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mount kailash mansarovar tour |
Mt. Kailash-Manasarovar is one of the holiest of
naturalshrines for the Hindus, Buddhist, Jains
and the indigenous Tibetan Bonpos in the
Himalayas. Mount Kailash is situated in the
south- western part of Tibet, and lapping at its
foothills are the turquoise blue, calm waters of
Lake Manasarovar. Considered a home of the Gods,
it is said, if you stand on your toes here, you
can touch the sky.
At 6714m Mt. Kailash, also known as Tise,
Kailasa and Kang Rinpoche (Jewel of the Snows),
has since time immemorial been celebrated in
many Eastern cosmologies as Mt. Meru, the axis
mundi. And as the center of the physical and
metaphysical universe, Mt. Meru is sacred to the
Buddhist, Jains, the Hindus and the Bonpos. For
the Buddhists, the mountain represents a
terrestrial projection of the cosmic mandala of
Dhyani-Buddhas and Bodhisattvas - The Wheel of
Life. For the Bonpos, Kailash was the sacred
nine storey Swastika Mountain, upon which the
Bonpo founder Sherab alighted from heaven.
Kailaskhand, as the region is known, is also the
source of four great rivers flowing into the
subcontinent - Indus, Brahmaputra, Karnali and
Sutlej.
It is a Hindu belief that Kailas is the throne
of Lord Shiva. Here he sits in perpetual
meditation with his consort Parvati, daughter of
Himalaya. This is the holy place where Lord
Shiva recited the Ramayana to Parvati. For
Hindus, Mount Kailas and the Manasarovar are
considered to be the ultimate pilgrimage
destinations. It is said that a ritual bath in
the sacred Manasarovar will relinquish the sins
of a hundred lifetimes.
According to the Tibetan calendar, the year of
the WATER HORSE is very special period to visit
Mt. Kailash and comes once in a 12-year cycle.
There will be pilgrims flocking into Kailash
from every corner of the Buddhist world to pay
homage and undertake holy circumambulation of
this holiest of the mountains especially on the
Baisakh full moon day. |
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Itenerary |
DAY 1 :
Kathmandu-Nyalam, 3750 m, 155 kms After the
breakfast in Dhulikhel, the road climbs steadily
uphill out of the Kathmandu valley, past
breathtaking views through a luxuriant, deep
gorge shifting to a windy barren pass. Known as
'Kuti' to Nepalese traders, Nylam is tucked into
a fertile valley and used to be an important
trade center. Nowadays, barrack style Chinese
communes surround the typical old flat roofed,
mud-brick houses. Although vegetation is sparse,
one can see an abundance of alpine fauna of the
hillside during the summer months.
DAY 2:
Nylam-Pelgu Tso, 4595 m, 57 kms Past Nylam, the
road climbs to the 5120 m. Thong-la pass then
drops down before climbing to the Lalung-la pass
(5124 m.). To the south there are views of
Shisha Pangma (8012 m.). Camp.
DAY 3:
Pelgu Tso-Saga, 4280 M. The road follows south
of the Pelgu-Tso, continues across the plain
with stunning Himalayan views. The route then
follows a narrow gorge before climbing to a pass
and dropping steeply down to a ferry crossing
over the Yarlung Tsangpo.
DAY 4 :
Saga-Zhongba, 4480 m, 145 kms. From Saga it is
145 km to Zhongba. The road is good and the trip
can be completed in 4-5 hrs. There is also a
small monastery at the western end of town on a
hill.
DAY 5 :
Zhongba-Paryang, 4750 m, 110 kms. From Zhongba
onwards the southern road deteriorates. There is
also danger of vehicles getting stuck. But this
section of the road has panoramic views of
mountains on either side of the road.
DAY 6 :
Parayang-Lake Manasarovar, 4560 m. 260 kms From
Paryang to Lake Mansorovar is a long drive of 10
hrs or more. There will be several river
crossings and we drive past Mayum la pass (4600
m). The scenery is stunningly beautiful with
panoramic views of the Himalayas.
DAY 7 :
Darchen (4560 m), 30 km. About 30 kms north of
Lake Manasorovar is Darchen, the main gateway &
the village. Here we organize yaks or ponies for
the Kailash circuit trek.
DAY 8 :
Kailash Circuit Trek - Diraphuk : (6 hrs) This
Kailash circuit covers 53 kms and can be done in
3 days. We head west in clockwise direction and
after a few kilometers the trail climbs up to a
cairn at 4730 m from where the southern face of
Mt. Kailash comes to view. En route visit
Tarboche where annual flagpole raising ceremony
takes place during Saga Dawa.
DAY 9 :
Diraphuk - Zutrulphuk, 4790, 6 hrs Toady we
cross Drolma la pass (5630 m) and Gauri Kund
Lake (5608 m) where Hindus worship and immerse
themselves in the icy waters of the lake.
DAY 10 :
Darchen - Lake Manasarovar (2-3 hrs) The final
end of the parikrama is an easy 2-3 hrs walk
down to where the river emerges on to the Barga
plain. We complete the 3-day circuit trek of Mt.
Kailash and drive 33 KM to Chiu Gompa at Lake
Manasorovar. Chiu Gompa is at a fabulous
location atop a hill overlooking Lake
Manasorovar.
DAY 11-14 :
Start of our return trip via PARYANG ~ ZHONGBA ~
NYLAM and Zhangmu- Kathmandu.
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