Chomolhari

Photo by flickr user babasteve

Every year Tibetan Buddhists walk in procession from the town of Phari Dson to the holy lake Chomo Lharang as a pilgrimage to the “Mountain of the Goddess,” also known as Chomolhari. The mountain is located in the main Himalayan crest on the border between Tibet and Bhutan and stretches over 7,000 meters high.

F. Spencer Chapman, the mountain’s first climber, wrote, “Chomolhari gives a greater impression of sheer height and inaccessibility than any other mountain I know. . . . It is thought by many to be the most beautiful mountain in the whole length of the Himalaya.” The mountain looms over dense forests and icy summits that are home to Himalayan blue sheep, snow leopards, a variety of bird species, and other wildlife.

In spring, Chomolhari comes to life as rhododendrons, azaleas, and other wildflowers come to full bloom and cover the mountainside. In fall, yak headers leave their summer pastures and travel down the mountain, and rice paddies ripen and turn the sections of Chomolhari golden brown. Here, the culture remains untouched and untainted by the outside world.

Written by  Tara Fuller.

Comments, reviews and questions by other travellers

There are no posts. Why not be the first to have your say?