What makes Kailash Mansarovar Yatra challenging?

India is a land of religions and pilgrimages. While some of these pilgrim destinations are known for their resplendent beauty, others are popular for the adventures associated with them. But a common thread that binds them is their cultural and religious significance to the people of India. The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is one such pilgrimage that is highly revered and is regarded among the most challenging pilgrim destinations of the country.

Kailash Mansarovar Yatra - some facts you should know

• The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is highly significant for Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains.
• Lake Mansarovar that is around 20 kilometers above Mt. Kailash has mythological significance.
• The four main rivers namely, Sutlej, Indus, Brahmaputra, and Karnati are incepted from this region.
• As per the Hindu belief, Mt. Kailash is regarded as the abode of Lord Shiva. The Hindus consider the yatra to be complete only after the parikrama of this abode which takes about 3 days.
• The Yatra is open to Indian citizens, above 18 years of age.
• The Government of India, Ministry of External Affairs is responsible for organizing the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra every year.
• The yatra starts from early May or June and ends in September.
• It is one of the most challenging pilgrimages across the world. For the same reason, it is also an expensive one.

Here are a few factors that make the famous Kailash Mansarovar 2020, one of the toughest and the most adventurous pilgrimage, not just in India but across the world:

The geography of the place

At an altitude of 19500 feet, the geography of the place is the primary reason for its challenging nature. Both Mt. Kailash and Lake Mansarovar are located at an altitude of 4500 meters approximately and are more than 20 kms apart. The said distance of 20 kilometers is a challenging trek owing to the highs and lows in the region of Himalayas.

Lake Mansarovar is further away and is covered under the Tibet Plateau that falls in the demography of China. It would not be wrong to categorize the region as an inhospitable and remote part of the Himalayas. All said and done, the extreme geographic conditions of the place largely contribute to making the Kailash Mansarovar Trek extremely challenging.

Medical Reasons

Extreme geographical conditions of the region directly give way to medical issues and that too, a number of them! Since the region experiences low air pressure, several medical issues are stimulated. These include AMS or Acute Mountain Sickness, bronchial asthma, coronary artery disease, respiratory and heart ailments.

Yatra to the famous Kailash Mansarovar gets further complicated due to low levels of oxygen, a condition better known as Hypoxia. When extreme geographic conditions are combined with medical constraints, it only gets worse for the pilgrims or the trekkers.

Long Trekking route

Another factor that adds to the complexity of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra 2020 is the fact that the pilgrims need to cover long distances on foot. While it is not difficult to cover the plains, trekking higher altitudes on foot and that too for long distances can really get challenging.

The yatra is challenging not just physically but mentally too. While there are clear medical examinations that one needs to pass to take up the trek, it must not be ignored that physically fit individuals can also find the trek challenging.

Anyone willing to take up the Yatra must have a valid passport and must also pass all the necessary medical examinations. Considering the complexities of the trek, it is suggested that individuals who are above 70 years of age must refrain from taking up the famous Kailash Mansarovar yatra.

Kailash Manasarovar Yatra by Land from Kathmandu to Kathmandu. Join us for our affordable 2020 Kailash Yatra and blessed by Lord Shiva.