About

• Features

  Mount Kailash (elevation: 6,638m), a sacred mountain located in the far west of Tibet, is a holy place for Tibetan Buddhism, Hinduism, and Bon and Jainism. Tibetan Buddhist and Hindu pilgrims traditionally walk clockwise around the 52km circumference of Mount Kailash, while Bon and Jain pilgrims walk counter clockwise. The paths that many pilgrims have trodden become trails, and food tents line them during the trekking season. In addition to physical fitness and equipment, acclimatization to the high elevation is necessary. Mount Kailash can be seen from anywhere along the trail.

• History

  Mount Kailash is a holy place that the followers of Tibetan Buddhism, Hinduism, Bon, and Jainism desire to make a pilgrimage to at least once in their lives. The mountain, which they reverentially call Kang Rinpoche (precious one of glacial snow), is a sacred place to pray, and for pilgrims, it is not a place to be trudged through like a normal mountain climbing trip. The pilgrimage route can be completed in a single day, but some pilgrims spend as much as two weeks on the path, praying and prostrating. It is said that those who complete 108 laps of the pilgrimage route are considered to have attained Buddhahood.

• Nature

  While the pilgrimage route offers inspiring valleys, rivers, and rock formations, the crowning glory of the trip is Mount Kailash itself. Its diamond-shaped, snow-capped dome is often likened by Buddhist monks to a seated Buddha. Stopping at the Gangotri Valley, you can get close to the Gangotri Glacier and the sheer north face of Mount Kailash. The season best for the pilgrimage is from late May to June and September, with rain in July and August, and snow during the rest of the year, which can make it difficult to make the pilgrimage.

• Standing on the shore of the holy lake Mansarovar, the holy mountain Mount Kailash comes into view for the first time. The five-colored flags (talcho) displayed by pilgrims are seen as blessings for the pilgrimage. The pilgrimage begins in the gateway town of Darchen (elevation: 4,700m), which looks up at the southern face of Mount Kailash. In the village of Tengboche, Saga Dawa, one of the largest festivals in Tibet, is held. The festival is held in the 4th month on the Tibetan calendar and in May and June on the solar calendar, coinciding with the pilgrimage season. The highlight of the festival is the erection of the poles used to string up the talcho. How straight the new poles stand will determine the country's fortune for the following year. Ideally, it should stand perfectly upright; too much leaning is considered to be a bad omen. The first day’s goal is Dira Puk Gompa (elevation: 5,210m), a monastery built in the 13th century to face Mount Kailash, where countless Buddhist statues and mandalas greet pilgrims. The view from this monastery is said to be the most beautiful on the pilgrimage route, with a close-up view of the northern face of Mount Kailash. The second day brings the highest point and the greatest challenge—the Dolma La Pass (elevation: 5,660m). The ascent gradually becomes steeper and the pass becomes increasingly craggily and rocky. After crossing the pass, the trail descends steeply and heads south along the river. From here, the east face of Kailash is visible. On the third day, the road continues along largely flat, with the highest peak in Western Tibet, Namunani Peak (elevation: 7,694m), directly in front, as you return to Darchen for a full circuit. It is possible to ask porters to carry your luggage on their yaks. If you use simple lodging, you can sleep in a bed and walk the trail with comfort. This pilgrimage route is considered equally sacred by Tibetan Buddhism and the local indigenous religions of Bon, Hinduism, and Jainism. In Tibetan Buddhism, a round-the-mountain walk is called a “kora,” and a foreign tourist can travel the route in one day, rather than the usual two or three days. In Hinduism, Mount Kailash is considered a holy mountain where Lord Shiva and Queen Parvati reside, and the pilgrimage is called Parikrama. Hindu pilgrims, like Buddhists, walk the path clockwise. Those of the Bon faith walk counter clockwise. Mount Kailash attracts and unites people of different faiths and cultures through the pilgrimage. Pilgrims walking around a common symbol that transcends faiths evokes a sense of camaraderie amongst one another. Here you’ll find the ties that bind those who walk this circuitous path; those who strive to fulfill their goals and dreams. *Please check the local website for the latest information.