Kailash Mansarovar Yatra In Horse Year 2026 - 10 Days

Horse Year Kailash Mansarovar Pilgrimage 2026
  • Duration 10 Days
  • Trip Grade Moderate
  • Max. Altitude 5,650 m
  • Trip Start Kathmandu
  • Trip End Kathmandu
  • Trip Area Tibet Kailash Area
  • Nature of Trip Jeep Pilgrimage Journey
  • Major Activities Reach Mt kailash, 3 Day kora
  • Best Season Summer (June to August)

Introduction to Kailash Mansarovar Yatra 10 days In Horse Year 2026

Completing the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is possibly the holiest pilgrimage on the planet. Literally millions of devotees travel from India and abroad to the remote Himalayan region of Tibet every year. The journey is said to relieve sins, provide tranquility, and fulfill lifelong desires. Next year - 2026, which is the Year of the Horse in the traditional Tibetan calendar - is another such auspicious year to complete this pilgrimage, providing an opportunity for pilgrims to embrace blessings.

The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra – Horse Year 2026 is perfectly constructed around providing spiritual satisfaction and your comfort while travelling. The yatra will take pilgrims through one of the most stunning views on earth: the immaculate high Himalayas, crystal clear lakes, great deserts, and sanctified riverbeds, and travel where millions of other quests have travelled through time.

This spiritual pilgrimage is focused on Mount Kailash, said to be the abode of Lord Shiva, and Lake Mansarovar, which is said to be the holiest freshwater lake in Asia.

During the Horse Year Kailash Mansarovar Pilgrimage 2026, the pilgrims do traditional rituals and prayers and kora (the walking around) of Mount Kailash, which enhances their spiritual awareness. From this activity, they get a sense of serenity and calmness. The yatra is well organized with travel to itineraries, rest stops, and sleeping accommodations considered safe and comfortable at high altitudes.

The pilgrims during 10-Day Kailash Mansarovar Yatra 2026 will not only receive spiritual rewards but also have a brief experience in Tibetan cultural life, visiting Tibetan monasteries, connecting with monks, and viewing local cultural practices and rituals.

Going to Kailash Mansarovar, in the Horse year of 2026, will be an unforgettable spiritual experience of faith and devotion, adventure, and beautiful nature. Spiritual seekers who are looking to evolve and build their relationship with their God personally will find it ideal.

Your Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is our own vision, supported by the unique expertise of a trained guide, developed with a concern for your safety and spirituality, thus offering you an exceptional opportunity to trek to the birth region of sacred Tibet and have the great spiritual adventure!

This completely arranged Spiritual Journey to Kailash Mansarovar – 2026 Horse Year takes care of all the details for a hassle-free and enduring pilgrimage, from visa processing to arranged travel in comfort.

Travelers can choose ANY flexible departure date between late April and September. Travelers who don't require a visa do not have to follow the scheduled arrival, but if you are using a visa, you must follow the designated departures.

Traveling to Mount Kailash and/or Mansarovar in 2026 is believed to eliminate obstacles, magnify blessings, and enliven growth on your spiritual path. It also gives you the luxury to focus on your adventure, knowing you are fully covered. We are now taking bookings for your Kailash Mansarovar Trip in Horse Year 2026.

Highlights of 2026 Kailash Mansarovar Yatra with Horse Year Blessings

  • The year 2026 is the Tibetan Year of the Horse, which is a good sign for the Yatra, and increases a Yatra's spiritual merits tremendously.
  • Yatra takes pilgrims to sacred sites, including Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar, both of which are supreme sacred sites in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Bon religions.
  • The most popular route taken by Yatra crosses Nepal to the Tibetan border town of Kerung (Kyirong). The waypoints along the route are Saga, Lake Mansarovar, and Darchen, which is the base for the Kailash Kora (the circumnavigation).
  • Pilgrims will take the 3-day Kailash Kora, which is a strenuous hike that covers 39 km, including crossing the high Dolma La Pass, which is around 5630 meters (18400 feet).
  • There is also a holy bath in Lake Mansarovar, which is believed to cleanse one's sins and bestow blessings. There is also a visit to Chiu Gonpa and Yamadwar.
  • Sightseeing in Kathmandu to experience UNESCO World Heritage Sites like Pashupatinath Temple prior to starting the actual Yatra.
  • When taking the route via Lhasa, pilgrims get to view and experience the Tibetan culture when stopping (or staying) in cities like Lhasa, Gyantse, and Shigatse.

Advantages of Kailash Saga Dawa Festival Yatra With Adventure Altitude Treks

  • Private Transport: We will take you from and back to all the airports in private cars.
  • Safety First: Complete first aid kit with an Oximeter to check your blood oxygen, pulse, and heart rate.
  • Special Trekking gears: You will have access to PAC (Portable Altitude Chamber) with Supplemental Oxygen, Trekking gears like Down jackets, T-shirts, Cap, and many more on demand.
  • Emergency rescue: Helicopter medical rescue and insurance to support emergency evacuation. Easy to stay connected: You will have a Nepali SIM card with 10GB data.
  • Expert guides: Guides can manage altitude sickness, locations, maps, and experience Tibetan or Nepali experts with insurance.
  • Support of yak or porter: Baggage support by yak and porter. It will help you in your Kora. Water: Water purification tablets will help you drink safe water at all times.
  • Nepali team: On the ground Nepali team will be available throughout the trek for your comfort, good health, and for a smooth journey.

Kailash Mansarovar Pilgrimage Tour 2026

The 2026 Kailash Mansarovar Pilgrimage Tour is a unique spiritual pilgrimage characterized by its route to one of the holiest places on earth. Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar are immensely important to all those of the Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Bon traditions. This pilgrimage will be transformative.

