Mount Kailash Travel Permit: Kailash Yatra through Nepal

Traveling to the land of Lord Shiva, but you will need to get a Mount Kailash travel permit. Before you witness the legendary Mount Kailash, you need to fill out a pair of papers to obtain the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra permit, then wait for the approval. Yes, some paper before prayer in the

After you arrive in Kathmandu, we start our prayers from the Pashupatinath temple, one of the greatest Shiva temples. Then you wait for some days for the visa and permit processing. It’s a matter of your patience over prayer. Let the hassles be done by the travel agents, and you just repeat the chant Om Namah Shivaya.

Mount Kailash lies in Ngari Prefecture in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. So your spiritual journey must pass through some bureaucratic process in China. Nepal, land of Pashupatinath, is your gateway to Tibet, providing you with a bridge between faith and formalities.

What Mount Kailash Travel Permits do You Need?

If you are not a Nepali citizen, you must get a visa to enter the territory of Nepal. But it’s easier to get the visa on arrival. Indian citizens also do not need a visa due to diplomatic relations between India and Nepal.

Tibet Group Visa

The visa to enter mainland China is only processed from the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu. The Chinese Visa Application Service Center in Kathmandu is located on the 1st floor of Rising Mall in Kamaladi, Kathmandu. But wait. Don’t just walk in and ask for a Mount Kailash travel permit. Only authorized travel agencies from Nepal can apply for it.

• Alien Travel Permit is required to enter the restricted areas of Tibet.
• Tibet Travel Permit (TTP):

The TTP is issued by the Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) in Lhasa. This is the only document without which no foreigner can enter Tibet legally.

For NRIs, Foreigners, and Other Pilgrims, processing the visa for Nepal is the easiest. After arriving at the airport in Nepal, just fill out a form, show your passport, and pay as per your plan. It costs 30 USD to stay 15 days and 50 USD for 30 days.

Then submit your passport to your agency to apply for the Chinese visa. Travel agencies in Nepal collaborate with a Tibetan partner and request this permit from Lhasa.

They will submit a copy of your passport, a list of all in the group, the itinerary, and the travel route. Only after the visa is approved will you get a permit to Tibet.

Mount Kailash travel permit, Type and Routes

The type of visa and permits is decided by your route to Kailash Mansarovar Yatra from Kathmandu. There are mainly two popular routes to reach Tibet from Nepal.

• Kathmandu-Rasuwagadhi–Kerung-Saga-Kailash
• Helicopter Route via Nepalgunj-Simikot–Hilsa–Taklakot

Each of the routes has its own paperwork. For the Kathmandu- Rasuwagadhi- Kerung- Saga- Kailash route, you will need

1. Tibet Travel Permit
2. Group Visa
3. Alien Travel Permit
4. Military Permit
5. Border Pass

For the Helicopter Route via Nepalgunj-Simikot–Hilsa–Taklakot, you will need the following: Domestic flight permits inside Nepal, and an additional coordination for border check in Hilsa.

Once you book your travel to Kailash through Awesome Holidays Nepal, we will process the paperwork to get your Mount Kailash Travel Permits. Since there are layers of checking and verifying the documents, it might take some time. Just be patient and enjoy the temples in Kathmandu. The visa processing is more political than spiritual. The papers are verified from both sides of the border. Mind it, not all the endings are happy.

As per the latest update, China will extend a unilateral visa-free policy for 43 countries and optimize the entry policy in aspects of stay time and visit purposes. To further facilitate cross-border travel and China’s high-quality development and high-standard opening up, China has decided to extend the unilateral visa-free policy to more countries, which involves visa-free treatment to travelers holding ordinary passports from 43 countries, namely,

China Announces Major Visa-Free Policy

A new unilateral policy grants visa-free access to citizens from 43 countries, welcoming global tourists and business travelers.

43

Countries Eligible

Andorra

Argentina

Australia

Austria

Belgium

Brazil

Brunei

Bulgaria

Chile

Croatia

Cyprus

Denmark

Estonia

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Holland

Hungary

Iceland

Ireland

Italy

Japan

Korea

Latvia

Liechtenstein

Luxembourg

Malaysia

Malta

Monaco

Montenegro

New Zealand

North Macedonia

Norway

Peru

Poland

Portugal

Romania

Slovakia

Slovenia

Spain

Switzerland

Uruguay

(Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay take effect from 1 June 2025). They can stay in China for no more than 30 days without a visa.

Holding a valid ordinary passport can be exempted from the visa requirement if entering China for the purpose of business, tourism, family or friends visits, exchange, or transit.

How Much Does It All Cost?

The Mount Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Nepal is one of the expensive tours. An average package will cost approximately NPR 400,000–600,000 (roughly INR 2.5 to 4 lakh). If you are into flying in a helicopter to Hilsa, the cost will rise to 7 to 7 lakhs.

Here is a breakdown of where your money usually goes:

This cost does not include gear, medications, warmer layers, boots, clothes, or an emergency oxygen supply.

Thamel of Kathmandu consists of shops that sell trekking gear, boots, trekking poles, sleeping bags, and warmer downs. Take some time to go around the streets of Thamel and get your stuff. You will find other trekkers comparing thermals and trying trekking boots and gossiping about their visa approvals. Bouddhanath stupa, Swayambhu, and Kathmandu durbar squares are other places to be added to your list before moving to Kailash.

And the good news, when you are informed to get your bags reads as “Visa approved”. This is when the real Kailash Mansarovar Yatra starts.

The Hidden Costs

• Certain things might not have been mentioned in the itinerary or brochures.
• You need to exchange Indian rupees for Chinese. Indian currency is not allowed to be carried inside the border of China. Convert them in Kathmandu before you start your journey.
• Get your body checked up before starting the journey. You might have some problems later on.
• Your travel insurance must cover emergency evacuation from high altitude. Make the policy of at least USD 20,000 coverage. Not all policies accept Tibet’s altitude.
• If the time for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra permit is delayed, you need to pay extra for hotels and other expenses in Kathmandu.
• Guides, porters, and drivers are to be given tips at the end of the tour. Give as per your choice.

Documents to Carry

• Passport with at least 6 months remaining.
• Voter ID card (for Indian citizens)
• Passport-sized photos (4–6 copies)
• Medical fitness certificate (depends)
• Travel insurance
• Emergency contacts
• Keep a copy of each document with you in case of any misplacement.

Can you go alone?

Traveling alone to the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is not possible. The Chinese government has strictly forbidden individual travel in Tibet. Every foreigner except Chinese passport holders must apply for a group Mount Kailash travel permit and visa only through a registered agency.

Tibet is a protected and special province of Tibet. Greatly protected by the army and various police checkpoints, it is highly monitored by the authorities.

Why Choose Us?

Do not just pick a cheaper-priced package. We are registered with the Department of Tourism, Nepal. We have our Tibetan partners to collaborate with, who have a TTB license. We will offer you clear breakdowns of the Mount Kailash Travel Permit and visa fees. We have long experience in making your Kailash Mansarovar yatra successful.

In the End, Paper vs Faith

Mount Kailash, a place of devotion, cannot be reached without some paperwork. Your journey to spiritual paths is sometimes hindered by bureaucratic hurdles. Keep a xerox copy of your passport, visa, Mount Kailash Travel Permits, and other documents, take the names of lord Shiva, and have patience.

Every stamp that falls on your paper takes you closer to Kailash. Make Awesome Holidays Nepal your companion through this spiritual journey to Kailash.