New Delhi: After a long wait of five years, the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra will resume from June in 2025. The holy yatra will run from June 30 to August, with 250 pilgrims going to Tibet via the Lipulekh pass and 500 via the Nathu La pass, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Saturday. “The yatra is a spiritual opportunity for the devotees as well as a symbol of improving India-China relations,” said a spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs. The yatra will be conducted in collaboration with the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) and the Sikkim government, with pilgrims starting from Delhi and proceeding via Pithoragarh and Gangtok.

The KMVN has fixed a fee of Rs 56,000 from the pilgrims this time, which will be for accommodation, food and transport. The pilgrims will have to bear additional expenses for medical check-up, Chinese visa and stay in Tibet. Applications have opened on the foreign ministry website kmy.gov.in, and the selection will be through a computerised lottery. “We will ensure a transparent and fair process,” a ministry official said. The yatra of each batch will be of 22 days, with the first contingent entering China via the Lipulekh route on July 10 and the last contingent returning to India on August 22.

The yatra, which was halted since 2020 due to Covid-19 and the India-China border dispute, is now a result of improved diplomatic relations between the two countries. The agreement was made possible after the military withdrawal in Demchok and Depsang last year. Devotees are excited, and the organisation of the yatra will also boost tourism in Uttarakhand and Sikkim. The yatra not only holds religious significance but also opens a new chapter of regional cooperation.