Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Via Simikot Nepalgunj - 19 Days

Your journey will begin on arrival at the Kathmandu airport, where Dream Tibet will have representatives to meet you.  After you are transferred smoothly to your hotel, you can just unpack and relax after all of your travels. Just taking a walk around this lively city, you will notice how the modern complements the ancient temples and the vibrant shops, and you will see the hills in the distance. 

You will find that a lot of Kathmandu's highlights, like the Swayambhunath Stupa and Durbar Square, are within walking distance from your hotel, and even by just walking through the area, you will surely sense the beauty of this city and its vast culture. The atmosphere and beauty of the city, with ancient buildings of architecture built into the mountains, will be a wonderful start to your incredible travel journey.

It will be an early start to your day as you transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport for your short flight to Nepalgunj. From above, you will have great views of the beautiful Himalayan foothills and the stunning patchwork of agriculture below. When you arrive, you will certainly feel the transition from the cool hills of Kathmandu to the warmer subtropical plains.

Nepalgunj has the lively atmosphere of a border town, is close to Bardia National Park, and is known for the famous and sacred Bageshwori Temple. 

The city is lively with atmosphere, small local markets and rickshaws, allowing you a great opportunity to stretch your legs. Nepalgunj is the last area you will see before traveling into the more remote parts of the western hill regions of Nepal. The rest of the day is at leisure in Nepalgunj, so you will be well-rested for the short adventure that is sure to come.

After an early breakfast, trekkers navigate to the airport for a spectacular flight to Simikot. Along the way, they will see some spectacular mountain scenery, deep, rugged, untamed valleys, and terraced farming fields.

After arriving at Simikot, trekkers will begin the trek towards Darapori. 

The trek to Darapori takes trekkers downhill through freshly planted pine forests and passes multiple small villages, such as Majgaon and Dhara Kola, with views of the Karnali River lazily winding through the valley below.

The trail is obvious and marked but could be rocky and steep in some areas. Trekkers will experience relaxed, natural rural beauty in fetal Nepal, see snow-capped mountains in the distance, and see the more colorful and vibrant rural colors of life. Trekkers will sleep in the quiet village of Darapori.

This day in Dharapori started with a nice breakfast before starting your walk to Kermi. Along the way, you walked along the banks of the looming Karnali River, alongside fields of barley and buckwheat, crossing a few suspension bridges. 

The walk was moderate, with gentle inclines and descents, surrounded by breathtaking waterfalls cascading off of cliffs and steep rocky crags. At the same time, you noticed the chaotic grandeur of nature but also the beginnings of a more Buddhist landscape; you began to note the appearance of prayer flags, as well as the unusual, small monasteries that were very close by, such as Lakiyo Gompa and Khundrup Choeling Gompa. 

Kermi lies halfway up the valley, so this is quite a long walk, and it is known for its natural hot springs, where trekkers can soak after a walk, taking advantage of nature and the beauty of a small village in the Humla region.

As you begin your early morning in Kermi, it's time to go hiking on a well-worn path that ascends gradually through beautiful forests and terraced fields. The path is mostly well-defined, but some parts can be slightly rocky and present moderate challenges along the way. On the way you will pass many small villages, these little villages all have markers of local Tibetan culture including prayer flags and traditional houses.

The landscape you will hike through is stunning too, from towering, snow-capped Himalayan peaks to steep valleys with dramatic rivers all providing striking panoramic views. Approaching Yalbang it is quite rustic, almost old-world - you will see the peaceful feeling of the village.

Today's trek is a cultural hike experience focused on the beauty of nature; with luck and good weather it will possibly finish with another peaceful night in the village of Yalbang.

You will have a great breakfast in Yalbang to start the day, and then you will walk through the mixed forest of rhododendron and pine. The wind takes the road upward, and the views, when looking back, are truly spectacular. The snow-capped mountains can seem frame-worthy, and the way the Karnali River and the river valleys catch this view below adds to the majesty.

