Mount Kailash is the most sacred mountain in the world. Located in the Ngari region, with an altitude of 6,638 meters. It is the highest peak of the Gangdise Mountain Ranges. In the spirit of the four ancient religions, Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and Bonism, this mountain is considered a god mountain.
On the south of the holy mountain, there is a sacred and beautiful Lake Manasarovar in the eyes of these four religions, as well as its Twin Lakes, Lhanag-tso. The Manasarovar is also known as Mapam Yumtso, one of the three sacred lakes in Tibet, and a pilgrimage site for Hinduism and Buddhism. During the trekking of the Mount Kailash and the Manasarovar, thousands of Buddhists and Hindus dive to the lake to bathe and drink the water in the lake.
Thousands of pilgrims and tourists take a tour to Mount Kailash every year. They can choose to travel from Kathmandu to Mount Kailash and the Manasarovar. There are various routes to get there.
Mount Kailash
Going from Kathmandu by road to the Mount Kailash and the Manasarovar, passing the Gyirong port from Kathmandu to the Mount Kailash and the Manasarovar by road is the easiest way to reach the Holy Land. Thousands of tourists go this way every year. However, this route requires some permits and passes. These documents are required no matter which route you choose to go to the Ngari area, and can only be approved through a registered travel agent like us.
After you get a visa, you can go to Tibet. The land journey from Nepal to Tibet will pass through the port of Gyirong. After the Zhangmu crossing station was destroyed by an earthquake, this new border checkpoint was opened in August 2017.
There are one or two ways to get to the border. If you want to control your budget, the best way is to take a public bus directly to the border in Kathmandu. The bus departs every morning and takes approximately 6 hours and 120 kilometers to reach the border. The road to the mountains is not easy to go, which makes the journey a little slow, but the bus will stop for lunch midway.
There is another way to get to the border, hire a private van, which we could help to arrange, with additional cost. However, this method is relatively expensive and can be quite expensive. Because the route is the same, this way will not reduce too much time. This way will only make the journey more comfortable.
Once you reach the border of Rasuwagadhi Fort in Nepal, the driver will take you to the Nepal side of Resuo Bridge, which crosses Trishuli River Gorge, it is the border between Tibet and Nepal. After completing the relevant procedures at Nepal Customs, you need to walk a short distance across the bridge to reach the Chinese side, where you will go through the relevant procedures through the Chinese Immigration Administration. Once approved to enter Tibet, your tour guide and driver will meet you at the immigration office, and then accompany you to move to Gyirong Town in a private car. This is the first stop of most travelers’ trips from Kathmandu to Tibet.
Gyirong Town
You need to drive 593 kilometers from Gyirong Town to Darchen, a small town located in the foot of the Mount Kailash. Generally, this distance takes 13 hours of constant driving. However, tourists on the way generally stop at Saga and Payang to get some rest, and you also need to stop to adapt to the environment. The first day of the acclimation period is usually spent in Gyirong town because the altitude has risen more than 1500 meters since you left Kathmandu.
Departing from GyirongTown, take the road to the north along the 219 National Road towards Saga. The elevation of Saga is about 4450 meters, which is a considerable rise compared to the lower altitude of Gyirong town. Then drive along the road from Saga to Payang at an altitude of 4600 meters. Before continuing to Darchen --- to the final destination of the Mount Kailash. It is recommended that you stay in Saga or Payang for a day to adapt to the environment.
Lake Manasarovar
Flying from Nepal to Lhasa and driving from Lhasa to Mount Kailash is very convenient and the most popular way to travel to Mount Kailash for tourists, who plan to visit Nepal before heading to Tibet.
As the only international airport where there are direct flights to Lhasa, Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport plays an indispensable for tourists who want to travel to Mount Kailash from Nepal . There are several flights to Lhasa Gongga International Airport every 2 days, the journey only takes 90 minutes. One of the benefits of flying from Kathmandu to Lhasa is that you can enjoy the scenery of Tibet from the air. The flight route to Lhasa flies directly over Mount Everest. If the weather is good, you can overlook the top of the mountain on the plane.
In Lhasa, you will visit the famous Potala Palace and the sacred Jokhang Temple. Before leaving, you will also go to Drepung Temple and Sera Temple. Then go to Shigatse and stop at Gyangze on the way to visit Pelkor Chode Monastery and Kumbum Monastery. This is the only such pagoda in Tibet. In Shigatse, you will visit the Tashlunpo Temple, where Panchen Lama is located. It is the only temple in Tibet that can house three Tibetan Buddhist schools under one roof. After leaving Shigatse, you will pass through Saga and Pa Yang successively. Before heading to Darchen and Mount Kailash, you can stay here for a day to adapt to the rise in altitude. The Manasarovar is on the side of Mount Kailash, and adjacent to its sister Lake Lhanag-tso.. Although the Manasarovar is considered to be the holy lake, Laang Tso has no religious significance. It is regarded as the place of felony in Hinduism and is called the lake of devil.
When traveling from Nepal to Tibet, the first permit you need is the Tibet Travel Permit, which is a document that allows entry into the region and travel in Tibet. This can only be applied through the local travel agency that you booked the trip with. A scanned copy of your passport is required for the application. The standard processing time is about 15-18 days, you need to book the itinerary as early as possible to ensure that the entry letter is ready.
Military permits, which are documents that allow you to enter the military restricted zone in Tibet, such as the Ngari area, Nagqu area, and Nyingchi area. This will be applied together by us at the same time. It will be brought to you with other permits when you arrive in Kathmandu.
Alien’s travel permits and border pass are needed to travel outside Lhasa and areas that bordering India and Nepal respectively. These can be obtained by us from the relevant office in Lhasa, using your passport scan and a letter of entry to apply. After all the permits have been issued, our agent in Kathmandu will meet with you and arrange a visa to Tibet for you. The standard Chinese entry visa is not applicable to enter Tibet from Nepal and is replaced by a group tourist visa issued by the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu. This visa cannot be applied in personal; our agent will use your original passport to help you with your visa application. The process usually takes about 3 days. It is recommended that you arrive in Nepal at least five working days before the expected departure date to allow sufficient time for visa processing.
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