Tag: Tibet

Holy Mount Kailash, the abode of Shiva, sacred to a billion Hindus, site of holy pilgrimage.  I was only visiting as a tourist, but I saw others making the sacred kora circuit around the mountain.  The Chinese government isn’t issuing visas to Indian citizens this year, but I saw a modest number of non-Indian Hindu pilgrims, plus many Tibetans and the occasional Westerner.

It was overcast and cloudy, but the sun occasionally broke through and I managed to get a few clear shots.  It’s an imposing chunk of rock, notable for its unusual almost pyramid shape.

We started with a distant view of Everest, from the Pang La pass. The pass is at 5159 meters and offers stunning views on a clear day. And today was clear!

The next shot is a (relative) close-up from the Rongbuk Monastery. This now hosts the so-called “Tourist Base Camp” which is as close as mere tourists are allowed to go to His Highness.

I’m on a two week trip across Tibet.  Rongbuk is at 4965m (16289ft), so I was definitely glad I’d spent a few days to acclimatize along the way. But my trip to Rongbuk was the easy way: by tour company car and then official tourist minibus. I am in suitable awe of those who trek up to the base camp, let alone those who make the actual ascent!

Tibet has been on my target list for many years. I finally made it!

I took the train in from Lanzhou to Lhasa and then overlanded out to Kathmandu, with a short detour to the Chinese Everest Base Camp, up at 5180 meters (16990 ft). We drove up from Shegar and got to EBC shortly after dawn, on a wonderfully clear day, and were rewarded with an epic view over the mighty mountain. Hurrah!