Year 2026 has timings that are auspicious for this pilgrimage, based on the spiritual timing of "pujas" (spiritual practice) and full-moon days at Lake Mansarovar, to maximize the blessings attached to this journey.

2026 Horse Year Kailash Mansarovar is an organized pilgrimage program, which is designed to allow for maximum comfort during your travel with private vehicles, guided treks (walks), and optional helicopter support for any pilgrims desiring to take a shortcut. The pilgrims will perform the sacred "kora" or circumambulation of Mount Kailash. They will travel to Lake Mansarovar. They will also witness some of the most beautiful Himalayan landscapes that our planet has available.

Available Departure Windows for 2026 (Kathmandu Arrival Dates):

  • Regular tour: May 6, 13, 20, 26 | June 4, 10, 17, 25 | July 8, 16, 22, 24, 29 | August 5, 12, 19, 23 | September 2, 6, 13
  • Helicopter option: May 11, 16, 19, 23, 27 | June 10, 15, 18, 22, 26, 30 | July 9, 13, 17, 21, 25, 29 | August 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28 | September 3, 7, 11

2026 is the Fire Horse Year – once every 60 years

The Year of the Fire Horse will start in 2026 - a rare zodiac combination that aligns the Horse with the Fire element only happens once every 60 years. The Year of the Fire Horse will be an incredibly significant year for the Kailash Mansarovar Yātrā: to Kora Mount Kailash in the Year of the Fire Horse has an astrological association to be especially auspicious and award pilgrims 13 times the spiritual merit as a Kora in a normal year.

When the astrological Fire Horse is combined with the energies of Kailash, for all these pilgrims are surely blessed, purified, and karmically transformed. The Year of the Fire Horse happens only once every 60 years; this window is rare once in a lifetime opportunity, harmonizing exceptional celestial events with the sacred vibratory aspects of Kailash.

2026 is certain to be an Exceptional Year for everyone involved in a journey of spiritual renewal.

Kailash Yatra Sacred Timing: 12-Year Cycle and Siddhartha Gautama’s Legacy

The Year of the Horse in Tibetan astrology comes along once every 12 years. It is considered a spiritually auspicious time to pilgrimage to holy places, which include Mount Kailash. In 2026, the Year of the Horse overlaps with Saga Dawa, the holiest holiday in Tibetan Buddhism, as it marks  Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha)'s birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana. 

This unusual overlap will also present an opportunity for practitioners to perform the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra during a spiritually significant time.  In Tibetan thought, performing a circumambulation, or kora, around Mt. Kailash in a Year of the Horse offers twelve times more merit than any other year.

It is this significance that is considered to make this year even more extraordinary because Mount Kailash is thought to be the center of divine energy for such a year, maximizing the spiritual benefits to pilgrims.

To undertake the Kailash Mansarovar Holy Yatra – Horse Year 2026 is not only a pilgrimage to a sacred site, it is also a pilgrimage at a time of grand spiritual significance. If you want to deepen your spiritual practice and strengthen your connection to the divine energies of Mount Kailash, 2026 presents an opportunity of a lifetime.

3 Day Kailash Parikrama in 2026- Horse Year

If you plan to start the 3-Day Kailash Parikrama in 2026, the Year of the Horse, it would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for transformational spiritual growth. The Kora during the Year of the Horse is said to magnify blessings by 13 times in Tibetan tradition. It is a wonderful year to go on a spiritual pilgrimage.

The Parikrama is a 52 km trek around Mount Kailash, starting in Darchen and takes place in 10-Day Sacred Kailash Journey 2026.. I will take 3 days to do this. The trek will pass by two monasteries, they are Dirapuk Monastery, the Dolma La Pass, and Zuthulpuk Monastery for the 3-day trek. Pilgrims can do either the Outer Kora (52 km) or the Inner Kora (34 km), where the Outer Kora is more physically demanding because it is longer, and altitude is a factor.

It is comparable to other difficult physical treks; the Dolma La Pass is above 5630 meters, and the trek will make for a fitness and mental challenge. Kora rituals are said to relieve negative karma and offer personal prayer blessings.

Completing the Kora is a major quest accomplishment for pilgrims, which is accompanied by personal growth energies when connecting with Mount Kailash's sacred energies.

2026 Horse Year Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Cost

The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra group rates for Horse Year 2026 all come down to the size of the group; therefore, it is a cost-effective offer from a solo traveler to your group size of up to 30 travelers. We have a special offer group discount for one traveler for USD 2249; two travelers at USD 2199 each; group size of 3 - 5  at USD 2049 each; group size of 6 - 10 at USD 1999; group size of 11 - 20 at USD 1949; group size 21 - 30 at USD 1899 per person.

The pilgrimage tour is a 10-day journey from Kathmandu to Kathmandu; however, there are an additional 2 - 4 days added, due to the issue of the Tibet travel permit, and Visas. The travel experience is one of a kind, which requires logistical travel, along with permits. The Kailash Mansarovar Pilgrimage Tour 2026 trip package does contain the processing of the Tibet Travel Permit; we prepare all the sponsoring and paperwork when you arrive in Nepal - just bring your original passport.

Kailash Trip Cost for Indian Pilgrims in 2026 Horse Year 

  • 1 Traveler: ₹1,85,000
  • 2 Travelers: ~₹1,83,000
  • 3–5 Travelers: ₹1,68,000
  • 6–10 Travelers: ₹1,65,000)
  • 11–20 Travelers: ₹1,61,000
  • 21–30 Travelers: ₹1,58,000

The Horse Year 2026 Kailash Mansarovar Spiritual Trip costs include all airfare, hotel, meals, permits for Tibet only, and all guides. Indian Passport Holders will require a Chinese Group Visa and Tibet Travel Permit from Kathmandu.

