Adi Kailash Yatra to Begin on May 8; 15 Pilgrim Batches to Travel from Three Uttarakhand Locations
The annual Adi Kailash Yatra in Uttarakhand’s Vyas Valley will commence on May 8, with pilgrim batches departing from three locations across the state, according to officials of the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam Limited (KMVN).
KMVN General Manager Vijay Nath Shukla stated that 15 batches of pilgrims will undertake the sacred journey this year. The yatris will start their pilgrimage from Haldwani, Tanakpur, and Dharchula, with KMVN serving as the nodal agency responsible for organizing and managing the pilgrimage.
According to KMVN officials, the duration of the yatra will vary depending on the starting point.
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The pilgrimage from Haldwani will last eight days,
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the journey from Tanakpur will take six days, and
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the route from Dharchula will be completed in five days.
The first phase of the pilgrimage is scheduled to conclude on June 10.
The Adi Kailash Yatra, located in the scenic Vyas Valley, was originally started in 1981 after the resumption of the historic Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. Over the decades, it has grown into an important spiritual journey for devotees seeking to visit the revered Adi Kailash.
The pilgrimage has witnessed a remarkable surge in visitors in recent years, particularly after Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, visited the Adi Kailash region in October 2023.
KMVN officials noted that annual pilgrim numbers earlier averaged around 2,000 visitors. However, after the Prime Minister’s visit, the footfall rose dramatically to nearly 28,000 pilgrims in 2023 and surpassed 36,000 in 2024, reflecting the growing spiritual and tourism significance of the Adi Kailash circuit.
