Last Updated on June 18, 2024 by Treks Planner Nepal
FAQ’s Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. Undoubtedly, hundreds of questions will cross your mind as you plan a religious trip to Mt. Kailash. To help you plan your journey confidently and experience the trip of a lifetime, we tried to gather as much information and advice as possible on our Kailash Mansarovar FAQs.
Table of Contents
What is the ideal time to travel to the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra?
You can visit Kailash Mansarovar anytime between mid-April and the end of September every year. But without question, April through June and September are the finest times to plan a trip to Mount Kailash since they provide excellent mountain visibility, breathtaking scenery, and pleasant weather. The monsoon months of July and August bring mild rain and fog on occasion. The winter season, which runs from November to March, brings with it significant snowfall and ice, making it almost impossible to traverse some parts of the path.
How difficult is the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra?
The trek is quite challenging and demanding, particularly because of the altitude and the thin, dry air that is 40% less oxygenated than at sea level. Altitude sickness is quite likely to occur under these circumstances. Pilgrims must travel through dangerous, high-altitude regions during the Yatra. The Kailash journey is quite challenging because of the extremely steep hills and the large distances that must be traveled each day between camps. It wouldn’t be an issue if you regularly exercise, have high-altitude trekking expertise, and are in excellent condition.
What is the cost of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra?
Travel to Tibet is governed by tight regulations for all international visitors. Different fees are charged by the Tibetan government against Indian citizens and foreigners, particularly those who are participating in the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. The pricing range for Indian citizens is typically between $2000 and $4000, while the price range for non-Indian nationals is between $3000 and $5000. The route you choose, the number of people in the group, the time of year you travel, the kind of transportation you use, the quality of the accommodation and food, and other considerations will all have an impact on the cost of your journey to Kailash Mansarovar.
Who is my guide for the Yatra of Kailash Mansarovar?
All of your guides are native Tibetan and Nepalese people. The Nepalese guides take care of all the pilgrims’ comfort, food, health, and safety needs, while the Tibetan guides handle all the paperwork, communicate in the regional dialect of Tibet, and keep an eye on yak and horse vendors.
What are the available routes to get to Mount Kailash?
There are three main routes to the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra that go from Nepal. Initially, you will take a flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa for the Kailash trip via Lhasa. Following a few days of touring and acclimatization in Lhasa, you will travel via the towns of Shigatse, Gyantse, and Lhatse on your way to Lake Mansarovar. You will then spend a few days performing the Kailash Kora before heading back to Lhasa. Secondly, it is feasible to take an overland trip to Kailash, starting in Kathmandu and driving to Kyirong, the Tibetan border, and then continuing via Saga to Lake Mansarovar and Mount Kailash. Alternatively, you may take a plane from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj, take a helicopter from there to Simikot, and then embark on a rather strenuous climb via Dharapori, Yalbang, and Yari to Hilsa. You will start your journey to Kailash Kora and Mansarovar Lake from Hilsa and go through Purang and Darchen.
How can I go to Mount Kailash the quickest?
The fastest way to go to the sacred Mount Kailash is through Simikot; nevertheless, there are two main problems with this route: flights that are delayed or canceled because of bad weather, and a rapid ascent to a high altitude that might put travelers at risk of mountain sickness. Thus, we highly suggest doing the roughly 10- to 12-day trek overland via the Kyirong route.
What is the most common route to get to Mount Kailash?
The Kyirong route is the most well-traveled route from Nepal to Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Lake. The trip is peaceful and exciting, starting with a drive from Kathmandu to Kyirong, the Tibetan border, and continuing on a beautiful roadway to Kailash Mansarovar.
What kind of fitness is required for Kailash Mansarovar Lake Yatra?
Due to the high elevations of Mt. Kailash and Mansarovar Lake, visitors must be in excellent health and have completed a few weeks of regular exercise before the journey. Before scheduling a journey to Mount Kailash, anybody with any chronic illnesses, including asthma or COPD, must consult with their doctors. For an enjoyable holiday, you’ll need to do some basic yoga, 4 to 5 km of walking each day, lung exercises, and pranayamas like Kapalbati, Bhasrika, and Anulom Vilom.
