Mount Kailash is a majestic spiritual pillar, known as the Axis Mundi and the center of the world's ancient religious beliefs. It draws travelers from around the globe to its unparalleled beauty. Imagine standing at the foot of the world's highest mountain, feeling the echo of history in the windswept plains of Everest Base Camp, and venturing deeper into the mystical realms of Mount Kailash and the sacred waters of Lake Manasarovar.

Join our 15-day Kailash travel from Lhasa to Everest, Kailash, and Manasarovar--a journey that transcends the boundaries of the ordinary, leading you into the heart of the Himalayas and the soul of an ancient civilization. Accompanied by our professional tour guide, you'll immerse yourself in the Tibetan local culture in Lhasa, appreciate the stunning landscapes of Everest Base Camp, and experience the ultimate holy trek around the sacred Mt. Kailash. Our trip advisor will assist you throughout the journey and find the approach that best suits your physical abilities and preferences.

15-day Mount Kailash Travel Map

Here is a Kailash travel map for your reference. For the first 7 days, you'll have sightseeing in Lhasa, Shigatse, and Mount Everest. And then the Mount Kailash trek takes about 3 days for you to indulge in the sacred atmosphere of the pilgrimage. The rest of the 5-day journey is to enjoy the beautiful scenery on the return trip.

15-day Mount Kailash Travel Map

Mount Kailash Travel Highlights

Embarking on 3-day Kailash Kora

The Kora of Mount Kailash is a sacred ritual that takes you through breathtaking landscapes and ancient trails, believed to cleanse the soul and bring inner peace. This trek covers a distance of approximately 54 kilometers, starting and ending at the village of Darchen. The route takes hikers through barren landscapes, lush valleys, and past snow-capped peaks, all while maintaining an average altitude of nearly 5,000 meters. Along the way, you will encounter prayer squares, and ancient temples, including Dirapuk Monastery and Zuktulpuk Monastery, where you can find basic accommodation and food.

Mount Kailash

The second trekking day is the most challenging, as you will cross the Dolma La Pass at 5,630 meters. The air is thin here, but the view is a feast for the soul, with the peak of Kailash standing tall against a canvas of blue. It's a test of body and spirit, but the reward is the emerald Lake Compassion sparkling like a jewel. Generally, the Kailash trek is a spiritual experience for pilgrims and tourists alike, offering a glimpse into the sacred landscapes revered by four religions.

Embracing Lake Manasarovar

Located in the lap of the Himalayas, Lake Manasarovar is a gem of natural splendor. This breathtaking lake is not just a body of water, but a mirror that reflects the azure sky and the snow-capped peaks that embrace it. With its crystal-clear waters and serene surroundings, it's a vision of peace that calms the soul and inspires the spirit.

Imagine a place where the water is so pure that it glistens under the sunshine, and the air is so fresh that it feels like the breath of the mountains. Lake Manasarovar is more than a lake; it's a sacred haven, a place where the water is believed to hold the power to cleanse and rejuvenate.

As you stand by its shores, you can feel the history seeping through the sands of time, for this lake has been a site of pilgrimage for centuries, a place where people come to seek blessings and spiritual fulfillment. It's a spot where every drop of water whispers stories of faith.

Embracing Lake Manasarovar

Exploring Everest Base Camp

Nestled amidst the majestic Himalayas, Everest Base Camp stands as a testament to human perseverance. It is filled with stories of triumphs and challenges overcome, of friendships forged in the face of adversity, and of moments where the world feels both infinite and intimate. Everest Base Camp is not just a destination; it's a journey into the heart of adventure, a reminder of our capacity to push boundaries and reach for the stars.

At EBC, you are surrounded by a symphony of colors--the azure sky, the emerald valleys, the white snow, and the vibrant prayer flags that dance in the wind. At the small villages surrounding EBC, you have the opportunity to taste authentic Tibetan cuisine. Additionally, tea culture holds great importance in the Tibetan region, where butter tea is an essential part of their daily lives.

