KATHMANDU, May 17 : With the onset of the pilgrimage season, the number of Indian religious tourists traveling to Kailash Mansarovar via Humla has started increasing, with 169 pilgrims arriving in Simkot within four days.
Tourists have begun traveling by air from Nepalgunj to Simkot, the district headquarters of Humla, before proceeding to Hilsa and onward to China for the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage.
According to Simkot Airport chief Mahendra Singh, a total of 169 pilgrims arrived at Simkot Airport over four days after the season officially began. Among them, 147 were Indian nationals and 22 were from other countries.
Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage surges through Simkot route
Despite unfavorable weather conditions, Summit Air operated three flights on Saturday alone, bringing 47 pilgrims to Simkot. However, 23 of the Indian pilgrims who arrived on Saturday were forced to remain in Simkot after failing to receive permits required for the Kailash Mansarovar journey.
The delay in permit issuance was attributed to public holidays on Saturday and Sunday, declared under a Cabinet decision made on April 3.
Authorities expect the number of pilgrims to increase further in the coming weeks based on the current arrival trend.
Indian pilgrims had started using the Hilsa border route for Kailash Mansarovar travel after the 2015 earthquake. The route was later shut during the Covid-19 pandemic, halting pilgrim movement for several years.
After China resumed permission for Indian pilgrims to travel to Kailash Mansarovar via Hilsa last year, around 6,500 Indian pilgrims completed the religious journey over a four-month period. This year’s first group of pilgrims arrived in Simkot on May 13.
