New Delhi, June 28 (HS): The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has advised Indian citizens undertaking the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through private tour operators not to commence their journey until they have obtained all the required travel documents, following reports of pilgrims being stranded in Nepal.

In an advisory issued late at night on Saturday, the MEA said it had received several requests for assistance from Indian citizens who were stranded in Nepal after undertaking the pilgrimage without the necessary Chinese visas and entry permits through tours organised by private operators.

The Ministry advised pilgrims to ensure that all required travel documents are obtained before starting the journey, stating that travelling without confirmed documentation or in anticipation of obtaining the necessary permits could result in pilgrims being stranded.

The MEA also urged pilgrims to verify that their tour operator is duly registered and authorised before booking the pilgrimage.

In April, the Ministry had announced that the annual Kailash Mansarovar Yatra would be conducted from June to August through the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and the Nathu La route in Sikkim.

The pilgrimage resumed in 2025 after a gap of nearly five years. It had been suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and later remained on hold because of the military standoff between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar