Indians reach Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar in Tibet in one of two ways. One is the government yatra run by the Ministry of External Affairs, by draw of lots, via Lipulekh or Nathu La. The other is a private tour through Nepal, which you book with a tour operator. The fastest private route goes from Lucknow to Nepalgunj, flies to Simikot and takes a helicopter to Hilsa on the Tibet border. That takes at least seven days, or nine to ten with the full parikrama of Kailash. Both routes ran in 2026. Neither has announced 2027 dates or quotas yet.
Kailash Mansarovar packages at a glance
| Format | Days | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helicopter yatra via Lucknow and Hilsa | 9N / 10D | Road to Nepalgunj, flight to Simikot, helicopter to Hilsa, Mansarovar, full Kailash parikrama | Fit pilgrims with limited leave |
| Darshan yatra via Hilsa, no parikrama | 7N / 8D | Same route, with Mansarovar and darshan of Kailash from Darchen and Yamadwar | Older pilgrims who shouldn’t cross Dolma La |
| Overland via Kathmandu and Kerung | 10+ days | Fly to Kathmandu, cross at Rasuwagadhi–Kerung, drive across Tibet | Groups who want to avoid small-plane and helicopter legs |
| MEA yatra (government) | Set by MEA per batch | Lipulekh or Nathu La, selected by computerised draw | Apply yourself on kmy.gov.in; agents can’t book it |
The full day-wise plan for Kailash Mansarovar by Helicopter ex-Lucknow 9N/10D is on its own page. The other formats are built from it, adding or dropping days, and any of them can be changed to suit you.
The MEA yatra: Lipulekh and Nathu La
The government yatra resumed in 2025 after a break of several years. In 2026 it ran from June to August with 1,000 places in 20 batches of 50: ten via Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and ten via Nathu La in Sikkim. The Nathu La batches started on 20 June. The last batches came back through both passes around 23 to 24 August, and 941 pilgrims completed the yatra.
- Eligibility (2026): Indian citizens aged 18 to 70 holding an ordinary passport valid at least six months beyond September of the yatra year. Reports of the notice also cited a BMI of 25 or below and no serious heart, lung, sugar or blood-pressure illness. OCI and PIO cardholders can’t apply.
- Selection: applications are online, and pilgrims are picked by a computerised, gender-balanced draw. Two people can apply together to travel in the same batch.
- Cost: estimates published for 2026 were about ₹2.09 lakh via Lipulekh and ₹3.31 lakh via Nathu La per person, plus medical tests, visa fee and the Tibet portion, which is paid in dollars and yuan.
- 2027: the official KMY portal says only that the 2026 yatra has concluded. In 2026 applications closed on 19 May, so watch for a notice in spring.
We can’t get you a seat on the MEA yatra. Nobody can, because it’s a lottery. What we can do is help with the application, then train and flight bookings to Delhi once you’re selected.
The private route through Nepal
Private yatras through Nepal are permitted and ran through the 2026 season, which began in mid-May. By mid-June, police in Humla had counted 3,780 Indian pilgrims on the Simikot–Hilsa route alone. The two crossings in use were Hilsa in Humla and Rasuwagadhi–Kerung north of Kathmandu. The Tatopani crossing stayed closed.
The Hilsa route, step by step:
- Lucknow to Nepalgunj: about 190 km, around three hours, crossing into Nepal. Night in Nepalgunj.
- Nepalgunj to Simikot: a short mountain flight. In 2026 Tara Air, Sita Air and Summit Air ran six flights a day between them.
- Simikot to Hilsa: by helicopter. Six companies’ helicopters flew this leg between 6.30 am and 7 pm.
- Hilsa into Tibet: cross the border, then about 105 km, or roughly four hours by road, to Mansarovar.
Small planes and helicopters in the Himalaya don’t fly in bad weather. A day lost at Simikot is normal, so a sensible plan keeps a spare day.
Passport, Chinese visa and permits
Indians don’t need a visa for Nepal, but Tibet is in China, so you need a passport, a Chinese visa and a Tibet entry permit. On the private route the operator applies for these for the whole group. On 28 June 2026 the MEA issued an advisory after Indian pilgrims were stranded in Nepal without them. Do not leave India until every document is in hand, and check that your operator is registered and authorised. Be wary of anyone who says the permits will be “arranged in Nepal”. For the Nepal leg you also need restricted-area permits for Humla or Rasuwa, which the operator arranges.
Don’t pay in full, and don’t book non-refundable flights to Lucknow, until the Chinese visa and Tibet permit are confirmed in writing.
The parikrama and Mansarovar
Mount Kailash rises to 6,638 m, and you spend most of the yatra above 4,500 m. The outer parikrama (kora) of the mountain is about 52 km and usually takes three days from Darchen:
| Day | Route | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darchen / Yamadwar to Dirapuk | A steady walk up the valley, with the north face of Kailash at Dirapuk |
| 2 | Dirapuk over Dolma La to Zuthulphuk | The hard day: the pass is about 5,630 m, followed by a long descent |
| 3 | Zuthulphuk to Darchen | A short, easy walk out |
Ponies and porters can be hired for the parikrama. Lake Mansarovar is usually done by vehicle around the shore, with a holy dip and puja at the ghats. Pilgrims who don’t do the parikrama still get darshan of Kailash from Darchen and Yamadwar.
Fitness, age and the best time
The private season runs from about mid-May into September. The MEA’s own batches go in June to August, and Dolma La is under snow from November to March. The MEA caps its yatra at 70 and screens every pilgrim medically. Private operators set their own limits, but the altitude is the same. Get a full check-up, start walking daily two months before, and tell us honestly about heart, lung, blood pressure or sugar problems. For parents in their late 60s, the darshan version without Dolma La is often the wiser choice.
Questions pilgrims ask before booking
Is there a helicopter all the way to Kailash?
No. The helicopter only covers Simikot to Hilsa inside Nepal. From Hilsa you go into Tibet by road, and the parikrama is on foot or by pony.
Can I book a 2027 Kailash yatra now?
You can register your interest, and we can plan dates. China fixes permits for each season, and neither the MEA nor the Chinese side has announced anything for 2027 yet. We confirm departures only after that.
Which is better, the MEA yatra or the private route?
The MEA yatra is government-run, medically screened and longer, but you have to be lucky in the draw. The private route is shorter and runs on fixed dates you choose. The trade-off is the small-plane and helicopter legs and the risk of weather delays.
Can OCI cardholders or NRIs with foreign passports go?
Not on the MEA yatra. Foreign passport holders travel on the private route under the rules for their own nationality. Ask us, and we’ll check what applies to your passport.
Checked November 2026. MEA yatra status is from the official KMY portal. The 2026 batches, eligibility and cost estimates are from news reports of May to August 2026 (Organiser, DD India, News On AIR). The private-route season, flights and helicopters are from Kathmandu Post and Radio Nepal reports of May and June 2026, and the MEA’s 28 June 2026 advisory on private operators is from news coverage. Permits for Tibet are set by China each season, so we confirm what’s current before taking any booking.