Saga Dawa Festival – Kailash
2 500,00 €
This exclusive journey travels the vastness of the Tibetan plateau of the cultural highlights of the Lhasa region to Mount Kailash, a magnificent setting for a pilgrimage where Hinduism, Bönpo, and Buddhism come together. This great discovery, which is best done from May to September, is aimed at lovers of Tibetan culture, the wilderness of the roof of the world, and the Kora of Mount Kailash is achievable by all in good physical shape by foot, by horse or by yak.
- Tibet Country
- Culture and discovery Thématique
- Difficult Difficulté
- 14 days Duration
- 3 days Hiking days
- 5 700 m Max. altitude
- Yes Guide
- Hôtel, Lodge Hébergement
- Kyirong → Departure Departure / Arrival
Itinerary
Departure from the hotel around 6:00 a.m. Today, you will travel by road from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi and onward to the Sino-Nepalese border of Tibet via a bumpy mountain road, passing through various Nepalese villages, deep gorges, and terraced rice fields. You will reach the border near the town of Kyirong. After completing immigration formalities, you will meet our Tibetan guide and your driver, then continue by vehicle to Kyirong, located about 27 km away. Kyirong is a small town beautifully set in a forested gorge and surrounded by lush vegetation. It is also the birthplace of Milarepa, the most famous yogi of Tibetan Buddhism, who attained enlightenment in a single lifetime.
Overnight at Hotel Phuntsok Rebsal.
Free day
Phuntsok Rebsal Hotel
Today, you will drive for approximately 5 to 6 hours on a very well-maintained asphalt road. The scenery along the way is among the most spectacular of the journey to Mount Kailash. You will enjoy breathtaking views of vast Himalayan ranges and one of the world’s most famous snow-capped peaks, Shishapangma (8,200 m), from the stop at Lake Pekutso. Along the route, you will also admire beautiful views of Lake Pekutso, an ideal spot for a photo break with snow-covered mountains as a backdrop. You will cross the Brahmaputra River, which rises at Mount Kailash and flows through western Tibet, Tsetang, southern Tibet, Nyingtri, and the eastern forested region before emptying into the Bay of Bengal in India. Saga is a small town with a few administrative buildings and traditional Tibetan-style houses.
Overnight at a hotel in Saga – breakfast included.
We continue our journey toward Mount Kailash through magnificent landscapes dotted with Tibetan nomad camps and herds of animals grazing on the high plateau. Upon arrival at Lake Manasarovar and Mount Kailash, the view from Chaktsalkang is simply spectacular. You will experience a deep sense of peace, calm, and joy as Lake Manasarovar and Mount Kailash appear before you. A full kora (circumambulation) around Lake Manasarovar, including visits to several monasteries and sacred sites such as Jiwu Monastery, Milarepa Cave, and other important spiritual locations.
Guesthouse accommodation – dormitory – breakfast included.
Participation in the Saga Dawa Festival at Mount Kailash. The Saga Dawa Festival commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana of Buddha Shakyamuni. Thousands of Tibetan pilgrims gather in Lhasa to perform circumambulations of the Lingkor (outer circuit), Barkhor (middle circuit), and Nangkor (inner circuit), which includes the Potala Palace. Pilgrims also ascend Bumpari and Gephel Utse to offer incense and prayer flags. At the same time, thousands of pilgrims and visitors also gather at Mount Kailash. At Tarpoche, a massive prayer-flag pole is erected to honour the great deeds of the Buddha.
Overnight at Hotel Yuanfangdejia.
Today begins the first day of the Mount Kailash Kora, which is approximately 53 km in total. The pilgrimage starts from Darchen. After about two hours of walking, you will reach Tarpoche, where a large prayer-flag pole stands, renewed each year during the Saga Dawa Festival (15th day of the 4th lunar month). You will also see Trulku Monastery on the hillside to your left. Along the trail, you may spot ibex and blue sheep on the rocky slopes. You will then arrive at Dhiraphuk, a former monastic site now in ruins, destroyed during the Cultural Revolution.
Lodge accommodation in a dormitory – breakfast included.
Second day of the Mount Kailash Kora, and the most challenging one. You will cross the Drolma La Pass at an altitude of over 5,600 meters. The ascent from Dhiraphuk is gradual and divided into three sections, followed by a steep and rocky descent into the valley. On the right side of the descending trail lies the small Thuje Lake, known as the “Lake of Compassion.” Zutrulphuk is the cave where Milarepa and Naro Bonchung are said to have debated their religious traditions. Today, the site is home to a small monastery.
Lodge accommodation – dormitory – breakfast included.
