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Kailash is the most mysterious peak in the world, and the ceremonial circumambulation around it (the Kailash Kora) will provide valuable experiences and vivid memories even for the most discerning travelers.
We have explored many options and crafted the perfect intensive tour to Tibet for you. After a few days in Kathmandu and its surroundings, and completing all necessary paperwork, we will fly to the capital of Tibet — Lhasa. We will visit the Potala Palace and the most iconic temples. Next, we will embark on a journey through Western Tibet to explore the ancient Kingdom of Shang Shung and complete the Kora around Mount Kailash, which stands at an impressive height of 6,638 meters.
The Kora is a three-day mountain trek around Mount Kailash, with the highest point being the Drolma La Pass (5,660 m). The altitude is significant, making this a true challenge. We will also spend a night by Lake Manasarovar, and at the end of the tour in Tibet, we will return to Kathmandu, crossing the largest plateau in the world, surrounded by majestic snow-capped peaks.
During the Tibet tour and the Kailash Kora, you will be accompanied by KULUAR's experienced team leader and photographer, Anastasiia Domanova, who knows this region well. So, you can expect not only a tour of one of the most sacred places on our planet but also beautiful professional photographs and engaging stories about Tibetan culture, religion, and language. We will also discuss the geology of the Tibetan plateau and practice breathing exercises to help you acclimatize to the altitude more easily.
“The landscape of Tibet is unmatched for me. The air above this high-altitude country is crystal clear. You can see far and wide. For me, Tibet is the most enchanting country in the world.” - Reinhold Messner.
The opportunity to combine a spiritual journey with trekking and exploring the culture of Nepal and Tibet.
Throughout the entire program, you will be accompanied by an experienced team leader who is knowledgeable not only about the natural features of the Tibetan plateau but also about the culture and religion of Tibet.
In memory of your journey, you will receive beautiful photos, as your guide is also a professional photographer.
We do not cancel or postpone groups. If the consultant has approved the ticket purchase, you can confidently proceed with buying it. There will be no program cancellation due to our fault.
We have developed an algorithm that allows us to organize programs with the highest quality during our time running the club. You can experience this firsthand by applying to participate.
More than 25000 participants have already taken part in various tours with Kuluar, and 97.8% of them reported being satisfied. We are confident you will be as well!
The team leader from Kuluar will meet you at the airport and organize accommodation in a 4-star hotel located in the liveliest and most vibrant area of Kathmandu—Thamel. This area is the hub of the city’s cultural life, featuring the best restaurants and equipment shops. You will have time to shop for any additional gear you might need, and our team leader will advise you on where to buy and how to negotiate prices. We recommend checking our article in advance about what to buy and what not to buy in Nepal.
We suggest arriving in the first half of the day so we can submit the necessary documents for permits to visit Tibet. On Day 1, we will also enjoy a city walk and a welcome dinner with the group.
During the next four days, while our documents are being processed, we will immerse ourselves in the culture and traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. Nepal is home to about 40,000 Tibetan refugees who have brought their culture and established temples and monasteries throughout the Kathmandu Valley. In addition to visiting ancient sites like Boudhanath, Swayambhunath, and Pashupatinath, we will explore several lesser-known Tibetan monasteries, attend pujas, and visit places where great masters lived. We will also listen to a lecture on the different schools of Buddhism, experience pulse diagnosis according to Tibetan traditional medicine, spend the night in a monastery, and practice meditation.
If circumstances allow, we will also take an additional day trip to Lumbini—the birthplace of Buddha Shakyamuni, located 300 km from Kathmandu.
Lhasa, like Tibet itself, was once a forbidden city due to its significant administrative and religious importance. It is situated in the basin of the Yarlung Tsangpo River (Brahmaputra) at an altitude of 3,650 meters. The old part of Lhasa is almost entirely a temple city. Here, you can find the royal castle and the traditional residence of the Dalai Lama—the Potala Palace, which was initiated in 637 AD by the then King of Tibet, Songtsen Gampo.
