How Difficult Is Mount Kailash Tour (Yatra)

Mount Kailash Tour is an adventurous tour that is considered one of the most challenging pilgrimages worldwide. Unlike other tours, you should have enough preparation to get there. It is one of the most enormous pilgrimages for Hindus as they consider this place the home of Lord Shiva. In our topics here, we are discussing how difficult the Mount Kailash Tour is.

Similarly, Buddhists, Jains, and the Tibetan Religion of Bon consider this place holy and sacred. Devotees from different parts of the world visit it every year. Despite the many challenges that come with this tour, this place is attractive to tourists.

Apart from that, daredevil people who love adventures find this place perfect for their enthusiastic tour. You will be thrilled to be a part of this journey.

The Kailash Yatra occurs between 4500 m and 5600m. The higher altitude and thin air make this tour difficult.

Besides such challenging landscapes, thousands of people visit this place yearly. It is a must-try experience once in a lifetime. Located in Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region of China, this place is a significant river source in Asia.

Why Mount Kailash Tour?

You may or may not know, but Mount Kailash is the most adventurous and exciting tour from both religious and scientific points of view. In Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva, the greatest god, is believed to live in this place. Hindus consider it sacred and powerful. They also relate it to heaven and consider it a great fortune to reach there once in a lifetime.

Buddhists and Jain also consider this place the most sacred and believe in its divine power. Scientists have determined that the nearest part of this mountain reflects different lights when seen from space and the moon. They also call this place a group of vacuum pyramids.

This place is also considered the place where heaven meets earth. People believe it to be the Axis Mundi, a line or stem via the earth’s center associating its surface to the underworld and the heavens around which the universe is supposed to revolve.

Kailash Mountain cannot be climbed at a height of 6638 m. This is due to religious belief and thin air pressure at higher altitudes.

Though you cannot climb it, you can explore the surroundings of Great Kailash and experience this most difficult and sacred place.

Inside The How Difficult Is Mount Kailash Tour

Mount Kailash Yatra is a difficult journey that requires courage. The person must be a daredevil with enough courage to deal with complex topography and climatic conditions.

If you are a pilgrim, you must have a strong sense of devotion to get there. Anyone with a weak heart cannot efficiently complete this journey, full of ups and downs.

A strong and masculine person will take a long breath before completing this journey. Let’s talk about what makes this journey the most difficult one:

• The climatic conditions at such a high altitude are unpredictable. There can be a high chance of wind blowing and changing the weather.

• The thin air at such an altitude makes it difficult to breathe and adjust.

• No one has conquered Mount Kailash yet so that you can guess its difficulty level. Even a tour of this mountain’s surroundings is risky due to the problematic landscapes.

• The oxygen level drops as the altitude increases, so you may often feel shortness of breath. There is 40% less oxygen than at sea level. Anyone with respiratory issues should consult a doctor before getting on this tour.

• Sudden blows of snow and wind may hamper the journey, and you may have to rush back to the hotel without completing the trek.
• Since many places on this tour require hours of trekking, there is a high chance of falling from a high landscape, so there is a chance of accidents, too.
• The rocky terrain makes the path more difficult. Walking in those rocky landscapes will be a proper adventure.
• You will likely get altitude sickness; even a healthy and fit person will find this journey difficult.

• The landscape has many ups and downs, making trekking quite tricky. Your physical strength should play a significant role in defining your tour.

• Your facial skin may freeze, and you may feel muscle numbness. This can give you quite an uneasy feeling during the journey.

• Traveling for many days from one hotel to another and walking for hours make this journey even more tiring.
• As the journey approaches Mount Kailash, reaching it will become more difficult due to the challenging landscapes and unpredictable weather.

• Since it is a holy place with many religious values, any immoral activity is punishable under Tibetan law.

What Preparations You Need Before Starting the Kailash Journey?

Mount Kailash Tour is challenging and one of the most adventurous things anyone can imagine. Hence, it would help if you prepared yourself well before starting your journey.

You should travel only if you are in good health. Extreme cold temperatures can worsen your situation, so make sure you have good health. The tour is not safe for people with altitude sickness.

Only people between 7 and 70 are allowed on this tour. Considering their physical strength, anyone below seven and above 70 should not commence this journey.

If you are not a regular tour person and do not have a habit of physical workouts, you may find this yatra extremely difficult. It would help if you did cycling, running, and physical activities for some days before moving towards the Kailash Tour.

May to September is usually considered the best period to visit this place. However, people travel at any month considering their leisure time.

