Kailash Mansarovar Yatra | First Batch of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Crosses Nathula Into Tibet

The first batch of pilgrims undertaking the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Nathula route crossed into the Tibetan Autonomous Region on Saturday, embarking on a 10-day spiritual journey to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar. The batch comprises 44 yatris, including three doctors and two liaison officers. Of the pilgrims, 32 are men and 12 are women. The group represents various parts of India, with participants primarily from Delhi, Haryana and Maharashtra, along with pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Karnataka and other states. The yatris began their journey from New Delhi on June 11 and arrived in Gangtok on June 15. Since June 16, they had been undergoing acclimatization at the Hangu Lake Acclimatization Centre near Nathula to prepare for the high-altitude pilgrimage. The first batch was flagged off by Governor Om Prakash Mathur at Nathula in the presence of Tourism Minister Tshering Thendup Bhutia, officials of the Indian Army, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and the Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation (STDC), which has been coordinating logistics and hospitality arrangements for the pilgrims in Sikkim. The resumption of the pilgrimage marks a significant milestone after the route remained suspended for more than five years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent disruptions. The yatra resumed in 2025 and is being conducted through both the Nathula route in Sikkim and the Lipulekh route in Uttarakhand. Addressing the gathering, Governor Om Prakash Mathur said it was his good fortune to once again flag off the first batch of pilgrims after the pilgrimage resumed last year. "The pilgrimage, which had remained suspended for the past five years, resumed last year. I consider it my good fortune that, just as on the previous occasion, I have again had the opportunity to flag off the first batch of pilgrims," he said.