Adi Kailash & Om Parvat Permit Guide: Inner Line Permit, Medical and Route

Adi Kailash and Om Parvat lie in the Vyas valley of Pithoragarh district, right next to the India–Nepal–Tibet border. Because this is a border area, you cannot just drive up the way you would to Kedarnath or Badrinath. You need a permit, a fitness check and some planning around the weather.

This guide explains the paperwork step by step in simple words. It also covers the route, the main darshan points, the best months and what to expect on the road. It is written for families and senior yatris who want to know what is involved before they book.

What is the Inner Line Permit and why do you need it?

An Inner Line Permit is an official travel document. It lets Indian citizens enter certain protected border areas for a limited period. For this yatra, the protected zone starts beyond Dharchula. It covers villages and camps such as Budhi, Gunji, Nabhi, Kuti, Jolingkong, Kalapani and Nabhidhang.

Security forces check the permit at several checkposts along the way, and Gunji is one of the main ones. Without a valid permit you will be sent back. That is why the permit is the first thing to sort out, even before you think about hotels.

Who can get the permit?

• Indian citizens: Yes, with valid ID and the supporting documents listed below.
• Foreign passport holders and OCI/PIO cardholders: The standard ILP does not cover them. Travel guides say a separate protected-area permission from the Government of India would be needed, and approval is not guaranteed.
• Children and seniors: There is no single published age rule for every season. Senior yatris, especially those above 60, should expect a closer medical check. Some packages, such as KMVN’s helicopter package, have set their own age limits in past seasons.

How to get the Adi Kailash permit: step by step

Is there an online application in 2026?

We checked this carefully. In 2025, travel news reported that applications were taken online through an official website before the season opened. For 2026, local news in May reported a new permit facility to make applying easier. However, we could not find one clearly named official portal that lets you finish the whole process from home.

Several 2026 travel guides say that even if you register online first, your documents are still checked and the permit is collected at Dharchula. So plan for at least one working day in Dharchula. For 2027, ask your operator or the SDM office Dharchula which system is running before you leave home.

The usual offline process at Dharchula

1. Write a short application addressed to the SDM, Dharchula. Mention your travel dates, the number of people and each person’s name and age.
2. Get police verification. This can usually be done at your home police station or locally. Guides say the certificate should be no more than about 15 days old when you submit it.
3. Get a medical fitness certificate from an MBBS doctor. You can get this in your home town or at the government hospital in Dharchula.
4. Submit everything with copies of your IDs and photos at the SDM office.
5. Collect the permit once it has been verified. Keep the original and two photocopies with you for the whole trip.

The SDM office follows government working days. It is generally closed on Sundays and public holidays, so do not plan to arrive on a Saturday night and expect a permit on Sunday. In the May–June rush it can take longer than a day.

Documents checklist

Document	What to carry	Notes
Photo ID	Aadhaar, Voter ID, passport or driving licence	Originals plus 2 photocopies
Photographs	2–4 recent passport-size photos per person	Carry a few extra
Medical fitness certificate	Signed by an MBBS doctor	Should say you are fit for high-altitude travel
Police verification	Certificate from a police station	Keep it recent (about 15 days)
Affidavit / indemnity	Notarised on stamp paper, if asked	Some seasons and operators ask for it
Emergency contact	Name and phone number of a family member	Write it on your application

The permit fee is small, but the amount is revised from time to time. Please confirm the current fee at the office. We do not quote a figure here because we could not verify an official 2026 amount.

Medical certificate and health checks

This yatra goes from about 900 metres at Dharchula to well above 4,000 metres at Jolingkong. That is a big climb in a few days, and thin air is the main risk, more than walking.

• Get a proper check-up at home first: blood pressure, sugar, ECG, and lungs if you have asthma.
• Tell your doctor exactly where you are going and how high. A vague “fit to travel” note may not be enough.
• Medical staff at Gunji may screen yatris. Anyone showing signs of altitude sickness can be asked not to go further.
• Carry your regular medicines for the full trip, plus a few days extra in case roads close.

