Mount Kailash Mansarovar Tour via Lhasa Overview:
The Mount Kailash Manasarovar Tour via Lhasa is considered one of the most sacred spiritual journey in the world. Every year, thousands of pilgrims undertake this adventure with devotion, circling the sacred Mt. Kailash. Mount Kailash Mansarovar Tour via Lhasa combines a fabulous overland tour and kora around Mt. Kailash. The kora around Kailash is a transformative 52 km, which is believed to erase all your sins.
This 16-day journey to Lake Manasarovar and Mount Kailash is certainly very unique from the rest of the Himalayan journey. It is a trip of a lifetime where you will experience the blend of faith, beauty, and human endurance. For centuries, people from around the world have walked this trail with utmost faith in spiritual awakening. It is a mystical journey of transformation, and it is rightly termed as ‘a journey within yourself’.
The holy Mount Kailash is a mountain of myths and mystery. No one has ever summited the mountain, and whoever tried has always been unsuccessful under mysterious circumstances. It is believed to be the axis of the universe, and for Hindus it the the abode of Lord Shiva. Mount Kailash is certainly a great pilgrimage center for Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Bon practitioners. The journey includes a visit to the world's highest freshwater lake of Manasarovar, and a 52-km circumambulation around Kailash, crossing the dramatic Dolma-La Pass 5,630m / 18,471 feet.
This sacred journey begins with cultural tours in Kathmandu. Shortly after, we will fly across the Himalayas to Lhasa, the Land of Gods. This Mount Kailash Mansarovar Tour via Lhasa takes you to the heart of Tibet, where you will visit stunning towns like Shigatse and Saga. Driving through the stunning Tibetan landscape and crossing the Mayumla Pass at 4900m, we will reach the holy lake of Manasarovar, also known as Mansarovar.
Through the remote western Tibetan highlands, we will now drive to Darchen for our Mount Kailash kora. From Darchen, we will drive to Dirapuk, and soon we will begin our first 12 km parikrama/circumambulation on foot. Gradually, we will finish the kora and cleanse our souls, taking with us the experience that is far beyond anything.
Mount Kailash Mansarovar Tour via Lhasa Highlights:
- Explore Lhasa’s spiritual heritage: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, and Sera Monastery.
- Drive across the stunning landscapes of the Tibetan Plateau.
- 3-day Kailash Parikrama (Kora).
- Cross the holy Dolma-La Pass (5,630m / 18,471 feet).
- Deep insight into Tibetan Buddhism and the Himalayan lifestyle.
- 52 km Sacred Kora around Mount Kailash.
- Holy dip at sacred Manasarovar at 4,590m / 15,059 feet, the world's highest freshwater lake.
- Mount Kailash Views from Every Angle.
- Stand near the lifeline of Asia, the origin point of the Brahmaputra, Indus, Sutlej, and Karnali rivers.
Holy Lake of Manasarovar or Mansarovar:
30km south of Mount Kailash is the holy Lake Manasarovar, which stands at a height of 4,590m / 15,059 feet. Mansarovar Lake is believed to be the most sacred lake and the highest freshwater lake in the world. Hindu mythology states that this stunning holy lake was created from the divine thought of Lord Brahma himself, the creator. The word ‘Manasarovar or Mansarova’ in Sanskrit means the Lake of Consciousness and Enlightenment.
The lake stretches about 88 kilometers in circumference, and thousands of pilgrims come to visit this holy lake every year with the belief that it has the power to purify the soul. No wonder pilgrims from different parts of the world take a holy dip in the icy water despite its freezing temperature. Many collect the water in bottles and bring it home as a diving gift that shall be either preserved or distributed among families and friends.
It is said that the lake is the center point of Asia's greatest rivers, of Brahmaputra, Indus, Sutlej, and Karnali. Being at Lake Manasarovar is something very magical and very spiritual.
