Kailash Mansaover Helicopter Tour via Simikot - 11 Days

The journey begins even before you land at the airport in Kathmandu. On clear days, the Himalayan peaks greet you from your plane window, with Mount Everest visible to the east. It is a beautiful sight referred to by the local Sherpa people as “The Mother Goddess of the Earth." Upon arrival, your Trekking Mart representative will be right there to welcome you at the arrival gate and transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day will be spent in relaxation.

In the evening, immerse yourself in Nepal’s vibrant culture. You’ll be treated to a Trekking Mart tradition: an authentic Nepali cuisine and cultural dance performance to experience the country’s distinct spirit.

Our second day features an easy tour of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kathmandu City. After breakfast, a city guide will take you to one of the most important Hindu temples, Pashupatinath. Pashupatinath is the holiest temple of Lord Shiva, situated at the banks of the sacred Bagmati River, where Hindu funerals are also performed. It is the perfect place to perform your puja before you embark for Mt. Kailash. In the afternoon, we will fly to Nepalgunj for our tour to Kailash. The flight from Kathmandu takes one hour. After reaching there, we will prepare for the further trip.

After an early breakfast, we will leave for Nepalgunj to catch the flight to Simikot. It is a beautiful 45-minute flight into the Himalayas. We’ll land at the small airport of Simikot and board a helicopter to Hilsa, a border town. There, we will complete the border customs and immigration formalities on both the Nepal and Hilsa sides. We’ll cross the swinging bridge to Tibet. Near the Chinese customs office building, the Chinese bus will be waiting for us to transfer us to the hotel in Purang (25 km / 1-hour drive). Before reaching Purang, we have to again go through a customs check at the Purang Customs Office. After a tiring day, you will reach Purang (3900 meters) today.

Note: The Simikot flight is highly weather-dependent. The weather is fickle on this route and sometimes causes short or long delays in flights from/to Simikot.

Today will be a rest day at Purang to acclimatize to the altitude and weather of Tibet. Tibet is very high altitude and it's important that we allow our bodies to adjust to the thinner mountain air. We’ll visit the local shops/market, walk around the town to experience the local Tibetan culture, and enjoy the quiet atmosphere.

Today is the focal point of our trip. As usual, we drive to the sacred Mansarovar Lake after breakfast at Purang. Approximately a 1.5-hour drive through beautiful mountains and terrain will bring you to Lake Rakshas Taal, which is located near Lake Mansarovar. Rakash's Taal is also known as the ‘Lake of Demons’ or ‘Ravan Taal.' From here, you will get a glimpse of Mount Kailash standing tall and strong among the other nearby mountains. We will stop here at Rakshas Taal to capture the beauty of nature in our eyes and on camera and then head back to Lake Mansarovar.

Lake Mansarovar is the highest-altitude freshwater lake. We’ll be blessed with the first glimpses of the holy Mount Kailash and the tranquil Lake Mansarovar. After a few hours of driving, we arrive at the sacred Manasarovar Lake. Mt. Kailash, Mt. Gurla Mandhata/Naimonanyi Peak, and Lake Rakshash surround this tranquil lake. On this auspicious day, we can get the holy dip in the sacred Mansarovar Lake and perform rituals and prayers. One’s sins are washed away from bathing in its spiritual healing waters. We will spend the night near the lake.

The day starts with a serene drive around Lake Mansarovar (88 km). We can practice yoga, meditation, and havan to cleanse our mind and soul and for inner peace. After the completion of the Holy Circle, we will drive to Darchen. Darchen serves as the base camp of Mt. Kailash from where we start our Kailash parikrama. We prepare for the Kora the next day and stay at the lodge in Darchen.

Today will be the first and spiritually significant day as we start the 3-day Kora, the holy walk around the sacred Mount Kailash. After breakfast, we will drive for 10 minutes to Darboche, the starting point of our Kora. We will walk 18 km beneath the shadow of Mt. Kailash on our right and the holy river Ganges guiding us on our left. Everyone but devotees of the ancient Bön religion circumambulate in a clockwise fashion. If you meet someone coming from the other direction, you will know they follow the ancient Bön faith. Now, we’ll arrive at Derapuk (4,920 m) and overnight at the lodge.

Today is a challenging yet spiritually profound day as we cross Dolma-La Pass (5648 m), the highest and holiest place. The pass lies between two valleys: Yama-sthal and Shiva-sthal. The pass is famous for its holiest offering and meditation point, so upon reaching the top, sit down for meditation. The descent is steep from the Dolma-La Pass. We’ll witness the holy Gauri Kunda, also known as Parvati Sthal. After walking for around 9 hrs, we’ll reach Zuthul-Puk and stay overnight.

Today is the final day of the Parikrama. After breakfast, we will walk around 6 km and end at Chongdo. Our driving crew member will pick us up from the ending point and drive back to Darchen. Later, continue our drive to Taklakot. Driving 45 kilometers toward the border between China and Nepal. Walk across the border, go through immigration, and then take a 25-minute helicopter ride to Simikot, where we will spend the night.

After breakfast in Simikot, we fly to Nepalgunj to catch the connecting flight to Kathmandu. After reaching Kathmandu and transferring to the hotel, our sacred journey to Mt. Kailash comes to an end.

Approximately three hours before your scheduled flight, we will transfer you to the airport for your onward flight. As your sacred journey in the Himalayas comes to an end, Trekking Mart wishes you a safe journey ahead and hopes you depart with unforgettable memories of the mountain, Lake Mansarovar, spiritual awakening, blessings, and inner peace.

Trekking Mart offers many religious and pilgrimage tours to increase your karma in the next world. We can offer you so many opportunities here in the Himalayas to inspire your soul as you connect with the gods. Ask your new friends at Trekking Mart about these additional pilgrimage tours.