Travel Route 

The village of Darchen, at the foot of Mt. Kailash, is where the circumambulation around Mt. Kailash starts and ends. Generally it takes 3 days to accomplish one circumambulation around Mt. Kailash, 57km (35 miles) in total. Circumambulations around Lake Manasarovar can be started from a small lakeside village, 30km (19 miles) southeast of the village of Darchen. One circumambulation around the lake, which is 60km (37 miles) in circumference, needs four to five days. 

Dining and Lodging

Hostels, rest houses and restaurants can be found in the village of Darchen and the lakeside village. Temples along the route provide basic lodging facilities as well. However, for during the peak season and to allow for unexpected situations, tents and sleeping bags are worthy of consideration. Moreover, since dining in restaurants is somewhat unrealistic on the circumambulation, the purchase of supplies of instant food, water, chocolate and sausages in Shiquanhe or Purang County beforehand is a necessity. Do keep to a slow pace and never eat your fill as this will help to save energy and ease the effects of mountain sickness . 

Packing

Do not carry all your belongings to worship the Sacred Mountain and the Holy Lake. It is indeed unnecessary. Pack as little as possible, otherwise you will be too exhausted to enjoy the scenery. Porters, who assemble near hostels and rest houses in the village of Darchen and the lakeside village, can be of great help and the usual charge is CNY 50-60 per day. 

In addition to flashlights, matches, anti-cold electuaries and down coats, litter bags should not be overlooked. 

Last but not least, learning about the myths, legends and the climate of Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarova before your expedition will make your visit more interesting and fruitful. 

Banks, Post Offices and Telecom

In most towns and counties of Ngari you will find the Agricultural Bank of China and a post office as well as a telecom office. Internet cafes have mushroomed at the town of Shiquanhe in the recent years, but the charges are much higher than those in Lhasa and inland places.