Don’t let Coronavirus (COVID-19) impact your mountain trip!
We at Mountain Planet prioritize safety and not only in the mountains. Thing are changing every day and there is so much that is still unknown. We want you to keep on planning your next mountain trip and not worry about cancellations. We guarantee 100% refund if you have payed deposit for the climb in the period of 15th March'20 - 15th June'20, and your plans have changed due to Coronavirus precaution measures (borders closed, flights cancelled, visa problems, etc). If you booked before or after that period, we are still very flexible and will be able to offer you change of dates or deposit transfer to another mountain destination free of charge.
Read More in the Blog: COVID and Mountains — What is the Future?
Mount Kailash is the most intriguing mountain range is the whole of Himalayas. It is sacred to Hindus, Jains, Budhists and Bon religion.
There are pilgrims from all over Tiber and India going to Kailash every year. Their main aim is to walk a so called Kora, which is a circumnavigation of any object considered sacred. A turn around Kailash is supposed to be one of the most important ones a Buddhist can do and according to the myths you'll be granted nirvana if you walk 108 times around the peak. It's quite an achievement if you do it, as the kora is 53 km long.
No mountaineer has ever stood upon the top of the “Precious Snow Mountain”, Mount Kailash. The only person ever, to get the permission to climb, was the great Reinhold Messner in year 1985. However, he turned down this opportunity at the very last moment. Why he refused to climb Kailash? Here is what the most renowned mountaineer in the World says about the mountain: "If we conquer this mountain, then we conquer something in people's souls. I would suggest they go and climb something a little harder. Kailash is not so high and not so hard”.
For hundreds of years people tried touch this magnificent peak, and today there is a possibility for those who believe in legends, and for those who just wants to visit Tibet and embrace the mountain spirit.
It takes 7 days to reach Mount Kailash, but this journey throughout Tibet is totally worth it! You will cover literally all the highlighted Buddhist attractions and natural scenery from Lhasa to Kailash. On the way you will visit:
- Jokang Monastery- the most sacred and important temple in Tibet
- Legendary Potala Palace – a former residence of Dalai Lama
- Lhasavisit Yamdrok Lake and Manasrovar Lake - two of the three holiest lakes in Tibet
- Namtso Lake: It is the "Heavenly Lake" which is one of the four holy lakes of Tibet and also the highest salt-lake.
- Drepung Monastery - the biggest Tibetan Buddhism College with the biggest number of monks in Tibet
- Rongbuk Monastery - is claimed to be the highest-elevation monastery in the world and offers stunning views over the Mount Everest
- Sera Monastery - one of the “great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet, the hot attraction is monks debate
- and many more other sights, as well as small Tibet towns and observe their simple way of living.
This weekly trip from Lhasa will also allow you to gain elevation smoothly and avoid acute altitude sickness.
Most of the companies have narrow number of starting dates of the climbs. That limits the travelers flexibility and not always convenient.
We are different in that approach and offer a vast variety of starting dates - almost every day - to fit your schedules and desires.
If you prefer to visit Mt. Kailash from Lhasa, Tibet Permit is needed to enter Tibet, and then our Tibetan guide will help you get Alien’s Travel Permit and Military Permit and Foreign Affairs Permit to visit Mt. Kailash. If you decide to visit Mt.Kailash from Kathmandu, in addition to the above three documents, you need to have China Group Visa to enter Tibet. You need to set aside at least 3 days in Kathmandu to process Group Visa with your original passport.
All transportation in Tibet is included in the price, including shuttle from and to Lhasa airport/train station and 5-29 seats comfortable Tourist Vehicle according to Group Size for travelling along Tibet. Jeeps will be provided If there will be up to 5 people in the group, if more - comfortable vans.
The hardest part of the trip is Kailash kora, where you would have to carry all necessary belongings with you for 3 days. If you are above the average fitness level and determined to complete the kora yourself, you are fine to give it a go. However, if you carry too much stuff and not confident enough for the challenging trek, given the thin air, high altitude and treacherous terrain on day 2, hiring a porter with yak or a horse will give you the backup you need.
Altitude sickness can be the biggest concern you should take into consideration. Diamox is generally used as useful medicine for easing altitude sickness. However, you should always follow the doctors' prescription and dosage and advice. To make sure you have a safe journey, our Tibetan guides walk by your side and be above attentive to your needs. They will check the oxygen level and pulse of you with Pulse Oximeters. And the life-saving Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber is also prepared at Mt.Kailash for emergency. 24/ 7 call is at your service, etc.
April to mid-October is believed to be the prime time for Mt. Kailash trekking, esp. traveling in April, May, June, Sept. and first half of Oct. You will enjoy the incredible clear blue sky, crisp air and high visibility, with temperature staying at around 8 or 9 Celsius on average. July and August (monsoon season) see half of the rainfall in the whole year. However, the constant downpour is rarely seen here. You’d better double check a week’s weather before coming. After mid-Oct, the freezing cold weather prompts locals to temporarily close their guesthouses or tented campstill next April, which marks the end of Mt.Kailash trek in a year.
As the accommodation facilities have been greatly improved nowadays, there is no need to camp during the 3-day kora. You can stay in the basic guesthouse at Dirapuk Monastery (the 1st night) and Dzultripuk Monastery (the 2nd night). And a few Tibetan-run tented camps down Dolma La Pass can be found, offering basic food, such as instant noodle, soup and sweet tea, hot water and some stirred fried rice, etc. As for accommodation on the way to Kailash - you will be staying in comfortable hotels with all essentials.