Sacred Horse Year Kailash Pilgrimage 2026 Cost for Uk Passport Holders 

If you hold a UK Passport and are thinking of doing the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in 2026, we provide you with the relevant group prices:

  • 1 person: £1850
  • 2 persons: £1800 per person
  • 3–5 persons: £1749 per person
  • 6–10 persons: £1550 per person

UK Passport Holders just need a Chinese Group Visa and Tibet Travel Permit from Kathmandu. The tour operator usually organizes this as it is one planned group. You will need a tourist visa to enter Nepal, but that can be obtained on arrival in Kathmandu.

10 Day Kailash Parvat Yatra in 2026 For Australian Passport Holders

If you hold an Australian Passport and want to do the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in 2026, the following group pricing applies:

  • 1 Traveler: AUD 3,500
  • 2 Travelers: AUD 3,450
  • 3–5 Travelers: AUD 3,300
  • 6–10 Travelers AUD 3,250)
  • 11–20 Travelers: AUD 3,200
  • 21–30 Travelers: AUD 3,150

Australian Passport Holders are allowed to stay in China (including Tibet) without a visa for a maximum of 15 days, provided they fly in via Kathmandu. A Chinese Visa or Group Visa is required if your stay is longer than 15 days.

Why Booking Early is advisable for Kailash Mansarovar Holy Yatra – Horse Year 2026? 

If you're planning to take part in the Kailash Mansarovar Holy Yatra for the Horse Year 2026, you should be thinking about booking now. The Horse Year is a doubly auspicious year for astrological meaning to pilgrims belonging to either tradition - Hinduism or Tibetan Buddhism. For all pilgrims, the Horse Year also has added spiritual significance for any form of pilgrimage you choose. 

Pilgrims are already booking for this holy 10-Day Kailash & Mansarovar Holy Journey 2026. Some pilgrims booked their 2026 pilgrimage during 2025! By booking now, you're able to plan your preferred travel dates, accommodation, permits, and not wait until on short notice and not be able to book what you want. 

There are limited slots for the religious journey (so don't hesitate), and take the steps needed to plan your pilgrimage holistically, smoothly, and free from complications. If you want to get the maximum benefits associated with the Horse Year, and to have your journey as uncomplicated as possible, why not confirm your plans for 2026 today?

Steps to Book Early with Adventure Altitude Treks

You Select Your Trip Type

  • Go to Adventure Altitude Treks "Customize Trip" section and choose from:
  • Kailash Mansarovar Yatra - 10 Days
  • Kailash Mansarovar Yatra by Helicopter
  • Luxury Tour, Charan Sparsh, Small-Group Tour, etc..

Check Fixed Departure Dates

  • Please visit our blog page on fixed departure dates and see all dates available in 2025 (April 07, May 08, June 06, July 05, August 02, September 04, etc.) along with visa deadlines for each departure. 
  • You can also have a look at Last-Minute Departures and see upcoming trips (Example September 7-16, 2025 - US$2,500 and 25 spots left).

Send us the Booking & Reservation Form

  • Follow the instant booking system from:
  • Select the option of instant booking from their website. 
  • Select your group departure date.

There are four parts to the reservation form to complete with your details, how many are going, accommodation needs, and if you have any special needs.

Review Costs & Terms

Understand tour pricing and the policy:

  • The full amount is temporarily held we then charge 20% of the total as a non-refundable deposit at the moment of booking.
  • Full details about the booking contract and the deposit will be given as soon as the booking is approved, so you can either make the deposit payment right away or on your arrival in Kathmandu.

Pay Your Deposit Securely

  • Make the deposit payment that corresponds to your trip and thus, secure your place:
  • The deposit is a partial payment that should cover 20% of the total amount of the trip.
  • Follow the short instructions (book and pay) which are provided when you select your bank or card for payment (the actual options will come up at the booking stage).

Receive Booking Confirmation

You are getting a confirmation of booking along with a contract or receipt by email right after the submission and payment.

Prepare Required Documents and Permits

Because of Kailash Mansarovar's location in Tibet, you will be required to have:

  • Passport (must be valid for at least six months)
  • Chinese group visa (the bureau in Kathmandu processes the visa for the group)
  • Permits: Tibet Travel Permit, Alien Travel Permit (ATP), Military Permit, and Restricted Area Permit (RAP)
  • Travel insurance (preferably that covers high-altitude medical emergency and evacuation)
  • Health certificate and probably a consent form for high-altitude travel.

Follow Pre-Departure Instructions

Expect a pre-departure briefing from the company providing:

  • The final itinerary and route details
  • Health and acclimatization recommendations
  • Packing list and communication tips

Pay any Remaining Payments

Pay any remaining balance according to the arrangements—generally, prior to the trip starting in Kathmandu.

Begin Your Yatra in 2026

When all bookings, documents, payments, and preparations are complete, start your journey to Mt. Kailash and Lake Mansarovar on your spiritual quest.

Mount Kailash Mansarovar Tour from Kathmandu Itinerary in 2026

The Kailash Mansarovar Horse Year Tour 2026 is a spiritual journey departing from Kathmandu in 2026. Most itineraries will start with spiritual activities in Kathmandu by visiting the famous Pashupatinath Temple, followed by a scenic overland drive to Tibet from Kathmandu at the Kyirong border.

Then you travel to Mansarovar Lake and Mount Kailash to do the Kora trek around the mountain, which is a sacred pilgrimage journey. 2026 Kailash Mansarovar Yatra with Horse Year Blessings itineraries are 14 days in length to cover the pilgrimage and acclimatization period.

