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Mountain Kailash

  •  Group Size: 2 to 10 people

  •  Elevation: Up to 4,500m

  •  Start & endpoints: Departs from Lhasa, and ends in Lhasa, Tibet.

  •  Best season: 1st June through 10th September 
     

Things that we prepare for the trek

  • Toilet papers.

  • Wet tissue.

  • Hand sanitiser.

  • Quick-dry hand tower.

  • Full camping equipment:

  • Tents.

  • Air mattresses for each person.

  • Air pillow for each person.

  • Camping lamps.

  • Dining sets (table and chairs).

  • Dining tent

  • Toilet tent.

  • All cooking equipment.

  • Plates, cups, bowls, spoons, forks, tissues.


Things that you need to prepare for the trek.
Clothes:

  1. Cap/hat (covers neck and face from Sun).

  2. Outdoor water-proof jacket.

  3. Fleece (for morning and evening temperature / 10c-15c).

  4. T-shirts, two (at least one long-sleeve for protection from Sun).

  5. Quick-dry trousers.

  6. Raincoat

  7. Trekking boots (waterproof is the best option. If it’s brand new, pls wear them and get used).

  8. Cotton socks, two pairs.

  9. Equipment:

  10. Backpack, 20-25L (for your daily items, raincoat, packed lunch, water bottle, backpack rain cover).

  11. Walking stick (1 for experienced trekker; 2 for beginner).

  12. Water bottle (pls bring 1 or 2. We will fill the water one time before the trekking each morning and carry it by us).

  13. Sunblock (SPF50+, PA+++)

  14. Lipstick for sunscreen and moisture.

  15. Sunglasses.

  16. Headlamp (for your personal use. We provide the camping lamp for each tent).

  17. Camera, and extra batteries for camera (no electricity during the trek).

  18. Power bank for your cell phone charges.10. Sleeping bag.

     
    This extraordinary mountain is regarded as the 'heart of the world', the 'axis mound', the centre of Asia, by Buddhists, Hindus, Jains, and followers of other spiritual traditions. Of all the special destinations for travellers to reach, Mountain Kailash is sure of the most sublime and sacred. Its geographical position as the watershed of South Asia is unique and it is this which gives it a cosmic geomantic power. From the slopes flow four great rivers in the four cardinal directions.

1. The Indus north

2.The Brahmaputra east

3. The Karnali south in the Ganges

4. The Sutlej west
 

     Before Mountain Kailashi lie the twin lakes of Manasarovar (4,600m/མ་ཕམ་གཡུ་མཚོ) and Ruksha Tal (4,584m/ལང་ཀ་མཚོ), shaped like sun and moon, and which are said to have association respectively with the forces of the lights and dark. Further south, just on the edge of the Tibetan plateau and near the Himalayas is another snow-capped peak, Mountain Nemo Nanyi (Gurlamandhata;7,728m), which is one of the highest peaks and four ridges form a swastika, an ancient symbol of the infinity of the universe.

 

     Hindus regard Mountain Kailash (Silver Mountain) as the early manifestation of Mount Meru, their spiritual centre of the universe, described in ancient texts as a fantastic “world pillar” 84,000 miles high, around which all else revolves, its roots in the lowest hell and its summit kissing the heavens. On top is the abode of their god Shiva, Lord of the Mountains, who shares this lofty peak with his consort, Parvati
 

     Tibetan Buddhists, like Hindus, recognize Kailash as the manifestation of Mountain Meru the “navel of the world” rising “like the handle of a millstone” into heaven. Kailash is also regarded as the residence of Demchok, a multi-armed wrathful deity worshipped in the Chakrasamvara Tantric cycle of Tibetan Buddhism, and his consort, Dorjee Phakmo.  Mountain Kailash itself is known in the Tibetan language as Gang Rinpoche (Precious Snow Mountain). Though only 6,714m high, it stands quite long like a great white sentinel guarding the main routes into Tibet from India and Nepal in the south and west.

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     Mountain Kailash is sacred to the Bön religion (indigenes religion of Tibet) as well, as it is the site where its founder, Tönpa Shenrab, is said to have descended from heaven, and formerly it was the spiritual centre of Zhangzhung, the ancient Bönpo empire that once extended from Persia cross through Western Tibet. The Bönpo kora the mountain in their traditional counterclockwise manner, in the opposite direction of Buddhist and Hindu pilgrims.

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Traditionally a pilgrimage
     Traditionally a pilgrimage undertakes the 52-km trekking circuit or Kora

around the mountain commencing at Darchen (4,550m) and crossing the 5,630m Dolma La pass on the second day of a three-day trek. On the third day, you will complete your 3-day trek with rest and camp at the hot spring near Tirthapuri. Optionally of course you can also stay at one of the local guest houses in the nearest town.


On route to Mountain Kailash.

     Although mountain Kailash and its environments are of exceptional natural beauty, it could only be reached via lengthy and often arduous travel along with one of several motorable routes into the region. The airport at Senge Khabab opened in 2010. The flight takes 2 hours from Lhasa. Despite the bureaucratic restrictions imposed on visitors, facilities for foreign travellers are sparse and the way itself, from whichever direction, is rugged and often tiring. Furthermore, the sacred mountain Kailash has never easily allowed visitors into its sanctum, but with fortitude, patience, and a pure, constant intention to reach and kora its snow-capped peak. One will succeed. For all these reasons, the journey to and through Far-West Tibet requires the appropriate preparation, both logistically and mentally.