You will pass through small village settlements through the trek. The people are incredibly friendly and welcoming to trekkers. The route on a whole is quite varied with representative slopes and steep climbs and rocky segments that take sure-footedness. In a short time, you'll make it to Tumkot, in the process transitioning from conifer forest to wide-open valleys and peaks in the distance.

We will have breakfast and then begin the trek on a mountain trail that follows the contour of the hills. The trail will, in sections, take us into the forest that is close to the surrounding forest, but we will have several observation points that will open up views of the Himalayas. As we trek, we cross several small streams and get to see a few beautiful little villages with prayer wheels and mani stones, which mark an area of Buddhist culture. 

The trek is defined as a moderate to hard trek; there will be plenty of steep ups and downs and a few sections with a gradual slope. When we arrive in Yari, we enter a lovely small village in a lush green valley, mostly from the local stone house walls that surround it and views of beautiful mountains all around. 

As you leave Yari in the early morning, the trail follows an erratic descent to the Karnali River down a series of bridges, which bounce clumsily with the mountain breeze.  A few parts of the path are slippery with the river's mist, but, in general, the path is discernible. 

The great pleasure of trekking at this assaltitudinal range is to share your trek with astounding views of jagged cliffs, forested regions, the Himalayas along the horizon, and amazing varieties of flora that are common to the regional area. 

When you arrive in Hilsa, an important trading and border town as you get closer to hurdling the border into Tibet, there is a vibrance to the village's market filled with locals making business deals. 

Hilsa would certainly take a prominent part in journey travel to this point. Hilsa is a major entry point from Nepal and is an important stop along the journey for many pilgrims and trekkers travelling into the Tibetan plateau.

The journey will start with a border crossing from the border crossing at Hilsa into Tibet, then the last leg to Purang (Burang) either by vehicle or by trek. 

At this point, you will officially cross into the Tibetan plateau where you will move over some of the most spectacular desolate terrain you have ever seen with snow-capped mountain ranges. In this section of Tibet, the travel will be on flat or gently rolling terrain, which will be a welcome relief from the steep climbs experienced in the Himalayas. 

Once you reach Purang, you will be able to access the most pertinent sites, such as the Purang Gompa monastery, the ancient monastery, and the sacred site of Mount Kailash. Purang is a cultural hub which has a growing Tibetan Buddhist community that makes for an engaging place to learn about certain aspects of local culture and customs.

The trip to Montser starts at Purang, a village on the western edge of Tibet.  The road/trail zigzags through high, flat terrain and 'mountain-ness' abounding with brilliant scenery and stunning views of the Panoramas around you.  The landscape is barren and stark, still giving the feeling of beauty with unlimited views of a deeper blue sky and clean mountain air. 

On route, you may have the chance of seeing nomadic herders with a herd of sheep, not only to enhance the cultural experience, but also for you to experience Tibet that many people will never see.  Montser is an isolated stop with only basic accommodation for right-time stopovers.  It is a scant service which helps the traveler to acclimatize with time in support of the next phases of pilgrimage or trek.  The trek to Montser reinforces that you are in a remote and pristine wilderness environment in the high Himalayas.

You will start your day with breakfast and then head over to Garuda Valley (Khyunglung). Garuda Valley was once Shangshung. You will see different strange caves up above cliff ruins and artifacts on and next to the Sutlej River. You will visit some of these caves used to meditate and feel the ruins of the early civilization. After a few hours in the valley, you will head back to the road and back to the open mountains again. We will drive to Darchen in the afternoon. Darchen is the town at the foot of Mount Kailash at 4,670 m. It is a quiet place, but there is quite a bit of energy and excitement from the pilgrims in the area. You will be staying in a guesthouse and preparing for the kora the next day.

Darchan is the point of departure for the kora. Early in the morning, leave Darchan and complete the kora in a clockwise direction. The walk passes by Darboche, where the white-garbed pilgrims awaited their departure to start Saga Dawa. After they sleep, trek an arduous section towards Choku Monastery.

