Tibet:
Trip to Kailash

Arrival in Kathmandu (Nepal), meeting, acquaintance. We give our foreign passports for Tibet visa processing. A Tibetan visa can only be obtained here; you will not apply for it in advance. The procedure will take at least 3-4 days, but we will spend this time usefully: we will acclimatize on one of the most beautiful high-mountain treks in Nepal.

The kora around Kailash passes at quite serious altitudes, so before heading there we will gently acclimatize and prepare for the altitude in another Himalayan region called Langtang. It is called Little Tibet due to its proximity, the majority of the inhabitants are Tamang, ethnic Tibetans.
We travel by jeep to the village of Syabrubesi. The road passes along an unusually picturesque mountain serpentine among green hills and rice terraces, along the mountain river Trishuli Ganga. The constantly changing landscapes outside the window will not let you get bored for a minute; views of waterfalls, mountains, cliffs and gorges will flash outside the window every now and then. We will pass through many villages and small towns, observing the daily life of the Nepalese people. At the entrance to the village we will already see the first snow-white caps of the Langtang Himal mountain system.

From Syabrubesi there is a narrow path along the river, surrounded by rhododendrons and other exotic plants. We gradually gain altitude, crossing the river several times on suspension bridges.
Often the path will give way to steps leading us through dense and wild forest thickets. Nepalese nature will surprise you with the lush colors of the jungle, noisy rivers, turbulent waterfalls; we will pass through a beautiful centuries-old forest full of chirping cecadas and lush tropical vegetation. The snow caps of the Langtang Valley mountains will seem closer and closer.

We start from the village of Lama and move further through the dense tropical forest. We rise higher, gradually leaving the area of lush green jungle. Snowy peaks are already clearly visible between the thick crowns of rhododendrons. There are fewer and fewer villages around, and the nature around has remained almost untouched by man. Finally, after some time, the forest recedes, and a wonderful panorama of the valley and mountain range opens up to us, and in the distance the snowy peak of Langtang Lirung (7246 m) appears.

Today we begin to see truly magnificent views of snowy peaks and waterfalls. The road will pass by Buddhist stupas, high mountain pastures, herds of yaks against the backdrop of stunning glaciers, as well as the longest mani walls in Nepal (stone walls with mantras carved on them). By mid-day we reach the village of Kyanjin Gompa. Here in 1955, visiting porters built a cheese factory, which is still in operation, and we will definitely try the cheese from it. From the village we will see the magnificent peaks of the Kimshung and Yansa Tsenji mountains. In the evening, you will have the opportunity to stop by a local bakery to drink hot tea and try local apple pie. And all this with stunning views of the Langtang Himal and Jugal Himal massifs.

We leave our backpacks at the lodges and climb lightly to the top of Kyanjin Ri to ensure good acclimatization before heading to Tibet. The climb to Kyanjin Ri takes about 3-4 hours, from the top there are stunning panoramas of perennial glaciers and surrounding mountains, in particular Langtang Lirung (7246 m) and Langtang Ri (6581 m).

We go down to the village of Lama. We walk along the river again, crossing either the left or the right side of it on suspension bridges, enjoying the beautiful rocky landscapes of the gorge along which the river flows. After some time, we are again surrounded by dense forest. The walk on this day is extremely easy and pleasant, the trail mostly goes down. After lunch, we cross the longest suspension bridge in the Langtang Valley, from which we always get excellent shots of the valley and mountains. We check into a guest house and relax.

Early in the morning we go down to Syabrubesi and drive out to the Nepal-Tibet border along a picturesque road winding among mountain peaks and rice terraces.
After the necessary formalities at the border, we continue our journey upward for another 2 hours, after which we stop for the night in the city of Kerung.

Today we drive to the highest mountain plateau in the world, from which you can enjoy one of the best views of Tibet. This is the very place that is called the “roof of the world.”
From there, throughout the day, we will be able to observe breathtaking panoramas of the legendary Himalayan eight-thousanders, including Mount Cho Oyu (8200 meters high) and Mount Xishapagma (8012 meters), surrounded by the endless Tibetan expanses. We visit the famous Kyedrong mountain pass (5170 meters). Next we continue our way to the town of Saga, where we will stop for the night.

