The Best Time to Visit
Nearly all year round, Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar experience very dry, severe, and windy weather. However, the temperature turns moderate and comfortable for about half of the year, making it a period when people may visit this area. Early May to late October is the ideal time of year to explore this area. The climate in the Mount Kailash area will become warmer throughout this time, being warm and pleasant during the day but dropping to minus 5 to 8 degrees Celsius at night.
In order to go to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar, we must travel across a number of high passes in isolated regions of western Tibet. Between November and April, the highways will be covered in snow. Furthermore, ice will obstruct the trekking route encircling Mount Kailash, hindering access to the elevated passes. Further, hotels and guesthouses along the road will close as local Tibetans employed as porters and horsemen leave the region.
Travel permits for visitors between November and April are often not easily issued by the Chinese government.
How to Get There?
Kathmandu, located in Nepal, serves as one of the access points to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar. Kathmandu has connections to various major destinations around the globe through a wide range of international flights. Flying to Kathmandu is an option to begin your journey to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar. There are two main routes from Kathmandu that provide access to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar.
DRIVE FROM KATHMANDU TO KYIRONG (TIMURE) THE MAKE AN OVERLAND JOURNEY:
Traveling overland from Kathmandu to the Nepal-China border at the village of Timure requires an estimated duration of seven hours. After spending a night in Timure, the border town of Nepal, we can proceed to Kailash the following day.The tour in Tibet necessitates a duration of 9 to 10 days, with an additional 5 days required on the Nepal side, totaling the overall duration. The total duration of the program is projected to be a minimum of 15 days.
This itinerary presents an alternative option as well. People might choose this option if they want to continue traveling to Lhasa but avoid taking the same route back to Kathmandu. Everest Base Camp on the Tibetan side may also be included on the route to Lhasa. From Lhasa, travelers may fly back to Kathmandu or go to the Chinese mainland.
FLY KATHMANDU TO LHASA THEN TRAVEL TO MOUNT KAILASH COMBINED WITH A VISIT TO MAJOR CITIES OF CENTRAL TIBET:
Kathmandu regularly offers air access to Lhasa. Travelers may fly from Kathmandu to Lhasa and include Gyantse, Shigatse, Tsedang, and other culturally important sites in central Tibet in the itinerary. For those with a keen interest, it is advisable to consider including the Mount Everest base camp (North Side) in the itinerary. After completing your visit to central Tibet, you may proceed to the Kailash and Manasarovar regions located in the west. After finishing the journey, one can exit Nepal from the Kyirong border and then travel to Kathmandu. Or one could consider returning to Lhasa from the same route and then proceeding to mainland China or Kathmandu via air travel.
Attention: Airline service may be reduced or even suspended in January, February, and March depending on passenger demand.
TRAVELING TO TIBET VIA MAINLAND CHINA
Access to the Kailash and Manasarovar regions is possible by entering Tibet from the mainland of China. Chengdu serves as the entry point to Tibet from the rest of China. Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, has regular flights to Lhasa. Furthermore, Chengdu offers direct airline connections to various significant destinations around the globe. Flights to Lhasa regularly depart from Chengdu.
One can also arrive in Lhasa by taking the highest railway journey in the world. The journey to Lhasa takes approximately thirty-six hours.
Tradition and Culture
For thousands of years this region has been the ultimate goal for pilgrims. It is the home of the Gods for Hindu, Jains, Buddhists and Bon. Mount Kailash – standing at 6714 metres high – is known in Tibet as Tise (the peak) of Khang Rinpoche (Jewel of Snows). For Hindus, Mount Kailash is the home of Hindu God Shiva and his partner Devi, whilst for Tibetans it is the home of God Demchong and his consort Dorje Phangmo.
According to legend, it is here that Milarepa - a great Tibetan Yogi and master of Tantric Buddhism - contested with Naro-Bonchung - a grandmaster of Bon - to prove the superiority of Buddhism. Many contests took place, but the final one was to see who could first reach the summit of Mt Kailash at the crack of dawn. Riding his damaru (ritual drum) Naro-Bonchung flew towards the peak onlu to be overtaken by Milarepa at the last second. Naro-Bonching was so astonished that he let go of his drum, which crashed down mountain leaving a vertical scar – a distinctive feature of the south face.
Read more about Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar and Lhasa
What items should you bring with you on your journey to Kailash?
Since Tibet's temperatures can fluctuate greatly, we advise you to pack clothing for any eventualities. Equipment for wet conditions is also required.
