The 18-day Lhasa Mount Kailash Tour with Everest Base Camp (EBC) is a comprehensive tour package that combines Tibet’s rich cultural heritage with the mythical natural beauty exploring major attractions of central Tibet and the high Himalayan voyage. The tour takes you from the raw wilderness of the Tibetan Himalayas to semi-modern towns and cities, where Mt. Kailash (6,638 m), North Base Camp of Everest (5,150 m), and Lake Mansarovar are the prime highlights of the overall journey to the Tibetan plateau.
Starting with the discovery and exploration of the UNESCO World’s Heritage sites in the Kathmandu Valley and with a flight to Lhasa, the overland Lhasa Everest Kailash Tour includes visits to Tibet’s most iconic monuments, such as Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Drepung, Tibetan streets, and Barkhor Street in Lhasa, then heads to Shigatse, the second largest Tibetan city, with Tashilumpo Monastery as the seat of Panchen Lama.
From Shigatse, the journey continues overland to the Nagri region, where you will visit the sacred Lake Mansarovar and circumnavigate on foot around the holy Mount Kailash, revered by multiple religions of the world, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Buddhism. Generally, this Mount Kailash Parikrama takes around 3 days, starting from Darchen and reaching the high pass of Dolma La at an altitude of 5,645 m, from where you will retrace the route back to Kathmandu.
As the returning tour from Kailash and Mansarovar counties, the route takes you to the northern base of the world’s largest peak—Everest Base Camp (EBC) in Tibet. Mt. Everest in Tibet is also known as Chomolungma, “Goddess Mother of the World." It would be gratifying to marvel at the north face of the mountain range which is both majestic and awe-inspiring, especially during sunrise which takes you through remote Tibetan villages, high mountain passes, and panoramic views of the Himalayas.
Therefore, the 18-day pilgrimage tour to Lhasa Mount Kailash with EBC is a transformative journey, visiting Lhasa’s architectural wonders, monasteries, and Barkhor streets that then head across the Tibetan plateau to Shigaste, Lake Mansarovar, Mt. Kailash, Rongbuk, and North Everest Base Camp (EBC) in Tibet. It is one of those rare opportunities that promises an unparalleled experience of Tibet’s rugged natural beauty, serene landscapes, and spirituality, with frequent stops at several monasteries and pilgrimage sites, including Mt. Kailash and Lake Mansarovar!
Trip Highlights
- UNESCO World’s Heritage Sites Sightseeing in the Kathmandu Valley, including Pashupatinath Temple, Boudhnath, Swyambhunath, Pashupatinath, and a trilogy of ancient royal palaces and courts called Bhaktapur, Basantapur, and Patan.
- Enjoy a short, scenic, and thrilling flight to and from Lhasa.
- Drive along the well-paved road through an extensive, out-of-this-world Tibetan plateau featuring rugged trails, cliff faces, freshwater lakes, waterfalls, and high passes.
- An opportunity to see the highest mountain on the planet, Mt. Everest (8,848), from varying points of view and reach the bottom of one of the holiest mountain ranges of Asia, Mt. Kailash.
- Leave your footprints in the historically rich yet modern Tibetan cities of Lhasa, Shigatse, and Gyantse.
- Spiritually enriching dips, rites, and rituals around Lake Manasarovar with massive cultural and religious significance in Hinduism and Buddhism.
- Complete transformative 3-day Parikrma/kora/circumambulation of Mount Kailash.
- Visit some of Tibet's top-notch historical, cultural, and spiritual landmarks, such as Tashilapmo Monastery, Yamdrok Lake, Potala Palace, Jhokhang Temple, Barkhor Streets, and many more.
- An exciting overland journey through vast, dramatic, and rugged landscapes of Tibet, etc.
What makes the Lhasa Mount Kailash Tour with EBC unique?
Several elements make the Lhasa Everest Kailash Tour special; however, if you are precisely concerned about what you would be offered on the journey, it is undoubtedly the seamless combination of spiritual pilgrimage and high-altitude adventure in the rugged Tibetan plateau that has preserved centuries-old culture, traditions, and historical and cultural sites.
