Vacations for Spiritual Meaning
When Americans name mountains in Tibet, they inevitably think of Mount Everest. Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world, is probably the most famous-at least to westerners. Yet, if you slide your map of Tibet to the left, and look just above Nepal, you will discover a mountain, which for Buddhists, Hindus, Bons, and Jains, is the most sacred mountain in the world. Indeed, for more than two thousand years pilgrims from these faiths have trekked over the precipitous mountains or crossed the inhospitable Tibetan plains to visit Mt. Kailash. To many, Mt. Kailash is the birthplace of the world.
Mount Kailash looks like a snow-topped dark pyramid protruding from western Tibet’s arid plateau. Below it, like two cobalt ink blots, spreads Lake Manosaravar, Lake of Consciousness, and Lake Rakshas, Lake of Demons. Kailash is the source of the major world rivers the Indus River, a tributary to the Ganges River, the Brahmaputra River, and the Sutlej River. In this Shangri-La setting, pilgrims from all four faiths travel far and over rugged terrain to circumambulate the 32 miles around this revered mountain. Tourists, too, come to study, hike, mingle, or just breathe the indelible mountain air. Despite its relevance, mythology, and allure Kailash is probably the least visited important pilgrimage location in the world. Yet, all those who have made the magnificent journey agree that Mt. Kailash is the vacation destination of a lifetime.
There are many ways to visit Mt. Kailash. Many Nepalese tourist operations offer 15 to 40 day tours from Kathmandu to Mt. Kailash and back. The main advantages of the most popular Kathmandu route are the opportunities to explore the mysterious Kathmandu city, and to cross the impressive Himalayan Mountains into Tibet. Who knows, while in Kathmandu, you may even stumble upon the Living Goddess peaking out of her ancient wooden temple. Tours longer than 15 days will take tourists through Lhasa as well.
Many people prefer to access Tibet through Nepal and to avoid the Chinese companies as much as possible. Their reasons are to support the Tibetan government in exile. From 1949-1951, the Chinese government invaded and annexed Tibet. The Dalai Lama, the religious leader of Tibet, was forced to flee the country and remains in exile in Dharamsala, India. The Dalai Lama won a Nobel Peace Prize for his continual efforts to find a nonviolent compromise with Beijing, but Beijing has neither recognized his claim nor negotiated with him. Today more than 120,000 Tibetans live in exile. In fact, if you do travel through Kathmandu, be sure to visit the enormous stupa in Kathmandu, Bouddhanath, a center of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal.
If politics doesn’t affect your decisions and you would like to explore some of mainland China, you can travel from Beijing. These tours generally travel from Beijing to Lhasa and then move on to Kailash. Many of the Lhasa to Kailash and back to Beijing tours last about 15 to 30 days. The advantages of this route are the opportunity to explore Lhasa and see the stunning Potala Palace, to travel over the surreal Tibetan plateaus, and to soak up the bustle of Beijing. These companies will arrange any paperwork for travel in Tibet, but you must obtain your own visa to China.
A third option is to travel with an educational or spiritual group. If you are interested in absorbing much more than the stunning scenery, an educational or Buddhist coterie may provide the perfect experience. Transitions Abroad, a program for high school students, offers a six week summer program. Or if you’d rather a more spiritual experience, Shambala Mountain Center’s Sacred Journey Program conducts a month long expedition led by a renowned lama. You can also check your local university to see if they offer any study or travel opportunities.
However you decide to travel, one thing is certain, the experience will be unforgettable. As you cross an 18,600 foot pass encircled by vibrant Tibetan prayer flags, you will see why the Bon religion calls Mt. Kailash the soul of Tibet. Be sure, it will call to your soul as well.
