Lake Manasarovar Transportation

Located in the west part of Tibet, in the Ngari Prefecture, it is a long journey to drive to Lake Manasarovar. Generally speaking, it takes at least 4 days departing from Lhasa to Lake Manasarovar in Ngari, and usually longer. Located in the south of Mount Kailash, Lake Manasarovar is not far from Mount Kailash. Therefore, Lake Manasarovar transportation can use Mount Kailash Transportation for reference.

How to Get to Lake Manasarovar

For those travelling from Lhasa to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar, there are several routes to choose from, but the most popular is the south route, which is shorter and less rugged. No matter which route you take to Lhasa, whether by plane from Kathmandu or by train or plane from mainland of China, you will need a few days to acclimatize to the altitude in Tibet. In order to better adapt to the altitude of the plateau, tourists usually stay in Lhasa for two days, visit the scenic spots there first, then set out for Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar in Ngari.

1. By Road

At present, railway from Lhasa and Ngari is not available. Therefore, driving is the best choice, but spends a long time. 

Driving Route: Lhasa – Gyangtse – Shigatse – Saga – Burang County of Ngari – Darchen – Lake Manasarovar

Driving is the most popular means of transportation to Mount Kailash, Ngari. You can stop to take some great pictures on the way. The classic drive from Lhasa to Ngari takes about three days. The first day, drive about 7-8 hours to Shigatse via Gyangtse County, the journey is about 350 kilometers, and stay overnight in Shigatse. On this day, you won't miss the natural beauty of Yamdork Lake and Karola Glacier, as well as the Buddhist attractions of Palcho Monastery and Tashilhunpo Monastery. Then drive to Saga and you can enjoy the wonders of the snowy mountains, the pure Pelkhu tso Lake and the wild plains on the way. On the third day, you will have another long drive of about 550 kilometers from Saga to Burang County of Ngari. The three-day drive must be a long and hard, but it also provides you with an unforgettable sightseeing feast. In addition, tourists always gradually adapt to high altitude environment, rarely occur plateau reaction. When traveling in the Ngari area, Lake Manasarovar is one of the most attractive spots that visitors will visit. You can drive to Darchen first, which is the starting point for Mount Kailash Kora, as well as a place providing food and accommodation. After paying a visit to Mount Kailash, then go to the beautiful holy lake – Manasarovar.

2. By Flight

With the construction of Ngari Gunsa Airport, Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar are accessed by air. Ngari owns numerous featured natural scenery and cultural sites, but nothing is more influential than Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar. In the year of the Horse of Tibetan Calendar, Buddhists from Sichuan, Qinghai, Yunnan and other places come to worship the "Holy Mountain" and "Sacred Lake". 

At present, Ngari is connected with Lhasa, Urumqi and Kashgar by flights. There are two daily flights between Lhasa and Ngari, flying only about two hours, but it takes more than 20 hours for a nonstop driving. If you travel from mainland China to Ngari, you can transfer in Lhasa because there are flights from Beijing, Chengdu, Xi'an, Chongqing, Kunming, Shangri-la and other places to Lhasa, as well as trains from Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Chongqing and Guangzhou to Lhasa.

After the arrival of Ngari: Because there is no long-distance bus getting around Ngari, driving is the best choice to Lake Manasarovar. However, people usually go to Mount Kailash before Lake Manasarovar. You can drive to Darchen first, which is the starting point for Mount Kailash Kora, as well as a place providing food and accommodation. After paying a visit to Mount Kailash, then go to the beautiful holy lake – Manasarovar.

Read More: 

Mount Kailash Transportation
Ngari Transportation
Kashgar-Ngari Flights
Lhasa-Ngari Flights

How to Get Around Lake Manasarovar

It's not so convenient for people to get around Kailash Manasarovar area unless renting cars, so tourists can choose rental car or just trek around Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar.

Travel Tips

1. Ngari Gunsa Airport is 4274 meters above sea level. If you don't have a plateau tourism experience, it is recommended that you do not fly to Ngari directly. For the first time, people who travel to Tibet are vulnerable to altitude sickness in such a high place.

2. For foreign tourists who travel from Lhasa to Mount Kailash, you need to be on an organized tour since you are not allowed to travel independently without a tour guide or driver and private vehicle in Tibet. You should book a itinerary from a travel agency, which can provide the permits, tour guide, driver and private vehicle. Although joining a tour group is not necessary, it is helpful to reduce your tour cost and save you money. 

3. Before you go to Lhasa in China, you need to arrange your travel with the travel agency and let them help you get related permits. For foreign tourists to Tibet, it is necessary to hold a Tibet Travel Permit issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau. This permit is applied by your travel agency. You need Tibet Travel Permit to board a flight or train, and it is always needed when you are travelling in Tibet. Foreigners can travel to the unopened areas in Tibet with a Alien's travel permit issued by the Local public security bureau. Another necessary permit is a border pass, which you need if you plan to go to any area near the Nepal border, such as Mount Everest and Mount Kailash, or to leave Tibet to enter Nepal. Finally, to enter Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar, visitors must also obtain military permit to travel to certain areas of the military exclusion zone in Ngari. It should be noted that only travel agency can apply the necessary permits for foreign tourists, and the Tibet Tourism Bureau does not accept individual applications for the Tibet Travel Permit.

4. For foreign tourists to Tibet, you need to take Lake Manasarovar as a stop in your itinerary, because international tourists are not allowed to travel in Tibet without a guide or private vehicle. You can contact us MysteriousTibet by Email: contact@YunnanExploration.com or telephone: +86-871-63511469. Our attentive can arrange a Tibet tour and help you get the necessary permit for you.