Mount Kailash Tours 2021/2022

Mount Kailash Trekking, aka Mount Kailash Kora, is a must-do activity for the believers of Tibetan Buddhism, Bon, Jainism and Hinduism. They believe it would be a great honor to die at the foot of the mountain. Tourists, who are not believers of these 4 religions, could admire the mountain view and see how the believers do religious worship during the trekking.

Local people believe it is a good omen to see the top of Mount Kailash covered by beautiful sunshine. If you are fortunate enough to see this scenery, why not stop to make a wish?

Followers of Hinduism, Tibetan Buddhism, Bon and Jainism consider Mount Kailash the center of the world. In order to worship the center of the world, they are keen to take a Mount Kailash trekking (kora).

Mount Kailash is the headstream of many long rivers and lakes, such as Manasarovar Lake and Lhanag-tso Lake, Indus River, Sengge River, Jamuna River and Karnali River. The four religions were created in the valleys of these lakes or rivers, so it was easy to make the followers of these four religions believe Mount Kailash is the center of the world.

They believe trekking around the Mount Kailash could wash away their sins. They also believe if they take the 52-kilometer-long (32 miles) trekking for 10 times, they would not be thrown into hell after death. If they take it for 100 times, they would rise to heaven after death. Some followers even think the they should only take one day to finish trekking, which normally needs three days. This means they have to walk very fast for 15 hours. It is extremely dangerous to do it in an area, where the altitude is over 5200 meters and where there are aggressive animals.

Normally it costs around 280 CNY to hire a porter to carry one suitcase for one day during a Mount Kailash trek. For example, if you have two suitcases, you would pay 560 CNY to the porters for one day. It takes 3 days to finish the trek, so you would have to pay 1680 CNY to them. During peak season (May 1st to October 31st), the price may go up 300 CNY per suitcase per day.

Most tourists need to hire a porter for the trek. In order to avoid inconvenience, please let us know if you also want to hire a porter before you enter Tibet.

No, it might be a big problem for kids, who are under 12, to take a Mount Kailash trek, because they are not fully grown yet, so generally speaking, they are not so strong as adults. It could be fatal if they have altitude sickness during the trek, which is 52 kilometers long and usually takes 3 days. Especially for the second day of the trek, tourists have to trek on mountain road, where can’t be reached by car, so it would be extremely dangerous if a kid’s symptom of altitude sickness become more serious in the second day. An adult would be more likely to overcome it than a kid.

However, it is ok for kids to visit those areas where there is lower altitude, such as Lhasa, Shigatse and Nyingchi.

Yes. Mount Kailash, is the most sacred mountain, but not the highest mountain in Tibet. Although the mountain stands 6656 meters above the sea level, the trekking area’s altitude is only between 4600 meters and 5600 meters. If tourists follow our tour guide’s instruction, there should be no problem for most tourists to enjoy the trek.

It is suggested to stay in Lhasa for several days to get acclimatized to high altitude before leaving for Mount Kailash to start the trek. Some tourists would take some medicine to lessen the symptom of altitude sickness before they enter Tibet.

Normally it takes 3 days to finish the 52-kilometer-long trek. The first day’s trek, with a length of 15 kilometers, is from Darchen to Dirapuk; The second day’s trek, with a length of 24 kilometers, is from Dirapuk to Dzultripuk; And the third day’s trek, with a length of 13 kilometers, is from Dzultripuk to Darchen.

Some local Tibetan may finish the trek in one or two days, but it almost impossible for international tourists to do it. According to our customers’ feedbacks, 3 days allows them to see most attractions during the trek at a relaxing pace.

Whether to take a Mount Kailash trek depends on tourists’ health condition rather than age. If senior tourists are planning a trip to Tibet, they are suggested to ask advice from a doctor. Traveling to Ngari area, where the Mount Kailash is located, requires even better health condition than traveling to Lhasa or Nyingchi, where the altitude is relatively low.

Besides, there are less plants in Ngari area than other places in Tibet, so the oxygen content in Ngari is lower than other places. Our tour guide would prepare oxygen for tourists for emergency use. The most aged tourist for whom we have ever arranged a Mount Kailash trek, was 72 years old when he traveled to Tibet in 2016.

Actually, the best time for Mount Kailash Trek is from June to September. The weather won't be very cold at this time, which is more suitable for Mount Kailash Trek. For foreign travelers, there is another special time to have a Kailash trekking tour.

Perhaps you have heard that legend.

One circumambulating trip can erase all sins of a lifetime, ten can save the pilgrim from the hell in reincarnation; and hundred journeys around the mountain can cultivate into Buddha. Mount Kailash is not the highest in Tibet though, but it is the only peak shining fantastically under the sunshine with snow all year round. So it attracts tourists all over the world to visit here for a whole year.

