Eligibility for traveling to Kailash Mansarovar

Based on the technicalities and difficulties involved in traveling to Mount Kailash in Tibet and also with our past experiences, we are listing here some important points for you. Read them and if you find yourself eligible we welcome you on a sojourn to Kailash Mansarovar.

General

Any person carrying a valid passport, with an age not more than 70 years (in few cases travelers with age up to 75 years are also considered with few strict conditions by the Chinese authorities), maintaining good health and declared fit by a qualified doctor can undertake a tour to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar in Tibet through India, Nepal, and Tibet entry points, with a pre-organized group of travelers. Recently it was informed that a person above 70 years of age, declared fit by a qualified doctor, can also apply for permits and visa to visit Kailash Mansarovar. However, this came with a few conditions enforced by the Chinese authorities. The authorities may consider accepting applications for such an elderly person only if; (1) He/she has gone through all necessary medical tests and has obtained NOC from his/her doctor; (2) He/she is accompanied by family members (blood relation only) on this trip; and (3), if he/she agrees to deposit an amount of US$1000 upfront to the Chinese authorities, being 'refundable' security deposit for any medical emergency with the traveler while in Tibet. It is recommended, that, such an elderly traveler must go through all necessary medical checks before making a booking and also before going on the trip. As per the rules by Tibetan authorities, persons aged 60 years and above are not permitted to undertake Mt. Kailash Parikarama. The decision for issuing permits and allowing parikrama of Mount Kailash lies in the hands of the concerned authorities/officers at Lhasa and Darchen.

Age

Travelers between 12 years to 70 years of age are permitted to apply for entry permission to visit Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar situated in the restricted areas of TAR (Tibetan Autonomous Region). Travelers below 12 years and above 70 years of age can travel under strict restrictions imposed by the Tibetan authorities. For such travelers, it is also mandatory that family members accompany them on Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

Physical Fitness

Kailash Mansarovar trips are conducted at a high altitude of above 18600 ft of extremely inhospitable terrain of the Tibetan Autonomous Region under very challenging weather conditions and limited availability of tourism infrastructure. A person planning to join this trip must consult with a qualified doctor to ensure that he/she is healthy to do this trip. Irrespective of the age of the traveler and their external body fitness, a trip to the Kailash Mansarovar yatra is a challenging task for any. If you are suffering from some health issues, you must get yourself examined and only upon receiving clearance from a doctor you should book travel to Kailash Mansarovar. Even during the travel if someone is facing even minor health issues due to high altitude sickness, they should rest to get acclimatize properly and keep themselves hydrated. If the health issue continues the traveller should immediately consult with the tour guide and follow the instructions of the guide. It is advised not to put yourself at risk by going further on the trip, if not permitted by the tour guide due to health issues.

Medical Background

One must not hide his/her medical background from the tour booking agent and doctors to obtain permission to visit Kailash Mansarovar. If you have medical issues related to lung problems, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) heart problems, such as cardiovascular disease and heart attack, etc. do inform this and go through all necessary medical checks before making your travel plans to visit Kailash Mansarovar. Do not put yourself at a life risk.

Mental Health

A pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar is mainly done for inner peace and a happy life ahead. Kailash Mansarovar is a very high-energy region and unforeseeable things happen here. It is important that not only before the travel but also during the pilgrimage travelers must take care of their mental health and focus on attaining inner peace which is not only important for this trip but is also one of the top purposes for the travelers visiting this holy land.

Financial Aspect

Trips to Kailash Mansarovar are expensive affairs as they involve big money to obtain necessary travel permissions, organize food and other logistics for travel in that remote terrain, etc. Apart from the tour package expense, several other expenses may come your way for this trip. Flight tickets, insurance, mule and porter charges, personal expenses during travel, medical expenses in the event of sickness, extra expenses for food hotel, etc caused by sudden changes during the travel due to sickness or other reasons, emergency evacuation, etc. The emergency medical expense and evacuation charges are case-based but still if does occur they hit your pocket harder than expected. One must keep this in mind while booking a trip to Kailash Mansarovar.

Acceptance of Risks Involved

Other than all those requirements of being eligible for Kailash Mansarovar travel, it is also very important that you read carefully, understand, and accept the Booking & Cancellation Policy and Terms of Services set forth by the Company for this challenging and risky travel in high altitude. There are financial and personal risks involved in the trip bookings and you must book yourself only when you have completely understood this and you want to proceed on your own free will and risk. If you feel that you are not in the acceptance of any booking or service term of the Company, you must avoid booking a trip. When you book a trip with Max Holidays you automatically confirm your sole acceptance on the same.

Attention: These trips are based on the policies and regulations imposed by the local Govt. in the land of travel. The policies of the Tibetan Govt / Authorities change very frequently and we recommend that one should check the updates on the above information. Weather also plays a significant role in these trips, more specifically in helicopter trips. Short and long delays, last-minute changes, and postponement or cancellation of the trip (partially or completely) are a few very common and well-known facts about these trips.