Before starting your journey, you should be well informed about the weather in this place. There is a high chance of cold wind, thin air, and sudden weather changes.

Wear thick jackets, gloves, sunglasses, and warm clothes in layers. In emergencies, you can also carry other thick and warm dresses.

You must get permission from China to enter this Tibet region and complete proper documentation before you start.

You will need the help of a tour guide and agent there, so it is always best to travel through travel operators.

Since touring in this place is tricky, you should arrange insurance coverage. You can talk with the travel operator about that.

Adequate nutrition food and water should be available throughout the tour. You may need extra stamina and nutrition during the journey.

Since the cultural aspect of that place differs from other areas, be aware of cultural sensitivity. Respecting the local customs and traditions would help.

Also, the place is sacred, so do not violate its rules and regulations by performing unauthentic acts.

Most importantly, it would help to be mentally prepared to start this adventurous journey. Be aware that you are heading towards a difficult journey with many challenges.

Cooperate with your team members and enjoy your journey. The Mount Kailash Tour offers the best experience.

Mount Kailash Tour Itinerary

Mount Kailash Tour is best if you start from Kathmandu, Nepal. Your whole journey comes to an end within 13 days by road. Yes, the magical 13 days will provide you with the goosebumps of nature, heavenly pleasure, and a challenging journey.

Day 1: On the first day, people from our travel agency will pick you up from the Tribhuvan International Airport. Then, you will be driven towards the hotel in Kathmandu. You can then relax for some time and prepare yourself for the journey.

Before getting started, you need a proper warmup. For that, you will be taken to the mesmerizing views of Kathmandu’s Capital City. You can see Pashupatinath Temple, Swyambhunath Stupa, Bouddhanath Stupa, the National Museum, Basantapur Durbar Square, and more.

Viewing these historical and religious sites will help you mentally prepare for the journey. Your excitement will be more incredible after viewing these places.

Having dinner at night in the hotel allows you to relax correctly on the first day in Kathmandu.

If you are an Indian, you will require a visa to arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport. You may not need a visa if your YouTube is other than TIA. For non-Indians, you will get a Nepali Visa after you land at TIA.

It would help if you also had a Tibet Group Travel Visa. If you are Indian, you should apply for a Chinese Visa from the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi through our touring company. If you are other than Indian, you should apply for biometrics in the China Visa Center located in Kathmandu, Nepal, to submit your China entry visa application.

Day 2: On the second day, you will travel by bus to Syabru Besi from Kathmandu. This journey is not long, but it takes about 7-8 hours due to bad road conditions. Reaching there can be pretty tiring and frustrating.

After reaching there, you will get to stay at a hotel in Syabru Besi. This is the same place where you get your breakfast, lunch, or dinner. You can enjoy the place and capture memories as photographs.

Traveling to this place by road in Nepal gives you a different experience. You will be blessed to witness the diverse cultures and lifestyles at a short mile difference. Try to witness everything in Nepalese culture from a very close eye. It will make your day.

Day 3: On the third day, you will be driven from Shyabru Besi to Kyirong. This lovely town is situated on the east bank of Kyirong Tsangpo.

On the way to this place, you will be thrilled to witness the mesmerizing views of snow-clad mountains, jaw-dropping beauty, and fantastic nature. You won’t see this magical blend of nature and heavenly pleasure anywhere else.

From here, our team will enter China. We are very close to our destination, so hold your breath. The excitement will be double as we drive towards the Chinese territories. However, this can be a little more lengthy as there will be paperwork being a border region.

Also, the team operator will ask you to wake up early this day as there is a high chance of overcrowding. Pilgrims and tourists arrive early in the morning.

Once the immigration procedure is complete, our team will cross the border on foot and board a Chinese bus to continue their journey.

You will also have a facility for luggage carriers, who are mostly Nepalese Sherpas. You will also have food and water facilities on the way to the hotel. This way, you can reach the hotel smoothly and conveniently.

Once you reach the town of Kerung or Kyirong, you should check in at a hotel and rest. You need a rest, as you have traveled for around four hours on a bus.

After some time, you will get hot servings and other food. In addition, our team will advise you to have plenty of liquid diets to make yourself easy at such a high altitude.

Day 4: Our team will help you adjust to this place’s extreme climate by taking a short hike to warm you up.

You can enjoy this short journey with the team members. Capture the moment with your cameras and make it memorable. The rest of the day you can spend in your guesthouse.

On a pilgrimage, you can chant and sing bhajan in your room. Being a tourist, you can experience this unique culture and nature closely. You won’t be able to see this anywhere else.

