Kathmandu Lhasa Kailash Overland Tour

Trip Overview

If you are planning the Kathmandu Lhasa Kailash Overland Tour for 2027, you are probably juggling three questions at once. Which route is actually open, how hard is the kora, and what paperwork do you need before anyone lets you board a plane to Tibet?

This package cum guide answers all three in the order you will meet them, from the first inquiry to the morning you land back in Kathmandu!

Here is the thing about 2027: the usual overland drive from Kathmandu through Kerung is not something anyone can promise right now. The Bhote Koshi flood of 26 August 2026 destroyed long stretches of the road to Rasuwagadhi and damaged the border post itself.

Repairs are under way, but a road rebuilt on a new alignment takes time. So this program takes a different line. You fly into Lhasa, drive west across the plateau, and fly home from Lhasa again!

Let's be honest about flying, though. Landing at 3,650 m after breakfast in Kathmandu (1,400 m) is a rapid ascent, and a University of Oslo study of 2,385 tourists in Lhasa found that arriving by air and ascending quickly both raised the risk of acute mountain sickness (AMS).

What the flight gives you is a base. You spend 2 nights in a city with hospitals, oxygen and familiar food before the plateau becomes remote, and the kora does not begin until day 11.

At Alpine Eco Trek, we built the 17 days around that logic. Two nights in Lhasa, a slow climb in sleeping altitude from 3,840 m at Shigatse to 4,640 m at Saga, then the lake and the mountain. Nothing is rushed, but nothing is padded either!

Pilgrims from India face a different visa process from a traveler holding a British passport, and Nepali citizens have their own rules again. We explain each of them separately in the visa section, because getting this part wrong is the most common reason groups get stuck in Kathmandu.

Key Attractions of This Trip

This Kathmandu Lhasa Kailash Overland Tour blends the deeply sacred heritage of the Kathmandu Valley with the iconic cultural and natural wonders of the Tibetan Plateau.

From ancient UNESCO World Heritage sites to high-altitude sacred lakes and the towering peak of Mount Kailash, each stage of the route offers a distinct milestone in spirituality and landscape.

Attractions in Kathmandu

Our standard plan gives Kathmandu 2 days of sightseeing, and for pilgrims they matter more than they look on paper.

The mountain you are about to see is Shiva's abode in Hindu belief, and most of these temples connect to Shiva or Shakti. Groups that prefer a shorter stay can cut this to 1 day, but 2 days is what we recommend and what this itinerary follows.

On day 2, we start at Pashupatinath, on the banks of the Bagmati River, the great Shiva temple of Nepal. Only Hindus may enter the main sanctum, yet the riverside ghats, the smaller shrines and the evening aarti are open to everyone from the opposite bank.

Guhyeshwari Shakti Peeth stands close by and is one of the most revered Shakti shrines in Nepal. Budhanilkantha, on the northern edge of the valley, holds a large reclining statue of Lord Vishnu resting in a pond.

We end at Swayambhunath, on a hill west of the city, which gives a wide view over the valley (and a few opportunistic monkeys, so keep your snacks zipped).

On day 3, we go outside the city centre. Dakshinkali, south of Kathmandu, is the main Kali temple of the valley, and Saturdays and Tuesdays are the busiest days.

The Kailashnath Mahadev statue in Sanga is among the tallest Shiva statues in the world. Doleshwar Mahadev, near Bhaktapur, is believed by many devotees to be the head of Kedarnath.

Boudhanath is also on our sightseeing list, and one of the largest spherical stupas in the world. Join the Tibetan community for one clockwise circuit. It is a free rehearsal for the kora, and you will notice how people pace themselves, which is the most useful thing you can copy!

Your guide will time each visit to avoid the midday crowds, and a quick stop for masala tea near the stupa is a good excuse to sit down and watch the neighborhood go by.

Attractions in Lhasa

Lhasa is where the trip becomes real! The Potala Palace rises about 117 m above Marpo Ri hill at roughly 3,700 m, and it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994.