In addition to this temple complex, we will also visit the local Barkhor Market and the enormous Jokhang Temple (over 25,000 square meters). Around this temple, we will embark on our first kora alongside hundreds of pilgrims who come from all over Tibet to symbolically purify themselves, touch the sacred relics, and accumulate merit.
The city walk will also serve as acclimatization since we have ascended 2,300 meters higher than Kathmandu.
Later in the evening, we will climb to the roof of the temple to admire Lhasa and the Potala Palace rising above the city in the rays of the setting sun.
We won't be able to sleep long today, since we plan to attend the morning puja at the monastery, where we will ask the lama for blessings for our upcoming kora around Kailash—this is a tradition.
After that, we will visit Norbulingka Park - the summer residence of the Dalai Lama, which is the largest park in Tibet. It was founded in 1754 by the seventh Dalai Lama. His successor, the current spiritual leader of the Tibetans, loved to visit this place as a child and regularly lived here until 1959. Now, it is another special location where people traditionally perform kora.
In the afternoon, we will head outside the city—to either the Gelug monastery of Drepung or the oldest monastery in Tibet, Samye (if we manage to obtain permission for the visit).
Drepung was founded in 1416 and, prior to the Chinese invasion, was the largest monastery in Tibet and a kind of university where up to 15,000 monks resided. Currently, there are few monks left, but the temple is valuable for its cultural and architectural heritage.
Samye is considered one of the most beautiful structures in Tibet and has existed for over 1,200 years. In the four corners of the monastery complex lie four sacred chortens of different colors: red, green, white, and black. They contain precious Buddhist relics, have their own chapels, and are often used for meditation and contemplation. Twelve centuries ago, Samye became the site of the so-called "Great Debate," which influenced the entire history of Tibet. Your team leader will tell you more about this on site.
If time permits, we will also visit Sera, the "Rose Monastery," which has existed since the 15th century and is known for its dramatic religious debates that resemble a theatrical performance.
Starting from Lhasa, we drive west across the Tibetan Plateau, ascending through passes to the town of Gyantse, located at an altitude of about 4000 m.
On the way, we will visit one of Tibet's three largest lakes, Yamdrok Yumtso (4488 m). This lake is over 72 km long and is considered one of the four particularly sacred "angry" lakes that hold a part of Tibet's life spirit. There is a belief that if the lake dries up, Tibet will become uninhabitable. It's said that it's impossible to see the lake twice in the same color. The lake and its islands are closely linked to Guru Padmasambhava, who brought Buddhism to Tibet in the eighth century. A particularly interesting detail is that the Samding Monastery is located here, which is the residence of Dorje Pakmo, the third-highest figure in the Tibetan spiritual hierarchy after the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama. This monastery is unique as it is headed by the reincarnation of a woman. It’s a wonderful place to listen to an intriguing lecture about the institution of reincarnation and the role of women in Tibetan Buddhism!
After this, we will continue along the "Friendship Highway," crossing the Karola Pass and glacier. After lunch, we will arrive in the ancient crossroads town of Gyantse in the Nyang Chu valley. The Pelkor Chode Monastery here is of historical and cultural value, housing the most famous Tibetan stupa, the Kumbum, built in 1440. This stupa is extraordinary, as it is constructed in the form of a 3D mandala and has 108 rooms and over 10,000 frescoes. We will also visit the fortress overlooking the town, which has been rebuilt several times throughout history despite being damaged in various events.
Leaving Gyantse, we will be just 100 km from the second-largest city in Tibet, Shigatse, which is home to the Tashilhunpo Monastery, the traditional residence of the Panchen Lama. The Panchen Lama plays a role in recognizing the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama and serves as his mentor. The monastery is famous for housing the largest and tallest bronze statue of Maitreya Buddha in the world, standing 26 m tall and adorned with over 1400 precious jewels, including pearls, diamonds, and corals.
If time permits, we will also visit the local market and spend the night in a hotel.
In total, we will travel approximately 400 km by car (6.5 hours): 300 km (5 hours) to Gyantse and 100 km (1.5 hours) to Shigatse.
