Day 17

DAY17: ZUTULPUK TO DARCHEN (Parikrama Day3) To Quzu / Thrugu, Mansarovar

WE divide the journey again in two parts.....
1. Zomzerbu To Darchen
2. Darchen To Quzu, Mansarovar


DAY17: ZUTULPUK TO DARCHEN (Parikrama Day3)

Zutulpuk: 4792 mtrs
DARCHEN: 4874mtrs
Distance : 14 kms (10kms by foot, 4 kms by bus)
Time Taken: 3.5 hours

Google Map view of the route
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Today was one the easiest of the days in the entire journey. WE just had to cover 14 km in all and that too out of the 14, last 4 km was in bus. Also if you notice the elevation profile the first 10 km was more or less on plain grounds with a slight descend.

Elevation Profile of The route done on foot
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As compared to the other days it was a late start. Well WE had been on the march usually at 0500 hrs but today it was at 0700 hrs that WE started our final parikrama day. The route as mentioned earlier was pretty simple and pretty flat. What also made this route easy was walking on motor able road.

Though WE still were above 4700mtrs but compared to yesterday WE had come down considerably and that was making US all happy and WE went chanting and reciting Holy Mantras all the way till the bus stop. In fact WE covered the 10kms distance in just about 2 hrs, after all the hardships WE had faced till now; this was like taking a stroll in a park.

The valley finished and WE could see open grounds. These were the Barkha / Parkha Plains and beyond the plain was the deep blue lake, The Raavan Taal and then were the Gurla Mandhata mountain range.

After some more walking WE finally came to the point where the bus was waiting for US to take US to Darchen and from there to Quzu / Thrugu Gompa, Mansarovar. This was the end point of Our Kailash Parikrama on foot, yatries paid and said good bye to their pony and porters and were on there way to Darchen. The journey of 4kms to Darchen took only about 30 mints. Our Parikrama of Mt. Kailash was over.

Earliaer, yatries have full day to go to Asthapad. Asthapad is the place revered by the Jain religion. Also you get a very good view of the South face of Mt. Kailash from there.But, now a days M.E.A.has reduced the number of days for the yatra, so on reaching Darchen, yatries collects the leftover luggage's there and WE start moving for onwards journey to Holy Lake Mansarovar.
Pics Day18

Bridges being constructed and paths being leveled
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This reminds US of the windows screen saver
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Today was the easiest day of all
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The valley finished and WE could see Barkha Plains at a distance
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Gurla Mandhata peak from the end point
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The Tibetan horsemen, well there are some ladies too
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A panoramic view of the meadows at the end point
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Full Rainbow over at Darchen
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Fresh snow on the higher reaches
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Fading light over the mountains
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DAY17: DARCHEN TO Quzu / Thrugu, MANSAROVAR
DARCHEN: 4874mtrs
TRUGHO: 4705MTRS
Distance : 75 kms by bus
Time Taken: 5 hours with stops

With one important part of the Journey over, i.e the Kailash Parikrama, we moved on for the next equally important part. This was a dip in Holy Lake Mansarovar.

Today WE will be reaching a Quzu Gompa (monastery) situated on the Southern banks of Lake Mansarovar. In the process WE would also complete 2/3rds of the Lake’s Parikrama by bus. The name of the monastery was Quzu / Trugho and WE would be spending 2 nights there before proceeding back to Taklakot.

Route from Darchen To Trugho Gompa
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It was a cold and a rainy that afternoon, luckily the whole journey was supposed to be on bus today, so chances of getting wet was less. As WE traversed through the Parkha plains WE could see lots of nomadic settlement with their flocks of sheep in the meadows. Little bit of rain also works wonders in a dessert, so the usually barren mountains were looking green. With the weather being cold, fresh snow was being deposited on the mountain tops.

In August the Chinese Govt had issued a visa restriction for tourists going to Tibet. But now it had been lifted. And since this route falls on the route taken by the private operators coming via Nepal to Visit Mt. Kailash, so WE crossed loads of jeeps carrying pilgrims to Mt. Kailash on our way.

WE stopped for some time at the biggest town on the banks of Lake Mansarovar, it’s called Hore. Here WE had to replenish our supplies of groceries and other food stuff to last us till Taklakot. After Hore, started our Parikrama around Mansarovar on unpaved roads. The ride was pretty bumpy, but the weather got cleared  the lake looked pretty amazing with pristine blue waters with shades of green and grey.The feeling of being next to Mansarovar was pretty exhilarating. There were lots of migratory birds nesting around the banks, but clicking them in a moving bus was difficult.

After another stop by the banks of Mansarovar WE reached Quzu. After getting sttling down there, WE straight away went to have a dip in the lake, but it was too cold for few yatries and they could not muster courage to get themself into the freezing waters.


Pics From Day17

Nomadic settlements and their flocks on Parkha Plains
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Pilgrims going to Kailash via Pvt Operators
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Rain and snowfall continued through out the day
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The town Of Hore
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Hore Chu Camp:- The camp where once Me and My Mother stayed at in Our previous yatra's
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As WE went around the lake, WE saw lots of migratory birds
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Alpha male standing tall
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A yatri talking a walk by the Lake with Kailash Standing tall in the background
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Broken structures around the lake. Chinese affect??
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Quzu / Trugho Gompa at a distance
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Still snowing at higher reaches
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The day was dull and cloudy throughout
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End Of Day 17

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