Getting to Mt. Kailash is not as difficult as it may sound. Although the holy mountain sits in one of Tibet’s most remote regions, it’s well connected by road from Lhasa and can also be reached from Kathmandu in Nepal and Kashgar in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Besides the popular overland routes to Mt. Kailash, there’s also the option of flying to Ngari Gunsa Airport, which offers faster access to both Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar from Lhasa and Kashgar, offering an ideal choice for guests with limited time.

This article highlights the latest and most popular routes to Mt.Kailash, including overland journeys and flights. With two recommended itineraries, as well as the practical travel tips, we’re confident your journey to this sacred mountain will be both breathtaking and unforgettable.

Get to Mt. Kailash from Lhasa by Driving/Overland: The Most Popular Way (Chosen by 90%)

As the most scenic route in Tibet, and also the ultimate pilgrimage route, travelling from Lhasa to Mt. Kailash by driving via Everest Base Camp is the most popular choice. This journey covers roughly 1,200 kilometers and usually takes about seven days for a one-way trip. The route is divided into three main sections: Lhasa to Shigatse, Shigatse to EBC, and EBC to Mt. Kailash.

Starting from Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, the route heads west. Your first highlight is Gambala Pass, where you’ll stop to admire Yamdrok Lake, one of the holiest lakes in Tibet. Continuing onward, you’ll see the majestic Karola Glacier just a few meters from the main road. After exploring the ancient town of Gyantse, you’ll arrive in Shigatse, Tibet’s second-largest city.

After spending a night in Shigatse, your Everest Base Camp tour awaits. Along the way, there are four stunning viewpoints where you can admire Mt.Everest. Among them, Gawula Pass is the most spectacular, offering a breathtaking views of the five highest peaks of the Himalayas. Spend a night at EBC to enjoy the unforgettable sunset and sunrise over the summit.

After visiting the Rongbuk monastery, the road continues west into the Ngari Prefecture. Along the way, you’ll pass Mount Shishapangma and Peiku Tso Lake before reaching Saga County. When you are approaching Darchen, the starting point of the Mt. Kailash kora, you’ll catch a distant glimpse of Mt. Kailash. Then, your Mount Kailash tour including the three-day is about to begin.

Note: Before starting your journey to Mt. Kailash, it’s recommended to spend two days touring Lhasa to adjust to the altitude. As the cultural heart of Tibet, iconic landmarks such as the Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple are must-see highlights.

Join our 15 days Mt. Kailash tour to enjoy the ultimate spiritual adventure with 3-day kora.

Listen to our guests’ voice about exploring Mt.Kailash with Tibet Vista.

Get to Mt. Kailash from Lhasa by Flight: The Fastest Way (Chosen by Fewer Tourists)

Besides the overland tour from Lhasa to Mt. Everest, there are also flights between Lhasa and Ngari Gunsa Airport, which take about 2 hours. After arriving at Ngari Gunsa Airport, you can reach Darchen Town with a 2.5-hour drive, costing between 400 to 600 USD for a single ticket.

In peak season, from May to October, there are 2 to 3 direct flights daily from Lhasa Gonggar Airport to Ngari Gunsa Airport, while in low season from November to April, only 1 to 2 flights operate. The route is mainly served by Tibetan Airlines, and all flights depart early in the morning before 8:00 AM due to weather conditions.

If you’re flying from Lhasa to Ngari, choose a window seat on the left side of the plane. For the return flight, pick a window seat on the right. This way, you’ll get sweeping views of the mountains and lakes below, including the spectacular combination of Mount Kailash, Mount Naimonanyi, Lake Rakshastal, and Lake Manasarovar all in one frame.

To experience the best of Tibet in one trip, it’s recommended to travel overland from Lhasa to Mt. Kailash and fly back to Lhasa after exploring the sacred peak. This shortens your overall travel time, gives you more days to acclimatize to the high altitude, and ensures you don’t miss classic attractions along the way, such as Yamdrok Lake, Tashilhunpo Monastery, and Mt. Everest.

