A Comprehensive Guide on Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Tour from Australia

A Comprehensive Guide on Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Tour for Australian Travellers

Majestic, enthralling, spectacularly beautiful the holy Mount Kailash is situated in western Tibet China near holy Lake Mansarovar. Together these two places form one of the world’s most popular and inspiring pilgrimage known as Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. For nearly one million Indians and Hindus living in Australia, it is a lifetime dream to visit Kailash Mansarovar atleast once in their lifetime. Not only the Hindus living in Australia, but also people following Buddhism, Jainism, Bon religion and others of Australian origin are also among those travellers who are curious to visit Kailash Mansarovar in search of utmost peace for their soul. In this article I have tried to explain how to prepare for this trip, where to contact for your visa and inner line permits, what precautions to take and what all places can be explored when you are traveling from Australia to Kailash Mansarovar.

Preparing for Kailash Mansarovar travel

When you want to visit Kailash Mansarovar for a spiritual encounter or an enthralling adventure trip from Australia, first you require to explore the indepth information about travelling to Tibet and understand the restrictions imposed by the Tibetan Govt for travelling to the Tibet Autonomous Region for Australian passport holders. Every year a number of groups and individual travellers visit Kailash Mansarovar from Australia. Joining a fixed departure group tour organised by the recognised and experienced tour Kailash Yatra operators is the best thing you can do. The tour operators usually buy all inner line permit and necessary group visa for you to visit Kailash Mansarovar as it is an integrated part of most tour packages to Kailash Mansarovar. Max Holidays, is a 20 year old Indian tour company, duly recognised by the tourism department tour and a number of International and local trade associations organises trip to Kailash Mansarovar almost every week from April to October. The world’s most popular website www.kailash-Yatra.org is owned and managed by Max Holidays and this is one of the most popular source of Kailash Mansarovar tour bookings for travellers from Australia. The highly experienced, trained and dedicated customer friendly Kailash Mansarovar Yatra advisors at Max Holidays are always excited to answer any number of queries you may have for visiting Nepal and Tibet for Mt. Kailash from Australia.

Start your travel from Australia to Nepal for Kailash Mansarovar tour

When you are traveling from Australia to join helicopter tour to Kailash Mansarovar from Kathmandu or a road trip to Kailash Mansarovar from Kathmandu, Australian passport holders must enter from Tribhuvan International Airport Kathmandu only. On the other hand if you are taking a trip to Kailash Mansarovar from Australia directly from the capital city of Lhasa, you can join via Chengdu, Beijing or Shanghai airports. Various flight choices from major Australian airports will take you to Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. If you are an Indian passport holder, you must go to India first and apply for your China entry group visit through the China embassy in Delhi, for which the tour company will be making all arrangements. It's also important to note that the cost of flight tickets from Australia to Nepal or India for Kailash Mansarovar trips is usually not covered in the tour package price. Still, with the help of your travel advisor in Max Holidays you can book them for an extra fee. All travellers including Australian travellers are advised to carry a valid travel insurance and all other necessary documents for visiting Nepal and Tibet for Kailash Mansarovar group tour from Australia.

Arrival in Kathmandu

Your journey to Kailash yatra from Australia starts as you touch down at Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport. Nepal entry visa is available inside the airport for Australian passport holders at an extra charges, which are not covered in the package cost by the operator. Once you've got the entry visa, proceed through customs. Meet with your tour manager outside the airport and then head to the designated pre-booked hotel.

China Entry Visa process for Kailash Mansarovar tour

Getting the China entry visa is a significant step for Australian passport holders who are visiting Kailash Mansarovar from Nepal side. This service is managed by the China Embassy in Kathmandu and a representative of the Company will assist you in this process. It is not required by the traveller to visit the embassy in person (subject to the change as per the instruction of the Embassy). Our Kailash Yatra representative simplifies this process, usually taking three to four working days for the China Embassy to approve the visa for the Kailash Mansarovar tour for Australian and other non Indian passport holders.

Exploring Kathmandu and around

While in Kathmandu, Max Holidays crafts a complete experience for you. As part of the Kailash Yatra package for Australian passport holders, visits to revered temples like Pashupatinath Temple, Vishnu Narayan Temple (Also known as Neekantha Temple or Sleeping Vishnu Temple), and Guheshwari Mata temple are arranged. These visits are the integral part of the tour package. For your rest of the stay in Kathmandu before starting to Nepal border, you may find more options to explore the the Kathmandu city and nearby areas. Your travel advisor at Max Holidays' head office in New Delhi office is at your service to pre-plan the same for you.

