Tibet's sacred mountain kailash Mount Kailash in Tibet: what is hidden from us? Parascientific concepts about Kailash

There are many unique places in the world with unusual properties. One of such "places of power" is Mount Kailash in the high-mountain valley of Tibet. Pilgrims come here to the southwest of China to make ritual bypass around the mountain - bark

Until now, scientists argue about the history of this amazing mountain. Is Kailash an artificial pyramid or a mountain of natural origin? Today there is no reliable information about this, as well as how many years ago Kailash was born and why it has the shape of a pyramid, the edges of which accurately point to the parts of the world. It is also surprising and inexplicable that the height of the mountain is 6666 m, the distance from Kailash to the Stonehenge monument is 6666 km, and the same is to North Pole, and to the South - 13,332 km (6666 * 2).

Kailash is a place shrouded in thousands of secrets and legends. And so far the summit sacred mountain was not conquered by anyone. Kailash does not allow mere mortals to the summit, where, according to legend, the gods live. Many tried to climb there against all odds. But no one was able to overcome the invisible wall, which, as the would-be travelers assure, appeared on their way, preventing them from following to the sacred peak. Kailash seems to repulse them, allowing only those who really believe - to perform ritual kora.

The 4 greatest rivers of Asia, possessing powerful energies, originate from Kailash. It is believed that when a person goes around Kailash, he comes into contact with this power. Kailash is a very powerful center of power. It carries within itself the energy of dissolving everything old. The one who commits the bark is filled with energy and vitality to help people.

Walking around Kailash is a custom. A custom of faith that contains tremendous power. In Kailash, they say that one who goes through the bark with faith and a feeling of union with God gains special divine power here.

The large crust around Kailash takes 2-3 days. Throughout the entire path, a person passes through the strongest energy centers, where divine currents are felt. Kailash is like a temple. All stones on the way have a certain charge. Pilgrims believe that demigods or higher souls live in stones. According to ancient legends, many divine beings who once visited here turned into stones. And now these stones have a special divine power.

The first day of the bark is anticipation, ease, elation. On the second day, the highest and most difficult pass passes - Death Pass. It is said that during this period one can experience death. For example, a person may fall and go into a trance. Many say that during such a trance, they felt their body at the very top of Kailash.

The Drolma-la pass symbolizes a new birth. People try to leave something personal in this place. It is believed that this is how a person purifies his karma. This is a symbol of leaving the past, some dark, negative part of the soul. Having dropped everything unnecessary on this pass, it becomes easier and freer to go further.

Around Kailash, you can walk either along the outer circle - the big one, or along the small - the inner one. Only those who have bypassed the outer 13 times are allowed to enter the inner one. They say that if you immediately go there, then high divine energy will block a person's path.

On the inner crust there are beautiful lakes, the water in them is sacred. A monastery is located on the banks of these lakes. People believe that the enlightened ones still live there. And if someone is lucky enough to meet them, he will be blessed.

When a pilgrim passes the bark, he turns to the higher powers and turns to them with prayer. Kailash is a symbol of the highest deity. And the outer journey to Kailash is actually an inner journey to your deity.

There is a belief that the god Shiva lives on Kailash. For Hindus, Shiva is a force and energy capable of creating and destroying worlds. They believe that there are three main forces in the universe: creation, maintenance and destruction. The power of Shiva is the connection with the universal energy.

On the way of the wanderer, obstacles often appear, both physical and spiritual. Kailash tests a person for strength and points out weaknesses. Overcoming all difficulties on the pilgrimage is the best way cleanse and change.

When a pilgrim leaves Kailash, sinks lower - he realizes that much is not needed for happiness. We have air that we can breathe, food, a roof over our heads - and this is enough for the happiness of the external material, everything else must be sought inside.

For millions of years people have been coming here and bringing prayer in their hearts. Lake Manasarovar, like Kailash, is revered as sacred. To the right of it is the peak of Gurla Mandhata. According to legend, she was a king in a past life. Then there was no water and the king began to pray. One day God heard his prayers and created a lake out of his mind. This lake is sacred lake Manasarovar.

Another lake near Kailash, called Rakshas Tal, is considered cursed. It is separated from the sacred lake by a narrow isthmus. Surprisingly, with such a close location, these two bodies of water have huge differences. You can plunge into the sacred lake, there are fish and water from it you can drink. The water in this lake is fresh and is considered curative. Lake Rakshas Tal, on the other hand, is salty and you cannot plunge into it. And the places where a spring with dead and living water is located nearby are considered places of power since ancient times.

