Greetings and a warm welcome to Nepal! When you get to Tribhuvan International Airport, our representative will welcome you with a beautiful marigold garland or khada.

After that, a private, comfortable vehicle will take you to your hotel. Upon arrival at the hotel, you may rest and get used to the lively bustle of Kathmandu, receive a short briefing about the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra tour, and receive official arrangements for the China visa processing. 

You may take your time settling in and getting a first look at the city's busy streets in the evening. The tourist town Thamel is famed for its colorful markets and pleasant cafes. You might want to check it out.

You spend your second day exploring Kathmandu's rich culture and making important plans for your Kailash tour. Our team from The Everest Holiday will give a full pre-trip training in the morning. We will check your papers for the Chinese Group Visa, compare your gear to our Kailash packing list, go over the whole schedule, talk about high-altitude health precautions, and answer all of your questions. This will help your journey get off to a smooth and organized start.

In the afternoon, go on a guided walk of Kathmandu's UNESCO World Heritage sites. It is a big Hindu temple complex on the banks of the Bagmati River. You will also see the huge Boudhanath Stupa, which is a center for Tibetan Buddhism and one of the largest circular stupas in Nepal. This will help you understand more about Buddhism before you go to Tibet.

On the third day, you'll finish getting your Tibet travel pass and see another beautiful part of the Kathmandu Valley. Our staff will pick up your passport and any other papers you sent in so that the Chinese Group Visa can be issued at the embassy. We oversee the entire process and ensure compliance with all Tibet's travel regulations for your Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

After taking care of the paperwork, you will enjoy a beautiful drive to Bhaktapur Durbar Square. This medieval city on the UNESCO list is a living museum of Newari culture. Many people visit and enjoy the beautiful pagoda-style temples, detailed woodcarvings, and pottery squares. When you go to Bhaktapur, you can learn more about the area's rich artistic and architectural history. It also looks very different from the Tibetan scenery you will soon be seeing.

Experience the tremendous change from the hills of Nepal to the high plateau of Tibet. The first part of your Mount Kailash journey is a beautiful drive from Kathmandu to the Nepal-China border at Rasuwa Gadhi/Timure in the early morning. You may see parts of rural Nepal and the tall Langtang Himalayan range along the way. After you finish going through customs in Nepal, you'll go across the Friendship Bridge to the Chinese side, where you'll go through the process of getting into Tibet. This is a crucial stage that requires your Tibet Travel Permit and passport. 

After all the paperwork is done, meet your Tibetan guide and driver for the beautiful journey up to Gyirong (Kerong), a border settlement in a lush valley. The drive itself gives you a taste of Tibet's huge landscapes. It's important to follow the right rules when crossing the border for Kailash tours. Make sure all your papers are in order so everything goes well. Get some rest in Kerong (2,700m) to help your body adjust to the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

For a trouble-free trip, this leisure day is a must-have. Acclimatization in Kerong entails easing into a state of somewhat decreased oxygen intake. At this point, you're far less likely to contract Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) when hiking the higher plateau that lies ahead. Soak up some rays and see all the region has to offer during the day. For a glimpse into Tibetan life, visit Gyirong Town; alternatively, go for a stroll to a nearby lookout. 

Pay close attention to your vitals, avoid alcoholic beverages, and drink enough water. To wrap up preparations for the Kailash expedition, this is a wonderful chance as well. Mount Kailash Kora (parikrama) requires you to divide your main luggage from a small bag. Before you set out on your journey, consult your guide for any last-minute information you may need. Get ready for high altitudes if you want to enjoy the spiritual journey, not merely get through it.

To traverse the vast Tibetan plateau, you must first take the well-known China-Nepal Friendship Highway, the first of its kind. Over the course of six to seven hours, you will travel 240 kilometers from Kerong to Saga (4,450 m), taking in stunning views of steep valleys, faraway snow peaks, and the formidable Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) River. You will reach genuinely high-altitude country as the road gradually ascends. You must show your permits at the Lhatse checkpoint.

As you wind your way through the drive, the breathtaking, awe-inspiring plateau comes into view. The moment you set foot in Saga, the tremendous rise in elevation will strike you. It's critical to keep up with acclimatization practices: take it easy, hydrate well, and keep an eye out for symptoms of altitude sickness. A stay at a simple Saga guesthouse will set you up for the next leg of your journey to the holy sites.

See the first holy view of Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar, which every pilgrim dreams about. The drive from Saga to the beaches of Lake Mansarovar (4,558m) is the most spiritual and beautiful part of the trip. Cross the Mayum La pass and go across wide plains before the breathtaking view appears. The stunning turquoise-blue waters of Manasarovar Lake and the majestic dome of Mount Kailash (Kang Rinpoche) in the background are deeply affecting for people of all faiths. 

You'll sleep in Chiu Gomba, a monastery on a hill that looks out over the lake. Pilgrims typically take holy baths in Mansarovar or do rituals on the coast. The light on Kailash at night is something you will never forget. This day symbolizes the real start of the spiritual trip, which takes place in a sacred place that has been honored for thousands of years.