What kind of toilet facilities are available during Kailash Mansarovar Lake Yatra?
In Taklakot, Saga, and Darchen, new hotels are now being built, and they have rooms with connected bathrooms. While some establishments have Western-style restrooms, the majority of hotels and guesthouses still use the traditional Asian squat toilets, which aren’t often particularly clean. Unless you are using standard hotels, where the restrooms have been upgraded, there is a slight problem in Mansarovar, Dirapuk, and Zutulpuk where you have to cope with temporary restrooms. However, there are no restrooms throughout the Kora, or circumambulation of Mount Kailash, so people must use open-air dug-pit toilets.
What food options are available during the Kailash Mansarovar Lake Yatra?
Since the Mt. Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is primarily a Hindu pilgrimage, almost every meal is vegetarian. You can get Tibetan and Chinese food options at the tea houses. We also recommend you carry dry fruits and nuts, energy bars, etc.
What are the drinking water facilities during the trip?
Since the quality of drinking water in Tibet is unsafe to drink. You can buy mineral water bottles in the tea houses during the yatra.
What type of facilities are accessible for emergency evacuation when traveling?
Given the elevation of Mount Kailash, there is a significant risk that a visitor may have altitude sickness. We have specialized rescuers on the Mt. Kailash Kora path in case an emergency evacuation is required. When the ambulance is within driving distance of the sick passengers, they will transport them there and then return them to the closest hospital or health facility.
What currency should I bring on the Kailash Yatra?
Although it’s possible to exchange US dollars for other currencies in Tibet, the exchange rates might not be as good as they are elsewhere. Therefore, before you leave for your vacation, we advise you to exchange your US dollars for Chinese Renminbi (RMB or CNY) at substantially higher rates in Kathmandu. USD might not be accepted in small teahouses or motels in Tibet, but Chinese cash is readily accepted across the country.
Do I need an insurance for Kailash Yatra?
Crossing the Dolma La Pass at 5,943 meters (19,500 feet) during the Kora is the highest point of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. There is a chance that someone at this altitude will get mild to severe altitude sickness. To participate in this trip, you must get enough travel insurance that covers costs associated with any medical emergencies and evacuations. Make sure that your insurance includes emergency air ambulance or helicopter rescue, including medical charges, and that it is fully informed about all the activities you conduct on the trip.
What is the difference between inner Kora and Outer Kora?
With overnight stops at Zutulpuk and Dirapuk, the 56 km (35 mi) outer Kora takes three days to complete. The inner parikrama is considered a unique Kora that is less known to devotees and somewhat more difficult than the outer parikrama, whereas the outer parikrama is the more well-known trek. The Bons walk counter-clockwise and finish the inner Kora in three to five days, whilst the Buddhists do it clockwise. The inner parikrama is an extra trek that leads to Saptarishi Cave and Kailash Nandi in the inner region of Kailash Parbat.
Is there an internet facility available in Kailash Yatra?
Yes, for the majority of the trip, there is decent internet access. Nevertheless, internet access is not available during the Kailash Kora. If you want to use a data connection anywhere in Tibet where your hotels don’t provide it, you may buy a local SIM card there.
Is there electricity available in Kailash Yatra?
Yes, there is electricity available throughout the trip.
Why do people go to Kailash Mansarovar Lake during a full moon?
First of all, a full moon night makes Mt. Kailash appear magnificent. A full moon night holy swim in Lake Mansarovar is said to wash away all sins from the previous 100 lifetimes as well as the current, transforming the individual into a new human soul inhabiting the same body. The most optimistic and lively cosmic forces are radiated by the full moon, according to the old Vedic astrology. To experience the pure spiritual energy that emanates from Kailash and Mansarovar Lake’s natural surroundings, many strive to go to Kailash during full moons.