Kailash also has another sacred lake - Gaurikund. According to legend, it was created by Shiva for his wife Parvati. She helped people a lot, because of which her body was severely emaciated. After swimming in this lake, Parvati gained a new body, and since then no one else can touch its sacred waters. There are many legends about the death of people who touched Lake Gaurikund.

There are 4 caves in the vicinity of Kailash. One of them, Milarepa's cave, is located southeast of Kailash next to the sacred path. According to legend, the great yogi Milarepa laid two boulders at the entrance of the cave, on which he installed a huge granite slab. This slab cannot be moved from its place by hundreds and even thousands of people. And Milarepa hewed it out of granite and laid it with his spiritual strength. And it was in this place that he attained his enlightenment.

There is a legend that Milarepa and Bonn priest Naro Bonchung fought for power over Kailash. During the first confrontation of supernatural forces on Lake Manasarovar, Milarepa stretched his body along the surface of the lake, and Naro Bonchung stood on water surface above. Not satisfied with the results, they continued the fight, running around Kailash. Milarepa moved clockwise and Naro Bonchung against. Having met at the top of the Dolma-la pass, they continued their magical battle, but again to no avail. Then Naro Bonchung suggested that on the full moon day, immediately after dawn, climb to the top of Kailash. Whoever rises first will win. On the appointed day, Naro Bonchung flew to the top on his shamanic drum. Milarepa was calmly resting below. And as soon as the first rays of the sun reached the peak of Kailash, Milarepa grabbed one of the rays and instantly reached the top, gaining power over the sacred mountain.

Kailash has prayer flags everywhere. These are protective symbols. People hang them up in order to succeed in some kind of good endeavors. These flags are also called "Horses of the Wind". The symbol of prayer flags is a horse carrying a jewel on its back. It is believed that it grants wishes, brings well-being and prosperity. The flags are made in five primary colors, symbolizing the five elements of the human body. Mantras are applied to them, which are activated upon contact with the wind and carry encrypted messages around the world.

Kailash is a place of spiritual power that awakens believers, purifies their minds. People come here to say a prayer that everyone carries in their hearts. It is believed that those who make this pilgrimage will be cleansed of all their sins and will learn the secret of the universe.

“Foreigners rarely visited this wild land.
In some places we could look across the border of Tibet and see Mount Kailash.
Although Kailash is only 6666 meters high, Hindus and Buddhists
consider it the most sacred of all the Himalayan peaks.
Near her is big lake Manasarovar, also sacred, and a famous monastery.
At all times, pilgrims came here from the most remote parts of Asia. "
Tenzing Nogrey, the conqueror of Everest.

Fact number 1. Many names

Mount Kailash (Kailash) is one of the most mysterious places on our planet.
It is also known under other names: the Europeans call it Kailash, the Chinese call it Gandisyshan (冈底斯 山) or Ganzhenboci (冈仁波齐), in the Bon tradition its name is Yundrung Guceg, in ancient texts in Tibetan it is called Kang Rinpoche ( གངས་ རིན་ པོ་ ཆེ; gangs rin p-che) - "Precious Snow". A bunch of interesting secrets and legends about Kailash do not leave indifferent people, both pilgrims and researchers.

Fact number 2. Center for 4 religions

Mount Kailash is sacred center 4 religions: Hinduism, Jainism, Tibetan religion Bon and Buddhism. The dream of every Hindu is to see Kailash with his own eyes at least once in his life. This desire is associated with serious restrictions on the visa plan issued by China for Indians wishing to visit these places. In the Vedas (ancient texts of this religion), Mount Kailash is the favorite place of residence of Shiva (cosmic consciousness, personifying the masculine principle of the Universe).
The ancient Tibetan religion Bon considers Mount Kailash to be the origin of life in the universe and the focus of power. According to their legends, it is here that the mystical land of Shangshung (Shambhala) is located, and the first Jain master Tongpa Shenrab descended into the world from Kailash.

Buddhists revere this mountain as the abode of Buddha in one of the main incarnations - Samvara. Therefore, every year during the Buddhist religious festival Vesak (other names are Saga Dawa, Vishakha Puja, Donchod Khural), dedicated to the enlightenment of Buddha Gautama, thousands of pilgrims and tourists from all over the world gather at the foot of Mount Kailash.

