How much does it cost to travel to Mount Kailash?
You should plan to spend around $70 (¥514) per day on your vacation in Mount Kailash. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.
Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:
- $24 (¥177) on meals
- $31 (¥226) on local transportation
- $54 (¥391) on hotels
A one week trip to Mount Kailash for two people costs, on average, $986 (¥7,193). This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.
All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.
Independent Travel
Traveling Independently to Mount Kailash has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.
All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.
Is Mount Kailash expensive to visit?
Mount Kailash is a reasonably affordable place to visit. Located in China, which is a reasonably affordable country, visitors will appreciate the relatively low cost of this destination. It falls in the average range in the country for its prices. If you're traveling on a budget, then this is a good destination with affordable accommodation, food, and transportation.
Within Asia, Mount Kailash is a moderately priced destination compared to other places. The overall cost of travel here is fair for the region and comparable to Chichibu-Tama-Kai or Yangshuo.
For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Mount Kailash Expensive?
How much money do I need for a trip to Mount Kailash?
The average Mount Kailash trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Mount Kailash travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.
|
Category
|
Cost
|
|
Accommodation 1
(Double Occupancy)
|
¥391
($54)
|
|
Local Transportation 1
|
¥226
($31)
|
|
Food 2
|
¥177
($24)
|
|
Entertainment 1
|
¥112
($15)
|
|
Alcohol 2
|
¥10 -
30
($1 - 4)
|
Accommodation Budget in Mount Kailash
Calculated from travelers like you
The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Mount Kailash is $27 (¥196). For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Mount Kailash is $54 (¥391). This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.
Looking for a hotel in Mount Kailash? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.
Transportation Budget in Mount Kailash
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The cost of a taxi ride in Mount Kailash is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $31 (¥226) per person, per day, on local transportation in Mount Kailash.
-
Transportation1
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
$31
¥226
How much does it cost to go to Mount Kailash? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.
The price of renting a car in Mount Kailash will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.
Food Budget in Mount Kailash
Calculated from travelers like you
-
While meal prices in Mount Kailash can vary, the average cost of food in Mount Kailash is $24 (¥177) per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Mount Kailash should cost around $9.71 (¥71) per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Mount Kailash is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
-
Food2
Meals for one day
$24
¥177
Entertainment Budget in Mount Kailash
Calculated from travelers like you
-
Entertainment and activities in Mount Kailash typically cost an average of $15 (¥112) per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
-
Entertainment1
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
$15
¥112
Alcohol Budget in Mount Kailash
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The average person spends about $2.74 (¥20) on alcoholic beverages in Mount Kailash per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
-
Alcohol2
Drinks for one day
$2.74
¥20
Mount Kailash On a Budget
Mount Kailash
The main point of entry to Mount Kailash is a small village called Darchen. Once an important sheep station for nomads and their flocks, the village has now grown to provide for the pilgrims wishing to embark towards Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar. It contains a number of guest houses and restaurants as well as a hotel where pilgrims must get permission from the Public Security Bureau to make the trek around the mountain. Also in the village are a handful of small stores and kiosks, as well as some grounds for camping. It is about 330 km (a one-day bus drive) from the town of Shiquanhe to the northeast, where Gunsa Airport is located, offering flights twice a week to Lhasa and Chengdu.
Activities
Those who come to Mount Kailash come to embark on a pilgrimage. There are two circuits in the area-one being the Mount Kailash Kora, the other the Lake Manasarovar Kora. The first involves making circuits around Mount Kailash, generally taking about three days to do so for the regular visitor. Each religion, however, has its own methods. Buddhists and Hindus, for example, travel clockwise around the mountain, while Bonpos travel counter-clockwise. Some make the 52-kilometer journey in a day, while others remain seeking enlightenment from the mountain for weeks.
The second pilgrimage circuits around Lake Manasarovar. With a distance just over 100 kilometers, this pilgrimage path takes about 4 to 5 days to complete. A good starting point for this trek is at Chiu Gompa, located 30 kilometers south of Darchen.
Food and Dining
Traditional Tibetan cuisine is largely limited to barley, meat (usually mutton or yak), and dairy products. Very few spices and vegetables are used in the cooking, though most dishes are served with a very hot chili sauce on the side. Along the trekking route of Mount Kailash, there are a few local restaurants and guest houses to accommodate visitors, so tourists do not have to prepare their own food and tents. Choices, however, are limited and it may be wise to bring a supply of your own as back up. Traditionally, pilgrims only eat vegetarian food in the region due to its proximity to the sacred Lake Manasarovar and Mount Kailash. Some traditional fare of the region might include:
Momos: dumplings filled with meat or vegetables, steamed or fried
Tingmo: bland, nearly tasteless steamed bread
Thukpa: a hearty noodle soup with vegetables or meat
Thenthuk: thukpa with handmade noodles
Yak butter tea: salty tea churned with butter, a Tibetan staple and usually an acquired taste for most Westerners
Chang: a Tibetan beer made of barley, light in flavor
Transportation
As mentioned earlier, the village of Darchen is the entry point for Mount Kailash. There are only four routes available to reach it by land. From the Indian border there is a route that follows Delhi-Haldwani-Dharchula-Lipu Lekh-Purang, from Shigatse it can take 4 to 6 days via hired jeep depending on the route, there is a route from Kashgar through Ngari, and one from Simikot/Hilsa in Nepal through Purang.
If you fly into Gunsa Airport, serving the town of Shiquanhe in Ngari Prefecture, you are only a one-day bus ride away from reaching Darchen at the base of the Mount Kailash passage.
Related:
Looking for a
hostel in China?
Traveling alone to
Beijing or
Hong Kong or want to party in
Shanghai?
We've been gathering travel cost data from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of destinations around the world.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.