Mount Kailash Manasarovar Tour 13 Days

You land at Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu’s only international gateway. We meet you with a warm welcome and transfer you to your hotel in 30 minutes. The city sits at 1,400 meters elevation, giving your body gentle acclimatization time before higher altitudes.

Last season, three travelers mistook jet lag for altitude sickness here; we enforce strict rest rules. The first day of your Kailash Manasarovar Tour 13 Days can be a bit overwhelming. Unpack slowly, avoid rushing up stairs or carrying heavy bags.

Kathmandu’s air feels thick with humidity and dust compared to mountain zones. We’ve seen clients ignore this and develop headaches within hours. Jet lag hits hard after long flights; skip sightseeing today. We have also added training phases for absolute beginners.

Dinner is light dal bhat (lentil soup with rice) to settle your stomach. Nighttime temperatures drop sharply here, especially during the colder months. This day focuses on recovery, not exploration. Your guide checks your pulse oximeter readings before bed. Sleep early; we start early tomorrow.

We begin the 2nd day of the journey at Pashupatinath Temple. This temple is highly revered among the Hindu community and also hosts a riverside cremation site. The Bagmati riverbank hosts daily cremation rituals; a raw glimpse into life and death cycles.

One of our trekkers had an awakening experience after visiting this temple for a short time. Next, we visit Boudhanath Stupa, a massive Tibetan Buddhist monument covered in prayer flags. Spin the giant prayer wheels with locals while monks chant inside.

Last month, a first-timer got emotional hearing the chants; we keep tissues handy. After lunch, explore Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple), climbing 365 steps to panoramic city views. The altitude remains 1,400 meters; no added strain today.

In the afternoon, your guide briefs you on border protocols, packing lists, and emergency procedures. We’ve streamlined this since 2024 after repeated stamp errors delayed groups. You’ll handle Nepali rupees until the Tibetan plateau; exchange cash now at hotel counters. Dinner includes a traditional Newari feast with a couple of small dishes.

At dawn, we pack our bags and prepare the vehicle for the 122-kilometer journey to Syabrubesi. The majority of the path follows the Trishuli River. Expect 6 to 7 hours of driving, enjoying the scenes of hilly terraced farmlands and deep river.

Monsoon rains often wash out sections; we rerouted twice in the last 4 years through riverbeds. Dust coats windows as we pass through Dhunche, the last major town before the border zone. Road conditions shift constantly; paved stretches give way to rocky trails requiring low gear.

Our Kailash Manasarovar Tour 13 Days drivers know exactly which stretches need low gear, it shaved off quite some travel time. At 2,380 meters elevation, Syabrubesi feels noticeably cooler than Kathmandu. This Tamang village clusters around the Langtang Valley entrance.

We check into basic lodges with shared bathrooms. Boiled water stations refill your thermos for the night. Dinner is simple noodles and garlic soup to prep your gut for Tibet. We’ve seen travelers ignore this advice and get sick crossing the border. Rest early; we cross the Nepal-China border at first light tomorrow.

We wake at 5 a.m. for a 15-kilometer drive to Rasuwagadhi Border Crossing. Nepali officials stamp your passport by 7 a.m. after document checks. Last week, a group lost 90 minutes over a visa stamp issue; hopefully we do not face such issues.

Chinese border guards conduct thorough luggage inspections; pack liquids in clear bags. We’ve had Chinese officers confiscate unbranded things for “unknown chemicals” twice this year. After clearing customs, we continue 175 kilometers to Gyirong Town in Tibet. The descent into Gyirong Valley reveals dramatic gorges and pine forests.

Gyirong sits at 2,700 meters above sea level, easing your body into Tibetan altitudes. This former trading post now hosts modern guesthouses with heated rooms. Throughout the Kailash Manasarovar Tour 13 Days, we will serve you typical veg meals, mostly a mixture of Indian and Nepalese dishes.

However, you can also stop for lunch at a Sichuan-style restaurant serving spicy mapo tofu. Our guide always orders extra ginger tea; he’s seen travelers dehydrate on this stretch. Road conditions improve on the Chinese side; wider paved highways replace Nepal’s dirt tracks. Night falls early here; sleep comes fast after 8 hours of driving and border formalities.

We leave Gyirong at sunrise for the 174-kilometer drive to Saga. The Tibetan plateau unfolds in vast grasslands dotted with yaks and nomadic tents. Watch for Tibetan antelopes grazing near the road during the 6-hour journey.

Last June, a group spotted 17 antelopes in one sighting; rare outside monsoon season. As the day goes by, altitude rises steadily from 2,700 to 4,400 meters above sea level. It is important to monitor pulse oximeters every day after we cross 3500 meters of elevation.

