Mount Kailash

Arguably the most holy of any natural wonder on the planet, Mount Kailash in western Tibet is a striking dome shaped peak with four symmetrically aligned sheer faces, yet to be conquered by any mountaineer. Many mythologies in Asia talk of a home of the gods, most notably Meru in the Hindu fables, which is a great mountain in the Himalayas that is the font of all life, laden with precious metals and gemstones. Kailash plays a key role in the hydrology of the Tibetan Plateau and is the source of four great rivers, including the Ganges and Brahmaputra. The mountain is a popular pilgrimage for thousands of Hindus who flock from India, and intrepid travellers, who aim to trek the three day "kora" circumnavigating the base of the mountain, which is said to erase all the sins of life. The most popular, and busiest, time to visit the mountain is during the Saga Dawa Festival, the full moon of the fourth lunar month which is the date of Sakyamuni's entry into nirvana. The main event of the festival is the raising of the vast Tarboche prayer pole, when extravagantly dressed monks and pilgrims convene to the south west of the mountain in a carnival like atmosphere. Located around 50km south of Kailash at an altitude of 4650m lies the holy Lake Manasarovar, thought to be one of the places Mahatma Gandhi's ashes were scattered. With beautiful turquoise blue water, sandy shoreline and a dramatic backdrop of snow-capped peaks this is considered one of Tibet's most beautiful lakes.