A closer look

Hiking a high-altitude death march is difficult enough, but doing it while local pilgrims repeatedly throw their entire bodies on the dirt is deeply humbling. Mount Kailash is deemed sacred by four distinct religions, and walking its perimeter is believed to erase the sins of a lifetime. Due to the brutal elevation at the Dolma La pass, the trek is physically devastating, but witnessing Tibetan Buddhists perform body-length prostrations adds profound spiritual gravity.