Rest stops include periodic refreshment breaks and a lunch break. Saga’s barren landscape contrasts sharply with Nepal’s green hills.

This remote town hosts basic Chinese-run hotels with solar-heated water. Dinner includes a lot of veg options or you can also go for yak meat stew served with steamed buns. Our kitchen staff adds extra garlic after noticing improved digestion last season.

Your Kailash Manasarovar Tour 13 Days guide checks your oxygen level before calling it a day. After a long day of traveling we expect you to rest well and enough.

We leave Saga at 7 a.m. after a hot porridge breakfast. Your jeep navigates 496 kilometers of National Highway through high desert plains. This 9 to 10-hour drive drops from 4,400 meters in Saga to Lake Manasarovar’s 4,600 meter above sea level.

Last June, this simple road trip was extended by an hour because of altitude sickness cases. Watch for nomadic herders guiding yak caravans across the barren landscape. The road reaches 5,217 meters at its highest point before descending to the lake.

Dust storms kick up without warning; keep your mask ready. We stop twice for breaks at designated rest areas; our medics caught 7 altitude cases early here last season. Your Kailash Manasarovar Tour 13 Days guide explains how this lake formed from glacial melt millions of years ago.

Lake Manasarovar appears suddenly after rounding a rocky ridge; a shimmering blue mirror against snow peaks. The water temperature stays near freezing year-round. We check into basic guesthouses with shared heating systems.

Dinner is simple tsampa porridge and boiled potatoes. Your pulse oximeter reading drops to 88% saturation; normal at this altitude. Pack warm layers tonight; nighttime temperatures fall below zero. The lake’s freshwater sustains rare bird species like the black-necked crane.

We conduct a mandatory health check before bedtime. Your guide reminds you to drink 3 liters of water daily. Rest well, we begin holy rituals at dawn tomorrow.

You wake at 5 a.m. for the sacred snan ritual; holy bathing in icy lake waters. Pilgrims line the shore preparing for their ceremonial dip before sunrise. We provide wool blankets to wrap you after exiting the water; last month, three trekkers dared to do this test of faith.

Remember that this is a completely optional part of the Kailash Manasarovar Tour 13 Days. The lake’s spiritual significance draws thousands annually for purification. Lake Manasarovar sits at 4,600 meters elevation; one of the world’s highest freshwater lakes.

After bathing, we visit nearby temples where monks chant morning prayers. Lunch is simple vegetarian thukpa at a local restaurant. We load jeeps for the 6-kilometer drive to Darchen. This final settlement before the Kailash Kora hosts basic guesthouses and supply stores.

Darchen’s elevation reaches 4,700 meters; slightly higher than the lake. Your guide distributes trekking permits and final gear checks; we’ve witnessed a smudged stamp strand a group for 48 hours. You’ll see pilgrims purchasing prayer flags and incense for the mountain circuit.

We inspect your oxygen canisters and medication supplies. Dinner features simple momos and garlic soup. Nighttime temperatures drop sharply; wear thermal layers to sleep. Your guide conducts altitude health monitoring after dinner.

Most pilgrims rest early to prepare for tomorrow’s challenging trek. Darchen serves as the last supply point before entering remote terrain. We brief you on tomorrow’s 14-kilometer trek to Diraphuk.

We start walking at 7 a.m. from Darchen’s dusty streets toward Mount Kailash. Your first step begins the sacred 52-kilometer Outer Kora pilgrimage route. The trail stretches 14 kilometers today with steady elevation gain. You climb from 4,700 meters in Darchen to 4,950 meters at Diraphuk.

Each step requires deliberate breathing; thin air demands patience. Rocky paths wind through glacial valleys with constant Kailash views. This part of the trail is decorated with prayer flags that have slightly faded due to the constant sunshine.

We take short breaks every 90 minutes or so, to make sure you do not over exert yourself. The final part of today’s climb is also the steepest, crossing that brings us to our destination of the day.

After about 5 to 6 hours of climbing the icy cold trails, we finally see the Diraphuk Gompa. After a short visit at the monastery, we head towards the accommodation for the night. Dinner consists of barley soup and hard biscuits; light items for digestion.

Your pulse oximeter reads 86% saturation; within acceptable range. Night falls early; darkness arrives by 7 p.m. Your Kailash Manasarovar Tour 13 Days guide recommends against drinking water tonight to minimize bathroom trips; last June, frozen pipes stranded travelers outside.

Pack your daypack for tomorrow’s challenging Dolma La Pass crossing. Tomorrow brings the hardest section of the entire pilgrimage.

