Kathmandu, Jan 30
With Nepal's Shree Airlines commencing operation from Nepalgunj Airport to Kailash Mansarovar, now Indians devotees can fly across Mount Kailash and the Mansarovar lake enjoying a magnificent close view of the holy places.
Nepal’s Shree Airlines on Monday operated Mount Kailash and Manasarovar aerial tour with 38 Indian tourists on board.
The Indian tourists were from New Delhi, Mumbai, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh.
With the resumption of chartered flights, now it is expected that Indian devotees can undertake the mountain flights from Nepal and take a tour across Manasarovar.
China had banned visiting Indian pilgrims after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 9N-AMB registration Bombardier CRJ-700 flew from Nepalgunj airport with 44 passengers, including foreigners and five crew members.
According to Shree Airlines, the flight was arranged in coordination with Temple Trip Group, India, Siddhartha Hospitality Group, Nepalgunj and Pathil Holidays, Kathmandu.
Thousands of Hindus visit Manasarovar via Nepalgunj - Humla, Nepal which is considered as shortest and cheapest route. Tourism entrepreneur Keshav Neupane said the mountain flight would help recover declining business and help identify tourism destinations for Indian tourists.
"At least one flight for Indian tourists in the season will contribute to boosting tourism activities," he believed, adding that the view of the Kailash Mansarovar is an alluring site indeed. The flight time from Nepalgunj to Kailash Manasarover is 75 minutes, according to the organisers.
The flight commanded by Captain Prafull Vaidya and Captain Rajesh Shrestha flew at a height of 27,000 ft to provide a view of Manasarovar, a holy lake, and Kailash, the mountain revered as Lord Shiva's abode.
"We are hopeful that the aerial flight of Mount Kailash and Mansarovar in Tibet will promote Nepal's religious tourism," the airline said in a statement.
The airline is planning to launch a package of Kailash-Manasarovar yatra from Nepalgunj and Pashupati in Kathmandu shortly.
Indian tourists who reached Kailash Mansarovar on a mountain flight from Nepalgung felt happiness. A hotelier in Nepalgunj, Punam Bhusal, said, "It certainly helps augment the tourism industry."
The Kailash Mansarovar, located in Tibet, is a common holy site of Hindu and Buddhist people. It is visited largely by the Hindus from Nepal and India.
Mount Kailash is a sacred Hindu pilgrimage site and most of the devotes either use the route of Uttarakhand, India, or via Nepalgunj.
