The famous Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is a dream of a lifetime for most of the Hindus looking to attain Nirvana or salvation in their life. But it is not an easy pilgrimage like the many others and requires a lot of diligent preparation — both mental and physical!
If you are planning to travel to the legendary pilgrimage anytime soon, you must prepare well with the following things in mind:
Fitness
Fitness, both mental and physical should become your number one priority as soon as you plan to trek the Kailash Mansarovar.
You should be prepared to feel challenged!
How you choose to exercise and prepare yourself physically will depend a lot on whether you are a yoga person or a gym person. But here are a few guidelines you must keep in mind:
- Start your fitness routine at least 60 to 90 days before the final yatra and follow it meticulously.
- You can choose to run, walk or swim to add action to your exercise.
- Since the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra will take you to an altitude of 15000 feet, it is vital to train your body and lungs to sustain pressure at that altitude. Breathing exercises are a great way to do so. Make them a part of your routine as early as possible.
- Aim at improving your body strength by strength training at the gym. You must pay special attention to strengthening your upper back and shoulders.
- You also need to train your body to get accustomed to carrying extra weight on your back while you are trekking steep trails. You can do so by practicing walking while carrying a backpack of a similar weight as you plan to carry to the trek.
- While this is all about physical training, you cannot afford to ignore mental training for this trek, which is equally important, if not more! Practice meditation to control your thoughts and keep calm even in the most chaotic situations. It will go a long way in making you mentally strong while on the trek.
Food
Remember ‘you are what you eat!’ And it cannot get truer than this on the Kailash Mansarovar Trek. Be careful of your food choices since they will affect your strength and immunity while you are on the trek. Start by following this routine at least 30 to 45 days in advance:
- Increase the intake of liquids and raw foods. About 70% of your diet should comprise of fruits, salads, soups, and boiled veggies. These are light for your system and can be easily digested.
- Drink gallons and gallons of water! A minimum of 4 liters is a must. Even while you are on the trek, make it a point to sip water every few minutes. Keeping yourself hydrated is the easiest way to keep altitude issues such as AMS or Acute Mountain Sickness at bay.
- You must take only one complete meal in a day. This can either be your breakfast or your lunch.
Some additional tips
- Get a medical check-up done before you plan for the Mansarovar Yatra. Do not forget to check your blood sugar and cholesterol levels. They play an important role and directly affect your levels of energy.
- Start your preparations at least six months in advance to be very sure about everything ranging from fitness to food to getting used to high altitude.
- If you have respiratory issues such as Asthma or medical conditions such as high blood pressure, it is not advisable to take up the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra by Helicopter.