Humla. The journey of Indian pilgrims going to visit Mansarovar Kailash via Hilsa has come to an end this year. With increasing cold, the Indian pilgrims have now started their Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage, said Mim Lama, a hotel entrepreneur. He said that the journey of the pilgrims going to Mansarovar via Hilsa of Humla via Kathmandu and Nepalgunj has ended this year. A large number of Indian pilgrims have reached Mansarovar Puja via Humla following the coronavirus pandemic.

According to Lama, hoteliers based in the district headquarters Simkot and Hilsa on the border with China have made good income this year. A hotel has earned more than Rs 10 lakh. Although one or two people coming to visit different places of the district from other countries are scattered, the season of Indian pilgrims has ended.

6,500 foreign tourists enter Humla {{TAG_OPEN_strong_21 TAG_CLOSE_strong_21}}

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A total of 6,407 foreign tourists have arrived in Humla after the opening of the Hilsana Complex in Nepal on May 3. According to Deputy Superintendent of Police at the District Police Office, Shankar Pokharel, around six thousand Indian pilgrims have reached Nepal to visit Kailash Mansarovar via Nepalgunj in the first week of May to the third week of September.

“A total of 6,407 foreign tourists including 450 from other countries have reached Humla”, he said. A total of 25 foreign tourists had arrived here from the second week of May to visit Mansarovar via Humla. This is the last number of foreign tourists coming to visit Kailash Mansarovar this year.

The number of foreign pilgrims used to increase at Simkot Airport every day until May, June, July, August and the first week of September as the route to Humla is short.

Dipendra Bhandari, who is deputed from Simkot Rural Municipality at Simkot Airport, said that the number of religious tourists has increased after China opened Hilsana checkpoint for Indian tourists including Humli. “A significant number of people have come to Humla to pay homage to Mansarovar Kailash after the coronavirus infection,” he said.

Simkot and Namkha rural municipalities of the district have been collecting fees from foreign tourists visiting Humla. It collects Rs 1,100 per person from Indian pilgrims and Rs 1,500 from tourists from other countries.

A total of Rs 65.52 lakh has been collected from 5,957 Indian tourists visiting Humla for visiting Mansarovar Kailash and Rs 575,000 from tourists from other countries.

Busy Simkot Airport deserted

The Simkot Airport used to be busy every morning till 5:00 pm during the arrival time of tourists. Although Simkot Airport used to be very busy in the months of May, June, July and August, and there was a lot of movement of citizens, it has started looking deserted from the second week of September. With the conclusion of the Mansarovar Kailash Darshan Yatra, the movement of private aircraft in the eastern part of the airport has reduced the hustle and bustle.