Common warning signs are a headache that will not go away, vomiting, breathlessness while resting, and confusion. If you notice any of these, tell your group leader at once and go down. Coming down is the most reliable treatment.

The route: from the plains to Adi Kailash and Om Parvat

Most road itineraries start from Kathgodam or Tanakpur railway stations. They climb through Kumaon to Pithoragarh and then go on to Dharchula, on the Kali river facing Nepal. After the permit, the road follows the river up the valley to Gunji, where the routes to Adi Kailash and Om Parvat split.

Place	Approx. altitude	Why it matters
Pithoragarh	about 1,600 m	Main town and helipad; night halt
Dharchula	about 900 m	Permit office, KMVN base camp, last proper market
Gunji	about 3,200 m	Base for both darshans, homestays, checkpost, rest day
Nabhidhang	about 4,300 m	Viewpoint for Om Parvat
Jolingkong	about 4,400 m	Adi Kailash darshan, Parvati Kund, Shiv temple

Altitudes are approximate and vary between sources by a hundred metres or so.

Gunji: your base and rest stop

Gunji is a border village where the Kuti valley meets the Kali valley. Most groups stay two or three nights here in homestays or simple guesthouses. They make day trips to Om Parvat on one day and to Adi Kailash on another. A rest day here helps the body get used to the height before going higher.

Om Parvat darshan at Nabhidhang

Om Parvat is the peak where snow settles in a shape that looks like the sacred “Om”. You do not climb it. You see it from the Nabhidhang camp area, below the old Lipulekh pass, on the way from Gunji. Many groups also stop at Kalapani to visit the Kali temple and the cave linked with Ved Vyas. Clouds can hide the peak, so an early morning visit gives the best chance of a clear view.

Adi Kailash, Parvati Kund and Gauri Kund at Jolingkong

Adi Kailash, also called Chhota Kailash, rises above Jolingkong in the Kuti valley. The road from Gunji passes Kuti village. Travel reports from late 2025 said it had been paved up to Jolingkong, which makes the drive much shorter than before.

At Jolingkong there is a Shiv temple beside the sacred Parvati Kund (Parvati Sarovar), and the peak is reflected in it on a clear day. Gauri Kund lies a little further, at the foot of the mountain. It is a short but steep walk at this height, so seniors should go slowly or be content with darshan from the temple area.

Jageshwar and Patal Bhuvaneshwar on the way

Many itineraries add two well-known Kumaon temples:

• Jageshwar Dham, the group of ancient stone Shiv temples near Almora, often visited on the way up from Kathgodam.
• Patal Bhuvaneshwar, the cave temple near Gangolihat, often visited on the return via Chaukori.

They add a day or so but make the yatra feel complete, and they also break up the long drives.

KMVN or a private operator?

Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) is the Uttarakhand government’s tourism body for Kumaon. It runs the Dharchula base camp and tourist rest houses, and it is the nodal agency for the official Kailash Mansarovar Yatra on this road. It has also offered fixed-date Adi Kailash packages by road and, in some seasons, by helicopter from Pithoragarh to Gunji.

Point	KMVN package	Private operator
Dates	Fixed batches, limited seats	Flexible, can start when your family is ready
Start point	Usually set (Kathgodam, Dharchula or Pithoragarh)	Can pick up from Dehradun, Haridwar, Delhi or a station
Group	Mixed group of strangers	Private family group possible
Permit help	Guidance given	A good operator collects documents in advance and handles the queue
Add-ons	Standard route	Jageshwar, Patal Bhuvaneshwar, extra rest days on request

Both options can work well. The important thing is that whoever you travel with knows the road, keeps a buffer day and does not push older yatris to go higher too fast.

Best months for the yatra

• May–June: The season opens (on 1 May in 2026). It is busy and pleasant, and snow is often still on the peaks.
• July–August: Monsoon. In 2026, permits were stopped from 2 July because of landslide risk.
• Mid-September–October: Usually clear skies after the rains. This is a lovely time for darshan, but it gets cold at night.
• November onwards: The road closes for winter. In 2025 the closure was reported from 1 December.

