Divine Trip to Kailash Viewpoint – From Lipulekh Pass

Disclaimer:

The Lipulekh Pass – Kailash Viewpoint (KVP) is around 19500/- ft (5944 mtr – iWatch reading). Kailash is viewable from an aerial distance of around 95 km from KVP, subject to weather clarity. Generally, clouds obstruct the view, and the chances of having a clear view of the entire Kailash (South face) are very low. Even if a single cloud within 95 km is sufficient to obstruct the view. Mostly, the devotee gets a partial view (Ref. Pic 1 taken on 30.09.2025 at around __:__ AM). A devotee is advised to climb down from KVP in 10 minutes due to the thin air and very low oxygen. The Army officer at the KVP will request to get down as soon as possible. If an untoward incident happens at KVP, the only way to get down is through Airlift. Each devotee is on their own at KVP. Even your nearest and dearest would be handicapped in helping. I would advise visiting KVP only if one is mentally and physically strong. Do not visit depending on others, maybe as close as your father, mother, brother, daughter, son, husband, wife, etc. Each accompanying would find it difficult to control themselves in such a condition, and it would be impossible for them to help others.

Kailash Darshan:

After the short disclaimer, let me begin with the information on the divine Journey to the (KVP). The Lipulekh Pass is on the border of India and Tibet. However, there is no physical line of control (LoC). It was stated that the view beyond KVP is that of Tibet. The Lipulekh pass, around 19000 ft (5890 mtr), can be accessed even by a self-driving four-wheeler vehicle. Ensure the driver is sufficiently experienced to drive on stiff terrain with sandy, muddy, rocky, etc conditions. In 14 km from Nabhidang to Lipulekh, all these conditions are available collectively and individually in this travel patch. Speaking for myself, this 14 km was the most challenging terrain that I have ever driven. I admit that I may not have experienced that in the past that others would have. I went by the Suzuki Jimny. I was required to drive continuously on 4x4_low with the top gear for about 2 km in between. The only driving force for me was the ultimate Darshan of Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati, the ultimate. Once you have the lord's permission, tough terrain would not come in the way of divine darshan.

Please check with the Army post at Nabhidang a day before the intended visit to KVP if the roads are open, the weather is favourable, and visitors are allowed to visit KVP on the day you desire. If the above answers are in affirmation, mark presence at the same Nabhidang Army Post around 6:00 to 6:30 A.M. with your vehicle and all devotees. The Army officer will do registration for all pilgrims, driver and vehicle. Vehicles will be allowed to travel in groups of 5 to 6 from Nabhidang to Lipulekh pass, a distance of around 14 km. One Army officer will be sitting in the first vehicle and one in the tail-end vehicle of the group for route assistance, as there does not exist a specific road. What exists is only the marks of the vehicle that passed earlier. It takes about an hour to an hour and a half to reach Lipulekh Pass. Nabhidang is where the journey begins, at an altitude of (4300 mtr), 14200 ft in 14 km distance. Lipulekh Pass is at an altitude of (5790 mtr)19000 ft. With 14 km of stiff driving, an altitude of 5000 ft will be added. From Lipulekh Pass to reach KVP is a stiff track of 500 mtr., which will add altitude of another 500 ft to an open area from where Kailash is visible with thin, chilled wind, with the speed of 80km an hour and temperature of -2 to -11 degrees Celsius, depending upon the climate condition. What matters is the divine experience of viewing Kailash. It is tempting to be at KVP as much as possible; it is advised to head below in 10 minutes maximum. One would faint with low oxygen, a chilling climate and thin air. In such a condition, the only way would be an airlift. That would take at least an hour to get such assistance. It would not be easy to survive until aid is received. It is better to be safe and not greedy. True, it would not be easy to control the greed for the darshan of Kailash. I pray for each devotee a clear sky who, after all efforts, reaches KVP for clear and unobstructed darshan.

Nabhidang – Ex-Delhi –

Nabhidang – Om Parvat Viewpoint is at (4300 mtr) 14200ft. Nabhidang can be reached from Delhi via Moradabad – Rudrapur – Banbasa – Tanakpur – Pithoragarh – Dharchula – Budhi – Garbyang – Gunji – Kalapani (Kali mandir) – Nabhidang.

