Written by Ram Adhikari, Managing Director at Holy Kailash Tours. Our team has been designing Kailash Yatra pilgrim tours to Tibet for the past 12 years, and the route below, with Lhasa, Shigatse, Simikot & Taklakot Hills, is one the one we're actually running this season
Mount Kailash is located way in the westernmost end of the Tibet Autonomous Region in proximity to the confluence of Tibet and Nepal. The peak has remained unclimbed so far. All these traditions- Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Bon- hold it as sacred, and people from these four religious traditions come and perform a circumambulation (holy walk), the Mount Kailash Kora, of 52 km around the foot of the mountain to seek spiritual merits. Through our company, Holy Kailash Tours, our mission is to facilitate you in going around the mountain in perfect safety and also give sufficient time to enjoy the surroundings and the journey.
Kailash Yatra pilgrims tour package through Lhasa, the full kora (circumambulation walk), as well as Lake Manasarovar, which is very close to it. We have designed this package for true pilgrims who want the authentic pilgrimage route and not just a quick version that covers the highlights.
A note on current conditions (September 2026)
During Kailash Kora at Dolma La
This note gives information for people arriving at different times (September 2026). On August 26, 2026, a mountain icefall melted, and a flood occurred at the Nepal-Tibet border crossing. It hit the Kerong-Rasuwagadhi border crossing, which is normally the major border crossing point for Kailash Mansarovar yatra overland movement between Kathmandu and Tibet. Besides that, the flood took many thousands of lives.
That main border road crossing is not functioning anymore and will probably remain shut permanently now. Dram-Kodari border crossing, situated further to the east, is only open to travelers already carrying a Border Pass and a Tibet Travel Permit. Even so, the situation at the Dram-Kodari border crossing is still uncertain, so travel is not advised even then. We revised this program of the trip because the crossing is now closed. You will arrive by flying to Lhasa and then proceed west from there by road instead of coming overland from Kathmandu. Compared with the old Nepal route, this one takes longer by driving but is the only one functional at the moment.
Flooding in Kailash Yatra viaLhasa and Simikot Hilsa via Helicopter doesn't affect the city, and the main road network via Shigatse to western Tibet and the Hilsa Taklakot Border is open. Both border development situations are under control. We change the plan every day as per the border situation. If anything happens during the time period of your arrival, we will let you know immediately, and the plan of the trip will change.
Hindus consider Kailash as the residence of Shiva. Tibetan Buddhists view its sacred peak as the Mount Meru that symbolizes the deity Demchok. The site is a very important spiritual center of the Bon religion. Besides being spiritual centers, the mountain areas around are also sources of four of the longest Asian rivers - the Brahmaputra, the Indus, the Sutlej, and also a source of the Ganges- only within a day's drive of this mountain.
It is entirely irrelevant which one of these great religions one belongs to, since it is very natural that one can only fall in love with such an amazing place. According to our many years of experience arranging these trips, it is the toughest three-day walk that our visitors face, and most probably it is the one that visitors remember and talk about the most.
2026: The Tibetan Year of the Horse
In 2026, it is the Tibetan Year of the Horse, a zodiac sign that is linked to energy, freedom, movement, and change. In Tibetan astrology, Horse individuals are recognized as people with courage, self-reliance, and a very strong will towards progress. Such a year is often a time of launching new ventures, self-improvement, and positive changes. Everyone might be trying to conquer obstacles, find new openings, and create better relationships. Horse year inspires travelers and gives a lot of energy, perseverance, and fresh drive towards getting things done.
The route, day-by-day itinerary
Potala Palace
Day 1: Arrive in Kathmandu
Day 2: Sightseeing in Kathmandu and the first attempt at Yatra
Day 3: The flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa. Lhasa. Arrive, relax, and begin to adjust at 3,490m.
Day 4: Lhasa sightseeing
Tour the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, and Barkhor Street. Your guide completes the remaining permit formalities.
Day 5: Lhasa to Shigatse.
Pass through the Kamba La, the highest point on the trip, and the Karo La to Sai Nampo-La. Visit Yamdrok Lake and a viewpoint of a glacier in the background en route. Stay overnight in Shigatse (3840 m).
Day 6: Shigatse to Saga.
A day of long driving across the plateau, with the possibility to visit the Sakhya Monastery during the journey. Stay overnight in Saga (4,640 m).
Day 7: Saga to Lake Manasarovar.
