Kailash Mansarovar Tour from Nepal

Kailash Mansarovar Tour from Nepal: Best Time

Generally, the most favorable months for the Kailash Mansarovar tour from Nepal will be from March through October, particularly during the summer months.

April will be slightly chilly with daytime thermometer showing around 10 degrees in Kailash, followed by much colder nights. The benefit of the Mt. Kailash Mansarovar tour in April is the reduced rainfall compared to summer and the vibrant spring greenery in the arid land of Tibet.

The months of May, June, September, and October are therefore the best, with the comfortable heat between 15-20 degrees and low chances of rain, which allows for clear views.

July and August, on the other hand, are the warmest but also the rainiest, with a higher likelihood of storms and snow at Dolma La Pass. The full moon during these months, however, draws many Hindu devotees, as it is believed that completing the Kailash kora will relieve them from the sins of their former 100 lives.

From November to February, winter brings very cold temperatures, with Kailash and Mansarovar often freezing even during the day, accompanied by snowfall and high-pressure winds blocking the way to the Pass.

9 Days Kailash Mansarovar Tour Itinerary: Difficulty and Challenges

Our 9-day Kailash Mansarovar tour itinerary represents the mediocre challenge journey that occurs in the highlands of Tibet. The lowest elevation will be in Nepal, and the highest will be at Dolma La Pass.

The average altitude during the tour will be between 4500 to 4700 m, thus making it quite a tough journey for those who have not had any high-altitude experience.

To get used to the high air and lower air pressure of Tibet, acclimatization will need around 3 to 4 days; thus, we have selected the Kerung crossing for the route.

Still, the arid sandy landscape, the unexpected turn of weather, the scorching sun, the high winds, and the frigid temperature at night add to the challenge of the Mt. Kailash Mansarovar tour.

Additionally, the lodging and the meal settings will be quite mediocre for two days of the Outer Kora. So, a significant amount of mental determination and physical resilience is needed for the journey.

Who can join our Kailash Mansarovar Tour Package?

Our Kailash Mansarovar tour package is available to anyone who is in their prime physical and mental health, free from any serious health issues, especially related to the heart and lungs.

The Kailash region has undergone massive enhancements, now making the journey more accessible to all types of pilgrims and tourists. You can expect better night stays till you are at Darchen, and the monastic guesthouses of Dirapuk and Zutulpuk are also satisfactory.

Your travel will occur in the private spacious vehicles along the well-kept, expansive Tibetan Highways most of the time. During the parikrama, we can also facilitate your walking journey with the rentals of horses and porters, making the Kailash outer circuit available even to those who are not capable of walking for a longer duration.

Necessary Training and Preparation for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Kerung

Along with physical health, our Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Kerung needs more mental determination and motivation from its travelers. So we suggest that you gain the detailed insights about Kailash and Mansarovar, their outer kora route, and its climate.

It will prepare you for what to exactly anticipate during the journey, so there will be no undesirable surprises for you.

As for the physical prep, the Outer Kora route is not that demanding, except for the Dolma La Pass crossing, which can be undertaken with assistance. The journey will occur in private drives, so there will be very little and light trekking involved.

You can prepare yourself for the light walks through aerobic activities such as cycling, swimming, walking, and running. If it is favorable, you can also undertake a hike to the hill reaching 3000 m elevation, so you will be adapted to the high-altitude conditions.

Altitude Sickness/Acute Mountain Sickness/AMS during Mt. Kailash Mansarovar Tour

The prevalence of AMS in our Mt. Kailash Mansarovar tour is one of the main concerns that can occur due to the low oxygen and low air pressure of the Ngari region.

Our 9-day Kailash Mansarovar tour itinerary also includes quick elevation changes when you will already be sleeping at 4000 m on the second day of the program.

Therefore, adapting quickly to the Tibetan environment is essential, for which we suggest that you hydrate yourself with as much water as you can (4 L) even if you don’t feel thirsty.

You may also add garlic, honey, and ginger to your diet as Tibetans do. For a quicker acclimatization process, you can take Diamox in Kathmandu, provided you have no allergies or contraindications.

If you experience nausea, fatigue, headaches, sleeplessness, or mild breathing difficulties, please tell our guide at once. He will monitor and evaluate your situation and can offer supplemental oxygen or help you descend to a lower altitude if necessary.

Sleeping and Eating Arrangements

We have pre-secured a pleasant three-star hotel with twin-sharing rooms for your stay throughout the Kailash Mansarovar tour package. Until Darchen, you will have the luxury of a private bathroom with hot shower facilities.

However, during the Kora for two nights, you will have to be satisfied with the humble arrangements at the monastery guesthouses in Dirapuk and Zutulpuk.

They have dormitory-style rooms equipped with 4 to 5 beds per room. The bathroom facilities will be common and located outside, and hot water and privacy may be limited.

When there is the huge flocks of pilgrims, these amenities may not be available as well. In that case, our team will set up durable tents for your overnight comfort.

In terms of eating arrangements, you will receive three vegetarian options daily, along with two water bottles. During the Kora walk, you will have a basic Tibetan meal consisting of Tibetan bread, noodle soup, rice, tofu, tea, etc.