Lhasa to Ngari (Mount Kailash) Flight Schedule

Route	Flight Number	Dep. - Arr.	Duration	Frequency
Lhasa Gonggar - Ngari Gunsa	TV9969	07:15 - 09:20	2 hrs 5 mins	Daily
Lhasa Gonggar - Ngari Gunsa	TV9943	07:45 - 09:55	2 hrs 10 mins	Daily

Ngari (Mount Kailash) to Lhasa Flight Schedule

Route	Flight Number	Dep. - Arr.	Duration	Frequency
Ngari Gunsa - Lhasa Gonggar	TV9970	10:00 - 11:50	1 hr 50 mins	Daily
Ngari Gunsa - Lhasa Gonggar	TV9944	10:40 - 12:30	1 hr 50 mins	Daily

Enjoy the stunning view of Mt. Kailash on the flight from Lhasa to Ngari.

Get to Mt. Kailash from Kathmandu by Road: Popular Choice, but High Altitude Sickness Is a Risk

If you want to travel to Mt. Kailash from Nepal, the Kathmandu-mount Kailash overland tour via Gyirong Port is a journey of discovery and excitement, crossing the border between Nepal and China and then heading northwest to Darchen. The trip covers about 900 kilometers and generally takes around 3 days one way.

The route from Kathmandu to Gyirong takes you by bus to the Sino-Nepal border at Rasuwa Fort. After staying one night in Rasuwa, you will cross the border to Gyirong Port the next morning with the assistance of Tibet Vista’s office in Kathmandu. There, you will be met by your Tibetan tour guide and driver and transferred to Gyirong Town.

From Gyirong town, you head northwards along the 214 County Road through Shigatse Prefecture, and on to Saga. From Saga, the road is the G219 National Highway, which runs all the way to Darchen, passing Lake Manasarovar along the way. The sacred mountain lies a little to the north of Darchen, the gateway to Mount Kailash.

However, given the short distance and three-day travel time, going directly from Kathmandu at 1,400 meters to the Mt. Kailash kora, where the trekking route averages above 4,800 meters, poses a potential risk of altitude sickness in Tibet.

But traveling with Tibet Vista means you can totally relax. Throughout the journey, our Tibetan guide carries ample water, oxygen, and equipment to monitor your blood oxygen levels. We closely watch each traveler’s condition to ensure you stay healthy and supported at all times.

During the Mount Kailash Kora, we can arrange porters to carry your belongings as needed. We also provide two local assistants for each trekking team, one leading at the front and one following at the back, to keep everyone on pace and ensure no one is left behind.

Journey from Kathmandu to Mt.Kailash is another popular choice.

Enjoy the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra from Kathmandu with the seamless border transfer.

In 2026, Choose These Two Ways to Get and Explore Mt Kailash - the Ultimate Choice

In 2026, we’ve updated all of our Mt. Kailash tours to provide an even better experience for our guests. Based on our beloved guests’ feedback, we recommend two itineraries for your Mount Kailash tour.

For those seeking a deep cultural and natural experience, the 15-day Mount Kailash tour from Lhasa is an excellent choice. This tour covers all the cultural highlights in Lhasa, Shigatse, and Ngari Prefecture, allowing you to explore iconic landmarks such as the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, and Tashilhunpo Monastery, experiencing Tibetan cultural heritage in one journey.

The route also showcases breathtaking natural scenery, including the turquoise waters of Yamdrok Lake, the majestic Karola Glacier, and the awe-inspiring Everest Base Camp, leading up to the ultimate highlight: the three-day Kora around Mount Kailash.

For those seeking an extra festival atmosphere, the 16-day Mount Kailash tour during the Saga Dawa Festival is the perfect choice. Following a similar route, this itinerary adds the vibrant energy of the Saga Dawa festival, one of the most important Tibetan festival, as well as taking you to the gate of the Kailash inner Kora and get to sacred mountain as close as possible.

Completing the Kora during Saga Dawa festival is believed to earn more merits than usual for pilgrims. Trekking lovers will also find this period particularly rewarding, as walking around Mt. Kailash during the festival offers a unique chance to witness authentic Tibetan spiritual life, including festival ceremonies, including raising the giant praying flag pole.

Kora around mount Kailash during Saga Dawa festival.

Visit Mount Kailash during the Saga Dawa Festival and enjoy the ultimate festival atmosphere.