Day 5: On the fifth day of this tour, we head towards the Saga / Zhongba from Kyirong. On the way towards Saga, we drive through the mountainous terrain along with the plains of Tibet. This journey is full of marvelous views that give you a thrilling experience.

After that, we should cross the Yarlung Zangpo (Brahmaputra River) and turn on the northern route. Finally, we arrive at a lovely town named Saga, located at 4640m.

For your information, Saga is a beautiful, well-facilitated town with good hotels and guesthouses. You will have your meals and some shopping in the area. There are enough local markets.

Our team will spend the night in one of the guesthouses in this place, enjoying the typical lifestyle and local experience. You can explore the place properly with the team and capture the moments.

Considering the place’s sacred beliefs, you will only get a vegetarian breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You should follow the instructions of the guides or tour operators to get more ideas about the dos and don’ts in this place.

Day 6: Our team will make a brilliant trip to Lake Mansarovar from Saga on the sixth day. This will be an extraordinary trip for you. It would help if you held your breath; it’s time to witness the most excellent Mount Kailash with your eyes.

Yes, you heard that right. This short trip allows you to experience the holy lake Mansarovar and closely examine Mount Kailash.

Our team will wake you up early in the morning for this journey. We must drive a long way towards Lake Mansarovar, which has many checkpoints. This will be tiring and time-consuming, so be prepared for that.

First, we must cross Mayumla Pass at 4900m altitude, and then we will only move towards our destination (Lake Mansarovar). Soon after that, the pilgrims will be stunned by the view of Mount Kailash.

Other tourists will also find this place stunningly beautiful. It is the right place to lose yourself in the beauty of nature and divine power. Enjoy every moment in this place and make memories.

Enjoy the scenic beauty of Lake Mansarovar before reaching the hotel. Once you get to the hotel, relax properly and eat. This is where you will stay this night.

You can also enjoy the view of the surroundings from the hotel room. The mesmerizing view of this high altitude will leave you jaw-dropping. Enjoy every moment in this place, as the Mount Kailash Tour is not frequent, and you rarely get a chance to be there.

You and the team can visit Lake Mansarovar at night. It is safe to see at night; however, going there in a group is better. You will be stunned by the beauty of this holy lake.

Remember, you need to wear hot and warm clothes and should carry a torch in hand. The view of this lake in the moonlight hits you differently. You will surely love this experience.

Day 7: Our team will move to Lake Mansarovar again the following day to take a holy bath and perform some traditional rituals (puja). In the morning, the water in this lake looks fantastic, and the view of Mount Kailash makes it even more breathtaking.

The water in this lake is icy in the morning. However, pilgrims do not have the chance to dip themselves in this holy water. They take a quick bath here and feel blessed.

However, the law of the Tibet government does not allow deep bathing in this lake. You must take water from the lake in a bucket and then bathe in that holy water.

Doing this can make a day for a devotee. They feel significant relief from doing this. Whether you are a pilgrim or just a visitor, you can enjoy the bath of this lake water.

After bathing well and praying in this holy place, our group will be ready to drive to Darchen. Here, we will travel via Rakshasa Taal and Chiu Gompa. While traveling, we will perform 70% of the parikrama of this holy lake.

Similarly, the remaining part of this holy tour will be performed when the team returns from Darchen after the kora of Mt. Kailash.

You will soon reach the hotel in Darchen with your team. Probably a 3-star hotel is available there. After reaching there, check-in at your room and make yourself comfortable.

After dinner at this place, you should prepare yourself for the next day’s travel. Be physically and mentally prepared for the kora of Mount Kailash. If you do not know about Kora, it is a challenging short pilgrimage route surrounding the holy Mt. Yinjiento, located near Mount Kailash.

Day 8: .The next day, our team prepares for a journey towards Tarboche. Before leaving for that place, we had a light breakfast at the hotel. Since we are starting trekking, we must carry enough water and light snacks for the journey.

Interestingly, we can witness Yama Dwar before starting kora at Mount Kailash. This place is in the southern part of Mount Kailash, so you can hire a horse to ride.

For your information, our team has no control over hiring horses or ponies in this place. The locals and the yatra operator will decide the payment for hiring horses.

We start from Tarboche and reach Yama Dwar, the starting point of Kailash Kora. From this place, we move 12 km and reach Dirapuk Gompa. The challenges start getting double here.

This place is at a higher altitude and has an extreme cold so that breathing may be difficult. There is a lack of enough oxygen, so be mentally and physically prepared for this journey.

