Introduction

Mount Kailash is a sacred mountain standing at 6718 meters above sea level and it located 22,000 feet away from the Tibetan Plateau that is greatly considered very inaccessible. It is situated in Ngari; the far west of Tibet close to the intersection of India, Tibet and Nepal. Mount Kailash is believed to be the world axis (cosmic axis, the center of the world) and it is believed to be the point where heaven meets earth. Up to date, no man has actually succumbed the heights of this mountain and numerous legends have died during their attempts. Eventually, the Chinese authorities banned climbing the mountain for the purpose of religious sensitivities.

Mount Kailash is believed to be sacred amongst Buddhists, Hindus and Jains. Amongst the Hindus, they believe that Lord Shiva, the destroyer of evil, sits at the perpetual meditation on the mountain. For Tibetan Buddhists, they believe that Buddha Demchok representing supreme bliss lives on the mountain.

In the early 19th and 20th centuries, Russian climbers attempted to climb the mountain and when they climbed beyond a particular point they suddenly aged by a few decades and are believed to have died a year later due to old age.

Things to see and do on Mount Kailash

Lakes

At the foot of Mount Kailash are Lake Rakshas Tal and Mansarovar with Mansarovar sitting at an altitude of 14, 950 feet which is considered the highest freshwater body in the world.

Pilgrimage Practices

Pilgrims flock in thousands at the holy Mount Kailash every year. The pilgrimage trek circles the base of the mountain on quiet a high altitude at 18,372 feet at the Dolma pass. The pilgrimage festival is very eventful although only a few of the pilgrims manage to finish circumambulating the peak. Trekking up to the peak is considered a taboo amongst Hindus for the fear of disturbing divine mountain energies residing at the peaks and trespassing. Although a monk named Milarepa once went for the peaks and got to the top of Mount Meru and when he returned, he forewarned everyone else against to bothering the God residing at the peak. Although there are experienced mountaineers, most of their attempts to reach the summit have proved futile.