Kailash Kora: The Sacred Trek Around Mount Kailash

Mount Kailash and the lake surrounding it are popular for multiple reasons, and the Kailash Kora is one of those. Considering the peak as the cosmic center of the universe, numerous pilgrims visit this sacred region seeking spiritual liberation.

The peak holds a huge significance across the believers of different religions, and all for different reasons. Whilst the Hindus celebrate it as the humble abode of their god, Shiva, the Buddhists see it as a journey guiding one towards enlightenment and spiritual revival. No matter what religion people follow, the common goal for performing kora around Kailash is spiritual attainment.

If you are planning to be a part of this journey of faith and revival, go through the blog to learn in detail about Kailash Kora.

What is the Kailash Kora?

Starting from Darchen, a Tibetan village, the Kailash Kora is actually a trek on which people encircle Mount Kailash with a heart full of faith. More than a casual excursion to the mountain, it is a journey of people’s faith for reviving their own souls.

Even though you can reach this trekking point from India, China, or Tibet, depending on the government’s rules and your ease of travel, the actual trek begins from Darchen. It takes a total of three days to complete a full circle around Mount Kailash, and the total distance is about 52 kilometers.

While circumambulating the peak, most people follow a clockwise route following the path of sun, however, the Jain and Bon follower opt for a counter clockwise route. It isn’t known why some people do anticlockwise circumambulation of Mount Kailash as the ones seeking spiritual fulfillment do exact opposite.

Meaning of Kailash Kora

The Kailash Kora is often seen as a act of devotion more than just an ordinary trek for enjoying the pristine landscapes and breathtaking mountain views. The word “Kora” in Tibetan means circumambulation or revolution thus it is an act of walking around Mount. Kailash. This trek actually signifies the journey of life and seeking liberation in the level of your soul.

In fact, Buddhists do not just walk on flat surface while performing Kora. Instead, they lie flat on the ground and keep moving forward in the same pattern and this process is called prostrating. It is a unique way of praying to the lord as an act of submitting your whole self to god.

Kailash Kora Route

Your Kailash Kora begins with a bus/taxi ride from the city of Darchen to the starting point of the Kailash Kora from where you continue on foot. You come across different monasteries, streams cascading down from Kailash, rivers that mix into Mansarovar lake etc. on this route.

Here’s what your Kailash Kora trek route looks like:

Darchen → Tarboche → Dirapuk Monastery → Zutul Puk Monastery → Dolma La Pass

Inner Kora vs Outer Kora

When it comes to Kailash kora, there are two different routes to perform this journey. While the outer kora is a standard trek that involves walking around the outer, less challenging trail covering the basics, the inner core is more intricate journey. The outer kora covers a distance of 52 kilometers and beings as well as ends at Darchen village taking a total of 3 days.

However, the inner Kora is a shorter but more challenging journey that takes you to more sacred sites around Kailash. Some of the highlights of inner kora are: Nandi Hill, Gauri Kunda, Saptarishi Caves etc. You can also actually touch the base of Mount Kailash on this trek, which is why it’s called “a Charan Sparsh” kora.

Basics of Kailash Kora

Despite having the lower elevation in comparison to towering peaks of the Himalayas, the Kailash kora isn’t an easy task. This pilgrimage tests your physical fitness as well as mental strength to tackle the challenges of unforeseeable scenarios.

You need to prepare well with physical exercises, incapacitate lungs to sustain thin air and build mental resilience to tackle harsh conditions. The weather conditions and technical difficulties are a few things you need to be aware of before daring for this journey.

Best Time for Kailash Kora

Since the weather conditions in Kailash region aren’t favorable around the year, only the summer season ins best time for performing Kailash Kora. The months between May to September have tolerable temperatures and hence the risks of catching altitude sickness are comparably low. Besides, there are lesser chances of natural calamities during the summer season.

Many Buddhist pilgrims visit this region in the months of May to June for celebrating the Saga Dawa festival. It is observed to celebrate lord Buddha’s birth, his enlightment journey as well as his death.

Challenges of Kailash Kora

Apart from the higher elevation that also brings along the issues related to less dense atmosphere there are few other challenges of Kailash kore. Following are a few challenges to keep in mind before beginning the trek:

• Unpredictable weather that can get worse without a warning
• Dramatic drops in temperature during day and night
• Difficult tail constituting of rocky and rough terrains
• High altitude brings chilling winds that increases the chances of altitude sickness

Kailash Kora Itinerary

Your Kailas Kora Itinerary entirely depends on the route you choose to reach Darchen, as there is an option of different routes depending on your time, availability, and country you enter through. However, the actual trek from this point takes 3 days and here’s what the itinerary looks like:

Day 1: Trek from Darchen to Deraphuk Monastery via Yama Dwar

Early morning your journey begins from Darchen city where you stayed the night before. After having a warming breakfast, we will take a ride to the starting point of the trek, the Yama Dwar which literally translates to gateway of the God of death. From this point we will being our kora journey passing through scenic views of the north face of Mount Kailash. You will also see pilgrims prostrating and circumambulating the Mount Kailash.

As you hike up, you will pass through flowing rivers, coarse paths, cascading waterfalls, and tea houses where you can enjoy lunch and Tibetan tea. On the wat, you will notice a pile of rocks alongside a holy stone just beneath the west face of the peak. The legends say, stretching your back on this rock relaxes your back off the pain. Passing through surreal landscapes, grazing yaks, and Kailash’s view, you will reach to Derapuk monastery while passing through Darchen.

Ending the tiring hike of the day, we will take a rest at a local guesthouse, located at an elevation above 4900 meters.

Day 2: Trek to Zuthulphuk

Next morning we will rise early and set on our foot journey to the base of Mount Kailash. It will be a 8 to 10 hours trek with halfway uphill gaining some elevation and then descend down Zuthulphuk. This whole journey covers a distance of 22 kilometers and takes you through popular landmarks like Dolma La pass and Gauri Kunda. Since the air is thin and trail is treacherous, this journey can be slightly difficult to traverse through.

The Dolma la Pass stands at an elevation of 5640 meters from sea level and is the highest point you would reach in the outer Kora of Kailash. The sounds of holy water flowing from the mountain and the warm sunshine makes the trek very pleasant. On good days, you will also be able to catch a sight of animals like Tibetan Blue Sheep, Himalayan Marmots, Wild Yaks etc. . On this day, we will spend the night at the monastery’s guest house while soaking up all the good vibes.

Day 3: Trek Back to Darchen

On this final day of the Kailash Parikrama, we will descend down from an elevation of 4850 meters to Darchen, the starting point of our trek. Along the way, we will come across  and hike downhill for around 7 kilometers to reach Saga before taking the ride back to Nepal-Tibet border.

Check our blog on Different Routes of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra to figure out different routes to reach this starting point of your Kailash Parikrama yatra.

A Journey More Than Pilgrimage

There is no doubt the Kailash Kora is more than a casual hike or a regular pilgrimage. It’s an experience that rejuvenates one’s soul and gives an immense satisfaction.

Pilgrims visit with a faith on their respective lords and gods, seeing a connection with the divine one that they believe in. Whatever you’re wishing form, this journey of Kailash is a memorable experience that remains for life.

Get enlightment with a Kailash Kora!