Many of us may feel shortness of breath, so don’t panic and build the courage to get there. We will have tea and light snacks in the shops on the way.

Finally, we will reach Dirapuk, where we will be stunned to see Mount Kailash standing on the right side of our Dirapuk trek. Stop there, hold on, breathe, and enjoy the blessings of this divine mountain.

You can also capture the mesmerizing beauty of this place on your cameras. Just make sure you do not violate any rules regarding excitement. Enjoy the view of Mount Kailash and continue the journey.

Our team will stay tonight near Dirapuk Monastery. Interestingly, the nighttime temperature will be 0 degrees, so warm yourself with thick clothes.

Before bed, you should have hot water, soups, and a light dinner. You can also interact with the team to plan the next day.

Day 9: On the 10th day, our tour operator will wake you early to start our second kora of Mount Kailash. This will be more exciting for you as you will be thrilled to witness the Golden Kailash.

After waking up, you should take a quick bath, have a light breakfast, and carry some snacks for this trip. It would help to fill the bottles with hot water for the journey.

Now, our team starts the yatra towards Zuthulphuk. You will continuously climb to Dolma-La pass, located at 5630 m, and then down to Gauri Kunda. This will be the most challenging journey on the entire Mount Kailash Tour.

You have to be prepared for the challenges in such a complex topography. Near Dolma La pass, the team will witness many colorful flags. This place is famous as Shiva Tsal (Shiva Sthal).

Did you know that people offer something in this place? According to religious belief, pilgrims leave their used cloth, ornaments, blocks of hair, blood, or anything else in their possession in this place.

Doing such an activity ensures that you wish for the end of this miserable life. Isn’t that a strange thing? Well, it’s a fact that pilgrims have a deep faith in this ritual and wish to emerge from that holy place, the place of Lord Shiva.

After that, we reach the Zuthulpuk Gompa to stay the night. At the lodge, we stay in shared rooms and are completely relaxed. We enjoy the atmosphere of the lodge and eat vegetarian meals.

Day 10: This is the last day of our Darchen trek. Today, we wake up early and have a light breakfast. Getting ready for the journey ahead, we walk down towards Darchen.

We need to walk on the trek for quite a long way before we see vehicles waiting for us. Vehicles and other group members will be there waiting for us.

We will have a little refreshment and fun there. After that, the remaining 30% parikrama of the Mount Kailash tour is completed by vehicle. Pilgrims will get significant relief on completing the kora of Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar by the end of this yatra.

Finally, we reach Saga, where we stay in a hotel at night. After several days of trekking and covering long distances in a vehicle, we need proper rest and sound sleep. So, after having meals, we feel relaxed in the hotel.

Day 11: The next day, we drive back to Kyirong. On the way, we must cross the Brahmaputra River and continue our yatra across the vast Tibetan plains.

This journey will be full of fun and excitement as you will see the stunning views of mountains and natural beauty for the last time. Along with the Himalayas views, you will witness Shishapangma and the Pieko-Tso Lake in this backward journey.

Driving on this journey will be smooth on a well-pitched road. After enjoying the mountainous terrain and fantastic landscape, we finally reached Keyrung for our night’s stay.

Again, we opt for the 3-star hotel and enjoy our vegetarian meal here. You can explore the place last time and capture the moments on your cameras.

Day 12: Once you have breakfast, it’s time to move towards the Kyirong border. We need to walk to the Nepalese Immigration Control located in Rasuwagadhi.

On the Nepal side, you can see the vehicle eating for you. However, you must complete all the formalities before entering the car.

After getting on the bus, our team will be taken to Kathmandu. The drive there takes 7-8 hours. Road cognition and traffic updates play a significant role here.

Finally, you reach Kathmandu and spend a night at a hotel. Enjoy your meal and rest properly. This rest must be calm and soothing after 12 days of rushing and trekking.

So, have a proper rest and make yourself comfortable. You need to have enough energy for the next day to return home.

Day 13:  On the 13th day, our team will drive you to the Tribhuvan International Airport, from where you can depart for home.

You will have a vegetarian breakfast before leaving the hotel. Prepare all the documents and fly to your country. We assure you the journey was the finest tour of your life. You will keep these memories for a lifetime.

Additional Tips

In the Mount Kailash Tour itinerary, some rituals and treks may appear strange and unwanting for some visitors. So, here are some of the options for them:

If you don’t want to visit or receive blessings from the holy lake and Mount Kailash, you can skip that part and stay in a hotel. You can contact the tour operator if you don’t want to.

