Religion and mythology surrounding Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar
This region is steeped in religion and mythology and every year hundreds of pilgrims traverse some of the remotest and toughest regions of the Himalayas to pay their obeisance to the Lord. It is a land where Lord Shiva lives with his consort Parvati. According to ancient religious texts, the abode of creator Brahma is called Brahmaloka, the abode of Lord Vishnu is called Vaikuntha and the abode of Lord Shiva is Kailash.
Hindus believe that Goddess Parvati has taken the form of the Manasarovar Lake and that deliverance is assured for people taking a bath in Manasarovar. Even drinking the waters of the lake frees a human being from sins committed in a hundred lives. It is believed that the gods come to bathe every morning in this lake between 3 to 5 am and this time is called 'Brahmamuhurta'. The word Manasarovar is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Manas' which means mind and legend has it that Lord Brahma created this lake from his mind. Parashuram's ashram too is said to be situated on a hill on the banks of Manasarovar.
The Journey to Mt. Kailash
Tibet was opened to tourism in 1985. Before this it avoided influence from the western world and developed its unique culture and religion independently. The infrastructure of the tourist industry is still very basic in this remote country. So, do not expect standards of luxury. If you are not up to a HARDY adventure or not expecting accommodation and amenities that are far from perfect, then this trip is not for you. The trip to Tibet is tough but the successful completion of the trip far outweighs the discomforts faced en route.
Traveling overland from Kathmandu in Nepal to Mt. Kailash, which lies in the Southwestern part of Tibet, is an incredible 14-day journey, an epic pilgrimage that is expeditionary in nature. It is undoubtedly the toughest and most rewarding of all such journeys known to man. En route you can see the world's highest mountains, travel on the world's highest plains, meet nomadic Tibetan pilgrims and walk amidst burning butter lamps and chanting monks of Tibet's ancient and legendary Buddhist monasteries. Rivers and streams are crossed and re-crossed, treacherous passes are climbed and conquered. The numbing cold at night, the fierce sun during the day, the bitter winds, the looming solitude and the everlasting dust are constant companions.
A difficult region to reach with 
variable and extreme weather conditions, we need to carry food, fuel and camping equipment during this tour. Basic lodges and tea-houses can be found en route but the plateau is so remote that it is possible to travel for several days without finding food anywhere. Roads are almost non-existent and you will travel over 2000 kms on the Tibetan highlands, sometimes undertaking 300 km per day journeys (with upto 8-10 hrs of rigorous travel) amidst a whirlwind of dust and cold winds, fording rivers and streams & driving through mud and slush on a path-breaking journey to the roof of the world. To traverse this remote plateau with a chance encounter with nomads herding their sheep or yaks is to be transformed to another existence.
Nowadays this journey has been made a wee bit easier as we do the trip in relative comfort in Japanese 4-wheel drive Land cruisers. This was something unheard of even a few years ago, when the only way there for the Indian tourist was to take the treacherous and arduous 30-day tour cum trek through Uttaranchal over the 16,730 ft high Lipulekh Pass into Tibet. This limited the options of the devout who were not so fit either due to age or other health reasons as it required (and still does) peak physical conditioning. But on our 14-day tour, trekking is required only during the 3 day Kailash parikrama when one has to cross the 19,500 ft high Dolma Pass. However yaks can be hired locally on this parikrama and yatris need not trek the entire distance. One should also be prepared to walk through landslide zones in Nepal on the first and last day (specially during the June-Sept trips).
From May to September, the road journey from Kathmandu to Tibet begins in earnest. The Nepal-China border is crossed at Zhangmu on the first day itself. After clearing customs and immigration and changing currency from 'hawkish' dealers, we drive uphill through waterfall country with the Bhote Kosi river as the constant companion. Nyalam is the first night halt in Tibet at over 3750 m. On crossing the Lalungla Pass at 5050 m (16500 ft) and driving onto the wide Tibetan plateau, the rest of the journey is through wilderness country. The small 'expeditionary force' that accompanies you carries all the food and camping equipment required during this tour.