Entry is by reservation made a day ahead, you carry your passport, and you get about an hour inside. The climb is slow and the steps are many, so walk like a local pilgrim and stop whenever you need to.

The Jokhang Temple in the old city is the spiritual centre of Tibetan Buddhism. Its Jowo Shakyamuni statue draws pilgrims who prostrate on the pavement outside from before dawn.

The Barkhor circuit around it is the best place to watch daily Tibetan life, buy prayer flags and sit with a cup of butter tea.

On the second day we visit Drepung, once among the largest monasteries in the world, and Sera, famous for the afternoon debates where monks clap and argue in the courtyard.

Norbulingka, the summer palace of the Dalai Lamas, makes a gentle end to the day. Photography rules differ in every hall, so ask your guide before raising a camera.

Lhasa also has a habit of making people tired by 3 p.m., so we keep evenings free and suggest an early dinner. If your head feels heavy, a short nap and a liter of water do more for you than another temple would.

Attractions on the Road: Yamdrok, Gyantse and Shigatse

The drive west from Lhasa is a sightseeing day in its own right.

Yamdrok Tso, a turquoise lake at about 4,440 m, is one of the four great sacred lakes of Tibet, and the road climbs to Khamba La (4,794 m) for the first full view of it.

Further on, Karo La (around 5,045 m) brings you beside a hanging glacier, and for many guests this is the first time they stand above 5,000 m.

Gyantse is the next stop. Its fort sits on a rock above the town, and the Pelkor Chode Monastery holds the Kumbum, a multi-storey stupa with 77 chapels that rewards slow walking.

Shigatse follows, home to Tashilhunpo Monastery, the seat of the Panchen Lama, founded in 1447. Its Maitreya Buddha statue stands about 26 m high and is the largest in the complex.

These stops double as acclimatization! Each one is a short walk at 3,800 to 4,000 m, which is exactly the kind of gentle exposure your body needs before Saga.

Between the lake and the glacier you will also pass terraced barley fields, small villages with whitewashed houses and yak herds grazing near the road. 

You may ask our driver to pull over for photographs rather than leaning out of the window, since the shoulders are narrow and trucks come fast.

Attractions on the Western Plateau: Saga and Paryang

West of Lhatse the road follows the G219 highway, and the landscape changes. Villages thin out, valleys widen, and you see more sky than ground. 

Saga sits at 4,640 m on a bend of the Yarlung Tsangpo, which becomes the Brahmaputra downstream. It is a small town with basic hotels, and it is where the real remoteness begins.

Between Saga and the lake you cross Paryang's wide plain at about 4,550 m. Watch for kiang (Tibetan wild ass), herds of gazelle, nomad tents and the occasional marmot. 

The peaks of the Himalaya stay on your left for much of the day, and Gurla Mandhata (7,694 m) rises as you approach the lake basin.

None of this is a sightseeing day in the usual sense. It is a long, dusty and quiet drive, and most guests tell us afterwards that it was the part that made the plateau feel enormous. 

Bring a good playlist and a decent neck pillow. Lunch stops are in small roadside restaurants where the menu is whatever the cook has, usually noodles, rice and a vegetable dish, and the toilets are simple. Carry tissues, hand sanitizer and a few snacks, because the next proper meal may be several hours away.

Attractions at Lake Manasarovar

Lake Manasarovar (Mapham Yumtso in Tibetan) lies at 4,590 m and is sacred to Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and followers of Bon. 

Hindus believe it was born from the mind of Brahma, and tradition holds that a bath here washes away the sins of a lifetime. A dip in the lake is not allowed on our tour, though. Buddhists connect it with the mythical lake Anavatapta. Whatever your belief, the water is a deep, shifting blue with Gurla Mandhata behind it.

Rakshas Tal, the saltwater lake to the west, is linked to Manasarovar by a narrow channel and is not considered auspicious. You will see both from the road, and the contrast is striking.