There are customized itineraries available for travelers who want to make the Sacred Horse Year Kailash Pilgrimage 2026 more personal. If travelers would like to include other spiritual sites, itineraries have included stops at Pokhara, which is a tranquil place with lakes and mountain views, or the Muktinath Temple, which is a sacred pilgrimage location for both Hindus and Buddhists.

These choices for customizing and including spiritual sites can enhance the spiritual journey and experience when connecting to other aspects of the spiritual impressions that are co-existing in the same region.

1 Kailash Kora in Horse Year = 13 Koras: What Does it Mean?

In the Tibetan Year of the Horse (2026), one kora (circumambulation) of Mount Kailash alone during Kailash Mansarovar Yatra – Horse Year 2026 could produce the merit of thirteen koras done in a nominal year, or, in other words, the spiritual benefit is potentially multiplied by thirteen times. The powerful intensity illustrates the amalgamation of higher cosmic energy, strong, powerful planetary alignment, and sacred anniversaries related to Buddha's birth and Milarepa's spiritual triumph. 

The strengths in symbolism allow the Horse Year to take on the form of a "Mahākumbh" at Kailash: once in a decade, an auspicious time offering pilgrims the ability to gain inoperative speed on their own journeys of purification, karmic cleansing, and upliftment.

Related Helpful Blogs to The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra

Itinerary
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Kailash Mansarovar Yatra In Horse Year 2026 Cost and Itinerary

The cost of the Kailash Journey in Horse Year 2026 is USD 2,199 per person with no hidden fees!! This trip is transformative around Mt. Kailash and Lake Mansarovar. Due to the collapse of the one border bridge at Kerung, we are providing this alternate outline itinerary until further notice.

Your safety while traveling, comfortable stays, and seamless logistics will be assured by our team during your yatra. If you wish to personalize your spiritual Kailash Journey, please do not hesitate to reach out at any time by phone or WhatsApp, +9779845449032, or by email, [email protected].

Alternative Itinerary Outline 

  • Day 1: Arrival at Kathmandu (1,400 m)
  • Day 2: Kathmandu Sightseeing (1,400 m)
  • Day 3: Kathmandu Sightseeing (1,400 m) & Drive to Nyalam (3,700 m, 150 km, 6–7 hrs)
  • Day 4: Rest Day at Nyalam / Kerung (3,700 m)
  • Day 5: Drive Nyalam / Kerung to Saga (4,500 m, 240 km, 6 hrs)
  • Day 6: Drive Saga to Lake Mansarovar (4,590 m, 450 km, 7 hrs – Full Moon Day)
  • Day 7: Lake Mansarovar to Darchen (4,560 m, 40 km, 1 hr)
  • Day 8: First Day of Outer Kora – Trek Darchen to Dirapukh (4,950 m, 20 km, 6–7 hrs)
  • Day 9: Second Day of Outer Kora – Trek Dirapukh to Zutulphuk via Dolma La Pass (5,630 m, 22 km, 9–10 hrs)
  • Day 10: Third Day of Outer Kora – Trek Zutulphuk to Darchen (4,560 m, 12 km, 3 hrs) & Drive to Saga (4,500 m, 240 km, 6 hrs)
  • Day 11: Drive Saga to Nyalam / Kerung or Kathmandu (1,400 m, 400+ km, 7–8 hrs)
  • Day 12: Drive Back to Kathmandu (1,400 m)
  • Day 13: Final Departure to Home Country

  • AccommodationHotels
  • MealsBreakfast
  • Altitude/Time1400 m/ Free Day

Upon arrival at Kathmandu, the tourists will be received with a warm welcome, and they will be taken to the hotel to rest. It is a day largely of acclimatisation and overcoming any fatigue of travel. The hotel or local restaurants in the city have all the facilities like breakfast, lunch and dinner ready. 

While Kathmandu offers modern amenities, it also retains its rich cultural heritage, preparing pilgrims for the 2026 Horse Year Kailash Mansarovar trip ahead. The afternoon is at leisure to rest in a hotel or take a walk around the local environment.

  • AccommodationHotels
  • MealsBreakfast
  • Altitude/Time1400 m/ Free Day

Kathmandu Tourism begins with sightseeing of the main attractions of Kathmandu, including places like the Pashupatinath Temple, one of the most significant of the Hindu temples and the gigantic Boudhanath Stupa. Breakfast is served in the hotel. Lunch will be enjoyed at a local restaurant offering authentic Nepali cuisine. 

The Kailash Mansarovar Holy Yatra – Horse Year 2026 Itinerary opens you up to the unique blend of spiritual heritage and urban life, with stops to appreciate the artistic stupas, temples, and monasteries. Dinner is back in the city, often featuring varied Himalayan flavours. The trail condition within the city is easy with smooth paved roads and short walks.

  • AccommodationHotels
  • MealsBreakfast
  • Altitude/Time1400 m/ Free Day

On this day, travellers will visit the historical places in Kathmandu, such as Swayambhunath Stupa, Patan Durbar Square, and Bhaktapur Durbar Square. The hotel offers breakfast and dinner, while lunch is offered at the heritage town of Bhaktapur.

Travel is comfortable because most of the roads are paved. The historical and cultural treasures found here are incredibly rich and enhance the spiritual journey that will follow with the beauty of architecture and ancient art.

