In this collection of Mount Kailash videos, get a peek before you go into the three-day trek around one the world’s holiest mountains.
2026 Travel Advisory:
Tibet Travel Permits: As always, you need a special Tibet permit in addition to your visa to enter Tibet (If you are from a visa-free country, you still need the permit). But permits are being processed faster than ever before. We still recommend allowing 3 weeks. For the permit, you need the help of an official Tibet travel agency. (You can get connected here.)
Nepal border: The Nepal-Tibet borders at Kyirong and Dram are both open for overland crossings. Note, it is never recommended to travel overland from Nepal to Tibet due to altitude concerns. Traveling in the Tibet to Nepal direction is okay.
Visa update: Special Chinese Group Visa no longer required from Nepal. Individual visa from your home country now works. Tibet travel permit still required via an official agency.
Need help? We’ll connect you – for free – with an official, Tibetan-owned agency we trust.
These videos were taken in September 2017 by Yolanda O’Bannon and Meg Moser during their 3-day kora (a pilgrimage walk around the holy mountain).
NOTE: If you are planning to take a trip to Tibet, you should know that no independent travel is allowed to Tibet. Since you must work with a travel agency, you want to be sure to choose a trustworthy, Tibetan-owned agency, which hires only Tibetan guides. The simplest way to do this is ask us to connect you to one of the reliable Tibetan-owned travel agencies that we use ourselves.
Mount Kailash Kora: A Quick Overview
This one is a brief compilation of various Mount Kailash videos we took over the 3 days.
Dolma La Pass
On the second, most difficult, day of the trek/kora, you leave early morning from the Drirapuk Monastery area to head up and over the 18,500ft / 5636 m Dolma La pass, and then a long, exhausting descent down to Zutulpuk Monastery.
Placing Prayer Flags at the Dolma La Pass
We joined Tibetans in placing prayer flags at the top of the holy pass, with names of our loved ones written on them, as blessings.
View of Kailash from the Barkha Plain
Mount Kailash rises above the vast Barkha plain, and you can get some great views of the mountain from spots on the plain on the way to nearby Lake Manasarovar.
Lake Manasarovar and Chiu Gompa
Scenes from Chiu Gompa, and beautiful, sacred, Lake Manasarovar, looking over the Barkha Plain back to Kailash.
Zutulpuk to Darchen: Day 3
The last, and easiest of the three days of the kora lead you from Zutulpuk Monastery back into your starting point of Darchen.
If you’ve dreamed of visiting Tibet and trekking the holy mountain yourself, check out these posts for more information:
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