Chiu Gompa, a small monastery on a rocky hill, gives the best view across the water and has a hot spring nearby on some seasons. 

Instead of a dip, our guide finds a corner of the shore where you can step in up to knee level during the lake parikrama by eco-bus. Midday, when the sun is highest, is the most comfortable time.

Never drink the water untreated, even if you hold it sacred. Carry a small bottle to take some home, and let your guide show you where it is clean. 

Pilgrims circle the shore on a lake parikrama of roughly 90 km, and our groups do this by eco-bus, stopping at the water along the way.

Our team arranges the puja and homa on the shore. We bring the puja materials and find a suitable place to perform them, and you offer your own gratitude (dakshina) to the Pandit ji. 

Before you sit for the puja, our crew sets up a shower tent and heats water so you can wash, since there are no attached bathrooms at the lake.

Attractions at Mount Kailash and Darchen

Mount Kailash (Kang Rinpoche, the Jewel of Snow) stands at 6,638 m, and it has never been climbed. Out of respect for the religions that revere it, no one is allowed to try. 

From Darchen (4,670 m) you see the south face as a clean, steep pyramid, and from Dirapuk the north face appears so close you feel you could hear it.

The kora is a clockwise circuit of about 52 km (32 miles). Our groups drive 6 km from Darchen to Yama Dwar, the ritual gate, and start walking from there. 

The route passes Tarboche, where a giant flagpole is raised every year during Saga Dawa, then Chuku Monastery, climbs the Lha Chu valley to Dirapuk, crosses Dolma La, and drops to Zuthulpuk, where Milarepa is said to have meditated in a cave.

Bon followers walk counterclockwise, so you may meet them head on.

Hindus and Buddhists alike believe one kora erases the sins of a lifetime, and 108 koras lead to liberation. Do not take that number literally on your first day. 

Darchen itself is a plain town with guesthouses, a few shops and a police checkpoint, but it is also where the Tibetan, Indian and Nepali pilgrim routes meet, and the evening mood is warm. 

You shall find your guide before sunset and ask about tomorrow's start time. Take it slowly, drink water, and let the mountain set the pace!

The Kailash Kora Explained: Stages, Distances and Customs

The kora (or parikrama in Hindi) is a clockwise walk around Mount Kailash, and the outer circuit is the one almost every visitor completes. It measures about 52 km (32 miles), though exact figures range from 52 to 58 km depending on where the count starts!

Most foreigners take 3 days, while many Tibetan pilgrims do the whole loop in a single long day, starting before dawn and finishing after dark.

• Day one starts with a 6 km drive from Darchen to Yama Dwar in a deluxe vehicle, followed by a 12 km walk (about 5 hours) to Dirapuk, with the first close view of the north face. 
• Day two is the big one, 22 km (about 10 hours) from Dirapuk over Dolma La to Zuthulpuk, with a climb of roughly 740 m and a descent of almost 850 m. 
• Day three covers 12 km (about 3 hours) from Zuthulpuk to near Darchen, where your vehicle waits for the 450 km drive (about 8 hours) to Saga. Vehicles are not allowed from Darchen or Yama Dwar to Dirapuk, so every kilometre to Dirapuk is on foot.

There is also an inner kora around Nandi Parvat, which needs more time, extra permission and good weather. It is not part of our 17-day program.

If 3 days is too much, there are two shorter options:

• The first is a 1 day parikrama: walk from Yama Dwar to Dirapuk (12 km, about 5 hours), take your darshan, enjoy the sunset on the north face of Kailash and drive back to your Darchen hotel. 
• The second applies after Dolma La. You walk down to Gauri Kund, and from there you can rent a van to cut the walk short to Zuthulpuk, or continue by van to Darchen for a more comfortable stay. 

The vehicle for the 1 day option, the van from Gauri Kund, and the Darchen stay and meals are at your own cost.

