Day 01 Chiu Monastery to Hor Qu
7 1/2-8 hours • 30km • 120m ascent • 120m descent

As per Buddhist tradition, head in a clockwise direction from Chiu, traveling east along the north shore. You will pass Mani stones nearly 2m tall. The trail soon leaves the waterline and ascends over the top of a red escarpment for two hours. The cliffs below are sprinkled with caves that have been used by religious practitioners for centuries. Some of these caves have been converted into permanent homes. From the grass-capped, rolling top of the escarpment the route descends into a small vale where you can see the ruins of Cherkip Monastery; at this point you're a little over two hours from Chiu Monastery.

From Cherkip it is faster to follow the trail east over the headlands to Langbona Monastery, a 90-minute walk. There is also a lakeshore route past more caves and cliffs. When the escarpment ends look for the trail going north along the Gyuma valley to Langbona on the west bank of the Gyuma-chu.

East of Langbona the route traverses a marshy plain to the settlement of Hor Qu, four hours away. Look for a series of tracks heading towards the distant margin of the plain. Under no circumstances return to the edge of the lake from Langbona. The swamps along this part of the lakeshore give way to several lakes that flow into Manasarovar, effectively blocking the route to all but birds and fish.

Day 02 Hor Qu-Seralung Monastery
3 hours • 13km • level

The trail from Hor Qu leaves the settlement in a south-westerly direction, avoiding the extensive swamps abutting the lake. A little south of Hor Qu you cross the bridge over the Samui-chu ¨C the main road east initially follows this valley. South of the swampy tracts, the trail rejoins the lakeshore along a stone beach. Look out for white-and-black polished stones, sacred to both Buddhists and Hindus. The route is squeezed between the water and a cliff, before a side valley and Seralung Monastery appear.

Day 03 Seralung Monastery-Trugo Monastery
7 hours • 27km • level

At first the route south of Seralung stays near the lakeshore, but in about one hour the mountains retreat and a plain forms next to Manasarovar. The trail moves inland about 1km and crosses the bridge over the Tag Tsangpo about three hours from Seralung. Up this valley are extensive hot springs and geysers as well as Bon and Buddhist sites.

About three hours from the Tag Tsangpo Bridge you will round the south side of Manasarovar and reach the ruined Yerngo Monastery situated in abroad plain. South of the plain the massive flanks of the Gurla Mandata (7728m) massif rise up to a heavily glaciated summit. In Buddhist tradition, Gurla Mandata is the dwelling place of the goddess of wisdom, Saraswati. However, in the older Bon tradition the mountain is the home of the Queen of the Dralha, an important class of ancient warrior deities.

You will reach Trugo Monastery after another hour. Trugo is the only monastery at either Kailash or Manasarovar belonging to the Gelugpa order. Trugo (Bathing Head) is so named because of its importance as a place for ritual bathing. Kailash seems to embrace the lake from this angle, lending credence to ancient myths that speak of the two representing a god and goddess in union.

Day 04 Trugo Monastery-Chiu Monastery
9-10 hours • 40km • level

From Trugo a motorable track shoots over the range of hills south-west of the lake to join the Purang-Darchen road, but the kora route stays near the lakeshore. Eventually, swampy ground gives way to sandy expanses near the south-west corner of Manasarovar. The trail passes between the lake and the much smaller Shushup-tso along a narrow sand and gravel bridge. You'll round the west side of the lake two hours from Trugo; continue walking along the beach for two more hours to Gossul Monastery.

Gossul Monastery sits on top of a cliff and is best known as the place where the great Kagyupa saint Gfitsangpa meditated. On the lakeshore below the monastery are a couple of caves used by pilgrims to camp. Retreat caves are found on the circuit around the monastery. The kora follows the lakeshore to the Tsering Madang valley three hours away. From here it is two more hours back to Chin along the beach.


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