Ascent of sacred mountains acts as a new form of worship

Most Tibetans regard high, snow-capped mountains as sacred and they have long tradition of honoring them by making religious offerings or circling the base on foot.

Tsering Tandar climbs them instead. He regards the trek to the summit as a different way of worship.

"Climbing gives me the opportunity to feel those sacred mountains closely, and I regard it as a new way to pay my homage to them," said Tsering, a 28-year-old mountaineer.