Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra Returns: Lipulekh Pass in India Opens for Pilgrims to View Kailash Peak in Tibet from September 15
Pilgrims will be able to view the sacred Kailash peak in Tibet from the 18,300-foot-high old Lipulekh pass within Indian territory starting September 15.
“The pass will open for common pilgrims from September 15 this year,” announced Pithoragarh District Tourism Officer Kirti Chandra Arya.
From this date, pilgrims can drive up to Lipulekh from Dharchula, Arya added. They will then need to walk about 800 meters to reach the viewpoint for the peak.
The Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra through the Lipulekh pass was suspended in 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Although the route has not been reopened by China yet, pilgrims can now view both the Kailash peak and Om Parvat from within Indian territory without any complications in a single trip, Arya noted.
On June 22, Uttarakhand Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj and his wife Amrita Rawat viewed the Kailash peak from the old Lipulekh pass.
The Central Government has approved the Uttarakhand Tourism Department’s proposal to open the old Lipulekh pass for common tourist activities. The department is currently developing the standard operating procedures for this initiative, stated Pithoragarh District Magistrate Reena Joshi.
