Best time to explore Mount Kailash Manasarovar Overland Tour
Choosing the best time to visit Mount Kailash can make this journey more enjoyable, comfortable, and effective. It is extremely important to plan your vacation during these months since this holy Kailash area is only reachable from April to October to avoid the winter weather. The best period for visiting is from May to June or September to October. If you go in May or June, you’ll experience the warmer temperatures and lively cultural atmosphere, especially during the Saga Dawa Festival, an important celebration for Buddhists. This season offers pleasant weather and a chance to witness local traditions.
On the other hand, traveling in September or October gives you a quieter, more peaceful experience. The cooler air and clean skies create beautiful views of Mount Kailash and the sparkling waters of Lake Manasarovar.
It’s best to avoid visiting in July and August because of the monsoon season, which brings heavy rain and can make the road difficult to travel. Likewise, the area is closed from November to March due to extreme cold and snowfall.
By choosing the right season, you will not only enjoy better weather but also have a more meaningful and stress-free journey to this sacred place.
Route overview
-Starting from- Kathmandu
Main route:
- Kathmandu to Syabrubesi (around 8 hours by road)
- Syabrubesi to Kyirong (Tibet) (crossing the Nepal-Tibet Border)
- Kyirong to Saga (Scenic drive through Tibetan terrain)
- Saga to Lake Manasarovar (a sacred water lake)
- Lake Manasarovar to Darchen (base for sacred Mount Kailash)
- Mount Kailash Kora (or Parikrama) – A 3-day circumambulation (total 52 kilometers) around the sacred mountain Kailash.
Duration: Typically 13 to 16 Days depending on acclimatization and travel condition
Permits and Documentation
Traveling to sacred Mount Kailash requires several permits and visas due to its location in Tibet (China):
- Tibet Travel Permit: Compulsory to entry into Tibet. Through authorized travel agency can be obtained.
- Tibet Group Visa: This visa can be obtained through authorized tour agencies in Kathmandu. To get a Tibet Group Visa minimum of 4 people is compulsory in a single group.
Documents to carry while entering Tibet:
- A valid passport with a minimum of 6 months' Validity
- Tibet Group Visa
Preparation for High Altitude
- Range of Altitude: This trek reaches up to the altitude of 5,630 meters (Dolma La Pass)
- Acclimatization: Spending a day at lower altitude towns (Kyirong and Saga)
- Health Precautions:
-Consult a doctor for altitude sickness medication (like Diamox)
-Stay hydrated and ignore alcohol
-Know the symptoms of altitude sickness: headaches, dizziness, nausea and fatigue
Clothes
- 1 Pair down jacket
- 2 Pairs T-shirt
- 1 Pair warm thermal
- 1 Pair of a lightweight warm jacket or sweater
- 1 pair of warm trousers
- 1 Pair of warm windproof trousers
- 2 pairs of light pants/trousers or half pants
- 1 pair of inner warm paint
- Warm cap to cover your head from cold
- Muff to cover your nose and mouth
- One pair of warm gloves
- 2 Pairs warm socks
- 2 pairs of light socks
- 1 Pair of warm hiking shoes
- 1 Pair of light shoes or sandals to use during your stay in the Hotel
- Sleeping Bag (You can either purchase or rent in Kathmandu)
If there is any regular medication, be sure to bring it along with you. Also, our guide will carry a first aid kit box with necessary medicines.
Booking Procedure
- Share with us a clear color copy of your passport through email and also make a payment of $300 per person as a tour confirmation. You can pay your amounts by your credit card, online banking, or by bank transfer
Foods and Accommodation
- Breakfast and dinner will be in the Hotel/ Guest House. Packing Lunch will be served while on the journey. Twin sharing accommodation with Attached bathroom will provide in Tibet part except Manasarover and while in Kora. Group-sharing accommodation will be provided in Lake Manasarovar, Derapuk, and Zuthulpuk. Vegetarian food will be provided as per your requirements.
Required Document:
To make sure of your Tibet group Visa in Kathmandu, we kindly need the following documents.
1. Passport Copy in advance: We need a clear color copy of your passport a minimum of 25 days earlier to process the Tibet Travel permit.
2. Original Passport: Make sure of your original passport and provide us in Kathmandu. We need your original passport 3-4 days in advance in Kathmandu.
3. Photo (33mmx 48mm): Provide us a clear front-facing photo of you with a white background, without eyeglasses, and neutral expression.
4. Visa Application Form: we will provide you with a Word file of the visa checklist form before your arrival, which you have to fill up and share with us so that we can finish the application process on time.
30 Days Visa-free country for Mainland China:
There are 38 countries including Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Australia, Brunei, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Holland, Malaysia, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovenia, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Korea, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Japan holding valid ordinary passports can be exempted from visa requirement if entering into China for business, tourism, family or friends visits, exchange and transit.
Visa Processing in Kathmandu for other citizens.
As the Chinese embassy issued a new regulation regarding Tibet Visa applications, we require at least 4 people in a single group to submit visa documents in the visa center, if there are fewer than 4 people, we cannot apply for the visa. Additionally, visa submission require original passport of clients and it takes 4 official working days except Saturday, Sunday and Embassy holiddays.
Please also note that visa requirements and regulations can change frequently.
There might be changes in the embassy’s regulations and visa application process so we suggest you make sure with the Chinese Embassy/Dream Nepal Excursion or with a local travel company before you book the Tibet tour.
Terms and Conditions
1. Accommodation includes group sharing for 3 nights, with the rest in the best available guest houses on twin or triple sharing.
2. Full payment is required before you depart from Kathmandu, if you pay with a card the bank will charge a 4% fee extra
3. Clients have to bear the risk of changes in Tibetan government regulations and also of anything that is caused by natural calamity.
4. A tour cancellation fee of $300 applies once the permit is applied for; cancellations less than 72 hours before departure incur an $800 fee.
5. The Mount Kailash tour is not yet open for Indian passport holders so this tour is open only to Nepali nationals and foreigners except Indians.
MT. KAILASH FIXED DEPARTURE DATES FOR 2026
Arrival in Kathmandu | Visa apply date | Departure date |
20th April | 21st April | 26th April |
11th May | 12th May | 16th May |
19th May | 20th May | 25th May (Saga Dawa Festival) |
08th June | 09th June | 13th June |
21st June | 22nd June | 26th June (Full Moon) |
06th July | 07th July | 11th July |
20th July | 21st July | 25th July (Full Moon) |
17th July | 18th July | 22nd Aug |
31st August | 01st September | 05th Sept |
14th September | 15th September | 19th Sept |
28th September | 29th September | 03rd Oct |
18th October | 19th October | 23rd Oct (Full Moon) |