Today we arrive at one of the most sacred lakes in Asia, thought to wash the soul of anyone who visits, according to pilgrims. Overnight by the lakeshore (4,590 m).
Day 8: Manasarovar to Darchen.
A brief drive takes us to Darchen (4,670 m), the trailhead for the kora route; visit Chiu Monastery. Take a day off here and acclimatize your body before embarking on the trek.
Day 9: Darchen to Dirapuk
Kora day 1. Appro 20 km, ascend approx 400m. The longest day in distance but by far the easiest in elevation. Stay at Dirapuk Monastery (4, 920 m) from the window of which, one can see the north face of Kailash.
Day 10: Dirapuk to Zutulpuk via Dolma La Pass.
Kora day 2. 18k or so. This is the day that counts. There is about a 550 m ascent to the Dolma La Pass 5630m the highest altitude most travellers will ever reach and then around an 800 m descent on the other side. Allow 7 to 9 hours on the trail. Sleep at Zutulpuk, 4790m.
Day 11: Zutulpuk to Darchen Drive to Saga
Kora day 3. Walked approx. 7 km and drove back to Darchen from Zutulpuk, mostly downhill. While this is where the exhaustion really dawns on most people, it's a good thing. This is where the last walking bit in Kaliash Parikrama from Zuthulpuk took place.
Once we reunite with the vehicle, we will be traveling from Darchen to Saga. During the Kora, you will be relaxing and preparing for the next day's journey.
Day 12: Drive Saga to Shigatse
Driving from the Tibetan Plateau, we drive north to Shigatse and enjoy the scenery of the ever-changing landscape until we reach our destination. We stop for meal and rest breaks in between.
Day 13: Shigatse to Lhasa. Return drive; Lhasa is a comfortable place to relax for a day and do things you didn't manage during the first visit, or you can just chill out.
Total length is 32 miles (52km). Most trekkers take three days. A handful of Tibetans do it in one very long day, or even by prostrations, which can take one to three weeks. You will walk the clockwise arc, per Hindu and Buddhist tradition. Bon travelers walk in the anti-clockwise direction, and you might pass a few of them in the opposite direction.
The trail itself isn't technical. There isn't any climbing/scrambling. What makes it challenging is the altitude. Every step of the kora takes place above 4,600 m, while the Dolma La Pass is in the range of extreme high-altitude in medicine (above 5,500 m). You don't need to be an athlete to finish it, but you do need to respect the altitude.
Kailash Yatra Tours take place from May to September. Outside this period, the snow can enclose the Dolma La altogether, and the cold turns genocide even by Tibetan standards.
Arriving in May and September means the best views of the mountain and some of the smaller crowds. July and August see more rain and quite a bit larger crowds, mainly large groups of Indian pilgrims. If you want a more peaceful kora, try to get here during the shoulder months.
2026 is also the Tibetan Year of the Horse, which is mostly significant in Tibetan Buddhist custom. Some say doing the kora during a Horse Year is worth infinitely more merit than in a normal year. There are truly hordes of pilgrims flocking up the mountain in 2026 as a result, which enhances the ambience even for those living outside such religious practices.
Permits and visas
kailash Yatra at Lhasa potala palace
You cannot travel to Tibet independently, and you cannot travel to Mount Kailash without a licensed Holy Kailash Tours handling your paperwork. Here are the necessary preparations:
You will need a Chinese visa that must be arranged before you enter mainland China or Tibet.
A Tibet Travel Permit can only be obtained through a certified agency in Nepal, such as Holy Kailash Tours. This document is also needed if your country of origin permits visa-free entry to China generally.
In western Tibet, there are more requirements. The Ngari region around Kailash is not covered by the Lhasa area permits. Because of this, you should expect that your tour organization will handle such application processes.
One fact that may save you some headaches later: Indian passport holders are, at the moment, barred from booking this same route or package through most private Tibet agencies, including our company. Indians who travel to Kailash will have to go through another channel: the government-run one, the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra program, or possibly through a Nepal-based company that handles the specific process.
If, by any chance, your nationality is Indian, but your interests include this very holy pilgrimage, please rest assured knowing that we are happy to assist you in finding the right channel, only not this specific travel package one.
Most of us are wrong about that, but the greatest real danger on this trip is not the path. Altitude sickness poses the greatest risk and can strike anyone. Neither age nor being fit will guarantee that you will not be affected by altitude sickness. If it doesn't, probably your genes will have something to do with it. So, what matters much at the end is the kind of your physical constitution but not the training sessions which you attend at the gym.