Is it possible to return without completing parikrama?
If you have altitude sickness or are experiencing serious health problems, you may return without completing your parikrama. At Darchen, though, you will have to wait for the other group members till they finish their Kailash Kora and head back.
Will there be a pandit for puja at Kailash Mansarovar?
Unfortunately, no! There aren’t any pandits or religious gurus around to conduct religious prayers or other customary gifts. One must be hired in Kathmandu, and you must permit him to travel with the rest of the group.
What kind of puja will be done at Kailash?
Every yatri, or visitor, planning to offer prayers is usually aware of the upcoming puja and fire ceremony, or havan, at Mount Kailash. All the supplies needed for the puja will be managed by us from Kathmandu itself, and we will transport everything up. We will set up your puja and other religious ceremonies that you will partake in throughout your journey if you reserve the full moon dates.
Can we take a dip in Kailash Lake?
Hindus believe that drinking the water from Mansarovar and taking a bath there may atone for all of one’s misdeeds from the previous 100 lifetimes as well as from the present. You will see a lot of Indian tourists coming here during the busiest time of year for the Kailash Yatra to take part in the Kailash Parikrama and to bathe ceremoniously in the pure waters of Mansarovar Lake. There is usually a specific location where guests may take a bath; nevertheless, the Tibetan authorities these days forbid taking a dip in the lake.
Is a visa required for the Kailash Yatra?
Kailash Mansarovar is situated inside China’s Tibetan Autonomous Region, all visitors will need a visa. You must have a passport that is valid for at least six months if you intend to go on a pilgrimage journey to the holy Mt. Kailash and Lake Mansarovar. We will handle the visa application procedure and make all the necessary preparations.
What are the documents required for the Kailash Yatra Trip and what not to carry?
For the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, travelers must have copies of their insurance and a valid passport. Apart from that, no more paperwork is needed. During this journey, make sure you don’t bring any printed materials of any type, including books, periodicals, or documents featuring the Dalai Lama or advocating for “Free Tibet.”
How much do you have to walk on the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra?
Taking the Simikot route via Nepalgunj as an example, you will have a good deal of walking to do from Simikot through Dharapori, Kermi, Yalbang, Tumkot, Yari, and the Tibetan border towns of Hilsa and Purang. This is often not the route for a devout traveler, but rather for an adventurous one. There isn’t much walking if you drive via Kyirong on the overland route or fly to Lhasa and continue driving. The hilly routes of the Kailash Kora mean that even if the walking distance is not great, the walking hours are long. You will be walking for ten to twelve hours on the second day, which is by far the toughest. You must walk for four to five hours on the first day and two to three hours on the third.
What kind of accommodations are available in Tibet and Nepal?
During your time in Nepal, you’ll be accommodated in 3-star hotels featuring in-room facilities and customized services. During the hiking portions of a Simikot trip, you will be accommodated in pretty simple teahouses or, if you choose to camp overnight, tents. You will be lodging in motels with connected bathrooms and Western standards while traveling through Kyirong. You may anticipate a simple shared dormitory while at Mansarovar, Dirapuk, and Zutulpuk.
How to apply for a visa for the Kailash Tour?
To enter Tibet, every foreign visitor must have a current China visa as well as a Tibet travel permit. Travelers from Nepal who wish to visit Tibet should apply for a group tourist visa at the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu. When you reserve your trip to Kailash Mansarovar with us, we will arrange for your Tibet travel permit and Chinese visa.
Which modes of transportation are used in Tibet and Nepal?
While minibusses are used inside Tibet, 4WD jeep or van will be used for the journey from Kathmandu to the Tibetan border and up to Kyirong. Flying the Simikot route entails taking a twin otter plane to Nepalgunj and then using a helicopter to reach Simikot. You will take a minibus after walking from Simikot to the border with Tibet. Flying from Kathmandu to Lhasa on the route via Lhasa, you will board a Boeing aircraft. You will take a minibus from Lhasa to the destination.a