Fact number 3. The beginning of 4 rivers

According to Hindu mythology, the four main rivers of Tibet, India and Nepal originate on the slopes of Mount Kailash: the Indus, Brahmaputra, Sutlej and Karnali. The Jains believe that at Mount Kailash, their first saint, Jina Mahavira, attained enlightenment, after which he founded his own teaching - Jainism.

Fact number 4. Swastika symbol from the shadows

Swastika mountain is another name for Kailash. The appearance of this name is associated with a pattern that is formed by two cracks on its southern side. In the evening, the shadow cast by the rock ledges draws on it a huge image of the swastika. The swastika is a sacred symbol for many peoples of the world. In India, for example, the swastika is seen as a solar sign - a symbol of life, light, generosity and abundance, closely associated with the cult of the god Agni. In the form of a swastika, a wooden instrument was made for obtaining the sacred fire. They laid him flat on the ground; a recess in the middle served for a rod, which was rotated until a fire appeared on the altar of the deity. The swastika was carved in many temples, on rocks, on ancient monuments in India. The swastika is one of the symbols of Jainism.

Fact number 5. Orientation to the cardinal points

Mount Kailash has a pyramidal shape, strictly oriented to the cardinal points. There is also evidence to suggest the presence of voids both in the mountain itself and at its foot. Some researchers who have studied the mountain and its secrets claim: Kailash is an unnatural artificial formation, erected in distant antiquity by someone unknown and for what purpose. It is possible that this is some kind of complex, pyramids.

Fact number 6. Deliverance from sins

In the Bon religion and Hinduism, there is a legend that says: bypassing around Kailash (kora) allows you to cleanse yourself of all sins committed in a given life. If the bark is performed 13 times, the pilgrim who performed it is guaranteed not to go to Hell, who committed the bark 108 times - breaks out of the circle of rebirths and reaches the level of Buddha's enlightenment. A bark perfect on a full moon counts as two. That is why there are always many pilgrims around the mountain today, making their own way of atonement for sins.

Fact number 6. Climbing Kailash is impossible

Mount Kailash is closed for climbers: not a single person has ever visited its top. This is due not only to the fact that officially climbing it is prohibited. There are legends that Kailash is able in an incomprehensible way to change the desire of climbers to ascend, thereby not allowing anyone to visit him. Those who get too close to it, and those who intend to climb to its top, are suddenly instructed to go in the opposite direction.
Whether it is true or not, the top of the mountain still remains unconquered. In 1985, the famous mountaineer Reinhold Messner received permission from the Chinese authorities to climb, but refused at the last moment.
In 2000, a Spanish expedition acquired a permit (permit) for the conquest of Kailash from the Chinese authorities for a fairly significant amount. The team set up a base camp at the foot, but could not step up the mountain. Thousands of pilgrims blocked the path of the expedition. The Dalai Lama, the UN, a number of large international organizations, millions of believers around the world expressed their protest against the conquest of Kailash and the Spaniards had to retreat.

Fact number 7. Mirrors of Time on the surface of Kailash

Another mystery of Kailash, around which there are numerous disputes and judgments, is the mirrors of time. They mean a lot of rocks located near Kailash, which have a smooth or concave surface. It is still not known whether these surfaces were created artificially in ancient times or are the play of nature.

There is an assumption that these formations are a kind of "Kozyrev's mirrors" - concave mirrors, in the focus of which the speed of the passage of time can change. A person who falls into the focus of such a mirror can experience various abnormal and psychophysical sensations. According to Muldashev, the mirrors around Kailash are placed according to a certain system in relation to each other, which creates something like a "time machine" capable of transferring the initiate not only to different time periods, but also to other worlds.

Fact number 8. Lakes Manasarovar and Rakshas Tal - so close, but so different

Two lakes located at the foot of Mount Rakshas Tal and Manasarovar are located nearby and are separated by only a small isthmus. However, both of these lakes are strikingly different from each other, which is another mystery of Kailash.

