Preparations for the 2026 Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Nathula Pass route are in full swing, with the first group of pilgrims set to arrive in Sikkim on June 15 and then proceed to China’s Tibet Autonomous Region on June 20. The pilgrims, selected through a lottery, will undergo medical examinations, fitness assessments, and visa processing in Delhi before heading to Gangtok for acclimatization. The Yatra, which began in 2015 as an alternative route, will see 500 pilgrims traveling in 10 batches this year.
The selected pilgrims will go through an acclimatization program in Gangtok, spending time at the First Acclimatization Centre at 18th Mile and Hangu Lake to adapt to high-altitude conditions. Before crossing the Nathula Pass at an elevation of 14,140 feet, they will undergo medical monitoring and a final health assessment by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police. Once in Tibet, the pilgrims will journey through various locations before reaching Mount Kailash for the sacred Kailash Parikrama.
Infrastructure and accommodation facilities at the acclimatization centers have been upgraded to ensure a smooth pilgrimage experience, following the Yatra’s successful resumption in 2025 after disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pilgrimage, spanning 22 days, involves documentation and health checks in Delhi, acclimatization in Sikkim, and the main journey in Tibet. The Yatra, significant for multiple faiths, symbolizes people-to-people engagement and cooperation between India and China through the Nathula corridor.