Today we have quite a long journey ahead. We will continue west across the Tibetan plateau to the village of Saga. It’s noticeably colder. Along the way, we will visit the enchanting saline glacial Lake Pelku, or Pigu Tso, which is situated at an altitude of nearly 5000 m. We’ll take a short walk here, which is great for acclimatization. The lake is surrounded by peaks ranging from 5700 to 6000 m.
The village of Saga itself isn’t very interesting, but there is a decent café where you can buy groceries and rest comfortably.
We will drive approximately 500 km with a stop at the lake, taking about 7 hours.
Another long, but picturesque drive across the Tibetan plateau takes us to the foot of the sacred Mount Kailash, in the village of Darchen. We'll spend the night in the beautiful new 4-star Himalaya Kailash Hotel (previously, pilgrims could only stay in very simple guesthouses resembling barracks).
We'll stroll through local shops offering food and antiques, not so much for shopping as to marvel at the colorful pilgrims in traditional attire from various corners of Tibet, who, like us, are preparing for the circumambulation around Kailash or resting after it.
We will travel about 500 km by car, taking approximately 6.5 hours.
To fully understand Tibet, we must not only see its "Tibetan face" but also explore the ancient Bon religion associated with it. Therefore, we head west from Darchen to Zanda to visit the unique Garuda Valley, the cradle of pre-Buddhist Tibet. Over 4000 years ago, the ancient kingdom of Shang-Shung thrived here, with its own language, an undeciphered script, and religion. Much later, in our era, the Kingdom of Guge flourished in this same valley. Today, only picturesque ruins and cave cities remain from both kingdoms. This region is also a site for archaeological research. We will explore the two ancient capitals of Guge—Tholing and Tsaparang—along with the Tholing Monastery.
In addition to its significant cultural and historical heritage, this area is known for its unique geological formations, featuring colorful hills collectively referred to as Zanda Earth Forest National Geological Park.
We will spend the night at the hot springs of Tirthapuri near the temple of the same name.
In total, we will drive about 400 km: 230 km (5 hours) to Zanda and 170 km (4 hours) to Tirthapuri.
We return to Darchen to our wonderful Himalaya Kailash Hotel for a restful night before the Kora.
If desired, today we can take a short acclimatization hike to one of the nearby hills.
We'll check our gear, and trying to overcome the excitement in anticipation of tomorrow, we will head to bed in warmth and comfort.
We will drive about 70 km (1 hour) by car.
And so our trekking journey begins in Tibet. We have seen and heard a lot, becoming familiar with the unique, unfortunately fading, Tibetan culture and religion. It's time to feel like an ancient pilgrim and experience one of the world’s most renowned sacred rituals that has existed for centuries—performing the kora around the sacred mountain Kailash.
What will this be like? Externally, we will spend 3 days walking around yet another one of the many Trans-Himalayan six-thousanders, although it remains unconquered. The route will cover 53 km—an uncomplicated path, but with a noticeable elevation gain. We are well acclimatized from our previous travels on the Tibetan plateau, so this will not be too challenging. Internally, even in the company of friends, each of us will find ourselves alone with our own thoughts, much like during birth and death. Each person walks their own path, seeking answers to their own questions, testing themselves, and listening to themselves. It is said that the kora is a small life during which we die and are reborn.
Today we wake up early, drive to the beginning of the pilgrimage path, and start our circuit around the sacred mountain in a clockwise direction (according to Buddhist tradition). We need to carry all our belongings for the 3-day trek and for overnight stays in simple guesthouses, including sleeping bags. You can decide in advance whether to carry your things yourself or hire a porter.
The first few kilometers of the trail run alongside the Lha-Chu River. In the valley of the river, a beautiful canyon of red rocks with colorful layers, enormous landslides, and rocky peaks has formed. They are colorful and impress us from the very first steps of the kora around Kailash! The trail then leads us to the sacred monastery of Tarboche, located at an altitude of 4750 m. If you want to shorten the first day's journey, you can reach it by car.
