Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarova

Mount Kailash

As the second highest peak of Gangdise Mountain, Mount Kailash is one of the ten most beautiful and the shocking mountains in China. Together with the Lake Manasarova, they are reputed as the sacred mountain and the holy lake of the Buddhism, and the Tibetan Bon.

Located in the Burang county of Ngari in Tibet, Mount Kailash is the second highest peak of the Gangdise Mountain. With an altitude of about 6,721 meters, the top of the mountain is covered with snow all the year round. Mt. Kailash, named Gang Rimpoche in Tibetan, which means the Mountain of Goddess. With the snow capped mountains and the four symmetrical mountainsides, the Mount Kailash looks like a pyramid shining under the sun. The summit of the mountain is often coiled up with the white clouds, which makes the mountain more mysterious. For centuries, the Mount Kailash has always been the holy land for the pilgrims and explorers. However, no one has climbed on to this holy land until now, or no one dares to offend this world center mountain.

The Attractions

On the south of this mysterious mountain, the summit is covered with snow all the year round, while, on the north of the mountain, there was no snow to be seen. Even it is covered with snow, is melts as soon as the sun rise. Surrounded by the wonderful rocks, gorges, shrubs, and clear streams, the mountain was not only high, steep and magnificent but quiet, secluded and solemn. The four rivers in the Ngari, including the Seng-ge Kambab, Sutlej River, Konqi River and Maquan Rover, are slow down from the Mount Kailash in four directions. Around the mountain, there are five temples. All of them have some legend and stories win universal praise. Many sculptures, engravings and murals are preserved in the mountain, though some are destroyed in different degrees.

If you travel through the Xinjiang- Tibet highway, you are recommended to go from the May to October since the heavy snow has sealed the mountain passes during the winter and spring.

Lake Manasarovar

Located on the south of the Mount Kailash, about 35 kilometers east of Burang County, Nagri Region, Lake Manasarovar is one of the three holy lakes in Tibet.

As one of the three holy lakes in Tibet, Lake Manasarovar is located on the south of the Mount Kailash, about 35 kilometers east of Burang County, Nagri Region, Tibet. With beautiful natural landscapes around, Lake Manasarovar is regarded as the holy world center land by the believers of the Buddhism and the Tibetan Bon. It is one of the highest fresh-water lake in the world as well as the freshwater lake with the largest transparency in China, with an altitude of 4,588 meters and an area of 412 square kilometers.

About its name

Lake Manasarovar, "Mapam Yumco" in Tibetan, means the "eternal and invincible jade lake" in 11th century, three was a religious war on the bank of the Lake Manasarovar. As a consequence, the Tibetan Buddhism has won. The Mapam was named to in honor of the Buddhism victory, hence the name of the lake.

Same as the Mount Kailash, the Lake Manasarovar is the holy lake of the Buddhism, and the Tibetan Bon. It is believed that bathing in Manasarova and drinking its water can cleansing one’s all sins for even a hundred of lifetimes. Actually as the king of the holy lake in Tibet, the lake Manasarovar is very attractive to the travelers. It is reputed as the mother of the rivers in the world and recorded in the Westward Diary by the high monk Xuanzang of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) as the same 'Jade Pool of Western Kingdom'.

Around Attractions

Around the lake, there are scattered with 8 temples, including the Sewalong Monastery, Nieguo Monastery, Curgu Monastery, Gyiwu Monastery, Jiaji Monastery, Guozu Monastery and Langna Monastery, etc. Among them, Gyiwu Monastery and Curgu Monastery are the best known. The beauty and the tranquility of the lake is enough to soothe a weary soul and to purify the heart.