Mount Kailash Motorcycle Tour

Difficulty Level — Mount Kailash Motorcycle Tour

This is one of the most demanding tours we run. Ten days of high-altitude plateau riding, much of it above 4,000 metres and including a 4,900-metre pass, come before a three-day trek that crosses Dolma La Pass at 5,630 metres, the highest point most riders on any of our tours will ever reach on foot. Riders need solid motorcycle experience, real trekking fitness for the Kora, and the discipline to follow the acclimatisation schedule rather than push ahead of it.

This tour suits riders looking for the most significant pilgrimage route in the Himalaya and Tibetan plateau, one that combines long-distance motorcycling with one of the world's great spiritual treks. It is not suited to first-time international riders or anyone without high-altitude trekking experience.

Permits & Requirements For Mount Kailash Motorcycle Tour

This tour crosses into the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, so the following are required in addition to standard Nepal documentation:

• Chinese group visa (arranged through our Tibet partner)
• Tibet Travel Permit
• Alien's Travel Permit for the Kailash / Far West Tibet region
• Motorcycle customs entry permit at the China border
• A valid international driving license

Because of the group-visa requirement, this tour needs to be booked well ahead of time and can't accommodate solo last-minute travellers. Our team handles the full permit process once your documents are submitted.

Best Time to Ride to Mount Kailash

The riding and trekking season for this route runs May to September. This is the only realistic window: Tibetan plateau roads and the Kailash Kora are snowbound and largely closed outside these months. Late May to June and September give the most stable conditions. July and August are the warmest months but also bring the Tibetan monsoon's occasional landslide risk on the Nepal-side approach to the border.

Culture & Attractions on the Mount Kailash Route

This tour moves from the Kathmandu Valley's Hindu and Buddhist heritage into Tibetan Buddhist, Bon, and pan-Himalayan pilgrimage territory.

Tour highlights include:

• Mount Kailash and the Kora (Parikrama)
• Lake Manasarovar and Chiu Monastery
• Milarepa Cave
• Dolma La Pass
• The Tibetan highland towns of Kyirong, Saga, and Paryang

Cost of a Mount Kailash Motorcycle Tour

The cost depends on group size, Chinese group visa and Tibet permit fees, the motorcycle rental or self-ride arrangement, and accommodation category.

Tour packages typically include motorcycle use with support crew, accommodation (hotel, guesthouse, and dorm-style lodging in Tibet), meals as specified in the itinerary, guide, mechanic, and backup vehicle support, and all Tibet entry and road permits.

Contact us for current pricing and private departure dates.

What's Included in the Mount Kailash Guided Tour Package?

• Arrival and departure airport transfers

• 3 nights hotel accommodation in Kathmandu with breakfast
• Kathmandu sightseeing with a private vehicle and English-speaking guide
• Hotel/guesthouse accommodation in Tibet on a twin-sharing basis
• Breakfast at hotels/guesthouses in Tibet, with lunch and dinner on riding days as specified
• All entry fees to sites and monasteries, for both motorbikes and riders
• All necessary Tibet entry and road permits
• Motorcycle customs entry fee at the China border
• One local Tibetan English-speaking guide
• One mechanic from Nepal, with accommodation, meals, and wages covered
• Backup support vehicle carrying crew and personal baggage

What's Not Included In the Package?

• International airfare

• Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu
• Nepal entry/re-entry visa fee
• China/Tibet visa fee
• Motorcycle and personal riding gear, including helmets
• Photography charges at monasteries in Tibet
• Emergency evacuation costs and travel/medical insurance
• Fuel costs for the bikes
• Personal expenses such as bar bills, alcoholic beverages, bottled drinks, and extra mileage
• Tips for guide, driver, and mechanic
• Costs from landslides, natural calamities, or other circumstances beyond our control

Accommodation & Food on the Mount Kailash Tour

Kathmandu nights are spent in comfortable 3/4-star hotels. Across the Tibetan plateau, accommodation shifts to simpler hotels and guesthouses, with dorm-style guesthouses at Lake Manasarovar and during the Kailash trek, where options are genuinely limited by how remote the region is.

