First Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Batch Reaches Gangtok
44 pilgrims arrive via Nathula route; four-day acclimatisation programme begins
- First batch of 44 pilgrims reaches Gangtok for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra 2026.
- Pilgrims will undergo a four-day acclimatisation programme before crossing Nathula Pass.
- The group includes pilgrims from multiple states, with Delhi having the highest representation.
- A total of 500 pilgrims will undertake the yatra through 10 batches this year.
GG News Bureau
Gangtok, 16th June: The first batch of pilgrims for the 2026 Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Nathula route arrived in Gangtok, marking the commencement of this year’s spiritual journey.
The batch comprises 44 pilgrims, including 32 men and 12 women, along with liaison officers, support staff and medical teams. According to Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation Chairman Lukendra Rasaily, the pilgrims represent different age groups and regions from across India.
Delhi has the highest representation in the first batch with 11 pilgrims, followed by Maharashtra with six. The pilgrims belong to states including Bihar, Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Delhi, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha.
As part of the scheduled itinerary, the pilgrims will undergo a four-day acclimatisation programme in Gangtok, 15th Mile and Sherathang to prepare for the high-altitude journey. The group will then travel to Hangu Lake before crossing the Nathula Pass into the Tibet Autonomous Region of China on June 20.
Rasaily said a total of 10 batches, each comprising 50 pilgrims, will undertake the yatra through the Nathula route this year, taking the total number of pilgrims to 500.
Pilgrims described the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra as a once-in-a-lifetime spiritual experience and expressed enthusiasm for the journey to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar.