Opening dates are not fixed in advance. In 2026, for example, the second phase was put off until about 20 September after a Bailey bridge near Kulagad on the Dharchula–Gunji road was washed away. Always wait for the official announcement before booking non-refundable tickets.

Road conditions and mobile network

The road beyond Dharchula was built for the border and opened up to Lipulekh in 2020. It is now motorable all the way, but some stretches are narrow, dusty and prone to landslides. Local Bolero/4×4 type vehicles are normally used beyond Dharchula. Travel news in late 2025 said the government had approved a tunnel between Dharchula and Gunji to bypass a difficult stretch. Until it is built, expect delays after rain.

Mobile signal is weak. BSNL works in a few pockets, and other networks are patchy and unreliable beyond Dharchula. Tell your family that you may be out of touch for two or three days. Download offline maps and carry some cash, because ATMs and card payments are rare beyond Dharchula.

What to pack

• Warm layers: thermals, fleece, down jacket, woollen cap and gloves, even in June
• Good walking shoes with grip, plus a rain jacket
• Sunglasses, sunscreen and lip balm, because the sun is strong at height
• Personal medicines, a basic first-aid kit and a small torch
• Photocopies of every document in a plastic folder
• Dry fruits and some snacks for long drives

Frequently asked questions

Can I get the Adi Kailash permit on the day I arrive in Dharchula?

Sometimes, if your documents are complete and the office is open. In peak weeks it can take longer, so keep one buffer day in Dharchula.

Do I need a passport for Adi Kailash?

No. Adi Kailash and Om Parvat are inside India. An Indian photo ID such as Aadhaar or Voter ID works. A passport is useful as ID but is not required.

Is the medical certificate really checked?

Yes. It is part of the permit file, and yatris may also be screened again higher up. Get an honest check-up, because it is for your own safety.

How much walking is involved?

Most of the journey is now by road. The walking is short: around Parvati Kund, up to Gauri Kund if you choose, and at viewpoints. The altitude, not the distance, makes it tiring.

Can elderly parents do this yatra?

Many seniors do, with a doctor’s approval, a slow plan and a rest day at Gunji. Anyone with heart or lung problems should speak to their doctor first.

Is this the same as Kailash Mansarovar?

No. Adi Kailash is a separate sacred peak inside India. Kailash Mansarovar is in Tibet (China) and needs a passport, a Chinese visa or permit, and a very different plan. See our Kailash Mansarovar Yatra page for that.

Plan your Adi Kailash and Om Parvat yatra with us

We are based in Dehradun and arrange the full journey: document checklist before you leave home, permit help at Dharchula, a comfortable vehicle, stays at Gunji, and darshan at Om Parvat, Adi Kailash and Parvati Kund at a pace that suits your family. See the itinerary on our Adi Kailash & Om Parvat Yatra page. You can also call us on our office phone or WhatsApp WhatsApp for dates and a quote.

Last checked: October 2026 — rules change every season. Permit steps, opening dates and road status are decided each year by the Pithoragarh district administration. Please confirm before you travel.

Sources

• ThePrint (PTI): Second phase of Adi Kailash Yatra postponed until September 20 (2026)
• News Arena India: Adi Kailash Yatra put on hold for pilgrims’ safety (July 2026)
• News Arena India: Adi Kailash Yatra surpasses last year’s turnout in 40 days (2026)
• News On AIR: Adi Kailash Yatra set to begin in Uttarakhand (1 May 2026)
• KMVN: Heli Adi Kailash package
• eUttaranchal: Adi Kailash latest travel news
• Himalayan Dream Treks: How to get Adi Kailash permit (updated 2026)
• Namaste India Trip: Inner Line Permit for Adi Kailash Yatra (updated July 2026)
• Trek The Himalayas: Adi Kailash Yatra itinerary and altitudes
• Wikipedia: Adi Kailash