Lying in the heart of the highest mountains on earth, Mt. kailash (6,714m), though not particularly tall by Himalayan standards, is one of the most elegant and entrancing peaks in Tibet. The Mountain rises like a perfect pyramid of rock and snow in the midst of a stark landscape.
Mt. Kailash is also sacred for the followers of four different religions, the reason why thousands of pilgrims, as well as adventure seekers, from every part of Nepal, Tibet, India and elsewhere travel to the holy site every year. The Hindus believe it to be the adobe of Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati as well as the terrestrial manifestation of Mt. Meru, "the pillar of the earth", around which the entire universe resolves. For Tibetan Buddhists, the mountain has for centuries been the Gang Rimpoche ( Jewel of the Snow), and plays in the structure of the world a role similar to that attributed by the Hindus.
For believers of the ancient Bon faith, the mountain is both the center of the ancient land of Shang Shung and the place where the founder of the sect descended to earth from heaven. For Jains, Mt. Kailash is the place where the first prophet of the faith purged himself of sin before he began to preach.
Not far away from the icy pyramid, and also an integral part of the Kailash tour, is the equally sacrosanct Manasarovar Lake. Taking a dip in the sacred pool is believed to be sufficent to ensure one the paradise of Brahma, and a single sip of the lake water enough to redeem the sins of hundred lifetimes. The circumbulatory route around the lake is dotted with many small convents that provide shelter for devoteed to pray and meditate.
Visitors can opt to make the trip to Kailash either on foot through Yari of Humla district in Nepal, or by road via Kodari on the Nepal, or by road via Kodari on the Nepal-China border. The trip requires a Tibet visa, and it is obligatory to go through a registered travel agency in Kathmandu. Permits are issued only if one is part of an organized group.
The journey via Yari begins with a flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgung in far west Nepal from where you catch another flight to Simikot in the remote northwestern corner of the Kingdom. From Simikot, it takes some five days of walking to reach the Tibetan town of Sher from where you drive to Kailash via Manasarovar Lake. You drive all the way back to Kathmandu via Zhangmu on the return hourney. The drive in/drive out option via the scenic southern route to Mt. Kailash is best suited for less adventurous.
Mid-May through mid-October is the best time to undertake the excursion. Although the trip is not a tecnically difficult one, considerable physical challenges may arise due to the elevation and the chilly climate, making acclimatization a must.
The walk around Mt. Kailash takes around three days while two days are required for Lake Manasarovar. Reaching the blessed mountain and completing the circuit are, however, much more than a simple exercise of the legs. It is a great adventure in history and landscape and an occasion to glean insight into the fascinating world of Eastern spiritulism.
