India and China confirmed the opening of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra for summer 2025 which represents a major achievement for advancing their diplomatic relations. The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra resumption announcement resulted from discussions by Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong at their high-level meeting. The pilgrimage will return after it was delayed in 2020 due to geopolitical tensions and the COVID-19 pandemic bringing great relief to both Indian followers and travelers on spiritual quests.
Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is one of the most sacred yatra pilgrimages, which attracts around a thousand devotees annually to the Tibet holy Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Lake. In the fresh development, Indian citizens can have reason to get prepared for the journey of the pilgrimage once more. The authorities concerned would finalize out the modalities of the registration process along with the routes and logistics during the coming months.
Two countries will also include renewing direct air links and starting discussions on sharing hydrological data on transboundary rivers. These steps will serve the purpose of easing travel services and strengthening cooperation between India and China. Running parallel with the pilgrimage search will be the broader normalization efforts in relations and promotions of cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is just around the corner. The wait is now over, and the Indian citizens can now go for their sacred pilgrimage starting in 2025. Keep yourself up to date with the registration and travel guidelines to facilitate a fulfilling pilgrimage.
This Blog answers:
When will Kailash Mansarovar open?
Is Kailash Mansarovar open?
When will Kailash Mansarovar open for Indian citizens?
Is Kailash Mansarovar Yatra open in 2025 for Indians?
In a press release ministry of external affairs in a press release stated “Then announcing the decision of resuming the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra it added, "In this context, the two sides decided to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in the summer of 2025; the relevant mechanism will discuss the modalities for doing so as per existing agreements. They also agreed to hold an early meeting of the India-China Expert Level Mechanism to discuss resumption of provision of hydrological data and other cooperation pertaining to trans-border rivers."
Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, which is considered one of the most sacred pilgrimages for Hindus, Buddhists Jains and Bon followers, will be resumed in summer 2025.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has announced that both India and China have agreed to resume the pilgrimage after a gap of four years as it was not possible to hold it since 2020 due to COVID-19. The modalities for this holy journey will be worked out through the existing diplomatic channels.
The resumption of the yatra is part of a wider plan to improve India-China ties. Earlier this month, after meetings in Beijing at the highest level, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri briefed Chinese officials on proposals for some key people-centric measures.
The priority was given to resuming the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and starting direct flights between the two countries. The talks had been discussed between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in October 2024, aimed at stabilizing bilateral ties.
Apart from the yatra, technical teams of both countries will meet to prepare a framework for the resumption of air services between two countries' airports, as most pilgrims travel by air. Further talks are also scheduled to take place on cooperation in trans-border river data-sharing and hydrology, again signalling a positive change in two countries' diplomatic engagement.
Are Direct Flights Between India and China Open Too?
Direct Flights Between and China are Open
For Indian pilgrims, this would bring hope of being able to undertake a spiritually rewarding pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Lake after an announcement that revives an ancient tradition and shows promise for better cultural ties with China.
India and China are agreeable in resumption of direct air connectivity after almost five years. The step forward comes on the side of escalated Indo-China tensions, including 2020 military clashes that led to shutting down the transportation mode facility. Connectivity restoration is expected to improve tourism, trade among India-China.
The timeline for the restart of these flights will depend on the early finalisation of the meeting of relevant technical officials from both sides to negotiate an updated MoU on the resumption framework. The negotiations under this CRM are expected to address issues related to logistical support, regulatory norms and safety protocols for smooth operation.
Prior to suspension due covid, nearly 500 flights per month were operated by India and China. These flights provided vital connectivity between the two countries for businesses, economy and tourists. The absence has impacted trade, including exports, investments and career opportunities in the form of mobility of qualified professionals from either country.
Why Was Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Paused For Indian Passport Holders?
The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is a spiritual journey to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar in Tibet that was cancelled for consecutive years. A suspension of the yatra occurred primarily because of the COVID-19 outbreak together with worsening political relationships between India and China.
Pandemic Induced Halt
Last year, the global pandemic of COVID-19 caused worldwide travel bans and suspension of international pilgrimages. Kailash Mansarovar Yatra was stopped as a precautionary measure to avoid the spread of the virus, resulting in disappointment for lakhs of followers who had made their bookings.
Geopolitical Tensions
There were also rising tensions on our borders with China over the past few years; 2017’s Doklam and Eastern Ladakh skirmishes brought about a new chill in our India-China relations and, therefore, further increased restrictions on normal cross-border movements. This, in turn, led to more unpredictability for Indian travellers since we shared our yatra route along that border region.
