Kailash Charan Sparsh Yatra - 15 Nights 16 Days

When you arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport, you will be warmly greeted by a member of our staff. You will then be escorted through all airport procedures, such as immigration and baggage reclaim, and finally transported to your accommodation in Kathmandu. Once checked into your ii/ai accommodation, you not only have the rest of that day to enjoy whatever you like, but you can also enjoy some traditional Nepalese food at a welcome dinner before retiring back to your room for a restful night.

In the late afternoon, you will have a short stroll around the local neighbourhood. This walk will acquaint you with the rhythm of daily life in Nepal’s capital. In the evening, our guide will brief you about the trip , cultural traditions and the importance of yatra. On the morning of Day 2, you will visit Pashupatinath, the most sacred of all temples in Nepal.

The specially arranged Rudrabhisek ceremony will be officiated by Vedic priests who will recite sacred mantras while performing puja rituals involving the use of holy water, milk and bel patras. You will be amazed by the illumination of divine energy as participants gather on the banks of the Bagmati River. In addition, you will observe cremation ceremonies as part of the Hindu belief in life, death and rebirth.

Following the conclusion of this morning's ceremony, you will be returned to your accommodation for breakfast.  In the afternoon, you will visit Boudhanath Stupa, one of the largest stupas in Nepal. You'll circle the stupa clockwise, spinning prayer wheels and seeing maroon-robed monks. Tibetan shops, rooftop cafés and monasteries will enclose the site. Later, you will visit the Budhanilkantha Temple to check out where a reclining statue of Lord Vishnu lies in a pond. You will be back in the hotel by evening.

On the morning of Day 2, you will visit Pashupatinath, the most sacred of all temples in Nepal. The specially arranged Rudrabhisek ceremony will be officiated by Vedic priests who will recite sacred mantras while performing puja rituals involving the use of holy water, milk and bel patras.

You will be amazed by the illumination of divine energy as participants gather on the banks of the Bagmati River. In addition, you will observe cremation ceremonies as part of the Hindu belief in life, death and rebirth.

Following the conclusion of this morning's ceremony, you will be returned to your accommodation for breakfast. 

In the afternoon, you will visit Boudhanath Stupa, one of the largest stupas in Nepal. You'll circle the stupa clockwise, spinning prayer wheels and seeing maroon-robed monks.

Tibetan shops, rooftop cafés and monasteries will enclose the site. Later, you will visit the Budhanilkantha Temple to check out where a reclining statue of Lord Vishnu lies in a pond. You will be back in the hotel by evening.

After breakfast, you will drive to the historical town of Sankhu, a popular traditional Newari village located to the east of Kathmandu. You'll take a walk along the stone-paved streets with old houses, temples, and water spouts.

You will visit the Swasthani Temple, the temple of Goddess Swasthani, with beautiful idols, where local women worship with a hope for the well-being of their families. The tranquility of the environment will provide an opportunity to see life in a rural religious setting.

Here, you can start your trek to Nagarkot Hill from Sankhu. The trek will wind through terraced farmlands, pine forests, and tiny hamlets.

You will arrive at Nagarkot, a popular hill station, by late afternoon. Before dinner, you'll be rewarded with views of a rolling hillside during sunset. Nagarkot will be the place for an overnight stay.

Today, you will hike for sunrise over the Himalaya ranges from the camping site early in the morning.

On a clear day, the golden light will strike peaks like Langtang and Ganesh Himal. After breakfast, you commence your downhill walk to Changu Narayan Temple, the oldest Hindu temple of Nepal.

The route will go from villages to the jungle and up onto the open ridges.

You will visit the ancient stone carvings and the pagoda style of the architecture, as you learn about the worship of Lord Vishnu at Changu Narayan. From there, you will be driven to Doleshwar Mahadev, which is said to be the head of Kedarnath. 

Nepali and Indian worshippers can be observed praying while ringing temple bells. Return to Kathmandu in the late afternoon. You can enjoy the remaining part of the day resting, packing, and planning for the journey tomorrow.

