The Mount Kailash Trek

This guidebook describes the Mount Kailash trek in Tibet, which follows the pilgrims' route around the sacred mountain. The trek has been a pilgrimage site for more than a thousand years, and leads around the peak in 3-4 days. Also included is a visit to the lost kingdom of Guge, still almost unknown in the west.

Seasons

spring (late April, May and early June) or autumn (mid-September to late October)

Centres

Simikot, Kathmandu, Lhasa; Darchen; Zanda

Difficulty

A high-altitude trek in a very remote area. Acclimatisation essential. Long access journey to Kailash itself.

Must See

Guge's lost cities of Toling and Tsaparang; amazing landscape around Kailash; the pilgrimage/trekking experience

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Overview

This guidebook describes the trek that leads around the sacred Mount Kailash, in western Tibet following the pilgrims’ route. Though short, this high-altitude trek is not to be undertaken lightly – Mount Kailash remains isolated and remote, and getting there is an epic journey in itself.

Isolated for centuries behind the Himalayas in Tibet is a mysterious and mythical mountain, Mount Kailash, standing 6714m (22,028ft) high. The mountain has for more than a thousand years been a central pilgrimage site for some of the world’s major religions.

Also included in the guide is a visit to the lost kingdom of Guge, still almost unknown in the west. The ethereal ruined fortress of Tsaparang, Guge’s former capital, is Tibet’s greatest Buddhist treasure-house of art and paintings – a stunning location not to be missed.

• The Kailash trek, and other treks in the region, described in detail
• Extensive practical information for planning and preparation
• The key approach routes (by foot and road) and return route to Kathmandu or Lhasa
• Historical, cultural and religious background information

For adventure-seeking trekkers this comprehensive guide opens a door into the enchanting world of Kailash and western Tibet.

Contents

Contents

Preface

Introduction

Geography
Tibetan landscapes
Flora and fauna
    Plants
    Bird
    Animals
Climate   
    Typical temperature

Tibetan culture  
Brief history of the Tibet region
Early foreign visitors to Kailash
Religious aspects of Kailash
Tibetan religion   
    Bonpo
    Buddhis
Principal Tibetan Buddhist sects
    Nyingma-pa
    Kadam-p
    Kagyu-pa
    Sakya-pa
    Gelug-pa
Festivals
Official holidays
A few cultural considerations

Pre-departure preparation
Trekking seasons
Style of tre
    Fully supported group treks
    Independently organised trips with a local trek operato
    Completely independent travel
Accommodation and food
    Washing
    Toilets
    Food
Visas and permits
    Chinese visa
    Chinese embassies
    Nepalese visas
    Nepalese embassies
Money matters
    Banks and ATMs
Health matters
    Water sterilisation
    Vaccination suggestions
    Malaria prophylaxi
    Other nasty bugs
    Common ailments
    Dental care
    Clinics
    First aid kit
Mountain sickness/altitude
    What is altitude sickness?
    Altitude problems specific to Tibet 
    Options from the pharmacist
    Hyperbaric bag and oxygen cylinders
Mountain safety
Equipment and supplies
Food
Maps
Photography

Getting there
Routes into Tibet (via China and Nepal)
    Flights from China to Tibet
    Overland from China 
    Flights to Nepal
Kathmandu – Gateway to Tibet 
    What to see  
    Accommodation  
    Eating out
Lhasa
    What to see 
    Accommodation 

Using this guide 
Notes on trekking and road routes  
    Altitudes, distances and timings 
    Alternative names 
    Milestones 
    Prices  

Approach routes to Kailash 
1 From Simikot: the trekking route 
    Stage 1 Simikot to Tuling (Masigaon) 
    Stage 2 Tuling to Kermi 
    Stage 3 Kermi to Yangar 
    Stage 4 Yangar to Muchu 
    Stage 5 Muchu to Yari  
    Stage 6 Yari to Sher  
    Drive to Purang 
    Stage 7 Purang to Lake Manasarovar/Darchen  
    Alternative return trek route from Sher to Simikot 
2 From Kathmandu to Kailash (Darchen) (by road)  
    Kathmandu to Kodari  
    Kodari/Zhangmu to Nyalam  
    Xixapangma trekking routes  
    Xixapangma south approach  
    Nyalam to Tara Tso day hike  
    Nyalam to Saga 
    Saga to Paryang 
    Paryang to Lake Manasarovar/Chui Gompa  
    Lake Manasarovar to Darchen 
3 From Lhasa to Kailash (by road)  

