How to Plan a Mount Kailash Trek Tour 2025? A Step by Step Guide

The Mount Kailash trek, also known as the sacred Kailash Kora, is not only a pilgrimage circuit but also a challenging route for trekking enthusiasts.

Covering 52 kilometers, the trek around Mount Kailash generally takes 3 days to complete. With an average altitude close to 5,000 meters, it requires strong physical endurance and perseverance.

However, with full preparation and tourist-friendly support from a professional team like us, you can enjoy the spiritual walk to your heart’s content.

Now, follow our steps to discover everything you need to know to plan a smooth Mount Kailash tour with a once-in-a-lifetime trekking experience in 2025.

Available to go? It's Time to Plan Your Trip to Mount Kailash

Every year, the Mount Kailash tours are reopened to tourists from mid-April as the weather gets warmer and more pleasant for high-altitude treks.

There is no age limit for the Mount Kailash trek. As long as you are healthy and can endure the 3-day high-altitude trek at an average altitude of more than 4,500 meters and crossing Dolma La Pass at 5,630 meters, then you can definitely take on the challenge.

Required Travel Documents for Mount Kailash Trek

No matter whether you prefer to visit Mount Kailash from Lhasa or Kathmandu, a Chinese Visa and the Tibet Travel Permit are needed to enter the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

For visiting Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar in Burang County, Ngari, you need more local travel documents, such as the Alien’s Travel Permit, the Military Permit, and the Foreign Affairs Permit.

You need to obtain a Chinese Visa by yourself. After booking a tour with us, simply provide scanned copies of your passport and Chinese Visa, and we will do the rest for you and ensure that you get the Tibet Travel Permit successfully.

Please note that if you decide to visit Mount Kailash with an Indian passport, you need to book the tour through the Foreign Affairs Office of TAR or the Pilgrim Center.

We guarantee a smooth overland journey from Lhasa to Kathmandu with a legendary 3-day Kailash trek

Itineraries? The Most Classic Mt. Kailash Trek Tour is 15 Days, with 3-day Trekking.

The most classic and popular tour itinerary is: 15 days Mount Kailash and Manasarovar small group tour, with more than 90% of clients taking this trip every year.

Why Choose 15-day Lhasa to Mount Kailash Tour?

Based on our years of Mt. Kailash tour running experience, more than 90% of the travelers will choose to reach Lhasa first either by taking a flight or Tibet train from mainland Chinese cities (like Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Xining, Guangzhou, Xi’an, etc.) or flight from Kathmandu.

Then, after 3 days’ acclimation in Lhasa, you'll keep travelling to Gyantse, Shigatse, and Tingri, and visit EBC.

Afterward, you'll travel westward to Saga, Manasarovar Lake, and Darchen, the small town and beginning of Mt. Kailash Kora.

This route covers literally all the highlighted Buddhist attractions and natural scenery from Lhasa to Ngari. It also has a gradual ascent to avoid acute altitude sickness.

Along the way, you can visit Yamdrok Lake and Manasarovar Lake, closely observe Mt. Everest at EBC, and enjoy the top 4 highest peaks of the Himalayas at Gawu La Pass (5,198m).

Lhasa to Mt.Kailash Travel route (15 days):
Lhasa (3,650m) - Gyantse (4,040m) - Shigatse (3,836m) - Tingri (4,300m) - E.B.C (5,200m) - Saga (4,487m) - Lake Manasarovar (4,588m) - Darchen (4,600m) - Mt. Kailash (6,638m)

Join our top-rated small group tour from Lhasa to Mount Kailash!

How to Take the Mount Kailash Trek?

You are expected to trek on the rugged mountain trails over 52km, averaging 5,000m above sea level. Many Tibetans do the kora in a single day; but most international tourists take three days to finish the 52km's walk. The important thing is to find your pace and walk steadily.

Day 1: Darchen - Dirapuk Monastery (6rs, 20km, 200m ascent)
The Kailash kora usually begins on the western edge of Darchen. It is a mild and moderate trek for the first day. The altitude rises slowly and there are some mild ups and downs, which is easy to handle.

You'd better begin your trek in the early morning. The tour vehicle will transfer you to the two prayer square, which is the beginning of the Mt. Kailash trek. You may hire a porter and yaks to carry your day packs.

Day 2: Dirapuk Monastery to Dzultripuk Monastery (7-8h, 18km, 550m ascent, 600 descent)
This is the most challenging part of the 3-day trek as you will challenge the Drolma La Pass (5630m) and you need to take it extremely careful with the drastic ascent and descent during the trek. As a suggestion, do not stay at Dolma La Pass for too long, the thin air and strong wind might be harmful.

