The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is scheduled to resume on June 30, following a five-year suspension, according to an official announcement made on Monday. The pilgrimage route will go through the Lipulekh Pass, situated at an elevation of 17,000 feet in Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand. The annual yatra had been halted in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and was not held in the following years. However, thanks to the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the pilgrimage is set to be held this year.

A coordination meeting involving the Uttarakhand government and the Ministry of External Affairs took place in New Delhi on Monday, where it was decided that Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam would be responsible for organizing the pilgrimage. Starting from Delhi on June 30, the yatra will include five groups, each consisting of 50 pilgrims, totaling 250 participants. The first group is expected to enter China through the Lipulekh Pass on July 10, while the final group will return from China on August 22.

Each group will begin their journey from Delhi, with planned overnight stays in Tanakpur (Champawat), Dharchula (Pithoragarh), Gunji (two nights), and Nabhidang (two nights) before reaching Taklakot in China. Following their visit to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar, the return leg includes overnight halts in Bundi (Pithoragarh), Chaukori, and Almora, before concluding back in Delhi. The entire journey spans 22 days per group.

Health screenings for the pilgrims will be conducted first in Delhi, and again in Gunji. Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar, located in Tibet (under Chinese governance), hold deep spiritual value for Hindus. It is believed that circumambulating Mount Kailash and bathing in Lake Manasarovar can lead to spiritual liberation.