The Kailash Kora trek
    Darchen 
    Stage 1 Darchen to Chuku monastery 
    Stage 2 Chuku monastery to Driraphuk monastery  
    Day hike to Kangyam Glacier  
    Stage 3 Driraphuk to Shabje Draktok, via Drolma La  
    Stage 4 Shabje Draktok to Zutrulphuk monastery
    Stage 5 Zutrulphuk to Darchen 

Other treks in the Kailash region  
1 Darchen Day Walks 
    Darchen ridge walk  
    Gyangdrak monastery 
    Serlung monastery  
2 Inner Kora
3 Lake Manasarovar  
    Lake Manasarovar Circuit Trek 
    Stage 1 Chui monastery to Hor  
    Stage 2 Hor to Seralung monastery   
    Stage 3 Seralung to Trugo monastery 
    Stage 4 Trugo monastery to Gossul monastery 
    Stage 5 Gossul monastery to Chui monastery  
Chui village ridge walk  
4 Lake Rakhas Tal  
5 Tirthapuri  

The Guge kingdom 
Brief history and cultural aspects  
The southern route to Guge 
    Lake Manasarovar to Toling 
    Toling monastery  
    Toling to Tsaparang  
    Tsaparang  
    A walk from Tsaparang  
    Other hikes 
The northern route from Guge to Darchen  
    Toling to Darchen  

Return to Kathmandu or Lhasa 
    Darchen to Paryang
    Paryang to Saga
    Saga to Sangsang  
    Sangsang to Zhangmu  
    Xegar (Shagar)  
    Qomolungma National Park 

The last word

Appendix 1 Bibliography

Appendix 2 Glossary of Bon and Buddhist deities 
Significant Tibetan Bon deities 
Significant Tibetan Buddhist deities 
Other definitions 

Appendix 3 Route summaries
Trekking routes 
Road routes 

Appendix 4 Language hints (Tibetan and Chinese phrases)
General phrases 
Other useful words 
Food  
Numbers 

Appendix 5 Films and music 
    Films 
    Music 

Appendix 6 Useful addresses/websites
    Tour operators in the UK  
    Tour operators in Nepal 
    Tour operators in Lhasa and Chengdu 
    Other websites  
    Other Chinese embassies  

Maps

Maps

For those entering Tibet from Nepal, a varied selection of maps is available. Although they give a good picture of the routes and features, none of these maps is very accurate. In particular, there is considerable confusion over the name of the eastern peak guarding the Kangyam Glacier. Across a majority of books as well as other maps, the consensus is that it is Jampelyang (Manjushri).
In Kathmandu, try Pilgrims Book House (next to the Kathmandu Guest House), which has a vast array of maps and books on all aspects of Tibet.

Maps available are:
• Kailash Trekkingkarte 1:50,000. Karto Atelier, a Swiss/Nepali produced map; email:
karto-atelier@bluewin.ch or karto@wlink.com.np;
www.karto-atelier.com
• Kailash Manasarovar 1:200,000. Nepa Maps, Himalayan MapHouse; Paolo Gondoni.
• From Lhasa to Kailas 1:2,400,000. Nepa Maps, Himalayan MapHouse; Paolo Gondoni.
• Nepal-Tibet Namaste series, Pilgrims Book House; for the route to Lhasa and Far West Nepal.

Very few maps are available in Tibet. Lhasa is the only place where you might find anything.
In the UK one of the best places to search for maps of Tibet and the Himalayas is Stanfords on Long Acre in Central London; www.stanfords.co.uk. They stock a good selection of maps of the region.

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Reviews

'Few mountains have the spiritual pull of Kailash and even those unmoved by its mysticism are drawn by its singular appearance. Now there's a guidebook for all those planning to trek to, and around it.
  The Mount Kailash Trek by Cicerone is the latest in this respected series and has the usual pocket-sized format and yak-proof PVC covers. Locals prostrating their way around the mountain have no such resource: their faith is the only guide they need. You'll be happy though to have these 200-odd pages to handle issues such as altitude, route-finding and which Bon deity represents 'piercing ferocity.'

(Action Asia magazine / September 2007)

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