Quick answer: Charan Sparsh means walking to the foot of Mount Kailash, usually the north face from Dirapuk on the parikrama, to touch the ground there in prayer. Ashtapad is the south-side area reached from Darchen, with a close view of the south face; Jains revere it as the place of Rishabhdev’s nirvana. Neither involves climbing, and access to both depends on Chinese permission each season.
Updated for the 2027 yatra season (facts checked October 2026)
Many yatris come back from Kailash having done the lake puja and the outer parikrama, and say they wished they had gone closer. Charan Sparsh and Ashtapad are the two ways people try to do that. Both are deeply moving when they happen. Both are also misunderstood, often sold as fixed items when in truth they depend on permission, weather and fitness on the day.
This guide explains what each one is, where it happens, how demanding it is, what tradition says about it, and how to plan for it honestly. We describe religious beliefs as beliefs, and practical details as they were reported for recent seasons; rules for 2027 have not been announced.
What is Charan Sparsh at Kailash?
Charan Sparsh literally means “touching the feet”. In the Hindu tradition one touches the feet of elders and of the deity as an act of surrender. At Kailash, which no one climbs, the closest a yatri can come is the foot of the mountain itself. Charan Sparsh is the walk from the parikrama route up to the base of one of Kailash’s faces, where yatris touch the rock or ground, offer prayers, and sit for a few minutes in silence.
It is not mountaineering. Mount Kailash has no recorded ascent, and climbing it is not permitted. Charan Sparsh stops at the foot, out of reverence as much as rule.
North face Charan Sparsh from Dirapuk
The most common Charan Sparsh is at the north face, the dark, sheer wall that faces Dirapuk at the end of the first day of the outer parikrama. Many yatris consider it the most powerful view of Kailash, and on a clear evening the face seems close enough to touch.
- Where it starts: Dirapuk, the first night halt of the parikrama, at roughly 4,900–5,000 m.
- The walk: across the stream below Dirapuk and up rough moraine towards the base of the north face. It is commonly described as a half-day walk there and back, depending on pace and how far the guide allows the group to go.
- Height: higher than Dirapuk, above 5,000 m, so it is close to the height of Dolma La in effort.
- Timing: it needs an extra night at Dirapuk, so the parikrama becomes four days instead of three.
Because it comes the day before the Dolma La crossing, only yatris who are acclimatising well should attempt it. A tired body on Charan Sparsh day can turn the hardest day of the parikrama into a risky one.
What is Ashtapad?
Ashtapad (Ashtapada, “eight steps”) is the name given to the area on the south side of Kailash, approached from Darchen, from where the south face and the rounded peak known as Nandi are seen at close range. The south face, with its vertical groove and horizontal bands of rock, is the face most often shown in pictures of Kailash.
Why Ashtapad is sacred
- Jain belief: Jains revere Ashtapad as the place where Bhagwan Rishabhdev (Adinath), the first Tirthankara, attained nirvana. Jain texts describe a shrine built there by his son, Bharat Chakravarti. For Jain pilgrims this is the heart of the yatra.
- Hindu belief: for Shiva bhakts, the south face is the face of the Lord seen from Darchen, and Nandi before it is seen as Shiva’s devoted vahan sitting in front of his master.
How Ashtapad darshan works
When permitted, groups go from Darchen by vehicle towards the south side and then walk a short distance to the viewpoint. It is usually done as a half-day excursion on the day the group reaches Darchen or on a rest day there, so it adds little to the overall yatra length. The walking is short but at about 5,000 m, so go slowly.
Access to Ashtapad is opened by the Chinese authorities only at some times. On our Kathmandu programme we list it as a possibility on the Darchen day, never as a promise, and that is how you should treat it on any itinerary.
Charan Sparsh, Ashtapad and the parikramas compared
| Option | Where | Extra time | Effort | Permission |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darshan from Yam Dwar and Darchen | South side, by vehicle | None | Very light | Part of normal permits |
| Ashtapad | South side, short walk from vehicle point | Half day | Light to moderate at about 5,000 m | Only when opened by authorities |
| Outer parikrama (kora) | Full circuit, about 52 km, over Dolma La (about 5,630 m) | 3 days | Hard; one 9–12 hour day | Part of normal permits |
| North face Charan Sparsh | From Dirapuk to the base of the north face | 1 extra day | Hard; rough moraine above 5,000 m | Depends on authorities and guide on the day |
| Inner parikrama | Behind Nandi to the Saptarishi caves, from near Selung Gompa | 1 long day | Very hard; steep, loose, no pony on most of it | Needs permission from authorities and monastery |
The inner parikrama: going behind Nandi
Close to the idea of Charan Sparsh is the inner parikrama (inner kora), a shorter but much steeper circuit on the south side that passes behind Nandi and climbs towards the Saptarishi caves, where small chortens stand below the south face. Tibetan Buddhist tradition holds that the inner path is for those who have completed many outer circuits, often said to be thirteen. Whatever one’s tradition, it is a privilege granted only with the permission of the Chinese authorities and the local monastery, and it is the most demanding walking at Kailash.
