Mount Kailash, Sacred mountain in Ngari Prefecture, China
Kailash rises to 6638 meters and forms an isolated peak in the Gangdisê range on the Tibetan Plateau. Its pyramid shape with four nearly symmetrical faces stands out clearly from the surrounding ridges.
No one has ever climbed the summit, and the Chinese government continues to ban all climbing attempts to protect its religious meaning. Written records of pilgrimages go back more than a thousand years.
Pilgrims from Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and the Bön religion gather here and follow their own rituals during the walk around the base. Worshippers usually move clockwise, while those following the Bön tradition walk the path in the opposite direction.
The best time to visit is between June and September, when daytime temperatures range from 5 to 17 degrees Celsius. The altitude above 4500 meters requires prior acclimatization, and travelers need government permission to enter this region.
The 53-kilometer circuit crosses the Dolma La pass at 5630 meters, the highest point of the route. Some pilgrims prostrate themselves flat on the ground for the entire 53 kilometers and need several weeks to complete it.
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