What care should be taken by someone planning the Kailash Manasarovar tour?

The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is one pilgrimage that perhaps most devout Hindus want to make at least once. It does not matter if one is young or old, if one believes in Shiva, then making a pilgrimage to his heavenly abode on Mount Kailash is something that you hold deep in your heart. Every year, hundreds of devout Hindus travel miles, by foot, buses, jeeps and helicopters, to reach this mountain which stands tall at 22,000 feet in the kingdom of Tibet. The journey is a treacherous and long one, but if you want to make it, no one can stop you. However, it is always wise to know as much about it as possible. Following are some of the things you should take care about when planning the holy Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

Choosing who to go with

There are several options available as to how you can make this pilgrimage. Here are the three best ways to do it.

• With the GOI: The cultural and religious importance of Kailash Mansarovar is the reason why the Government of India has made it a crucial part of its public offering. The routes laid out by the government are set by bi-lateral agreement with China. Most of the routes in this option will have a pilgrim do a lot of trekking on foot which may not be possible if he is aged or infirm. However, if you go with the GOI, you can be assured of diplomatic support, government validation and medical facilities throughout the journey. But the problem is that many times the Yatra gets cancelled because of political issues. 
• Nepal route: This is by far the easiest and most convenient of all the routes to Mount Kailash as of now. If you choose to go by helicopter from Lucknow, it will take you anything between 5 and 11 days. If you choose the overland Nepal route from Kathmandu, it is going to take 14 days. The best thing about the Nepal routes is that they can be done in a much shorter time and anyone between the ages of 10 and 70 can do it. Also, everything, including food, accommodation and comfort will be taken care of.

Comfortable shoes are crucial

No matter which route you choose, wearing comfortable shoes is very important because you will be using your feet a lot during the journey. Tennis shoes are great but make sure that they are not brand-new. Also, carry an extra pair of shoes just in case your primary pair causes problems. Also, good quality socks are essential. Remember, the climatic conditions in the area are cold and you will almost always have to wear socks. Carry a few pairs so that if any of them get wet, you don’t have to go without socks.

Never over-exert yourself

It is important to remember never to over-exert yourself during the journey. It is also important to not skip meals and to constantly keep yourself hydrated. You can become weak, dehydrated or suffer from low blood sugar levels at any time which can be terrible for your Kailash experience.

Set up a doctor’s appointment

The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is special but the terrain is treacherous one. As such, you need to be in good shape when you start the journey. That is why it is advisable to set up an appointment with the doctor to find out if anything is wrong with your health and take proper medications. People with asthma and breathing troubles should ideally not go on this journey because of the high altitude and weather conditions.

Have the right expectations from the Yatra

It is important that people who decide to go on the Kailash Yatra have the right sort of expectations from it. The KailashMansarovarYatra costs vary from one operator to the next but it is crucial that people understand that no matter what, luxury is not something they can enjoy on the journey. You will not only be traveling to a different country, you will be traveling to an area that has a sparse population and has few amenities to offer. Instead, it is a good idea to take the Kailash Mansarovar trip for what it is: a journey to the home of Lord Shiva and pay him respect. It is believed that doing a ‘parikrama’ of Mount Kailash and taking a dip in Lake Mansarovar washes off all the sins one may have committed in past lives and is therefore the gateway to heaven. So don’t expect luxury and instead enjoy the pilgrimage by keeping a calm and cool mind. If you are going in a group, try to keep an amiable spirit so that everyone enjoys the experience.