Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Tour Packages Cost: how much does a trip to Mount Kailash cost?

Any package to Mont Kailash and Lake Manasarovar is going to have a cost involved, and the amount of the package mainly depends on the services that you include in it. The general cost of a trip to Ngari to visit these sacred places can be broken down into the major and minor costs, which covers the things that will be included in the package tour, as well as those that are not included. Certain items will be excluded, and will need to be paid for separately, though most of the cost of the tour is included. And the costs also vary depending on which route you are taking to Kailash and how you are intending to travel there.

Kailash Manasarovar Yatra Tour Packages Cost Breakdown

The main costs for a Kailash Manasarovar Yatra tour are normally broken down into different sections that cover certain aspects of the tour, such as the cost of the car, the guide, entrance to attractions, etc.

Kailash Travel Visa & Permit

The visa and permits for a Kailash Manasarovar Yatra are mostly added costs for the traveler, though the cost of the Tibet Travel Permit and the other required permits is normally included in the overall cost of the tour.

All travelers do need a visa for China in order to get to Mount Kailash, and this is not an included part of the overall cost. For those entering from mainland China, the visa must be applied for in advance from an Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in your home or resident country. The cost of the visa depends on your country of origin, and can be found on the websites for the Chinese Embassies worldwide.

Tibet Travel Permit

For travelers entering from Nepal, your Group Visa will be applied for when you arrive in Kathmandu, and our representative will be the one to handle the application on your behalf. Personal applications are not permitted at the embassy in Kathmandu, and the processing takes three working days. The cost, once again, does depend on your country of origin, and you will need to pay this to our representative when you provide your passport for the application.

The Tibet Travel Permit, Alien’s Travel Permit, Restricted Areas Permit, and Frontier Pass are all applied for by the tour operator on your behalf, and the cost of the permits is included in the cost of all of our tours. We will make the applications for all of the permits and passes you will need in Tibet before you travel or once you are in Lhasa, before you leave the capital city.

Tibet Tourist Attraction Entrance Fee

There are many tourist attractions in Tibet, and on the long journey to Mount Kailash on the plateau, you will get to visit a huge number of places, including sacred temples, stunning palaces, remote monasteries, and much more. All of the costs of the entrance to the various attractions, which are not free, are included in the overall cost of the tour.

Tibetan Tour Guide Service Fee

While the cost of the guide that will accompany you for the duration of the tour is included in the overall tour cost, the actual amount varies, based on a number of factors. The main cost amount is based on the tour type that you take. On a private tour, the entire cost of the tour guide is a part of your overall costs, while on a Group Tour, you will only pay a percentage of the cost of the guide. The guide’s costs are split equally among all of the members of the tour group, which can help to reduce your costs.

Tibetan Tour Guide Service

The cost also depends on the activities that you intend to take part in whilst in Tibet. For example, normal tour guides are able to cover any normal tour that takes you from one place to the next within Tibet, as long as you are not trekking or mountain climbing. Guides for tours that include trekking usually cost more, as they are trained in many aspects of the trek, including knowledge of the route and landscape, local knowledge of the people and culture, and first aid knowledge and experience for emergencies. It is a requirement to have fully trained trekking guides when taking a trek in Tibet, which will increase the cost of any normal tour.

If you want to know more about the different costs for the tour guides on normal tours and trekking tours, then you can contact us and speak to one of our professional specialist travel advisers.

Local Driver and Tour Vehicle Cost

Another inclusive cost on the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra is the cost of the driver and private vehicle. For all international tourists to Tibet, a private vehicle is required for all travel within the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), and the vehicle must have a professional driver. The cost of the driver and vehicle depends on a number of factors, including how long the tour is for, in terms of both number of days and distance traveled. The longer the tour (in days and distance), the higher the cost.

Professional Driver and Comfortable Vehicle

This cost also varied depending on whether you take a private tour or Group Tour. With a private tour, much the same as the cost of the tour guide, the cost of the driver, vehicle, and fuel is paid for in full, whereas on the Group Tour, the cost is split between all the members of the tour equally. The cost of the vehicle can also vary depending on the size of the vehicle for the group. A group of four will pay for a standard four-wheel drive, split four ways, while groups of 10-12 will pay for the cost of the larger vehicle, usually a minibus, split equally between the members of the party. This can also reduce the cost of the tour with larger groups.

Yaks, Horses and Porters Fee for Kailash Kora

The cost of yaks, horses, and porters for a Kailash trek is NOT part of the inclusive costs of the overall tour. An additional cost on top of the cost of the tour, many tourists trekking around Mount Kailash do not bother with yaks and porters for luggage and horses to ride on. However, yaks and porters are available in Darchen for carrying your gear, and there are even horses that can be hired to ride along the kora route. These are normally arranged once you reach Darchen by your guide the day before you trek, and you will need to let him know at least a day in advance of your arrival if you require them.