Last day of the Mount Kailash Kora and the easiest one. You will walk through the valley with beautiful distant views of Lake Rakshas Tal. Upon arrival, you will say goodbye to your yak handlers and rejoin the vehicles. You will then drive back toward Saga, passing through Horqu, where you will bid farewell to Lake Manasarovar and Mount Kailash. The journey once again crosses the vast plains of the western Tibetan plateau, dotted with nomad camps and grazing herds.
A 5 to 6-hour drive on a well-maintained asphalt road. You will cross the Brahmaputra River again, enjoy stunning views of Lake Pekutso, and pass over the Guangthang La Pass at over 5,200 meters. You will also be treated to a magnificent view of the snow-capped Shishapangma peak.
Overnight at Hotel Phuntsok Rebsal – breakfast included.
Journey toward Nepal along one of the highest roads in the world, passing near Everest, Cho Oyu, and Shishapangma, which we skirt from the north via Lake Pegutso to the border town of Kyirong. We then descend into the dizzying gorges of the Trisuli River toward the Sino-Nepalese border. After crossing the border at Rasuwa, it’s a 1.5-hour drive along the river to Syabrubesi. We are now in the Langtang region, in Tamang country.
We continue our journey to Kathmandu, passing through lush vegetation, rice paddies, and Nepalese villages. Transfer to your pre-booked hotel.
Meals at your leisure.
Free time in Kathmandu, then transfer to the airport for your return flight.
Practical Info
Information about porterage during the Kora trek in Kailash: We do not include porters or yaks with Yakmen because we don’t yet have a price for 2026, as it is constantly changing and therefore difficult to provide up-to-date information. We can only give you indicative information to help you best prepare your travel budget. Furthermore, stricter requirements have been in place since this year regarding the weight of luggage transported by yaks. All luggage must be weighed on-site, so it is difficult for us to calculate in advance the exact number of yaks needed. The most practical solution for travelers is to weigh and pay on-site. Your guide will arrange this if necessary. For your reference: this is the 2025 rate: The yak costs 380 RMB per day, equivalent to 51 USD per day. The cost is 154 USD for 3 days. The yak herder’s rate is 380 RMB, equivalent to 55 USD per day for 3 days, totalling 167 USD per yak herder. Therefore, the total is 154 + 167 = 321 USD. The horse and groom are charged at the same rate: 480 RMB per day, equivalent to 70 USD per day. For 3 days, this amounts to 210 USD per horse and 210 USD for the groom. Therefore, the total is 420 USD. The porter’s cost is 380 RMB, equivalent to 55 USD per day. For 3 days, the total is 167 USD.
What is included
- Necessary airport transfers
- 1 night in a lodge in Sybrubensi with half-board
- Jeep border transfers
- Escort by a transfer agent
- Accommodation as mentioned or equivalent category with breakfast
- All entrance fees to the sites and monasteries mentioned
- All necessary permits for Tibet and roads
- Special permit for Mount Kailash
- English-speaking Tibetan local guide
- Transportation in a comfortable minivan
- Conservation fees for Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar
- Official bus to the Kailash and Mansarovar sites
- Snacks during the Kailash trek (biscuits, cheese, dried fruit, toast, coffee, tea, jam)
- Oxygen if needed
- Online payment with no additional charges.
What is not included
- Airfare and airport taxes
- Lunches and dinners
- Accommodation in Kathmandu, Nepal visa
- Chinese visa (not required for French citizens)
- Porters for the Kailash trek
- Horse rental for the Kora trek
- Sleeping bag
- Personal, medical, travel, and evacuation insurance
- Personal expenses (alcoholic beverages, laundry, telephone, etc.)
- Additional costs due to landslides or personal expenses, to be paid by the clients.
- Single room supplement: 430$ per night, depending on the number of nights included in the itinerary.
- Hotel supplements in Tibet (double room):
- Mansarovar Hot Springs Hotel: 95$ per person
- Ouguan Hotel in Darchen: 36$ per person
- Ouguan Hotel in Saga: 60$ per person for 2 nights
FAQ
This Mount Kailash Saga Dawa tour coincides with the most sacred festival of the Tibetan calendar. At Tarboche, at the foot of the mountain, thousands of pilgrims gather to watch the great prayer pole being raised: a unique moment of collective devotion.
Over three days of walking, the kora circles Asia’s most sacred mountain, from Tarboche to Dirapuk and Zutrulphuk, crossing the Drolma La pass, the high point of the pilgrimage. A physical and spiritual experience accessible to fit walkers.
Before the kora, a night by Lake Manasarovar at Chiu Gompa lets you contemplate this lake, sacred to Hindus and Buddhists alike, facing Kailash. A moment of contemplation in the heart of the Tibetan plateau.
The journey enters Tibet via the Kyirong border, then crosses the high plateau via Saga to western Tibet. An itinerary designed as a true pilgrimage, with attentive support that respects local traditions.