A few customs are worth knowing before you start:

• Hindus and Buddhists walk clockwise, while Bon followers go counterclockwise. 
• Pilgrims believe a single kora clears the sins of a lifetime, 13 koras prepare you for the inner circuit and 108 koras lead to liberation. 
• Many Tibetans prostrate the entire route, lying full length on the ground every few steps, which can take weeks. Give them room!
• Do not leave belongings on the route, such as clothing, hair or coins, unless your guide explains the local custom. 
• At Dolma La, people tie prayer flags and leave small offerings, but the pass is a place to pause rather than pose. Move on after a few minutes because the wind is cold and the altitude is real.

What the August 2026 Bhote Koshi Flood Changed?

On the morning of 26 August 2026, a flash flood came down the Bhote Koshi gorge on the Nepal-Tibet border. Early reports traced it to an ice and rock avalanche that blocked a tributary near Rasuwagadhi and then let go all at once. 

The surge took out the Rasuwagadhi border post and customs yard, then ran south through Timure and Syabrubesi into the Trishuli. Investigations are still continuing, so treat the cause as provisional.

The damage to the road is the part that matters for planning! Nepal's Department of Roads says the flood wiped out roughly 40 km of the route between Galchhi, Betrawati and Rasuwagadhi, along with 41 bridges (the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport put the figure closer to 55 km when connections to the border are counted). 

The 17 km stretch from Syabrubesi to Rasuwagadhi, which a Chinese-funded team had only started upgrading in January 2026, was swept away entirely. This is the road many people call the Pasang Lhamu Highway, and it was the main overland link between Kathmandu and Kerung.

So where does that leave things? The Department of Roads has been opening temporary tracks and arranging Bailey bridges, and the government wants a rough link to the border as soon as possible. But a temporary track for relief and trade traffic is not the same as a tourist border reopening!

As of early September, there was no confirmed date for the Rasuwagadhi to Gyirong crossing, and officials have said the permanent road may follow a new alignment. Nepal has asked China for help with reconstruction, and Beijing has signalled support, though a full rebuild is estimated in the tens of billions of rupees.

Remember that this is not the first time. The same border point was hit by a flood in July 2025, did not resume operations until 1 January 2026, and was devastated again eight months later. 

Anyone planning around this corridor in 2027 should treat it as a route that may or may not be open, and make a fallback plan from day one!

Overland Alternatives and What We Recommend for 2027

This program does not depend on Rasuwagadhi at all. You fly from Kathmandu to Lhasa and fly back, so the flooded corridor never enters your itinerary. That is why we are recommending it as the default for 2027 departures. 

Still, some travellers prefer to enter Tibet by road, and it helps to know the realistic options!

The first is the Kodari to Zhangmu crossing on the Araniko Highway (also called Tatopani). Tibet reopened this border to tourists in September 2023, and the Kodari section of the road was cleared again in August 2026 after being blocked for about a month by landslides. 

But repairs at Liping were still going on, Chinese customs told Nepali officials that trade through the point stays suspended until further notice, and officials said it remained open to pilgrims returning from Kailash. Treat it as possible, not guaranteed! The drive from Kathmandu to the border takes around 5 hours when the road is clear.

The second is the Kerung route itself, once the road and the border post are rebuilt and both governments confirm tourist movement. We would only sell this after official confirmation. 

The third is the Humla route through Simikot, Nara La and Hilsa. It is a trek-and-drive option for 18 days or more, needs a restricted area permit on the Nepali side, and closes with snow in early October, as it did this year.

You can also fly from Lhasa to Ngari (Kunsha airport) and drive about 6 to 7 hours to Darchen. It saves 4 days, but you skip the staged climb in altitude, and we do not recommend it for first-time visitors!

Our approach is simple. We keep the 17-day flight program as the base itinerary, confirm the routing 45 to 60 days before departure, and rebook rather than gamble if conditions change. If an overland departure is what you want, we will tell you honestly whether we can run it.

Best Time for the Kathmandu Lhasa Kailash Overland Tour

The best windows are May to June and September to October. Skies are clearest, the roads are dry, and the kora passes are usually free of deep snow. 