  • AccommodationLodge
  • MealsBreakfast-Lunch-Dinner
  • Altitude/Time2000m/ 6 hrs

The 10-Day Sacred Kailash Journey 2026 finally starts off today. The road out of Kathmandu begins with a picturesque 6-hour ride along the Pasang Lhamu Highway and then into the mountains to stop at Dhunche, Syabrubesi, or Timure, at the end of which the trek proper begins. In Kathmandu, breakfast is usually in the hotel, with lunch and dinner planned in roadside lodges or in local guesthouses. 

Travellers ride through forest areas with verdant green cover, along the Trishuli River, and have a glimpse of the Langtang Himalayan range. The condition of the road is different between paved highways and mountain roads made of gravel. The terraced fields and the small villages with their natural beauty are a peaceful backdrop.

  • AccommodationLodge
  • MealsBreakfast-Lunch-Dinner
  • Altitude/Time2850m/ 1 hrs 45 Min

On day 5 of Kailash Mansarovar Pilgrimage Tour 2026, pilgrims cross the Nepal-Tibet border and move on between the border towns of Syabrubesi or Timure and their destination, Kerung County in Tibet. This is a two-hour trip that includes breakfast at the lodge and lunch at some of the local restaurants on the way.

The Horse Year 2026 Kailash Mansarovar Spiritual Trip goes across rough mountain terrain, twisting highways, and frontier border towns with their trade and culture. There are good but narrow and winding roads that have majestic views of the Himalayan foothills. Supper is in Kerung, a little town that is the acclimatisation point before the higher altitude areas.

  • AccommodationLodge
  • MealsBreakfast-Lunch-Dinner
  • Altitude/Time4640 m/ 6 – 7hrs

The road to Saga is a long, but spectacular, ride of five or six hours, by high-altitude country, across Kerung. In Kerung, breakfast is eaten, and lunch is stopped at roadside stops where the hospitality of Tibet is displayed.

This is the highway that borders the Yarlung Tsangpo River and traverses rough mountain ranges that offer magnificent scenery of snow-clad mountains and plateaus. The tarmac road is usually well-maintained, although in places, it may be bumpy. In Saga, a major rest-stop on the way of pilgrims to the holy sites, dinner is served in guesthouses.

  • AccommodationLodge
  • MealsBreakfast-Lunch-Dinner
  • Altitude/Time(4590 m)/ 6 – 7hrs

Today as per the 10-Day Kailash & Mansarovar Holy Journey 2026 Itinerary you ride early in a grey high-altitude sunrise, the air thin and crisp as your four-wheel drive rumbles out of Saga, and accustoms itself to quiet, rough terrain that slowly turns to gravel and dirt. After ascending beyond Mayum La pass, the horizon is dramatic--radiant sapphire Mansarovar Lake is a dazzling jewel on vast, bare land.

Your guide tells you of the sacred closeness of Mount Kailash, icy-white and towering in the near distance. The lapis water echoes the prayer flags as they dance in the wind; just beyond is Rakshastal, the Ghost Lake, dark and still--its otherworldly beauty a contrast to the life-giving transparency of Mansarovar. You come in by afternoon, take a holy dip, gaze on blue serenity under a wide sky.

  • AccommodationLodge
  • MealsBreakfast-Lunch-Dinner
  • Altitude/Time4670 m/ 6 – 7hrs

The 8th day morning of Kailash Mansarovar Horse Year Tour 2026 welcomes you with golden rays over the high plateau, where you take a 35km short journey on largely unpaved roads, pitted gravel and patched trackway to remind you of the remote land. The majestic western side of Mount Kailash continues to increase in size through your windshield.

The way to Darchen, the gate village under the sacred peak, is marked with prayer flags. You come in towards the end of the morning, and outside, you are met by mountain air, with panoramic views over the town. The landscape around is reverently silent, suggesting the kora that awaits.

  • AccommodationLodge
  • MealsBreakfast-Lunch-Dinner
  • Altitude/Time4860 m/ -6 hrs

Today, we continue our 2026 Kailash Mansarovar Yatra with Horse Year Blessings early in the morning through prayer flags and lace on a cold, high-mountain air. We begin at Darchen (4,670 m), and the path begins slowly, through open valleys and wooden bridges--disrupted only by the grand north face of the mountain of Kailash, towering above in stern majesty.

The road is rough and rocky, and you can only walk slowly and steadily in thin air as you ascend towards Dirapuk (approximately 4,860 m). As we go, you can see many stones and fluttering flags as you go--a spiritual guidepost to tell you where you are. You come in mid-afternoon, and the scene of Kailash meets you in silent reverence, and you settle down, dazed by the presence of the mountain in midnight-blue mountain gloom.

  • AccommodationLodge
  • MealsBreakfast-Lunch-Dinner
  • Altitude/Time5,650 m/ 8-9 hrs trek

The Sacred Horse Year Kailash Pilgrimage 2026 10th day starts before the sun rises, and with cold winds blowing over Dolma La, you leave Dirapuk (4,950 m). You ascend steeply from rocky and difficult terrain to the daunting Dolma La Pass at approximately 5,630-5,645 m, the summit of the road. The prayer flags are fluttering, the pass torn and broken by the wind and the thin, sharp air.

At the top, you are rewarded with panoramic views of Mount Kailash in its entire splendour, and the holy Gauri Kund nestled in the valley--a peaceful, religious lake amidst barren rocks. The path starts--steep, rocky, and rough on the knees--down to Zuthulphuk Monastery (about 4,760-4,790 m), where the cool and spiritual atmosphere relaxes the tired muscles.

  • AccommodationLodge
  • MealsBreakfast-Lunch-Dinner
  • Altitude/Time4550 m/ 7-8 hrs

The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra – Horse Year 2026 resumes with the rumble of a morning vehicle, which leaves the holy foot of Kailash behind. The highway runs north over the plateau, gravel and bits of pavement, as you come down through an evolving landscape of high-altitude plains and outlines of mountains in the far distance. After 7 or 8 hours and having traversed a distance of approximately 470 km, you reach Saga (4,550 m).