Day 9 of the Kailash Manasarovar Tour 13 Days begins at 6 a.m. We have to start early in order to cross the Dolma La Pass before the strong mid-day winds. Today’s total walking trail extends about 22 km and is also the most demanding day of the entire journey.

The path ascends sharply from Diraphuk’s 4,950 meters toward the 5,600-meter pass. Prayer flags mark the final 300-meter climb to Dolma La’s summit. Pilgrims place stones and offerings at the top; a centuries-old tradition.

Last September, strong winds blew away three prayer flags within minutes. The descent proves equally challenging on tired legs and thinning oxygen. Spending about 9 hours on the trail takes us to our destination of the day, Zuthulphuk. Reaching 4,850 meters above sea level, the scenery is more than what you initially expect. Understandably, our legs will be sore from all the walking and climbing, but the reward is worth the effort.

Zuthulphuk offers basic guesthouses with shared sleeping quarters. Dinner is simple noodle soup; your appetite diminished from exertion. Your pulse oximeter reads 85% saturation; the lowest so far. Nighttime temperatures drop below freezing despite summer months.

Your Kailash Manasarovar Tour 13 Days guide checks everyone for signs of altitude sickness; slurred speech got 2 travelers evacuated last time. This day tests mental and physical endurance more than any other. Most pilgrims sleep immediately after the evening meal.

We complete the Kailash Kora early this morning with final prayers at Zuthulphuk. A short 8-kilometer trek connects you to waiting vehicles by 9 a.m.. Your legs feel stiff from yesterday’s effort but the downhill path offers relief. Board jeeps for the 470-kilometer drive back to Saga.

The 8 to 9-hour journey descends from 4,700 meters (Darchen) to 4,400 meters above sea level (Saga). Watch for Tibetan antelopes grazing near the roadside during the return trip; last May, a group spotted a dozen in one stretch.

Rest stops include boiled egg snacks and hot ginger tea for circulation. Our Kailash Manasarovar Tour 13 Days guides always carry extra tea; we’ve seen travelers dehydrate on this descent. Saga’s familiar streets welcome you with basic Chinese-run guesthouses.

Dinner features hearty yak meat stew to replenish lost calories or veg options for those who do not want to indulge with meat.

Your pulse oximeter reads 87% saturation; improved from mountain elevations. Nighttime temperatures feel warmer than Zuthulphuk’s freezing conditions. Your guide collects trekking permits and conducts final health assessments; the local authority requires stamped returns or fines apply.

Most travelers experience relief mixed with sadness today; the Kailash Manasarovar Tour 13 Days pilgrimage ends here. We celebrate your successful Kora completion with butter tea toasts; last season, 92% of groups finished.

Tomorrow brings the long drive toward Nepal’s border crossing. Rest well; you’ve completed one of Earth’s most demanding pilgrimages. Your body begins adjusting to lower oxygen levels immediately. Sleep comes easily after ten days of physical and spiritual challenge.

We depart Saga at 6 a.m. after a final yak butter tea breakfast. Your jeep covers 470 kilometers along the highway back toward Nepal’s border. This 10-hour drive descends sharply from Saga’s 4,400 meters to Gyirong’s 2,700 meters.

Our lead Kailash Manasarovar Tour 13 Days guide notes travelers often misjudge this descent, your legs feel heavier as oxygen increases. The Tibetan plateau’s barren landscape gradually transforms into pine forests as altitude drops.

As we get closer to the border, the road turns a little bad with a few potholes, but nothing too serious. Most of our trekkers are focused on the scene rather than the road. Rest stops occur every 2 hours for leg stretching and oxygen checks.

Your body reacts noticeably to lower elevation, pulse oximeter readings jump to 91% saturation by afternoon. We’ve seen clients mistake this relief for weakness; it’s your system rebalancing. As we get to the town of Gyirong you will definitely feel the air getting thicker. Private rooms are now abundant and the hotels serve many more facilities.

Pre-dawn departure at 5 a.m. begins the 175-kilometer journey to Kathmandu. This 9-hour drive navigates Nepal’s Langtang Valley through steep, landslide-prone terrain. We have rerouted two different times when rivers swallowed the original path.

The road climbs to 4,600 meters at Lauribina Pass before descending to Kathmandu’s 1,400 meters. We stop for lunch at Dhunche’s roadside dhaba serving momos and sweet milk tea. The traffic is generally heavy in the capital city of Kathmandu, so expect to arrive a little late to your hotel for the night.

The accommodation provides comfy rooms, great selection of Nepalese dishes, and a range of services. You also have the option to upgrade your stay, nothing beats a luxurious staycation after a long travel session. This is the last night of the journey, reminiscing the moments up in Kailash, you doze off to sleep with a tired body.