Hotel Cost in Kailash Tour

The cost of your accommodation for the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra tour is included in your overall tour cost, though the level of accommodation can change this somewhat. Our standard tour accommodations is a comfortable hotel in Lhasa or Shigatse, which is normally a three-star hotel in Tibet. If you want to spend your time in luxury hotels while you are in the main cities, then this can be arranged and your overall cost will increase accordingly. If you prefer to save money on a group tour, then you can ask for budget hotels or guesthouses, which can reduce the overall cost.

The overall tour cost also includes your accommodation outside the major cities, in places like EBC, Saga, Darchen, and the monasteries or campsites around the kora trek. This is not really upgradeable, as there are limited accommodations outside the cities, and some can be very basic. This is allowed for in the overall cost.

Dining Cost in Kailash Tour

Meals in Tibet are not expensive, by western standards, but are often around twice the cost of the same meal type as in mainland China. This is due to the increased cost of transporting ingredients to the high plateau. Many of the places you will stay during the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra Tour include breakfast as standard, and when you book the tour, we will let you know if your choice of hotel or accommodation does not include breakfast. For lunch and dinner, you can expect to pay around 10-15 dollars per day on average, though this does depend on where you decide to eat. For private tours, the choice is up to you in the cities, though you have less choices in the remote areas. However, for group tours, most groups do tend to eat together, so agree on where to eat based on availability and the guide’s recommendations. And since there are places that have group meals on the menu, it can help you to save money.

How to Budget Kailash Manasarovar Yatra Tour Package Cost?

If you are traveling on a budget, then there are a number of ways to save money. The cost of the tour depends on the season, entry to Tibet, and many other things, which can all help you to reduce the cost to a more affordable level.

Different Time to Visit Kailash Manasarovar - Low Season to Save Money

Mount Kailash, in western Tibet, is also subject to the same tourist seasons as the rest of Tibet, which means the main peak season of the year runs from May to mid-October, and is the more expensive time of year to travel. Mount Kailash is really only open from April to November, so if you are looking for the lower cost time of year to visit, then you should be thinking of booking your tour for April and May or late October and November. Low season prices are often cheaper, even for the overall tour costs. Hotels, travel to the plateau, and other things are cheaper outside the main tourist season to try and bring in more customers for the local businesses in the low season.

Kailash Kora in May

Different Entry Cities to Kailash from Lhasa and Kathmandu - By Road or Flight

How you get to Tibet can actually make a huge difference to the overall cost of the tour. The biggest example of this is the huge price difference between flights and train travel to Lhasa. Flights from mainland China are often more than 2-3 times the cost of a train ticket from the same city, and are merely a convenience for travelers with limited time. If you have the time to take Tibet train, not only is it much cheaper, but you actually get a great experience of traveling by train across the northern and central plateau to the capital.

It can also be cheaper depending on how you plan to get to Mount Kailash, and there are three main routes to take. Overland travel from Lhasa is one of the most cost-effective option for travelers, with the overland journey from Kathmandu being the shortest way to get there. Flights to Ngari increase the cost of the tour, and you will still need to travel overland from Shiquanhe to the sacred mountain. The most costly option is to take flights from Kathmandu to Hilsa, using planes and a helicopter, and then walking over the border to be met and driven to Mount Kailash by our guide and driver.

Different Tour Activities and Highlights - Visit to EBC or Not

If you want to save money on the tour itself, you can reduce the number of additional activities, making the tour simpler and less costly. One of the most expensive reductions you can make is the side-trip to Mount Everest, visiting EBC and Rongbuk Monastery. This actually takes two days off your trip, decreasing the overall costs and added costs dramatically.

Different Way to Tour Kailash in Group or Private - Group Tour to Share Cost

Tour Kailash in Group

Private tours and group tours can also make a difference to the cost of the tour. Private tours are more expensive, as you need to shoulder the entire cost of the trip yourself. However, by choosing the Group Tour option, you can reduce the cost of the tour hugely. The Group Tours are made up of a number of individuals or couples that have booked our classic tour to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar, and will be traveling together at the same time. While the cost of several items within the overall package do not change, the cost of the guide, driver, and private vehicle does. These costs are all shared among the members of the group equally, and the larger the group, the lower the shared cost. Accommodation can also be cheaper this way, if you are prepared to share a room with another member of the party (twin or multiple-occupation rooms only for members of the party of the same sex). Single room accommodation has a surcharge in Tibet, so sharing can reduce your costs too.

Conclusion

15 days may seem like a long time in Tibet and a costly experience for your wallet, but overall, if you plan well and efficiently, and are prepared to be a little prudent with your travel plans and arrangements, this amazing Kailash Manasarovar Yatra Tour can be an easily affordable trip for anyone. Making the adjustments to the tour such as taking a group tour and other cost-cutting exercises can make it a very affordable tour of the most sacred mountain on the planet.