Mount Kailash is the most sacred mountain in the world, revered in several religions and so sacred it cannot be walked by mortal men. And the nearby Lake Manasarovar, revered as the location where Buddha was conceived, is the most sacred lake in both Buddhism and Hinduism.

For anyone considering a trip to Mount Kailash from Nepal, knowing how far and how to get there is an important part of the planning.

How Far Is It from Nepal to Mt. Kailash & Lake Manasarovar?

Located in Ngari Prefecture in northwest Tibet, Mount Kailash is the highest peak in the Gangdise Mountain Range and stands at 6,638 meters above sea level. To the south of the sacred mountain lies the stunning Lake Manasarovar.

The distance from Kathmandu to the Gyirong border of Nepal and China is about 120 kilometers, while from Gyirong town to Mount Kailash, it is about 700 kilometers.

So, to get to Mount Kailash from Kathmandu, it is a trip that covers a total distance of around 820 kilometers.

10 Days Kailash Pilgrimage Tour from Kathmandu, via Gyirong Port

Tour Route: Kathmandu – Gyirong – Saga – Mt.Kailash – Lake Manasarovar – Darchen – Saga – Gyirong – Kathmandu

Price from USD1749 p.p

How to Travel from Nepal to Mt. Kailash & Lake Manasarovar by Overland, via Gyirong Port?

Kathmandu Overland to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar via Gyirong Port Traveling overland from Kathmandu to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar is one of the easiest ways to get to the holy sites and is traveled by thousands of tourists every year.

There are, however, several permits and passes that are required for any tour to the Mount Kailash area of Ngari Prefecture, which can only be obtained through a registered tour operator such as Tibet Vista.

Required travel documents for visiting Mount Kailash from Nepal

Firstly, You Need to Get to Gyirong Town from Kathmandu (Distance: 120 kilometers)

Once you have the Group Tourist Visa, you will be able to head for Tibet. The overland route to Tibet from Nepal crosses the border at Gyirong Port, the new border crossing checkpoint that was opened in August 2017, after the crossing point at Zhangmu was destroyed by an earthquake.

Travel to the border can be done in one of two ways. If you are working on a budget, then the best way is to take the public bus from Kathmandu directly to the border. The buses leave daily in the morning and take around six hours to travel the 120 kilometers to the border.

The roads are not good as they head up into the mountains, which makes the journey a little slow, but the bus does stop for lunch on the way.

The other way to get to the border is to get a private car to drive you, and we can arrange this for you at an additional cost.

However, this method is the most expensive option and can be quite costly. It does not reduce the traveling time by much, either, as the route is still the same. It just makes the journey more comfortable.

Once you reach the border at Rasuwagadhi Fort, on the Nepali side, your transport will drop you off on the Nepal side of the Resuo Bridge, which spans the Trishuli River Gorge, the borderline between Tibet and Nepal.

Driving from Kathmandu to Mount Kailash via Gyirong Port is a popular choice.

After processing through Nepalese customs, you will have to walk a short distance across the bridge to the Chinese side, where you will be processed through Chinese immigration.

Once cleared to enter Tibet, your guide and driver will meet you at the immigration office, and escort you to your private vehicle to be transferred to Gyirong Town, the first stop for most of the tours into Tibet from Kathmandu.

10 Days Kailash Pilgrimage Tour from Kathmandu, via Gyirong Port

Tour Route: Kathmandu – Gyirong – Saga – Mt.Kailash – Lake Manasarovar – Darchen – Saga – Gyirong – Kathmandu

Price from USD1749 p.p

Then, Head to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar from Gyirong Town (Distance: 593 kilometers)

From Gyirong Town, it is a drive of around 593 kilometers to Darchen, the small town at the foot of Mount Kailash.

Normally, this kind of drive would take around 13 hours of non-stop driving.

Travel to Mount Kailash from Gyirong by overland

However, you will normally stop in Saga and Paryang on the way, and you will need to stop to acclimatize as well. The first acclimatization day would normally be spent at Gyirong Town since you would already have ascended over 1,500 meters since leaving Kathmandu.

From Gyirong Town, the road heads north along the G219 National Road to Saga, the county seat of Saga County in Shigatse Prefecture. At an altitude of around 4,450 meters, it is quite a rise from the lower altitude of Gyirong.

From Saga, the route then heads on to Paryang, at 4,600 meters. It is advisable to stop for a day to acclimatize in either Saga or Paryang before heading on to Darchen, the final destination for Mount Kailash.

10 Days Kailash Pilgrimage Tour from Kathmandu, via Gyirong Port

Tour Route: Kathmandu – Gyirong – Saga – Mt.Kailash – Lake Manasarovar – Darchen – Saga – Gyirong – Kathmandu

Price from USD1749 p.p

How to Get to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar from Nepal by Flight?

The alternative to taking the overland route from Kathmandu is to take a flight to Lhasa, and then take the tour from there.