After about three hours of relative silence you will get to a deep valley along the Lha‐chu River. Late in the morning, you will arrive at DiraPuk Monastery (≈5,210 m), built around a yogin's cave having a North‐face sight of Mount Kailash, a beautifully spiritual and peaceful place to sleep for the night you have set in. You start the night by watching the mountain illuminated with gold by the setting sun.

You will depart DiraPuk Monastery and head towards Dolma La Pass (≈5,630 m) in the early morning. you will do a short climb of some rocky, windy hills, and then you will reach the high point of the kora. 

It is at this time that you will see a large empty plateau and then far-off mountains behind you. After you spend some time at the top, you will head down to Gauri Kund Lake (5,608 m) and finally down to Zutulpuk Monastery, which is on the side of a mountain and away from everyone in the world. You reach Zutulpuk Monastery late in the afternoon and see some prayer flags waving in the wind. You set in for the night.

You depart from Zutulpuk Monastery in the early morning, taking an easier route down towards Darchen. The journey back is filled with reflections and memories of the kora. You arrive in Darchen by late morning. After lunch you drive two hours to the magnificent Lake Mansarovar, where you are treated to many views of the sacred peak.

In the afternoon, you arrive next to the peaceful cold lake at 4590m. You check in to your guesthouse and walk to the lakeshore area for a peaceful evening, preparing for a full day of touring tomorrow.

You will wake up early this morning and walk along the edge of the turquoise lake of Lake Mansarovar.  At 4590 m (15,388 ft), you can see and feel the brisk, clean air, and you can take your time doing pujas and rituals here. 

There are many pilgrims in the holy waters of the lake bathing to cleanse their bodies of the sins of their life. You will have the option to walk the full or a part of the way around the circumference of the lake or take a jeep.

The sacred landscape has a vast yet peaceful feeling to it. Late in the afternoon you find yourself back at your guesthouse resting, looking up at a sky that somehow feels peaceful and powerful at the same time.

After having breakfast alongside Lake Mansarovar, you cooped in a vehicle for an expected long drive.  The road winds northwest across Tibet's high plateau, with small settlements nestled among vast plains. 

After traveling about 500 km in 7–8 hours beneath a wide blue sky, you arrive in Saga (≈4,640 m) late in the afternoon. 

The village is remote and tranquil. You check into a guesthouse in a rolling hills, desert-like field landscape. You can feel the effects of altitude, and now you have a chance to stretch your legs and acclimatize as you get ready for the journey north toward the border.

You will leave Saga early in the morning and use the High Tibetan Plateau roads heading northeast. The journey, about 6-7 hours (≈180 km), will be through emptiness and a high landscape with distant mountainous horizons surrounding you. You will be relatively low in thin air, and there will be virtually no contending topography.

Arrive at Kerong (Kyirong), allowable late afternoon, a border town with some alpine forests and a few stores, possibly a few rustic/makeshift guesthouses or hotels. After you get checked into a hotel, eat some warm local food and take a walk around town in the evening. This stop will give your physical body an opportunity to partially recover from the strain before the long, slow last drop into Nepal.

You will finish your exit formalities in Kerong and drive to the Rasuwagadhi border after breakfast. Once you cross into Nepal, you will meet your trekking agent or driver.

The road through the alpine Langtang National Park is winding, through hills and forests.

This journey will take around 8–9 hours. In the late afternoon, you will arrive in Kathmandu for a cultural dinner in Thamel. After contemplating your journey and having a Nepalese meal and likely entertainment, you will return to your hotel tired and satisfied.

After a regular breakfast, you will have adequate time this morning to either make last-minute purchases or souvenir items or possibly visit Swayambhunath or Durbar Square.

Your hotel will arrange for you to go to Tribhuvan International Airport in the late morning or early afternoon, check in for your international flight, and think about the sacred mountains, lakes, and spirits you received in Nepal. In your final farewell to Nepal, you will remember your high trek, prayer flags, and old caves either on your journey home or to your next adventure, spiritually washed and inspired.