Travelling to Nepal border on heli trip route

a. Travel to Hilsa - Burang border, for heli route

Prepare for the next part of your meaningful journey to the Kailash yatra tour from Australia as you board a flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj. Located on the western side of Nepal, Nepalgunj is your entry point to the awe-inspiring western Nepal region. This city provides comfortable accommodations, ensuring a cosy stay as you prepare for the significant experiences awaiting you. Positioned near the Indian border, just 190 kms North of Lucknow city, Nepalgunj holds profound historical significance and serves as a vital gateway to Kailash Mansarovar.

b. Flying from Nepalgunj to Simikot

Starting the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra from Australia is surely an exciting journey, but a unique challenge is the flight sector from Nepalgunj to Hilsa via Simikot. This part of the trip is complicated because there's insufficient infrastructure and high dependency on the frequently changing weather conditions. The weather here is known for being unpredictable, which can lead to short or long delays in flights. The flight from Nepalgunj to Simikot usually takes around 40-50 minutes. Only a few flight companies operate on this route, and they use Dornier aircraft, which can carry about 17-18 passengers in one go.

Simikot, situated in the Karnali Province in the upper Western Himalayas of Nepal, is a delightful hill settlement. It features a small airport and helipad that serves the entire Humla district. Because there is no national road network, flights become the only way to reach Simikot from Nepalgunj. Despite its remote location, Simikot offers comfortable guesthouses managed by local families, equipped with a kitchen and shared toilet facilities. You'll spend a night here before advancing to Tibet, continuing your Kailash Mansarovar Yatra that commenced in Australia. Rely on your tour guides to navigate the intricacies of this leg, closely following their instructions for a seamless and enriching pilgrimage experience.

c. Helicopter Journey from Simikot to Hilsa

Enhance your travel experience from Australia to Mt Kailash by opting for a chartered helicopter flight from Simikot airport to Hilsa, with your group members. A helicopter takes 5-6 travellers in one time, therefore it takes many shuttles to transport the entire group to China border. The 25 minute helicopter flight, offering mesmerising views of the majestic mountains in the Karnali province brings you to Hilsa from your Tibet travel will commence. Your destination is Hilsa, a charming Nepalese village near the Tibetan border, and this aerial journey provides a unique bird's-eye perspective.

Exploring the Gateway to Tibet - Burang (Taklakot)

Continue your fantastic journey of the Kailash yatra from Australia by travelling into Tibet from Hilsa border. A luxury Tibetan bus lead by the guide and his team will take you to the bustling town of Burang (also known as Taklakot). Spanning an area of 12,530 sq km with around 14,000 residents, Burang offers decent hotels with private facilities. After completing immigration and customs, reach your hotel in Burang and spend two days acclimating to the altitude 4000m+.

Discovering the lakes

On your way to Lake Mansarovar after two nights hault in Taklakot (Burang), explore the mystical Rakshas Tal with its turquoise blue water. Pilgrims are advised not to touch the water due to its negative connotations. Mansarovar Lake becomes a heaven for holy baths, puja rituals, and a parikrama organised on a bus by the guide. Despite limited tourism infrastructure, the serene ambience of Mansarovar Lake provides a perfect escape. Consider visiting Mansarovar Lake during a whole moon night for a soul-lifting experience. Pilgrims have a unique chance to witness its beauty under the stars. This place is believed to be blessed by the presence of Lord Shiva and Parvati during the moon night.

Three days circumambulation / trekking around Mount Kailash

The first day trekking of Mount Kailash starts from Yam Dwar which is about 42 kms drive away from Lake Mansarovar and 6-7 kms from Darchen, the base town of Mt. Kailash. Your journey with a 12 km trek from South Face to the North Face of Mount Kailash, which, though seemingly flat, presents challenges due to the high altitude and lack of oxygen. Stay in a guesthouse near Dirapukh Gompa and marvel at the mesmerising view of the sacred mount.

Watching the mesmerising Golden Kailash during sunrise

Don’t miss the opportunity to witness the Golden Kailash at sunrise in the next morning. You may regret it for the life if you miss the Mount Kailash in its changing colours. Witness the magical transformation of Mount Kailash's colour during sunrise, a spectacle cherished by devotees.

Reaching Zuthulpukh Gompa

The second day trekking takes on the most challenging part of the journey, covering 22 km from Dirapukh to Zuthulpukh via the treacherous Dolma La pass. Navigate the challenging path through the 18,600 feet high Dolma La Pass, leading to the holy Gauri Kund. From here you will continue your journey to Zuthulpukh for an overnight stay.

Returning back to Kathmandu

After reuniting with the group in Darchen, you will head your journey back to Kathmandu through the same route and mean of transport. The return trip is shorter and quick but will completely depend on how your flights connect after you cross the Tibetan border and reach Hilsa. It may take a day or two or even more if the flights get disturbed or cancelled due to the weather conditions. If such a case occurs, I strongly recommend that you keep your calm and rely on the advise of your tour guides. From Darchen to Burang, then reaching Hilsa helipad to board your helicopter to Simikot, then connecting with your flight to Kathmandu via Nepalgunj does not seems easy while you are reading this article, and believe me it is not actually. So be prepared for some more adventure in your return journey. If you are among those few luckiest travellers, the weather may favour you and you may find it not that difficult to reach back Kathmandu from Hilsa border.