The Kailash Kora
Fifty-two kilometres on foot around the mountain four religions call the centre of the world.
- Duration
- 15 d
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- Max altitude
- 5226 m
- Starts in
- Kathmandu
- Group size
- 10–16
- From
- $900
About this route
Kailash stands in western Tibet as a solitary four-faced pyramid, 6638 metres high. Geologically, it is an ordinary massif. Culturally, it is the place that Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Bon practitioners have walked around on foot for over a thousand years. For Hindus, it is the throne of Shiva. For Buddhists, it is Mount Meru, the axis of the universe. For Jains, it is where the first tirthankara, Rishabhadeva, attained liberation. For Bonpo, it is Yungdrung Gu-Tseg, the mountain of nine swastikas.
The Kora is the act of walking around the mountain — clockwise for Hindus and Buddhists, counter-clockwise for Bonpo. Fifty-two kilometres, typically three days, crossing the Drolma-La pass at 5630 metres. This is not a hike to a viewpoint. It is circumambulation: an ancient pilgrimage form in which physical distance is treated as inner distance.
We run this route over fifteen days because Tibet needs acclimatisation and Kailash needs time. From day six onward, you sleep above 4500 metres. The pass is 5630 m. Nights at Dirapuk and Zutrulpuk monastery guesthouses are simple — shared dining room, wood stove, sleeping bag rated to −15 °C. Morning cold on the pass is real, breathing is shortened, and every step requires attention. That is the content of the trip.
We do not promise transformation. We offer fifty-two kilometres around a mountain worth approaching prepared — in body, in time, and in attitude.
Day by day
- Day 1
- Day 2
- Day 3
1,450 m1 h on trail20 km
- Day 4
2,340 m4 h on trail80 km
- Day 5
2,840 m6 h on trail12 km
- Day 6
4,600 m5 h on trail280 km
- Day 7
4,550 m4 h on trail110 km
- Day 8
4,550 m
- Day 9
4,550 m4 h on trail110 km
- Day 10
4,900 m
- Day 11
4,790 m7 h on trail22 km
- Day 12
4,550 m3 h on trail8 km
- Day 13
4,600 m4 h on trail110 km
- Day 14
1,400 m6 h on trail150 km
- Day 15
Gallery
Safety and health
What you need to know before the route
Physical requirements
The route is rated 6 out of 10 in difficulty. This is not mountaineering — there are no technical sections — but the physical demands are real.
What you need to be able to do
Walk 6–8 hours per day with a daypack of 5–7 kg over mixed terrain (rock, dirt, and possibly snow at the pass)
Ascend 700 metres of elevation over 4 hours on day 11 (Dirapuk → Drolma La) — this is the most demanding section of the route
Sleep at altitudes of 4,500–4,900 metres for six consecutive nights
What to know about altitude sickness
Mild altitude sickness symptoms (headache, nausea, fatigue, sleep disturbance) occur above 4,000 m in roughly 50% of people with no prior high-altitude experience. This is not a sign of poor fitness — acclimatisation genetics are individual. Moderate symptoms (persistent headache, vomiting, breathlessness at rest) are grounds to halt the ascent and descend. Severe forms (HACE — cerebral oedema, HAPE — pulmonary oedema) develop in 1–2% of cases and require immediate evacuation.
We follow a standard protocol: the 'climb high, sleep low' acclimatisation scheme during the first days in Tibet, daily monitoring of blood oxygen saturation with a portable pulse oximeter (normal at 4,500 m: SpO2 80–85%), Diamox 125–250 mg twice daily as prophylaxis (at your doctor's discretion — we do not prescribe), and immediate descent if condition deteriorates.
Who should not attempt this route
Pregnant women
People with uncontrolled hypertension, ischaemic heart disease, or severe asthma
Those with no experience above 3,000 m who have not had a serological assessment with a physician in the month before departure
Age 65+ — an individual decision after consultation, not a prohibition
What we recommend doing in advance
At minimum, one trek to 3,000–4,000 m within the year before Kailash
Cardio exercise 2–3 times per week (running, cycling, swimming) in the 3 months before departure
A basic medical check-up (ECG, full blood count) in the month before departure
Equipment
Equipment falls into three categories: critical (without it you cannot set out on the route), important (without it comfort suffers), and optional.
Critical
Trekking boots — broken in, with a membrane and ankle support. New boots in Tibet means blisters by day three of the kora.
Sleeping bag rated to −15 °C comfort (not 'extreme' — these are different ratings). Nights at Dirapuk at 4,900 m mean −10 °C in a room with a stove that goes out by four in the morning.
Membrane jacket and trousers (wind and moisture protection). Weather on Drolma La pass can change in 20 minutes.
A warm down jacket or warm fleece for camp evenings.
Thermal base layers — two sets; merino wool is preferable to synthetics on long treks.