Day 3: Dzultripuk Monastery to Darchen (3-4 hours, 14km, 150m descent)
For the last day, it is a mild slope and easy trek. And there are some narrow paths to pass. Finally, you will return to Darchen to finish the trek.

Taking a rest during the kora around Mt. Kailash.

What to Expect for Mount Kailash Trek?

Traditionally, the Mt. Kailash tour is done with the 3-day trek around holy Mt. Kailash together with a visit to sacred Manasarovar Lake in Ngari, western Tibet. The trek involves some of the great highlights for you to expect.

First, you can trek with prostrating Tibetan pilgrims around holy Mt. Kailash. You will be closely observing the imposing pyramid-shaped summit of Mt. Kailash, believed to be the “Abode of Lord Shiva” and walking with devoted Tibetan pilgrims for an unbeatable spiritual odyssey around the holy mountain.

Secondly, you can enjoy the surreal beauty of Manasarovar Lake. You can take a relaxing stroll along the enchanting shore of Manasarovar Lake or enjoy the meditation here. With incredible reflection of the summit of Mt.Kailash own on the lake surface, the holiness of the lake is heightened.

Also, you can explore the five temples around Mt. Kailash. Mount Kailash is surrounded by five monasteries, namely Nyari Monastery, Drirapuk Monastery, Dzultripuk Monastery, Selung Monastery and Gyangzha Monastery. Each monastery is endowed with different legendary stories and decorated with distinctive sculptures, statues, murals, thangkas and other Tibetan cultural objects.

The stunning Mt.Kailash made a splendid backdrop to the Manasarovar Lake.

Join our hassle-free small group tour to the sacred Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar!

When to Go? You Can Only Trek Mt. Kailash from May to October

To decide when the best time is for the Mt.Kailash trek, it’s the weather at Mt.Kailash and the auspicious date of the Mt.Kailash kora that you should be looking at.

Best Time to Trek Mt. Kailash for Good Weather

After mid-October, the freezing cold weather prompts locals to temporarily close their guesthouses or tented camps till next April, which marks the end of the Mt. Kailash trek in a year. So, actually, you can only trek Mt. Kailash from May to October of a year.

And the best time for Mt. Kailash trekking is in May, June, September, and the first half of Oct. You will enjoy the incredibly clear blue sky, crisp air and high visibility, with the temperature staying at around 8 or 9 Celsius on average.

July and August (monsoon season) see half of the rainfall in the whole year. However, the constant downpour is rarely seen here. You’d better double-check a week’s weather before coming.

Chart shows the annual temperature and precipitation at Mt.Kailash.

Most Auspicious Time to Trek Mt. Kailash

The most auspicious time to visit Mt. Kailash is in the Year of Horse (Chinese zodiac) and during Saga Dawa Festival (around the 15th day of April in the Tibetan calendar).

Local Tibetans are deeply convinced that going one circle around Mt.Kailash in the year of Horse, the blessings you get would be 13 times more than usual and the wish you made will be more likely to come true.

While Saga Dawa Festival falls on that day, which is also the birthday of Buddha Sakyamuni. During this festival, Tibetans from all over Tibet pour into this area of Mt. Kailash. The giant flagpole at Tarpoche is ritually taken down and the prayer flags along its length are replaced. It is also a great time to do a Tibet tour, though it could be a bit crowded.

Visit Mount Kailash during Saga Dawa Festival with a 4-day trek to touch Mount Kailash!

Accommodation Conditions? It's not Bad like You Imagined.

As the accommodation facilities have been greatly improved nowadays, there is no need to camp during the 3-day kora. You can stay in the basic guesthouse at Dirapuk Monastery (the 1st night) and Dzultripuk Monastery (the 2nd night).

And a few Tibetan-run tented camps down Dolma La Pass can be found, offering basic food, such as instant noodles, sou,p and sweet tea, hot water,r and some stir-fried rice, etc.

Due to the inhospitable environment, there won't be hot tap water or showering facilities. But the electric blanket and multiple sheets can be used to keep you warm during the night. A sleep bag is better if you can't deal with the filthy bed sheets.

During your trek, most of the time, you can find a private toilet, but for ladies, it can be an inconvenient small challenge. So do bring your toilet paper, wet tissue paper, and toiletries, etc.

Stay at the guesthouse near Dirapuk Monastery on the first night of the Mt. Kailash trek.

Except for the Classic Route, Two Ways are Available.