Sunglasses and an abundance of sunblock are essentital in Tibet due to High UV factor and intensity of the bright light. Make sure you pack enough sunscreen because it's difficult to find in Tibet. Additionally, we recommend packing a hat with a brim for added protection.
Pack all your belongings in a duffel bag, and remember to bring a backpack with a waterproof cover to store essential items like your passport, personal medicine, toothpaste, toothbrush, and other daily necessities. The bus or truck will place your duffel bag in the luggage compartment, but you are responsible for bringing your backpack.
A list of the things you should bring is as follows:
- A pair of walking boots (sneaker is okay).
- A jacket that is waterproof and windproof
- T-shirts and sweatshirts
- A minimum of one heavy sweater
- Skirts or shorts
- Track pants or trousers
- Warm underwear
- Water bottle
- Warm socks, ideally made of wool
- A flashlight with extra batteries
- Sunscreen and sunglasses
- Individual medical supplies
- Towels
- A daypack (to store valuables like cameras, cash, passports, and personal medications).
- A duffel bag or rucksack for keeping your clothes
- Down jackets
- A pair of gloves
- Hat with sun protection
First Aid Medical Kit
We will be bringing a primary first aid kit with us, which will include a variety of medications such as Diamox, Aspirin, Painkillers, Lip Balm, Mustard Oil, Vaseline, Plasters, Antiseptic, Salt, Mint, Vicks for sore throats, Antacids, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Iodine Tincture, Iodine Tablet, Electro Powder, Handy Plasts, Cotton Bandage, Scissor, Diomox or Acetazolamide, and more.
We recommend that you consult with your physician or doctor before carrying your own personal medications.
Packaging Suggestion for Kailash Manasarovar Yatra (Click Here to Download)
Communication
In Nepal, it is simple to purchase local mobile SIM cards (NAMASTE or NCELL) as you arrive in Kathmandu. International roaming services are available with a variety of pre-paid call and data packages. You can select one and turn on the service.
We can assist you in Tibet by providing you a local SIM card of China (China Telecom Service or China Mobile), but you can only receive calls because the Chinese government has prohibited outgoing calls. However, you may use Whatsapp, Viber, WeChat or Messenger to make phone calls and consume data service. However, in order to access all of those apps, you must install a VPN service either in your home country or while you are in Nepal. None of these applications will function otherwise.
Precaution
Most persons who are at high elevations (over 2,500 m / 8200 ft) suffer from oxygen shortage. When altitude is raised, it takes time for the human body's physiological systems to adjust to lower oxygen levels. This procedure is known as acclimatization.
For the treatment of altitude sickness, acetazolamide, often known as Diamox, is required. Your doctor's prescription is required since you must begin taking these drugs three days prior to your journey to Tibet/ mount Kailash & Lake Mansarovar. It is necessary to take this medicine the whole way while going up and stop when you start descending. People who are allergic to sulfite-containing medications may choose to use Gingko Biloba over Diamox. Participants will pick up tried-and-true, easy-to-use methods for acclimating faster throughout the trip.
Accommodation during this trip
Lhasa and adjacent areas:
The major cities of Tibet offer a variety of accommodations, including budget and luxury options. A few of these places are Tsedang, Lhasa, and Shigatse. However, in small towns and cities, accommodations are usually very simple, and there aren't many options.
Kailash- Manasarovar area:
Some locations in western Tibet provide rudimentary accommodations, while others provide more luxurious accommodations with modern amenities. Locations like Kyirong, Darchen, and Saga (on the Chinese side) provide comfortable lodgings with attached restrooms and hot showers. Nevertheless, there is still a small selection of hotels and guesthouses in these areas. Manasarovar, Deraphuk, and Zutulphuk, on the other hand, offer a more basic type of lodging that includes dorm-style rooms with shared outdoor bathrooms. Choices of lodging are unavailable at these three locations. In these locations, the hotels and guesthouses are equipped with electricity, allowing guests to charge their mobile devices and cameras. However, the rooms are not equipped with heating.
Meals & Drinking Water
Our organization provides a team of personnel who are both experienced and professional. All the way through the voyage, they will accompany you. Each place we reside, we establish our own kitchen and prepare hygienic, fresh meals for the group. In accordance with the client's preferences, we provide both vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals. The majority of the food comes from Kathmandu, and a separate vehicle will transport the food and other necessary supplies.
During the morning and evening, we offer boiled water at the camp to drink. But throughout the day, we offer bottled mineral water, which is safe to drink for the trip. We bring enough water for you to drink on the tour, and you should drink at least 3 liters of water every day.
