Manasarovar Kailash Trip from Thursday, 16th August 2012 to Saturday, 25th August 2012

All of us were ready by 8 AM on Thursday 16th August morning after breakfast.  Our bags of luggage were carried separately in a truck along with other materials and some crews those who accompanied us throughout the trip.  Please note that all of them are well experienced trekking gurus and a couple of them were expert cooks.

All nineteen members of the group along with Badri and Kedar started our trip around 9 AM in one bus.  It was a luxury bus.  Of course there was a driver and a helper.  Badri and Kedar ensured that we are all comfortable and fully taken care of.  Of course they also ensured that we took our Diamox daily and sufficient water.  Every day we were supplied with three liters of water (two one and a half liter bottles).  Before we started our trip all of us participated in chanting of Gayathri Manthra.  We all repeated the Manthra eight times.

Om Bhoor Bhuvaswa 
That Savithur Varenyam
Bhargo Devasya Dhee Mahi
Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachotayat

I think this is the most appropriate way to start any journey by praying the Sun god.  Here, we were actually praying the Sun god to provide us with light and energy throughout our trip and guide and direct us in the right path to the glorious abode of Lord Kailash Natha, Kailash, without any obstacles.   And it has to be mentioned here that we used to chant Gayathri Manthra daily before we started our trip.  I also believe that the steadfast faith in Gayathri Manthra for all of us might be the cardinal factor that helped to complete this fabulous project successfully.  I have to admit that this was a truly entertaining trip for all of us.  And Subhash and I also used to recite Shiva Sahasra Nama throughout our Kailash Trip.  Of course the unconditional blessings of Lord Sri Maha Deva and Lord Sri Maha Vishnu along with our well wishers were always with us.

Travelling through the busy, congested, unregulated and cramped Kathmandu city is another experience.  As our Agency and Driver were very familiar with all the nook and corner roadways, lanes and bypasses they drove us out relatively faster.  But compared to some of the Indian Cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, and so on Kathmandu is far more tolerable.  But still then bus route in front of the Royal Palace, the Assembly House, etc. will be remembered as a pleasing experience.

Once we are out of the city we were travelling in the hilly Himalayan ranges of Nepal.  I am always fascinated and amazed by the beautiful greeneries and magnanimous rocks of the Himalayan valleys and of the mountains.  We were travelling from Kathmandu to Kodari through Araniko Highway.  Kodari is the border place of Nepal.  The other side is Tibet.  Though it is called a highway the road is very bumpy with steep ups and downs.  Only expert drivers can drive through such terrain.  At both sides of the road you can see very steep slopes.  There could be a number of landslides and you could see many accidents of fallen vehicles.  But with mountains and rivers on both sides it is definitely a thrilling experience.

We can see Indravati, Sun Kosi, Barabise and Bothe Kosi rivers on the sides from Kathmandu to Kodari.  Rafting is very popular in Nepal.  We can see waterfalls at many a places.  Kathmandu to Kodari is slightly more than seventy miles.  But it took for us for more than five hours.  Packed lunch was served inside the bus.  But you are assured that the drive will never be boring with sceneries of Himalayan Mountain ranges, the rivers, the water falls, the breathtaking rafting in the plunging and roaring rivers and falls and you will definitely not blink your eyes.  And of course the other reason why you won’t blink your eyes is because it is the most dangerous highways in Nepal with massive landslides and bus plunges.

I have to mention and warn that Chinese authorities do not like taking pictures especially in the border and sensitive areas.  And sensitive areas are defined and redefined by them frequently.  Ninety five percent of our trip is in Tibet.  And the entire Tibet is always considered as sensitive area by Chinese Authorities.  So we were warned not to carry camera in our hands and never to take it out anywhere near the border area.  So I was unable to take any pictures for this day.  The picture shown below is from a public domain.

Immigration clearance at Nepal side was relatively easy as everything was arranged by our Travel Agents.  Basically, we have to get exit visa and as we already have our multiple entry visa from airport we should not have any issues while coming back as well.  As a matter of fact we did not even go to the Immigration office of Nepal at Kodari.

No vehicles are allowed in Friendship Bridge.  So we have to walk across the bridge.  We are now almost at 7300 feet high altitude.  If you need help coolies are available to carry your hand bag or even to carry you in a basket.  I did not feel any altitude issues and none of our group members as well.  As there will be strict inspection by the embassy official please carry only the most essential items in the hand bag.

Friendship Bridge at Nepal – Tibet Border

We reached at Friendship Bridge at around 3 PM.  Chinese embassy is very picky about their timings and dates when they will be working.  Badri and Kedar were very familiar with all the formalities.  As mentioned they issue only group visas.  And they will never stamp the visa in the passport.  In the group visa they have a serial number and we have to strictly adhere to the order of the sequence.  The officials do not speak English.  Until the moment you are cleared by the officials we were all much tensed.  Luckily we all got cleared though we had to stand in the queue for about two hours or so.  But once we were on the Tibetan side our Tibetan guide and drivers were ready with the vehicles.  

