Anything we do has a motive, faith, learning, or curiosity. With this Yatra, I wanted to understand why people feel “called” to Kailash. 20 of us from across the world met in Kathmandu for a 10‑day trip to Tibet. When I asked, “Why Kailash?” Most said curiosity. They have heard mysterious stories about the place. For some, it was a simple religious belief. Motives were simple, but we all had taken a big step towards unknown.
We drove about six hours from Kathmandu to Nepal–Tibet border. The Himalayan terrains were lush green and serene after the rains. We reached Kyirong in extremely heavy rain. We crossed the border at 5:30 PM. By 6:00 PM, the border was closed indefinitely. This was due to landslides and heavy road damage. Locals and the guide mentioned that we will be unable to come back via this route. We were lucky to manage to cross the place. Otherwise, the whole trip and plan had to be canceled.
We stayed two days in Kyirong (around 2,700 m) to acclimatize, with no electricity and water. It was extreme and overwhelming. The town was beautiful with Chinese and Tibetan culture. However, the rain and the lack of electricity and water made it difficult to go around and enjoy the place. Then we moved on to Saga (around 4,640 m). The route was cold and snow‑covered in places. From heavy rainfall and mud on the roads the landscape changed to mountains and snow. We did short acclimatization hikes in Saga to get used to the altitude.We watched the mountains grow on the horizon from there. We passed Zhongba and then Paryang.
Finally, we saw our first clear view of Mt. Kailash and the Lake. Manasarovar is a high‑altitude freshwater lake with a turquoise color, set under the shadow of Mt. Kailash.
The Unexpected:
We all got down at the lake; the plan was to stay overnight and experience the early morning mysteries. As I got close to the water, my heart raced heavily. My body felt warm as if I had a sudden chill. Tears just started to flow. I wasn’t upset; I wasn’t thinking about anything. It felt like something deep in my mind was moving. I felt heavy in my chest and light on my feet at the same time. It was a weird feeling as I wanted to cry out loud for no reason. One of the traveler suggested to go a bit deeper inside the water and chant silent prayers. Once I did that I felt calmer and relaxed. The anxiousness reduced and I felt better.
The Experience:
The next day guide asked us to be awake by 3:30 AM. This is the time to view the galaxy clearly. You can chant silent prayers or just be around the lake and experience the silence. The sky was clear millions of stars twinkling. I saw five or six meteors, just falling casually. On the far side of the lake, near the horizon in the dark, I saw bright lights. They seemed like they were taking a dip in the water and rising. It was magical, eerie, and beyond science. I couldn’t explain it; I just watched quietly sitting on the bank of the river. Anytime I think about it, I can still visualize that serenity clearly.
After Manasarovar, we went to Darchen, the base for Mt. Kailash. The calmness I felt in Manasarovar stayed but my chills and high temperature continued. My oxygen levels fell to 50 and my temperature as high as 102 F. The guide suggested I stay back and not continue the Parikrama (a full circle around the mountain). I was disappointed. Nevertheless, being capable of reaching Manasarovar itself was a blessing for me. I realized that Kailash is a sacred place for many religions. It welcomes anyone with the mental strength to take on a real challenge. It tests your body and mind. Getting there isn’t easy; staying aware is the work.
The return journey was another test. Due to the heavy rains, the way we came was not possible to go back. Since the borders were closed, we had to take different and longer routes. We spent about ten hours on desert‑like mountain roads in jeeps, driven by very young drivers. We traveled the western side of Tibet to reach Hilsa. After finishing immigration, we boarded a small Himalayan 15 seater flight. We had to fight the political unrest in the village towns to get the small flights back. The flights went from Simikot to Nepalgunj and then finally to Kathmandu.
What I learned
I found joy in a mystical place even when anxiety and uncertainty overwhelmed my body. We faced monsoon rains and damaged roads. Extreme weather and bone‑rattling jeep rides across desert plains challenged me. Yet, I discovered that a determined mind makes the goal reachable. The hardships didn’t disappear. However, they lost their power when I kept showing up. I breathed through the fear and moved one steady step at a time. In the end, the calm mind turned doubt into wonder. The resolute mind made the journey itself a victory.
Hard road, clear mind, strong heart—Kailash gave me all three. At the end It’s all in the mind—and Kailash reminded me why.
Video of our Journey:
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