Kailash Mansarovar Yatra from Nepal - 14 Days

Highlights of the day

• The day starts at around 8 AM to explore the UNESCO heritage sites of Kathmandu
• Pashupatinath, one of the most sacred Hindu temples in the world
• Boudhanath Stupa, the most iconic stupa in the world, holds great religious significance for Tibetan Buddhists.
• Swyambhunath, popularly known as the Monkey Temple, which offers a panoramic view of the Kathmandu valley

Today, you will explore Nepal's holiest landmarks. After having a nourishing breakfast at around 7 AM, start your Kathmandu sightseeing tour at around 8 AM, driving to Kathmandu Durbar Square in a private vehicle with an experienced tour guide. Spend about 3 hours exploring the main attractions of Durbar Square, including Hanumandhoka, Kumari Ghar, the museum, and the streets.

Around 11 a.m., head to Swyambhunath, just 15 minutes away, and climb the stairs to enjoy stunning city views. Spend roughly 2 hours exploring the complex and learning about Buddhist culture. Then, take a lunch break before heading to Boudhanath at 2 PM, another important Buddhist site. Walk clockwise around the large white stupa and explore Boudha's vibrant market. Immerse yourself in Buddhist traditions and lifestyle for about 2 hours.

Later, around 5 p.m., drive to Pashupatinath to visit the sacred Hindu temple complex. End the day with the soulful Aarati at 6 PM before returning to your hotel.

While you explore, our office staff submits your passport to the Chinese Embassy for the Group Visa and Tibet Travel Permit, a process that typically takes three working days.

Overnight stay at a 3-star hotel in Kathmandu.

Highlights of the day

• Bhaktapur Durbar Square, one of the oldest valleys of Kathmandu, which reflects Newari Culture.
• Patan Durbar Square, a historical palace renowned for its art and architecture.

Another exciting day of the City Tour. Have your breakfast at 7 AM and be ready to explore some of Nepal's historical royal palaces, starting at 8 AM with a 45-minute private vehicle drive to Bhaktapur Durbar Square.

This historical Durbar Square is a living example of ancient Nepal, offering a wealth of ancient art and architecture, including the royal palace, the Nyatapola Temple, and the Pottery Square. Stroll around the streets and try local foods, including the popular Juju Dhau.

After having lunch in Bhaktapur, proceed to Patan Durbar Square, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, renowned for its fine arts and architecture. Explore the ancient architecture around Patan Durbar Square, including Durbar Square, Krishna Mandir, Golden Temple, and other nearby attractions. Late this afternoon, return to your hotel for a final Yatra orientation, distribution of duffel bags, and other necessary proceedings.

Overnight stay at a 3-star hotel in Kathmandu.

Highlights of the day

• Drive starts at 8 AM after breakfast at 7 and ends at around 5 PM
• The scenic 7-8 hour drive offers the opportunity to witness the stunning natural scenery
• Rasuwagadhi – A Major Trading Point of Nepal and Tibet.
• Kerung – Another Trading centre of China from where Nepal imports infrastructure.

The Kailash Tour begins at 7 AM after breakfast at the hotel in Kathmandu. The scenic 7-8 hour drive heads north on the Prithvi Highway before branching onto the newly upgraded Pasang Lhamu Highway. The road passes through terraced farmlands along the Trishuli River, offering a stunning view of the natural landscape from a window seat. En route, tea stops offer opportunities for acclimatisation and rest breaks.

By midday, reach Rasuwagadhi (1,800 m), Nepal's frontier trading post with Tibet. After immigration formalities, cross the iconic Friendship Bridge into China's Gyirong Port. Here, your Tibetan guide greets the group, and you switch to a Chinese-plated coach for a 24 km ascent to Kerung (Gyirong) town. Check into a simple yet comfortable guesthouse, where rooms feature electric blankets to combat the evening chill. After dinner, a short acclimatisation walk along Kerung's broad streets helps your body adapt to the rarefied atmosphere, which is essential for the days ahead.

Overnight at Kerung.

Highlights of the day

• Acclimatization hike to Kerung Valley offers stunning views of the Nepal–Nepal-Tibet border.
• Spending the remaining day exploring the local market, exchanging currency, and purchasing a Chinese SIM card
• Oxygen‑saturation test and a brief health check by the tour leader

Today is a rest day during which you take on an acclimatization hike to adjust your body to higher altitudes. Start a day late at around 9 AM, after breakfast, and embark on a gentle hike to the Kerung Valley Viewpoint, which is a 3 km round-trip, gaining 200 m in altitude.

The path winds through juniper shrubs and Himalayan wildflowers, offering vistas of snow-laden peaks that border Nepal and Tibet. Along the way, your guide introduces you to the local flora used in traditional Tibetan medicine.

