The first batch of pilgrims for the 2026 Kailash Mansarovar Yatra arrived in Gangtok on Monday, June 15 [1].
The arrival marks the start of an annual pilgrimage that reopened in 2025. The journey via the Nathu La Pass is a critical route for devotees traveling from India into Tibet [2].
The group consists of 44 pilgrims [1], including 32 men and 12 women [1]. They are accompanied by medical teams, support staff, and liaison officers to ensure safety during the high-altitude trek.
Lukendra Rasaily, Chairman of the Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation (STDC), said the group reflects a wide mix of people from across the country in terms of age and region [3].
The pilgrims are currently in the capital of Sikkim for preparations. They are scheduled to depart for the Nathu La Pass on June 20 [4].
This pilgrimage is conducted through one of the few open corridors between India and Tibet. The logistical coordination involves the STDC and other support agencies to manage the physical demands of the route, which requires crossing high mountain passes, and the necessary permits for entry into Tibet [2].
“The group reflects a wide mix of people from across the country in terms of age and region.”
The resumption and continuation of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via the Nathu La route signifies a stabilized logistical and diplomatic corridor between India and Tibet. Because the pilgrimage was only reopened in 2025, the successful movement of diverse groups of pilgrims serves as a test of the current infrastructure and medical support systems required for high-altitude transit in this sensitive border region.
