A trip to the snow-clad peaks of Mount Kailash, near Manasarovar, would be a dream come true for any travel enthusiast. Nature is definitely at one of its purest forms at the snowy Manasarovar, a lake, and on its serene banks. Thousands of devotees visit the holy land in Tibet every year for spiritual redemption. If you intend to fly, one has to board a plane from the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, to Lhasa, from where the journey to Mount Kailash begins.
Hilsa is a small town on the northwestern side of Nepal which shares border with the Tibet Autonomous Region. There will be strict verification of documents at the check post here since the latter area is under the control of China. The officials at the border will check everything including mobile phones. If pictures of the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, are found in your phone, the security officials will not allow you to cross the border. From Thaklakot, one can board vehicles bound to Manasarovar.
Less–polluting vehicles are used at this environmentally sensitive area to keep a check on pollution. Though incredibly beautiful, the Rakshasthal Lake lying just west of Manasarovar is considered inauspicious. The legend says that the lake got its name from Ravan, the demon king of Lanka. It is believed that no form of aquatic life survives in this lake.
The Manasarovar is a high-altitude freshwater lake which is revered as sacred by many religions. The pristine waters and the beautiful banks which sprawls about 99 km is truly scintillating. The beauty of the lake further enhances when it reflects the night sky, and this must be the reason why tourists throng the banks of the lake even during night. The snow-capped peaks of Mount Kailash, viewed from Manasarovar, looks ethereal.
The religious ceremony called the parikrama or the sacred walk around the 60-km circumference of Mount Kailash is undertaken by devotees. One could even ride a pony or a yak to complete the parikrama. It would take at least three days of trekking to reach the top of the mountain, with the first night camp at Dirapuk. From Dirapuk, the majestic beauty of the Kailash could be seen with all its glory. The sight of the Kailasha covered in blankets of snow and its peak piercing through bunches of floating white clouds is truly captivating.
An incredible detour to see the Mount Everest too would be a perfect addition to the Kailash–Manasarovar trip. Shree Airlines, taking off from the Tribhuvan International Airport, offers an amazing view of the highest mountain on earth from above. The snow-capped peaks of Mount Everest peeps through the clouds and the airplane just flies closer to the mountain offering a scintillating sight of it. An hour long ‘Everest rendezvous’ would end at the Tribhuvan International Airport itself.