The landscape around it alternates between its austere sanctity and broad, expansive landscapes with ragged grasses and wandering streams. The sparse buildings of Saga present an opportunity to reflect, acclimatise and unwind after the spiritual heights and physical intensity of the kora trek.

  • AccommodationLodge
  • MealsBreakfast-Lunch-Dinner
  • Altitude/Time2850m/ 5 to 6 hrs

In the morning of 12th day of Horse Year Kailash Mansarovar Pilgrimage 2026, you get into the car and drive down a road more than 220 km to Kerung (approximately 2,850 m), close to the Nepal-Tibet border. The landscape changes radically, the deserted high plains give place to undulating hinterlands and plains cut by mountain streams.

The highway is wavy, with a glimpse into Tibetan villages, meadows bordered by distant ridges, and here and there patches of civilization in prayer flag swaths and roadside mani walls. By afternoon, you are out of the high altitude plateau and into a milder climate. Kerung greets you with more sullen rhythms, more sullen air, and the assurance that the old scenery is coming closer.

  • AccommodationHotels
  • Altitude/Time1400 m/ 7-8 hr

We start the 13th day of 10-Day Kailash Mansarovar Yatra 2026 with a warm breakfast and cross into Nepal through the formalities of the border, where you are welcomed with Nepali hospitality. The route between Kerung and Kathmandu is approximately 150 km and takes 7 to 8 hours, along winding mountain roads, forested slopes and flowing rivers.

On the way down, the atmosphere becomes warmer, the landscape becomes softer, cold barrenness gives way to the lush valleys, the terraced fields, and further down, you can see Kathmandu valley start to open up. By evening, you reach the outskirts of the capital, the air is full of urban vitality.

  • MealsBreakfast
  • Altitude/Time1400 m

On the fourteenth day of Spiritual Journey to Kailash Mansarovar – 2026 Horse Year, your pilgrimage ends. You and your group leave the quiet luxuries of your hotel behind after a last breakfast and take a walk around the early-morning streets of the city.

On your way, you might get one final glimpse of the glittering stupa of Swayambhunath and Thamel stirring with the hustle and bustle of vendors setting out prayer flags. Your guide takes you over the ancient quarters of Basantapur, where heritage is in the air. After all this, you check in at Tribhuvan International Airport in an environment of lingering reverence and camaraderie.

As you take off, the terraced hills and richly decorated pagodas of Kathmandu will gradually fade into the distance--a spiritual experience to be stored in memory and heart.

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Cost Details
What's Included
  • All transportation and sightseeing are provided in connection with the tour itinerary referred to.
  • All Teahouse/hotel accommodations for the tour, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
  • Tibet visa, entrance permission, and Kailash Parikarma admission fee.
  • Best available hotel or guesthouse, including two nights of parikarma.
  • An English-speaking Chinese guide.
  • Throughout the tour, a super luxury bus or van will be used.
  • Pickup and drop-off from Kathmandu to Kerung via jeep.
  • First aid kits, maps, and so on
  • Parikarma of the Holy Lake Manasarovar
  • We give a duffel bag; down Jackets should be returned after the tour.
  • Nepali SIM Card With 10 GB Data Plan.
  • Water purification tablets.
What's Excluded
  • Airfares to Kathmandu and back
  • Urgent visa fees
  • Nepal visa expenses for NRI/foreigners
  • Travel/medical insurance
  • Cost of evacuation in the event of an emergency.
  • Personal expenses include phone calls, shopping, washing, cold/hard beverages, tipping, etc.
  • Any additional services, such as extra vehicles, hotel stays, or tourist trips not listed in the schedule.
  • Single room supplement in Kathmandu.
  • Horse and porter fees if hired for kora or parikrama (should be paid directly to the horse herder or porter).
  • Extra expense in the case of a landslide, etc. for hiring additional vehicles or porterage
  • Hotel charges in Kathmandu for early return from Tibet or further stays in Kathmandu.
  • Additional cost due to natural
Useful Info

Best Time To Go On The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra In Horse Year 2026

We recommend targeting Spring (late April-June) and Autumn (September-October) to get the best combination of weather, visibility, and crowd control. The two windows are placed at the best time of year to see Kailash in Tibet, when the snow risk is reduced and the view is clearer.

Spring (late April-June)

Select late April to June when trails are stable, daylight is longer, and mountain clarity is sharp. The Kailash kora is then less challenging as the winter snows melt and daytime temperatures are milder, which minimises ice risks without adding monsoon slush.

The time of the year also coincides with the Saga Dawa full-moon festivals, May 31, 2026, an unprecedented cultural occasion at Mt. Kailash and Lake Mansarovar. Book in advance; demand is high during the festival, and the permits require lead time.

You must still schedule a gradual acclimatisation program. Begin in Lhasa or one of the other high-plateau centres, and climb the ladder to Darchen to reduce acute mountain sickness (AMS). This is the pacing that operators always suggest to the Kailash altitude profile. 

Autumn (September–October)

September and October are good months to go for Kailash Mansarovar Trip in Horse Year 2026 when you want to avoid crowds and when the skies are ultra-clear after the monsoon. This shoulder season is generally an excellent time to see the faces of Mt. Kailash, and to experience more predictable weather on the Dolma La side.

It gets colder at night, and you should put on several layers; however, you can still walk along the trails until winter arrives and closes everything. Autumn is also a good time of the year to visit, when there is not much crowding during the spring festivals.