Closure of Nathu La Pass
Multiple periods of tension between India and China at the Nathu La Pass forced authorities to strike down the yatra pilgrimage route which had proven essential for ordinary believers. Ending access through Nathu La had severe consequences for the religious journey because this border crossing was available to pilgrims only since 2015. The lengthy detainment closing of this route further added to the corridor intensified the delivery issues for all logistical challenges for all pilgrims.
Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Quick Facts to Know as an Indian citizens
Duration of Trip: About 24-28 days, including travel and acclimatization.
Height: Mount Kailash stands at 6,638 meters (21,778 ft) above sea level. Lake Mansarovar is at 4,590 meters (15,060 ft) above sea level.
Routes for Pilgrimage: Two routes for Indians – via Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand) and Nathu La Pass (Sikkim).
Best Time to Visit: May to September, the warm weather months with favorable weather.
Permits Required: Indian pilgrims require permits from the Chinese government to be obtained by us from the Ministry of External Affairs, India.
Physical Condition: High-altitude trekking requires good physical and mental condition.
Religious Activities: Pilgrims take holy bath in Lake Mansarovar and parikrama (circumambulation) of Mt. Kailash.
Kora (Parikrama): 52 km circumambulation of Mt. Kailash is a great pilgrimage, 2-3 days walk.
Lake Mansarovar Shape: Lake Mansarovar is round in shape and it is the symbol of the Sun and lake Mansarovar is embracing Mount Kailash from both sides. This also gives us the feeling of yin-yang.
Spiritual Belief: It is believed by people that if any person takes a bath in the sacred water of Lake Mansarovar all his sins get purified.
Mount Kailash Shape: The mountain has a distinct pyramid like shape with a vertical gash on its face.
Unclimbed Peak: Mount Kailash is still an unclimbed peak because of both its religious significance and technical difficulty.
Four Faces: The mountain has four faces. Each face is orientated towards a cardinal point of the compass (north south east and west) and has a distinctive coloured stripe of its own. The faces are made by three neighbouring glaciers. To those who find believing in this difficult there is always a more simple scientific but not so satisfying earthly answer.
Source of Rivers: Four major rivers flow very near Kailash originating from four different directions – the Indus, Sutlej, Brahmaputra, and Karnali.
Bon Religion: In the Bon religion, Kailash was also considered the center of the world.
Buddhist Belief: The Bon name for the mountain is Tise, and Tibetan Buddhists call it Kang Rinpoche; 'precious snow-peak', a sibling term to the applied for the most holy mountain of all four of Vajrayāna Buddhism.
Jain Belief: It is believed that Rishabhadeva, the first Tirthankara, was liberated here.
Nearest Indian Town- Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand is the last major town before the Lipulekh Pass.
Nathu La Route: Easy but lengthy, suitable for old age pilgrims.
Lipulekh Route: Short but not so easy with trekking.
Nepal Kathmandu Route: Easier route to get permit in short duration of only 4 days
How To Reach Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar Yatra From India?
Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar are sacred places for Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Bonpos. From India, there are multiple routes to both places via Nepal and Tibet. I will provide you with the details of four such major routes.
1. Via Nepal (Rasuwa-Gyirong Border):
This is amongst the best routes for pilgrims coming from India to travel to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar.
Arrive in Kathmandu, Nepal - you can arrive either by air or by road. From Kathmandu, proceed on a scenic drive to the Rasuwa-Gyirong border, which is around 140 km - this takes around 6/7 hrs to drive through Nepalese scenic beauty – and complete the immigration & customs formalities on arrival at the border.
Cross the bridge over the Trisuli River and enter Tibet through Gyirong Port. From Gyirong Port, travel by vehicle/coach to Mt.Kailash, covering approx 1000 km over some days, visiting important points routes like Saga, Darchen, etc, where we base ourselves during Kailash Parikrama.
2. Via Nepal (Humla-Simikot-Hilsa Border):
This route is preferable in terms of shorter trekking and easier approach. Firstly, fly to Nepalgunj via Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, from your home country. Then, get access to Simikot (the headquarters town of Humla district) by domestic airline flight from Nepalgunj city, which is included in our package itself.
This flight offers you views of a great range of snow-capped Himalayas to the north. From Simikot, Hilsa is our yarling destination that we can reach after a 3-4 day trek on foot walking via scenic landscape and green forest.