Transportation

As per your transportation during our Kailash Mansarovar tour from Nepal, your journey between Kathmandu and Kerung will occur in private transport, which can be van, jeep, bus, or car (according to the group participant number), provided with a professional, skilled driver and guide.

After crossing into Tibet, you will continue to travel in a roomy tourist jeep or bus. For the Lake Mansarovar Kora, our guide can make the needed arrangements for the bus or jeep, and he will also manage should you choose to rent the horses or a yakman.

Kindly be aware that the fees for these services are not covered in our Kailash Mansarovar tour package total cost.

Essential Visas and Permits for the Kailash Mansarovar Tour from Nepal

Please understand that journeys into Tibet are restricted to organized groups, and therefore, you must partner with a registered Nepali trek and tour agency like ours for any Tibet trips starting from Nepal.

Also note that no independent trip or tour is available inside Tibet. When you are inside the Tibetan territory, you will need private transport with a licensed local driver and a local Tibetan guide.

Concerning permits and visas, a formal Tibet Visa, also known as Tibet Travel Permit, is a compulsion. When traveling from Nepal, a Chinese Group Visa is also essential.

For the procurement of these necessary formal entry requirements, we have partnered with the authorized travel agency of Tibet, which will look after the management of the permits needed inside Tibet.

The procurement of these essential permits needs 10 to 15 days, so we kindly request all our travelers to register their seats for our Kailash Mansarovar tour from Nepal a month before your intended arrival date.

Once the reservation is complete, you have to provide us with photos and passports so we can go ahead with the formal procedure to obtain the Visa and permits.

Please note that your photo should be 51 mm by 51 mm with a plain white background, taken without makeup or glasses. Your passport must have a residual time of six months beyond your Tibet arrival day and should contain 2 to 3 blank pages.

In terms of permits for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Kerung, apart from the Tibet and Chinese Group Visa, three other extra permits are also mandatory: Foreign Affairs permit, Alien Travel permit, and Military permit.

The location of Kailash in the politically sensitive region has made the necessity of these permits. We will manage the logistics for the Tibet and Chinese Group Visa, while our Tibetan partner will handle the other three necessary permits.

Tibet Visa or TTP (Tibet Travel Permit)

The TTP is a necessary document from the tourism department of Tibet that allows for unrestricted travel inside Tibet. It includes your personal and travel info in detail,l so no modifications will be possible once the TTP is approved by the tourism authorities of Tibet.

Once we have your documents, we will send them to our Tibetan travel partner, who will handle the submission to the tourism office. After reviewing the travel plan and documents, the authorities will generate the official invitation letter,r which will be sent to us.

TTP will be received after 10 to 15 weekdays, which will be collected by our Tibetan guide. He will show it at the Nepal-Tibet border once we arrive there.

Chinese Group Visa

It is important to understand that your personal presence at the Chinese Embassy of Kathmandu is a must when applying for the Chinese Group Visa. Also, all the travelers of the Kailash Mansarovar tour package must be at the embassy together to register their fingerprints and submit their authentic passports and photos.

We can apply for the Group Visa for China either following the standard option or opting for the expressway. The standard option will take four processing days and cost US Dollars 175 per person for US nationals and US Dollars 70-170 for others.

The express option will take three processing days and cost US Dollars 90-180 per person, based on the country of their origin.

Please plan your Kathmandu arrival on weekdays, as on weekends, the Embassy of China will remain closed.

The Group Visa for China is a single piece of formal paper issued as one for the whole group, necessitating each of the travelers of the group for the same date Tibet transfer in and out.

Kailash Mansarovar Tour for Indian Pilgrims

There is great news for Indian citizens with Indian passports: China has agreed to resume the Mt. Kailash Mansarovar tour for Indian,s effective from 2025.

Previously, the tour had been halted for Indian Passport holders due to political disputes, but a recent agreement between the two nations has allowed for its reopening to Indian travelers.

Age Limitation for the Mt. Kailash Mansarovar Tour

For you to be eligible to participate in our Kailash Mansarovar tour package, you must be between 10 to 75 years old, while the Indian travelers must be between 18 to 70 years old.

This age limitation has been implemented by China as younger and older adults are more vulnerable to the high elevations of the Kailash region,n resulting in serious health concerns.

Travel Insurance

It is very essential for you to understand that while travel insurance is not a requirement for our Kailash Mansarovar tour from Nepal, we highly encourage you to take one.

The harsh weather and terrain in Tibet can lead to serious health risks. Although medical services are available in cities like Lhasa and Shigatse, the Kailash area lacks the advanced medical care needing costly air transport to Lhasa or even your country in case of emergencies.

Likewise, while crossing Dolma La Pass, you may suffer from severe AMS or any other injuries that may require search and rescue by helicopter. All these extra and undesirable expenses will be very pricey if you bear them personally from your wallet.

In addition, several other issues may also happen during the tour, such as trip cancellations, lost luggage, or extended stays, which can be managed without any hassle if you have the right insurance policy.

Therefore, we encourage you to get the travel insurance that has all these miscellaneous coverage, along with the heli rescue at elevations exceeding 5000 m.