Humla's Limi Lapcha could be an alternative to get to Kailash Manasarovar

For those travelers including pilgrims who want to visit Kailash-Manasarovar in Tibet, Limi Lapcha in Humla district could provide an alternative route. Limi Lapcha lies in Namkha rural municipality-6 in the northern part of the district.

In this connection, a team of Indian pilgrims recently explored this option and travelled on to Manasarovar Kailash via Limi Lapcha. 

Humla had not welcomed tourists for the last one and half years due to the COVID-19 crisis and the team of Indian pilgrims was the first visitors to this area. 

The Hilsa border transit point remains closed for the visitors travelling from Nepal side to Kailash Manasarovar due to the coronavirus pandemic and the Limi-Lapcha route could provide an alternative.

There is possibility of promoting Humla's tourism by developing the Limi Lapcha route, according to local tourism entrepreneurs. 

With the decline in coronavirus cases, Indian tourists and pilgrims reached Humla and visited Manasarovar Kailash from Limi Lapcha. 

The Indian pilgrims landed at Limi Lapcha in a helicopter from Simkot airport. They had come to Simkot from Kathmandu and Nepalgunj. They returned back after paying homage to Manasarovar Kailash from Limi Lapcha, said proprietor of Bijay Hotel, Bijay Lama.

Lama added that there is possibility of increasing number of tourists to visit Manasarovar Kailash as well as to enjoy the panoramic scene of Limi Lapcha valley. 

Chief of Simkot airport, Mohan Giri, shared that a 13-member team comprising seven Indian and six domestic tourists reached Limi Lapcha on Thursday and returned back after visiting Manasarovar Kailash as well as other tourist areas. 

How to reach Limi Lapcha 
It takes four days on foot to reach Lapcha of Limi Valley from Simkot, the district headquarters of Humla. During the first two-day travel, unofficial homestay services are available and for the final two days, one has to manage tents, food and other required things on own as such facility is not available along the second half- route. 

One can find many ways along the route to make the trip fun and memorable by getting connected to the nature. From the Limi destination, one can have an up-close and majestic view of the Kailash Manasarovar easily. 

Similarly, some Indian pilgrims choose to take a helicopter ride from Simkot to land at Limi Lapcha and get back to Simkot while some prefer trekking. Limi Lapcha is the sole site in the country from where one can view of Manasarovar. 

However, the area awaits publicity to come to a limelight for its religious and touristic importance. 

So far this year, over 600 tourists including a few from abroad visited Limi Lapcha to pay homage to the Manasarovar.  The nationwide lockdown implemented from 24 March to 21 July, 2020 against coronavirus had obviously hampered the development of local tourism in Humla. The Humla folks believe that paying homage to the Manasarovar is akin to going to the heaven.