First lot of Kailash Mansarovar tourists arrives at Simkot

By Our Correspondent , Humla, Aug. 24: With the first group of religious tourists reaching Simkot on Tuesday, the season for visiting Kailash Mansarovar has started for this year. 

Jitendra Basnet, a representative of the Trekker Society, said that religious tourists have reached Simkot from Lapcha area of Namkha Rural Municipality-6 to see Kailash Mansarovar. 

On the first day, 56 tourists arrived in four flights from Nepalgunj. Tourists who have come to Simkot to enjoy the beauty and climate of the Himalayan region will stay here for one night.

With tourists reaching the area, Simkot market has become full of visitors. The tourists of the first group will go on foot to Hekpa River in Namkha on Wednesday morning, and from there they will go by vehicle to Lekdhinga. The team will stay overnight at Dhinga.

About a hundred tents have been erected at that place for tourists. From there, tourists will be transported by helicopter to Takchi in Limi. 

Similarly, a hundred tents have been erected for tourists in Takchi as well. However, the tourists will move from Takchi for Lapcha by a vehicle on Friday to observe Kailash Mansarovar.

Ten jeeps have been booked to transport tourists while five helicopters are reaching Simkot from Kathmandu on Wednesday morning. Three hundred gas cylinders were transported on foot and by helicopter to Simkot, Lekdhinga and Takchi. Tourists will continue to observe Kailash Mansarovar from Lapcha for a month. Although the date has not been fixed yet, Sadhguru is scheduled to reach Simkot in September this year. About 1,400 religious tourists including Sadhguru will observe Kailash Mansarovar this year. Sadhguru's team will be welcomed with a presentation of traditional cultural rallies. 

The first team was welcomed with a lunch on Tuesday in Simkot. 

A team led by District Coordination Committee Chairman, Shibraj Sharma, Simkot Rural Municipality chair, Bijaya Bhandari, and deputy chair Shushila Rokaya arrived at the airport to welcome them.

Tourism entrepreneur Bijay Lama said that hoteliers and farmers are happy with the arrival of the tourists. 

Such a large number of tourists are entering the district after about three years. 

Last year this time, a team of 50 people including Sadhguru reached Humla to observe Kailash Mansarovar on foot from Simkot to Lapcha. His visit has increased the number of tourists here.