Afterwards, return to town and enjoy a light lunch of vegetable soup and steamed buns. Spend the rest of the day exploring the local market, exchanging currency, and purchasing a Chinese SIM card.

Overnight at Kerung.

Highlights of the day

• The day starts at around 7:30 AM and ends at around 3 PM
• The drive on the roads of high altitude offers stunning natural vistas
• Peku-Tso Lake, a serene high-altitude freshwater lake
• Saga Town- a beautiful Tibetan town located between the famous Brahmaputra River

After enjoying a satisfying breakfast around 7:00 a.m., we'll start our drive at approximately 7:30 a.m. Bid farewell to Kerung as the road ascends switchbacks, revealing a breathtaking moonscape dotted with yak herders' tents. Soon, Peku Tso Lake will come into view, shimmering in a beautiful turquoise hue against the warm ochre cliffs. We'll pass over glowing passes above 5,000 meters, where colourful prayer flags dance in the spirited wind.

For lunch, relax at a cosy roadside restaurant in Old Tingri, savouring hearty noodle soup. By late afternoon, we'll arrive in Saga- a charming town situated on both sides of the majestic Yarlung Tsangpo, also known as the Brahmaputra River.

Upon reaching the hotel, take a rest. In the evening, a guide will brief you on the Lake Mansarovar rituals and provide tips for managing altitude sickness during the Mt. Kailash Trek, including hydration, Diamox dosage, and pulse oximeter readings.

Overnight stay in Saga.

Highlights of the day

• Start the day at 8 AM and end at around 4 PM
• Drive through the vast grassland where wild antelopes graze and nomadic herders tend shaggy yaks
• Mansarovar Lake- one of the highest freshwater lakes in the world
• Ritual bath at Mansarovar before Kalash Parikrama

Today is a long yet mesmerizing drive to the holy Lake Mansarovar. Starting the day at 7 AM with breakfast and beginning the drive at 8 AM, traversing the vast grasslands where wild antelopes graze and nomadic herders tend shaggy yaks.

After a few hours of driving, stop at Paryang for a packed lunch while enjoying distant views of the snow-covered Gurla Mandhata (7,728 m). The road then passes Mayanmo La Pass (5,200 m) before descending to a vast blue expanse — Lake Mansarovar, one of the highest freshwater lakes worldwide. Along the way, enjoy the magnificent views of mountain ranges and witness the spectacular landscapes of Tibet.

Overnight at Mansarovar.

Highlights of the day

• Early morning, Mansarovar Lake Parikrama
• Foster the cross-cultural harmony, performing the human and Rudra abhishekam during Parikrama
• Chiu Monastery, a small Tibetan Buddhist monastery on the rocky hills
• Darchen- the bustling base town for Mount Kailash

Begin a day early, around 5 AM, before dawn, for a serene Mansarovar Lake Parikrama. During Parikrama, perform homam and Rudra abhishekam with the help of our priest-guide; Tibetan locals chant "Om Mani Padme Hum," fostering cross-cultural harmony. Collect holy water as a souvenir for temples back home.

After completing the parikrama, have your lunch at the guest house and then drive to Darchen, which takes about an hour. On the way, stop at Chiu Monastery, perched dramatically on a granite outcrop, to take photos of its orange-roofed prayer halls.

Upon reaching Darchen, a small town at the base of Mount Kailash, take the opportunity to explore the area and learn more about Tibetan culture and lifestyle. In the evening, your guide will assess your health condition, verifying your pulse, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation.

Overnight in Darchen.

Highlights of the day

• Drive starts at 8 AM and ends at 2 PM
• Yam Dwar (4,755 m), the ‘Gateway of Salvation’
• The gradually ascending route along the river offers stunning natural landscapes
• Dirapuk Monastery - nestled beside the Lha‑Chu River

After breakfast at 7 AM, the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra starts at 8 AM with a short bus drive to Yam Dwar at 4755m. It is also known as the ‘Gateway of Salvation’. Here, pause for prayers and fluttering of personal prayer flags inscribed with family names.

Then, the trek starts following the trail along the river skirted by crimson-hued cliffs and aromatic alpine shrubs. After walking for some hours, stop for lunch at a small tea house in the vicinity of Chuku Monastery.

Afterwards, continue the trek, taking in the North Face of Mount Kailash and its natural landscapes, which make it a paradise for photographers. Reach the Dirapuk Monastery nestled beside the Lha‑Chu River, which offers lodging in simple stone buildings with communal bunk rooms. In the evening, enjoy the beautiful sunset over Mount Kailash.

