This paper addresses a high-order sliding mode control strategy for output tracking of nonholonomic mobile robots. First, we introduce the dynamic model of robots, driving motors and nonslipping kinematics constraint conditions. Second, we decompose the system into linear and nonlinear components via diffeomorphism and nonlinear input transformation. Also we consider parameter variations of robots and deduce the uncertain model of robots. Third, we design a high order sliding mode controller for output tracking of known and uncertain systems, respectively. Finally, we perform numerical simulations, demonstrating that the proposed high-order sliding mode control not only reduces the chattering problem of sliding mode systems, but also has certain robustness properties with respect to uncertainties of robots.