2026 Yatra expanded to 20 batches (1,000 pilgrims) across both India government routes

India's government-organized Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, which resumed in June 2025 after a five-year suspension, expanded for the 2026 season to 20 total batches (10 via Lipulekh Pass, Uttarakhand and 10 via Nathu La Pass, Sikkim), 50 pilgrims each — 1,000 pilgrims total, up from 750 in 2025. The expansion follows an August 2025 agreement between India and China to "expand the scale" of the pilgrimage. The 2026 application window closed 19 May 2026; both routes are confirmed operating, with the first Nathu La batch crossing into Tibet on 20 June 2026. Separately, Nepal has formally protested India's continued use of the Lipulekh route through disputed territory — India has rejected the objection and the Yatra is proceeding as planned, but this is an unresolved issue worth watching in future seasons.