Upon arrival in Kathmandu International Airport, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Evening dinner will be organized following with tour orientation program.
Kailash – Mansarovar Heli Tour (13 days) Itinerary
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Day 01 ARRIVAL KATHMANDU:
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Day 02 KATHMANDU SIGHTSEEING TOUR, THEN FLY TO NEPALGUNJ (Kathmandu to Nepalgunj flight: 1 hour)
After breakfast set off on a full day sightseeing tour around Kathmandu Valley. You will visit one of the most important Hindu pilgrim sites in Asia and UNESCO World Heritage Sites including: Pashupatinath temple, Guheshwori Mata temple and Budhanilkantha temple (Jal Narayan or Shesh Narayan).
After finishing the tour, you will return to hotel where lunch will be served. After lunch you will proceed to the domestic Airport for your flight to Nepalgunj. Nepalgunj is situated 400 km southwest from Kathmandu; one of the major gateways that connects with Western mountain regions of Nepal by air. The duration of this flight is about an hour.
From Nepalgunj airport you will be transferred to your hotel and enjoy leisure time.
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Day 03 FLY TO SIMIKOT & OVERNIGHT STAY(Nepalgunj to Simikot flight: 45 minutes to 1 hour):
Early morning transfer to Nepalgunj airport for the 5am flight to Simikot by fixed wing aircraft. The air route to Simikot (approx. 45 minutes to 1 hour) passes over the remote mountain region of Nepal where the whether often gets cloudy and notorious. Generally, the weather in the mountain area, is calm and clear in the morning. Simikot has a STOL airport (Short Take Off and Landing) therefore only small aircrafts (15 passengers) can be operated.
-Aircraft type: Dronier or Twin otter.
- Carrying capacity: 15 passengers.
- Luggage weight max: 10 – 12kg luggage per passenger.
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Day 04 SIMIKOT - HILSA (BY HELICOPTER) THEN DRIVE TO TAKLAKOT (TIBET):
After an early rise and breakfast, you will walk to the airport and board on helicopter (with your baggage – see luggage allowance). The Helicopter flight from Simikot to Hilsa takes about 25 minutes (one way). The air route passes through the deep Karnali River gorge and narrow remote mountain valleys, where weather normally turns windy & cloudy from late morning onward.
After all group members shifted to Hilsa, we will cross the border then drive to Taklakot (also known Purang). As per the visa rule of the Chinese government, all group members should enter together and exit together. So, until and unless all members do not come from Simikot, we can’t cross the border and proceed for Taklakot.
The drive from Hilsa to Taklakot takes about 45 minutes and the driving distance is about 27km.
-Simikot to Hilsa: by helicopter | 5 persons + 10 kg baggage at a time.
- Flight duration: 25 minutes.
- Carrying capacity: 5 persons | 10 kg baggage each.
- Hilsa to Chinese immigration (Sher): only 10 minutes walk.
- Sher to Taklakot: 27 km | 45 minutes drive by Bus.
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Day 05 REST IN TAKLAKOT FOR ACCLIMATIZATION:
Today, you will rest in Taklakot for acclimatization purpose. It is vitally important to be properly acclimatized to perform circumambulation (Parikrama) around the holy mountain Kailash. Also, it is for your safety too. Your body should be adjusted properly in new environment before we reach more heights.
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Day 06 TAKLAKOT TO LAKE MANSAROVAR (Taklakot to Lake Mansarovar: 88 km | 90 minutes):
Today after your breakfast you will pack your belongings and board the bus to proceed to Lake Mansarovar. Right from the beginning, the highway commences making a gradual ascend. On the way, we stop for 10 minutes to take the first glimpse of Mount Kailash from Rakhash Lake before reaching Lake Mansarovar.
We will continue our journey for a circumambulation (Parikrama) around the lake. Part of the staff team will stop on the western bank (Chiugompa) of Lake Mansarovar to set up the kitchen and the latter will accompany you for circumambulation around the lake on the bus. On the way, you will get the opportunity to stop in a nice place to take a holy bathe in the lake, perform puja, Homa and any other rituals.
After finishing all these activities, you will return back to the western shore in the evening for an overnight stay.
