Kailash Mansarovar Yatra

You’re welcomed at Tribhuvan International Airport and driven to your hotel in a private vehicle. The rest of the day is free to settle in after the journey. If you have the energy, Thamel — the busy tourist quarter of shops and cafes — is close by for a first wander.

With the Tibet visa application underway, we set out on a guided tour. We start at Pharping, a Buddhist pilgrimage site dotted with monasteries and meditation caves, then visit the Dakshinkali Temple devoted to the goddess Kali, and finish at Gorakhnath Cave, sacred to Hindus and Buddhists alike — a good introduction to Nepal’s layered spiritual life.

After your biometric appointment for the Tibet visa, we continue exploring. We visit Pashupatinath, one of the holiest Shiva temples, then the great stupa at Boudhanath, and finally Budhanilkantha, home to a striking stone statue of Vishnu reclining on a bed of serpents.

Your passport returns with the Tibet visa, and the rest of the day is yours. You might browse Asan Bazaar for spices and textiles, relax in the Garden of Dreams in the centre of the city, or take an optional guided visit to more of the valley’s heritage sites.

A day to finish preparing for the yatra. In the afternoon we meet for a briefing to go over the route, introduce your guides, and answer any questions. Otherwise the time is open for packing and last-minute shopping in Thamel.

The journey toward Kailash begins with a scenic drive north to Timure, following the Trishuli River past Syabrubesi and a string of hill villages and terraced fields. It’s a long but beautiful day on the road through rural Nepal.

From Timure we reach Rasuwagadhi for immigration formalities, then cross into Tibet and continue to Kyirong. The short drive offers a first look at the Tibetan landscape. There’s time to acclimatise and explore the town once we arrive.

We drive from Kyirong to Saga over the Kyirong High Pass, with sweeping views of peaks including Gaurishankar, Shishapangma, and Langtang Himal. The route passes Peiku Tso Lake and the Brahmaputra (Yarlung Tsangpo), and you’ll see the nomadic side of Tibet — herders with their yaks and sheep across the open plains.

A long driving day from Saga over the Mayum La (5,211 m) to Chiu Gompa. Along the way the serene waters of Lake Mansarovar come into view, with the historic Chiu Monastery on its northwestern shore and a first glimpse of Mount Kailash beyond. We pass small Tibetan settlements with chances to meet locals on the way.

The morning is given to a holy bath and puja at Lake Mansarovar, a deeply sacred ritual for Hindus and Buddhists, with the still, clear water making for an unforgettable setting. Afterwards we drive to Darchen, the base for the Kailash Parikrama, where the afternoon is free to acclimatise and pick up any last supplies.

We drive to Yama Dwar, the gateway where the Kailash Parikrama begins, and set off on foot to Diraphuk. The trail winds past rocky cliffs and waterfalls across high-altitude terrain, with magnificent views of Mount Kailash opening up along the way. We take it slowly to let our bodies adjust.

The hardest and most meaningful day of the Kora. From Diraphuk we climb to the Dolma La Pass, draped in prayer flags and offerings, then visit Gauri Kund, the sacred lake tied to the goddess Parvati. The descent to Zuthulphuk is steep and demands careful footing, but completing the pass is the spiritual high point of the journey.

We complete the final stretch of the trek to Darchen, closing the circuit around Mount Kailash, then drive back toward Saga. The road gives plenty of time to reflect on the pilgrimage while the vast Tibetan landscape rolls by.

We retrace our route from Saga back to Kyirong through the scenic plateau, stopping along the way for photos and short breaks. A more relaxed driving day as we begin the return toward the border.

From Kyirong we drive to the Rasuwagadhi border, complete immigration formalities, and continue on to Kathmandu. That evening we gather for a farewell dinner to celebrate the completion of the yatra.