We offer it on our 13-day Kailash Mansarovar Inner Parikrama programme, where the outer parikrama comes first so that the body is fully acclimatised. If permission is refused or weather closes the path, that day becomes a rest and darshan day at Darchen.
Is Charan Sparsh allowed in 2027?
We cannot say yet, and no honest organiser can. Access to areas off the main parikrama route has varied from season to season, and decisions are made by the Chinese authorities, sometimes locally and at short notice. What we know from recent seasons:
- The outer parikrama, lake puja and darshan from Yam Dwar and Darchen have been part of standard permits.
- Ashtapad, north face Charan Sparsh and the inner parikrama have been allowed at some times and refused at others.
- When allowed, the Tibetan guide decides on the day how far the group may go, based on weather and the group’s condition.
If anyone promises you Charan Sparsh or Ashtapad as a guaranteed item, ask them to put in writing what happens if it is refused. Our rule is simple: we plan the time for it, we try, and if it does not happen you still have the darshan and the parikrama, which are the heart of the yatra.
Who should attempt Charan Sparsh?
Charan Sparsh and the inner parikrama suit yatris who:
- have been to high altitude before without trouble, or are clearly acclimatising well on this yatra;
- can walk 15–20 km over rough ground at home without exhaustion;
- have a doctor’s clearance for strenuous activity above 5,000 m;
- accept that the guide may turn the group back at any point.
Ashtapad, being mostly by vehicle, is open to most yatris who are fit for the Kailash yatra itself, including many who do not do the outer parikrama. Read our altitude sickness guide and Kailash fitness guide before you decide.
Etiquette at the feet of Kailash
- Walk clockwise, as Hindus, Buddhists and Jains do on the Kailash parikrama. (Bon followers walk anticlockwise; give them way.)
- Do not take stones, earth or ice from the base of the mountain. Many yatris believe it is not right to remove anything from Kailash, and local rules may forbid it.
- Carry back all wrappers, bottles and offerings that are not biodegradable.
- Keep voices low and avoid loud music or speeches; others are in prayer.
- Follow the Tibetan guide’s instructions on where to stop. They answer to the authorities for the group.
How we can help
Ask us which of our programmes leave time for Ashtapad or Charan Sparsh. Where they appear, we list them as possibilities that depend on permission and on how each yatri is acclimatising, never as guaranteed items. For the closest possible yatra, choose the 13-day inner parikrama programme; for Ashtapad as a possibility within a standard yatra, the 11-day yatra from Kathmandu; and for the three-day outer parikrama, the 9-day yatra from Lucknow. All options are on our Kailash Mansarovar page, and our Kailash parikrama guide explains the outer circuit stage by stage. Use the enquiry form on this page or call/WhatsApp us (numbers on our Contact page).
Frequently asked questions
What does Charan Sparsh mean at Kailash?
It means touching the feet of Kailash: walking from the parikrama route to the base of one of the mountain’s faces, usually the north face from Dirapuk, and touching the rock or ground there in prayer. It is an act of devotion, not climbing. Mount Kailash has never been climbed, and climbing is not permitted.
Is Charan Sparsh included in a normal Kailash yatra?
Usually not. A standard yatra covers the Mansarovar puja, lake circuit, darshan from Yam Dwar and the three-day outer parikrama. Charan Sparsh needs an extra night at Dirapuk and depends on permission and weather on the day. Some programmes plan time for it as an option. Ask for written terms on what happens if it cannot be done.
How difficult is the north face Charan Sparsh?
It is demanding. You walk over rough moraine above 5,000 m, on the day before the long Dolma La crossing, and the walk there and back from Dirapuk is commonly described as taking half a day. Only yatris who are acclimatising well and have a doctor’s clearance for strenuous effort at altitude should attempt it.
Why is Ashtapad important for Jains?
Jains believe Ashtapad, near Kailash, is where Bhagwan Rishabhdev (Adinath), the first Tirthankara, attained nirvana, and Jain texts describe a shrine built there by his son Bharat Chakravarti. For Jain pilgrims, darshan at Ashtapad is the central purpose of the Kailash yatra, and many Hindu yatris also join it for the close view of the south face.
Can senior citizens do Ashtapad darshan?
Often yes, if they are fit for the Kailash yatra itself, because most of the approach is by vehicle from Darchen with only a short walk. The viewpoint is around 5,000 m, so walk slowly and stop at any sign of breathlessness. Ashtapad access is opened only at some times, so treat it as a possibility, not a fixed part of the plan.
What is the difference between Charan Sparsh and the inner parikrama?
Charan Sparsh is a walk to the base of one face, most often the north face from Dirapuk, and back. The inner parikrama is a separate, steeper circuit on the south side that goes behind Nandi to the Saptarishi caves. Both need special permission and fitness. The inner parikrama is generally the harder of the two and has no pony support on most of it.
Is it allowed to bring back stones from Kailash?
It is best not to. Many yatris and local traditions hold that nothing should be taken from the mountain, and authorities may object at checkpoints. Mansarovar jal, collected respectfully from the shore in a small container, is the traditional prasad that yatris carry home from this yatra.