Distance-wise chart:

Sr. No Route Distance in Kms Approx time

1. Delhi - Moradabad 160km 2hr 40min

2. Moradabad – Rudrapur 75km 1hr 40min

3. Rudrapur - Banbasa 85km 1hr 40min

4. Banbasa – Tanakpur 10km 15min

5. Tanakpur (Mountain starts) – Pithoragarh 145km 4hr

6. Pithoragarh – Dharchula 90km 3hr

7. Dharchula – Budhi 57km 2hr 15min

8. Budhi – Garbyang check point 13km 30min

9. Garbyang – Gunji 10km 35min

10. Gunji – Kalapani (Kali Mandir) 13.5km 45min

11. Kali Mandir – Nabhidang (Om Parvat viewpoint) 14km 1hr

12. Nabhidang – Lipulekh Pass 14km 1hr 30min

13. Lipulekh Pass – Kailash Viewpoint (stiff track) 400-500mtr 15mins

Innerline Permit:

An innerline permit would be required to travel beyond Garbyang. Garbyang checkpoint is the first point where the innerline permit will be checked and entry will be registered. Innerline permit can be applied online on https://pass.pithoragarh.online. An application can be made four days prior to the intended date of entry from Garbyang. The following documents are required before you register.

1. Medical Certificate in the format from a government hospital. (A certificate from a private hospital will get the application rejected.);

2. Affidavit in the prescribed form before a Notary Public on Rs. 50 Stamp;

3. If one does not have the passport, police verification is required in the prescribed format. Or else a passport copy;

4. Photograph;

5. Aadhar Card;

6. Fees of Rs. 200 to be paid while applying online.

The required format for the Medical Certificate, Affidavit, and Police Verification is annexed herewith for convenience.

(Carry all original documents with you after the application, which may be required at the SDM office, Dharchula, in case of rejection of the online application)

Once the application is preferred, it will be verified, and a decision of approval or rejection will be informed over SMS. One may check the application status on the above portal after logging in. In case of rejection, one has to approach the SDM office, Dharchula, with the above documents in original for its verification and get approval.

Do not get upset with the tedious task of getting approval. My experience says everything will fall in place once you prepare for Kailash Darshan.

Itinerary that I followed:

Day 1: I started on 27.09.2025 from Delhi at around 1:34 P.M., took a quick halt for lunch at Gajraula and then reached Banbasa around 7:45 P.M. and took night halt.

Day 2: With the target to reach Dharchula by 1:00 P.M. on 28.09.2025, I, started early in the morning from Banbasa – via – Tanakpur at 04:00 A.M. However, due to the forest area, the road ahead of Tanakpur was closed till 5:00 A.M. I was required to wait for about 45 minutes at the forest entry point after Tanakpur. On the way, at around 10:15 took a brunch break at Pithoragarh and finally reached Dharchula at 2:35 PM.

One can visit Nepal from Dharchula by crossing the rope bridge over the Kali River. It is just a two-minute walk from Dharchula to cross the bridge and reach Nepal. One needs to show Aadhar at both the entry and exit points, where registration will happen, and entry will be allowed. The town on the side of Nepal is named Darchula, and on the Indian side is Dharchula. The bridge closes at 7:00 P.M. Therefore, one needs to return to India by that time, or the night will be spent in Nepal. Spent about fifteen minutes in Nepal, and I returned to India.

Day 3: on 29.09.2025, I started from Dharchula at around 06:30 A.M. with a target to reach Nabhidang. The road condition is terrible. Landslides are a routine process in this way. I faced a landslide immediately after Dharchula, where the road was closed for over two hours. Excellent efforts have been made by the administration to keep roads open by making JCBs available every few kilometres or where landslides are prominent.

The pass at Budhi is extremely stiff, but the road condition is good in that pass. Crossing Budhi reached the first check post at 10:55 A.M. At the check post, a copy of the permission will be shown to register the car and the pilgrims. One needs to keep a record of the token number provided at the checkpost, as the same token number will be provided at the checkpost at the time of exit. From here onwards, the respective token number will be assigned for the entry at all checkposts. Keep a proper record of the same for easy and convenient exit.

I reached Gunji at around 11:35 A.M. This is the last place to get a mobile network in the area unless there is a BSNL or MTNL connection. After making a few calls, I started for Nabhidang – Om Parvat viewpoint.

The Kali River originates after around 13.5 Km on the way to Nabhidang from Gunji. The place is called Kalapani. There are two essential things to know about Kalapani.

1. Rishi Vyasa Cave.

2. Kali Mandir.

It is believed that Kalimata came in the dream of Rishi Vyasa while meditating in his cave, commanding him to build a temple of Kali to benefit the pilgrims who pass through that area to visit Kailash. This road is an actual path where pilgrims, until 2018, did pad-yatra (foot travel) to visit Kailash – Mansarovar. This Pad-yatra from India stopped after 2018 when the Chinese government withdrew permission for Indians to visit Kailash – Mansarovar. Whoever visits Kalimandir and manifests for Kailash – Mansarovar Darshan before Kalimata, such a desire will be fulfilled.

Army canteen cum outlet is also available at Kalimandir. Snacks like Vada-Pao, Bun-vada and tea are available. They also sell Army shoes, caps, jackets, etc. A cartridge pen is being sold as a hotcake.

