| Day
1 |
Drive
from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj
by bus which takes about sixteen
hours. You stay overnight at
hotel in Nepalgunj in the far
south west of Nepal. It is a
busy crowded city which lies
close to the Indian border.
You can also fly from Kathmandu
to Nepalgunj. |
| Day
2 |
Fly
from Nepalgunj to Simikot (2,856
m.) and. This day you have to
camp at Simikot. This morning
you fly north for about 50 minutes
to Simikot, the headquarters
of Nepal's most remote district,
Humla. |
| Day
3 |
Trek
from Simikot to Darapani (2,507m.).
The landing at the tiny mountain
airstrip at Simikot is an unforgettable
experience. There is an initial
climb above Simikot before descending
towards the village of Tuling
and follow a level trail through
walnut and apricot trees to
the village of Dharapani. |
| Day
4 |
Trek
from Darapani to Sali Khola
(2,650m.). Leaving your campsite,
you cross a long scree slope
and follow the river to a waterfall
near the shepherds' camp at
Chachera. You then climb over
a ridge and bypass the village
of Kermi before entering a big
valley with walled fields of
potato and buckwheat. After
walking through a sparse pine
forest you descend from the
ridge to the Salli Khola and
camp by the river. |
| Day
5 |
Trek
from Sali Khola to Muchu (2,912m.).
You cross the river and climb
over a rocky ridge before descending
to the grey waters of the Humla
Karnali. After crossing another
ridge you come to a sandy meadow
where goat herders often camp
by the river. Beyond the meadow
the valley narrows and you cross
several more ridges, passing
the villages of Yalbang and
Yangar. The trail then winds
its way precariously above the
river before you cross a suspension
bridge to the village of Muchu. |
| Day
6 |
Darchen-Dira
Phuk Gompa (4909m, 6 hrs trekking)
Tarboche, marked by Tibetan
flags is the starting point
for kora and is the site for
Tibet's most important annual
Saga Dawa festival. Walk up
the Lha Chu Valley through beautiful
green meadows and streams with
Mt Kailash towering above us.
You follow the river, which
enters a narrow canyon with
high, steep cliffs and spectacular
waterfalls. Continuing up the
valley, the north face of Kailash
comes into view before you reach
the 13th century monastery at
Dira-phuk. Stay overnight in
a camp. |
| Day
7 |
Drira
Phuk Monastery-Zuthul-Phuk (4790m,
7 hrs trekking) Bid farewell
to Lha Chu Valley and prepare
to fight the toughest part of
the kora. You ill enter the
Drolma Chu Valley, heading up
towards a high pass, the Drolma
La [5630m] that is marked Tibetan
prayer flags. The rest of the
day's walk is mostly downhill
and flat land. On descent, you
will pass by one of the highest
lakes in the world, Thukpe Dzingbu
Lake, known as the Lake of Compassion.
Zuthulphuk monastery is built
at the site of a famous cave,
which is believed to have been
created as a result of contest
between Milareppa (Buddhist
Teacher) and Naro Bonchung (Bon
Saint). Stay overnight in a
camp. |
| Day
8 |
Trek
to Darchen (4560m, 3 hrs trekking)
the final day of the Kora is
rather shorter and easier. It
takes merely 2 ½ to 3
hours that involves crossing
of several streams and also
follows an impressive gorge
from where you would like to
look back for fabulous views.
Stay overnight in a guesthouse. |
| Day
9 |
Drive
from Hilsa to Purang. |
| Day
10 |
Drive
from Purang to Lake Manasarovar
(4,558m.). From Paryang to Lake
Mansorovar is a long drive of
10 hrs or more. There will be
several river crossings and
you drive past Mayum la pass
(4600m.). The scenery is stunningly
beautiful with panoramic views
of the Himalayas. |
| Day
11 |
Excursion
at Lake Manasarovar. You climb
a short distance to Sher, a
Tibetan salt trading post at
3860m that is a windswept place
of government buildings where
passports and daysacks will
be inspected. At Sher you meet
our Tibetan guide and board
our landcruisers for the two
hour drive to Purang, (Taklakot)
at 3930m. It is a rough fantastic
drive that gives a taste of
what lies ahead.
You pass through Tibetan villages
where prayer flags flutter from
the roofs of the whitewashed
houses. You will stop briefly
at the village of Khojarnath
where there is a large red gompa
of the Sakya sect of Buddhism.
This impressive building is
flanked by whitewashed chortens
and at its base is a large wall
made up of mani stones and yak
skulls. Inside there are many
ornate paintings and statues
that escaped the destruction
of the Cultural Revolution.
Inside the gompa are stuffed
carcasses of a snow leopard
and wolf.
You stop briefly at Purang where
the crew can purchase any supplies
needed for the remainder of
our journey. You then begin
a four hour drive to Chiu Gompa
on the shores of Lake Manasaravar.
