Tourists can drive up to Lipulekh from Dharchula and then walk 800 meters to a vantage point for viewing Kailash peak and Om Parvat.

The old Lipulekh pass, located at an altitude of 18,300 feet in the Vyas Valley of Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand, will be accessible to the public starting September 15. It would allow devotees to view the sacred Kailash peak in Tibet from within the Indian territory.

“The pass will open for common pilgrims from September 15 this year,” said Pithoragarh District Tourism Officer Kirti Chandra Arya.

The Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra via the Lipulekh pass was suspended in 2019 following the Covid-19 outbreak and the route has yet to be opened by the Chinese authorities. This sacred trek leads devotees and adventurers to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar, located in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

From September 15 onwards, the pilgrims will be able to drive up to Lipulekh from Dharchula. From there, they will need to traverse approximately 800 meters on foot to reach the vantage point for viewing the Kailash peak. The pilgrims can now also have a view of Om Parvat from within the Indian territory without any hassles in the course of a single trip, said Arya.

In a precursor to the official opening, Uttarakhand Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj and his wife Amrita Rawat visited the old Lipulekh pass on June 22 and viewed the Kailash peak.

The District Magistrate of Pithoragarh, Reena Joshi, mentioned that the department is currently framing the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure the smooth and safe movement of pilgrims and tourists.

Mount Kailash stands at an altitude of 6,638 meters (21,778 feet). Regarded as the abode of Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati, Mount Kailash is considered the ultimate destination for devotees seeking moksha (liberation). The Yatra typically takes about 2-3 weeks and involves rigorous trekking through high-altitude terrains, making it physically challenging.