The waters of Lake Manasarovar, revered by the Tibetans as sacred, are fresh. According to legend, Lake Manasarovar was the first object created in the mind of Brahma. Hence its name: in Sanskrit "Manas sarovara" means "Lake of Consciousness" from the words manas (consciousness) and sarovara (lake). According to one of the Buddhist legends, this lake is the legendary Anavatapta lake, where the Mayan queen conceived the Buddha. Manasarovar, as well as Kailash, is a place of pilgrimage, around which a ritual walk is also performed - kora in order to purify karma. Pilgrims come here to take ceremonial baths in the purifying waters of Manasarovar. It is believed that this lake is a place where "purity" dwells, in its bottom layer, near the north-western coast, the water is alive. Anyone who touches the sacred land of Manasarovar or bathes in this lake will definitely go to heaven. One who drinks the water from the lake will ascend to heaven to God Shiva and be cleansed of his sins. Therefore, Manasarovar is considered the most sacred, revered and famous lake in all of Asia. The bark around the sacred lake is 100 km away.

Near Manasarovar is the salty dead lake Rakshas tal (also Langak, Rakas, Langa Tso (Chinese: 拉昂 错, pinyin: Lā'áng Cuò). In Hindu mythology, this lake was created by the ruler of the Rakshasas demon Ravana and was a special island where Ravana sacrificed one of his heads every day to Shiva.On the tenth day Shiva gave Ravana superpowers.Langa Tso lake is opposed to the lake Manasarovar created by the gods.Manasarovar has a round shape, and Langa-Tso is elongated in the form of a month, which symbolizes light and darkness, respectively.To touch the water of a dead lake according to local customs is prohibited, because it can bring misfortune.
The number of legends, stories and various legends associated with this place is simply enormous: hardly any other place on our planet can boast of so many secrets and mysteries.

Mount Kailash or, as it is also called Kailash, a striking stationary peak in the distant southwestern corner from Tibet in the Himalayas, on the territory of China. Its height is 6,638 m (21,778 ft), it is one and most high parts Himalayas and serves as the source of some of the longest rivers in Asia.

This sacred symmetrical peak consists of the black rock of Kailash and has a beautiful diamond-shaped mountain that is surrounded by beautiful landscapes. The four ribs of Kailash almost exactly correspond to the cardinal points, and the cracks on its southern side resemble a swastika, a Buddhist symbol of spiritual strength.

Mount Kailash is known as one of the most sacred mountains and important place pilgrimages for four confessions at once: Buddhists, Jains, Hindus and for followers of the Tibetan religion Bon. Every year, many people from all over the world make pilgrimages to sacred grief Kailash and go around it on foot. This has been happening for thousands of years.

It is considered that visiting Kailash will bring good luck and wash away all the sins of life .However, make a journey of 52 km. walking in one day is not so easy, and you need to be strong both physically and spiritually. Usually people walk around the sacred mountain in 3 days. Hindus, to indicate their pilgrimage, use the term parikrama and call Mount Meru. The Tibetans are making kora. But both words mean one thing - a pilgrimage.

Hindus and Buddhists walk clockwise, but Jains and Bon followers walk counterclockwise

Pilgrimage is an attempt to purify the soul and open the mind. Become more sensitive to the breath of Life and take at least one step on the path to liberation from the shackles of our world. Having made a bark around Mount Kailash once, a person is cleansed from sins for life.

According to Hindu legend, Shiva - the god of destruction and rebirth, is at the top of Kailash ... Kailash, in many currents of Hinduism, is the sky - the ultimate destination of the soul and the holy center of the world. As the Puranas say, Mount Kailash is four facets of crystal, ruby, gold and lapis lazuli. Refereed as a pillar of the world that rises 84,000 leagues.

Kailash is the source of four main rivers: Indus, Brahamputra, Karnali and Sutleja, which stretch to the four cardinal points and divide the world into four regions. Tibetan Buddhists believe that Kailash is the birthplace of Buddha Demchok, who symbolizes the highest harmony.

Followers of the Tibetan religion "Bon" believe that the mountain Kailash is the abode of the sky goddess Sipaymen (Sipaimen). The Jains call the mountain Ashtapada and believe that this is the place where freedom from rebirth was achieved by the creator of their faith, Rishabhadeva.

Some pilgrims believe that the kora around Kailash should be completed in one day. It's not easy. A person in good shape and walking fast will take about 15 hours.

Some of the devout do this feat from fear of uneven terrain, mountain sickness and difficult conditions in the process of making the pilgrimage. Kailash is located in a particularly remote and inhospitable region of the Tibetan Himalayas.

