For enjoying the long journey to the holy Mt. Kailash, choosing the right Mount Kailash itinerary plays a crucial role in shaping your overall travel experience to Tibet’s holiest mountain.

The most classic Mount Kailash itinerary starts from Tibet’s capital city Lhasa and takes you on an epic 15-day overland adventure covering over 1,400km across the vast central Tibet to the sacred mountain in the mystical western Tibet.

However, this itinerary can be adjustable to 13, 16, or 17 days to suit your interests and travel plans. In this guide, we’ll explore different classic Mount Kailash itineraries to help you choose the perfect journey for you.

The Most Classic Mt. Kailash Tour: 15-day Lhasa to Mt. Kailash Itinerary

With a seamless blend of Mt. Kailash pilgrimage and Tibet EBC exploration, the classic 15-day Lhasa to Mt. Kailash tour has been the most popular itinerary for both devout Buddhists and adventure travelers of all ages. It allows you to experience the best of Tibet’s Himalayan landscapes and the rich culture of Tibetan Buddhism, stretching from central to western Tibet.

Overall, this epic 15-day overland adventure consists of three parts: the journey from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp, the trek around Mt. Kailash, and the final return to Lhasa.You can gradually acclimatize as you travel from Lhasa to the towering western Tibetan Plateau.

Firstly, you are expected to spend 3 days in Lhasa to adapt yourself to the high altitude in Tibet and explore Tibet’s most landmark attractions. Then, follow the scenic G318 National Highway to journey from Lhasa to Tibet Everest Base Camp via Shigatse. The jaw-dropping view of Mt. Everest and the unforgettable night spent at Tibet EBC serve as an exciting prelude before heading to Mt. Kailash in western Tibet.

Next, travel west from Tibet EBC to Darchen, the starting point of the 3-day Mt. Kailash kora/trek. Here, you will join prostrating Tibetan pilgrims and our local experts to circumambulate the holy mountain in three days, purifying your soul and soaking up the magical power of the sacred Mt. Kailash. Finally, visit the sacred Lake Manasarovar before heading back to Lhasa with a different route.

Our guests embark on the Mt. Kailash trek with our local experts in western Tibet.

15 Days Kailash and Manasarovar Small Group Tour: A pilgrim’s final fantasy and the greatest overland trip in Tibet.

Tour Route: Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse - E.B.C - Saga - Kailash Trek - Darchen - Lake Manasarovar - Saga - Gyirong - Tingri - Lhasa

Price from USD2069 p.p

Sign up for the most classic 15-day Lhasa to Mount Kailash tour to worship the sacred Mt. Kailash.

Our 16-day Mt. Kailash Itinerary Lets You Touch the Holy Mountain Beyond the Kora

For devoted Buddhists and Hindus, if you find circumambulating Mt. Kailash alone is far from enough to connect yourself to the sacred mountain, our 16-day Mount Kailash itinerary offers you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to physically touch the rockface of Mt. Kailash.

After you complete the classic 3-day Mt. Kailash Kora, the next day, you will follow our local experts to reach the southern slope of Mt. Kailash where you can touch and kiss the sacred rock of Mt. Kailash, soaking in its spiritual energy and receiving blessings from the Buddist deities or Lord Shiva.

In the past two years, we have helped plenty of global travelers fulfill their ultimate travel bucket lists to touch the holy Mt. Kailash. Hopefully, in the years to come, we will have more lucky guests to successfully visit Mt. Kailash and successfully touch and worship the sacred mountain as you wish.

16 Days Kailash and Manasarovar Small Group Tour: Reach the Gateway to the South Face of Kailash with the Spiritual Kailash Kora

Tour Route: Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse - EBC - Saga - Darchen - Kailash Trek - Darchen - Saga - Gyirong - Tingri - Lhasa

Price from USD2219 p.p

Join our 16-day Mt. Kailash tour to touch and kiss the holiest mountain in Tibet and feel its magical power.

For Visiting Both Mt. Kailash and Nepal, Choose the Classic 13-day Mt. Kailash Tour

If you plan to combine the Mt. Kailash tour from Lhasa with extended visits to Nepal, our classic 13-day Mount Kailash itinerary is your best bet. This 13-day itinerary integrates the classic Lhasa to Mt. Kailash tour via Tibet Everest Base Camp with a smooth border crossing directly into bustling Kathmandu through the Gyirong Port, the current Sino-Nepal border, without backtracking to Lhasa.

