Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
data (7728m). Api and other peaks in Nepal are visible to the south, while look to the
southwest for the twin, sharp humps of Kamet (7756m) in India.
Only 4km from Darchen the trail climbs up over the southwest end of the ridge to reach
a
cairn
at 4790m. The cairn is bedecked with prayer flags and marks the first views of Mt
Kailash's southern or lapis lazuli face and a
chaktsal gang,
the first of the kora's four pros-
tration points.
Very quickly the trail bends round to the north and enters the barren Lha-chu Valley.
From here on, the narrow Lha-chu River provides a steady supply of water all the way to
Dira-puk Monastery. For the best water, however, look for the occasional side-stream
flowing down from the cliffs.
The valley is so open at this point you can see ahead to the tall Tarboche flagpole
(4750m) in the distance. The Tarboche area is one of the most significant sites for Tibet's
most important festival, Saga Dawa, when hundreds of pilgrims clamour to watch the an-
nual raising of the flagpole. The pole was first erected in 1681 during the reign of the fifth
Dalai Lama to commemorate a military victory over Ladakh.
Just west of Tarboche is the 'two-legged'
Chörten Kangnyi
. It's an auspicious act for
pilgrims to walk through the small chörten's archway. A short climb above Tarboche to the
east is the sky-burial site of the 84
mahasiddhas
(Tantric practitioners who reached a high
level of awareness). The site is revered, as it was once reserved for monks and lamas, but
is no longer used: too few birds these days and too many wild dogs (it's wise not to hike
alone). The first of the kora's three Buddha footprints is here, but it's hard to find. The
views of the valley in this section are superb.
Beyond Tarboche the valley narrows dramatically at an area called Sershong. You can
begin to get clear views of Mt Kailash now, standing to attention above the eastern ridge.
After passing a series of ruined chörtens and a number of long mani (prayer) walls, the
trail reaches a small bridge across the Lha-chu at 4710m. The bridge is less than an hour's
walk from Tarboche, about 2½ hours from Darchen, and is directly below Chuku Monas-
tery. Most Indian pilgrims begin their kora here.
Chuku Monastery
(4820m), founded in the 13th century by Götsangpa Gompo Pel, a
Kagyupa-order master, is perched high above the valley floor on the hillside to the west. It
blends so secretively into its rocky background you may not even notice it's there. All Mt
Kailash monasteries were wrecked during the Cultural Revolution and the Chuku (or Ny-
enri) Monastery was the first to be rebuilt. Inside look for a glass case over the altar:
there's a highly revered marble statue called Chuku Opame (originally from India and re-
