Mount Kailash is 21,772 feet (6,638 meters) mountain in the plateau of remote Tibet. It considered being central of the world and holy snow peaks for Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Bon. Thousand of pilgrimages go there every year walking around the peak but it is never climbed. The richest landscape, beautiful Lakes, Himalayan ranges, and Tibetan cultures attract other tourists to visit the area.
What is inside Mount Kailash?
Mount Kailash is the highest mountain snow peak in the western part of Tibet near Nepal and India. Mount Kailash has two routes to makes its circumambulation. The outer route through Derapuk and Juthulpuk Monastery is 56 kilometers crossing through Dolma-La pass (5,600m). The inner path is from Darchen to closer of Kailash south face. The route meets Saptaeishi cave, Atmalingam, and Asthapath. Here is the list of major interesting places inside and around Kailash.
- A snow-capped mount Kailash believed as an homage of Lord worship by Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Bon
- Lake Mansarovar (30 km south from Kailash) and Rakchhes Lakes nearby
- Source of four major Rivers (Karnali, Brahmaputra, Sutlej, and Indus)
- Walking path to Charansparsa from Derapuk (North face of Mount Kailash)
- Saptarishi cave part of Inner Kailash
- Asthapath
- Atmalingam (The base of Mount Kailash)
- Nandi Hill (Looks like a Nandi – vehicle (Bahan) of Lord Shiva) front of Kailash
- Tirthapuri ( Northwest of Mount Kailash and at the bank of Sutlej River 65 km west from Darchen
- Ancient and famous monasteries surrounding Kailash those are Drirapuk monastery, Chui Gompa, Zuthulpuk Monastery, Selung, and Gyangzha monastery
Where is Mount Kailash?
Mount Kailash lies in far western Tibet in the Ngari region. It is about 955 kilometers from Lhasa the central of Tibet. With three days of driving, it reached the Kailash region from Lhasa. The main route to reach Mount Kailash is 617 kilometers from Nepal through the Kerung border. The only one near the airport from Kailash is Ali the Gunsa airport, which is about 330 kilometers from Kailash Mansarovar.
Mount Kailash North-face (Derapuk)
What are the routes to reach Mount Kailash?
- Mount Kailash from Lhasa Tibet
- Mount Kailash from Nepal through the Kerung border
- Mount Kailash from Nepal through the Kodari border
- Mount Kailash from Nepal through Simikot Hilsa border
- Mount Kailash from Tibet through Ali airport
- Mount Kailash from Kashgar near the border with Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Pakistan
- Mount Kailash from Sikkim Utarakhanda through Lipulekh
Why Mount Kailash does not allow climbing?
The main region Mount Kailash is not climbed yet is its religious respect. No pilgrims climb Mount Kailash. All four religions (Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Bon) believe that it would be a serious act of disrespect to put a foot on its slopes. Legend has it that the only person to have reached the summit is the Buddhist champion Milarepa and that all others who have ventured to against the forbidden have died in the process. Tibetan government does not issue any permits to climb this mountain and strictly watching every tourist to reach there to avoid any illegal activities against the holy land.
The fact of Mount Kailash
• Contrary to popular claims, the pyramid-shaped Mount Kailash is the result of the possessed technical expertise of some superhuman divine beings.
• According to the Buddhist and Hindu scriptures, around the Mount Kailash exist ancient monasteries and caves wherein the holy sages reside in their material and subtle bodies. These caves can be seen by only a few fortunate ones.
• Every year, thousands of pilgrims enter Tibet for a pilgrimage to the holy Mount Kailash. A few make it to the region and very few manage to finish circumambulating the sacred peak. As for climbing up the summit, some brave mountaineers have attempted to do so, but no success. Getty Images
• Trekking all the way up to the peak of Mount Kailash is held to be a forbidden act among Hindus for the fear of trespassing the sanctity of the mountain and disturbing the divine energies residing there. As per a Tibetan lore, a monk named Milarepa once ventured far enough to reach the top of Mount Meru (Mount Kailash). When he returned, he forewarned everyone to avoid bothering God resting high up in the peak.
• Two beautiful lakes, namely Mansarovar and Rakshas Tal, are located at the base of Mount Kailash. Of the two, Mansarovar, which lies at an altitude of 14, 950 ft,(4,590 meters), is considered the highest freshwater body in the world.
• While Mansarovar has a deep spiritual significance, its antithesis, Rakshas Tal, was born of the intense austerities performed by the demon King Ravana to please Lord Shiva. For its close association with a demoniac entity, the Rakshas Tal Lake is gifted with salty water and deprived of aquatic plant life and marine life.
• Mount Kailash is believed to be the Axis Mundi aka the cosmic axis, world axis, world pillar, the centre of the world, the world tree. It is the point where heaven meets earth. Google Maps have assured the validity of this fact.
• True to its nature, the water of the holy Lake Mansarovar stays placid whether it is windy or not. Also, its next-door neighbor, Rakshas Tal stays more or less turbulent. Credit: Getty Images
• Do not be surprised if you find your nails or hair grown by a few millimeters after returning from your Mount Kailash trip. Tourists and pilgrims have discovered that the air of this ancient peak measures up the process of aging.
• Once a group of climbers of Siberian origin reached ahead of a certain point and immediately aged by a few decades. Shockingly, all of the trespassers died of old age a year after!
Best season to visit Mount Kailash
The best season to visit Kailash is from June to August month. Kailash tour starts from the month of May are still cold and icy path at the highest Dolma-La pass. September month still is a good time but it is already starting off cold temperature. Kailash operation starts from mid of May and goes till mid of September month. The region is rain shadow and months of the rainy season got less rain here. The whole region would cover with thick snow in the winter season. The coldest months in Kailash are from December till February. The month of March, April till mid of May will be still ice on the Parikrama path. Pilgrimage visit to Kailash focuses on Kailash Parikrama, which is three days walking around the Kailash mountain.
Mount Kailash South-face from Lake Mansarovar
Can helicopter land on Mount Kailash?
There is an expectation of landing helicopter at Mount Kailash as many operators are operating the Kailash Helicopter tour via Nepal simikot hilsa route. Dues to high altitude land and adventure road driving, peoples feel an easy way to go there by helicopter up to the parikrama. Many pilgrimages complete the three days Mount Kailash kora, which is an important achievement for both ordinary people and religious including Tibetan Buddhists. The helicopter is not allowed to fly in whole Tibetan land at Kailash. The helicopter only allows flying Nepali territories before the immigration of Tibet. Every tourist even in a top emergency has to drive with Tibetan vehicles inside their land. After the Helicopter flight, it is another two days driving to reach the base of Mount Kailash.
Kailash Tour 2024
Kailash tour only for foreigners and Nepali passport holders are operating from the best months May till September. Group more than 4 peoples need to take Kailash permit and visa from Tibet. Nepal Highland Treks started booking at least four different dates in the month from May and till Sep. If can be a group joining tour and if you are looking for private tour, there will be your own date and tour management. There are different route for Kailash tour is either from Kathmandu Nepal or from China to reach Lhasa. Handover your tour plan to us to arrange perfectly for you.