Gloves — fleece, plus a spare pair.
Sunglasses with UV protection category 3–4 — at 5,000 m ultraviolet is intense; without glasses there is a real risk of snow blindness.
SPF 50 sunscreen for face and lips. The air is dry and cold; skin cracks.
1 L water bottle plus a 0.5–1 L thermos — hot water is available at guesthouses, and it is important for keeping your body warm.
Personal first-aid kit — Diamox (acetazolamide, following consultation with your doctor), ibuprofen, anti-diarrhoeal medication, oral rehydration salts, blister plasters, bandage, your regular medications with extra supply.
Important
Trekking poles (telescopic, two)
Headtorch with spare batteries
Day pack 30–45 L with rain cover
Thin trekking socks 3 pairs, warm socks 2 pairs
Buff or bandana against dust and sun
Wet wipes and toilet paper (no shower for 3 days on the kora)
Plug adaptor for Asian sockets
Optional
A book or downloaded playlist — evenings at guesthouses are long
A camera if photography matters — a phone drains its battery within an hour in the cold
Power bank 10,000+ mAh
Several small-denomination dollar bills for tips and minor purchases
Altitude regime
The route climbs to 5226 m. Above 2500 m the body acclimatizes more slowly: pressure drops and there is 25–40% less oxygen. We schedule altitude gain to stay under 500 m per day above 3000 m and include acclimatization days.
Evacuation
The guide carries a link to Nepali rescue services and the insurance assistance line. The guide decides on evacuation at the first signs of acute mountain sickness (AMS) or injury. Each participant must hold insurance covering high-altitude evacuation up to 5226 m.
Before the trip
- Insurance covering high-altitude evacuation
- Medical clearance from a physician
- At least 4 weeks of cardio preparation
- Personal first-aid kit (we'll discuss the contents)
From
What's included
| Position | Currency | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Base tour price (lodge basis, double occupancy) | USD | $900 |
Base tour price (lodge basis, double occupancy)
USD
$900
The total shown is per participant. The exact price depends on the chosen date and group size.
Upcoming dates
Departure calendar
FAQ
A baseline level of fitness, yes. If you can walk for 4 hours at a mountain pace over mixed terrain with a 5–7 kg pack and still hold a conversation, you are physically ready. The majority of withdrawals from the route are caused not by physical failure but by altitude sickness, which depends on genetics and acclimatisation protocol rather than fitness. That said, without a minimum level of endurance the risk of withdrawal is higher.
It depends on severity. A mild headache and fatigue — we monitor, adjust pace, and administer a dexamethasone injection if necessary. Moderate symptoms (vomiting, confusion, breathlessness at rest) — immediate descent with one of the guides. Severe form — helicopter evacuation to Lhasa or Kathmandu through your insurance provider. This is why insurance covering evacuation up to 6,000 m is mandatory — we do not arrange departures without it.
A passport valid for at least 6 months beyond your return date with two blank spreads. Nepal visa — on arrival in Kathmandu ($30 or $50 depending on the duration). Chinese visa for entry into Tibet — processed as a group application in Kathmandu (we handle this during days 1–4), takes 4–5 working days, costs approximately $120 per person, and is not affixed to your passport — it is issued as a separate group permit sheet.
Technically yes, but approximately 2.5 times more expensive owing to fixed costs for permits, guides, and transport. The minimum group for Tibetan permits is 4 people of the same nationality. If you have a ready-made group of 4–8 people, we can arrange a departure on an individual schedule.
Vegetarian diet — no problem; Tibetan cuisine is predominantly plant-based (vegetable momo, thentuk, dal bhat). Gluten-free — more difficult: tsampa (roasted barley flour) and wheat noodles are the staples of the Tibetan diet. On the kora, choice is minimal; we discuss the menu with the guide in advance. Please inform us of any dietary requirements at the time of booking.
Exchange $200–400 into Nepali rupees in Kathmandu in advance (ATMs are available in Thamel). In Tibet we recommend having $200–300 in small-denomination dollar bills for tips, monastery entrance fees, and minor purchases. There is an ATM in Darchen, but it operates unreliably. Cards are not accepted anywhere on the route.
WhatsApp and Telegram are blocked in China (including Tibet). You need a VPN installed before leaving Nepal — internet access is unrestricted in Kathmandu. 4G works in the larger Tibetan towns (Saga, Darchen); on the kora itself there is only a weak signal at Dirapuk. Satellite phones are confiscated at the border.
Based on our statistics over the past 4 seasons, approximately 90% of participants complete the full route including Drolma La. Of the 10% who withdraw: half do so due to acute altitude sickness between Dirapuk and the pass; the other half for reasons unrelated to altitude (foot injury, flare-up of a chronic condition, personal decision). We have had no emergency evacuations on our groups in the past 3 years, though we always plan as if one were probable.
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