FAQS

Kailash Mansarovar Yatra FAQs

What is the document requirements to apply for Kailash Mansarovar Overland Tour Booking?

The most important document is a valid passport. All travelers, irrespective to their nationality and geographical location must have a valid passport for traveling to Mt. Kailash and Lake Mansarovar situated in Tibet, China. The passport should have minimum six months valid from the date of entering into Tibetan territories to visit Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar. It is the sole responsibility of the traveler to ensure for the authenticity and validity of their documents.

What kind of fitness is required to be eligible to undertake the Kailash Mansarovar Overland Fixed Departure Tour?

For Kailash Manasarovar overland tour in the remote land of Tibetan Autonomous Region, (TAR) physical and mental fitness is very important. It is advisable to get a medical examination with your regular doctor before you plan to go on Mount Kailash tour. Anyone suffering from back problems may find the long drives over bumpy roads difficult. People suffering from Asthma or any kind of dust allergy are forewarned that the amount of dust on the road necessitates wearing a mask. Apart from that, it is a good idea to prepare in advance with brisk walking, and some regimen of exercise or preferably yoga asanas and pranayama. Eventually, for most people the Kailash Kora is an act of faith.

What precautions should I take during the trip, for health?

During tour in Kailash, Tibet, with the increasing altitude and decreasing oxygen level, the travelers must eat well, drink plenty of water or juices etc., take proper rest in order to get acclimatized (adjusting the body and mind with the local weather in high altitude) for a safe and comfortable journey.

What kind of medicines should I carry along during the tour?

Our tour leader is already going to carry abundant medicines which have been approved by the highly professional doctors from Nepal and Tibet for your safety. However we recommend that you carry a basic first aid kit with other regular medicines for cold, fever, loose motion, headache, body ache, bandage, etc. If you are taking some other medicines regularly, please carry sufficient medicine for an extended duration of your trip.

Is high altitude sickness obvious? How to handle this situation?

Based on the health of an individual the impact of high altitude weather may differ. It is not necessary that one will get high altitude sickness during the trip, but it is also not sure that one will not face this problem. High altitude sickness is very common while traveling to such a height in mountains and this goes away with time, depending on your own immunity and ability to overcome this situation. Acclimatize yourself properly, keep yourself hydrated during the travel, eat well, practice yoga and meditation before and during your travel to avoid or overcome the high altitude sickness. If you face high altitude sickness and need some medical help, contact your guide and follow his instructions. In a few days if the health does not improve and the guide suggest you not to go in higher altitude, you must not avoid his suggestion.

What kind of emergency evacuation facilities are available?

During Kailash overland tour in the event of emergency we provide all possible and available emergency evacuation facilities such as ground ambulance, helicopter ambulance, doctors, hospitalization etc. but the same is payable by the travelers only. We do not take any liability for payments of hospital bills, medicines, emergency evacuation transport, additional accommodation and food bills etc. One must carry sufficient money to overcome with such situations.

How much walking is required on the Kailash Outer Kora (Parikarma)?

You will need to walk during the Parikarma, if you decide to undertake it. This is a 53-kms / 3 days trek done at an average altitude of 15000 ft. and the highest point is the Dolma La (Pass) at 19,500 ft. Attempt walking the entire distance including the trek up the Dolma La only if you are extremely fit physically. If you are reasonably fit and feel that you cannot walk in that high altitude you may hire a pony (subject to availability) for the 3-day Parikarma/kora. There is a facilitation counter before the trek starting point where our guide may assist you for this service.

The approximate expense for hiring a horse with a horseman is US$ 550. If you wish to hire a porter, the same is available at an additional expense of US$ 160 approx. You may need the yak on day 2 of the Parikarma on the ascent to Dolma La. But knowing the behavior of the yak and the yak men, you should be prepared for some walk on the first and last day of the Parikarma. On these 2 days the walks are in general over level ground (i.e. with no major ascents or descents). There will be a walking for approx. 6-7 hours on the first day, 8-10 hours on the second day and 2-3 hours on the third day of the kora. However, there is the option of not doing the Parikarma at all and staying behind in a hotel at Darchen at your own cost. We can pick you up from Darchen on our return journey after the Parikarma.

Do I need an insurance for this trip?