We continue our journey to Kailash along the 145-kilometer highway stretching along the Tibetan plateau from Saga to the sacred Lake Manasarovar. Along its length there are several very old, sometimes destroyed monasteries, some of which we will visit. Including, we will look at the oldest monastery in the area - Dareling. Then we continue our way to the lake through the high mountain passes of Laksang, Zamlungla and Zhongna, each of which offers stunning panoramas of the plateau. After lunch we go down a little lower, our path will pass along the bank of the majestic Brahmaputra River. Its total length is more than 2900 km! We will definitely stop near a place where the surrounding peaks of the Himalayas can be seen in all their glory. Then, through a picturesque gorge, having crossed the pass, we will again emerge onto the large Tibetan plateau. From here you can already see the sacred Lake Manasarovar. We stop for the night right on the shore of the famous lake.

We devote the first half of the day to walks along Lake Manasarovar.
From Sanskrit it is translated as “lake of consciousness.” Every year thousands of pilgrims come here to swim in its waters and be cleansed of sins. We visit the rock on which the very small but revered Chiu Gompa, or Bird Monastery, is perched. A thousand years ago, the famous yogi, poet and Buddhist teacher Milarepa loved to come here. Not far from the monastery there are hot radon springs. But the most sacred and revered place here is the cave in the rock where Guru Rinpoche spent the last 7 years of his earthly life.
In the evening we leave in the direction of the town of Darchen, from where the Kora itself begins around Kailash.

The most important part of our journey begins - the sacred bark around Kailash, with a total length of 53 km. Early rise this morning. We set off clockwise around the mountain. The first kilometers of the trail runs along the Lha-Chu River. A magnificent canyon of red rocks with multi-colored interspersed layers has formed in the river valley. We pass through its huge scree and rocky peaks. Such colorful landscapes are impressive from the first steps of the kora around Kailash! Further the trail leads us to the sacred Mahasiddha monastery of Tarboche, at an altitude of 4750 m, and to the Chuku monastery. Without stopping for long, we go further to the place of Chaktsal Ganges. It is from here that you can see the Western Entrance (nubgo) to Mount Kailash. According to legend, only a select few can enter the Great Underground Country, which is located inside the Sacred Mountain. If you see multi-colored rays emanating from the walls of the mountain and pointing to a mysterious entrance, this is your sign and the path to the land of the Mahatmas. We will end our day at the Drira Phuk Monastery, with a gorgeous view of Kailash. After traditional meditation in a sacred place, we go to bed.

Let's continue Cora. Today we have an important day ahead of us, for which many come to Tibet. We will try to come close to the almost vertical wall of Kailash - the Northern face of the Mountain. Due to the fact that snow practically does not linger here, it has an unusually austere dark gray face.
The road leads steeply upward and takes us to the Shiva Tsal Heavenly Cemetery, where pilgrims throw off their clothes as a sign of the end of a past life and the beginning of a new one - at the Dolma La Pass pass (5630m). The pass is the main goal of the outer crust, the road to it is covered with prayer flags, there is a huge stone on the top and many believe that the goddess Dolma lives in the stone. Along the path that leads us to the pass, we will see two mountains on both sides, the silhouettes of which from above are very similar to the sacred symbol of OM. The mountain on the left has a connection with the upper worlds. The elevation on the left is with the lower ones. This mountain is very important for pilgrims. It is possible that you will see more than a dozen of them here, prostrate at the foot in prayer.
We descend a steep rocky path to the sacred Gaurikunda lake in the Zhong Chu valley. The Zurtul Phug Monastery was built here, where Milarepa once meditated.

The final day of our sacred walk around the Mountain. Near the source of Guru Rinpoche, we will wash our heads with sacred water to receive enlightenment. This day is considered a symbol of the transition from the old life to a new, purer and brighter, sinless, with the right thoughts and actions. Here the sounds of hundreds of voices of pilgrims flow, reading various mantras, sacred texts, prayers and simply conversations with each other and with the world around.
Then it's just downhill. Let's pass the sacred lake, which the god Shiva created for his beloved wife Parvati, after swimming in which she became beautiful and young again. After some time, we will see hundreds of stones inscribed with mantras, among which rises the Zutrul Phuk Monastery with the legendary Cave of Miracles. Having gone around Kailash from the Eastern side, we will arrive in the village of Darchen, where we go to bed with a purified soul and fresh thoughts. Congratulations, Cora is passed.

We begin our journey back towards Kathmandu. In a few hours we will be in a small village called Tingri. In good weather, the peaks of Everest and Makalu can be seen in the distance from its surroundings. Further the road passes through several passes. We will make a stop at the picturesque Peiku Tso Lake with a magnificent panoramic view of the eight-thousander Shisha Pangma 8012 m. We will spend the night in a guest house in the city of Kerung, where we had already been at the beginning of our trip.

Crossing the border with Nepal, moving to Kathmandu