Why Was the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Suspended for 5 Years? Could It Happen Again in 2027?

For five years, the India-organized Kailash Mansarovar Yatra remained suspended. What began as a disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic lasted much longer, as strained India–China relations and restrictions on cross-border travel delayed its return. Indian pilgrims were finally able to travel to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar again in 2025.

The return was significant after such a long gap. The Yatra continued in 2026, with the Ministry of External Affairs once again organizing batches through the Lipulekh and Nathu La routes.

But the five-year suspension also showed that the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra depends on more than demand from pilgrims. Border access, India–China relations, government decisions, weather, and wider travel restrictions can all affect whether the journey operates as planned.

So, as travelers begin looking toward 2027, one question remains: could the Yatra face another disruption, or is the situation now more stable?

When Was the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Suspended?

The last Kailash Mansarovar Yatra organized by India before the suspension took place in 2019. From 2020 to 2024, the Ministry of External Affairs did not operate the Yatra through the traditional Lipulekh and Nathu La routes.

This created a five-year gap before the government-organized pilgrimage resumed in June 2025, when Indian pilgrims were once again able to make the journey. The Yatra continued in 2026, showing that the 2025 reopening was not limited to a single season.

However, the Yatra did not remain suspended for five years because of one single reason. The reason it stopped in 2020 and the reasons it remained closed in the following years were not exactly the same.

COVID-19 Was the Initial Reason

The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra was first suspended in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic brought international travel and cross-border movement to a halt. Indian pilgrims could no longer travel through the Lipulekh and Nathu La routes into Tibet, where Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar are located.

Unlike a domestic pilgrimage, the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra requires coordination between India and China. Pilgrims must cross an international border, and the journey can only operate when both countries allow movement along the designated routes. With travel restrictions in place during the pandemic, organizing the Yatra was therefore not possible.

COVID-19 explains why the pilgrimage stopped in 2020. However, it does not fully explain why it remained suspended until 2025. By then, another issue had become more important: worsening relations between India and China.

Why the Suspension Lasted for Five Years

By the time international travel began returning after the pandemic, COVID-19 was no longer the only obstacle to restarting the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. Relations between India and China had changed significantly since the pilgrimage last operated in 2019.

India–China Relations and the Border Dispute

In June 2020, Indian and Chinese troops clashed in the Galwan Valley along their disputed Himalayan border. The confrontation caused casualties on both sides and pushed relations between the two countries to their lowest point in years.

Military deployments increased along the border, while relations remained strained for several years. Although the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra was not directly part of the border dispute, its traditional routes depend on cooperation between India and China. Restarting the pilgrimage therefore became difficult while wider tensions remained unresolved.

This helps explain why the Yatra did not simply return once pandemic-era travel restrictions were relaxed.

Reopening Required More Than Normal Travel Returning

The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is not a journey that India can restart on its own. The Ministry of External Affairs organizes the pilgrimage in coordination with Chinese authorities, and Indian pilgrims need permission to cross into Tibet through the designated routes.

This meant both countries had to agree again on practical arrangements such as border access, pilgrim movement and operation of the routes.

Signs of progress became clearer in 2024. India and China reached agreements aimed at easing military tensions along parts of their disputed border, while senior officials resumed high-level talks. In December 2024, both sides specifically agreed to work toward resuming the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

The five-year gap was therefore caused by two overlapping issues: the pandemic stopped the Yatra in 2020, while prolonged political and border tensions made its return more difficult in the years that followed.

What Changed Before the Yatra Returned in 2025?

The turning point came in late 2024, when India and China began taking concrete steps to improve their relationship.

In October, the two countries reached an agreement on patrolling arrangements along parts of the Line of Actual Control, leading to disengagement at the remaining friction points. Soon after, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Kazan for their first formal bilateral meeting in nearly five years.

The Yatra moved closer to returning in January 2025. During talks between Indian and Chinese officials, both sides agreed to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in the summer of 2025, along with other steps to gradually restore cross-border exchanges.

By April, the plan had moved from diplomatic discussions to practical preparation. China confirmed plans to resume the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage, clearing the way for the first government-organized Yatra since 2019.

The return of the Yatra was therefore part of a broader improvement in India–China relations, rather than a separate decision focused only on the pilgrimage.

What Happened After the 2025 Restart?

The 2025 Yatra was more than a symbolic reopening. The Ministry of External Affairs selected 750 pilgrims to travel in 15 batches: five through Lipulekh Pass and ten through Nathu La Pass. Both routes returned to operation after the five-year gap.

More importantly for travelers looking toward the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra 2027, the pilgrimage continued for a second consecutive year.

For 2026, the Ministry expanded the program to 20 batches of 50 pilgrims each, with ten batches through Lipulekh and ten through Nathu La. A total of 1,000 pilgrims were selected, with the Yatra scheduled to operate from June through August.

