Kailash Mansarovar Yatra - 14 days

This is your day to explore the many religious sites in Kathmandu to mark a spiritual beginning for your more elaborate pilgrimage to the Kailash Mansarovar. 

You will begin by visiting the sacred Pashupatinath Temple, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is a temple dedicated to Hindu deity Lord Shiva. Spend some time here and explore the temple premises.  

What might catch you off guard is that there is a cremation site right behind the temple within the temple premises where bodies are cremated throughout the day. In the evening, a peaceful aarti happens right opposite this cremation site. Fascinating, isn’t it?  

From Pashupatinath, you will move to explore other Shaktipeeths located in Kathmandu Valley, like the Guhyeshwari Temple located close from the Pashupatinath Temple.  

Then, you will go to Budhanilkantha Temple where lies a large, reclining statue of Lord Vishnu in a pond. These visits will ensure your journey to Tibet begins with sacred blessings.  

If the day wraps up soon, you can continue exploring other attractions of Kathmandu Valley. Or you can return to your hotel and explore the nearby area to get all the supplies for your upcoming journey in place.  

This day marks the official beginning of your journey. In our private vehicle, you will start your drive through a scenic route to reach the foothills of Rasuwa Gadhi, which is our destination for the day.  

On the way, you will see a dramatic range of landscapes which will transition from winding hills and the banks of the mighty Trishuli River into a higher altitude terrain as we near the destination.  

You will cross stunning landscapes and small villages like Syabrubesi and Timure, and terraced fields which will give you a slight taste of the rural Nepali hospitality.  

After a long drive of around 8 to 9 hours, we will reach Rasuwa Gadhi, the bordering town, which will be the resting spot for the day. Rest well before we cross the border the next day.  

On this day, we start by finishing immigration and permit formalities to enter Tibet. Once the formalities are complete, you will cross the Nepal Tibet friendship bridge to officially enter Tibet.  

We begin the drive to Kerung where you experience the first and beautiful high-altitude landscapes of Tibet. After a drive of a few hours, you will reach Kerung which is your stay for the night.  

At Kerung, you can acclimatize well to reduce the chances of altitude sickness later during the journey. You can also explore the local area to get a taste of the Tibetan culture and hospitality.  

Today, we will begin the ascend from Kerung to Saga. The journey ascends gradually across the Tibetan Plateau while the landscape shifts from lush greenery into the dramatic and vast Tibetan plains. 

You will go through Kerung High Pass while enjoying breathtaking views of the Himalayas, including Langtang Peak, Gaurishankar Peak, Shishapangma Peak, and more. 

Other notable points during the drive include Peiku Tso Lake and the Brahmaputra River, which makes the journey even more scenic. A sight of local Tibetans grazing their herds of yaks and sheep makes the journey peaceful.  

Throughout the drive, the sky feels closer and the land stretches endlessly. Snow-capped peaks and prayer flags dominate the landscape. After a few hours, you will reach Saga, which is the resting spot for the day.  

Watching the mountains in the distance and driving through the road we pass through the small town of Zhongba before reaching Paryang. Offering the first view of Mt Kailash and the holy lake only after several hours of drive. As you approach this serene and sacred lake, the historic Chiu Monastery becomes visible on the northwest shore of the lake. From this vantage point, you can have a glimpse of the majestic Mount Kailash. Manasarovar, the highest freshwater lake with a turquoise complexion - surrounded by mt Kailash, Mt. Gurula-Mandata, and Lake Rakchyas is simply heavenly. O/n at Guesthouse.

Today, we will go back to Lake Mansarovar in the morning and perform some sacred holy rituals here to offer prayers. Pilgrims can take a sacred dip, perform puja, havan, or collect holy water from the lake.  

This is spiritually significant as it is believed in many religions that a single sight of Lake Mansarovar and a holy dip in the lake washes away lifetimes of negative karma. 

After seeking blessings and getting a spiritual cleansing from the lake for our further journey, we will head towards Darchen which is a small Tibetan settlement serving as the starting point for the Kailash Parikrama (Kora).  

At Darchen, you can simply explore the nearby area to further acclimatize, or you can go shopping in Darchen to purchase any last-minute supplies for the trek. You can also simply rest.  

On this important day, the Kailash Parikrama officially begins. We will drive to Yama Dwar, the official starting point for the Kora. And from here, we switch to the trails instead of driving.  

The trek follows a gentle trail alongside the western face of Mt. Kailash, and you will be able to get stunningly clear views of the peak. The view is further elevated by the rocky cliffs, waterfalls, and the high-altitude landscape accompanying us. 

After trekking for a few hours, you will reach the Dherapuk monastery, where Mount Kailash appears towering and almost within reach. Enjoy the view and the peaceful ambience of the monastery for a while.  

If you have trekked before and have good physical fitness, you may attempt Charan Sparsh which is another extremely challenging and steep hike to the base of Mt. Kailash.  

Charan Sparsh means touching the feet, and it will take you to the north face of Mt. Kailash. However, the journey is quite challenging and might not be suited for people struggling with acclimatization.  

Today is the most challenging as well as the most sacred part of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra which begins before sunrise. We begin early to move towards the Dolma La Pass, which is the highest point of the journey.  

It is also the spiritual pinnacle of the journey as the Dolma La Pass is believed to represent death and rebirth. Pilgrims believe that this is where they symbolically leave behind their past burdens.  

The landscape is surrounded by colorful prayer flags, offerings, and spiritual chants fill the air. After spending some time here to feel the spiritual connection, we start descending towards Zuthulpuk.  

On the way, we make a stop at Gauri Kund, which is another sacred lake that is associated with the Hindu Goddess Parvati, the wife of Lord Shiva. A long and steep descent takes us to Zuthulpuk monastery, which is associated with the great yogi Milarepa.  

On this day, we complete the final stretch of the Kailash Parikrama (Kora) which is gentle and reflective. We will head back to Darchen from where we drive back to Saga, marking the successful end of Kailash Parikrama.  

In Saga, you will get a well-deserved rest for the night as you absorb all the overwhelming sense of gratitude and accomplishment. 

From Saga, we will start our journey early as we head back towards Kerung over a drive of around 7 hours. As we descend back from the high altitude area, we retrace the route through the scenic Tibetan landscape. We rest in Kerung for the day.   

From Kerung, today we bid goodbye to the Tibetan land and make our way back to the Rasuwagadhi border where we clear the immigration procedures and head towards Kathmandu. You can rest for the night after a long journey.  

This buffer day is in place to account for any delays that we might encounter during the journey. In the evening, we come together for a farewell dinner arranged by Beyond the Limits Treks and Expeditions to celebrate the successful completion of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.  

On this day, the trekkers bid farewell to each other as the journey comes to an end. Transfers are arranged to the airport for onward travel. If you plan to explore Nepal further, we can assist you with our other curated package tours.