It is an incredible drive past
the snow capped peak of Gurla
Mandata (7728m) as the road
climbs higher onto the Tibetan
Plateau. In places the road
is no more than the tracks of
vehicles that have passed this
way before.
From the Gurla La at 4590m you
get our first glimpse of Mt
Kailas or Gang Rimpoche in Tibetan,
(meaning ‘Precious Jewel
of Snow’). The dark waters
of Rakshas Tal can be whipped
up by the afternoon winds and
dust devils dance along the
shoreline. You cross the dividing
ridge between the lakes to camp
at Chiu Gompa on the shores
of Manasaravar, looking out
at the Sacred Mountain. The
sunset views from our camp are
spectacular and many pilgrims
come to this spot to bathe and
camp before beginning their
kora. Below the gompa there
is a small hot spring and tea
shop where it is possible to
wash the dirt of the trail from
our clothes and bodies. |
| Day
12 |
Drive
to Darchen (4700m.). Get prepared
for Mt. Kailash Parikrama. About
30 kms north of Lake Manasorovar
is Darchen, the main gateway
and the village. The monastery
at Darchen, Darchen Gon, is
a part of the Drukpa sect. The
two-story monastery structure
in the center of the town serves
as a trading post and shelter
for pilgrims. Within the dukhang
assembly hall are new and old
thangka paintings and some statues,
the main image being Sakyamuni.
West of the gompa is the Mani
Lhakhang that has a large, new
mani prayer wheel. This is the
site where the original old
flagpole (a darchen is a flagpole
for prayer flags) of Darchen
was located. When beginning
their kora pilgrimage around
Kailash, many pilgrims often
circumambulate the Darchen Gon
monastery and the Mani Lhakhang
before setting out. |
| Day
13 |
Start
Kailash Parikrama. Trek to Dira
Puk (4909m.). This Kailash circuit
covers 53 kms and can be done
in 3 days. You 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
you visit Tarboche where annual
flagpole raising ceremony takes
place during Saga Dawa. |
| Day
14 |
Continue
Kailash Parikrama over Domala
Pass (5650m.) to Zuthul Puk.
Yamasthal should be crossed
to reach the Shiva-sthal while
your steps go closer to the
pass. Once you reach the top,
just do the holiest offering
and sit down for meditation
to forget you. Once your steps
go down, Parvati-stal and Gauri
Kunda are on the way. By the
late afternoon you will reach
Zuthal Puk (the cave of Miracles.
The great ascetic Milerappa
is supposed to have performed
miracles here). |
| Day
15 |
End
Kailash Parikrama near Darchen
(4700m.). Your final day on
the Kora is an easy three hours
walking as you exit the Zhong
Chu Valley on a trail that contours
high above a narrow gorge. The
hills become less vegetated
and more desert like as you
approach the Bharka Plain with
seemingly limitless views towards
the Indian Himlaya. At one point
pilgrims stop and scoop out
of the hillside the precious
white clay called Ghang Rimpoche
ku-sha or the flesh of Kailas.
It is believed to have medicinal
properties and is spread on
foreheads to ease headaches
and colds. |
| Day
16 |
Drive
from Darchen to Paryang (4540m.).
The road is rough and there
are some rivers to cross. Wild
antelope and kiang (the Tibetan
wild ass) are a common sight.
This is the land of the drogpa
nomads and you will pass many
encampments with large herds
of sheep and goats. The drives
are long, bumpy and often dusty
but the scenery is magnificent.
Photo stops are a must! |
| Day
17 |
Drive
from Paryang to Saga (4840m.).
You continue driving for another
255km to Saga passing through
dusty town of Zhongba and a
few smaller passes. |
| Day
18 |
Drive
from Saga to Paigutso (4850m.).
Leaving Saga, you cross the
Yarlung Tsangpo [Brahmaputra
River] by ferry and continue
our journey for 110km across
the vast open plains. Stunning
Himalayan views, particularly
of Shishapangma, accompany us
as you head towards a huge lake,
the Paigutso. |
| Day
19 |
Drive
from Paigutso to Nyalam (3800m.).
Today you drive 180km south
towards the Nepalese border,
joining the Friendship Highway.
You cross a high pass, the Lalung
La [5200m], and come to the
small town of Nyalam |
| Day
20 |
Drive
from Nyalam to Kathmandu. From
Nyalam, you drive down to the
border town of Zhangmu. From
Zhangmu, it’s a short
drive to the Friendship Bridge
which spans the Bhote Kosi River
and marks the Chinese - Nepalese
border where you part with your
Tibetan guide and driver and
walk to Nepalese Immigration
Control in Kodari where you
will be met by your Nepalese
staff. After completing the
re-entry formalities you continue
the drive to Kathmandu which,
depending on road and weather
conditions, should take about
5-6 hours. |