Few modern conveniences such as benches, rest and recuperation areas, and kiosks exist to assist the pilgrims in their devotion.

According to the followers of all religions who worship mountains, it is a great sin to step on its slope. Legend claims that many people who dared to challenge the taboo died in the process. Could this be another reason why the mountain did not rise?

After the entry of the Chinese army into Tibet in 1950, and changes in the political boundaries of the pilgrimage to the "Abode of the Gods" were stopped from 1959 to 1980. After that, a limited number of Indian pilgrims were allowed to visit the site, under the leadership of the Chinese and Indian governments, or a long and dangerous trek in the Himalayan terrain.

18 miles southeast of Kailash is the round turquoise lake Mansarovar or Tso Rinpoche. (precious lake ). Swimming in a lake or dousing your head with holy water is said to bring tremendous spiritual benefits to those who can withstand the icy water, which has miraculous powers. Hindus say that total immersion in the lake will ensure that a person is reborn as a god.

Mount Kailash (6714 m) is the most sacred peak Asia. It is shrouded in the mystery of ancient legends and mystical teachings, and for many centuries it has been a place of worship and a center of pilgrimage for the followers of four great religions - Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and the Bon-Po religion, and recently it attracts everyone more tourists from all over the world. We go there to understand and feel from our own experience what an ordinary person from a metropolis can give this unique place on the geographic map, sacredly revered by mystics, yogis and saints.

Believers of four religions - Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Bon adherents consider this extraordinary mountain "the heart of the world", "the axis of the earth." Kailash is Mount Meru, located in the center of the Himalayas, with a special geographic location in the center of the Tibetan plateau, where the Karnali River (flowing into the Ganges), Indu, Sutlezh and Brahmaputra originate. Pilgrimage to the mountain and its sacred detour - bark around Kailash- is one of the main pilgrimages in Tibet.

The mountain is known by many names: among the Europeans - Kailash, among the Chinese - Gandisyshan or Ganzhenboci, in the Bon tradition - Yundrung Guceg, in ancient texts in Tibetan it is called Kang Rimpoche - “Precious Snow Mountain” or “Great Snow Mountain”.

This striking beauty the summit, topped by a shining ice dome, is a grandiose rock pyramid of perfect proportions. The four edges of the mountain almost exactly correspond to the main cardinal points, and the cracks on its southern side are shaped like a swastika - a Buddhist symbol of spiritual strength. Neither geographically nor geologically, Kailash does not belong to the main Himalayan ridge. According to the official version of geologists, it rose along with the plateau from the bottom of the ocean, and existed long before the Himalayas appeared. The top of the mountain still remains unconquered.

The main event during the pilgrimage to Kailash is the ritual circumambulation of the mountain in a clockwise direction, which Tibetan Buddhists call "kora", and the followers of Hinduism and Jainism - "parikrama". Highest point the crust around Kailash - Drolma La Pass (5640m) - marks the culmination of the journey, liberation from the negative consequences of previous actions and a new birth.

But in our journey we will try to go even a little further ... Those who feel the need and readiness to approach the Mountain will be able to do this by approaching its slopes as far as possible. Despite the fact that in all traditional religions there is a ban on direct contact of the mountain slopes with the hands of pilgrims, such a bark has received the unofficial name "face touching bark".

This trip to Mount Kailash is designed in such a way as to provide the most gentle acclimatization and the most comfortable passage of the route, which passes at heights to which a person from the ordinary Western world is not adapted.

If you want to learn more about how to prepare yourself for such a journey physically and mentally, as well as about what Tibet is today, watch my lecture tape.

How to join the trip

1. Fill out the application so that the guide can contact you for a short conversation and an answer to all your questions (by the way, there are already answers to general questions in).
2. After confirming your participation, you buy air tickets and make an advance payment to the guide. The rest of the amount is transferred to the guide upon arrival at the destination.
3. In the future, communicate with the guide directly, since he is also the organizer of the trip.

April 30. Departure to Guangzhou (PRC)

1st of May. Seeing Guangzhou

Arrival in Guangzhou (transfer with overnight stay). Guangzhou is not the destination of our trip, however, it is one of largest megacities Asia and the whole world, one of the main industrial and commercial centers of the PRC.

