Mount Kailash

Mount Kailash is the source of some of the longest rivers in Asia: the Indus River, the Sutlej River and the Brahmaputra River and is considered as a sacred place in four religions - Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Bön faith. The mountain lies near Lake Manasarowar and Lake Rakshastal in Tibet.

The word Kailasa means "crystal" in Sanskrit. The Tibetan name for the mountain is Gang Rinpoche, meaning "precious jewel of snows".

Every year, thousands make a pilgrimage to Kailasa, following a tradition going back thousands of years. Pilgrims of several religions believe that circumambulating Mount Kailasa on foot is a holy ritual that will bring good fortune. The peregrination is made in a clockwise direction by Hindus and Buddhists. Followers of the Jain and Bönpo religions circumambulate the mountain in a counterclockwise direction. The path around Mount Kailasa is 52 km (32 mi) long.