Simikot Kailash Manasarovar Tour
Before opening the Simikot-Hilsa route, travellers had to travel to Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar either via Lhasa or via Zhang-Mu. From 1993, travellers began making their way to Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar via the Simikot-Hilsa route. This route is the shortest and most practical for trekkers in terms of both elevation and distance. The tour to Mt. Kailash commences from Simikot, which is situated at an elevation of 2910 meters, and climbs up to Na-Lagna pass (4330 meters) before reaching the arid Tibetan Plateau. From Simikot, it is a 6-day journey to reach the Tibetan border town, which is plenty of time to be acclimatized for high altitude. There is no direct air service from Kathmandu to Simikot, so travellers generally have to fly to Simikot via Nepalgunj, the regional hub of Western Nepal. From Kathmandu we either have to take a 12-hour overland journey by bus OR we have to take a one-hour flight to Nepalgunj. Both options are available on a regular basis. The Nepalgunj-Simikot flight operates early in the morning, so we must stay a night in Nepalgunj to catch the flight the next day.
Monsoon rains often delay the Nepalgunj-Simikot flights and make it difficult to get tickets, so it is always better to book this trip as earlier as possible. Our capable guides and sherpas take care of ensuring that all necessary provisions for tour are taken care of throughout the trip.
The tour (Mt. Kilash & Lake Manasarovar tour) normally ends in Zhang-Mu and it requires at least 20 days. But if you would like to continue your journey to Lhasa we can arrange this for you. Also, we can combine the Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar tour with the Tibet Everest Base Camp tour.
Simikot to Mt. Kailash tour: 20 Days (Itinerary)
Day 01: Arrival Kathmandu – transfer hotel – tour briefing
Day 02 & 03: Free time in Kathmandu
Day 04: Transfer airport – Fly Nepalgunj – transfer hotel
Day 05: Transfer airport – fly Simikot – commence trek to Tuling
Day 06: Trekking, Thuling to Kermi (2530 m)
Day 07: Trekking, Kermi to Yangar (3040 m)
Day 08: Trekking, Yangar to Yari (3240 m)
Day 09: Trek over Nara-La (4620 m) then descend to Hilsa (3300 m)
Day 10: Cross Hilsa border – trek to Sher then drive to Taklakot. En route, visit Khojarnath temple (3590 m)
Day 11: Rest at Taklakot
Day 12: Jeep tour: Purang to Lake Manasarovar (Chiu Gomba- 4550 m)
Day 13: Jeep tour: Lake Manasarovar to Darchen (4520 m)
Day 14: Trekking around Mt. Kailash – early morning drive to Darboche and start trekking to Dera Phuk (4860 m)
Day 15: Trekking around Mt. Kailash – Dera Phuk to Zutul Phuk (4760 m)
Day 16: Trekking around Mt. Kailash – finish trek near Darchen then drive to Horaa Qui (Lake Manasarovar)
Day 17: Jeep tour: Lake Manasarovar to Paryang
Day 18: Jeep tour: Paryang to Saga (4600 m)
Day 19: Jeep tour: Saga to Nyalam (3750 m)
Day 20: Jeep tour: Nyalam – Zhang-Mu – Kathmandu
Day 21: Free time in Kathmandu
Day 22: Departure
SOME OPTIONAL PROGRAMS
1. Kathmandu > Zhang-Mu >Mt. Kailash Lake Manasarovar > Simikot Trek > Kathmandu : 24 Days
Day 01: Arrive Kathmandu, meet at the airport and transfer to hotel
Day 02 & 03: In Kathmandu
Day 04: Kathmandu to Nyalam (3750m). Overnight at Nyalam Guest house
Day 05: Rest at Nyalam Overnight at Nyalam Guest house
Day 06: Nyalam / Saga (4600m)- 270km; overnight camping
Day 07: Saga / Paryang (4540m)- 252km; overnight camping
Day 08: Parayang Lake Manasarovar (Chiugomba- 4550 m) – 294km; overnight at guest house
Day 09: Lake Manasarivar rest; overnight camping
Day 10: Lake Manasarovar / Darchen (4520m); overnight at guest house
Day 11: Darchen to Dera Phuk Gomba (4860m) – Trekking around Mt. Kailash; overnight camping
Day 13: Deraphuk Gomba to Zutulphuk Gomba (4760m). Trekking around Mt. Kailash; overnight camping