Next, we will move to the Chuku Monastery, surrounded by many rock caves where mahasiddhas lived and meditated, including the famous yogi Milarepa.
We will end our day at Dira Puk Monastery, with a stunning view of the Northern side of Kailash. From here, you can see three mountains: the one associated with Chenrezig (Avalokiteshvara) is on the right, the one connected to Chana Dorje (Vajrapani) is on the left, and another linked to Jampelyang (Manjushri) lies deep within Kailash. It's a very beautiful photo spot.
Dira Puk Monastery is built around the cave of the yogi Gotsangpa. He was the first to discover the path around Mount Kailash. According to legend, a dakini—a spirit in female form—showed him the way in the form of a yak. This is where the name of the monastery comes from. “Dira” (with emphasis on the first syllable) or “drira” in Tibetan means “the horn of a female yak,” and “puk” means “cave.”
We will rest at the guesthouse. For those who still have the energy, we can take a walk to the glacier.
Distance covered: ≈ 19.5 km, Elevation change: +640 / -250 m, Travel time: ≈ 6-7 hours
The highest day is the highest point of the crust - the Drolma La pass (5630 m). Symbolically, the second day on the crust around Kailas is the day when your old life ends and a new one begins. As they say, everything that happened in your life before the Tara Pass remains in your past life. It is as if you are passing through a gateway, being renewed for a new, better life. Here we can, according to tradition, leave old things - our own or our loved ones who could not join us on the bark. (This action is equivalent to our relatives making the bark themselves).
We hang lungta prayer flags on the pass, and after admiring Gauri Kund Lake and examining the strange marks on the stones associated with the prints of the knees and elbows of the yogi Milarepa, we head towards Zutulpuk Monastery, dropping from 5630 meters to 4790 meters.
Along the way, we will treat ourselves to salty Tibetan tea with milk and butter in one of the traditional tea houses, whose tents are scattered along the way - it really gives you strength.
The name of the monastery Zutulpuk translates as "Cave of Miracles". It is also built around the cave where Milarepa meditated, and here you can see the footprints of Guru Padmasambhava and his wife Yeshe Tsogyal.
Around the monastery there are many mani stones with carved and painted prayers. Here we stay for our second night in a bark guesthouse around Kailas.
Distance: ≈ 16 km, altitude difference: +700 / -900 m, travel time: ≈ 7-8 hours.
After circling Kailas from the eastern side along the extremely beautiful meadows, we return to the well-known town of Darchen, a kind of "base camp" of Mount Kailas. We get into our car and drive to the Mapam Yumtso Lake ("Victory Lake"), better known by its Sanskrit name - Manasarovar ("Lake of Consciousness").
Manasarovar is a freshwater sacred lake in Tibet that is fed by the glaciers of the Kailas. The four main rivers of Asia have their origins on the four sides of Kailas, and one of them flows here. The lake is one of the highest in the world - about 4590 meters above sea level. In good weather, you can see the South Face of Kailas from the shores. The lake is extremely transparent - visibility is about 14 meters deep.
We will take a short walk around the lake and chase the Tibetan hares, which are numerous here, and, if desired, wash ourselves with water collected in the lake, which is a ritual of symbolic purification.
It is forbidden to swim in the lake or enter it. Nearby is another lake, which, unlike the "living" Mapam Yumtso, is considered "dead". This is the salt lake Rakshas, in which, according to Hindu belief, a demon lives.
Manasarovar is a favorite place for photographers. The ideal photo weather is in May, or in late September or October.
For the night we will stay in a simple guesthouse on the shore of the lake, not far from the cliff on which a very small but revered Chiu Gompa, or Bird (Sparrow) Monastery of the Nyingmapa school, is perched. The monastery offers amazing views of Lake Manasarovar and Gurla Mandhata Peak (7694 m), the 34th highest peak in the world. There are hot radon springs not far from the monastery. But the most sacred and revered place here is the cave in the rock where Guru Rinpoche spent the last days of his earthly life.
A 10 km hiking day with an elevation gain of 132 m and an elevation loss of 272 m is 3 hours of walking with stops.
