The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a significant religious pilgrimage for Hindus to Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Lake located in China’s Tibetan autonomous region, will recommence via the Nathu La Pass in Sikkim.
This announcement coincides with Sikkim celebrating its 50th year of statehood. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to participate in the statehood day celebrations, according to sources who spoke to NDTV.
After a five-year pause, the pilgrimage organised by the Ministry of External Affairs is set to take place again from June to September. The yatra operates through two main routes: Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and Nathu La Pass in Sikkim. It draws hundreds of pilgrims annually and holds religious importance not only for Hindus but also for Jains and Buddhists.
Through the Nathu La route, around 10 batches are expected to undertake the journey, with each batch spending 21 days on the pilgrimage. The cost per pilgrim is estimated at ₹2.83 lakh. The first group will leave Delhi on June 15 and cross the Nathu La border on June 20. The final batch is scheduled to depart Delhi on August 7 and cross the border on August 12. To support the pilgrimage, the Sikkim government has fast-tracked infrastructure improvements. Nathu La Pass lies roughly 60 km from Gangtok, within the Bhutia’s Kabi-Lungchok constituency.
Two acclimatisation centres are being developed to assist pilgrims traveling between Gangtok and Nathu La, along with new rest houses, toilets, and other essential travel amenities. These facilities are crucial because of the high altitude’s freezing temperatures and thin air, which can cause altitude sickness due to lower oxygen levels and air pressure.
Only Indian citizens with valid passports are permitted to participate in the yatra. The government does not offer any subsidies or financial support for those undertaking the pilgrimage.
The yatra had been suspended since 2020, initially due to the Covid-19 pandemic and later because of the military tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
