Kailash Manasarovar Yatra 2011 - Batch 1 - Day 12

Jun 09 2011 – Day 12

Journey – Nabhidang to Takalakot – via Lipu lekh pass – a distance of 44 kms out of which 14 kms by trek and 30 kms by bus on the China side.

We started very early morning and continued our yatra by trek. It was raining and snowing all the way. We were shivering like anything. After some distance, we found very difficult to walk in the night. It is pitch dark and ITBP personnel were helping us to cross some important areas. I sat down on the pony for some time to get rid of the snow.

We stayed in a ITBP conference room on the way. But we were constantly moving our legs and hands so that we stay warm. We had small prayer and bhajan. This helped us to keep our motivation level high. From this place, the trail is going to be steep ascent with quite lot of snows. Therefore, the common luggage ponies were let go first. They make way for us.

We started moving along with our porters. The porters are very helpful in handholding us to cross the entire route. With all these difficulties, we reached Lipu lekh pass. We got excited and thrilled and chanted Om Namo Shivaya. We had to spend some time there in high altitude due to the immigration formalities with the Chinese side.

Our Chinese guide Mr. Guru has come to meet us along with some Chinese porters to carry the common luggage. The horses and ponies could not come due to heavy snow fall. Chinese authorities met our LO and they have some diplomatic handshakes and introductions. After that every yatri is verified with the passport and he has allowed to enter the Chinese side for further continuation of the yatra. Due to heavy snowfall the Chinese authorities made a rope way for us to climb down the steep path. Chinese guides were very helpful in handholding us and guiding us to walk through the ice / snow. Some of our yatris had to fall on the ice due to melting of the ice. All in all, it is overall fun and nice experience for us.

After about 1.5 hours trek, we reached a place where there was a Bus waiting for us to pick up. We got into the bus and relaxed a while. The trek in the ice is very tiring. On top of it, it was very hot and sunny. We had to wear the UV protected goggle to protect our eyes. After a while, all the yatris were joined us. We took some photos with our Chinese friends and guide and boarded the bus for onward journey.

It was about 2 hours journey by bus to go the Taklakot. Before reaching Taklakot, we had to stop at the custom department for our baggage checking and completing immigration formalities at the Chinese side. There our baggage were sprayed with some spray to kill the viruses and we were scanned for viral fever. One after one, all the yatris completed the formalities. After that again we boarded our bus and continued our journey; within 10 minutes we reached Taklakot Puran guest house. There we took rest.

We have our tomato soup; though it is watery, it tasted very well.

In the afternoon we had a meeting with our Chinese guide Guru and he informed us how to conduct ourselves in the Chinese territory. In the evening they gave us a grand welcome party on behalf Chinese government.

We collected from all members US dollars to be paid to the Chinese authorities and additional dollars to convert to Chinese yuans.