We highly recommend that you carry a valid travel and health insurance policy for this trip. The level of uncertainty in a trip to Kailash Mansarovar is very high even in the normal scenario. Due to several reasons, sudden changes in travel date or route, forced delays in the trip and even last minute cancellation of the trip can take place before or during the trip. Also this trip is performed in extreme inhospitable weather conditions and if any traveler has to be hospitalized due to bad health or if emergency evacuation is required, the expenditure in Tibet and Nepal can be very high.

We therefore strongly recommend that you carry a good insurance which does not only cover high altitude medical expense but also provides the facility of emergency evacuation. Also, in many cases the delay or a cancellation of a trip may bring the traveler unwanted extra expense in the shape of their flight rescheduling and/or cancellation etc., where an flight ticket insurance can be helpful to recover the non-refundable expense. Please make sure that your insurance does works all sorts of adversities, which are common in Kailash Mansarovar overland tour.

What is the best time to go on the tour to Kailash Manasarovar?

Mount Kailash is situated in one of the few coldest regions of Tibet. The annual average temperature in Mount Kailash region is only 0℃. The warmest months are July and August, with an average monthly high of 14 ℃ during the day, and the average low of 2℃ overnight. The coldest period is long, which is from November to March, when the average high temperature hardly remains above the freezing.
Generally, there are only half a year suitable for traveling in this region, which is from May to October, among which May, June, September and October are believed as the best times to take a Mount Kailash trip.

How much is the cost for Kailash Mansarovar Overland Tour?

The cost of a trip to Kailash Mansarovar Overland tour for Non-Indian passport holders varies from US$ 2500 to US$ 3000 or more. Such cost includes mainly accommodation, food, ground transport in Nepal & Tibet, normal Tibet entry visa and other items as may be detailed in cost inclusions for each itinerary and case.

What kind of accommodation is available on this trip?

A trip to Mount Kailash Mansarovar is not about luxuries or comfort. Still, for travelers it is fairly okay to expect a clean place with basic amenities. The standard of accommodation and travel services available in this region is improving with the time, but at most places, except in the big cities and towns the travelers are left with the only option to stay in guesthouses in a dormitory style accommodation which lack even the basic facilities.

What kind of food is served during the trip?

During entire trip of Kailash Mansarovar food served by the hotels, guesthouses and our chef is always pure vegetarian.

What is the menu for food served during the tour?

While staying in hotels the travelers get buffet meal usually which is pure and especially placed for the Kailash tour travelers mostly. During travel in Tibet side though there is no set menu for food but usually for breakfast one gets high energy and nutritious beverages like bournvita, Horlicks along with tea/coffee followed by option of porridge, cornflakes, pancakes, upma, pakoras, paranthas, puri aalloo, bread butter/ jams etc.

Lunch is generally packed and served at a scenic spot near some holy lakes. It consists of a tetra pack (Frooti etc) or lime water with glucose, puri/chapatti & vegetables, tinned fruits/sweets, pickle. Dinner is at the campsite and the menu is very varied with availability of soup, Indian bread, dal, rice, salad, noodles and some desert.

What type of water is provided during the trip?

While staying in hotels in Nepal side, you may get filtered water provided by the hotels for their in-house guests. During travel in Tibet, and especially while staying near the lake or doing Kailash Parikrama, water is collected from streams near the campsite and served after boiling, hence it is safe for drinking. You can add iodine drops or chlorine tablets, if you wish to. You may also buy mineral water from market, if you want.

What kind of clothing is required for traveling to Kailash Mansarovar?

A trip to Kailash Mansarovar is performed in high altitude region where the extreme weather conditions are really tough. It is recommended that you bring enough warm clothes with you and carry multiple layers of clothes. Monkey cap, Thermal wear, Woolen gloves, Comfortable waterproof shoes, Face masks, Sunscreen lotion, Sun glasses, Walking stick etc are some recommended packing items. For more, please contact us.

What type of ground transport is provided on this trip?

During your tour in Nepal, Alpine Eco Trek provides decent air-conditioned buses, jeeps or cars for transfers and sightseeing purpose. From Kathmandu to Kerung the road condition is poor and this ride is going to be long and tiring, here we provide only non-air-conditioned small buses or jeeps.
During your tour in Tibet, the buses are fairly good and comfortable deluxe buses are provided for all road travel. For Mansarovar Lake Kora, one has to use local vehicles permitted by the local authority.

Is booking open for Kailash Mansarovar Overland Tour?

Yes, bookings are open for the Kailash Mansarovar overland tour. If you are interested in participating in this sacred journey, you can secure your spot by contacting us for further details and assistance with the booking process.