The yatra involves doing two things- A parikrama of Mount Kailash and taking a dip in the holy Mansarovar Lake for washing away one's sins. The yatra can be completed either on foot or by taking the 4500 CC land cruisers, helicopters, and luxury AC buses. There is pre-booking done either through the Ministry of External Affairs or a private tour in Nepal or Tibet. It takes nearly 10 to 30 days to complete the yatra which includes the medical health check-up too that takes place in Delhi.
A passport is mandatory for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra as Mount Kailash is located in China-occupied Tibet. China also supplies visas and permits for the yatra. Only group visas are issued, so the yatra has to be done through tour operators. Mansarovar Lake is a beautiful spot that lies at a distance of 20 kilometers from kailash parvat height of 15,015 feet.
Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Route
Route Number 1: Through Uttarakhand
This route goes through the Lipuekh Pass which lies in Uttarakhand. Trekking is involved here which costs nearly INR 1.6 Lakh per person. The trek is completed in batches with a total of 18 batches comprising 60 pilgrims in each batch.
Duration: The Yatra gets concluded in 24 days by 1 batch. It also includes 3 days for all the preparatory work which is done in Delhi.
Places covered on the way: The Yatra covers areas including Narayan Ashram, Chialekh Valley, Patal Bhuvaneshwar on their way. The specialty of the Chialekh Valley, also known as Om Parvat, is that the snow here is in the shape of 'Om' on the mountain.
Route Number 2: Through Sikkim
This route goes through Nathu La Pass which lies in Sikkim. This route is appropriate for the elderly who are unable to undertake trekking since it is motorable. This route costs approximately INR 2 Lakh per person. It has been decided that for this year, the pilgrims will be divided into 8 batches. Each batch will further comprise 50 pilgrims.
Duration: It takes 21 days to complete this route which includes 3 days of preparatory work done in Delhi.
Places covered on the way: On the way, the pilgrims are likely to come across many beautiful scenic places including Hangu Lake and Tibetan Plateau.
