Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
gods are victorious'). They have now been reborn, and, by the mercy and compassion of
Drölma, their sins have been forgiven.
The tale associated with the revered Drölma Do is worth telling. When Götsangpa pion-
eered the kora and wandered into the valley of Dakini (Khandroma), he was led back to
the correct route by 21 wolves that were, of course, merely 21 emanations of Drölma
(Tara), the goddess of mercy and protector of the pass. Reaching the pass, the 21 wolves
merged into one and then merged again into the great boulder. To this day Drölma helps
worthy pilgrims on the difficult ascent.
Weather permitting, most pilgrims and trekkers pause at the pass for a rest and refresh-
ments before starting the steep descent. Almost immediately,
Gauri Kund
(5608m; the
Tibetan name Tukje Chenpo translates as 'Lake of Compassion') comes into view below.
Hindu pilgrims are supposed to immerse themselves in the lake's green waters, breaking
the ice if necessary, but few actually do.
It takes approximately an hour to make the long and steep 400m descent to the grassy
banks of the Lham-chu Khir. You may have to cross snowfields at first, sometimes leaping
across streams that have cut through the valley floor, but later the trail turns dry and rocky.
Walking sticks are useful here.
En route there is a much-revered footprint of Milarepa, though again, spotting it on your
own is difficult. When the trail reaches the valley, you may find nomad tents and a tea-
house selling drinks and noodles. A huge rock topped by the kora's third
Buddha foot-
print
stands nearby (5245m).
As with the Lha-chu Valley on the western side of Mt Kailash, there are routes that fol-
low both sides of the river. The eastern bank trail presents better views and there's less
marshy ground, but it requires crossing the river by boulder hopping, and later recrossing
by wading into the river itself (which may be quite deep during the wetter months).
About 30 minutes south, a valley comes down from the Khando Sanglam-la to join the
western trail. This valley provides the only glimpse of Mt Kailash's eastern or crystal face.
The kora's third prostration point is at the valley mouth, but it's easy to miss this point if
you're walking on the eastern bank.
Grassy fields start to appear alongside the river, affording those with tents endless spots
to set up camp. A couple of hours from the third Buddha footprint a side valley enters
from the left. From here on the river changes name to the Dzong-chu, translated as 'Fort-
