The peak of Mount Kailash is located at an elevation of 6,638 m (21,778 ft), near the western trijunction between China, India and Nepal.

For Hindus, it is the home of the Hindu god Shiva...for Jains it is where their first leader was enlightened; for Buddhists, the navel of the universe; and for adherents of Bon, the abode of the sky goddess Sipaimen.

[8][9] It lies in the Gangdisê Mountains (also called as Kailash Range) of the Transhimalaya, in the western part of the Tibetan Plateau.

[15] The major rivers rising from the western Gangdise mountains are the Yarlung Tsangpo (which becomes the Brahmaputra), the Indus, the Sutlej and the Karnali, a tributary of Ganges.

The Cenozoic rocks represent offshore marine limestones deposited before subduction of the Tethys oceanic crust.

These sediments were deposited on the southern margin of the Asia block during subduction of the Tethys oceanic crust before the collision between the Indian and Asian continents.

[22] The flysch zone consists of alternate areas of peridotites, sandy shales, and dolomites, covered by gravel terraces.

[25] Global warming is described as happening three times faster (by about 0.3 C per decade) on the Tibetan Plateau than anywhere else in the world with lesser snowfall in the winter.

These effects along with population explosion and tourism has put severe stress on the fragile ecosystem around Mount Kailash.

[32][33] The organization is involved in ongoing efforts to generate climate data, and to devise sustainable ways of life for the people of the region.

[34][35] In 1926, Hugh Ruttledge, the deputy commissioner of Almora, visited the area to meet the Garpon (local Tibetan leader) of Ngari.

[37] He thought about an ascent along the northeast ridge and had been exploring the area with Colonel R. C. Wilson, who was on the other side of the mountain with a Sherpa named Tseten.

Wilson explained that although they attempted to climb the mountain, they ran into heavy snowfall, making the ascent impossible.

[12][47][48][49] In Hindu art and literature, the mountain is described as the abode of Shiva, who is depicted as residing there along with his consort Parvati and their children, Ganesha and Kartikeya.

[52] In Hindu mythology, Mount Meru is considered as a stairway to heaven, where the devas reside and the Vishnu Purana states that it lies in the center of the world surrounded by six mountain ranges similar to a lotus, one of which is the Himalayas.

[60] According to the Hindu scriptures and sculptural depictions, the demon-king Ravana shook the mountain after he was refused entry to Kailash.

[12][66][67] It is believed by Jains that after Rishabhadeva attained moksha, his son emperor Bharata Chakravartin had constructed three stupas and twenty four shrines of the 24 tirthankaras in the region with their idols studded with precious stones and named it Sinhnishdha.

[68] The 24th and the last Tirthankara, Mahavira, was taken to the summit of Meru by Indra shortly after his birth, after putting his mother into deep slumber.

[16] Numerous sites in the region are associated with Padmasambhava, who is credited with establishing Tantric Buddhism in Tibet in the 8th century CE.

[74][75][76] Vajrayana Buddhists believe that saint Milarepa (c. 1052 – c. 1135) had a challenge with Naro Böncham, a follower of Bön religion of Tibet.

While Naro sat on his magic drum to climb up the slope, Milarepa reached the summit riding on the rays of the Sun, thus winning the contest.

[12][81][82] As per Tibetan beliefs, the mountain was the centre of the universe Mandala and the source of the mythical Lion, Horse, Peacock, and Elephant Rivers which flowed in the four cardinal directions.

[94] Since 2020, a motorable road is available till the Lipu Lekh pass through the Indian side of the Mahakali valley, before crossing over to China.

[98] Pilgrims also pray to Mount Kailash from within Nepal where it is visible from the Lapcha La pass above the Limi valley on a clear day.

[25][101] The most extreme method of doing the circumambulation (called Kora) in Tibetan Buddhism is performed by doing full body-length prostrations over the entire stretch around the mountain.

[97] Pilgrims believe that doing a circumambulation of Mount Kailash is a spiritually beneficial practice that can bring various positive effects, such as the cleansing of one's sins.