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The Kailash kora is 52km around the most sacred mountain in Asia. Day 2 crosses Drolma La at 5,630m — every step is work. Tibetan pilgrims do this 108 times for enlightenment. Most foreigners barely finish once.
TibetGo Team
Travel Expert
Mount Kailash (6,638m) is sacred to four religions — Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and Bon. No one has ever climbed it, and no one ever will. Instead, pilgrims walk around it — a 52km circumambulation called the kora.
Completing one kora is said to erase a lifetime of sins. 108 koras bring enlightenment.
The first day is relatively gentle, following the Lha Chu valley northward. You'll see Kailash's dramatic west face. The trail is well-defined and mostly flat.
Camp: Drirapuk Monastery guesthouse (5,210m). Basic dorms, no showers. Bring a sleeping bag liner.
The hardest day. You climb 420m to Drolma La Pass at 5,630m — the highest point of the kora. The pass is draped in prayer flags. Many pilgrims leave an item of clothing here as an offering.
The descent is steep and rocky. Take your time.
Camp: Dzultripuk Monastery guesthouse (4,810m).
An easy walk back to Tarchen. Most people finish by noon.
After the kora, visit Lake Manasarovar — one of the highest freshwater lakes in the world at 4,590m. Hindus believe it was created by Brahma. The water is crystal clear and freezing cold. Some pilgrims take a ritual dip.
The kora is not technically difficult, but the altitude makes it extremely demanding:
You can hire a porter yak to carry your bag for the 3-day trek. Highly recommended — it lets you focus on the experience rather than struggling with a heavy pack. Arrange this in Tarchen.
Mount Kailash is in far western Tibet, about 1,200km from Lhasa. The drive takes 3-4 days each way through some of the most remote and beautiful landscape on Earth.
From $699
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