After making a spiritual circuit around the lake, return to where you began your hike. Carve out some time in the morning to perform the sacred 90-kilometer Lake Mansarovar Parikrama (Kora). As you make your way around the lake, you'll see pilgrims from all walks of life praying and genuflecting at hallowed sites like Gossul Gompa. Many people feel that the parikrama of Mansarovar might help them gain spiritual merit and purify themselves of sin. Darchen (4,600m), a lively frontier town at Mount Kailash's base and the beginning location for the high-altitude trek, is a short drive away after this dramatic encounter.

Spend the afternoon in Darchen getting ready for the Kailash Kora. If you need a horse or a porter, rent one. Then, fill up your daypack and make sure you don't miss your guide's vital briefing. Before you get up early, make sure you have all the gear you need for the Kailash Trek, including sturdy footwear, trekking poles, and layers of clothes.

Get ready to go on a life-altering three-day journey around the center of the cosmos. Your Mount Kailash walking kora will begin after a brief drive to Tarboche, the designated starting point of the hike and the location of the yearly Saga Dawa flagpole ceremony. A 7-kilometer (or 5- to 6-hour) hike across the Lha Chu Valley awaits you on the first day of your adventure. Along the way, you'll get breathtaking views of Mount Kailash's North Face, a steep granite cliff with glaciers gushing down it.

Along the way, you may see prayer flags and meet other travelers. At Dirapuk Monastery (4,860 m), you'll find a guesthouse with a breathtaking view of the north face of Kailash. You should aim for a steady pace and fully immerse yourself in the landscape today. The holy peak, which typically becomes a fiery red at sunset, is a must-see on any Kailash trek.

Ascend the highest point of the trek, which is both physically and spiritually demanding. The final day of the challenge is an 18-kilometer hike that will take 9 to 10 hours. Dolma La Pass, at 5,630 meters, is the highest point of the Kailash Kora, and you will reach it after a difficult ascent. At the symbolic Shiva Tsal (place of prostration), the pass is flanked by numerous prayer flags and serves as a location of profound passion and devotion. Because of the high altitude, the climb is difficult, but the reward is worth it. Proceed down into the beautiful Dzulphuk Valley after you have prayed, passing by Gauri Kund (Lake of Compassion). The last leg takes you to Zuthulpuk Monastery (4,760 m), well-known for the great yogi Milarepa's meditation cave. Spiritually, this is the day of "death and rebirth," when the pilgrim is purified of all sins committed throughout their lifetime, but physically, it is a test of endurance.

Return after completing the holy circuit. The 52-kilometer Mount Kailash parikrama culminates in a tranquil and serene 14-kilometer (three- to four-hour) walk from Zuthulpuk back to Darchen, following the Barkha plain. This completeness brings about a deep sense of delight and contentment. You will have a little celebration in Darchen before starting the lengthy drive (around 7 or 8 hours) back to Saga, where you will spend the night. You can reflect on the great physical and spiritual journey you just completed during this drive. As you make your way back to the border from the difficult pilgrimage zone, you will pass Saga. Day one is filled with joy at having finished the kora, and day two is filled with exhaustion from the long day of driving and the reflective thoughts that come with it.

Get back to Nepal's beautiful landscapes after leaving the Tibetan Plateau. Set out from Saga on the picturesque but lengthy journey back to the border between Gyirong and Kerong. You will return to the Friendship Bridge to finish the Nepal entry processes once you have finished the China departure customs in Kerong. Your Nepali crew is on the way. You have the option of driving straight to Kathmandu (a lengthy journey that ends late) or stopping at Nuwakot for the night, as shown in this itinerary, depending on the group's energy and schedule. Offering a charming and more tranquil alternative, Nuwakot is a medieval town boasting a spectacular 7-story palace. Staying here makes re-entering Nepal easier; you can take in the verdant scenery and lower elevation before making the last trip to Kathmandu.

Take a short, beautiful trip back to the comforts of Kathmandu. The last three-hour drive back to Kathmandu starts after breakfast in Nuwakot. The Tibetan plateau is dry and barren, while the Kathmandu Valley is full of life and greenery. When you get there, check into your hotel and enjoy the luxury of a hot shower and a comfortable bed. You have the afternoon and evening off. This is the best time to buy souvenirs in Thamel, have a farewell supper with your colleagues, or just relax and think about the trip that changed your life. It's a day to relax, talk to other pilgrims, and start to think about the deep experience of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

We deliberately plan this spare day as a crucial safety and logistical component of the trip. Having a buffer day in Kathmandu is very important because the trip is so far away, and many things could go wrong, such as bad weather on the Tibet plateau, poor road conditions, or health issues. If everything goes as planned, you can use this day to visit UNESCO sites in Kathmandu that you might have otherwise missed, like Patan Durbar Square or Bhaktapur. You might also spend the day completely relaxing, getting spa treatments to relax sore muscles, or sorting through your images. However, its main goal is to make sure that your international flight out of Kathmandu is never in danger, so you may end your trip without any worries.

Your life-changing voyage comes to an end as you head to the airport for your next trip. After breakfast, take some time to experience Nepal one more time before you have to leave. You will be taken to Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) for your trip home or to your next stop. As you leave, you take with you not just memories, but also the deep spiritual value and personal achievement of completing one of the world's most famous pilgrimages: the holy journey to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar. Tashi Delek! (For good luck and congratulations in Tibetan).