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Day 07 DRIVE, MANSAROVAR TO DARCHEN (Lake Mansarovar to Darchen: 35 km, 45 minutes drive):
Today after breakfast, we once again can walk down to lakeshores once again, take sacred bathe and start worshipping, praying and conducting an offering ceremony. The activity may continue till lunch hour. After lunch, we will pack our gear up and proceed to Darchen, the foothill of mount Kailash. The distance between Lake Mansarovar and Darchen is approximately 35 km and it requires 45 minutes to reach Darchen by vehicle.
Darchen is a small town situated on the foothill of Kailash, just below the south face. Nowadays Darchen is more commercialised with a good selection of hotels and guest houses. For pilgrims, it is recommended to spend the night in Darchen before heading out for your trek around Kailash. This allows you to be acclimatized properly before attempting circumambulation around Kailash.
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Day 08 DRIVE, DARCHEN TO YAMA DWARA- THEN TREK TO DHIRAPHUK (Yama Dwar – Diraphuk (10 km): 5 - 6 hour trek):
Today is the day that you will start sacred circumambulation around holy Kailash. As usual, you will move from Darchen early in the morning. From Darchen, you will drive to Yama Dwar (also called Tarboche in Tibetan language) - 5 km in distance. In Yama Dwar, you will meet your horse/ porter/ yaks then set off together to Deraphuk.
Those who are not attempting Parikrama will return back to Darchen and wait there for two days. We will stay in Darchen when other members who have gone for circumambulation will return.
Your trek starts from Yama Dwara where yaks, porters and horses will be waiting. Those who are trekking on foot can instantly proceed for Diraphuk; the remaining group should commence their journey after allocating their horse/s and porter/s.
The walk to Diraphuk usually takes 4 to 5 hours – this timing depends on your own pace. The route is quite easy with a mild ascend. Due to its extreme elevation, it is common to feel tired while walking so the group will be taking frequent breaks.
The last leg of the journey is tough with rapid ascend. But, it is only for half an hour.
Dhiraphuk stands at an elevation of 4,920m. The north face of mount Kailash is just a few thousands meters away from here and it is the only place to have a close view of north face.
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Day 09 DIRAPHUK TO ZUTULPHUK
Today you will cross a significant distance through the rugged portion of the trail around the mount Kailash before reaching Zutulphuk. From Diraphuk, we should start very early. Right from the beginning, the trail leads you rapidly upward; however in between it turns into flat with gentle ascend. Up to Dolma-La (5,600 m), the path keeps you taking up & up. Dolma La is the highest point of this journey. From here onwards the trail leads you all the way down to the valley floor. This particular portion of the trek is a rapid incline and the track is full of boulders and loose stones, so one should pay continue attention while trekking down.
While descending from Dolma La, you will pass alongside a small glacial pool, which is almost frozen during May through September. This is Gaurikunda. The legend of this pool is connected with Mata Parvati, the consorts of lord Shiva.
Once you descend to the valley floor, the trail becomes flat and easy up to Zutulphuk.
The highest point to cross over: Dolma La pass (5600 m. | 18,368 ft).
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Day 10 END TREK THEN DRIVE BACK TO TAKLAKOT
Today you will walk another 6km to accomplish the circumambulation; then drive all the way to Taklakot and proceed to Darchen, where the group will be re-assembled. As usual after morning meals, you will pack up your belongings then be ready to move on to Darchen. It requires presumably 3 hours to reach the ending point of this trail where our vehicle is waiting to fetch you up. After assembling all group members, you will board on vehicle and proceed for Taklakot.
- Overnight Purang Guesthouse.
- Zutulphuk to trek ending point: 08Km/3Hrs.
- Trek ending point to Taklakot: 105Km/2Hrs.
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Day 11 TAKLAKOT-HILSA-SIMIKOT
From Taklakot, a military person will accompany the group to escort towards Hilsa. It takes 45 minutes to reach Hilsa, where you have to go through the immigration formalities. After having luggage checked and going through some formalities again in the boarder, you will cross over the suspension bridge of Karnali river, then enter into the territory of Nepal then fly to Simikot.
- Taklakot to Hilsa boarder: 27 km, 45 minutes.
- Hilsa to Simikot flight by Helicopter- 25 minutes.
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Day 12 FLY TO NEPALGUNJ THEN CONTINUE TO KATHMANDU:
In the morning you take a flight to Nepalgunj then continue to fly or drive to Kathmandu.
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Day 13 DEPARTURE FROM KATHMANDU:
Transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport for your flight back home. As per the international flight rule, you should be reporting at the Airport counter 3 hours prior to flight time.