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Possible for individual travellers to go to these regions? 
      Since March 2008, the Chinese government set new regulations on individual foreign travellers that you are no longer permitted to travel on your own to Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR). New regulations require all foreigners to have Alien Travel Permits (ATPs), all the travel destinations must be prearranged and listed on the ATP, and they must be accompanied by a licensed tour company.  The permits must be shown at the border to check into a hotel. 

There are many travel companies you can choose to travel with, but make sure you are travelling with the right team who are not only familiar with the culture, and history.  Since you are stepping into one of the world's highest lands. Choose one well-experienced company that can provide you and all the necessary logistics most importantly first-aid. Therefore, not only someone can provide you with it, but make sure your team is professionally knowledgeable on using it in the right way.
 

What do you need to prepare for this journey?

Start your physical fitness program for several months or at least a couple of weeks before arriving in Tibet. Walking, hiking and backpacking over rugged terrain are the best ways to prepare for a trek. Any regular aerobic exercise is also beneficial, especially running, swimming, and bicycling. Be creative. Regular sessions of running up and down multiple flights of stairs in an office or apartment building can improve fitness, and people who frequently practice more passive types of exercises such as yoga are often in excellent shape for trekking. When you climb toward a high pass on your second or third day of trekking, you will be a lot happier if you exercised regularly before arriving in Tibet.

 

Equipment and Clothing(TC is able to provide you with all the camping equipment including sleeping bags)

     If you trek in Tibet with a travel company, they will supply all the necessary camping equipment. Some companies even can provide you with sleeping bags. So that you can save a lot of space in your bags and save hundreds of dollars. (Make sure the equipment your company provides you are in a good shape and good in windy and harsh weather conditions). When planning your clothing needs for the trek, think in terms of layers. Layers of clothing will keep you warm but can be removed gradually to prevent overheating. During spring and autumn, the night temperatures in the mountains often drop below freezing, making warm gear essential. In summer, the days can be hot, requiring light cotton or polyester-blend clothing. Good wet-weather gear is recommended during the rainy summer months. Many of the regions in Tibet can receive snow any month of the year; be prepared for cold weather if you plan to trek at the altitude of 4,000m/12,000f.
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Tour and trekking itinerary


Day 01: Arrive in Lhasa. Welcome to Lhasa! 

Day 02: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and the Barkhor Circuit.
Day 03: Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, Ramoche Temple and the old town.

Day 04: Lhasa-Yamdrok Lake-Gyantse-Shigatse 360kms, 6 hours.

Day 05: Shigatse-EBC 360kms, 6 hours.

Day 06: EBC-Old Dingri-Saga 290kms, 6.5 hours.

Day 07: Saga-Paryang-Lake Manasarovar 500kms, 6 hours.

Day 08: Lake Manasarovar-around the Lake-Darchen 114km.

Day 09: Trek from Darchen-Dirra Puk 18kms, 5 to 6 hours.

Day 10: Trek from Dirra Puk-Dolma La Pass 22kms, 8 hours.

Day 11: Trek from Dolma La Pass-Darchen 14kms, 4 hours.

Day 12: Tithapuri-Zanda 165km 4 hours.

Day 13: Visit Ruins of Guge Kingdom, Dongkar and Piyang 130kms 4 hours.

Day 14: Zanda-Purang 420km 6 hours.

Day 15: Purang- Paryang 355km 6.5 hours.

Day 16: Paryang-Lhatse 530km 7 hours.
Day 17: Lhatse-Lhasa 420kms, 6 hours.
Day 18: Depart from Lhasa
 

TOUR & TREKKING COST:
3,500USD/ 24,500RMB per person (private arrangement/ tour size: 2-10 pp)
Inclusions

  • Full board camping service for the whole trekking period.

  • Tibet permits and application charges

  • Guide and camping staff.

  • Cook and kitchen staff.

  • Porters with the camping equipment.

  • All staff and porters’ insurance.

  • Restricted area trekking permit.

  • Hotel & guest house.

  • Staff, porters, and equipment transportation from DAY 04-09.

  • Oxygen cylinder with mask and regulator for emergency use.

  • Hotel reservation.

  • Airport pickup and drop.

  • Welcome and farewell dinner.

  • Travel agency service surcharge

Exclusions

  • All kinds of beverages.

  • Personal trekking gear.

  • Staffs tips.

  • Airfare, airport tax, any train fare

  • Meals (before and after the trek)

  • Personal entrance fee for any sight on the tour ( payable on the spot )

                                                                                      A gentle note on confidentiality

For the past twenty-some years, we have enjoyed providing free information and consultation on anything our potential clients want to know about travelling in the Tibetan Plateau and the neighbouring areas. Our tailor-made itineraries according to the client's interests and budgets are based on one-to-one communications and information we share. We, therefore, would like to ask you please not to share our itineraries with third parties and help us keep the itineraries confidential. This is your kind support to small businesses like us. In the current situation with quite devastating effects on tourism, we sincerely appreciate your understanding and support to continue doing a good job in service.

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