Kailash Kora is complete, with tears and an amazing sense of achievement!

54Kms, 5700m, 3 major passes and 21hours of trekking – we have completed the most amazing and most challenging experience of our lives.





The first day started with a trek from Darchen, past the site of the Saga Dawa Festival and on into the valley between the mountains. This was actually quite a tough day, despite not having to climb very much, but I think the exertion got to us. We stayed overnight at a guesthouse in front of the north face of Mount Kailash. This was really amazing, as it was bit like staying at a temple site. The mountain was right in front of us all the time and you couldn’t help but get enthralled by it.





The second day was really the toughest. We started at 0530 when it was -3 degrees and pitch black! This was where it felt the most difficult. Breathing was difficult and you felt really cold. We would take 1 hour to go a few 100 metres, and would be stopping every few steps. There were moments during this stage that we really didn’t think that we could make it and really thought of turning back. Not sure what it was but I was absolutely determined that we both were to make it to the pass. The next hours passed by very tough - snow, ice, bitter cold, windy. I don’t understand how we made it but we did. It was so amazing to get to the top of the pass. I can’t see how the older people can do this; they struggle with the horses, so goodness only knows how they could walk it. I feel very proud and also really privileged to have been able to walk this mountain and to have actually achieved it.

Mount Kailash – we did it without addition oxygen – the way of the Chinese, without altitude sickness tablets – the way of the western tourists and without horses or yaks – the way of the Indian pilgrim! I am glad we did this totally unaided!





The Drom-la pass which is the key and most difficult part of the trek. This was the biggest achievement. We put a prayer flag up which had the names of all our family members on it. This was to give good luck and blessings to them. We hope that our pilgrimage will bring good fortune to them all and all our friends and acquaintances.