Cross Breeds

15 km off the main road Manasovar Lake 4560 meters also

Summary: 15 km off the main road Manasovar Lake 4560 meters also known in Tibetan as ���Mapham Yum tso��� the Victorious Lake The circuit kora around the lake is 110 kilometres long and take 3 to 5 days Most travellers pilgrims head to Chin Monastery first and starts their kora from there We had skipped it and instead went off road towards the town of Hor Qu Believing in the existence of kind of a dirt road making the kora possible to access by a jeep ride I have red it somewhere we arrived at the lake shore nearby the ruins of the Chekip Monastery Now only represented by a large chorten Mt Kailash is still visible in the background There are a high cliffs by its side with long prayer flags and many caves hermitages Some of them are so big and well equipped they have become a permanent houses for a monks Other are just as basic as a sheep skin on the floor for a meditation and stonewall covering the entrance I have squatted into one of the larger one situated high in the cliff face Apart from the beautiful view I was astound by its comfort There were a several rooms wood and yak shit storage full teapots thermoses stove tsampa kitchen stuff oils incense blankets On the walls religious pictures thangas praying wheel and beads next to the meditation seat It all looked as the monk had just left for a short walk and maybe he did Really nice place to spend a few years As the road did not exist our expectation for the next day ride were not very happy We pitched up the tents on above the lake shore with view all around and enjoyed this magical place Our solitude was not meant to last too long On our return from the caves two nomad tents were erected nearby and few horses were grazing around Those Tibetan pilgrims were walking the lake kora and kind of really belonged to the place So it did not loose its atmosphere They were curious and friendly Playing billiard in Barga Mt Kailash still in the background Barga small and dusty place entry point for the Lake Manasovar If you cycling from Darchen take a part of the kora circuit first anti clock wise and then follow a small road across the bridge It will safe you one river crossing and also quite a few kilometres Eventually you will join the main road again somewhere before Barga And the most important the road is really nice In Barga we stopped for a yak butter tea and played a few games of biliar with excellent panorama of the Mt Kailash in the background km 1614

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