Besides, with a gradual ascent from Lhasa to EBC and Mt. Kailash, followed by a descent to oxygen-rich Kathmandu, your body adapts to altitude changes more comfortably, plus an amazing 360-degree view of the Himalayas from the soaring Tibetan Plateau to lush Kathmandu valley.

With offices in both Lhasa and Kathmandu, we can help you secure all your travel documents for the Lhasa to Mt. Kailash tour, arrange local experts, book hotels from Tibet to Nepal, and provide a seamless border transfer from Gyirong Port to Kathmandu. This way, you can fully immerse yourself in exploring Mt. Kailash without any worries.

Our local Nepali staff transfer our guests from Gyirong Port to Kathmandu.

13 Days to the Sacred Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar: Most Classic Small Group Tour from Lhasa to Kathmandu

Tour Route: Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse - EBC - Saga - Darchen - Kailash Trek - Darchen - Saga - Gyirong - Kathmandu

Price from USD2069 p.p

Seamlessly combine visits to Mt. Kailash and Tibet Everest Base Camp with smooth overland tour to Kathmandu from Tibet.

To Dive Deep into Western Tibet? Go for the In-depth 17-day Mt. Kailash Tour

Apart from the pilgrimage hotspots like the holy Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar, Ngari Prefecture in western Tibet is also the source of ancient Xiangxiong culture in Tibetan history and the birthplace of Tibet’s native region: Bon.

For culture explorers, if you have enough time and budget, after visiting Mt. Kailash, you can’t afford to miss out on the incredible ruins of the ancient Guge Kingdom and Tholing Monastery, Ngari’s most important man-made Buddhist site, and Cave Paintings in Dungkhar & Piyang and barren and eroded Zanda Clay forest, which is unlike anywhere else in Tibet.

In this case, our 17-day in-depth Mt. Kailash and Guge Kingdom tour offers you a perfect chance to explore all the highlights from central Tibet to far-flung western Tibet in one exhilarating overland adventure. Besides, our local expert’s in-depth knowledge of Tibetan Buddhist traditions and landscape will make your journey both enriching and unforgettable.

Our guests explore the ruins of the ancient Guge Kingdom in western Tibet.

17 Days Kailash Manasarovar Full Moon Tour & Guge Kingdom Exploration

Tour Route: Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse - EBC - Saga - Darchen - Zanda - Kailash Trek - Darchen - Saga - Gyirong - Tingri - Lhasa

Price from USD2299 p.p

Experience an in-depth tour to Mt. Kailash and mysterious Guge Kingdom in western Tibet from Lhasa.

Beyond a Classic Mt. Kailash Itinerary, You Need the Best Local Tibet Travel Agency

Traveling to remote Mt. Kailash is not like any ordinary Tibet tour that lasts at most a week. A classic Mt. Kailash tour from Lhasa can easily span 15 days, involving high altitude and remote regions, many travel documents, and logistics preparations. Therefore, having support from the best local Tibet travel service is vital for a seamless and hassle-free Mt. Kailash tour.

As the Lonely Planet-recommended and awarding-win local Tibet travel agency, we offer you diverse small group Mt. Kailash tours to split hefty transportation and accommodation costs with global travelers.

Besides, we can help you secure a Tibet Travel Permit and other key travel documents to visit Mt. Kailash, together with leading local experts to ensure a safe and fun travel experience. With extensive high-quality local accommodations to choose from, comfortable vehicles, reliable local drivers, oxygen supplies, smooth border transfer, and prompt & attentive services, you can enjoy a safe, smooth, and enriching Mt. Kailash travel experience from start to finish!

10 Days Kailash Pilgrimage Tour from Kathmandu, via Gyirong Port

Tour Route: Kathmandu - Gyirong - Saga - Mt.Kailash - Lake Manasarovar - Darchen - Saga - Gyirong - Kathmandu

Price from USD1749 p.p

Visit Mt. Kailash from Kathmandu and finish the tour back to Kathmandu in this 10-day Mt. Kailash tour.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, all roads lead to Rome and different Mount Kailash itineraries promise an utterly different travel experience. Whatever travel routes and interests you prefer, as the best local Tibet travel agency, we are dedicated to sparing no effort to ensure you a safe and spiritually uplifting experience for your Mt. Kailash tour. If you have more questions about visiting Mt. Kailash, don’t hesitate to email us for free and expert travel solutions.