The festival of Saga Dawa, marks the enlightenment of Sakyamuni, and occurs on the full moon day of the fourth Tibetan month (June or July). During this time, hundreds of the Tibetan locals will have a trekking tour around Kailash with the international pilgrims. And you can see many religious ceremonies that are rarely seen in ordinary days. So, it’s the best time to explore Tibetan culture.

Except Bhutanese nationality, there have no age and nationality restrictions on traveling to the Mount Kalish (including the Mount Kailash Trek). However, we believe you have already seen that pilgrimages around the mountains are made in the most primitive way on the Internet or in the movie. Along with the devoid of vegetation, harsh climate, thin air, and unpredictable weather, and because of the extremely bad geographic situation and climate condition, to have a Mount Kailash trek is never to be easy. Although there is no age restriction for traveling to Mount Kailash, you have to be strong enough to do it.

Due to the extremely bad geographic situation and climate condition, to have a Mount Kailash trek is never easy. Anyone suffering from cold, heart disease, high blood pressure and brain disease is not suitable to visit Mount Kailash. The average altitude of Tibet is over 3500 meters, for tourists suffering from these diseases, coming to such a high-altitude place like Mount Kailash is not a good idea. And we don’t recommend people who is under the age of 12 and over 70 to go to the Mount Kailash. It’s really dangerous for them and they cannot enjoy the tour as well.

Accommodation are relatively limited on the road to Mount Kailashd due to the rapid development of the tourism industry in Tibet in recent years.

There are a lot of hotels and guesthouses at Darchen. However, large numbers of pilgrims will visit the mountain between July to August. Most of famous hotels are often fully occupied in peak seasons. If you are going to visit Mount Kailash, you’d better book your tour with travel agency at least 2 months in advance, so that they can guarantee you have a better accommodation.

The travel documents needed largely depend on where you plan to visit Mount Kailash. For foreign tourists, if you prefer to visit Mount Kailash from Lhasa, it requires the essential document entry letter-Tibet Travel Permit. If you plan to go to this border area, you still need to obtain a border permit. You will also need to obtain military approval if you go to Mount Kailash. If you decide to visit Mount Kailash from Kathmandu, in addition to the above three documents, you need to have Chine group visa to enter Tibet. You need to set aside at least 3 days in Kathmandu to process Group Visa with your original passport. But please don’t worry about the documents, after you book a tour with our travel agency, we will arrange all of these documents for you.

If it is the first time you come to the Mount Kailash Trek, be certain that you have prepared well before you begin planning your trip and planing your trip by your personal strength. As a matter of experience, the following is a list of some must-have gears:

(1) Small backpack, Gloves, Trekking pole, Headlamp, sun cream, sunglasses;

(2) Hiking boots, Hiking socks, insulated jacket, outdoor or fleece jacket and pants, down or fleece sleeping bag;

(3) Food, insulated thermos, stove, fuel bottle, a set of cookware;

(4) Personal medicine, don't forget to bring some medicines that prevent altitude sickness.

Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is the most important medical problem while trekking. Also known as altitude sickness, the effect of altitude on those who ascend too rapidly to elevations above 3,000 meters can range from mild to severe, depending on the person. The average elevation of Mount Kailash is about 5,000 meters, and the highest point is the Chomala pass, which is 5,630 meters high.If you experience altitude sickness during travel, please stop climbing, otherwise there will be more serious problems. Because of its remoteness, it is difficult to find a place for treatment in a short time. The only cure for altitude sickness is to walk to lower altitudes. You can rent or buy oxygen cylinders at the hotels in Darchen. It is strongly recommended that you bring one just in case. Otherwise you can prepare some drugs for altitude sickness, take it in advance, it will also be helpful to you.

There is no direct flight, train or long-distance bus to Mount Kailash from China Mainland. You need to enter Tibet first, usually via Lhasa, from other cities in China by train or flight, and then take a car ride to Ngari. There is an airport in Ngari, planes from Lhasa to Ngari are available.

The scenery of Qinghai-Tibet Railway is amazing. If you want to enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way,such as snow mountains, lakes, jungles, grasslands, wildlife...This transportation is recommend for you. However, if your time is limited and you only want to visit the Mount Kailash, you can also fly directly from Lhasa to Ngari, it will take around 2 hours, and the cost could be relatively expensive.

According to the regulations, travel agencies are not able to arrange Indian Passport Holders to visit Mount Kailash. If Indian passport holders want to have a trip to Mount Kailash, they need to book it through Nepal or an Indian travel agency that has a cooperative relationship with the Pilgrim Center and the Foreign Affairs Office of the Tibet Autonomous Region. Because only these two agencies can legally serve Indian passport holders in Tibet operates Mount Kailash tourism. Although we are not capable of arranging trips to Mount Kailash for Indian tourists, we are still willing to provide you with free consultation and any possible assistance.