Suppose you don’t want to be with the group and enjoy a solicitor. They will help you arrange separate rooms and separate treks.

Those who want to enjoy this journey as a couple can contact our tour operator and arrange facilities accordingly.

Considering your health condition, you can skip some challenging treks on this journey, stay in the hotel, and enjoy the surroundings instead.

Those uncomfortable sharing rooms with others will get a single, facilitated room. It would help if you talked to the tour operator about that.

If you feel discomfort or uneasiness in your health, you can stop the journey and rest at the hotel. After improving your health condition, you can continue the journey.

Isn’t this the most beautiful and adventurous tour? It is full of excitement, adventures, and heavenly pleasure. One must try it once in a lifetime. Not only for the pilgrims but also for other visitors, this tour can be a self-satisfying and great experience.

We welcome you to this fantastic tour. Be part of the journey. Our team is ready to help you achieve your Mount Kailash goal and offer you the most amazing experience.

Trust us, you won’t regret this journey. Instead, this will be your life’s most challenging and courageous part.

What Are The Ways To Get To Mount Kailash?

Mount Kailash is a holy place for people of many religions, including Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist. Due to its difficulty level, adventure-loving people find this tour attractive. So, people are always curious about the various ways to get there.

The best and cheapest way to Mount Kailash is via Nepal. You can travel by road from Kathmandu to the Kerung border and then through another vehicle on Chinese land. This overland tour is usually completed in 13 days.

You also have an option to fly from Kathmandu to Lhasa. It just takes 1.5 hours to get there. It is one of the most famous ways to get there. After reaching there, you will start an overland journey by vehicle.

If you are a United States citizen, you can fly directly to Lasha from the U.S. For Indian pilgrims, the best way to get to Mount Kailash is through Kathmandu. From Tribhuvan International Airport, you can take a flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa.

Lastly, you can ride a helicopter from Simikot to the Tibet-Nepal border. Then, you need to overland the rest of the journey to Mount Kailash.

What Documents Do You Need For Mount Kailash Yatra?

Since Mount Kailash is in China, you need several documents and legal formalities to reach there. Here are the required documents:

• Passport and photocopy of Passport

• Chinese Visa

• Permit Documents such as Tibet Travel Permit and Alien Travel Permit.

• Special Permit For Mount Kailash

You can contact the tour operator for additional documents. Before starting, you must have a proper conversation with the operating team.

Frequently Asked Questions

How difficult is Mount Kailash tour Yatra?

Kailash Yatra is a problematic tour that requires extensive preparation before starting. It would help if you were physically and mentally prepared for this journey. The yatra becomes difficult due to the landscapes, steeps, unpredictable weather, and extreme climatic conditions. At higher altitudes, the oxygen level decreases, causing shortness of breath in visitors.

Why Is It So Hard To Climb Kailash?

A monk named Milarepa climbed Mount Kailash many years back. Apart from him, no one has conquered this mountain until now. It is tough to climb this mountain, and considering the difficulty level and weather challenges, climbing it has been banned. Also, the people who ever tried to climb were found dead or missing. Besides that, the religious faith on this mountain does not allow anyone to climb it.

How Much Does It Cost To Trek In Kailash?

If you consider trekking to Kailash from Kathmandu by road, it will cost around  $2800-$3400. The price varies depending on the tour operating company and the facilities they provide. The cost is reasonable, including food, hotels, and other necessities.

How Do I Go To Mount Kailash From Nepal?

Going to Mount Kailash from Nepal via road or overland tour is the cheapest way. The journey is completed within 13 days, and you can experience one of the most difficult holy tours, spending reasonable money. The tour package often includes every facility to make your journey smooth and fun-filled.

Can You Visit Kailash?

Mount Kailash, the holy place of many religions, attracts visitors. It isn’t easy to get there because it is located at a challenging altitude, but thousands of people from several countries visit Kailash annually. The only thing that is prohibited is climbing Mount Kailash.

Is Mount Kailash Is In India or China?

Since Mount Kailash is considered the accommodation of Lord Shiva in the Hindu religion, many people are confused about its actual location. Well, this holy mountain is neither in India nor in Nepal. It is located in Tibet, which is a part of China.

Can We Touch Mount Kailash?

No, touching Mount Kailash is not permitted. It is considered the sacred place of many religions, and out of respect, it is advised not to touch or climb this mountain. Also, Tibetan law strictly prohibits approaching this peak, so one should not think about touching this mountain. You can only take a tour of this holy mountain.