[The following post is from the archives of my In Search Of Incredible blog, originally published on 2 January 2016]

3 August 2015, Sunday

After getting through the first two days, we felt good today as we knew that the end was near. Today’s journey would take us from Zuthal Puk back to Darchen, covering 14km altogether. Compared to the first two days, the distance was shorter and the altitude was kinder.

Before we departed the guesthouse, we discussed about the day ahead, and we unanimously decided to fast track our itinerary. The original plan was: after completing the trek, we would stay the night at Darchen, and move on to Saga the next day. However, we didn’t feel like wasting another day by spending it in Darchen, because the facilities there weren’t good. We were dying to have a proper shower, and the only place where we could have a good shower was at the hotel at Shigatse.

So we proposed to Tenzin that upon completing the trek, could we head to Saga directly instead of spending a night in Darchen? Tenzin thought about it for a second, and called Zai Xi Shu to discuss and make the necessary arrangements. To drive to Saga after our trek would mean arriving very late, possibly as late as 11pm, so we would need Zai Xi Shu to agree to it. Thankfully he was a great sport and agreed to the plan. We were very happy because it meant that we could shower one day earlier, and we would have one additional day to spend in Lhasa, since we were fast tracking the itinerary by a day. With that thought in mind, we were extra motivated to complete the trek as fast as possible.

We set off at 8:45am and walked briskly. It rained the night before so the ground was moist but not muddy. The mountain slopes seemed to be covered with more greenery on this stretch of the trek. The face of Mt. Kailash didn’t appear as often but the scenery was beautiful.

After passing a narrow cliff carved by the river in an S-bend, we could see the plains of Darchen in the distance. Despite our enthusiasm, our legs were tired by this point and we had to drag our bodies to cross the finish line, which was a merciless upslope.

When we finally stepped into the guesthouse for lunch, it was 11:45am and we collapsed onto the bench. We placed our orders for lunch and used the Wi-Fi to catch up on missed WhatsApp messages for the past three days. We also tipped our porters RMB 150 each for their hard work over the past three days. They are really superhuman and they deserve every yuan.

We departed Darchen at 1:05pm and made the long drive to Saga. In the late afternoon, it rained heavily and it was cold even inside the van. We were incredibly blessed that it did not rain heavily while we were trekking. We only arrived at Saga at 10:30pm, and it was pitch black everywhere. Kudos to Zai Xi Shu for making the long drive in the wet and dark conditions, and for bringing us safely to our destination.

The guesthouse that we stayed at during our first visit four days ago was fully booked, so we searched for another one. The next one we tried wasn’t equipped with a toilet (how strange is that?!) so it was quickly rejected. We then found one that had a room and toilet available and settled on that. It was the first time during the trip that all six of us shared a room. It was a cosy room and it was fun to stay in the same room. Too bad we arrived too late, or we could have played some card games before sleeping.

Some thoughts about the trek: I love trekking and walking to uncover sights and seeing beautiful scenery. In our day-to-day lives, we spend way too much time sitting down and staring at the computer screen. It felt great to give our legs some exercise and our eyes something natural and beautiful to look at.

I expected the trek to be a challenge because of the high altitude. That proved to be very true. It was the highest altitude I have ever been to and I would admit readily that it was a struggle for me. In terms of the facilities en route, it was not as good as those in Nepal. As mentioned, the rest stops (with food and shelter) here at Mt. Kailash are few and far in between.

As for the quality of the guesthouses, the ones here are not as well furnished. The toilets are a definite bane. They are the typical China toilets with no doors and no bowl. They are essentially pits and you can see what has gone down before you below. I would say I am generally quite hardy so I could still bear the toilets. It wasn’t pleasant to use them but they did the job. But I can definitely imagine how ladies feel about using such toilets. At least for guys, we can just stand and pee and it will be over in a minute.

In terms of the route, the trek here is all gravel and there are no stone steps, unlike in Nepal. Some people dislike climbing stairs but I think gravel is also quite tough because the stones are loose and it requires a fair bit of concentration to get a proper footing.

In terms of the scenery, the main attraction is Mt. Kailash of course, but the surrounding mountains are pretty spectacular as well and you will feel humbled as you traverse the valleys flanked by the massive slopes. However, in terms of variety and truly breathtaking sights, I feel that the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal is better. There, you will encounter rhododendron trees and cross suspension bridges over gushing rivers. For the Mt. Kailash circuit, the sights are quite uniform and the most exciting sight is at Dolma-La Pass.

Mt. Kailash is not catered to tourists yet, and perhaps that is a good thing. The locals far outnumber the tourists, and you still see people prostrating around and performing the kora, making it a genuine experience. The locals are very friendly and often greet you with “Tashitilay” when you walk past them.

Overall, I would say that the Mt. Kailash trek is very physically demanding. Do not attempt it if you have never experienced trekking in Nepal before. It is two whole levels up. Having said that, if you have trekked in Nepal before, do manage your expectations before attempting the Mt. Kailash trek. Personally, I find it less enjoyable than Nepal, and I was so tired for most part that I didn’t even bother taking out my camera to take photos. If you’re looking for a challenge and a unique spiritual experience, then Mt. Kailash trek is for you.