Mount Kailash in Tibet

In short: The outer kora measures around 52 kilometres and usually takes three days. The highest point is the Dolma Pass at about 5,630 metres.

Kailash has been circled thousands of times and never climbed. The 6,638-metre mountain in western Tibet is covered in snow all year, and its almost symmetrical shape recalls a pyramid. It is sacred to followers of Tibetan Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and Bön, and the circuit is regarded as one of the most important pilgrimage routes of all.

The summit remains untouched mainly out of respect for this religious meaning. According to tradition, only the yogi Milarepa is said to have ever been at the top.

The kora: 52 kilometres around the mountain

The circuit is called the kora. It measures around 52 kilometres, and most travellers walk it in three days. The starting point is the town of Darchen. The second day is the hardest, as it crosses the Dolma Pass at around 5,630 metres.

Many believers take much longer: if you prostrate yourself full length on the ground again and again along the way, it takes up to two weeks. Buddhist pilgrims circle the mountain clockwise, followers of Bön in the opposite direction. According to tradition, 108 circuits bring enlightenment.

Preparation and when to go

The kora is hard going: you spend days above 4,500 metres, and altitude is the main challenge here. Talk to a doctor beforehand and allow several days for acclimatisation. The best times to go are May, June, September and early October. The pass is often snow-covered well into spring.

A trip to Tibet requires permits and can usually be organised only through an agency. The regulations keep changing, so ask early about the current situation. You should bring more physical fitness here than for the Way of St James.