This actually makes it easier to acclimatize, as the first part of any tour that includes Lhasa allows a few days to acclimatize and see the sights of the city before traveling on to Mount Kailash.

As Lhasa is at an altitude of around 3,638 meters, you will not really need to acclimatize again before reaching Paryang.

15 Days Kailash and Manasarova Tour

Tour Route: Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse - E.B.C - Saga - Kailash Trek - Darchen - Lake Manasarovar - Saga - Gyirong - Tingri - Lhasa

Price from USD2059 p.p

Firstly, Fly to Lhasa from Kathmandu (Distance: 607 kilometers)

As the only international airport with direct flights to Lhasa, Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport is unique.

Flights leave for Lhasa Gonggar International Airport several times a day and take as little as 90 minutes to cross the 607-kilometer distance.

One of the benefits of flying to Lhasa from Kathmandu is the view whilst you are in the air.

The flight corridor to Lhasa follows a path that takes it directly over the peak of Mount Everest, and if the day is clear, you get a great aerial view of the summit from the plane.

Enjoy the Great aerial view of Mount Everest summit from Nepal to Lhasa plane.

Then, Take an Overland Trip from Lhasa to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar (Distance: 1400 kilometers)

In Lhasa, you will get to visit the famous Potala Palace and the sacred Jokhang Temple, as well as Drepung and Sera monasteries before you leave.

Then it is out on the road towards Shigatse, stopping at Gyantse on the way to visit the Pelkor Chode Monastery and its 32-meter-high Kumbum, the only stupa of its kind in Tibet.

Visit Pelkor Chode Monastery and Kumbum Stupa in Gyantse before reaching Shigatse.

In Shigatse, you will get to see the Tashilhunpo Monastery, the seat of the Panchen Lama, and the only monastery in Tibet to house three separate schools of Tibetan Buddhism under one roof.

On leaving Shigatse, you will first head to Saga and then Paryang, where you can spend the day adjusting to the ascent in altitude, before heading off to Darchen and Mount Kailash.

Lake Manasarovar lies just a short distance from Mount Kailash, to the south, lying next to its sister lake, Rakshastal.

The Holy Lake Manasarovar and the sacred Mount Kailash.

While Manasarovar is deemed to be a sacred lake, Rakshastal actually holds very little religious significance and is believed to be a place of severe penance in Hinduism and is known as the lake of the Demon.

15 Days Kailash and Manasarova Tour

Tour Route: Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse - E.B.C - Saga - Kailash Trek - Darchen - Lake Manasarovar - Saga - Gyirong - Tingri - Lhasa

Price from USD2059 p.p

What Permits are Required for Mount Kailash & Lake Manasarovar Tour from Kathmandu?

The First One you Need is the Tibet Travel Permit

When traveling from Nepal to Tibet, the first permit you will need is the Tibet Travel Permit, which allows entry to the region and travels around Tibet.

This can only be obtained by the tour operator once a tour has been booked and requires a scanned copy of your passport for processing the application.

The standard processing time for this is around 15-20 days, and you need to book early to ensure your permit is ready for when you want to travel.

The Second one is the Military Permit

The other permit that requires around 15 days to process is the Military Permit which allows you to travel into the Military Restricted Areas of Tibet, such as Ngari Prefecture, Nagqu Prefecture, and Nyingchi Prefecture.

This is obtained by us at the same time as your Tibet Travel Permit and will be brought to you in Kathmandu along with the other permits once you arrive.

The Alien’s Travel Permit and the Frontier Pass are Needed

You will also need to have the Alien’s Travel Permit and the Frontier Pass, for travel outside Lhasa and for travel in the area of the borders with India and Nepal respectively.

These can be obtained by us from the relevant offices in Lhasa, using your scanned passport and Tibet Travel Permit for the application.

A Group Tourist Visa is Necessary

Once all your permits are received, our agent in Kathmandu will meet you to arrange your visa for entry into Tibet.

The standard Chinese Entry Visa is not valid for entry into Tibet from Nepal, and a Group Tourist Visa is issued by the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu instead.

This cannot be obtained personally, and our agent will request your original passport to process your visa application with the embassy.

Processing takes around three working days, and it is recommended that you arrive in Nepal at least five working days before your expected departure date to allow plenty of time for the processing of the visa.

15 Days Kailash and Manasarova Tour

Tour Route: Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse - E.B.C - Saga - Kailash Trek - Darchen - Lake Manasarovar - Saga - Gyirong - Tingri - Lhasa

Price from USD2059 p.p

Conclusion

While it can take a long time to travel from Nepal to Mount Kailash, it is a trip that is well worth taking.

Not only do you get to travel in some of the most uncharted and unspoiled landscapes on the planet, but you also get to stand at the foot of the world’s most sacred mountain and visit one of the most revered lakes in the world.

We are a Tibetan local travel agency, headquartered in Lhasa, with a branch office in Kathmandu. We will take care of all the details, you just need to sit back to enjoy the lifetime Kathmandu to Mount Kailash trip.