The famous Hindu pilgrimage site- Mansarovar Lake in Kailash lies at 4,556 meter (14947.5 ft) above sea level and is located in Tibet Autonomous Region of China. Substantial number of pilgrims from India and other nationals visit there via Nepal route and prolonged high altitude journey via Tibet. From that perspective, Kathmandu has been established as a gateway to Mansarovar-Kailash area. Majority of the travelers are oriented about the arduous journey that they have to pass through, but few of them face sheer difficulty due to their age, health and acclimatization problem.
Highest place to cross while circumambulating Kailash Mountain is Drolma La Pass which is 5,636m. Since people are prone to altitude sickness above 3000 m, it’s necessary to take precaution to avoid unfateful event while travelling. It has been reported that the death of six Indian pilgrims in Kailash Mansarovar recently in Tibet is clearly due to altitude sickness, not because of starvation. In the past, many people died in this area because of the altitude reason, more than with any other causes.
Major entry points of Kailash Mansarovar are Kodari and Hilsa in Nepalese side. However, Kodari is the only entry point that has been linked with Kailash by motorable road. Distance between Kodari and Kailash is approximately 800 km and it takes minimum five days to reach there from Kodari.
Acclimation is considered as the best and most effective precaution to avoid such sad situation. Apparently traveling to Kailash from Nepal side has become popular due to its natural landscape which is suitable for gradual acclimatization. Therefore, it is highly recommended to spend a few days in Nepalese pilgrimage sites like Muktinath and Gosaikunda situated in higher altitude before proceeding to Kailash in Tibet.
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