Chongye
The Chongye Valley was the ancient capital of the Tibetan kings prior to the 7th century and as such contains the royal burial grounds. Tibetans, at this time, were followers of the shamanist Bon tradition, a tradition which interred kings in colossal turmuli along with their worldly goods (sometimes their retainers as well).

Buchu Sergyi Lhakhang
The oldest Buddhist shrine in Kongpo, Buchu is one of the four “Border Taming’ temples built by Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century. It pins down the right elbow of the ogress who represents the Tibetan landscape. Originally associated with the Nyingma School, Buchu was formally adopted by the Gelukpa in the late 19th century.

Lamaling
The main seat of the head of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism is a beautiful temple, rebuilt following the 1930 earthquake and again after the Cultural Revolution. The new structure contains images in the best metal casting tradition of the region.

Kailash/ Kang Rinpoche/Precious Snow Mountain (6714m)
Collectively known as Kangri Tsosum- Ponri Ngaden, lake Manasarovar and

Kailash / kang Rinpoche / Precious Snow Mountain (6714m)
Collectively known as Kangri Tsosum-Ponri Ngaden, Lake Manasarova and Kailash – are said to be the heart of the ancient Shangshung Kingdom, the supposed land of origin of the pre-Buddhism Bonpo. Kailash is their soul mountain, which they also call Yungdrung Gu Tse (Nine –Storey Swastika Mountain). This is the place where their legendaryfounder, Tongpa Shenrab descended from heaven to earth.

In the 11th C which the revival and ascendancy of Buddhism in Tibet, Milarepa was the dominant influence in the area. He defeated his Bonpo archival, Naro Bonchung, in a series of magical contests. Relic traces of this epic battle can be seen from time to time along the Kora. From the 12th C the Kagyupa flourished around the mountain. Monasteries and retreats sprang up and pilgrims arrived in large numbers to pay homage to Kang Rinpoche.

To Buddhist, it is the abode of Demchok, the wrathful manifestation of Buddha Sakyamuni. To Hindus it is the dwelling of Shiva, the destroyer and according to the Sanskrit tradition of Vishnu Purana (200BC) it is a representation of Mt. Sumeru, the cosmic mountain at the center of the universe.

Four major rivers have their sources here. The Indus, the Sutlej, the Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) and the Karnali. The holy Ganges also originates in the area. Tibetans consider all these rivers sacred and their sources even more so.

Lake Manasarovar (4572m)
The 'lake conceived from the Mind of God' is a brilliant turquoise of water, pure beyond conventional scientific confirmation. Its sun shapes a balance and contrast to Rakshal Tal. Chiu Gompa, spectacularly perched on a rocky pinnacle, is the site of the cave where padmasambhava lived for the last 7 years of his life.

Rakshas Tal
Manasarovar's western neighbour, Rakshas Tal is known as the 'Lake of the Demon' or 'Lake of Poisoned Water' is totally different, its waters dark and stormy. Shaped like acrescent moon, it embodies the forces of the night, the dark and the unknown side of the psyche.

Tirthapuri (4320m)
On the banks of the Sutlej, in a striking ravine of red and white earth, unusual rock formations and draped with prayerflags, tirthapuri is an important finale to a Kailash Kora. It is an area strongly associated with Padmasambhava as well as events from the lives of numerous Buddhas and bidhisattvas, the small pompa wa originally constructed by a Nyingma Lama, but is now maintained by the kagyu. Within the temple isa cave where Padmasambhava meditated with his consort and a hole through which he is said to have extracted the consciousness of the ogress who previously inhabited the cave.

The Guge Kingdom (3650m)
The kingdom of Guge was established in the 9th century following the assassination of the anti Buddhist king Langdarma and breakup of the Yarlung Emir. His descendants travelled west and established a capital at Tsaparang. The 10th century king, Yeshe-O and the translator Rinchen Zangpo worked together with Atisha to reestablish Buddhism in Tibet and built over 100 monasteries.

The presence of the Jesuit missionaries promoted ladakh to invade in 1630. they held the territory for a period, but it was eventually absorbed by Lhasa.

 Tholing
Tholing was the greatest and historically most important monastery of western Tibet, its influence stretching from Kasmir to Assam. Built in the 11th century by Rinchen Zangpo, it was one of the three major monasteries founded by him.

The surviving 15th and 16th century murals are splendid examples of the Guge style, a synthesis of Kashmiri and Newari art.

Tsaparang
Tsaparang sprawls over a ridge alongside the sutlej River. The entire ridge is covered with temples, chortens, houses, cave dwellings, fortifications and secret passageways.

It is one of th most important art-historical centers in Tibet with stunning murals adorning the Lhakang Marpo and Lhakang Karpo.