Foreign groups typically get permission to walk the kora from mid to late April, but April nights at Dirapuk are very cold. July and August are possible too, since this part of Tibet sits in a rain shadow, though road washouts and cloud can interrupt the views.

The date everyone asks about is Saga Dawa Duchen, the full moon festival that marks the birth, enlightenment and passing of the Buddha. Published Tibetan calendars place it on 18 June 2027. 

Thousands of Tibetan pilgrims gather at Tarboche to raise the giant flagpole, and hotels in Darchen fill up months in advance. It is a powerful day to be there, but it is also loud, crowded and hard to book. If you want quiet, choose a departure a week either side!

Temperatures give you the real picture. At the Purang County weather station (3,900 m), the July mean is about 14.7 °C and January falls to about minus 7.4 °C. Darchen and Dirapuk are well above that station, so nights drop below freezing even in summer!

Annual rainfall is only around 150 mm. And winter is a different story altogether! Roads close, guesthouses shut and the kora is not realistic from November to March.

Two calendar traps are worth knowing. China's National Day Golden Week (1 to 7 October) packs Lhasa with domestic visitors and makes Potala reservations difficult, and Nepal's Dashain and Tihar festivals around the same time raise flight demand in Kathmandu. 

Late September is often the sweet spot. For 2027, we expect demand to stay high around Saga Dawa, so book early!

Transportation: Flights, Vehicles and Roads

The tour uses 3 kinds of transport, and each one asks something different from you. First, the flights: Air China, Sichuan Airlines and Himalaya Airlines have all operated between Kathmandu and Lhasa, with a flying time of about 1 hour 30 minutes. 

The aircraft usually carry a 20 kg checked baggage allowance, so pack a main bag of that size and leave extras at your Kathmandu hotel. Lhasa runs on Beijing time, which is 2 hours 15 minutes ahead of Nepal.

Second, the vehicles:

• Small groups travel in Van or similar 4WD vehicles, and larger groups use a coach with a luggage trailer or a support truck. 
• Drivers are local, which matters because Tibetan highways use strict speed controls and timed checkposts.
• If a vehicle reaches a checkpoint too early, it waits. This is one reason a 495 km drive takes 9 to 10 hours!

The total road distance is about 2,700 km (1,740 miles), spread over 7 driving days. Most of the G318 and G219 highways are paved, but sections near Paryang and the lake basin can be rough, dusty or under repair. Expect to be shaken, not stirred!

Third, the kora. A deluxe vehicle takes you from Darchen to Yama Dwar (6 km), and the walk starts there. Vehicles are not allowed to go from Darchen or Yama Dwar to Dirapuk. 

Ponies and porters are available for hire, and yaks carry kitchen logistics between guesthouses. When you finish the circuit, your vehicle meets you near Darchen and drives on to Saga (450 km, about 8 hours).

Rotate seats each day, carry motion sickness tablets if you need them, and keep a small day bag within reach. You will not want to dig through luggage in a moving car!

Difficulty Level and Altitude Profile

We rate this tour moderate to hard. There is no technical climbing and no ice axe, but the altitude and the long driving days together make it harder than most people expect. 

The hardest day is day 12, when you walk about 22 km over Dolma La at 5,630 m. The hardest drives are days 9 and 13!

Here are the sleeping altitudes you will experience:

Common guidance above 3,000 m is to raise your sleeping altitude by no more than 500 m a day, with a rest day every few days. Our program follows that rule almost everywhere, with 1 exception. 

The jump from Shigatse (3,840 m) to Saga (4,640 m) is about 800 m, and the road offers no reasonable stop in between. This is the main reason we insist on 2 full nights in Lhasa first, and why we tell guests to drink water, skip alcohol and sleep early on day 8.

Fitness helps, but it does not protect you. A Lhasa study found that younger age, poor general health and rapid ascent were each linked to AMS, while earlier experience at altitude lowered the risk. 

