days Kailash Mansarovar tour:
- Clear full colored digital copy of your passport (validity period: 6 months, empty pages: 2 to 3)
- Passport photo with a plain white background with no makeup, glasses, or expression
Tibet Travel Permit/TTP or TTB
The TTP is an official document that is not like a visa that will be stamped on your passport. Instead, the Tibet Travel Bureau will issue this permit as a formal document that will allow for your unrestricted travel within Tibet.
This document will contain all your information: personal and tour-related, so no changes can be made once we send your documents for processing.
After we get your documents, we will pass them to our Tibetan travel partner for submission to the Tibetan Bureau. The authorities will review everything and send us the official invitation letter.
Our Tibetan guide will collect and present at the Nepal-Tibet border when we get there.
Chinese Group Visa
The Chinese group visa is also a formal white document issued by the Chinese Embassy in Nepal for all group members, so it will not be stamped on your passport. It also means that we will need to drive and drive out of Tibet on the same date.
Remember that the Chinese Embassy will open only on weekdays, so make sure you arrive in Kathmandu between Monday to Friday and visit our office as soon as you arrive.
All the participants of a group will then go together to the Chinese Embassy to register fingerprints and submit passports and photos. The authorities will return our passports with the visa.
We can apply for the Group Visa either through the standard option, which takes four days and costs $175 for US nationals and $70-170 for others, or the express option, which takes three days and costs $90-180 depending on your country.
Note
Our Tibetan travel partner will organize the other three permits mentioned above after we submit a copy of your group visa.
Travel Insurance
Please understand that the Kailash Mansarovar tour absolutely needs travel insurance with helicopter rescue and transportation coverage up to an elevation of 5700 m.
Kindly understand very clearly that Kailash is not only remote with a harsher climate, but it also lacks medical care services. Thus, if anything goes wrong, like severe AMS or accidents, the only means remaining will be a helicopter air transport to Lhasa or an air ambulance to your home.
Also, note that Tibet trips are often subject to delays, changes, and cancellations due to the Chinese government regularly introducing new tourism protocols.
So, we also encourage you to include the trip cancellations, lost luggage, or extended stays coverage in your insurance policy.
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Got questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the Kailash Mansarovar tour has resumed for Indian citizens from mid-June 2025.
Indian pilgrims participating in the Kailash Mansarovar tour must be aged between 18 to 70.
You can ask our Tibetan guide to get you the SIM Card of Unicom, China Telecom, or China Mobile, which has a great network and 5G coverage throughout Tibet.
Get the VPN installed on your phone, as China has banned the usage of any Western sites due to security reasons.
No, but you can use the 5G of your phone for internet access in Kailash.
Certainly, you can join our group tour, and we will accommodate you with one of our travelers of the same gender in a double room at the hotel.
Yes, there is an overland route and a flight available to reach Lhasa, from where you can drive up to Darchen, or you can also take a helicopter to Hilsa through Simikot.
We will use very spacious, comfortable, and air-conditioned four-wheel vehicles, such as a car, van, minibus, or jeep, for your travel during the Kailash Mansarovar tour.