This was an encouraging sign. It showed that the 2025 reopening was not simply a one-time diplomatic gesture and that both routes continued to operate in 2026.

However, two successful seasons do not guarantee that every future Yatra will run without disruption. The pilgrimage still depends on cross-border cooperation and conditions along the routes. That is why it is still worth asking what could affect the Yatra in 2027.

Could the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Be Disrupted Again in 2027?

It is possible, but there is currently no reason to expect another suspension.

As of August 2026, the Ministry of External Affairs has not announced the 2027 Yatra. Its official portal still shows information for the 2026 season, so the dates, batch numbers and arrangements for 2027 remain unconfirmed.

The previous suspension, however, showed that several factors can affect whether the Yatra operates as planned.

India–China Relations and Border Access

This remains the most important factor.

Both the Lipulekh and Nathu La routes require Indian pilgrims to cross into Chinese-controlled Tibet. The Yatra is also organized by the Ministry of External Affairs in coordination with the Chinese government.

If relations between the two countries were to worsen significantly again, border access or the arrangements needed to operate the pilgrimage could be affected. This does not mean a disruption is expected in 2027, but the five-year suspension showed how closely the Yatra depends on wider diplomatic relations.

Government and Permit Changes

Even when the Yatra operates normally, its arrangements can change from year to year.

The government decides the number of batches, available routes, eligibility requirements, selection process and travel arrangements for each season. In 2026, for example, pilgrims were allocated between Lipulekh and Nathu La through a computerized selection process.

Changes to these arrangements would not necessarily stop the Yatra, but they could affect who can travel, which routes are available or how the pilgrimage operates in 2027.

Severe Weather and Route Conditions

Weather is a more immediate risk, especially on the high-altitude sections of the journey.

The official Yatra advisory describes the routes as exposed to extreme weather and rugged terrain. It also states that the itinerary is tentative and may change depending on local conditions.

Heavy rain, landslides, snow or unsafe trail conditions could delay individual batches or lead to itinerary changes. Unlike a diplomatic breakdown, however, bad weather is more likely to cause a temporary disruption than another multi-year suspension.

Public-Health or International Travel Restrictions

COVID-19 showed that a major health emergency can stop cross-border pilgrimage travel altogether.

A similar situation cannot be completely ruled out, but there is currently no indication of public-health restrictions that would prevent the 2027 Yatra. For travelers planning ahead, this is a possible but less immediate concern than border access or government decisions.

Overall, another disruption in 2027 is possible rather than expected. The Yatra operated again in 2025 and continued in 2026, but the final arrangements for any future season depend on official approval and conditions at the time.

Should Travelers Be Worried About the 2027 Yatra?

At this stage, there is no clear reason for travelers to be worried about the 2027 Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

The pilgrimage returned in 2025 and continued on a larger scale in 2026, which is encouraging after the five-year suspension.

At the same time, the 2027 Yatra has not yet been officially announced. Travelers should therefore remain optimistic but avoid treating expected dates, routes or arrangements as confirmed until the Ministry of External Affairs publishes the official notification.

In simple terms, there is reason to prepare, but little reason to worry at this stage.

How Should Travelers Plan for the 2027 Yatra?

Travelers interested in the 2027 Kailash Mansarovar Yatra can start preparing early, but some decisions are better left until the Ministry of External Affairs publishes the official notification.

The first thing to check is your passport validity. Under the current 2026 rules, applicants must be Indian citizens with an ordinary Indian passport valid for at least six months as of September 1 of the Yatra year. Applicants also need scanned passport pages and a recent photograph for the online application. These requirements should be checked again once the 2027 rules are announced.

Physical preparation can also begin before registration opens. The Yatra involves high altitude and demanding trekking, and selected pilgrims must pass medical examinations before departure. Regular walking and gradual fitness preparation can therefore be useful in advance.

Travelers should avoid making non-refundable bookings based on expected dates. The number of batches, departure schedule, route allocation, and application deadline can change from one season to another, and selection is not guaranteed.

Once the 2027 notification is published, travelers should confirm the official dates and eligibility rules through the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra portal before making other travel arrangements.

Until then, preparing your documents, improving your fitness and keeping your schedule flexible is more useful than trying to predict exactly how the 2027 Yatra will operate.

Final Thoughts

The five-year suspension of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra was not caused by a single issue. COVID-19 stopped the pilgrimage in 2020, while strained India–China relations made its return more difficult in the years that followed.

Its return in 2025 and continuation in 2026 are encouraging signs for travelers looking toward 2027. However, the Yatra still depends on cross-border cooperation, government decisions and conditions along the routes.

For now, travelers should look toward 2027 with cautious optimism rather than certainty. Prepare early, follow official updates and wait for confirmed arrangements before making major travel plans.