So, a marathon runner can still get sick, and a calm 60-year-old who has been to Ladakh may sail through. Train for 8 to 12 weeks with long walks, stairs and a loaded daypack, so that 6 hours on your feet feels ordinary!

If a headache, nausea or heavy fatigue starts and rest does not clear it, tell your guide at once. The rule is simple: never go higher with symptoms, and descend if they worsen. 

Talk to your doctor before booking if you have heart, lung or blood pressure conditions!

Altitude Sickness on the Kailash Tour: Prevention and Response

Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is a group of symptoms, including headache, nausea, dizziness and poor sleep, that appears when the body cannot adjust quickly enough to lower oxygen at altitude. 

On this tour, the risk starts in Lhasa and climbs with every sleeping altitude above 4,000 m. A University of Oslo study of 2,385 tourists in Lhasa found that nearly half of the people who developed AMS noticed symptoms within 12 hours of landing, and that 79 percent had to reduce their activity. So the first night is when you need to pay attention.

Prevention is mostly a habit! Ascend gradually, keep your first day in Lhasa quiet, drink 3 to 4 litres of water daily and avoid alcohol and sleeping pills. Eat lightly but regularly!

Our program also follows the old rule of climb high, sleep low: on day 12 you reach 5,630 m but sleep at 4,790 m. Some doctors prescribe acetazolamide as a preventive, which is a conversation for your own physician, not something to start on the plane.

Know the warning signs and what to do about them. Mild symptoms mean you stop going higher, rest and watch closely. Moderate symptoms, such as a severe headache, repeated vomiting or a stumbling walk, mean you descend.

Two forms are emergencies: high altitude cerebral oedema (HACE), which brings confusion and loss of coordination, and high altitude pulmonary oedema (HAPE), which brings breathlessness at rest and a wet cough. Both need immediate descent and oxygen.

Oxygen on this tour comes in layers. We provide oxygen in the vehicle while driving and in the guesthouses in the morning and evening, and the rooms in Lhasa, Shigatse, Saga and Darchen have their own oxygen setup. 

For the kora, we suggest buying 2 cans of oxygen in Saga as emergency backup for the trail, because help can be more than a day away.

Tell your guide early and honestly! A guide who hears about a headache at breakfast can change the day. A guide who hears about it at the pass has far fewer options.

Visa Requirements for the Kathmandu Lhasa Kailash Overland Tour

Two separate visa systems apply to this tour. The first gets you into Nepal. The second gets you into China, which administers Tibet. Most trouble happens in the gap between the two, so it helps to take them one at a time!

Nepal

Indian citizens do not need a visa for Nepal while citizens of SAARC countries get a free 30-day visa on arrival for their first visit in a visa year. 

Most other travellers can obtain a tourist visa on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport. However, citizens of certain countries must obtain a visa in advance, so check Nepal's current entry requirements for your nationality before travelling. 

The fees are USD 30 for 15 days, USD 50 for 30 days, or USD 125 for 90 days.

Tibet China

Chinese visa requirements depend on your passport and the rules in effect when you travel. 

According to our current guidance, citizens of many countries can travel to Kailash without a Chinese visa in advance, but visa-free eligibility must be confirmed for your nationality and travel dates. Either way, you still need the Tibet Travel Permit, which we arrange through our local partners.

US and South African passport holders should plan ahead and arrange their Chinese visa at least 3 weeks before travelling to Kathmandu. 

Travellers of other nationalities who require an individual Chinese visa, also known as a China L visa, must apply for it themselves and obtain it before arriving in Kathmandu. Confirm the required application timeline for your nationality before booking!

From 2026, you can enter Tibet from Nepal with an individual Chinese visa issued in your home country, so you no longer need the Chinese group visa from Kathmandu. You will still need a Tibet Travel Permit, which our team arranges through a registered agency.

Before you buy your visa, we confirm your exact route in writing, so you can book with confidence.