Therefore, with those who do not want to waste time and just stay at the hotel for relaxation, we will make a small panoramic promenade along the most interesting places of this city: we will see the historical and new quarters of Guangdong, the ultra-modern building of the Cantonese opera, skyscrapers, a museum that houses ancient carved masterpieces in the Chaozhou style, well, maybe something else ...

May 2. Yarlung river valley

Flight to Lhasa (3600 m above sea level). Transfer to Yarlung valley. Cradle of Tibetan civilization: a visit to the palace of the ancient kings of Tibet - Yambulangang - and one of the most ancient temples / monasteries in Tibet - Trandruk - where a pearl tanka is kept, embroidered by the hands of the bride of the first great king of Tibet Songtsengambo - Princess Wenchen.

Transfer to Samye. After settling in the guesthouse, if we have enough strength, we will try to climb to the top of the Hepo Ri hill, where, according to tradition, the great Guru Rimpoche (Padmasambhava), the founder of the monastery in Samye, defeated the demons of Tibet in order to establish the Buddhist faith here. It offers stunning views of the surrounding valley and monastery.

May 3rd. Samye and Jokhang monasteries

In the morning we examine the most ancient monastery Tibet - Samye, which is still under restoration after the destruction that was perpetrated by the Chinese Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution. The monastery is a mandala, and its architecture combines three styles: Tibetan, Nepali and Chinese.

Moving to Lhasa. Check into a hotel. In the afternoon, visit the most sacred temple in Lhasa - Jokanga. Here, where the statue of Jowo, Buddha Shakyamuni at the age of 12, is located, Tibetan pilgrims from the farthest corners of the Land of Snows create a stunning atmosphere of piety and reverence. In the evening, a walk in the Barkor and Kora area around the Jokhang temple, as well as photographs against the backdrop of the night Potala.

May 4th. Potala, Ganden and Drag Yerpa

Lhasa. We start our program by visiting the person being photographed and popular place in Tibet - the palace of the Potala Dalai Lamas, although we cannot know in advance the time of visiting this UNESCO-protected masterpiece of architecture.

Then we head to the Ganden monastery - one of the six main monasteries of the Tibetan school of Gelug Buddhism. Historically, it was he who was its center. It is located very picturesquely on a hilltop, 47 kilometers east of Lhasa.

Drak Yerpa or simply Yerpa, a monastery and retreat center located in highlands at an altitude of almost 4900 m above sea level. From ancient times to the present day, it has remained one of the main meditation sites for generations of great lamas and monks. Founded in the 11th century by Atisha's disciple and founder of the Kadampa school Guru Drontompoi, despite all the upheavals of the 20th century, as well as its proximity to Lhasa, this place has tremendous energy and still maintains an amazing atmosphere of transparency and sublime harmony. Besides the fact that in this place you will almost inevitably overtake a feeling of deep peace ... Moving slowly and carefully, we will be able to acclimatize well, which will greatly help us in the future ... Return to Lhasa.

5 May. Yamdrok Lake, Ralung Monastery, glaciers and plateaus

Today we are waiting for a very beautiful road: transfer from Lhasa to Gyantse.

The first stopover point is the Kamba La pass (4800 m) - from here a stunning view opens up to the Yarlung River valley and further to the Yamodrok Lake, one of the four most sacred lakes in Tibet, and shining with eternal snows, the Nodjing Kangtsang ridge, the main the top of which rises into the sky to a height of 7191 m. On the pass you can take pictures with a dozen huge Tibetan mastiffs, which the locals bring here especially for the amusement of tourists.

After descending from the pass, we will wash our hands and face in the sacred waters and, in about half an hour, we will find ourselves in the town of Nagartse, where we will have lunch. After lunch, we will ascend to the Karo La Pass (5036 m), where in 1904 the highest-altitude battle in the history of colonial wars between the Tibetans and the Sepoys of Colonel Younghusband took place. There are usually many Chinese tourists, which are photographed against the backdrop of a massive glacier sliding from the southern edge of Nojing Kangtsang (7191 m).

Beyond the pass, travelers discover vast plateaus and high-mountainous pastures, which most often come to the mind of those who have traveled a lot in Tibet. Here, if we have enough time, we can visit the famous Ralung Monastery, the main monastery of the famous Drukpa Kagyu school, which is one of the main branches of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. We will see both the ruins of the old monastery and the monastery that has been recreated in recent years. This place is especially interesting for those who go towards Kailash, because most of monasteries in the area of ​​the sacred mountain belongs to the name of this branch of Tibetan Buddhism.

