Humla: Simikot, the Kailash route and the permit

Humla is the far corner of Karnali Province, reached by air or on foot. The trails north from Simikot lead to the Tibet border at Hilsa, the Limi Valley and the pilgrim route to Mount Kailash^1,2. This page covers the district as a whole; the other far-west districts are in the districts hub, and the Limi walk has its own Limi Valley trek page.

Where it is

Humla lies in the far west of Nepal, on the border between Nepal and China, and is used as the starting point for trekking and mountaineering¹. It is a district of Karnali Province with Simikot as its administrative headquarters¹. At 5,655 km2 it is the second-largest district in Nepal by area¹. Namkha Rural Municipality, inside Humla, is the largest rural municipality in Nepal by area¹.

The district is divided into 7 rural municipalities and has no urban municipality¹. The 2021 census counted 55,394 people, and the entire population lives in rural areas¹. In 2011 the district had 50,858 people¹.

Humla is a historic part of the Tibetan Buddhist religious tradition, with eleven small villages of Tibetan origin¹. The Limi Valley is inhabited by Buddhist communities¹. In 2021 Hinduism was the religion of 87.45% of the population and Buddhism of 12.15%¹. Wild yaks, once thought regionally extinct in Nepal, were rediscovered in Humla in 2014¹.

Getting there

By air

In October 2026 Humla could be reached only by air or on foot, and road transport was still under construction¹. Because road access is weak, Simikot Airport carries travel for the whole district². It stands at 9,246 ft (2,818 m) above sea level². The runway has recently been improved and extended, with more infrastructure being built².

In October 2026 the airport listing showed Tara Air and Sita Air flying from Nepalgunj, and Summit Air and Nepal Airlines flying from Nepalgunj and Birendranagar². Operators and routes are covered in flights to Simikot.

On 23 June 2011 a Tara Air Dornier 228 on a cargo flight from Nepalgunj was substantially damaged in a heavy landing and runway excursion at Simikot².

By road and on foot

In October 2026 a motorable road from Hilsa to Simikot was in the process of being built¹. Pilgrims and trekkers bound for Lake Manasarovar and Mount Kailash in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region fly into Simikot and proceed to the international border at Hilsa on foot².

The route to Hilsa and Kailash

In recent years Humla has grown in significance as a preferred route for the Kailash pilgrimage¹. The ancient foot trail from Simikot to Hilsa runs along the mountain slopes on the left side of the Humla Karnali river¹. The walk takes 4 to 5 days, with overnight stops at a few villages, and crosses the 4,530 m Nara La pass¹.

A longer alternative leaves the main trail at the confluence of the Humla Karnali and Salli Khola rivers and reaches Hilsa through the Nyalu La pass and the Limi valley¹. A detour from that route to the Lapcha La pass, close to the border with China, gives open views of Lake Manasarovar and Mount Kailash on a clear day¹. The Nepal section of the Great Himalaya Trail ends in Humla at Hilsa, on the border with Tibet¹.

The Kailash approach has more detail on the Humla to Kailash page.

Permits

Restricted-area trekking in Nepal needs a trekking permit from the Department of Immigration, Kalikasthan, Kathmandu⁴. Foreign trekkers going to certain restricted areas must hold one by law, and the Department of Immigration issues these permits only through registered trekking agencies⁵.

In October 2026 the Department of Immigration’s fee table listed Humla at USD 50 per person per week, plus USD 10 per day beyond one week³. The Nepal Tourism Board listed the same amounts⁴. The permit covers parts of three rural municipalities³:

For comparison, in October 2026 the same table listed Mugu at USD 100 per person per week and Bajhang and Darchula at USD 90 per week, each with USD 15 per day beyond the first week³. Rules for every area are collected in restricted-area permits.

What to see

The Simikot to Hilsa trail, the Limi Valley and the passes of Nara La and Lapcha La are the walking routes in the district¹. Humla has eleven small villages of Tibetan origin, and the Nyin Community and the Limi Valley are inhabited by Buddhist communities¹.

Simikot is the district headquarters and has the district’s airport^1,2. In Sirkigad Rural Municipality stands the Sarki Temple, dedicated to the ancestral deity of the Sarki community¹.

Safety

The passes are high: Nara La is 4,530 m¹, and Simikot itself is at 2,818 m². In October 2026 Humla could be reached only by air or on foot¹.