Kailash Mansarovar Yatra from Kathmandu

Your Arrival Time (?) Our office representative will meet and greet you at Kathmandu airport and transfer you to your hotel.

At. 06:00 PM: We will meet for a trip briefing about your tour program. If you are arriving late (after 4 PM) then we will have a briefing the next morning at 09:00 AM. You can ask all your related questions during the trip briefing meeting.

Note: Please carry a voter card as an alternate travel document to travel to Nepal by flight, as we will be collecting your passport for the chinese visa application procedure in Delhi beforehand, which you will receive after you reach Nepal.

At. 10:00 AM: After your breakfast at the hotel, you will participate in a full day of sightseeing at Pashupatinath Temple, Guhyeshwari Temple, Jal Narayan, Patan Durbar Square, and Banglamukhi Temple. Your transportation will arrive at the hotel to pick you up for sightseeing.

Firstly, you will start with Pashupatinath Temple, a sacred Hindu pilgrimage site dedicated to Lord Shiva. You will wander through the maze of the temple, surrounded by small shrines, each with its own religious significance. You will also visit the Guhyeshwari temple near Pashupatinath, which is one of the Sakti Peethas. Here, you can observe the beautiful architecture of the temple and also witness other religious ceremonies. Then, you will drive towards Jal Narayan Temple. Take your time to appreciate the intricate details of the reclining statue of Lord Vishnu, its size, and the open-air settings. You can have your lunch in between the sightseeing, according to your timing and nearby places of interest.

Later in the afternoon, your next exploration will be at Patan Durbar Square, one of the three Durbar squares, where you will travel through the historical lane. After that, the final destination today will be Shree Banglamukhi Temple, which is about 600 m from Patan Dhoka and a few minutes of walking from there. You can learn more about the temple’s history and significance while you observe the rituals and offerings made by the devotees.

At. 05:00 PM: Once your sightseeing is complete, your transportation will drop you at the hotel for you to prepare for your flight to Nepalgunj. You will be taken to the Kathmandu Airport and fly to Nepalgunj, which is about 1 hour of flight time. Our vehicle will pick you up from the Nepalgunj airport and drive you to the hotel.

Pashupatinath Temple is the largest and holiest shrine for Hindus. This temple, situated on the bank of the Bagmati River, was built in the 5th century. There are around 492 temples, 15 Shivalayas (shrines of Lord Shiva) and 12 Jyotirlinga (phallic shrines) to explore. No entrance fee is charged for SAARC nationals to enter the temple. Although only Hindus are allowed to enter the temple, visitors can clearly see the temple and the activities performed in the temple premises from the eastern bank of the Bagmati River.

Guhyeshwari Temple is a renowned Hindu temple located in Nepal's Kathmandu Valley. It is located about 1 km east of the famous Pashupatinath Temple and is an important part of Nepal's religious and cultural history. It is considered to be a Shakti Peetha, which is a place where parts of the goddess Sati's body fell.

The Jal Narayan Temple, also known as the Budhanilkantha Temple, is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It is around 8 km north of Kathmandu at the base of Shivapuri Hill. The temple is famous for its large, reclining statue of Lord Vishnu resting on a bed of stone serpents in a pool of water. The temple is religiously significant for both Hindus and Buddhists. Unlike other Hindu temples, Budhanilkantha is an open-air shrine offering a unique and serene atmosphere.

Patan Durbar Square is 5 km southeast of Kathmandu. Major temples are Krishna Temple, Taleju Temple, and Bhimsen Temple. Some places to explore there are Patan Museum, Mahaboudha, Kumbeshwor, Keshave Naryan, Vishwanath, Chyasin Dewal, and Sundari Chowk.

Baglamukhi is one of the famous temples of Devi (Goddess) in Kathmandu. The temple of Baglamukhi is situated in Patan (Lalitpur). There are various other small temples inside the Baglamukhi temple premises. People visit this temple mainly on Thursdays, as it is considered the day of Bhagwati.

At. 06:00 AM: Early morning after breakfast, our vehicle will pick you up from the hotel to take you to Nepalgunj Airport to catch a morning flight to Simikot. The flight time is about 1 hour. Simikot (2971 m) is the district headquarters of Humla, a mountain district of Nepal.

At. 09:00 AM: Next, you will take a helicopter to Hilsa. It takes 20 minutes of flight time to reach Hilsa. Throughout the flight, you will see the scenic view of green hills and snow-capped mountains along with the deep river gorge of the River Karnali from the helicopter. Once you land, you will be transferred to the hotel in Hilsa. You can spend the rest of your day exploring this small town.

At. 08:00 AM: After breakfast, take a 30-minute walk from the hotel and you will reach the immigration office and complete your immigration procedures. Our vehicle will be waiting for you on the Tibet side. Then, a 30-minute drive from the border will take you to your accommodation at Taklakot/Purang (3880 m). 

Note: For immigration, it might take a minimum of 1 to 2 hours on a quiet day. On average, expect 2 to 3 hours, and during the busy full moon period, it can easily take more than 3 hours. It all depends on how many travelers are crossing on that particular day, so patience is key here.

