Om Namah Shivaya
Additional things that may be carried during Yatra:
1. Wide brown adhesive tape roll (Multi-purpose & highly useful)
2. Whistles (Can be used as SOS during Kailash Parikarma)
3. Camphor (Can be used at high altitude to facilitate breathing)
4. 3 in 1 electric plug (It will facilitate for charging the batteries)
5. M-seal (For sealing the mouth of bottles/cans carrying Mansarovar Water)
6. Black permanent marker pen (For marking on luggage/bags)
7. Poly bags (For storing wet clothes as well to protect from moisture)
4 challenging treks:
1. Chiyalekh (on day 3)
2. Lipulekh (on day 7)
3. Dolma pass (on day 2 of kailash parikarma)
4. Jipti (on day 24)
Do’s
1. Start earliest possible on the days involving the challenging treks. Specially on day
24, start at 0500 hrs from Budhi because by the time one gets to start the Jipti ascent,
it will be more than 1000 hrs and heat and sun will make the whole journey
extremely tough. Moreover there is no water point on Jipti Steps so ask yatris to have
maximum possible quantity of water from Lakhanpur.
2. Preferably have a daily briefing session on each evening of trek.
3. Ensure that each yatri is accompanied by atleast one more yatri.
4. Please ensure that the fittest yatri accompanies the slowest/ last yatri especially
during the kailash parikarma.
5. Keep 3 xerox copies of the yatri’s list which will be required at Mirthi, Garbyang &
Kalapani. Please keep all the documents in polythene bags.
6. Ensure that all the yatri’s carry their DLHI medical reports including the x-ray film,
passports, USDs with them.
7. The yatris who have not hired a pony from Dharchula, must be advised/ persuaded to
hire one at Navidhang for Lipulekh trek. The ponies are available at Navidhang at a
bargain price of approx 500 rupees.
8. All yatris should use polythene carry bags to protect their passports, dollars and
rupees from damage due to rain or sweating. Please note that the blue pouches given
are NOT water proof.
9. Yatris should use the public telephone facilities available at KMVN Dharchula, ITBP
Camp Gala, Budhi, Gunji. The cost of call is 1 rupee per minute.
10. Please note that the Indian mobile networks work only till Mirthi. The network
showing in the mobile phones at Dharchula is a Nepalese one and will invite
international roaming charges. It’s better to use PCOs at Dharchula.
11. ITBP sets up a 24 hrs help line for the information on KM Yatris. The relatives can
call up any time on the number to know the well being and exact status of the yatri.
The relatives can also get the daily update by visiting the website
http://www.kumaonaurkailash.com/
12. Please take stock of all the eatable/ provisions at Taklakot. Most likely you will find
the shortage of ration for the whole duration of Chinese stay. Make all the purchasing
of fresh fruits, vegetables & rice from Nepalese market at Taklakot.
13. It is advisable to buy Chinese mobile sim cards which are easily available in the next
door shop to the Purang Guest House at the cost of 100 Yuan. In the 100 Yuan, one
gets a talk time of 80 Yuan. It may not be possible to make calls to India from those
numbers as they may be ISD barred, however the yatris can send SMS to their
relatives from these sim cards, which costs 1 Yuan. The relatives thus can call back
on that number. A call from India cost 1 rupee per minute (from MTNL
landline/mobile only) however the call charges from Taklakot to India will be more
than 3 Yuan (approx 24 rupees) per minute. Moreover there are no PCOs during
Mansarovar Parikarma but the mobile network is available at the places except for the
Kailash Parikarma. So the yatris can be in touch with their relatives back home.
14. The dollars can be converted into Yuan from a nearby Agriculture Development
Bank in Taklakot. Please ask all the yatris to write on a sheet of paper, their name and
serial numbers of the dollars being given for exchange. In case the bank refuses to
accept any note, it can be handed back to the yatri for replacement.
15. A yatri will need approx 1000 Yuan (120 Yuan per day each for pony, pony man and
porter) if he/she hires a pony & porter during the kailash parikarma. The other
miscellaneous expenses will not require more than 150-200 Yuan (except if someone
is too much into shopping). So it is advisable to convert dollars accordingly. 100
dollars will be approx 725 Yuan.
16. Check for the sign of HAPE & HACE. One way of identifying HAPE will be that if
the yatri is not able to catch his/her breathe properly even after 10 minutes of rest,
then he/she should be considered as high risk. HACE can be identified with the sign
of disorientation. It can be identified by seeing & evaluating the response of yatri
after calling him/her by his/her name. If he/she does not respond properly to the name
call, then he/she should be considered as high risk.
17. Enjoy the Yatra. Don’t rush to reach the destination. Journey is much more beautiful
than the guesthouse. So spend more time on road than in a room.
18. Please ensure that you leave ONLY your footprints on the hills.
19. Do contribute positively to environment by planting saplings on the hills and cleaning
the shores of Holy Mansarovar Lake. Dig a ditch and bury all the polythene bags that
you find on the shores of lake.
20. It is normal for the individuals to behave kinky at high altitudes. Please empathize
and accommodate. Please be forgiving and forgetful.
Don’ts
1. No yatri should travel alone under any circumstance.
2. No yatri should be allowed to go out alone in China.
3. Don’t give copy of Chinese Visa to anyone including yatri.
4. Avoid international roaming as each call cost will be approx 125 rupees per minute
for outgoing and 75 rupees per minute for incoming.
5. Avoid drinking water from the river. Instead use water from free flowing water falls.
Each yatri should have water available at all the time during yatra.
6. Leave your footprints not the poly bags. Don’t spill and don’t waste.