Kailash kora

Day 1: Setting off on the 52km, 3-day kora (clockwise pilgrimage circuit) around the base of Mt Kailash.

Campsite: Overnight at Dira-puk (4800m), at the end of the first 20km section of the kora - after 5 hours and a pounding headache.

Day 2: An 8am start for the 18km trek and the most difficult section of the kora (arriving at camp at 6.30pm).

Above: The north face of Kailash, set against a clear, blue sky. A few days earlier, we had heard reports that the snow was knee-deep and there was zero visibility of the mountain due to the cloud cover.

The slow, difficult uphill trudge through snow and ice, heading for Drolma La, the highest point of the kora ..... my steps had slowed down to mantra-pace …… Om Mani Padme Hum. My guide Kunchok was my hand-holder up to the pass and down the other side, as the ice was quite slippery. On the way down from the pass, a little Tibetan boy was slip-sliding behind me, so I offered to be his hand-holder, and the three of us made our way down to snow-free terrain and level footing again.

Above and below: Several hours later, at the high pass of Drolma La at 5630m.

Day 3: The final 14km section was a leisurely walk back to Darchen, the starting point of the kora.