You will start your day with an early breakfast and hit the road, driving through some of the best mountain scenery to the Nepal-Tibet border.

The road traverses past rivers, green hills, and rural towns. You will also see roadside tea shops, suspension bridges, and terraced fields along the way. You’ll then enter Tibet and drive to Kyirong (Kerung).

You can observe a significant difference in the continent as you pass into Tibet. Valleys will open up, mountains will spike, and Tibetan prayer flags will border the road. You will see traditional stone houses, yaks grazing, and residents dressed in woolens.

Upon your arrival in Kyirong, you can check into a hotel and take a break. The night will continue to support altitude acclimatization. Your Tibetan-style dinner will be served tonight in Kyirong, and you’ll rest here overnight.

The emphasis for the day will be on getting properly acclimatized. After breakfast, take a relaxing walk in and around Kyirong town.

Here you can see how local Tibetan life goes on, with prayers being performed by Tibetans, herds of yak, and daily business in the market. Hills, rivers, and snow-capped mountains are all around you, making it a beautiful and serene environment.

You might drop in at a nearby monastery where monks intone prayers in sonorous bass notes. You’ll experience Tibetan Buddhism, prayer wheels, and mani stones inscribed with sacred mantras.

The afternoon will be spent resting and drinking liquids as your body acclimatizes. Our guide will keep an eye on your health and tell you how to take precautions at this high altitude. Dinner and the night will be quiet, with little dining and an early bedtime, to get ready for still higher regions in the days to come.

Today, you will drive towards Saga along the Tibetan Plateau after breakfast. The road traverses snow-capped mountains, vast grasslands, and deep river valleys, offering the best views during the journey. Along the way, you can see nomadic tents, yak herds, and wind-whipping prayer flags.

You will have a few short breaks along the way to stretch and take in the views. In order to maintain energy & warmth throughout the day, each of the many local teahouses offers traditional Tibetan food to their customers.  At about mid-afternoon, you will arrive in Saga, a small place along the main route for all those people who travel to Mount Kailash. You will register at the hotel you will also stay overnight. You will be greeted by a variety of religious travelers on your slow-paced walking tour of a town at night, making this a congenial experience for all participants.

Today is about getting to the sacred Lake Mansarovar (4,590m), an enormous high-altitude freshwater body, via some of Tibet's most breathtaking landscapes.

Vast areas without human settlement, breathtaking scenery, including Mount Gurla Mandhata, will also be available to see. You will hike through vast grasslands where antelope and wild yak have been seen.

You will arrive at Mansarovar Lake in the afternoon. The serene blue water against the snow-capped peaks will set an extremely spiritual scene. You will stroll along the shores of the lake, pray, and take holy water.

It will be a calm sunset over the lake in the evening, which will be a very fantastic experience. You will camp at night near Mansarovar, experiencing the strong positive vibes of the holy place.

Morning, you will take a bath for puja and Havan at Lake Mansarovar. Vedic hymns will be chanted by priests, who will conduct a fire ritual.

The reflection of mountains in Lake Mansarovar takes your spiritual experience to the fullest. After breakfast, you will drive to Darchen (base camp of Mount Kailash).

There will be the first clear view of Mount Kailash’s south face. Pilgrims are often quite moved to see the mountain. Upon arrival at Darchen, you will check into the guest house and rest. The afternoon will be at leisure to relax and prepare for departure. You will sort out trekking equipment and receive a refresher briefing on the Kailash Kora. We’ll have dinner and stay overnight there in Darchen.

On the tenth day of the Pashupatinath & Kailash Yatra, you will drive to Yam Dwar in the morning, the gateway to Mount Kailash.

Pilgrims say this is where salvation begins, and you will perform morning prayers before the trek begins. The path is a gentle climb, rocky at times, with a led trail.

You will cross the Lha Chu River and trek alongside prayer flags and mani walls. The north face of Mt. Kailash will gradually come into view, and you'll have the most amazing visual experience.