3. Via Nepal (Kathmandu- Kerung Border) # The Best and The Most Preferred Option
To go to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar from India. One of the common routes is via Nepal where you travel through Kathmandu to various entry points in Tibet. From Kathmandu- The capital city of Nepal, which has good connectivity to the Tibetan border by air or road, you drive to Dhunche or Syabrubesi or Timure, as it is the starting point for the trip to the Tibet border.
The journey from Kathmandu to the border town Kerung (Tibet) is all about driving on winding roads amidst scenic landscapes, which can take from 8 - 10 hrs, depending on road conditions and traffic while reaching Kerung. At Kerung, before entering Tibet itself, one has to complete certain immigration formalities. Then we enter Tibet, where a series of overland drives begin till we reach Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar.
3. Via Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand):
The government of India manages this route and involves road travel and trekking. Start from Dharchula in Uttarakhand (500 km), road journey. Travellers must cover 79 km across 5 days when travelling from Dharchula to Lipulekh Pass. The journey continues to Tibet after crossing through Lipulekh Pass before leading to Taklakot (Purang) and then progressing toward Lake Manasarovar and Mount Kailash.
4. Via NathuLa Pass (Sikkim):
The Government of India controls this route and it is more famously known for the trekking and scenic beauty. Sikkim - Drive from Gangtok, capital of State Sikkim, to NathuLa Pass (About 55 km). The Pass is at an altitude of about 4,310 m and served as an ancient trade link between India & Tibet till its closure.
After the visit, we continued to drive down into Tibet then continued to drive to Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet-approx. 290 kms.West Of Lhasa. From Shigatse you will proceed to Lake Manasarovar & Mt Kailash(295 kms.approx) takes approx 1000 kilometers driving several days via Darchen , Saga etc
Mount Kailash Mansarovar Yatra From India to Nepal: Flight Options, Flight Cost from India to Nepal, Duration
Flight Options from India to Nepal
Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, operates many scheduled flights currently known as KTM. The airports of Kathmandu serve numerous Indian carriers who operate direct flights to cities Deli, Mumbai, Kolkata and Varanasi. The national airline Air India serves three domestic Indian airlines that connect all four cities between Kathmandu and Varanasi, Delhi and Mumbai, and Kolkata.
The routes feature airline services provided by IndiGo and Nepal Airlines in addition to the other carriers. A one-way Deli to Kathmandu Air India journey costs at least 24,243 NPR for the ticket price. All flights leave directly so traveling between these nations requires extended time lengths.
Available Flights Flying the Route From Delhi to Kathmandu
Direct Flights: Flights available from various Indian cities land directly in Kathmandu, including those from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bangalore. Among these, one taken by Air India goes from Delhi to Kathmandu, for which the minimum side cost is NPR 16,601.
Connecting Flights: If there is no direct flight connection between your city and Kathmandu, then one can take connecting flights, usually via airlines like Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet, taking layovers at Delhi or Kolkata.
Transition Points and Layovers
Delhi (DEL)– Common layover point for flights from various Indian cities to Kathmandu.
Kolkata (CCU): Another very common layover city, mostly for flights from eastern parts of India.
Average Flight Duration
The average flight duration from Kathmandu to major Indian cities is as follows:
Kathmandu to Delhi: 1 hour 15 minutes.
Kathmandu to Mumbai: 3 hours
Kathmandu to Kolkata: 1 hour 30 minutes
Direct Flights: Around 1.5 to 2 hours.
Connecting Flights: It can be anything between 4 to 8 hours, depending on how long your layover is.
Flights Cost From India to Nepal
Flight prices change all of the time and depend on who you book with and when, plus what season you travel in. On estimate, a one-way ticket to anywhere will be.
Economy Class: INR 3,000-10,000
Business Class: INR 15,000-30,000
Fares for one-way flights from Indian cities to Kathmandu start around NPR 16,601 (INR 10,375)(increase with departure city and how late you book). Booking early, using a low-fare airline or travelling during non-peak periods will give you the best chance of a good rate.
How To Take a Return Journey from Nepal to India After Completing Kailash Mansarovar Tour?
The same airlines have flights from Kathmandu to various Indian cities on the way back. Return tickets are also to be booked in advance so that one gets seats and gets cheaper fares too.
The return route from Nepal to India will consist of the following:
Tibet Border to Simikot: Drive back to Simikot.