This day is designed for rest and acclimatization to adjust to the high altitude, ensuring you are physically prepared for the upcoming trek. Taklakot, also known as Purang town, at an altitude of 3880 m, serves as a great acclimatizing point in this yatra for you. Enjoy a warm breakfast and you can take a leisurely stroll around the Taklakot market. After lunch, you can also walk around nearby areas to familiarize your body with the altitude.

At. 09:00 AM: After breakfast, you’ll drive from Taklakot to the sacred Lake Mansarovar (4650 m), covering approximately 70 KM through the breathtaking Tibetan landscapes. In about a 60 minute drive, you slowly approach Rakshas Taal first and notice Lake Mansarovar on the other side. Once you arrive at Mansarovar, you will take a rest at the guest house. 

At. 01:00 PM: After getting some rest, you can explore around the lake and can also perform puja, havan or other religious activities you want at the shore of Lake Mansarovar. You will stay the night at the guesthouse in Mansarovar.

Lake Mansarovar, also known as Mapam Yumtso in Tibetan, is one of the world’s highest altitude freshwater lakes and is located at an elevation of 4650 m. It is revered as a holy site of purity, attracting Hindu pilgrims across the world. It is revered as a sacred lake in Hinduism, Buddhism, Bon, and Jainism. According to Hindu mythology, bathing in the lake can cleanse one's sins and bring good luck.

At. 07:00 AM: After breakfast, drive through Darchen to get to Yama Dwara. Darchen, which is 38 KM from Mansarovar, takes around 1 hour to drive. After reaching Darchen, you will further drive towards Yama Dwar (Tarboche), which is the starting point of Kailash Parikrama. Once you reach, carry your bags and head towards the gate of Yama Dwar. Passing through it is believed to remove your evil deed from the book of judgment, and you will get a place in heaven.

Your 3-day-long trekking journey begins and your stop for today will be at Derapuk (5050 m), which is about a 12 KM trek from Yamadwar. The south face of Mount Kailash is seen from Yamadwar; as you walk on, you will see the west face, halfway from Yamadwar. As you reach Derapuk, the stunning north face of Mount Kailash is seen. Once you reach your accommodation, you can rest your bags and relax. Overnight at a guest house in Derapuk.

Note: If you are not doing Parikrama, then you will be waiting at Darchen till the group returns from Parikrama, with arrangements for accommodation and meals.

Darchen is a small village/town located at an altitude of 4700 m, which is a significant gateway to Kailash Yatra. It is the starting and ending point for the pilgrimage circumambulation (Kora) around Mount Kailash. The village itself is a small but important hub for pilgrims and travellers visiting the region. The vibrant market in this town hosts various restaurants serving basic Tibetan fare, hotels and guesthouses for accommodation, and shops selling supplies for the trek.

Yama Dwar, also known as Tarboche in Tibetan, is a gateway located near Mount Kailash. It literally translates to "Gateway of Death," as "Yam" refers to Yama, the Hindu God of Death, and "Dwar" means gate. It is considered an auspicious place and the main starting point for the spiritual circumambulation (parikrama) around Mount Kailash. Passing through the Yam Dwar signifies leaving behind worldly attachments and joining on a journey of spiritual purification.

At. 07:00 AM: After breakfast, you trek to the highest point of the yatra, Dolma La Pass (5600 m) and then descend gradually to Zuthulpuk (4800 m), witnessing the Gauri Kunda on the way. By late afternoon, you will arrive in Zuthulpuk, the cave of miracles. The great ascetic Milerappa is supposed to have performed miracles here. Overnight at the guest house in Zuthulpuk.

Gauri Kunda is a sacred lake located at the foot of Mount Kailash in Tibet at an altitude of approximately 5600 m. It is a revered place in Hinduism and Buddhism where Goddess Parvati used to bathe. It is believed that the waters of the kund are purified by her touch and thus possess immense spiritual power. It can be seen on the way down towards Zuthulpuk.

At. 07:00 AM: After an early morning breakfast, you will walk 3 hours to catch the vehicle near Darchen, which will take you to the Nepal border. Our staff will prepare lunch in Darchen (on the way to Hilsa).

After lunch, you will continue to drive to the Nepal-China border, which will take around 2 hours. After completing the immigration procedures to exit Tibet, you will have a short walk towards Hilsa from the border. If you reach early, you’ll be able to catch a helicopter to Simikot; otherwise, you will need to stay in Hilsa overnight.

At. 07:00 AM: Today, you have to take an early morning Heli flight to Simikot. Instantly you will catch another flight to Nepalgunj. Our representative will pick you up from Nepalgunj airport and take you to the hotel in Nepalgunj, where you will have your meal and take a rest.

Later, our vehicle will take you to the Lucknow airport nearly 2 hours before your scheduled flight. The time taken from Nepalgunj to the airport is around 4 hours. So you’ll need to get ready 6 hours ahead of your flight time. We assure you that you will get back to your home with the amazing holy experience of Kailash Mansarovar and Nepal. We hope you will enjoy the holy tour and are sure that you will be back for the next pilgrimage tour somewhere in the Himalayas again. If anyone would like to go to Muktinath, then the itinerary will be added as per the route.

Note: If you are flying out from Lucknow, you must schedule your flight after 5 PM. Or else you can book flight for the next day and stay one night in Lucknow on your own.