2 min readJammuUpdated: Apr 12, 2026 01:19 PM IST
The annual Amarnath Yatra to the cave shrine in south Kashmir will begin on July 3 and conclude on August 28, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Sunday.
Addressing reporters in Jammu, Sinha said the pilgrimage will span 57 days this year, making it slightly longer than those in recent years. The dates were finalised at a meeting of the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB) chaired by the LG, PTI reported.
Registration for the yatra has been made mandatory and will open from April 15. Pilgrims between the ages of 13 and 70 years will be allowed to undertake the journey, Sinha said.
Advance registration can be done through around 556 designated bank branches across the country, while an online facility will also be available on the SASB’s official website. Banks including Yes Bank, ICICI Bank, Punjab National Bank, State Bank of India and Axis Bank will facilitate the process through their branches, he added.
The LG said the first puja will be held on June 19, coinciding with Jyeshtha Purnima.
The yatra will proceed via two routes — the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam track in Anantnag district and the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district.