Indian passport holders

Your process is a bit different! The Chinese Group Visa must be arranged in Delhi before you travel to Nepal, and the application needs your original passport. 

Send it at least 15 days before your planned travel date so the visa can be processed in Delhi. Do not travel to Kathmandu expecting the Chinese visa to be arranged there.

NRIs, OCI cardholders and foreign residents

Check the rules for the passport you will actually travel on. Visa requirements depend on nationality, not simply on your country of residence or OCI status.

Processing times depend on your nationality and the type of visa required, so start early. Before you book flights or buy any visa, send us your passport details and travel dates, and we will confirm the exact procedure for your passport!

Permits Needed for Mount Kailash and Tibet

Tibet is a permit-based destination, and four documents matter:

• The Tibet Travel Permit (TTP) is issued by the Tibet Tourism Bureau. It costs nothing in itself, but only a registered Tibetan travel agency can apply for it, so you cannot do it alone. It lists your approved cities and is checked when you board the Kathmandu flight, at hotels and at checkpoints.
• The Alien's Travel Permit (ATP) is required for areas outside Lhasa, which includes Shigatse, Saga and the Kailash region. 
• A military or border-area permit covers the sensitive zone around Manasarovar and Darchen. Your guide collects these in Tibet, usually within an hour or two in the relevant town. You do not carry them separately, but you must keep your passport accessible, since checkposts examine it often!
• Applications need clear scans of your passport, your Chinese visa if you have one, and details such as your occupation. Some professions, including journalists and diplomats, can face refusals or extra questions, so tell us early!

We recommend starting 45 days before departure, and a longer lead time during Saga Dawa. Your itinerary is fixed on the permit, which means you cannot change cities or add a side trip once it has been issued!

The rule behind all of this is simple. You cannot travel independently to Kailash as a foreign visitor. You travel with a registered agency, a licensed guide and an approved route. Sticking to it is the cheapest way to avoid trouble at checkpoints.

Accommodation in Kathmandu and Tibet

The accommodation changes as you travel west across Tibet, so it is worth knowing what to expect. 

In Kathmandu, we use Hyatt Centric or Radisson hotel, with accommodation on a twin-sharing basis. Your stay in Kathmandu is on a full-board basis, including meals as part of the package. The rooms offer modern comforts, private bathrooms and reliable facilities before you begin the high-altitude journey.

Lhasa has the best rooms of the trip. Hotels near the Barkhor are comfortable, heated and often offer oxygen supply in rooms or at reception. Shigatse is similar but simpler. These are the places to charge everything and have a proper hot shower!

In Lhasa, Shigatse, Saga and Darchen (and Nyalam, if you take the overland route), every room has an attached bathroom and an oxygen setup. Lhasa has the best rooms of the trip. 

Hotels near the Barkhor are comfortable and heated, and Shigatse is similar but simpler. These are the places to charge everything and have a proper hot shower! Saga is where comfort starts to drop, with limited hot water and the occasional power cut.

Lake Manasarovar, Dirapuk and Zuthulpuk are different. The bathrooms at these 3 holy places are very basic, and there are no attached bathrooms at any of them. At Manasarovar you stay in a basic guesthouse near the shore, and our shower tent covers the warm water for your puja.

If you want more comfort at the lake, the Mansarovar Hot Springs Hotel is a 5-star hotel on the shore. A double room costs US$ 250 per night, and the upgrade is an extra charge. Contact us or the hotel directly if you are interested.

On the kora, the guesthouses at Dirapuk and Zuthulpuk are the simplest of all. Expect dormitory beds or small rooms with shared sleeping platforms, blankets, squat toilets outside, no showers and electricity from solar panels or generators for a few hours. 

The common room has a yak-dung stove where everyone gathers. A sleeping bag rated to minus 10 °C and a silk liner make a big difference. Hot water is sold by the flask!

A single supplement is possible in Kathmandu, Lhasa and Shigatse. Beyond that, rooms are shared, and privacy is limited by what is available. That is the nature of the plateau!

