MEA warns pilgrims against unregistered private tour operators for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has issued an advisory cautioning Indian citizens who plan to undertake the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through trips organised by private tour operators. The advisory, released late on Saturday, June 27, 2026, urges pilgrims to verify that their tour operator is duly registered and authorised.
The MEA stated that it has received multiple requests for assistance from Indian citizens who became stranded in Nepal while attempting the yatra without the required entry permits and visas for China. These individuals had joined tours arranged by private operators.
“Citizens are advised not to commence their journey from India until all required travel documents have been obtained for undertaking the complete journey,” the advisory read. It added that starting travel without confirmed documentation or in anticipation of obtaining it increases the likelihood of being stranded.
The annual Kailash Mansarovar Yatra was scheduled to take place from June to August 2026 via two routes: Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and Nathu La in Sikkim, as announced by the MEA in April. The pilgrimage resumed last year after a five-year hiatus, initially suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequently because of the military standoff between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
The advisory does not affect pilgrims travelling through officially organised channels. The MEA continues to facilitate the yatra through its annual programme, which is conducted under bilateral agreements with China.