The last stop on our way to Gyantse will be the small pass Simi La (4330 m). The main attraction here is a small artificial lake created by the construction of a dam and power plant in Gyantse. From here to the city no more than half an hour's drive. In the evening we can stroll through the streets of the old city and dine at a Nepalese restaurant.

the 6th of May. Kumbum and Shalu

In the morning, the Pelkor Chode monastery will amaze you with the splendor of the famous Kumbum stupa. The monastery was created at the beginning of the 15th century and is famous for the fact that three schools of Tibetan Buddhism coexisted within its walls at once: the Gelug, Kadam and Sakya schools. However, the monastery is best known for the 32-meter stupa Kumbum, which is a nine-tiered mandala symbolizing the full path of human spiritual realization.

Our next stop is Shalu Monastery, located 25 kilometers from Shigatse. His fame spread throughout Tibet in the 14th century thanks to the work of the tantric master and Buddhist historian Budon Rinchen Dub. For several centuries, it was Shalu that was considered the main school, where lungompa runners were trained, who, having entered themselves into a state of trance, could cover huge distances at high speed almost without stopping.

May 7. Tashilhunpo and Sakya

Shigatze. Tashilhunpo Monastery is another important monastery of the Gelug school and one of the largest in Tibet. It was he who was and is the residence of the Panchen Lama - the second most important person in the Tibetan spiritual and secular hierarchy. Here is the world's largest gilded statue - a 26-meter statue of the future Buddha - Maitreya.

We will make one more stop on the way to Tingri in order to inspect the Sakya monastery, the center of the school of the same name, one of the main schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Filled with stupas and Buddha statues, the huge general meeting hall, the ceiling of which is supported by ancient solid wood columns from the 13th century (one of which is considered a gift from Emperor Kublai Khan) and a huge library of ancient texts 16 meters high, will hardly leave any of you indifferent.

In the evening we will arrive for the night in the small village of Tingri (4348 m) - the place where all climbers make their first stop ... Or rather, those who make their way to the base camp of Everest.

May 8. Everest, Shishapangma and Peiku Lake

Today we will need to get up very early, around 5 am. For what? ... In order to catch the first rays of dawn on the shining ice of the northern wall of the Top of the World - Chomolungma (8848m). Walk to the side base camp Everest will be a good preparation for the crust for us. On the way, we will also be able to see other peaks of the Main Himalayan Range. The highest mountain monastery in the world, Rongbuk, is also located here.

In the afternoon we will move to Saga. On the way we will see beautiful lake Peiku Tso and a view of another "smallest" eight-thousander - Shishapangma (8021m). Almost all the way we will be accompanied by stunning views of the Main Himalayan Range. Overnight in Saga (4640 m).

May 9. Long road to Manasarovar

Transfer to Chu Gompa on the Manasarovar lake. On the way, we will visit a small Dargyeling monastery and a very interesting and lively Sakya school monastery - Zongba. Sand dunes in the Paryanga area, they have recently been covered with fabric and they have lost some of their charm, but the views that open from here to the traveler are still pleasing to the eye.

In the evening, if we have time, we will swim in hot springs near Lake Manasarovar.

May 10. Manasarovar and Rakshastal, Kyunlung and Gurugyam

Early in the morning we meet the sunrise on a hill above Manasarovar, from where a circular view of the lake and the surrounding mountains opens.

After breakfast, we will visit the Chiu Gompa monastery - a place associated with the activities of Padmasambhava. Here in a small cave, he meditated for a week after visiting Kailash, and here is also his miraculous statue of sandalwood. Further we will see Lake Rakshastal and the great sacred Lake Manasarovar, the most important of the lakes of Tibet.

In the afternoon we will drive to Gurugyam, a monastery of the ancient Bon religion of the Tibetans. A few kilometers further, in the valley of the Sutlej River, we will visit the ruins ancient capital Kingdom of Shangshung - Kyunglung or Garuda's Silver Palace. Moving to Darchen. Preparing for the bark.

May 11. Chuku Gompa and West Face

First day of the bark. Today we have to overcome 20 km along the valley of the Lha River. On the way, we will inevitably make stops near the Chorten Kangni, as well as places of worship for the South and West Faces, we can visit the Chuku Gompa monastery and the cemetery of 84 Mahasiddhas. On the way, we will definitely make an approach to the West Face of the Mountain.