The path around Mount Kailash is 52 km long, it can be completed in 3 days on general. A person in good shape walking fast would take perhaps 2 days to complete the entire trek. It depends on your strength and schedule. However, some pilgrims believe that the entire walk around Kailash should be made in a single day, which is not considered an easy task.

Taking a Mount Kailash Trek is a persistent pursuit of many faithful travelers. As long as you have strong perseverance, you can easily accomplish this goal. The classic route covers around 38-40 kilometers. You can see many devotees prostrating and praying on the road along the way and you will be impressed definitely.

The real mysterious place of Tibet is the Mount Kailash in Ngari, which is 1300 km far away from Lhasa. After you leave the Shigatse city, you may see yurts along the trekking path. You can rest in the yurts. They provide traditional Tibetan dishes, like buttered tea, instant noodles and beverages. And the hostel near temples can offer some simple dishes, but the meal conditions is very bad. Therefore, it is recommended for you to bring some durable food and a cooking stove, you also need bring a set of cooking utensils to boil water and cook before traveling. So that you can cook some simple meals by yourself.

Tibet can be visited all year round, but it still depends on which region you go to. Overall, the weather is usually dry and fresh, with clear skies and bright sunshine in winter. However, it can get down to temperatures ranging from 4-5 degrees to as low as -12 degrees in the daytime, with nighttime temperatures hitting well below freezing all across the region. Because of its high altitude and remote location, no tourists come to Mount Kailash in winter. Besides, roads to Mount Kailash will be blocked by snow in winter.

Yes. Mount Kailash is located on the southern side of Lake Manasarovar in the Kailas Range, with an altitude of 4,588 meters and an area of 412 square kilometers, the deepest part of the lake reaches 77 meters. Actually, Lake Manasarovar can hardly get into the lists of top snowy plateau lakes in size,so as in depth, height or beauty. However, a most magical scenery will appear when it is sunny here. Peaks covered with snow leave reflections in the slightly rippling surface, accompanied to which are the blurred images of distant mountains around the blue lake. It maybe the scenery made of god. Some devout Hindus will travel long distances coming to the Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar to make a pilgrimage every summer and autumn. What' more, they will take a bath in the lake, in order to eliminate diseases and prosperity, prolong their lives and to seek merit. They will also bring some water from the lake and take it home as a precious gift for relatives and friends.

Mount Kailash can be seen clearly on National Highway 219 and can be seen clearly or even wholly without turning the mountain (Mount Kailash's face), but generally watching it is by the book a ticket and go in. Because it is too close to the central peak, and there is a mountain in front, which will hind a bit part of the view. So it is better to see it on the national road, you don't have to trek the mountain, it is worth driving there and taking a look. Mount Kailash Trek is a sacred belief for the locals. You can see a very detailed description of the major landscape during the whole peregrination in the various travelogues.

Tibet’s summer is from June to August, is also the peak time and the best time to visit the Mount Kailash. This time of the year is a good to travel, whether it is hiking or admiring mountains and lakes. The weather is fine and hotter than you might expect, though still cooler than most areas at this latitude. Temperatures during daytime can range from 12 degrees to as high as 22 degrees across the plateau, But it's still cold in the morning and evening，especially at Drolma La Pass, the nightly temperatures only drop to around freezing or 1-2 degrees at the coldest.

In general, it will be no problem as long as you don’t have any cardiovascular, cerebrovascular or pulmonary diseases. Age is not an obstacle to pilgrims traveling to Mount Kailash, as long as your physical condition is good. The environment here is harsh, and it varies with different individuals. For a small group tour, there are no yaks to hold your luggage. You need to do it by yourself and trek on the plateau with an elevation of 4,000 meters. Of course, you could hire a yak or a porter to carry the luggage. Or ride a horse to finish the trekking. Please look for some professional advice from your doctor as well in case of any unexpected situation.

Road trip is allowable for Chinese tourist. Chinese tourists can drive to the Mount Kailash themselves by applying for a border control card at the police station where their citizen account is located. However, due to long-distance and unknown road conditions, there are many rugged and staggered roads. It is easy to get lost, so tourists are not recommended to come here by car. But road trip is not allowable for foreign tourists and Taiwan tourists.

Some tourist will have physical difficulties during the trek because they do not have trekking experience before. It is challenging to complete the 52-kilometre mountain transfer without a strong will. But you can rent a yak, horse or poter to help you carry the luggage, the cost is calculated by the day. You also can contact the Yak Transport Service Centre, this office in the northwest of Darchen is the place to hire a porter, a yak or a horse for the trek around Mt Kailash. All charge for a minimum of three days. Daily rate is fixed at ¥210 per porter, or ¥240 per day per yak. Horses are expensive at ¥310 per day and a ¥100 service fee is added to every booking.