The Sacred Mount Kailash
Mount Kailash, the axis of the universe, is located in the remote western corner of Tibet, and it is considered the world’s most sacred peak. The holy Mount Kailash height is 6,638 meters / 21,778 feet and it has never ever been conquered by any humans to date. There are ample legends and stories about the mysterious incidents that climbers faced while trying to conquer Mt. Kailash. Many mountaineers have firmly stated that they shall never dare to do it again after what they have experienced while climbing Mt. Kailash. It is very sacred to all Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Bons.
Beliefs of the four major religions:
- Hindus believe Mount Kailash to be the abode of Lord Shiva,
- Buddhists see it as the home of Buddha Demchok, a tantric deity.
- Jains believe Mt. Kailash is where their first prophet attained liberation or Moksha, and
- Ancient Bon religion sees it as the home of all spiritual power, and they call it SOUL MOUNTAIN.
This sacred mountain of Kailash rises above the barren Tibetan plateau, displaying its power to all mortals. The sight of the stunning snowcapped peak towering out in the barren land leaves everyone breathless. This mysterious mountain is so sacred that it itself refuses to be conquered; no wonder every expedition to Mt. Kailash has failed.
52-kilometer PARIKRAMA (circumambulation) around Kailash is believed to be one of the holiest circuits in the world. The Kora around Mt. Kailash is believed to erase all sins and deliver MOKHSA. The kora circuit takes three days to complete which goes over the challenging Dolma-La Pass at 5,630 meters. Since this Parikrama is considered one of the most transformative pilgrimages, thousands of pilgrims from around the world do it every year.
Mount Kailash Manasarovar Tour via Lhasa Quick Facts:
- Trip Duration: 16 Days
- Destination: Tibet (via Kathmandu & Lhasa)
- Highest Altitude: 5,630m (Dolma-La Pass)
- Kailash Kora: 52 km (3 days)
- Lake Manasarovar Height: 4,590m
- Trip Grade: Moderate to Strenuous
- Best Seasons: May to September
- Tour Type: Spiritual / Cultural / Adventure
- Accommodation: Hotels & Guest Lodges
- Transportation: Flight + Private Vehicle
- Group Size: 2–15 people
- Starting and ending Point: Kathmandu, Nepal
- Major Highlights: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Lake Manasarovar, Kailash Kora, Dolma-La Pass
- Permits Required: China Group Visa, Tibet Travel Permit, Alien Travel Permit, Military & Foreign Affairs Permits
Tour Plan - Distance, Time, and Elevation:
| TOUR | ELEVATION | DISTANCE | TIME |
| Flight to Lhasa | 3,656 m / 11,994 feet | 1 Hour 30 Minutes | |
| Drive from Lhasa to Shigatse | 3,783 m / 12,411 feet | 323 Km / 200 miles | 8/9 Hours |
| Drive from Shigatse to Saga | 4,640 m / 15,223 feet | 450 km / 279 miles | 9 Hours |
| Drive from Saga to Lake Mansarovar | 4,590 m / 15,059 feet | 452 km / 280 miles | 7/8 Hours |
| Drive from Lake Mansarovar to Darchen | 4,600 m / 15,091 feet | 53 km / 32 miles | 1/1.30 Hours |
| Drive from Darchen Yama Dwar | 15 km / 9 miles | 30/40 minutes | |
| First Day Parikrama to Derapuk Monastery | 4,860m / 15,945 feet | 12 km / 7 miles | 7/8 Hours Walk |
| Second Day Parikrama to Zutulpuk Monastery via Dolma La Pass | 5,630 m / 18,471 feet | 22 km /13.7 miles | 8/9 Hours Walk |
| Final Parikrama and Drive to Saga | 4,640 m / 15,223 feet | TREK: 8 km /5 miles DRIVE: 470 km / 292 miles | 2 Hours Hike 7/8 Hours Drive |
| Drive from Saga to Shigatse | 3,783 m / 12,411 feet | 450 km / 279 miles | 9 Hours |
| Drive from Shigatse to Lhasa | 3,656 m / 11,994 feet | 323 Km / 200 miles | 8/9 Hours |
| Fly back to Kathmandu from Lhasa | 1,400 m / 4,593 feet | 1 Hour 30 Minutes |