If the 15-day route from Lhasa to Mount Kailash does not suit you well, there are also two other options for you to choose from.

Travel to Mount Kailash from Kathmandu

You can choose to travel to Mt. Kailash from Kathmandu by road. The proximity to Nepal makes Kathmandu the closest gateway to Mt. Kailash.

Starting from Kathmandu, you can enjoy our transfer service from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi (7-8hrs, 130km), 20km to the Gyirong border.

After spending one night there, you cross the Gyirong Border, Sino-Nepal border, and arrive in Gyirong Town for acclimation. Then the next day drive upwards to Saga and keep driving to Darchen via Manasarovar Lake.

This route take the shortest time to reach Mt. Kailash from Kathmandu (around 900km or 7days). You can visit both Hindu and Buddhist attractions in Nepal and Tibet, while enjoy stunning overland tour via Himalayas.

However, the treacherous winding roads from Kathmandu to Gyirong border are often crippled by landslide and mudslide in monsoon season (mid-June to early Sept). And you will miss classic Lhasa to EBC tour if travelling directly back to Kathmandu.

Besides, you can also take a helicopter to Mount Kailash from Kathmandu. This travel route is especially popular among well-to-do Indian tourists, given the expensive helicopter ride. And you also need to spend 3 days to process the China Group Visa in Kathmandu before entering the Sino-Nepal Border. After you spending one night in Purang, you can travel northward to Darchen via majesticManasarovar Lake and Jiwu Temple.

Join our 10-day round trip from Kathmandu to Mount Kailash for the ultimate sacred experience.

Travel to Mount Kailash from Xinjiang (Kashgar)

Besides the major travel routes, you may also choose to travel overland from Kashgar to Mt. Kailash. In this case, you need to take connecting flight from cities like Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shanghai to Kashgar, then drive southward to Mt. Kailash via Karghalik, 30 Li Yingfang, Rutog and Shiquanhe and Darchen.

However, in reality, not only does it cost much more money, but also very inconvenient, unless you have special purposes such as motorcycling, etc.

Take the classic overland journey from Kashgar to Lhasa with a Mount Kailash trekking experience.

What to Pack for the Mount Kalaish Trek?

The trip to Mount Kailash is almost the longest journey in Tibet, so what to pack for a Mount Kailash tour is important for the two-week journey.

Given the arduous trek at high altitude, traveling light is preferred. Your day pack should not exceed 30 kg.

Though you do not have to camp during this trek, at least take a warm sleeping bag (which can be borrowed from us) and warm clothes with you, better in multiple layers, not a heavy and thin clothes. The weather conditions and terrain vary significantly from one region, or even from one trail to another.

Moreover, the wind is very strong at some passes. Thus, wind-proof clothes, such as windproof fleece, Beanie, etc.are also recommended.

Down jackets and thermal trousers are necessary for Mt. Kailash trekking even in summer. Since the temperature in the mountain areas of Tibet may be very low even in daytime. At night, the temperature will drop to below zero. Besides, the weather may change greatly in a day.

Meanwhile, the sun protection like sunglasses, sunscreen, and lip balms is also a must. Since no one can precisely predict the upcoming of rain and hail, a waterproof jacket or raincoat should be taken with you. After all, getting soaked at a place above 5000m might put you in serious trouble.

And don't forget to bring some high-calorie snacks and refreshing coffee and tea, in case you need the energy for another round of adrenaline rush. Of course, for responsible travel, some plastic bags to collect your garbage will be so considerate.

Besides, to help you travel lighter, we can offer you trekking poles, which can ease the pressure on your knees and give you better balance while walking on the rugged terrain. Our local guide can also help to hire a porter or yak, if you need, to carry your packs.

A sample of stuff to pack for Mt.Kailash trek

Warm Tips

Despite the spiritually-uplifting experience and awe-inspiring mountain view, the notoriously challenging Mt. Kailash trek is defined by extreme altitude, changeable mountain weather and huge physical demand. No worries! Please follow our insider tips and gear up for a safe and unparalleled spiritual journey.

1) Pre-book your Mt. Kailash tour with a reliable travel agency

All Tibet travels, including the Mt. Kailash tour, can only be done via a pre-booked tour (at least 30 days) with a licensed Tibet travel agency.

As a well-established Tibet travel agency since 1984, our offices are located in Lhasa, Kathmandu, and Chengdu, making it extremely easy to book the Mt. Kailash tour directly from us, without depending on the third-party contractors.

