After opening the Kailash-Mansarovar route after a long time, the number of Indian pilgrims going to Mansarovar via Humla has increased. Only on Wednesday, 13 flights took off at Simkot airport. With the increase in the number of Indian pilgrims, there are 5 to 82 flights a day. 5 helicopters are kept ready at Simkot airport.

Almost 3,000 Indians have visited Mansarovar since March last year, and hotel bookings have already been made for the second week of October (September).

So far 2 thousand 998 people have visited Mansarovar District Police Office Humla. Mahendra Singh, head of Humla Airport, said that about 200 Indian pilgrims reached Humla on Wednesday. Targeting Mansarovar pilgrims, two aircraft each of Tara, Sita and Summit Airlines are stationed at Nepalgunj. Simrik, Fistel, Mountain, Prabhu and Kailash helicopters are kept on standby at Simkot.

Due to the Corona epidemic, China stopped the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage for almost four years. Humla's route is the shortest route to reach Kailash Mansarovar, so the attraction of pilgrims is increasing, said Namgyal Tamang, former president of Humla Industry and Commerce Association. "This route is short, easy and less physically tiring compared to other routes," he said, "Pilgrims have expressed their desire to go to Kailash Darshan through this route because they can also view the beautiful surrounding areas." 

Humla route is considered easy as other routes have a long and difficult journey of 12 days to 24 days. Tamang said that one can visit Kailash Mansarovar in 6 to 10 days while traveling through Nepalgunj-Humla. "Indian pilgrims are longing for Kailash Darshan due to long closure, we are trying to bring in as many pilgrims as possible," he said, "As hotel bookings are up to the end of September, around 10,000 tourists are expected to come this year." Vijay Lama, a local businessman, says that the 95 km road from Simkot to Hilsa can be traveled in 6 hours. Pilgrims stay in Simkot for a day and reach Hilsa and from there they reach Kailash Mansarovar by road. The distance from Hilsa to Mansarovar is 79 km. He said that after Darshan of Mansarovar, they will stay for one night in Simkot via Hilsa route. 

For Kailash Yatra, you can go through Kathmandu-Kerung by road, Kathmandu-Lhasa by air and road, Uttarakhand-Lipulek pass in India by road and Nathula route via Sikkim by road. But the shortest route is the way to Hilsa, said Mim Lama, another tourism businessman. 

According to the manager of Hotel Kalpataru, Lakshman Panthi, the hotels in Nepalgunj are full due to Indian pilgrims. He said that up to 80 tourists are staying in the hotel every day. He says that the hotel is booked for another two months. Nepalgunj head of Summit Air, Deepak Bahadur Shah, also informed that the pre-booking of the flight was done till the end of September. 

Aiming at Indian pilgrims, about a dozen tourist hotels have been opened in Simkot, the headquarters of Humla. Tourism businessman Manoj Rokaya said that 35 hotels are operating in Hilsa. He said that this year most pilgrims from South India, Tamilnadu, Kerala and Karnataka booked the package. He said that the hotelier made a package for the Indian including one night stay and food for two thousand five hundred rupees per passenger. 

Namkha Rural Municipality Vice President Takdir Lama says that Simkot and Namkha Rural Municipality charge an entry fee of Rs 1,000 from tourists. 60% of this amount is collected in Simkot and 40% in Namkha Rural Municipality. Vijay Bhandari, President of Simkot Rural Municipality said that due to the Indian pilgrims, hoteliers, tourism professionals and porters have also been affected. 

With the increase in tourists, local youths have got jobs and agricultural products have got a market. "Economic transactions are increasing due to the tourist activity, workers have been added to hotels," he said, "everyone who carries heavy loads, carries, and drives vehicles has found work." He said that since pilgrims take local products such as walnuts, beans, hemp, etc.

Mansarovar is a center of faith for Hindus and Buddhists. Every year from April to September is considered the season of Mansarovar Kailash Darshan. Kailash Patel, who came from Mumbai Ghatkoya, India, said that he was happy to visit Kailash after a long time. "I had a dream to see Kailash once in my life, it was fulfilled," he said, "After seeing Kailash, I experienced the vision of Shankarji." 

Gobind Gupta, who came from Uttar Pradesh, said that he believed that doing the darshan and circumambulation of Kailash would lead to salvation. "We are also satisfied with the love and welcome of the locals," he said, "I hope Shankarji will fulfill our wishes."

The Government of India has been giving subsidy ranging from 25 thousand to 1 lakh rupees to its citizens going to Kailash Mansarovar. Indian pilgrims started using Hilsamarg since 2006. After the earthquake of 2072, when the Tatopani crossing was closed, the number of pilgrims going through Hilsa crossing in Humla increased rapidly. According to the data of District Administration Office Humla, 18 thousand Indian pilgrims visited Mansarovar in almost 4 years until Corona epidemic.