After prayer at Kalimandir, I headed towards Nabhidang a viewpoint of Om-Parvat at an altitude of (4300 mtr), 14200. ‘Om-Parvat’ is best viewed in the morning with a clear sky. Post afternoon, Om Parvat will be blocked by the clouds. I reached Nabhidang in-front of Om-Parvat at around 2:30 P.M. I stayed at the KMVN camp at Nabhidang. Shri Hosiyar Singh Rawat Ji is in charge of providing KMVN accommodation in Nabhidang. I was immediately provided with hot water and a hot tomato soup, as the temperature was around two degrees Celsius at an altitude of 14200 ft to facilitate my acclimatisation to the conditions. Bhist Ji prepared an excellent Sabji, Roti, Dal and Rice dinner. He has been very helpful in allowing me to settle in such weather conditions with minimal resources, including no electricity.

“Om – Parvat”

Om Parvat is a sacred peak visible from this place, renowned for its natural "Om" symbol formation due to snow deposition. Considered the abode of Lord Shiva and a divine place. However, snow has not been visible since August. When snow is absent, Om Parvat appears as a bare, black mountain, lacking the natural "Om" symbol that gives it its name and religious significance. This transformation is a stark example of climate change, caused by factors like reduced rainfall, increased temperatures, pollution, and construction in the region. The first view of Om-Parvat was visible at 6:30 with the glare of morning Sun-rays covering Om-Parvat like a translucent curtain. A clear view of Om-parvat was available when the Sun reached above the mountain. Viewing Om-parvat as a black mountain with no snow over Om-formation was frustrating. However, Om can be viewed as a natural carving without snow on the black mountain. (Ref. Pic 2, which suggests how Om-Parvat should appear, and Pic 3 is the picture of Om-Parvat as taken on 30.09.2025 at 7:00 – 7:10 A.M. from the KMVN camp to show the black mountain where one needs to imagine the formation of “OM".).

Day 4: At 6:30 A.M., I registered myself and my car at the Army post at Nabhidang to visit KVP. By the time the registration process was completed, Om-Parvat was clearly visible with no clouds and sun-rays refrections. I prayed to Om-parvat and took pictures where a natural ‘Om’ formation is clearly visible. A group of about six vehicles was formed, and a briefing was done. The briefing was mainly about each pilgrim's information on road condition, altitude and health. I have already explained this at great length.

As mine was the first car in the group and had a seat available, one army officer came along with me, another officer was in the tail-end car of the group, and both were in continuous communication via wireless device.

We reached Lipulekh Pass in an hour, covering 14 km from Nabhidang. After parking our vehicles at the base of KVP, the group of pilgrims was again briefed and advised not to track for KVP if any of them is feeling unwell at 19000 ft. There were around 10 to 12 people in the group, ranging in age from 12 to 60 years. The spirit and energy of each of the pilgrims was very high to view Kailash with their own naked eye. Each pilgrim tracked and climbed a height of around 500 ft by tracking stiff of 500 mt. The tracking path is so narrow that two people cannot cross each other. If one is coming down, the person going up must sit completely by the side of the mountain to allow others to pass. I stayed at KVP for about 10 minutes. Unwillingly considering the request of the Army officer present, I headed back to my car, completing the divine journey of darshan of Kailash. I reached back to Nabhidang check post at around 10:00 A.M.

I continued my journey to Gunji where I reached around 12:00 PM. From Gunji, I continued driving towards Adi-Kailash, which is at a distance of 36 km with an excellent road. It took an hour to reach in front of Adi-Kailash. After offering prayer at Adi-Kailash, I headed back towards Gunji.

While returning, I was on low fuel due to the stiff climb of Kailash. I checked with the Army post at Kutti if fuel could be available. I was advised to check with locals who sell fuel at a premium price. I could get ten litres of petrol for Rs. 200 per litre. I spent Rs. 1000 more for fuel, but it was worth it in the condition that it was provided.

I returned to Gunji around 3:30 P.M., and the time permitted me to continue my journey towards Dharchula.

I continued my driving to Dharchula, where I arrived at 8:30 P.M.

Day 5: I begin my journey to return to Delhi on the same day, even late at night. I started at 8:00 A.M and with two stops, one at Pithoragarh and one at Gajraula, I reached my home at 10:15 P.M.

I hope and pray my blog will be helpful to all who desire darshan of Kailash. May our ultimate lord, Shiva, be by your side during the journey. Please feel free to contact me over email: purvish5feb@gmail.com for any assistance. Please mention the subject as “Kailash Darshan”.

#Kailash_Darshan #Kailash_View_Point #Lipulekh_Pass #Om_Parvat #Nabhidang #Kalimandir #Kalapani #Gunji #Adi_Kailash #Dharchula