Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar

About Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar

Few places on earth carry the spiritual weight of Mount Kailash. The pyramid-shaped peak rises to about 6,638 meters on the remote Barga plateau of western Tibet, and no climber has ever been permitted to stand on its summit. Hindus see it as the abode of Shiva and Parvati. Buddhists identify it with Mount Meru and the deity Chakrasamvara. Jains honor it as the place where Rishabhanatha, the first Tirthankara, attained liberation, while Bon followers regard it as the seat of their founding teacher Tonpa Shenrab.

The heart of the pilgrimage is the kora, a circuit of roughly 52 kilometers around the mountain that crosses the Drolma La pass at about 5,630 meters. Buddhists and Hindus walk clockwise, Bon pilgrims counterclockwise, and some devotees complete it with full body prostrations. Nearby Lake Manasarovar, a vast freshwater lake at about 4,590 meters, is believed to wash away sins, and many pilgrims bathe in its icy water or circle its shore before or after the mountain kora.

What to see

• The three-day outer kora around the mountain
• Drolma La pass, strung with prayer flags
• Dirapuk Monastery facing the north face of Kailash
• Sunrise over Lake Manasarovar and the Chiu Gompa hilltop monastery
• Saga Dawa flagpole raising at Tarboche

Visiting Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar: practical guide

Best time

May to September

Hours

Kora open in the trekking season; access depends on permits

Entry

Requires Tibet Travel Permit, Alien Travel Permit and a licensed tour; Indian pilgrims often join the official Kailash Mansarovar Yatra

Dress code

Layered cold-weather trekking gear; modest clothing near monasteries

Nearest airport

Ngari Gunsa Airport (NGQ), about 250 km

Tips from experienced pilgrims

• Spend several days acclimatizing in Lhasa or Saga before the kora
• Hire a porter or yak team for the long day over Drolma La
• Do not touch or climb the mountain itself, which is strictly forbidden
• Carry cash, snacks and water purification, since services are basic

Festivals and special days

• Saga Dawa
• Maha Shivaratri pilgrimages

Etiquette for visitors

Guidance drawn from Hinduism tradition. Always follow signs and local custodians.

• Remove shoes before entering temples and some homes.
• Dress modestly with shoulders and legs covered.
• Some temples, such as Puri Jagannath, admit only Hindus; respect posted signs.
• Ask before photographing shrines, rituals or cremation grounds.
• Use your right hand to accept prasad, the blessed food offering.
• Avoid bringing leather items or meat into temple grounds.

Location map

Open in OpenStreetMap · Get directions

Frequently asked questions