Rohtang Pass in Manali
Spectacular beauty of Manali, the popular hill station in Himachal Pradesh has always been attracting thousands of tourists throughout the year. The pleasant weather and colorful flowers in the valleys around during summers and the snow capped mountains and snow covered roads in the winters make it an amazing tourist destination. Manali remains a popular destination for the trekkers and adventure lovers. Among all the places to visit in Manali, Rohtang Pass is the most stunning destination which no visitor likes to miss out.farm6.staticflickr.com/5050/5374474467_f5ac53135a.jpg
Geography of Rohtang Pass
The word Rohtang means - heaps of corpses. The name is originated from the fact that many people died while trying to cross this pass during adverse weather. The location of this pass is on the watershed of two river basins- Beas and Chenab. River Beas has its emergence from the south of this pass then it flows towards south direction. On the north of Rohtang Pass, a river named Chandra, the source of Chenab River, is flowing towards west.About Rohtang Pass
One of the most popular and beautiful spots in Manali, Rohtang Pass gets visited by lakhs of visitors throughout the year. The pass is closed for the visitors during the winter months as the area is covered with thick snow and it becomes impossible to travel to this area. The pass and the landscapes around are loved by the visitors for its amazing scenic beauty because of its high altitude. This pass is the highest point located on the Manali-Keylong Road. The height of Rohtang Pass is about 4112 m. Rohtang Pass is located about 50 km away from Manali Town.farm5.staticflickr.com/4080/4892617100_8727dd0017.jpg
This pass is considered as the gateway to the valleys Pangi, Leh and Lahaul-Spiti. The pass is opened for the tourists from April-October. Travelers can travel on this road only after snow-covered highway road is cleared and the Indian Army finds the road safe for people and vehicles. On the opposite of Rohtang Pass, Sonepani Glacier is located and on the left side of the pass, Dashahr Lake is located.
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Snow Point is an important place at Rohtang Pass. It is better to reach Rohtang Pass very early so that visitors could enjoy the beauty of this place till afternoon. It is possible to reach very close to the Snow Point by vehicle if tourists reach there early but one may have to walk down for 15-30 minutes or ride on a horse or mule to reach the Snow Point from the parking area during late hours.
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Around this area, makeshift food stalls selling different types of food stuffs, tea and coffee are available. Temporary shades are also available so that visitors can take shelter if there is sudden change in the weather. Travelers can hire ski gears, woolen items from the shops around as per the rates fixed by the government.
The rates are mentioned below:
- Skiing gears including snow shoes stick and warm coat - Rs. 100/person/day
- Skiing Dress - Rs. 150/person/day
- Ski pair and Ski Dress - Rs. 350/person/day
- Ski par, Ski dress and guide - Rs. 500
- For 5-10 minutes ride, the cost is Rs. 500.
- For 10-20 minutes ride, the cost is Rs. 1000.
- For 20-30 minutes ride, the cost is Rs. 1500.
Places around Rohtang Pass Manali
Rani Nala
This is a glacier located about 40 km away from Manali. Snow can be seen here at this Nala throughout the year.Gulaba
This is a famous picnic spot and this is the place from where trekkers start for their Brighu Lake Trekking Program.Rahala Falls
The Rahala Waterfalls is located about 27 m away from Manali, this high altitude waterfall is known for its wonderful landscapes.Kothi
Kothi is located on the banks of River Beas about 15 km away from Manali, this village is popular for its scenic beauty.Marhi
A very popular place located about 35 km from Manali; Marhi is popular for its makeshift eateries and different types of water sports. During winters, tourists are given permission to travel till Marhi.How to Reach Rohtang Pass
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Rohtang Pass is located on the east of Pir Panjal Range of the great Himalayas. It takes about 30-45 to travel to Rohtang Pass from Manali. The National Highway No. 21 passes through this pass.
The government of India has taken up a project to build a tunnel named Rohtang Tunnel so that it could be possible for the travelers to reach Leh, Lahaul-Spiti and Keylong faster and they need to travel lesser distance. To travel from the north to south part of the pass, it takes about 5-6 hours but with this tunnel, the total time to cover the distance would be only 30 minutes.