Meals are included as specified in the itinerary, mostly breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Tibet riding and trekking days, with Kathmandu meals largely left to you.

Safety & Rider Support on the Mount Kailash Motorcycle Pilgrimage

Our Mount Kailash motorcycle tours include an experienced local Tibetan guide, a dedicated mechanic from Nepal accompanying the full journey, a backup support vehicle carrying crew and luggage, and route and permit logistics handled across both Nepal and Tibet.

Given the extreme altitude on this route, up to 5,630 metres on foot, comprehensive travel, medical, and high-altitude evacuation insurance is essential, not optional. Riders and trekkers should take the built-in acclimatisation days seriously rather than treating them as a formality.

Travel Tips for Mount Kailash Tour Riders

Don't skip or rush the acclimatisation days at Kyirong and Saga. Altitude sickness risk is real and builds up over the trip, not just on the final pass. Pack for genuinely cold conditions, since temperatures on the Tibetan plateau and during the Kailash trek drop well below anything you'll feel in Kathmandu. Carry cash in Chinese yuan for Tibet, as card acceptance is very limited outside Lhasa. Expect basic dorm-style accommodation at Manasarovar and during the trek; that's part of how remote this route is, not an oversight. It's also worth building buffer time into your travel plans either side of this tour, since border and permit processing can shift schedules.

Packing List for a Mount Kailash Motorcycle Tour

Recommended items for the ride and trek:

• Riding jacket, pants, gloves, and boots
• Full-face helmet
• Heavy insulated layers for plateau and high-pass conditions
• Trekking boots for the Kora
• Sleeping bag rated for high-altitude dorm conditions
• Rain and wind gear
• Sunglasses and high-SPF sunscreen (UV exposure is intense at this altitude)
• Personal medication, including altitude sickness medication
• Power bank
• International driving license
• Chinese yuan in cash

Dos & Don'ts for the Mount Kailash Route

Do:

• Respect the religious significance of Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar to Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Bon pilgrims
• Acclimatise properly and follow the built-in rest days rather than pushing ahead
• Carry enough cash in Chinese yuan before entering Tibet
• Follow your guide's instructions closely at border crossings and checkpoints

Don't:

• Attempt this tour without prior high-altitude trekking or riding experience
• Skip travel insurance. Given the altitude and remoteness here, it isn't optional
• Photograph monasteries without checking whether fees or restrictions apply
• Treat Dolma La Pass as a scenic stop. It's a serious high-altitude crossing

What Makes This Mount Kailash Motorcycle Tour Different?

This is one of very few motorcycle tours that reaches Mount Kailash overland from Kathmandu instead of by flight through Lhasa. It combines genuine high-altitude plateau riding with the full three-day Kailash Kora on foot, backed by a full support crew of guide, mechanic, and backup vehicle across both Nepal and Tibet. The whole trip is built around pilgrimage first, adventure riding second.

Why Book Your Mount Kailash Motorcycle Pilgrimage with Us?

Nepal Moto Tours is based in Bhaktapur, Nepal, with established partners handling the Tibet side of this route. Our Royal Enfield Himalayan 410 and 450 models are built for the sustained high-altitude riding this route demands, and a dedicated mechanic, backup vehicle, and local Tibetan guide travel with the group the whole way. We handle the Chinese group visa, Tibet Travel Permit, and motorcycle customs clearance on your behalf, and we run this as a private departure, so the pace and itinerary are yours.

Useful Information for Riders (Quick Facts)

• Maximum Altitude: 5,630 m (Dolma La Pass, on foot)

• Ride Difficulty: Challenging
• Best Season: May to September only
• Terrain: Friendship Highway, high plateau, 3-day trek around Kailash
• Permit Required: Yes (Chinese group visa, Tibet Travel Permit, motorcycle customs entry)
• Guide Required: Included (local Tibetan guide + Nepal mechanic)
• Accommodation: Hotel, guesthouse & dorm
• Riding Distance: Approx. 1,760 km round trip
• Recommended Bikes: Royal Enfield Himalayan 410 or 450