An Additional Way: Get to Mt. Kailash from Kashgar by Drive or Flight - Not Recommended for International Tourists

Traveling south to Mount Kailash from Kashgar is a huge adventure, and one that will take you 1,549 kilometers across China. The route follows the Xinjiang Tibet Highway, the highest drivable road in the world, and takes you through several counties of Xinjiang and past the stunning Quanshui Lake before entering Tibet.

After arriving in Tibet, the road runs south through Rutog County, in Ngari Prefecture, south along the shores of Bagong Lake, and over the 4,725-meter Marion La Pass. After the pass, you will enter Gar County. Then it is on into Burang County, the location of the ancient Guge Kingdom of Tibet, and on down to the small town of Darchen at the foot of the mountain.

Alternatively, you can fly from Kashgar to Mt. Kailash. It takes only 1.5 hours from Kashgar Laining International Airport to Ngari Gunsa Airport. Every day, there is at least one direct flight from Kashgar to Ngari, but schedule varies from time to time. Please contact us in advance to get the latest flight information and the best price.

However, this route is not recommended for most international tourists, since Kashgar is in a remote region with few direct flights from major international cities or mainland China. If you want to combine a Xinjiang tour with Mount Kailash, though, this is an excellent option.

Kashgar to Ngari (Mount Kailash) Flight Schedule

Route	Flight Number	Dep. - Arr.	Duration	Frequency
Kashgar Laining - Ngari Gunsa	8L9681	10:05 - 11:40	1 hr 35 mins	Not Daily
Kashgar Laining - Ngari Gunsa	MU2131	09:45 - 11:20	1 hr 35 mins	Not Daily
Kashgar Laining - Ngari Gunsa	TV6005	11:30 - 13:10	1 hr 40 mins	Not Daily

Ngari (Mount Kailash) to Kashgar Flight Schedule

Route	Flight Number	Dep. - Arr.	Duration	Frequency
Ngari Gunsa - Kashgar Laining	8L9682	12:20 - 14:15	1 hr 55 mins	Not Daily
Ngari Gunsa - Kashgar Laining	MU2132	12:00 - 13:45	1 hr 45 mins	Not Daily
Ngari Gunsa - Kashgar Laining	TV6006	13:50 - 15:40	1 hr 50 mins	Not Daily

Starting from Kashgar, it takes several days in driving along the Xinjiang-Tibet highway to Mt.Kailash.

More Important Tips and Reminders for Your Mount Kailash Journey

1. Ideally, the best season to visit Mount Kailash is in the spring, from late April to the beginning of June, and the autumn, from October to the end of November. Travel is possible in the summer although it can get a little wet around the mountain as it is the monsoon season.

2. Altitude sickness is a major concern, as you will be traveling at altitudes well above 5,000 meters several times during the trip. It is essential to acclimatize properly when entering Tibet, as well as when ascending to much higher altitudes.
- Know more about Altitude of Mt. Kailash Tour or Kora and How to Avoid the High Altitude Sickness

3. Hindus and Buddhists travel the kora route around it in a clockwise direction. Only the Jains and Bonpo make the ritual kora in an anti-clockwise direction, and unless you are a member of one of those two religious’ groups, your trek around the mountain will be done traveling clockwise.

4. 2026 is the Year of the Horse, and performing the Kora around Mount Kailash, especially during the Saga Dawa Festival, is believed to bring greater spiritual merits. With higher demand expected, it’s wise to book your tour in advance to secure your spot and choose the better accommodations.

5. Besides the Tibet Travel Permit, international tourists also need additional permits, such as the Alien’s Permit, which take at least two weeks to process. Once you book your Mt. Kailash tour with us, please send us a copy of your passport and visa so we can arrange all the necessary permits for you.
- Click here to check the detail information about all the permits needed for Mt.Kailash tour

Conclusion

No matter whether you travel by road or by plane, from Lhasa, Kathmandu, or Kashgar, a trip to Mt. Kailash in 2026 is sure to be unforgettable. With the right preparation, permits, and support from local guides, you can enjoy the Kora safely, take in stunning landscapes, and experience the unique spiritual energy of the mountain, especially during Saga Dawa or the Year of the Horse.