Overnight stay at Dirpuk

Highlights of the day

• Day starts before dawn, approximately around 4 AM
• Comparatively, the long day but also the most rewarding, with a clear view of Mount Kailash
• Shiva Tal-where pilgrims traditionally leave personal offerings to symbolize letting go of ego and past karma.
• Dolma La Pass (5,645 meters), the highest point of the entire yatra

Today is the most challenging and spiritually significant day of the Kailash Mansarovar Trek from Nepal, covering approximately 22 km from Dirapuk to Zuthulphuk. Wake up at around 4 AM and have breakfast to continue the Kaliash Parikrama at around 4:30 AM. The trail follows a two-hour zigzag ascent, taking pilgrims to Shiva Tal, where they symbolically leave personal offerings to signify letting go of ego and past karma.

From here, continue the Parikrama, ascending towards the challenging Dolma La Pass (5,645 m), the highest point of this tour. While crossing this pass, witness the breathtaking views of Mount Kailash's north face and prayer flags fluttering in the wind.

The trail descends through rocky moraines, passing the sacred Gauri Kund (also known as Parvati Kund), a turquoise glacial lake believed to be the bathing place of the Goddess Parvati. Afterwards, reach the Zuthulphuk Monastery, following the relatively gentle descent along the small river. Overnight stay at Zuthulphuk.

Highlights of the day

• A short walk of around 3 hours in the early morning, after breakfast, around 7.
• The return journey starts with a drive of 7-8 hours to Saga
• The road retraces passing the Darchen and Mansarovar
• The final views of Lake Mansarovar and Mount Kailash(6628m)

The last day of the Kailash Parikrama begins early, starting after breakfast at around 7 AM. The 3-hour walk along a flat trail from Zuthulohuk Monastery takes you to the Chondo, where your bus is waiting for a drive to Saga.

The 7-8 hours drive starts in the same way, passing through Mansarovar and Darchen, with the final glimpse of Mount Kailash. Along the way, witness the stunning view of mountains and landscapes across the vast Tibetan Plateau.

Upon arrival in Saga (4,500 m), take some rest reflecting on the life-changing experience of completing the sacred Kailash Yatra.

Overnight stay at Saga

Highlights of the day

• The drive starts at around 8 AM and ends at around 3 PM
• Witness the dramatic vegetation, climate, and scenery along the way
• The road passes through the various Tibetan villages
• Kerung, a small town located near the Nepal-Tibet border

On Day 12 of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, you will leave behind the high-altitude desert landscapes of Western Tibet and begin your return journey by driving from Saga to Kerung. The journey covers approximately 255 kilometres and takes about 8 hours by road.

Start the day with breakfast at around 7 AM to begin your drive at 8 AM, following the descending road that offers dramatic vegetation, climate, and scenery. The route passes through several Tibetan villages, offering views of Himalayan peaks and beautiful river gorges.

Upon reaching Kerung, a small town located near the Nepal-Tibet border, one finds a comfortable atmosphere and helps to recover from the higher altitudes of the previous days.

Overnight stay at Kerung.

Highlights of the day

• The last day starts at 7 AM in Kerung and ends in the evening in Kathmandu
• Crosses the Nepal-China Border early in the morning
• The road passes through the hilly roads of Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts
• Farewell dinner at Kathmandu in the cultural restaurant

On the final day of your Kailash Mansarovar Tour, wake up at around 7 AM with breakfast and around 8 AM drive to Rasuwagadhi Border. Here, clear Chinese and Nepalese immigration and customs procedures are in place before crossing the Friendship Bridge, which officially marks the entry into Nepal.

From there, the journey continues through hilly roads, offering stunning views of natural landscapes, river valleys, terraced fields, and lush green hills. The route passes through Syabrubesi, Dhunche, and Trishuli Bazaar, which eventually takes you to Kathmandu.

Upon reaching Kathmandu, in the evening, we offer you the farewell dinner at a cultural restaurant featuring live folk dances, allowing you to reflect on the divine blessings of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

Overnight stay in Kathmandu.

The last moment of your Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a transformative spiritual journey filled with devotion, endurance, and reflection. Depending on your flight schedule, our representative from Overland Trek Nepal will transfer you to the international airport. If you have time, you can explore local markets for last-minute shopping.

Our representative will transfer you to the airport three hours before your departure, ensuring a hassle-free check-in process. With a deep sense of gratitude and emotional reflections, bid farewell to Nepal- a gateway to a spiritual journey to Kailash Mansarovar. We hope you enjoyed every moment of the Kailash Yatra with Overland Trek Nepal. Hopefully, in the future, we can connect again and explore the other side of the Himalayas in Nepal.