You will then reach Dirapuk Monastery in the afternoon, where you can experience Tibetan Buddhism and its practice at its peak. You'll have dinner and stay overnight at Dirapuk.

This is the holiest day of your entire Pashupatinath & Kailash Yatra. There will be an early morning trek to Charan Sparsh, which means “Feet of Lord Shiva”. The path winds through difficult terrain, but it is as rewarding in spiritual terms. You can also have the magnificent view of the north face of Mount Kailash.

On reaching Charan Sparsh, you will land to touch the foothills and pay your homage. For many of the pilgrims, this is a moment that is filled with deep emotion and life-altering significance. After exploration and quiet time for prayer, you will descend to Dirapuk. The evening will bring the opportunity for rest and introspection. Overnight stay will be at Dirapuk.

Today, you will wake up before dawn and get ready for your most difficult day, as well as the most sacred, to complete Kailash Parikrama. The path ascends up rocks and iced-over streams, and along the way, you can see prayer flags, cairns, and offerings left by pilgrims, which mark the way and set the tone for a profoundly spiritual experience.

It will become harder to breathe as you climb closer to Dolma La Pass, and each footstep will depend on patience and focus. From the top, look down, and you’ll see stunning views of snow-capped mountains and enormous Tibetan vistas. The descent will take you to Gauri Kund, a turquoise lake dedicated to Goddess Parvati. 

By afternoon, you’ll keep up the pace hiking across broad valleys and rocky paths before eventually arriving at Zuthul Puk Monastery, which was once the resting place where Milarepa meditated. You will have some rest and a hot meal, and you will spend the night there.

You will make your start for the last part of the Kailash Kora after breakfast. The descent to Darchen from Zuthul Puk should be fairly easy, and it will traverse a picturesque river valley. 

You will pass prayer flags flapping in the breeze and mani walls engraved with sacred Tibetan mantras. Pilgrims from all over the world will walk beside you, trading smiles, songs, and silent contemplation.

Reaching Darchen, you will take a little rest and have lunch. The drive back towards Saga in the afternoon reveals broad plateaus, grazing yaks, and snow peaks in the distance. The vast Tibetan vistas will offer time for silent reflection. 

You will then arrive in Saga by evening and check into your hotel. You will have dinner and sleep, physically exhausted and spiritually richer.

Today, you will begin your return journey to Kyirong. The return will be just as rewarding, on a breathtakingly scenic drive back across the Tibetan highlands; twisting and turning with grassland plains stretching out like oceans, river valleys below and over mountain passes.The vegetation and climate will change along the way as the elevation lowers. The air will seem warmer, and everything will look greener compared to the high plateau.

You will also pass by nomadic families taking care of their yaks and sheep. There will be tiny roadside villages with a glimpse into traditional Tibetan countryside life. You can take a break at tea houses where locals congregate to drink yak butter tea and chat. In the afternoon, you will reach Kyirong and check into the hotel. 

The rest of the day will be at leisure to relax and recover after the long journey. This evening, you will have the opportunity to take a short walk through the town, witness prayer rituals at some of the local monasteries, and have a quiet dinner before retiring for the night.

As your return journey continues, you will drive to the Nepal-Tibet border today. The highway traverses scenic mountain valleys, rivers, and forested canyons. Your re-entry, after passing immigration procedures, is to Nepal. Green hills, terraced farms, and sleepy villages will materialize quickly along the way.

You will see farmers in the villages busy in their fields, a local market on the highway, and some colorful temples during the drive. After days on the high Tibetan plateau, the warmer environment and more familiar Nepali life will feel welcoming. 

You will reach Kathmandu by late afternoon or evening and will be transferred to your hotel. You may have the opportunity to rest, change, or walk locally. You can have your farewell dinner here, discussing all the experiences of the sacred journey. You will spend the night in Kathmandu.

You will wake up on your last and final day in Kathmandu with the memory of Kailash Yatra. You will have some free time for a last shopping or a meditative moment after breakfast.

Our representative will escort you to Tribhuvan International Airport, from where you will bid farewell to our team and Nepal.