Meanwhile, we promise to offer easy handling of your travel documents from all Tibet-entry cities, and can help you book a hotel, flight, Tibet train tickets to Lhasa, etc.

For Indian citizens who intend to visit Mt. Kailash and Manasarovar in Ngari, you can only book your tour run by Pilgrim Center (non-governmental), also known as the Tibet-India Pilgrim Reception Center in Tibet. Other international tourists are not affected, you can book your Mt.Kailash trek directly with us.

Travelling with us ensures you a smooth journey to Mt. Kailash.

2) Join group tour to save Mt. Kailash cost

Traveling to Mt.Kailash is not cheap. Take the most popular 15-day Lhasa to Mt. Kailash via EBC tour, for example, on average, in Tibet alone, you need to prepare at least 2500 USD/person. The travel cost of a Mount Kailash tour is expected to cover the meals, hotel, tour transfer service, travel insurance, guide service, oxygen supply, entrance ticket, travel documents, porter and yaks for trekking (in some cases), etc.

Another big expenditure is the international flight to inland China, plus the cost of either taking a Chinese flight or a Tibet train to Lhasa. For a solo traveler visiting Mt. Kailash, the total cost can be staggeringly high.

Therefore, a great choice to cut the cost is by joining a group tour. In this way, in a small tour group of around 8 to 12 travelers, you can share the cost for the tour vehicle, hotel, and dining. It can save you roughly 400-600 USD/person in Tibet. Besides, you can meet many interesting souls. So, why not?!

Another workable way is to visit Mt.Kailash any time between April to June, instead of July, August, September, and October, the high season of Mt. Kailash tour. If you join the small group tour before July, the cost normally can be around 210 USD/ person cheaper than the high season.

Join our popular small group tour to Mount Kailash at the most affordable rate!

3) Only outer kora is available to international tourists

First and foremost, the inner kora of Mt.Kailash is not available for international tourists, for safety concerns, according to the travel policy.

The inner kora covers 30km and can be done in a single day. However, you have to pass treacherous cliffs and extremely high passes. Locals believe only after you have circled outer kora of Mt. Kailash 13 times, you can be granted the chance to do inner kora of Mt.Kailash.

So, the outer kora is the right way and only choice to go.

4) Prepare a good level of fitness is vital for Mt. Kailash trekking

You’ve got to prepare a good level of fitness. Swimming, hiking in mountains or hills, jogging, cycling, etc. all these aerobic exercises will help you build up a better level of fitness and stamina for the arduous trek.

So far, the oldest of our clients who successfully finished the challenging Mt.Kailash kora without the help of oxygen was Gerhard, the 82-year-old man from Germany (Sept, 2018). He trained himself for the ultimate trek with over 10km’s walk, three times a week. What a remarkable accomplishment!

Though Gerhard might be an exception, it proves that an appropriate training over a period before Tibet travel does help you restore the energy needed for an adrenaline rush. Meanwhile, keeping a lighthearted and optimistic mood is also helpful when faced with unexpected difficulties.

Our 82-year-old client took photo with other clients when they did Mt.Kailash kora.

5) Pay attention to high altitude sickness during the trek

The 52km kora around the holy mountain has an average elevation about 5,000m. Altitude sickness can be the biggest concern you should take into consideration. The initial symptoms of altitude sickness are as follows: losing appetite, nausea, vomiting, insomnia/sleeplessness, dizziness, confusion, persistent headache, weakness, fatigue, heavy legs, breathlessness, and breathing irregularity, etc.

Try not to exert yourself if you suffer from altitude sickness, please consider stopping ascending. Otherwise, more serious problems may occur. The only remedy for altitude sickness is to walk to a lower altitude.

To make sure you have a safe journey, our Tibetan guides will walk by your side and be above attentive to your needs. They will check your oxygen level and pulse you with Pulse Oximeters. And the life-saving Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber is also prepared at Mt.Kailash for emergencies. 24/ 7 call is at your service, etc.

Enjoy a safe and worry-free overland journey from Lhasa to Kathmandu with a trek around Mount Kailash.

Conclusion

No matter whether you are a believer or not, it is inspiring to share the path with these pilgrims, often the most devout nomads who have saved for years to make the trip.

You will enjoy the most divine experience at Mt. Kailash when gazing at the holy mountain and meeting a huge range of people here, including prostrators who will take three weeks to complete the circuit by prostrating.

If you have different ideas or have any more questions concerning Mt.Kailash trek, please feel free to leave your comment below or email your inquiry to us. We are expecting to hear your insight.

Follow our Mount Kailash Yatra vlog to see the real kora of holy Kailash.