Similar to spring, be prepared for altitude acclimatisation and buffer days in case of weather. Guides in major operators refer to May-June and September-October as the prime windows; autumn has more consistent weather, and photographers and those more focused on relaxation than celebration often favour it.

How difficult is the 2026 Horse Year Kailash Mansarovar Trip?

Kailash Mansarovar Holy Yatra – Horse Year 2026 is not a technical climb, but it is a difficult high-altitude pilgrimage. The traditional Kailash kora is a 3-day 52 km circuit with Dolma La pass summiting at approximately 5,630 m (18,471 ft). Shallow breathing, steep climbs/descents and rocky walking surfaces require good cardiovascular conditioning and pacing. The greatest challenges are caused by weather variability and altitude, and not by technical terrain.

Warm-up with 8-12 weeks of gradual training: fast increases on hills, loaded walks, and interval training. Include knee- and ankle-protective mobility work on prolonged or deep descents. Slow down at altitude, hydrate, and eat; these are the only simple habits that can make AMS significantly less likely. Plan some acclimatisation days into your schedule--most operator agencies recommend working up to Lhasa and then gradually approaching Darchen, or you risk gaining too much too fast.

Climate change is rapid on the plateau. Even during the good months, mornings may begin below zero, and afternoons may begin hot and humid. Stuff a layering system (base, mid, shell), windproof gloves, a hat with insulation, and worn-in, well-tractioned boots. Trekking poles enhance balance on scree and help to ease the burden on the knee during long descents.

Lastly, admire the remoteness of the route: there are clinics, but they are scarce. Bring a small altitude kit (oximeter, medicine prescribed by your doctor) and go with a licensed operator who supplies oxygen, evacuation planning and skilled personnel. It is a fact that it is tough, and with proper conditioning (fitness) and clever planning, most healthy walkers will be able to traverse the kora safely during the season.

Permits for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra In Horse Year 2026

Chinese Group Tourist Visa

For 10-Day Sacred Kailash Journey 2026 Pilgrims are required to get a Chinese Group Tourist Visa, which is done jointly by a registered travel agency. Single applications are not received.

Your valid passport (at least six months remaining), a recent passport-sized photograph and information are submitted to the agency via the Chinese Embassy or Consulate. They organise your group's arrival and departure along the acceptable pilgrimage path.

Tibet Travel Permit (TTP)

Also for Kailash Mansarovar Pilgrimage Tour 2026 the Tibet Travel Permit is required to visit Tibet and, in particular, Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar.

The authorised tour agency like us makes an application to the Tibet Tourism Bureau on your behalf. We hand over your passport, visa and personal information. The TTP normally requires 7-10 days of approval. The permit is given to and received by the agency before you enter Tibet.

Alien's Travel Permit (ATP)

The Alien’s Travel Permit enables foreign tourists to explore outside Lhasa into restricted areas such as Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar. We do it on your behalf through the Public Security Bureau upon arrival in Tibet. It will require you to offer your original passport and Tibet Travel Permit before it is given.

Military Permit

The Military Permit permits entry to sensitive border regions around Mount Kailash and Mansarovar, which are military jurisdictions. We make an application on your behalf with the information about your passport and Tibet Travel Permit. The army gives it out, and you have to have it with you during the trip.

Foreign Affairs Permit

The Foreign Affairs Permit provides that diplomatic rules are followed when visiting border regions. Your tour operator will send the necessary papers - passport and Tibet Travel Permit to the Foreign Affairs Office in Tibet.

The permit is issued to the group in the office; you need to carry it to access and move in specific locations.

Required Documents For Permits

  • Permit fees
  • Copies of valid passport & visa.
  • Passport-size photographs.
  • Travel Insurance.
  • Health reports and clearances.

Guides and Porters for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Tour

The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra will guide you across high altitude terrain, unpredictable weather and spiritually important landscapes. The presence of professional guides and trusted carriers during Horse Year 2026 Kailash Mansarovar Spiritual Trip makes the process even safer, more comfortable, and meaningful. Both Nepali and Tibetan support staff are crucial in facilitating the proper logistics and consistent guidance during the trek.

Nepali Guides and Porters

Adventure Altitude Treks also offers a highly trained team of senior Nepali guides and porters to help pilgrims throughout the entire journey in Nepal. These guides have very important duties like airport collection, hotel arrangements, and training the travelers on high-altitude tours. They make sure that you know about the daily plans, health-related information, and culture before entering Tibet.

Nepali porters transport individual baggage, health supplies, and other necessary group gear. Their existence will help lessen the physical burden on pilgrims so they can use more energy on the taxing kora around Mount Kailash.

The team of Adventure Altitude has years of experience guiding treks in the Himalayas and is equipped with first aid, high-altitude safety, and client care training. They serve as a very powerful intermediary between pilgrims and communities, which provides a comfortable environment to the whole group.

Tibetan Guides

Tibetan guides offer some of the key roles once the group enters Tibet during 10-Day Kailash & Mansarovar Holy Journey 2026. They are familiar with the local laws, traditions, and the local roads. They also have the responsibility of handling permits and permissions that Tibetan authorities need before the journey is made, and ensuring that the journey is in line with all travel restrictions.

The Yatra is also smooth and safe because Tibetan guides are in constant contact with checkpoints, monasteries, and other local support services.

Tibetan guides offer a lot of information on the cultural and religious meaning of each landmark in the trekking routes. Between Lake Mansarovar and the sacred Dolma La Pass, they tell stories and traditions that enhance the spiritual journey of pilgrims.

They also liaise with handlers of yak and horses and make arrangements for transporting those in need of additional assistance during the kora.