Everest Base Camp

Delving into Ancient Monasteries

The Kailash travel from Lhasa is enriched by the presence of ancient monasteries such as Jokhang, Drepung, Sera, Tashilhunpo, and Rongbuk, where you can learn about Tibetan Buddhism, meditate in serene settings, and witness the intricate art and architecture that characterize Tibetan culture. During your Kailash tour, these monasteries serve as a waypoint on the pilgrimage, offering accommodations for you to pause, reflect, and rejuvenate before continuing on this spiritual odyssey.

Drepung Monastery

Immersing in Diverse Cultures

The 15-Day Kailash Travel is also a special trip where you can see and feel the mix of different cultures and beliefs. It starts in Lhasa, a place full of old traditions and Buddhist practices. As you go towards Mount Kailash, you'll see numerous people from different religions like Hindus, Buddhists, and Bon.

On this journey, you'll meet people from all over the world who, even though they have different ways of praying and thinking, all come to this special place to find their inner peace. Therefore, in addition to walking around and enjoying pretty views, understanding how people from different backgrounds can share the same respect and find a common goal is a unique part of the trek.

A pilgrim is worshiping.

Savoring Local Cuisine

This is a culinary journey through Tibet's local cuisine. In Lhasa, you can taste the authentic flavors of Tibetan cuisine, including sweet tea, tsampa (a traditional Tibetan staple made from roasted barley flour and butter tea), momos (delicate dumplings fried to golden perfection and accompanied by a tangy dipping sauce), and yak cheese, all reflecting the region's rich cultural heritage.

Our guests are enjoying their Tibetan food.

In Darchen, your starting point and lodging place of your Kailash Kora, a variety of foods from Tibetan snacks to Sichuan cuisines awaits, showcasing the region's culinary diversity. During your trek, the food option is limited, you can choose high-energy snacks you’ve brought or instant noodles that guesthouses provide. Each meal, simple or diverse, contributes to the profound experience of the Kailash journey.

Mount Kailash Travel Itinerary Quick Look

Day 1: Arrival in Lhasa

Upon arrival in Lhasa, you will be greeted by our local travel guide at Lhasa Gonggar Airport or Lhasa Railway Station, and our driver will transfer you to your hotel. After arriving, our tour guide will help you check in. You can take a rest and get acclimatized to high altitude.

Day 2-3: Lhasa tour

Begin your exploration of Lhasa with a visit to Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery, where you can get to know more about Tibetan Buddhism.

The next day, your tour guide will pick you up and drive you to the splendid Potala Palace, Lhasa’s cardinal landmarks. After 3 hours of visiting time, you will walk to visit the age-old Jokhang Temple, which will deeply impress you with its magnificence and sincere pilgrims. Finally, you will have a relaxing walk around Jokhang Temple at Barkhor Street, a bustling market filled with traditional Tibetan shops and street vendors selling goods from handcrafted jewelry to Thangka paintings.

Day 4-5: Lhasa - Shigatse - Everest Base Camp

On leaving the Tibetan capital, we will first drive southwest towards Lake Yamdrok, a shimmering sapphire gem nestled in Tibet. On the way to Shigatse, a major city in Tibet known for its serene atmosphere and historical significance, you can see the beautiful Karo Glacier cascading down the mountain like a majestic river of ice.

After visiting Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, you will head to the base camp of Mount Everest near the Rongbuk Monastery, where you can marvel at the breathtaking views of the world's highest mountain, Mount Everest. As the sun dips below the horizon, it casts a golden glow across the snowy peaks, painting Mount Everest pink and orange. And when night falls, the Milky Way stretches across the sky like a shimmering river of stars. The view of sunrise is also spectacular, with the sky transitioning from deep blue to fiery oranges.

Day 6-7: Everest Base Camp - Saga - Darchen

In the morning, enjoy the sunrise of Everest Peak at the lodging area if weather permits. Then we head to Saga and enjoy the breathtaking view of Mt. Shishapangma and Lake Peiku Tso.