Simikot to Nepalgunj: Back via helicopter to Nepalgunj.
Nepalgunj to Kathmandu: Domestic flight back to Kathmandu. Kathmandu to India: International flight from Kathmandu to Delhi, Mumbai, or Kolkata.
Return from Nepal back to India has the same options of travelling as inbound mentioned below :
Direct Flights: There are direct flights available from Kathmandu to major Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bangalore
Connecting Flights: For cities without a direct flight, connecting flights are available from Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet, among others, with stop over at Delhi or Kolkata.
Major Indian Departure Airports
Major international and domestic airport terminals for flyers going to and coming from India:
Indira Gandhi International Airport: Most domestic and internationally trafficked airport of the country
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport: Huge hub owing to many flight connectivity in Mumbai
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport: This airport holds major significance in eastern India due to its available flights.
Kailash Parvat Yatra For Indian Passport Holders: Itineraries, Packages and Cost in 2025
The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is a holy pilgrimage that is undertaken by many devotees each year. In 2025, there will be a 10-day tour available beginning from Kathmandu. The remaining itinerary consists of making your way to the Nepal-Tibet border at Kerung and then driving to Saga, Lake Mansarovar and then completing the sacred circumambulation (Kora) of Mount Kailash, which takes approximately three days. The return path follows back along the same route to Kathmandu.
The cost for an Indian passport holder begins at about INR 1,60,000 per person, ranging up to INR 2,80,000 per person, depending on what is included in the package as well as the group size for the Yatra. This price normally includes transport, accommodation and meals, as well as necessary permits and guide fees. It would be wise to book early due to its religious popularity and also permit-related issues.
Outline Itinerary
Day 1:Drive from Kathmandu to Dhunche or Syabrubesi or Timure
Day 2:Drive to Kerung County. (2850m)
Day 3:Drive to Saga (4550m)
Day 4:Drive from Saga to Mansarovar Lake (4550m)
Day 5:Drive to Darchen (4650m)
Day 6:First Day of Outer Kora – Trek to Dirapuk (4860m)
Day 7:Second Day of Outer Kora – On to Zuthulphuk (4670m) with Trek to Dolma La Pass
Day 8:Drive to Saga (4550m – 470 kms – 7-8 hrs)
Day 9:Drive back to Kerung (2850m – 220 km – 5 to 6 hrs)
The Kailash Saga Dawa Festival Tour takes you to the Saga Dawa Festival and rejoices in Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and parinirvana. This 10-day festival tour, starting from Kathmandu en route to Kerung and Saga, heads towards Darchen, the base for Mount Kailash.
There, you will observe the grand festival rituals of Tarboche, then continue with the three-day Kora of Mount Kailash before returning to Kathmandu again. The approximate package cost is US$ 1,850 per person and will vary as per the size of the group. The package prices include accommodations, transportation, permits & guiding services.
Outline Itinerary
Day 1:6th June 2025, Kathmandu to Kerung Border (2,500 m) - 6/7 Hrs
Day 2:7th June ay 2025, Rest for Acclimatization in Kerung (2,500 m) - Free Day
Day 3:8th June 2025, Drive to Saga (4400m) From Kerung Border- 6/7 Hrs
Day 4:9th June 2025, Drive to Lake Mansarovar (4500m) from Saga- 6/7 Hrs
Day 5:10 th June 2025, Holy bath at Lake Mansarovar then Drive to Darchen (4,670m)-3 /4 Hrs
Day 6:11th June 2025, Attend Saga Dawa Festival at Tarboche (4,750 meters)- continue Kailash Kora to Dirapuk (4800 m)- 7 Hours
Day 7:12th June 2025, Kailash Kora Trek from Derapuk (4800 m) to Zuthulphuk (4760m) Via Dolma-la (5670 m)
Day 8:13th June 2025, Drive back to Saga (4400m) From Zuthulphuk, End of Kailash Kora- 3 hrs and ⅘ hrs
Day 9:14th June 2025, Drive From Saga to Kerung (2,500 m)- 6/7 Hrs
Day 10:15th June 2025, Drive back to Kathmandu (1400 m) Via Syabrubesi (2,380 m) From Kerung- 7/8 Hrs
Dipak starts to step up from porter, guide, and trekking leader to the company owner. Sometimes he share his experience with others as well as wrote in local travel news. Most of time he spend his time on mountain and his company.