In the evening we will stay at a guesthouse in the town of Dira Puk, opposite the North Face of Kailash at an altitude of more than 5000 m. Here is also one of the three most important monasteries on the crust of the same name - Dira Puk Gompa.

12 May. Dira Pook and North Face

The main goal of today is the ascent and approach to the North Face of the Mountain. A one-way trip to an altitude of about 5400m will take 2-3 hours. Everyone comes to this place with their own thoughts and goals, so we will all have enough time and space to ask our questions and get the answers we need. We will spend in this blessed place exactly as long as necessary, after which we will return to Dira Puk.

In the afternoon, those who wish can visit the Dira Puk monastery and the "Yachitsa cave", where the great Tibetan master Gotsanpa Gonpo Dorje meditated in the 13th century, who opened the path of the crust around Kailash.

may 13. Drolma La pass

The main day of the bark, which will begin for us at 6 in the morning. After a few hours of continuous movement, we will climb the Drolma La pass (5640 m), which in the Kailash mandala symbolizes a new birth and purification from attachments and obscurations of the previous life.

Not far from the pass there is another small heavenly cemetery - Shiva Tsal, where pilgrims going to the pass leave their hair, clothes, photographs and other things that symbolically help them get rid of their former attachments. After the pass we will have a long descent to the Zutrul Puk monastery.

May 14. Completion of the cortex, move to Saga

It was here, in a small cave of the Zutrul Puk monastery, that the great yogi and poet of Tibet, Milarepa, waited for the morning to fly to the top of the sacred mountain with the first ray of light and thereby put an end to his competition with the Bon master Naro Bonchung. From here we are only 11 kilometers away from Darchen, where we will complete the sacred walk around the Mountain. Lunch and transfer to Saga.

May 15. Long road to Shigatse

Transfer to Shigatse through 8 passes.

16th of May. Reserve day in case of delays on the way

May 17. Home

Transfer to Lhasa airport and flight home via Guangzhou.

Note: the route and the program can be adjusted by the guide depending on the weather and transport conditions, the condition and wishes of the group members.

* Tickets are purchased independently, while the guide will help you choose the most optimal and cheapest flight. Please, coordinate the purchase of tickets with the guide in advance!

Mount Kailash coordinates: 31 ° 04′01 ″ s. sh. 81 ° 18'46 "in. etc.

Where is Mount Kailays on the map?

We should look for this mountain shrouded in mysticism on the map west of Hindustan in the region of the Himalayan highlands. Among Himalayan mountains Kailash is not the tallest. Mount Kailash (from Wikipedia)- "a mountain in the Kailash ridge mountain system Gangdis in the south of the Tibetan Plateau in the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China.

This is the most high mountain in its area, it is additionally distinguished from others by a tetrahedral pyramidal shape with a snow cap and edges oriented almost exactly to the cardinal points.

Mount Kailash height it still remains a controversial issue - so widespread is the statement that Kailash has a height of 6666 m; scientists disagree from 6638 to 6890 m, which is due to the method of measuring the heights of the mountains. In addition, the Himalayas are considered young, so their height increases on average, taking into account the weathering of the rock, by 0.5-0.6 cm per year. "

Who conquered Mount Kailash?

Mount Kailash has not yet been conquered by any of the people. The most serious climbing attempts were made in 1985 by the famous mountaineer Reinhold Messner, but at the last moment he gave up the idea.

Also in 2000, a team of Spanish climbers purchased an expensive permit from the Chinese authorities, but thousands of pilgrims, believers and public organizations protested, and the climbers had to retreat.

Mount Kailash is credited with many mystical and sacred properties.

Kailash is sacred to Buddhists, Hindus and followers of the Bon religion.

Nowadays, not only religious people, but also sincerely seeking spiritual practices, interested in places of power on our planet, make a pilgrimage to great sorrow for the purpose of making a circular detour - Kora. This is a trekking route with a length of about 50 km.

The main difficulty in the passage of Kora is the highlands and acclimatization to heights of 5000-5600 m. Also, according to many people who have visited these places, completely different vibrations and sensations emanating from the majestic and mesmerizing with its beauty Kailash, make staying on Kore one of the brightest and mystical experiences in life.