Darchen (4560m) was formerly an important sheep station for the nomads and their flocks. With the increased traffic to Kailash, it has degenerated somewhat into what some people call a ‘garbage dump’. We had hoped to skip Darchen and camp further west at Tarboche, but this is allowed only at Saga Dawa time. We stayed at a fairly new concrete block style guesthouse, with both eastern and western style toilets, although they were filthy as usual. Here is our room.