Travelers can expect an unforgettable self-reflecting journey through remote Tibetan villages, mountain passes, and stunning panoramic views of the Himalayas, offering a deeper cultural and natural appreciation and connection with the Himalayas, added much to the spiritual dimension by a sacred kora circumambulation to Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar, along with a visit to the North Base Camp of Everest, as briefed below:
Unique Himalayan landscape
The Kailash Yatra, with a side trip to EBC, progresses through the rugged and remote Himalayan landscape of Tibet. Throughout the journey, you will be driven amidst the majestic Himalayan peaks in stark contrast to the rugged, arid landscapes with wide open barren lands and expansive skies.
This more spiritual quest progresses through the highest and largest plateau in the world, also referred to as the “Tibetan Plateau,” giving it the name “roof of the world,” dotted with several vast deserts, sacred lakes, snow-capped mountains, and high altitude passes that have distinctive views of Mt. Everest (8,848 m) from its classic trail in Nepal and the spiritual serenity of Mt. Kailash (6,638 m).
As you travel through Tibet, from the ancient city and also the trade hub, Lhasa to the sacred Mt. Kailash, glacial alpine lake Mansarovar, and iconic Everest Base Camp, you will encounter striking variations of natural features that are not only visually stunning but spiritually profound as well.
The capital city of Tibet, Lhasa
Lhasa, serving as the gateway or starting point of the spiritual voyage to Kailash Mansarovar flying from Kathmandu, Nepal, is the capital city of the Tibetan Autonomous Region in China at an altitude of 3,650 m/11,975 ft above sea level on the Tibetan Plateau. Also known as the “city of the gods,” Lhasa is home to some of the world's most famous historical and cultural landmarks, such as Potala Palace, Jhokhang, and Barkhor Circuit.
Potala Palace, perched on a hill, is the residence of the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet. It was originally built in the 7th century and later expanded in the 17th century by the 5th Dalai Lama. Similarly, Jhokhang Temple, located in the heart of Tibet, is considered the holiest pilgrimage across the region, where both stand as symbols of Tibetan Buddhism, blending meticulously with modern Chinese influence to dive into the spiritual and cultural significance of the region.
Visitors can also explore the Barkhor Circuit, Sera, and Drepung monasteries, adored by colorful prayer flags, while the surrounding area is predominated by snow-clad peaks and deep valleys offering glimpses into the Tibetan local religious life.
Sacred Lakes of Yamdrok and Mansarovar
Nestled at an elevation of around 4,441 m/14,570 ft above sea level, Yamdrok Lake, also renowned as Yamdrok Yumtso, is one of the three largest sacred lakes in Tibet, alongside Namtso and Mansarovar. The lake is the epitome of turquoise beauty at its serenity and is popular for spiritual healing. Locals believe that it represents the lifeline of the region and has one of the best views of the Himalayas as you cross the Kamba La Pass to arrive at Yamdrok during the Lhasa Mount Kailash with Everest Base Camp (EBC) Tour.
Nearby Yamdrok is another holy lake called Mansarovar in proximity to Mount Kailash. The pristine, crystal-clear water body is taken as one of the holiest lakes in the globe. In Hinduism, the lake is revered as the one created by Lord Brahma and thought to possess soul-purifying and spiritual merit divinity. Buddhist pilgrims visit the lake as a place of enlightenment, while Jainism links the lake to the lives of Tirthankaras. This Lake Mansarovar is often visited as a part of the Kailash Yatra.
Both lakes are remarked for reflection of surrounding majestic peaks of the Himalayas crafting another worldly beautiful scenery to witness, including that of Mt. Kailash in Lake Mansarovar, a true haven for photographers and nature lovers alike during the combined overland tour to Lhasa, Kailash, and Everest Base Camp (EBC).