Here are some tips that work:
You need to consult a doctor about acetazolamide before departing from home, and it's a brand name, "Diamox. In fact, it's one of the few effective drugs with strong supporting evidence that work against altitude sickness, and it's mostly used for prevention.
Don't ignore any acclimatization plan. Actually, this travel is deliberately designed with the option of having three full days in Lhasa and then one day of relaxation at Darchen before the actual kora pilgrimage.
Be sure to let your guide know if you become unwell. Headache, loss of appetite, and disturbed sleep could be signs of altitude sickness, so take them as warnings and not things that can be easily ignored.
Consume more water than you feel like drinking and take it easy on alcohol for the entire trip.
Stomach health is also a major concern. Eat food that is cooked and is served hot. Also, use bottled, filtered, or boiled water only for drinking purposes.
What's included
Lake Mansarova grop Photoshot
All Tibet permits and the Tibet Travel Permit application
Guesthouses and hotels for the whole route
You will have a private car and driver throughout the overland trip
English-speaking Tibetan expert for the entire trip
Round-trip Lhasa-Kathmandu air ticket
Breakfast, lunch and dinner on Day 15
Accommodation throughout the trip
One jacket, a cap, a duffle bag and a shoulder bag
Expedition Team (Cook, porters)
All applicable taxes and service charges
Emergency Oxygen and First Aid
Not included:
Besides, you will need your visa fee if you fly directly to Lhasa, and your international flight ticket, travel insurance for which coverage of high-altitude treks is essential, and of course, tips for the guide, the driver, and your porters, which are not included. The total land charges for a party of 4-8 travelers normally amount to $3,500-4,900 per person for such a package itinerary; the prices will also vary with the season and the size of your group.
Please contact Holy Kailash Tours to get a price quotation based on your travel periods and the size of the Group.
You should understand from the outset that it's not merely a stroll in the woods, nor is it a hardcore mountaineering tour. If you can easily cover 10-12 miles over a day at a low elevation, and as well you do not mind the fact of walking slowly while your body adjusts, then it is for you. If you have a medical problem with your heart or lungs, then you need to consult your physician before you go ahead and book, since the altitude could actually put a great deal of stress on both.
Who is leading the journey?
Potala Palace
Our guide for Holy Kailash Tours: Mr Hari Adhikari, Rajan, Roshan, Manjo and Ram Nepal will be leading more than 300 Kailash Kora walks over 16 years. The 21 years of Ngari guide experience of Mr. Kitta. Tashi and Pasang will be guiding in Ngari, or there may be a special feature that these guides have to share while traveling on this route. Besides, all our guides for this route are Tibetan licensed, in particular for the Ngari region, and they are trained to detect altitude issues at an early stage, rather than waiting until someone is already getting ill or in trouble.
Holy Kailash Tour operated 85 groups and 1,655 travellers on the Kailash Yatra via the Lhasa-specific route in 2025 and 2026, and we have been operating since 2015
The top is at 6,638 m (21,778 ft) above sea level. Not many people get a chance to be on the top of it out of respect for its religious importance.
Mountain climbing is banned in China, and they have not allowed any attempts since 2001. That's why very few people from around the world have reached the summit of Mount Kailash.
How long does the kora last?
Most people take about 3 days to walk the length of the kora, about 50+ km (30+ miles). Some very strong Tibetans are those who can complete the whole kora within a day.
Will it still be safe to visit Mount Kailash in 2026 in particular, considering the floods?
The areas around Lhasa and the road route via Shigatse towards western Tibet will still be safe after the border catastrophe. The closure is related to the Nepal border crossings, not going from Lhasa, which is the way this package is not closed. This package already routes around the closed border.
Would I need a visa and a permit?
A visa is a must. You are required to have a Chinese visa as well as a Permit to Tibet. Holy Kailash Tours arranges for the permit while you are booking.
Why do Indian citizens not book with this company?
Yes, indian travler ca book Kailash Yatra with Holy Kailash Tours. For Indian clients, going for a trip via Kailash requires getting a government-sanctioned permit from a different office. Your guide monitors everyone daily and can arrange a slower pace, extra rest, or evacuation by horse or vehicle if needed. Mild symptoms are common and manageable. Anything severe means descending immediately, no exceptions.
Ready to plan your Kailash Yatra via Lhasa trip? Holy Kailash Tours puts together small group and private departures from May through September. Get in touch with your preferred dates, and we'll build the details around them.
