Mount Kailash Manasarovar Lake Motorbike Tour

Trip Overview

The Kailash Motorbike tour begins and concludes in Kathmandu where you will travel across Tibet via the Kerung border. Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar are separated by about 1600 kilometers of riding. You will also have around three days of hiking around Mount Kailash, passing through Valley of the Gods, Derapuk, the highest Dolma La pass (5645m) and Juthulpuk valley. Pilgrims from Nepal, India and Tibet have been making the difficult journey to Kailash for more than two centuries due to its worldwide esteem as a sacred destination. Due to the lack of infrastructure in the area, pilgrims must choose their own transportation as well as the necessary food and supplies for the epic journey.

Mt. Kailash is located entirely within Tibet, north of the Himalayan barrier. It holds the distinction of being the most beloved mountain in the world, yet it is the least visited of the world's main holy sites. Four religions and billions of people regard the mountain as a supremely sacred spot. The mountain, however, is only visited by a few people due to its remote location in far western Tibet. Mt. Kailash is considered by Hindus to be Lord Shiva's home. Shiva is a Hindu god who appears to be full of contradictions.You'll see cliff-top monasteries, wild-looking but hospitable Tibetans, yak caravans navigating through snowy passes, the great Himalayan peaks with a portrait of grazing animals and a sparkling turquoise lake on the journey to Mt. Kailash.

The first day of the motorcycle tour takes you to Syabrubesi, where you will spend the night. It passes through Nepalese communities and a tiny mountain road. The second day of riding takes you to Rasuwagadi, where you'll cross the Nepal-Tibet border and arrive at Kerung, the first Tibetan settlement at an elevation of 2,500 meters. Kerung is the first spot to stop for two nights to allow for proper acclimatization before ascending to the Kailash region's greatest height. From here, you can see the beautiful Manasarovar Lake and the magnificent Mount Kailash. Another attraction here is the oldest and most prominent Tsui monastery, which is important to local Tibetans and is located on the summit of a hill near the Lake.

The base of Mount Kailash is reached via a ride to Darchen. We'll leave our bikes here and prepare to trek across Kailash for three days. Walking around Mount Kailash for three days is both a pilgrimage and an adventure, traveling via the 5,645-meter Dolma La pass and the magnificent Gauri Kunda. Mount Kailash's north, west, and east faces as seen from Kailash Kora. Bikes, except for a few locals, and any other mode of transportation other than emergency vehicles, are prohibited from driving after Darchen. Walking around Mount Kailash ends in Darchen and then you will take the same route back to return Kathmandu via Kerung.

With your Tibet travel permit, motorcycle permit and other documentation you must complete many immigration formalities. The entire excursion in Tibet is overseen by an English-speaking Tibetan guide. Firante takes care of all immigration processes, permits, visas, guarantee deposits at immigration for a bike and any other requirements.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu

A representative from Firante will pick you up from the international airport and transport you to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, we can discuss the trip and arrange your motorcycle on the same day.

Day 2: A tour preparation day in Kathmandu

It is also the day when Tibet's final visa is issued. To apply for final Tibetan visa approval from the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu, we'll require your original passport and passport-size photo. In the Kathmandu valley, you can test ride your bike while visiting a number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Day 3: Ride from Kathmandu – Syabrubesi

The first day of riding will be short in distance but long in duration. It passes via Shivapuri National Park, Trishuli Bazaar, Betrawoti and Dhunche to reach Syabrubesi. The route has narrow mountain road but yet scenic beside the Trishuli River with green deep forest. On the way, there are beautiful views of the valley, waterfalls and villages.Syabrubesi is also a point of entry and departure for the well-known Langtang valley trekking.

Day 4: Ride from Syabrubesi – Kerung

Kerung, Nepal's Tibet border, is a short distance from Syabrubesi. We will cross the Nepal-Tibet border after completing immigration requirements on both sides. Kerung, the first Tibetan settlement, is 24 kilometers away. Staying here for several days to acclimate is recommended. We may also go on a brief hike around the hills to assist your body acclimate to the altitude and ride around the small town.

Day 5: Ride from Kerung – Saga

Today is an exciting day of our ride to reach Saga town. Between the enormous Tibetan plateau and the stunning landscape is a wide road. On the route, the stunning Himalayan views can be seen. We will cross many high passes with an elevation of about 5,000 meters. The Brahmaputra River meets near Saga town on its way from Kailash to Manasarovar. Saga is a semi-modern Tibetan town with decent guesthouses, basic guesthouses, restaurants and other amenities.

Day 6: Ride from Saga – Lake Manasarovar

Today will be an exciting day for witnessing the world's largest and freshest lake at a high altitude with a breathtaking view of Mount Kailash. We will also pass through Mayum La, which is the primary checkpoint. We will spend the night at Horchu, a small town with basic guest cottages on the lake's edge. It also offers the option of hiking and walking through the Tsui monastery.

Day 7: Ride from Lake Manasarovar – Darchen

The morning view of the dawn surrounding the Manasarovar Lake is breath taking to watch. We will spend the morning by the Lake's edge and enjoy watching sunrise. After that, we will ride to Darchen, which is only 40 kilometers away. It has a beautiful road. Darchen is the basecamp of Mount Kailash. We will spend a full day here to prepare ourselves for upcoming three days Kailash parikrama trek.

Day 8: Trek from Darchen – Derapuk

We will start walking early in the morning from Darchen to reach Derapuk. The walk across the Valley of God is 18 kilometers long. From here, you can see the breathtaking views of Kailash's south face. Near Juthulpuk, there is a small uphill that needs to be climbed near the end of the day. From here, the view of Kailash's north face is stunning.

Day 9: Trek from Derapuk – Juthulpuk

Walking from Derapuk to Juthulpuk takes all day. The first part of the hike is almost entirely uphill, taking you to the Dolma La pass (5,645m). On the way up to the top of the pass, you'll pass through two tent houses where you can buy refreshments and rest there for a while. After passing through the pass, it's all downhill to the tent houses. There is also a beautiful ice lake valley on the way, you will be amazed to see it. You will still require two more hours to reach Juthulpuk walking on a flat land.

Day 10: Trek from Juthulpuk – Ride to Saga

The third day of Mount Kailash trekking is a short walk up to Darchen. It takes roughly 3 hours to walk the route. After that, we will retrace our steps back to reach Saga. Today's total walking and riding time is longer than the previous days. Later in the evening, we will arrive in Saga to and spend the night at a guest house.

Day 11: Ride from Saga – Kerung

We will take the same route back to return to Kerung. We will spend the night in the Tibet section and it will be our last day in Tibet. We will clear our customs tomorrow morning and head back to Kathmandu.

Day 12: Kerung – Kathmandu

We will ride our motorcycle to the Kerung border early in the morning. We will return to Kathmandu through Syabrubesi, Dhunche, Trishuli and Shivapuri national parks after completing immigration processes in both countries. After arriving in Kathmandu, you will be transferred to the hotel where you will spend the night.

Day 13: Final Departure

Today will be the last flight out of Nepal. Our staff will pick you up and drop you off at the international airport. It is necessary to arrive at the international airport within 3 hours of your scheduled departure time in Nepal.

Accommodation

Firante Treks and Expedition Manages for best and comfortable accommodation and also provides you hygienic food. Standard (3 Star) are booked in the cities such as Kathmandu and Pokhara, whereas a tyical trek lodge will be booked on remote areas.

Luxurious rooms from 5 Star hotels are also made avaiable on demand in the cities on additional cost but remote regionss dont have such facilities.