The Ministry of External Affairs is arranging the holy Kailash Mansarovar Trek after 6 years. Two routes are scheduled for the trek, one is Nathu La and the other is Lipulekh Pass. Only 750 pilgrims are accepted for this trek.
With the help of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of India, Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation, and India-Tibet Border Police, the Holy Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, after 6 years of suspension due to COVID-19, is again resumed from June and it will continue till August 2025. This year, 5 batches, each consisting of 50 Yatris, and 10 batches, each consisting of 50 Yatris, are scheduled to travel through Uttarakhand State, crossing over at Lipulekh Pass, and through Sikkim State, crossing over at Nathu La Pass, respectively. This spiritual trek is organised for Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Bon followers.
Since 2015, the entire process, commencing with online application till selection of Yatris, is a fully computerized process. Out of 5,561 registrants, which included 4,024 men and 1,537 women, only 750 individuals were accepted for this holy trek. The first batch of pilgrims departed from Delhi on June 15 and crossed through the Nathu La border on June 20. The last batch will depart from Delhi on August 7 and cross through the border on August 12. The total estimated cost per person for the Nathu La (Sikkim) Route is 2.83 lakh, and for Lipulekh (Uttarakhand) is 1.74 lakh.
Rajendra Chettri, CEO of Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation (STDC), stated, “The programme starts on June 11 and the first batch of yatris will accordingly leave for Delhi. The STDC will have a team in Delhi, where the devotees will be taken for a medical test at the ITBP camp from June 11 to 14. After that, their passports will be collected and an application for visas will be submitted to the Chinese embassy.”
Eligibility for Kailash Mansarovar Trek
- Must be a citizen of India.
- Possess an Indian passport valid for a minimum of 6 months as on 1st September of the current year.
- Age should be minimum 18 and 70 years as on 01 January of the current year.
Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or less. - Physically fit and medically healthy for undertaking the Yatra for religious purposes. Foreign nationals are not eligible to apply; OCI cardholders are, thus, not eligible.