On the way to Darchen, you will pass by the holy Lake Manasarovar, captivating with its clear blue waters and the encircling majestic snow-capped peaks, and finally arrive at the southern foot of Mt. Kailash.

Day 8: Mount Kailash Trekking - Day 1 (Darchen - Dirapuk Monastery)

You will start the 3-day Kora trek on day 8. Once you finish your morning meal, take the eco-bus from Darchen to Sarshung Valley, which marks the starting point for today's 13-kilometer journey around the sacred Mount Kailash.

The initial stretch of 13 kilometers is a fairly gentle walk, taking you through the valley below the majestic Mount Kailash, where you'll get a clear view of its southern and western slopes. Upon arriving at the base of the western slope, you'll check in at the guesthouse located in Drirapuk Monastery. For the rest of the day, the guide will lead you to the ancient Dirapuk Monastery, also known as Zhire Temple.

If the weather permits, you can see the breathtaking view of the sunset over Mount Kailash from Dirapuk Monastery. The setting sun casts a soft glow on the cliffs of the western slope as evening falls.

Day 9: Mount Kailash Trekking - Day 2 (Dirakpuk Monastery - Zuktulpuk Monastery)

Day 2 of the trek is the most challenging. You will ascend about 4 kilometers to climb over Dolma La pass, which is the highest place in this trek at an altitude of 5,600 meters. Along this way, you’ll see prayer flags, the colorful rectangular cloth believed to convey the power of prayer and blessing in Tibetan Buddhism, hanging everywhere on the pass.

Once you conquer the Dolma La Pass, you'll face the stunning emerald hues of the Lake of Compassion, which is said to wash away a lifetime of sins.

Continuing from the lake, you'll ease your way down to the valley at the southeastern base of Mount Kailash, where Zutulpuk Monastery, also known as Dzutripuk, awaits. This is a place where you might spot some adorable wildlife and enjoy a serene break on the lush grasslands.

Day 10: Mount Kailash Trekking - Day 3 (Zutulpuk Monastery - Darchen)

Today is the last day of your Mount Kailash trek. Start your day with a hike from Zutulpuk Monastery and make your way back to Darchen, where your Kailash travel began.

With the Kailash trek ending, you'll embark on a 30-kilometer journey to Lake Manasarovar. By the lake, take a moment to meditate on the sound of the lapping waves or have a ritual bath with the holy water. If you need some relaxation after your pilgrimage, the optional hot springs offer a chance to soothe your feet or take a dip.

After a day of reflection and rejuvenation, you’ll return to Darchen to wrap up your day.

Day 11-12: Darchen - Gyirong Town

Backing from the highest peak in the world, we will take you to the lowest altitude place in western Tibet--Gyirong Valley, a quaint and picturesque Tibetan village located near the border with Nepal. Here you can have a good rest, hike in the countryside surrounded by forests, and breathe in the fresh oxygen in the forest to relieve the fatigue of the journey.

Day 13-14: Gyirong Town - Tingri - Lhasa

If you plan to visit Kathmandu after visiting Mt. Kailash, you can depart this morning. Otherwise, you can head back to Tingri County in Shigatse after lunch. Along the way, you can enjoy the stunning views of the Himalayan Mountain Range.

After an overnight in Tingri, you will return to Lhasa along the Yarlung Tsangpo River, the mother river of the Tibetan people. Witnessing plateau lakes, rivers, snowy mountains, and traditional Tibetan villages, you can enjoy the marvelous scenery on the way.

Day 15: Lhasa Train Station or Airport Drop-Off

Today marks the end of your Mt. Kailash tour. Remember to check your departure flight/train details with our guide in advance. And the guide will take you to Lhasa Gonggar Airport or Railway Station on time for your departure.

Conclusion

With this comprehensive Kailash travel guide covering map, highlights, and itinerary details, we hope you have a better understanding of the Mt. Kailash tour. Tibet Horizon extends a warm welcome to all of you seeking to explore the mystical and majestic terrains of Tibet. Join us for an unforgettable expedition that will leave you with memories to cherish for a lifetime.