Private vehicles are not allowed near Chinese Embassy at the Tibet side.  So we have to walk for about half an hour to get our SUVs.   Most of the vehicles are Land Rovers.  Four of us will be in one vehicle.  Kamini Patel and Paxa Patel, two of the ladies, were my companions throughout this trip in the same vehicle.  And Kamini is the elder sister of Paxa.  We thoroughly enjoyed the trip and shared many of our previous travelling experiences.

We were lucky that our tour guide Tenzin Nyima was the fourth one in our vehicle.  Tenzin speaks good English and has a very good historical, cultural and political knowledge about Tibet as well as China.  And the best quality of Tenzin is that he is very sporty and so could make any comments.  He was also explaining to us the minutest details throughout our journey.  His contact details are:

Tenzin Nyima

Tour operator (Tibet) 

Mobile:+86 139 8908 4960

E-mail:himalayawithme@yahoo.com

Dreaming Tibet adventure travel and trekking

I am sure anyone of our team and even Badri and Kedar would recommend Tenzin for any tour guidance in Tibet, especially to Lhasa.  Tenzin and all the drivers were from Lhasa.  They drove almost about five hundred miles to the border to drive us to Manasarovar.  

We were scheduled to stay at Nyalam on the first day.  It is about 15 miles drive.  Nyalam is about eleven thousand four hundred feet high altitude.  

Let me now provide a little bit of information about Tibet and Tibetans.  Majority of the Tibetans are of nomadic/gypsy nature.  You can witness the remains of some huts or camps made up of clay where these nomadic Tibetans might have lived.  Tibet is the world’s highest and largest plateau.  Average height is about 15,000 feet.  

I was told that the nomadic Tibetans take bath only three times in their lives.  First when they are born then at the time of their wedding and the last after their death.  Cleanliness/hygiene is not there in their life style.  And they do not think that it is essential for survival.  Their concept is that other species do not wash and clean after the natures call and human beings are not special in that way and hence it is not required for them as well.  

And now do not be shocked.  You are not going to have a bath for the fifteen on sixteen days you are in Tibet.  When I thought of visiting Kailash I was thinking that the circumambulation should be performed after bath probably in the same wet clothes just like we perform the last rites.  Here our preparative penance is without having a bath even for the previous twelve or thirteen days.  The only exception is that after the Kailash Parikram while we visit Manasarovar on the return journey you can take a dip in Mansarovar.  You are not advised to have a dip in Mansarovar on your onward journey because it is possible to catch a cold and at a high altitude of 15/16 thousand feet it can easily turn out to be serious pneumonia which will definitely hamper your further trip for Kailash Parikram.  You have a bath at Kathmandu and you will have your next bath at Kathmandu after completing your Manasarovar Kailash Parikram.  This is in no way to discourage but to be cautious to complete the parikram successfully.  And l shall reemphasis that these physical needs and requirements are to a greater extent the result of our mental set up.  You will never ever even at one time have the feeling or the need to have the bath.  May be because of the weather conditions are so.  Even at most of the nights you will be sleeping with your winter cots on.  

  

Their food habits are also interesting.  They like the food we provide as we noticed them enjoying the food we gave to the driver and guide.  But they do not think they can live without eating their most popular food which is dried yak meat.  Barley, yak butter, yogurt, etc. are their staple food.  Even tea they make with powdered dried meat of yak.  

Of course, of late, there are many small townships and villages are being developed or being set up in Tibetan Plateau.  Lhasa, of course, is a combination of modern civilization with a number of heritage monasteries.  

Hindi films and Hindi songs are popular in Tibet.  Our driver had some good CDs with most popular classical Hindi songs.  

You would see a number of check posts with police booths policed by Chinese Officials.  Our passports and group visas were held by Badri for safety purpose.  So at each check post we have to be together.  Badri will go to the police booth and get everything cleared.  We never had to come out of the vehicle at any time.  

And after a drive for about an hour or so, including a brief stop in the middle for police inspection, we reached Nyalam.  Nyalam is at an altitude of eleven thousand four hundred feet.  We have a “hotel” to stay overnight.   Please do not be confused with the word "hotel" as it is only to be considered as shelter.  The surroundings are filthy and dirty.  We were fully warned about the smell and filthiness of the places.  

We were served hot tea and food cooked by our crews.  We had hot pakoras of potato and onion as snacks for our tea.  I and Subhash had a corner room initially but had to change it due to the horrible smell. But we did manage to sleep well after a heavy Gujarati style hot dinner.  I think it is advisable to have such meals to withstand the cold as well as the high altitude issues.  

Nyalam Town.    

Nyalam Town

A Tibetan child at Nyalam.  All pants and skirts for children you can see a big hole at the back side to facilitate toileting without removing the dresses.  I think Tibetan culture is more thoughtful and practical in this respect.