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The holy mountain Kailash (6714m) and lake Manasarovar are situated
on the artic Tibetan plateau of western Tibet. Tucked between the Gurla
Mandata Mountain (7694m) in the southeast and Kunlung Mountain in the
northwest, mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar are worshiped by four
different religions: Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, and Vaishnab.
Mt.
Kailash is one of the three pilgrimage sites in the area, collectively
known as Kangri Tsosum. The other two are Ponri Ngaden and Lake
Manasarovar. All are said to be at the heart of the ancient Shangshung
kingdom.
Mt. Kailash is their soul mountain (lari), which they also call Yungdrung Gu Tse (the Nine story Swastika Mountain). This is the very place where it is stated that the sect legendary founder, Tonpa Shenrab, descended from heaven to earth. Lord Shiva, both creator and destroyer of life, is believed by Hindus to reside in the holy mountain.
Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar remained unknown to the Western World until the eighteenth century, hidden behind some of the greatest natural barriers on earth. The First European to travel through the region was an Italian Jesuit missionary, Father Ippolito Desideri. In the winter of 1715 he crossed Western Tibet, a vast, sterile and terrible desert, following the course of Tsangpo river all the way to Lhasa. On the way, he passed Lake Manasarovar and a cloud-hidden mountain (Mount Kailash) that he reported was sacred to the powerful Tantrik wizard 'Urghien' or Padmasambhava.
The best time to make a tour to Mt. Kailash & Lake Manasarovar region is between mid-May and mid-October. During this time the weather in Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar is generally stable and clear, with warm temperatures during the days and cool nights. July and August are usually warmer, but this is when the monsoon pushes beyond the Himalaya. Swelling the creeks and coating the valleys with greenery and wildflowers.
There are 3 different major gateways to start the tour to Mt. Kailash & Lake Manasarovar; Zhang-Mu, Lhasa and Simikot (far western border of Nepal).
The duration of the Tibet Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar tour can be varied with starting from different points. It also depends on which places you would like to cover within your journey. According to your time frame or other requirements we can always customize the trip.