What Happens If You Cannot Complete the Kailash Parikrama

After months of preparation, planning, and training, and years of collecting money, buying, and packing a lot of things, the guide tells you to stop. Just imagine, what would you do if this happened to you? What happens if you cannot complete the Kailash Parikrama?

The Kailash Kora is a major spiritual pilgrimage for followers of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Bon. With great respect and belief in their hearts, pilgrims set out on their journey, but the altitude and weather along the way come into play.

Kailash Manasarovar Yatra is your goal for 2026. In this blog, we will discuss the reality, what happens there, and what can mess with your journey to Kailash Kora. What is the role of guides, porters, the availability of horses, hospitals, or any evacuation system? We will try to explore everything.  Those who are dreaming of walking on the snow and rocky trails of Mount Kailash, climbing the steep path to Dolma La Pass with faith. But wait, what if something goes wrong?

Kailash Kora Parikrama

The walk to the Kailash Kora is not like a regular trip or trek. What do you think, which is more difficult, the trek among the Kailash Kora or the Everest Base Camp Trek? Often, people say that it is more difficult than going to Everest Base Camp. why? Here is your answer.

The Kailash Kora is about 52 km, which takes three days to complete. Starting from Darchen, all the way to Dhiraphuk, crossing the Dolma La Pass, reaching Zutulphuk, and back to Darchen. The walk is not as easy as walking in the park. The high snow passes, rocky and off the trails, make the walk difficult.  The trek is a mix of endurance, spirituality, faith, altitude, determination, high passes, thin air, and weather. If any of them are against you, the mission might fail.

 Test of Mind and Body

The Kailash Kora is a journey where your mental state and physical capacity are tested. Starting from Darchen at a height of 4800 m, then walking to 5630 m, the best day sounds dramatic.  The journey to Kailash starts from Kathmandu at an altitude of 1450m in Kathmandu. The next day, you reach 2,745 m, and the very next day, you reach 4,600 at Mansarovar and Darchen at 4,670 m.

See how quickly the height is changing. This quick ride in altitude is the major reason for altitude sickness in Kailash. As soon as the Kora starts from Darchen, crossing the Dolma La Pass, it might create a problem of altitude sickness.

The first day, we reach a lower valley with a popular monastery, Dirapuk, at a height of 5,080 m (16,600ft). Beginning early in the morning, after breakfast, the journey starts from Darchen, driving to Yamadwar, from where the actual Kora starts. Walking 18 km, along the plain land, pilgrims reach the Dirapuk to rest at night.

The guest house and teahouses at Dirapuk are small, quiet sanctuaries for resting.

What Could Go Wrong?

The extreme weather and sudden snowfall or sudden rainfall can occur at any time at high altitudes. In addition, low volume of oxygen results in headaches, nausea, and dizziness.  and other similar symptoms. If the condition worsens, it could be fatal.  Before starting the journey on the second day, your physical fitness, blood pressure, and oxygen level are measured. This is where the difference is seen. If everything is under control, then only pilgrims can move forward to climb Dolma La Pass.

Altitude sickness is a condition that might occur above 3500 m above sea level. This is a condition where the lungs struggle to get enough oxygen, resulting in various difficulties like dizziness, nausea, and even fainting. This is mostly seen among the pilgrims in Dolma La Pass. The oxygen level at the Dolma La pass is about half that at sea level.

Best Weather for Kailash Kora

The best weather for the Kailash Kora is from May to September, with mild temperatures and clear weather. The snowfall is less with less possibility of blocking the way. The weather forecast matters a lot, but you should not depend fully on the weather forecast. At such high altitudes, the weather forecast might not work fully.

Guides, Potters and Helpers

During the kora and the whole journey in Tibet, your guide, tour operators, and other staff might be very helpful. Their coordination and help matter a lot. They are responsible for observing your health, giving you the cultural and geographical information, and motivating you to complete the journey.  They also manage oxygen supply if needed, as well as manage emergency evacuation.

It is not always easy to climb the trails. This is where you might need the help of porters and a yak to carry your luggage. Just talk to your guide for any kind of assistance you need during the Kora. There are porters and horses to carry for you if you are exhausted and even felt difficult to walk. If your body answers, if you lack strength, there are horses and yaks to save your soul.

Permits, Visa and Documents

Before you even step into the land of Tibet, you must have your restricted area permits, visa, permits, and other necessary documents with you. You must get the permits and visa applied for in a group via a registered tour operator in Tibet. Solo travelers are not allowed to enter Tibet for the Kailash Yatra. The operators might ask for your copy of passports and personal details to apply for the visa somewhere 20 days earlier.

Tibet Travel Permit (TTB) is the authorized government body for issuing the permits. If the documents are not valid, the visa might get rejected. In case the visa or permit is rejected, showing the health issues, the money paid for the application is non-refundable.

Health Matters a Lot

When you are applying for the visa, the health certificate is the most important one. Your visa and permit issuance are determined by your health condition. There are limited Hospitals in Darchen and near Mansarovar with basic facilities. They provide care and basic medical assistance. Basic medication and additional oxygen supplies are also carried by the crew for first aid.

Practical Health Tips

If you are even thinking of going for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, you’d better start preparing your body. Walking daily in the morning, going on hikes on weekends. Meditating and practicing breathing techniques might help strengthen your lungs to adapt to the thin air.

To Avoid Further Hassles

• Have your doctor examine you before booking the package.
• Check with your tour operator if they are prepared for first aid, carry oxygen cylinders, and are prepared for emergency evacuation.
• Do not forget to bring warm clothes, waterproof gear, boots, gloves, and packing essentials.
• Avoid travelling in winter.
• The phone network does not work at high passes.
• Follow the footsteps of the locals and do not leave the group on the second day of the Outer Kora.
• The food is mostly vegetarian. There are other options for non-veg food as well.

Spiritual and cultural values must remain intact. Faith matters. Mindfulness matters. Preparation matters. This is not just a journey of belief but of awareness, where safety becomes a form of devotion. Sacred mountains demand respect, not conquest. If you’re planning the 2026 Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, go informed, go prepared, and go humble. For detailed planning and ground realities, read the Awesome Holidays Nepal Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Guide.

And if the parikrama stops midway, know this: you still touch the sacred. The waters of Mansarovar, the dust of Darchen, the prayer-flag winds at Dolma La, the silence and stories of Dirapuk. All of it counts. The journey is not measured only by completion. Prepare your body, accept the chaos of high-altitude terrain, trust your guide, and respect weather and altitude without ego. There is no sin in stopping, only human limits, met with devotion.