Distance: ≈ 13 km, elevation gain: +150 / -300 m, travel time: ≈ 3-4 hours.
We return along the familiar path, admiring the endless Tibetan landscapes, as if painted by dormice of warm colors, "digesting" the visit to the holy places.
We will travel 480 km - 6 hours by car.
A little further than Saga, we turn towards the Himalayas and head south. Before reaching 25 km to the border with Nepal, we stop for the night at a hotel in the town of Kirong, which lies in a gorge surrounded by majestic snow-capped peaks and is a kind of portal to Tibet. Here we will say goodbye to the Roof of the World and have a farewell dinner in one of the local restaurants.
We will travel 177 km by car - 3 hours.
Today we will return to the capital of Nepal and have another delicious dinner, this time Nepali. Return tickets can be booked for night flights on the same day or the next day.
We will travel a total of 155 km by car (25 km to Rasuwa Fort and 130 km to Kathmandu) - 5-6 hours.
The team leader has the right to make changes to the route depending on the weather conditions and general wishes of the group.
A visa to Nepal is issued immediately upon arrival at the airport. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to apply for a Nepalese visa. You need to take it for 30 days. To visit Tibet, you need a separate Chinese group visa, as well as several special permits for visiting Tibet and separately for special autonomous zones. We will arrange the Chinese visa and permits for the whole group. All you need to do is provide the documents.
However, please note that:
WARNING. You need to send your documents and confirm your participation no later than 40 days before the start of the program.
To participate in the hike, you must have no illnesses incompatible with active tourism: the list is here.
After the tour to Tibet and the bark around Kailas, you may be interested in the following programs:
You need to buy tickets in advance, as soon as we confirm your participation in the track. The most convenient way to fly is with AirArabia and FlyDubai, and you should buy tickets on their websites. Please note that luggage is not included in the price, and you will need to add 20 kg at the time of purchase. At the time of boarding, you will need the credit card that was used to pay for the tickets - don't forget it! Round-trip tickets cost from $700 - $1000.
You need good insurance to participate in the program. Please do not neglect this point. It has saved some participants thousands of dollars. You can find our recommendations on insurance here: "Insurance for participants of the Kuluar treks".
In Kathmandu, we will stay in a 4-star hotel with all amenities - standard accommodation in 2-bed rooms (it is possible to order single accommodation). In Tibet, we live in very different hotels - 4, 3, 2 stars - we choose the best of what is available in the location we are interested in. But during the trek around Kailash, we spend 3 days in very simple guest houses or temples without heating in rooms for 3-5 people - another accommodation option is simply not available in this high mountain region.
A significant part of the tour in Tibet takes place at altitudes of about 4000 meters. During the day, the temperature will be around +15, +20 degrees, at night it can drop to zero. On the bark around Kailas it is even lower. Rains in the season we have chosen are rare and, in general, the weather in Tibet is not as humid as in Nepal - the Himalayas retain some of the precipitation.
Minimum group for this program: 7 participants. We have calculated the prices for a smaller number of participants, so we can confirm the date earlier, and you will have the opportunity to buy tickets and plan your unforgettable trip!
The total amount of mandatory expenses not included in the price is approximately $1000 + airfare to Nepal. We recommend that you bring about $500 extra for your trip.
If the amount of prepayment is too much for you at the moment, but you still want to book a place, write to the consultant and he will break it down into comfortable parts.
👉 Check out: payment methods and refund conditions in case of cancellation or departure from the route
Dear friends! We kindly ask you to choose dollar banknotes issued in 2009 or newer. Banknotes from the 90s are not accepted in many countries, and we sometimes have problems making payments to local partners. Thank you for your understanding and happy new dollars :)
*Please note: the consultant will help with the selection and search for air tickets, recommend an insurance company, but will not make a purchase. Participants do it themselves or contact our partners, all contacts are in the article: tickets, hotels and insurance
** Tipping the driver, Tibetan guide and porter/yak driver is considered mandatory in Tibet and Nepal and is part of the Himalayan mountain trekking culture, so we advise you not to ignore this point.