Epic Hikes of the World ( PDFDrive )

© Philip Yuan | Shutterstock
the mountain juts out above the plains
Accompanied by a friend and a guide (our mandatory escort in the Tibetan
Autonomous Region), we hit the trail on the outskirts of Darchen. With pilgrims,
tourists and migrant labour pouring in, Darchen has swollen like a gold-rush town,
with half-finished hotels, trinket shops and wild dogs skulking through overflowing
refuse. We exit the fray and head west on the sandy Barkha plain. Even this
modest ascent tests the lungs. But with brilliant blue skies my steps are buoyant. At
16,240ft (4950m) we hit a cairn, which is festooned with prayer flags and the first
views of the snow-packed southern face of Mt Kailash. It’s the first of four
prostration points. Lobsang, our guide, teaches us the proper form. We bow to the
mountain, our hands clasped in prayer, falling to the ground and rising to repeat.