The most sacred mountain in Asia, Mt.Kailash, and its region
Mount Kailash is one of the prime destinations of the overland Lhasa Everest Kailash Tour, as is its region. Due to the presence of one of the most spiritually significant landmarks of the world, Mt. Kailash, which is believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva in Hinduism as mentioned in religious scripts of the Ramayana and Mahabharata, is taken as Mount Meru, the center of the universe and the home of Buddha Demchok as a supreme harmony in Buddhism.
Standing tall at an elevation of approximately 6,638 m/21,778 ft, Kailash is a distinctive pyramid-like peak also well cherished by Jains and Bons and hence is called the holiest in Asia that charms Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Bons alike and often is characterized by rugged terrain, high-altitude desserts, rolling plains, and jagged mountain ranges, granting a true sense of isolation and sacredness.
Pilgrims across the world undertake a ritual walk around Mt. Kailash, well known as Kora, as a form of devotion that also involves crossing the highest altitude of the overall journey to the Lhasa Mount Kailash with Everest Base Camp (EBC) of 5,636 m/18,500 ft at Drolma La Pass; hence, it is crucial travelers and visitors are well acclimatized to the high altitude level.
The Kora is approximately 52 km/32 miles and is trusted as a spiritual purification while you witness the pyramid-like peak, Mt. Kailash, often shrouded in clouds, which adds much to the mystical aura. Therefore, the peak is not just a geographical landmark but a significant symbol of spirituality, natural beauty, and mystery, attracting thousands of pilgrims, natural lovers, and adventurous alike every year.
The Northern Base Camp of the highest mountain giant on the earth, Mt. Everest (8,848m)
This 18-day Kailash Parikrama Tour also includes a visit to the Everest Base Camp in Tibet. Located comparatively at a lower altitude than the south base camp in Nepal, the north base camp in Tibet, situated at an altitude of around 5,150 m, is accessible by four-wheelers such as cars and jeeps as well without having to involve oneself for several days of hiking through the alpine region through the classic Everest Base Camp route in Nepal.
However, the rewards of standing in the shadows of Everest, the largest mountain peak, are second to none as you arrive at the towering, sheer cliffs and rugged beauty relishing the sweeping vistas of the Himalayas passing by Tibetan highlands and high altitude passes. Therefore, for those seeking an unparalleled adventure with a sense of accomplishment and personal growth, the Lhasa Mount Kailash Tour with Everest Base Camp (EBC) is a perfect journey that caters to the interests of a wide range of adventurous souls hoping for spiritual awakening routes.
Why is the 18-day itinerary the best route for Mount Kailash Yatra?
Though Happy Land Treks offers you the flexibility to customize the Kailash Mansarovar Tour, the 18-day itinerary is regarded as the best route due to the balanced combination of spiritual quest, high altitude acclimatization, and cultural exploration without missing any of the allure Tibet has to offer from the capital city, Lhasa, and its centuries-old religious and cultural sites, some even listed in the UNESCO World’s Heritage Sites, including Potala Palace and several others to Mt. Kailash, Mansarovar Lake, and North Everest Base Camp.
Travelers get to ascent gradually, letting you maintain the pace along with in-depth exploration followed by flexibility and contingency, adequate physical and mental preparation, and smooth travel logistics while minimizing the risks of altitude mountain sickness (AMS) or acute mountain sickness, making the 18-day itinerary and the ideal route for Mount Kailash Kora.
18-Day Mount Kailash Trip Cost for 2024/2025
The combined Lhasa Mount Kailash Tour with Everest (EBC) cost in 2024/2025 can typically range between USD 3,500 and USD 4,500 or more based on the level of services included and excluded. The package cost can be greatly influenced by the type of operator you have chosen for the trip (local or international), the level of accommodation, meal options, and the group size as well.
It's important to note that Tibet prohibits solo travel and visits without the assistance of local guides, tour operators, or organizers. These individuals typically handle the logistics of each Himalayan voyage, including obtaining necessary permits and visas. Therefore, it is better to purchase the best-suited itinerary and package for yourself, whose cost usually covers expense fees for travel permits, guide services, transportation, accommodation, and everyday meals from breakfast, lunch, and dinner.