Kailash Mansarovar yatra resumes in 2025 after 5-year suspension

Kailash Mansarovar yatra resumes in 2025 after 5-year suspension

The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, one of the most spiritually significant pilgrimages in South Asia, has resumed in 2025 after a five-year pause. Suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the absence of renewed border arrangements with China, the yatra’s revival marks a deeply meaningful moment for devotees of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and the Bon tradition.

As the first groups of pilgrims set forth across different regions of India, this year’s yatra is not just a resumption of travel—it is a restoration of faith, cultural continuity, and international coordination.

A Staggered Return: Routes Through Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Himachal Pradesh

The 2025 yatra proceeds primarily through two key access points: Lipulekh in Uttarakhand and Nathu La in Sikkim. Each route presents its own challenges and experiences, requiring careful logistical planning as well as physical and spiritual readiness from the pilgrims.

On July 5, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami flagged off the first group of yatris from the Tanakpur Tourist Rest House in Champawat district. These pilgrims, representing 11 states, commenced their ascent through the Lipulekh corridor—a route known for its steep elevation and rugged terrain.

In the northeast, the journey through Sikkim’s Nathu La Pass was reinstated on June 20, following a ceremonial send-off by Governor Om Prakash Mathur. Known for its relatively smoother incline, the Nathu La route has received positive feedback from pilgrims and authorities for its well-organised medical support and secure arrangements.

In Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur district, preparations are in full swing for the yatra beginning July 15. The administration, led by Kalpa Sub-Divisional Magistrate Amit Kaltaik, has laid out a detailed roadmap for registration, medical clearance, and route safety. The journey will begin from Tangling village, with alternative routes being evaluated based on current terrain and weather conditions.

Pilgrimage Coordination and Route Management

This year, the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is being coordinated by multiple government bodies, including the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), state tourism departments, and regional administrative bodies.

The MEA has approved a total of 750 pilgrims: 250 will travel via the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand, while 500 will undertake the journey through Nathu La in Sikkim. The Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) is overseeing ground-level logistics on the Uttarakhand route, including transportation, meals, and accommodation.

In Himachal, the local administration has made medical checks mandatory. A base camp will be set up at Malling Khatta, with facilities for health screening and on-site emergency care. Online registration is available from July 11, while offline counters will open in Tangling from July 14. A Quick Response Team (QRT) will also be stationed to manage emergencies. Pilgrims are required to pay a nominal green fee and are being encouraged to maintain cleanliness along the route.

Spiritual Geography: The Sacred Mountain and Lakes

At the heart of the pilgrimage lies Mount Kailash, rising 6,638 metres in the remote Ngari Prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region. Revered across multiple faiths, the mountain remains unclimbed, its sanctity unchallenged by mountaineering ambition.

To the south of the peak lie two lakes—Manasarovar and Rakshastal. Manasarovar, a freshwater lake, is regarded as sacred in Hinduism and Buddhism, while the saline Rakshastal has a darker mythical association. Together, they form a landscape of deep symbolic and theological resonance.

Mount Kailash is not only mythologically important but also hydrologically significant. It serves as the origin point for four major rivers of Asia—the Brahmaputra (Yarlung Tsangpo), the Indus, the Sutlej, and the Karnali (a tributary of the Ganga). This convergence underscores its unique position as both a spiritual and geographical axis.

What the Yatra Entails: From Delhi to Tibet and Back

The journey to Kailash Mansarovar is structured yet physically demanding. For those taking the Lipulekh route, the itinerary includes acclimatisation halts at Dharchula, Gunji, and Nabhidang, before crossing into Tibet at Taklakot. The return journey includes overnight stays in Bundi, Chaukori, and Almora before circling back to Delhi.

While the route through Sikkim is longer in distance, it offers relative ease in terms of altitude and infrastructure. Both routes, however, demand physical endurance and a level of mental and emotional preparedness rare in modern travel.

More Than a Pilgrimage: A Cultural and Diplomatic Undertaking

The return of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra stands as a quiet triumph of diplomacy and devotion. It reflects the Indian government's effort to protect spiritual heritage while navigating the sensitivities of international borders and high-altitude terrain.

For the faithful, this is more than a journey to a remote mountain—it is an intimate, often life-defining encounter with the divine. The renewed yatra allows a new wave of pilgrims to undertake a path walked for millennia, across glaciers, gorges, and time itself.

As pilgrims tie their boots and take their first step into this sacred corridor, the 2025 Kailash Mansarovar Yatra begins not just with a ritual—but with reverence.