| Saka Dawa festival trek, 18 days |
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Special Festival Trip In the hundred ages of the gods I could not tell the glories of (the Himalaya) .....there is no mountain like (the Himalaya) for in it are Kailash and Manasarovar. - From the Hindu epic RAMAYANA The most important festival for Tibetan Buddhism, the 'Saka Dawa Festival' commemorates Shakyamuni's Buddhahood and the death of his mortal body. At every monastery sutras are recited and 'Cham' dances are performed.
descriptionIt is said that good deeds in the month of this festival deserve 300 fold in return and this leads many people to donate large sums to the religious orders, monasteries and to the beggars that gather at this time of year. During Saka Dawa, the karmic results of virtuous and non-virtuous actions are magnified and it is believed that the merit earned on this day is multiplied. As a result, the tradition in the Tibetan community is to make offerings to their temple, Lama, and their community. One important offering that is made is to poor people. Tibetans in Tibet, India, Nepal etc., give beggars money during this time. Some Tibetans also give money to save the lives of animals. For instance, giving a butcher money to save the life of a sheep. Then this sheep is taken to a herdsman who is paid regularly by the "sponsor" to take care of the animal. The karmic merit thought to accumulate from these actions, if the motivation is correct, can be enormous. MT. KAILASH (6741 m) is perhaps the most sacred of Holy Mountains in Tibet. Together with the two lakes of Manasarovar & Rakas, the region is one of the few truly nature wonders of the world., Three of the orient's greatest rivers; the Brahmaputra, the Sutlej, and the Indus, all take their sources within a hundred kilometers of this snow capped jewel which attracted Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Bon-po's from the four corners of Asia for centuries. Mt. Kailash - also known as Tise or Khang Rimpoche (Jewel of the snow), has since the time immemorial been celebrated in many eastern cosmologies as Mt Meru, the axis mundi (the center of the physical and metaphysical universe). For the Hindus, it represents the abode of Lord Shiva and for the Buddhists, a terrestrial projection of the cosmic Mandala of the Five Dhyani Buddhas & The Wheel of life. People believe that a single Kora or Parikrama washes away the sins of a lifetime and Buddhists believe that 108 circuits secure Nirvana in this life. On the trek, one may encounter Bon Pilgrims circling the route counter clockwise or the very devoted continually prostrate themselves along the whole 32.5 miles loop. There is also the 'inner Kora' that passes two lakes to the south of Mt. Kailash. Tradition dictates that only those who have made 13 circumambulation of Kailash may follow this inner route. The mouth of the four great rivers are within 100 Km of the mountain-the Indus, The Brahamaputra, The Sutlej and the Karnali, all major tributaries of The Ganges. The Mt. Kailash circuit is 32.5 miles of strenuous trails which crosses the Dolma La. This pass is the route highest point at 18525 ft. At a large boulder is a collection of offerings where pilgrims traditionally deposit one item and take another. Although the journey entails long rides by Land cruisers over Tibet's great western plateau through a region inhabited by few wild animals, holy lakes and the occasional nomad, this existing tour involving a four day trek with yaks in the remotest part around Mt Kailash and offers the most fascinating experience on the Roof of the World. NOTE: Chinese Visa for entry into Tibet is only available on certain days of the week. We have deliberately kept three nights in Kathmandu at the beginning of the trip so that we get enough time to process the visa. itineraryITINERARY DAY 01: KATHMANDU(1300m) DAY 02: BHAKTAPUR DAY 03: KATHMANDU DAY 04: KATHMANDU DAY 05: KATHMANDU-NYALAM(3750m)153Kms. 6-7 Hrs DAY 06: NYALAM (3750m) DAY 07: NYALAM-SAGA(4600m) 240 Kms./6-7 Hrs DAY 08: SAGA-Paryang(4750m) 255 Kms./5-6h Hrs DAY 09: PARYANG-MANASAROVAR(4560m) 223 Kms /5-6 Hrs DAY 10: MANASAROVAR-DARCHEN (4620) 115 Kms. 4-5 Hrs DAY 11: DARCHEN-NANDI PARBAT-DARCHEN DAY 12: DARCHEN-DIRAPUK(4860m) 20 Kms. 5-6 Hrs DAY 13: DIRAPUK-ZUTHUL PUK (4760m) 18 Kms. 9-10 Hrs DAY 14: ZUTHUK PUK-PARYANG (4750m) 280 Kms. 10-11 Hrs. DAY 15: PARYANG-SAGA (4600m) 255 kms. 6-7 Hrs DAY 16: SAGA-NYALAM(2300m) 270 Kms.7-8 Hrs DAY 17: NYALAM-KATHMANDU(1300m) 123 Kms. 7-8 Hrs DAY 18: The day is free untill your transfer to the airport for onward journey.
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