Tibet · Ngari · Pilgrimage
Kailash Mansarovar Yatra
Overland from Kathmandu via Gyirong, three-day kora
- Duration
- 14 days
- Group size
- 6–12
- Difficulty
- Demanding · 4/5
- Highest point
- 5,630 m
Is this your kind of journey?
The published itinerary covers 5 of the 14 days in detail, with hotel, twin-share accommodation. Read the day-by-day route and preparation information below to judge whether this journey suits you.
Explore fitness and preparation ↗The journey
More than a destination.
A journey through Ngari.
The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is a group pilgrimage, not a trek: fourteen days from Kathmandu across the Gyirong border and the western plateau to the lake and the mountain, then back the same way. The three-day kora around Kailash is the only walking, and the Drolma La at 5,630 m is its high point.
We include a night in Kerung and one in Saga so the climb to Mansarovar (4,590 m) is gradual, a Tibetan guide and Nepali sherpa support on the kora, and porters and ponies on request.
- ✓Tibet group visa and all permits
- ✓Kathmandu–Gyirong–Kathmandu private vehicle
- ✓Tibet vehicle for the full route
- ✓All accommodation, twin or triple share
- See all inclusions and exclusions ↗
Highlights
- •Lake Mansarovar dawn puja and a full lap by vehicle
- •Yam Dwar and the start of the kora at Darchen
- •Kailash north face from Dirapuk
- •Drolma La pass at 5,630 m
- •Gyirong route with two acclimatisation nights
Itinerary
Day 1Arrive Kathmandu
Airport transfer to the hotel. Evening yatra briefing, passport collection for the group visa and gear issue.
Meals: Dinner. Overnight: Hotel, twin-share.
Day 2Kathmandu
Visa processing day. Morning darshan at Pashupatinath, afternoon free.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Hotel, twin-share.
Day 3Drive to Syabrubesi
Seven hours up the Trisuli valley to the last Nepali town before the Rasuwagadhi border.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Lodge, twin-share.
Day 4Cross to Gyirong (Kerung)
Immigration at Rasuwagadhi, meet the Tibetan guide and vehicles, and a short drive up to Kerung town for the first acclimatisation night.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Hotel, twin-share.
Day 5Kerung to Saga
Over the Gungtang La (5,236 m) onto the plateau and along the Brahmaputra to Saga. Second acclimatisation night.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Hotel, twin-share.
Full day-by-day detail for all 14 days is in the itinerary PDF we send with every inquiry.
Route map
Route map is sent with the itinerary PDF.
Dates & prices
| Dates | Availability | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 May 2027 – 28 May 2027 | 12 seats | $2,650 | Book |
| 6 Jun 2027 – 19 Jun 2027 | Guaranteed | $2,650 | Book |
| 9 Jul 2027 – 22 Jul 2027 | 12 seats | $2,650 | Book |
| 12 Sept 2027 – 25 Sept 2027 | 12 seats | $2,650 | Book |
Prices per person, twin-share. Single room supplement $0. 25% deposit at booking; balance due 60 days before departure.
What's included
- ✓Tibet group visa and all permits
- ✓Kathmandu–Gyirong–Kathmandu private vehicle
- ✓Tibet vehicle for the full route
- ✓All accommodation, twin or triple share
- ✓Vegetarian meals from Kathmandu to Kathmandu
- ✓Tibetan guide and Nepali sherpa support
- ✓Oxygen cylinders and first-aid
- ✓Duffel bag and down jacket on loan
Not included
- –International flights
- –Nepal visa
- –Travel insurance covering 5,630 m and evacuation
- –Pony or porter on the kora (USD 350, bookable)
- –Tips
- –Personal expenses
Travel information
Best time to visit
May to September. Saga Dawa (full moon of the fourth Tibetan month, usually late May or June) draws the largest pilgrim numbers; September has the most stable weather on the Drolma La.
Difficulty & fitness
Grade 4 for the kora: 52 km over three days, with the second day climbing 800 m to the Drolma La and descending 1,000 m, 8–10 hours. The rest of the yatra is by vehicle. Ponies can be booked for the pass day.
Accessibility & dietary needs
All meals are vegetarian and cooked by our Nepali kitchen team. Jain and no-onion-garlic diets can be arranged with notice. Not suitable for travellers with mobility limits.
Health & safety
Two acclimatisation nights before Mansarovar and a doctor's fitness certificate required at booking. Oxygen is carried in every vehicle and on the kora. Evacuation from Ngari is by road to Lhasa or Kathmandu; insurance must cover it.
Local etiquette
Walk the kora clockwise. Bathing in Mansarovar is permitted at the designated shore; keep the lake clean. Do not climb on the mountain itself.
Travel documents & permits
Passport valid six months with four blank pages, four passport photos, a doctor's fitness certificate, and passport scans 45 days before departure for the Tibet group visa issued in Kathmandu.
Packing list
Everything we recommend bringing for this trip.
- Down jacket (loaned) and warm layers
- Waterproof jacket
- Trekking boots and warm socks
- Thermal base layers
- Warm hat, gloves, sunglasses
- Sun cream SPF 50
- Trekking poles
- Daypack
- Head torch
- Personal medication and altitude medication if prescribed
- Dry fruit and snacks for the kora
- Water bottle 1 litre
- Passport with six months validity and four photos
Questions about this trip
How difficult is the Kailash kora on this group yatra?
The kora is 52 km over three days, and the Drolma La day is the hardest: 800 m of ascent to 5,630 m and a long descent, 8–10 hours. Ponies can be booked for that day, and a sherpa walks with the slowest pilgrims.
Are meals on the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra vegetarian?
Yes, every meal from Kathmandu to Kathmandu is vegetarian, cooked by our Nepali kitchen team who travel with the group. Jain and no-onion-garlic diets are arranged with notice.
Do I need a Chinese visa for the Kailash Yatra from Kathmandu?
No. We obtain a Tibet group visa in Kathmandu for the whole group, which is why the itinerary has a full day in Kathmandu before the drive. Send passport scans 45 days before departure.
What is the age limit for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra?
We accept travellers from 18 to 70 with a doctor's fitness certificate. Above 70 we ask for a consultation with us first; several pilgrims in their seventies complete the kora each year.
Is oxygen provided on the Kailash Yatra?
Yes. Every vehicle carries oxygen cylinders and the sherpa team carries them on the kora. Guides check saturation each evening from Saga onward.
Why is there no single supplement on the Kailash Yatra?
Accommodation in Ngari is limited and rooms are shared by all pilgrims; single rooms cannot be guaranteed anywhere beyond Saga, so we do not charge for them.
Reviews
★★★★★
A lifetime's wish, well looked after
The kitchen team fed us hot vegetarian food even at Dirapuk. On the Drolma La the sherpas were with us every step. Om Namah Shivaya.
★★★★★
Well planned acclimatisation
The two nights before Mansarovar made the difference for my parents. Nobody in our group of ten had a serious problem.
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