Meals and Drinking Water on the Tour

Alpine Eco Trek operates this Kathmandu Lhasa Kailash Overland Tour on a full-board basis, with meals included throughout the trip according to the itinerary. Our food service is one of our strengths, supported by our own team of expert cooks, experienced guides and insured staff.

In Kathmandu, your hotel stay includes meals on a full-board basis. From Lhasa to Saga, meals are included at local restaurants, allowing you to experience local food along the Tibetan route.

From Saga onward, our own team prepares pure vegetarian Indian food, with a focus on South Indian and Nepali dishes. This gives our guests familiar, freshly prepared meals during the more remote part of the journey. 

Moreover, our local team understands the practical needs of travelling at high altitude and helps make meal arrangements throughout the tour.

We recommend eating regularly even when your appetite decreases at altitude. Soup, rice, vegetables and other freshly prepared dishes can help you maintain your energy during long drives and the Kailash kora. You should also carry personal snacks such as nuts, dried fruit and chocolate for the walking days, when shops and food stops are limited.

Our team provides 3 litres of pure drinking water per person every day. Do not drink directly from lakes or streams, including Lake Manasarovar, and carry a reusable water bottle and purification tablets as a backup.

If you have a food preference, such as Jain food or any other requirement, please tell us once you land in Kathmandu so our staff can do the shopping accordingly. Avoid alcohol during acclimatization.

Equipment That We Provide From Alpine Eco Trek

We provide these items, so you do not need to buy or carry them from home:

• Special down jacket for the kora
• Warm hat that covers the ears
• 1 large duffel bag for your main clothing
• 1 trekking bag for the kora
• 1 rain poncho

You will receive them once you land in Kathmandu. If your trip starts in Lhasa, our crew members hand them over in Saga!

Cost, Inclusions and What Changes the Price

The price of the Kathmandu Lhasa Kailash Fly in Fly Out Tour depends on a handful of variables, and understanding them helps you compare offers properly. 

The biggest factors are group size, the hotel category, the Kathmandu to Lhasa airfare and the season. Departures around Saga Dawa carry a premium because rooms in Darchen and Saga are scarce!

The Kathmandu Lhasa Kailash Tour package includes airport transfers, accommodation on a twin-sharing basis, full-board meals throughout the itinerary, Tibet permits, Chinese Group Visa assistance where applicable, ground transportation in Tibet, experienced guides, Alpine Eco Treks' Nepali staff support, listed entrance fees, return flights between Kathmandu and Lhasa, the equipment listed above, 3 litres of pure drinking water per person per day and the puja materials for the Manasarovar puja and homa.

In Kathmandu, we use Hyatt Centric or Radisson hotel, subject to the confirmed booking. 

From Lhasa to Saga, meals are included at local restaurants, while our own team prepares pure vegetarian Indian food from Saga onward. Visa fees and other charges that depend on nationality or individual circumstances will be clarified in your written quotation.

International flights to and from Kathmandu, personal expenses, tips, travel insurance and optional ponies or porters during the kora, the gratitude you offer to the Pandit ji, the Mansarovar Hot Springs Hotel upgrade (US$ 250 per night for a double room), the van from Gauri Kund with Darchen accommodation and meals if you choose that option, the vehicle and Darchen stay for the 1 day parikrama, and the 2 cans of emergency oxygen we suggest you buy in Saga are not included unless specifically stated in your quotation. Meals listed as included in the full-board package are covered; any exceptions will be clarified before booking.

Travel Insurance deserves another attention! Standard policies stop at 4,000 m or 4,500 m, so ask your provider for cover to at least 5,700 m with emergency evacuation, and do not count on helicopter rescue being available in western Tibet.

The rule we repeat to everyone is the same: compare inclusions line by line. A very low quote usually means a missing item, such as the air ticket, the visa service or a guide, that appears later as an extra. A fair price at Alpine Eco Trek is one where everything you need is on the page.