Why Both Teams Matter

The Nepali and Tibetan during Kailash Mansarovar Horse Year Tour 2026 teams ensure that all the phases of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra are completed without any problem. Nepali guides train pilgrims physically and mentally, whereas Tibetan guides guide pilgrims through the local land and administration. They form a secure and well-structured space where travellers can concentrate on the spiritual mission of the trip without getting lost in logistics.

Accommodation and Food

During the Sacred Horse Year Kailash Pilgrimage 2026, pilgrims remain in guesthouses or tents that are shared. Guest houses with common bathrooms are also used by operators, particularly on the Tibet side in places such as Kerung, Saga, Darchen, Derapuk and Zuthulpuk. When there is no accommodation locally, teams carry two or four-person tents equipped with mattresses, tents and hot water to wash in the morning.

At guesthouses or in mobile kitchens all over Tibet, cooks make pure vegetarian meals. They sell hot breakfast, packed lunch and hearty dinner, imagine soup, dal, rice, vegetables, and even South Indian foods such as idlis. The food is still basic, clean, and adequate to meet the energy requirements of high altitude. Pilgrims are also advised to bring some small snacks, such as energy bars or nuts, in remote areas to sustain themselves.

Transportation

Pilgrims go to Tibet and Nepal mostly by AC buses or coaches duing 2026 Kailash Mansarovar Yatra with Horse Year Blessings. These vehicles transport the group over long distances between camps and towns and border crossings. In some of the routes--particularly sensitive areas--drivers use environmentally-friendly battery-operated buses to reduce environmental impact.

In the real Kailash Parikrama, they offer the services of yaks to transport camping equipment and heavier bags of pilgrims. A pilgrim usually carries no more than one bag. Yaks also reduce the weight that trekkers carry over the 52-km kora. Sometimes horses may be sold directly, but the operators remind pilgrims that the steep and rocky descent of Dolma La should be made on foot.

Wi-Fi and Communication Services

Communication and Network get less and less effective when you climb up to Mansarovar. Whereas mobile networks operate well in Nepal, they become useless in the remote areas of Tibet. Most operators advise pilgrims to buy a Chinese tourist SIM card - sold at the border towns or other major points such as Taklakot - to make calls and use as little data as possible.

Bigger guesthouses and certain towns usually have a small amount of Wi-Fi, usually in common rooms. Guides usually carry satellite phones as an emergency contact, so the family can easily communicate even when the mobile signal is patchy. You should also install apps such as WeChat so that you can effectively use them when you eventually have Wi-Fi or a mobile signal.

Hot Showers and Electricity

During the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra – Horse Year 2026, facilities are very simple but functional. Hot showers are very common in guesthouses, but may be intermittent. Villagers or towns will sometimes have shower shops (just a few yuan). In camping areas, there is a supply of morning hot water for washing.

In terms of electricity, there are only power outlets available in guesthouses in towns (especially Kerung, Saga, and Darchen), and they might not always be available in more isolated camps or even the parikrama. To avoid moments when there is no electricity, pilgrims on Horse Year Kailash Mansarovar Pilgrimage 2026 Trip are advised to pack power banks and universal adapters.

FAQs
  • The Horse Year 2026 is an extremely favorable or lucky year in Tibetan Buddhism, as one Kora (circumambulation) of Mount Kailash is considered to be equal to 13 Koras in other years, thereby greatly increasing the spiritual benefits. This extraordinary occasion, happening only once in 12 years, is attracting a huge gathering of spiritual seekers who desire to clean themselves of their sins and to receive blessings from the divine.

  • According to Tibetan tradition, the Horse Year is the one that brings the most benefits for the spiritual merit that can be gained when doing the Kailash Kora; in fact, it is said that one circumambulation here is equal to 13 in a regular year. The reason for the strength, courage, and the birth of Buddha Sakyamuni is linked to this year, the origin of the faith tradition.

  • The Fire Horse Year, according to the Tibetan lunar calendar, kicks off on February 17, 2026, and runs out on February 5, 2027. The period is great for engaging in the spiritually important Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

  • The 10-Day Kailash Mansarovar Yatra 2026 can be done within 10-16 days, depending on the route, for example, overland from Kathmandu or by helicopter from Simikot. The whole journey time, therefore, includes acclimatization and the 3-day Kailash Kora and Lake Mansarovar visit.

  • No, you are not allowed to travel independently in Tibet. Moreover, all travelers must be a part of a tour organized by a Tibetan agency that is officially authorized. This makes sure that the whole process of obtaining permits, transportation, and guiding is done efficiently by professionals.

  • Yes, horses can be hired during the Kora for the tough 52 km journey- mostly due to human physical limitations. The individual cost for horses or porters goes directly to the handlers and is not included in the standard package.

  • The Inner Kora is more sacred, more difficult, and at the base of Mount Kailash, which is traditionally only allowed after doing 13 Outer Koras. Possibly, in the Horse Year 2026, one Outer Kora may count as 13, possibly gaining the Inner Kora with permission.

  • Everyone who participates on Spiritual Journey to Kailash Mansarovar – 2026 Horse Year and goes on a pre-Yatra medical exam, which includes checking blood pressure, reading oxygen saturation, and some form of fitness exam to determine that a participant can handle heights of 19,500 feet and higher. Note that additional screenings may also be conducted due to altitudes at checkpoints along the Yatra journey.

  • Book 2026 Horse Year Kailash Mansarovar through authorized and specific tour operators and get in quickly and as early as possible (ideally 6-12 months) before the October season because we have limited permits and high demand. The earlier you book, the better the accommodations will be, and you will be more likely to get your preferred dates.

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