Kailash Mansarovar Yatra means mainly doing a parikrama of Mount Kailash and taking a holy baptism in Mansarovar Lake. These can alleviate any sins of the pilgrims and bring them salvation.
People who are between 18 and 70 years old and in good health are eligible to take the Kailash Mansarovar yatra trip. The yatra can be done on foot, by bus, or by helicopter. In addition, to undertake the yatra, please book either through the Ministry of External Affairs or through a Tibet/Nepal tour operator.
How to Take a Kailash Mansarovar Yatra?
To reach Kailash Mansarovar, Indian pilgrims can take a road trip from Dehli.
The Ministry of External Affairs organizes the yatra from June to September each year through two different routes — Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand) and Nathu La Pass (Sikkim).
But the yatra is conducted in batches with a certain number of pilgrims each year. Alternatively, you can go to Kathmandu to join the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage trip starting here.
However, if you have a US passport or other passport, you can fly to Lhasa to start your Kailash Mansarovar trip.
- Via Lipulekh Pass: The route through Lipulekh Pass (a Himalayan pass on the border between India’s Uttarakhand state and the Tibet region of China) involves some trekking. And the route has three sections. The first section is a 107.6 km long road from Pithoragarh to Tawaghat; the second section is a 19.5 km single-lane road from Tawaghat to Ghatiabgarh, and the third section is 80 km from Ghatiabgarh to Lipingkh Pass at the Chinese border. A new road in the third section is under construction in 2020 to allow vehicles. After completion, it cuts travel time from 5 days by a trek to just two days by vehicle. In addition, this route crosses important locations, such as Narayan Ashram. Yatris can also see the beauty of the scenery of the Chialekh Valley or “Om Parvat”, where snow naturally appears in the form of “Om”.
P.S The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra cost is about Rs 1.6 lakh per person/USD2133, which is the lowest cost. The duration of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is 24 days, including 3 days of preparation in Delhi.
- Via Nathu La Pass: The route through Nathu La Pass (4309 meters, connecting Sikkim India with China’s Tibet Autonomous Region) is reachable by bus and especially suitable for the elderly yatris. The cost is about Rs.2 lakh per person/USD2667. The duration would be 21 days including 3 days in Delhi for preparatory work. It passes through scenic spots such as Hangu Lake and the vast landscape of the Tibetan Plateau.
- Via Kathmandu: A Kailash Mansarovar Yatra from Kathmandu is applicable either by helicopter or by car. The helicopter package is easier and faster, which takes 12 days and costs RS 210,000/USD2800 per person. Then, you will be flying from Kathmandu to Simikot via Nepalgunj and take a helicopter ride from Simikot to Hilsa. Moreover, the view over the Himalayan mountains is breathtaking and wonderful. After entering Tibet we will drive you to Kailash and Mansarovar.
- Via Lhasa: Apart from these religious groups, plenty of tourists are simply enchanted by the beauty of the place. They can book Kailash Mansarovar tour packages operated by Tibet travel agencies directly. But the premise is to have non-Indian passports cos Tibet Travel Agencies cannot arrange for Indian tourists to Kailash Mansarovar.
The duration is 12 ~15 days. Kailash Mansarovar tour cost via Great Tibet Tour starts from Rs 140,219/1930USD per person. Along the way, you can visit the Potala Palace, Yamdroktso Lake, Everest Base Camp, and view the sand dunes, beautiful grassland, local’s villages, etc.
Extra Expenses You Might Need To Make During the Trip
Throughout the trip, you will have to pay for services that are not covered by your travel agency. These expenses are personal, and thus it is entirely dependent on you to spend or not. Moreover, there may be incidents like natural disasters and emergency medical situations.
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Nevertheless, it is always wise to carry extra cash wherever you go. Some of the excluded personal expenses are:
- Horse rides or yak rides. This is for people who cannot walk long miles at a stretch. USD50/day
- Laundry, extra snacks and drinks, telephone services, etc. USD50/day
- Extended hotel stays if you are sick. USD65/room/night.
- Airport transportation costs. USD80/vehicle
But please note these expenditures are uniform for all travel packages. The number of days of your packages may affect the total amount of these personal payments.