The Mount Kailash yatra is considered to be the most difficult trek in Asia. It is a very spiritual mountain. It has huge religious importance for Hindus, Buddhists and the Jains. It is a snow covered diamond shaped mountain. The Hindus and Buddhists go round the mountain in clock wise direction and the Jains do it the counter clock wise. The mountain is the source of four huge rivers. It is said that lord Shiva live in this mountain. Parvati the daughter of Himalaya is wife of lord Shiva. All souls after death head to this mountain. There are many places of importance near the mountain like the Mansarovar Lake, the Gauri kund etc.
Mount Kailash is located in Tibet. The altitude of the mountain is twenty two thousand feet. The climate is chilling. The best time in the year when you can visit the Mount Kailash is May to September. The parikrama or the whole process of going around the mountain takes about three days. It is thirty two miles journey. The highest point that you can reach while doing the parikrama is nineteen thousand feet. The Mansarovar Lake is located at fourteen thousand feet. The lake is about sixty three miles at the circumference.
This spiritual centre of the universe can be a definitely spiritual and absolutely beautiful experience. Many travel agents including Yatra and Make my trip have packaged tours for the Mount Kailash yatra. This is so because a huge number of tourists want to this every year. They send groups as a result it reduces the cost per head. The groups are sent with people who have experience travelling to these areas. The groups are also accompanied with cooks who can prepare meals. The tents and other facilities are provided to the tourists.
If you want to do the trip on your own then you will have to reach Kathmandu the capital city of Nepal. From there you can take a bus or a car to the Mount Kailash. You can also hire a local guide who will help you out with the trip. It is not necessary that you walk around the mountain. You can also take a jeep and go around the mountain. Some rich and famous people opt for helicopters to go round the mountain as they don’t have the time to walk. These packages can cost as per the mode of transport that you opt for. You will definitely need a guide else you will lose the way. The climate in these regions change in a blink of an eye, if you are new to the place you can be in some trouble.
You must be physically fit to walk around the mountains. The altitude is very high and the temperatures are very cold. You should carry your woollen clothes and jackets. You must also carry a good pair of shoes. If you have any problem with breathing or blood pressure concerns then better that you don’t take the trip. You must carry an ID proof of yours and you will need a passport for sure to visit this beauty.
Every travel agent plans yearly travel to these mountains. You must contact them in advance and get your booking done. These are hassle free and you will definitely get an experience of a life time. Many people combine the tour of Nepal with this Mount Kailash yatra. This makes the tour complete and memorable. These parts of the world are untouched and pure. As soon as you step here you will feel a divine peace and you will experience a spiritual feel that you have never encountered before that’s for sure. The trip might seem a little expensive but trust me the experience that you will have will definitely be worth the money spent. So what are you waiting for book your own Mount Kailash yatra now.
Near the Mount Kailash there is the beautiful Mansarovar. This lake is beautiful and the water is as clean as a mirror. It is said that Lord Brahma himself created this lake. The Buddhists belive that Gautam Buddha was conceived by his mother while taking a bath in this lake. A dip in this holy water can make your life free from all sins and leads you to Moksha. The lake us surrounded by mountains. The view is a beauty and a must see for all.
Mount Kailash yatra is a must for every Hindu, Jain and Buddhist. However, you must keep in mind the points that we have mentioned. This is not a trek for old people as well as for young children. If you have booked the trip then do ensure that you regularly exercise to make yourself physically fit for the trek. You can walk, jog or even swim for sometime during the day. This will make you physically more equipped to take the challenge.
The tour operators generally carry all that you might need during the trip like medicines, blankets, etc. If you are travelling alone then do carry some basic medicines, some tents, you will also need good blankets, do carry torches and extra batteries for emergency, carry a lot of dry fruits and chocolates as they are high on energy. It is advisable that you don’t eat a lot or drink a lot of water during the trek. You can plan to do the trek on your own only when you have got very good trekking experience. We would still suggest that you take a local guide. The guides can manage Hindi and a little English. They are generally sweet natured and they do these treks for nominal rates.
If you fall sick during the trek and are unable to take the hardships. You can be air lifted or sent to the nearest city hospital. Medical aid is provided as per the requirement. The trek is a tough one and there have been incidents when the tourists fell sick all of a sudden. Even the tour operators have medical emergency facilities available with them for any unforeseen situations. You should carry some money with you so that you can buy souvenirs and also for emergency. The trip will not cost you a lot if you are doing it on your own. If you are going with a tour operator then apart from your personal expenses you should not bother about any other expenses.
Some old people do go for the Mount Kailash yatra. They are generally told to stay at the starting point of the trip and not do the parikrama. They might fall sick. The other members of the team can finish their parikrama and return to the same point for their journey backwards. Even if you halt at one point you can see the majestic view of the Kailash Mountain. This darshan itself is enough when you are too old for this difficult trek. Some tourists are a little skeptical about the hygiene of these camps. We assure you that the camps are managed by professionals. They will provide you with cozy tents to sleep in, dining tents and also with clean bathroom tents. You can even take a hot water shower in these bathing tents during the parikrama.
I am sure the whole idea sounds exciting. I hope we have answered most of your queries. So when are you planning your Mount Kailash yatra.