Rohtang Pass
The Himalayas which are spread over a distance of over one million km square separates the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau and the range has the world’s highest peak, The Mount Everest. Rohtang pass is one such mountain pass situated on the east of Pir Panjal underground railway tunnel connecting Kullu Valley with the Lahaul and Spiti Valleys of Himachal Pradesh. It is situated at a height of 13 thousand feet above sea level and is about 50 kilometers away from the main city, Manali. The pass lies on the basins of the Chenab and Beas river. Also famous for its scenic beauty, Rohtang Pass holds strategic importance for India as its the gateway to Keylong in the Lahaul Valley from Manali in the state's Kullu district. The pass also serves as an ancient trade route between the people living on either side of Pir Panjal. The main attractions of this place are paragliding, skiing and a ride on snow scooters on the hill itself. Besides these fun activities, the major places where tourist prefer to visit are -
• Nehru Kund: Named after India’s first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru. This is basically an innate spring where he used to drink water from during his stay in Manali. The water is also believed to possess healing qualities. The source of the water in this spring is Bhrighu Lake. Not a lot of tourists come to visit this place as there are a lot of fun activities which tourists prefer more than visiting historical. But its definitely a must watch place as its related to the Indian History.
• Hadimba Temple: It is a four-story cave temple and is believed to be the home of Goddess Hadimba, who was the wife of Bhima, a figure in the Indian epic Mahabharata. The temple is surrounded by a cedar forest and the temple is said to be more than 400 years old.
• Gulaba: It is a local village but what makes it a tourist spot is its wonderful landscapes and a lot of fun activities available here. The place is just six kilometers from Rohtang Pass with plush meadows and stunning mountains.
• A few waterfalls and temples are also located in the city which attracts a major number of tourists besides these.
HOW TO REACH
By Air: To reach Rohtang Pass by air, the nearest airport is the Kullu Manali Airport which is about a 100 kilometers away and it usually takes three to four hours to reach depending on the weather and climate of the city. Then you can choose buses or heir a cab/taxi to visit Rohtang Pass.
By Train: By train, the Joginder Nagar railway station is the most suitable and convenient way to reach Rohtang Pass. The station is about 200 kilometers and takes about six or seven hours to reach there depending on the time and weather.
By Road: In order to reach Rohtang Pass, from Delhi let’s say as its a main city and traveling from there would be quite easy and convenient, also its well connected by both flights and trains. Now, the distance from Delhi to Rohtang is about 600 kilometers and it takes a good 15 to 16 hours on a clear sunny day by a car.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
There are three seasons from where you can opt which season suits your taste and these are
• June to October: The place is opened for tourists and they can enjoy snow biking, paragliding, trekking and horse riding as well. In June skiing might not be available as the snow is really less during this time but Rohtang Pass shuts down in November or by last week of October and slowly the adventure point becomes inaccessible to tourists. During this time, adventure point shifts to Gulaba which a few kilometers away from Rohtang.
• November to February: The valleys in this month are covered with snow and the snow during this time would be around 1-2 feet deep. The natural beauty is wonderful to treat for nature lovers especially for those who are far from nature and hilly regions. The temperature in early November is around 10 degrees during the day and 50 degrees during the night. Temperature decreases as the month passes or if the weather turns bad. This season is also the best time to pay a visit into the beautiful valley.
• February to May: The temperature during this month is fairly cold ranging from about 19 degrees during the day to 9 degrees during the night. Temperature increases as the month pass with about 24 degrees during the day to about 11 degrees during the night.