Day 14: End trek and drive back to Darchen
Day 15: Drive to Purang
Day 16 – 21: Cross border then trek to Simikot
Day 22: Fly, Simikot – Nepalgunj then fly to Kathmandu
Day 23: Free time in Kathmandu
Day 24: Departure
2. Kathmandu > Simikot trek > Mt. Kailash Lake Manasarovar > Lhasa > Fly to Kathmandu : 28 Days
Day 01: Arrival Kathmandu – transfer hotel – tour briefing
Day 02 & 03: Free time in Kathmandu
Day 04: Transfer airport – Fly Nepalgunj – transfer hotel
Day 05: Transfer airport – fly Simikot – commence trek Tuling
Day 06: Tuling to Kermi (2530 m)
Day 07: Kermi to Yangar (3040 m)
Day 08: Yangar to Yari (3240 m)
Day 09: Trek over Nara-La (4620 m) then descend to Hilsa (3300 m)
Day 10: Cross the border/trek Sera/Khojarnath (3590 m) – finish trek
Day 11: Khojarnath to Purang (Taklakot -3770 m); overnight camping
Day 12: Purang to Lake Manasarovar (Chiu Gomba- 4550 m)
Day 13: Drive to Darchen (4520 m)
Day 14: Trek to Dera Phuk (4860 m) – trekking around Mt. Kailash
Day 15: Dera Phuk to Zutul Phuk (4760 m) – trekking Mt. Kailash
Day 16: End trek and drive to Horaa (Lake Manasarovar)- Finish trekking around Mt. Kailash
Day 17: Lake Manasarovar to Paryang
Day 18: Paryang – Saga (4600 m)
Day 19: Saga – Lhatse (3950 m)
Day 20: Lhatse – Shigatse (3900 m) via Shakya
Day 22: Shigatse – Gyantse (3950 m)
Day 23: Gyantse – Lhasa (3650 m)
Day 24 & 25: Lhasa sightseeing tour
Day 26: Fly back to Kathmandu
Day 27: Free time in Kathmandu
Day 28: Departure
3. Fly to Lhasa > Mt. Kailash Lake Manasarovar > Trek to Simikot > Fly back to Kathmandu : 26 Days
Day 01: Arrival Kathmandu – transfer hotel – tour briefing
Day 02 & 03: Free time in Kathmandu
Day 04: Flight to Lhasa – meet at the airport and transfer to your hotel
Day 05: Sightseeing tour of Lhasa including Potala Palace, Sera Monastery and Norbulinka
Day 06: Sightseeing tour of Lhasa including Drepung Monastery, Jokhang Temple & Barkhor Square
Day 07: Drive, Lhasa – Gyantse (3950 m)
Day 08: Gyantse – Shigatse (3900 m)
Day 09: Shigatse – Lhatse (3950 m) via Sakya
Day 10: Lhatse – Saga (4600 m)
Day 11: Saga – Paryang (4550 m)
Day 12: Paryang – Mayum-La pass – Lake Manasarovar (4550 m)
Day 13: Lake Manasarovar to Darchen (4600 m)
Day 14: Darchen to Deraphuk Gomba – Trekking around Mt. Kailash
Day 15: Deraphuk Gomba to Zutul Phuk Gomba – Trekking around Mt. Kailash
Day 16: Finish trek and drive back to Darchen (4600 m)
Day 17: Darchen – Purang
Day 18 – 23: Cross border then trek to Simikot
Day 24: Fly, Simikot – Nepalgunj then fly to Kathmandu
Day 25: Free time in Kathmandu
Day 26: Departure
It is possible to make a tour to Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar combined with the major attractions of central Tibet (Tsedang, Samye, Lhasa, Gyantse, Shigatse, Yangpachen and Sakya). Generally, our tour covers Lhasa, Gyantse, Shigatse and Sakya then eventually it merges with the main route from Kathmandu to Kailash in Saga (a small Tibetan town) then we continue with the set route for the remainder of the journey. Our tour to Mt. Kailash & Lake Manasarovar from Lhasa requires at least 19 days. However, depending on your time frame and places you would like to cover in the tour, the tour can be adjusted. Lhasa to Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar tour commences from Kathmandu with an hour Trans-Himalayan flight to Gonggar Airport in Tibet. Our Tibetan guide meets you at the airport and escorts you to the main city (Lhasa), which is 98 km away from the airport. In Lhasa, we have a two-day sightseeing tour that covers almost all the main sites situated within Lhasa. After that we start our journey to Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar via Gynatse, Shigatse and Sakya Monastery. As usual, “Lhasa to Mt. Kailash Tour” consists of a 3-day circumambulation around the holy Mt. Kailash. The tour ends at Zhang-Mu.
