Rupin Pass

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Rupin Pass Trek:

When you think of a high altitude trek in summer, Rupin pass trek is not to miss. There are several passes which connect the Baspa valley of Kinnaur to the Garhwal in south. Once these passes were used by shepherds and traders rather than using the circuitous Hindustan-Tibet road in present days. The route offers wide range of landscape, altitude and gradient. Initially the trail is inside the Govind National Park (Govind Vanya Pashu Vihar) and passes through Oak and Fir forests , interior villages in the river valleys at lower elevation while beautiful meadows (referred as Thach in local language), alpine wild flowers, waterfalls, steep ice fields on higher altitude. The route is typically rich in wild flowers, specially just after monsoon. Famous Brahma Kamal flourish in abundance in the surrounding areas of the pass. During summer, the trail above the meadows remain covered in heavy snow. In monsoon the snow melts and the shepherds cross for grazing opportunities. From the pass there are spectacular views of Kinnaur Kailash range and other peaks of Charang Ghati ridge. The other side of the pass i.e. Kinnaur is famed for its “Golden Delicious” apple orchards.

Brief Itinerary for Rupin pass trek:

Day 1: Drive from Dehradun to Dhaula – 200 Km by car – 10 hours
Day 2: Trek to Sewa – 10 Km – 5/6 hours
Day 3: Trek to Jhaka – 12 Km – 6/7 hours
Day 4: Trek to Buras Kandi – 7 Km – 5 hours
Day 5: Trek to Dhanderas Thatch (Lower Waterfall) – 6 Km – 4 hours
Day 6: Trek to Rati Pheri/Upper waterfall – 5 Km – 4 hours

Day 7: Yoga Workshop to Sangla Kanda
Day 8: Trek to Sangla Kanda over Rupin Pass – 12 Km – 8/9 hours
Day 9: Trek to Sangla – 4 Km – 2 hours

*** Trekkers need to reach on their own to Dehradun on Day 1 morning (by 7 am) or the previous night. You will reach Sangla by early afternoon on Day 8. It is advised that you book your return tickets from Delhi on Day 10 morning or later. Transportation cost to reach Dhaula and return from Sangla are included in the TREK FEE.

Best time/Seasons for Rupin Pass trek:

As all high altitude treks in the Himalayas (apart from few trans Himalayan treks), Rupin Pass trek also can be done best in two seasons. One being in summer before monsoon and the later being post monsoon in fall.

Summer (May/June): Starting from early May to end of June. Because of the residual snow of winter expect moderate to heavy snow during this time. You will get snow from lower waterfall camp in patches and above. Due to heavy snow normally Rati Pheri camp is not possible this season but upper waterfall will be the highest camp before Rupin pass. The nature of snow will be icy/slushy as it melts during daytime and refreezes again in the night. Micro spikes/anti-slip grips (don’t get confused yourself with mountaineering crampons) are helpful. Also you will in love with Rhododendrons in summer. These blooms in abundance around Buras Kandi (Buras means Rhododendron in local language). So, if snow is your priority then this is your season. Brief showers in the afternoon is a normal occurrence.

Post monsoon (Sep/Oct): Traditionally this is the best window for any high altitude pass on the Himalayas. After monsoon the weather becomes clear and haze free. September is typically greener and you will get the meadows (called Thatch in local language) at their best. Variety of flowers bloom in monsoon and remain till late September. Most revered Brahma Kamal bloom on the higher rocky ridges. From October the grass will turn into golden and it will become colder. Also there will be chance of fresh snowfall on high altitude above 14000 ft. Experienced hikers who have already been to snow treks and don’tt have any special liking for snow normally prefer this season.

Rupin pass trail is all about following the Rupin river from Dhaula (at Dhaula Supin and Rupin forms Tons river, the main tributary of Yamuna) to its origin. Following upstream you will not only witness its twist and turn but also cross very interior villages of Uttarakhand (up to Sewa village) and then villages of Himachal (Jiskun and Jakha). The architecture of their houses and attires have similarities with Kinnaur region. Most of the people at Jiskun and Jakha are of Satsangi religious sect and are pure vegetarian.

Access to Rupin pass trek base (Dhaula):

Based upon your request we will arrange a pick up and drop from Dehradun to Dhaula. This will be shared equally by the team members on actual basis. You pay directly to the driver/transporter. The fare is Rs 6000 for a Tata Sumo/Mahindra Maxx/Bolero one way. This can accommodate 6 to 8 people. A Tempo Traveller charges Rs 9000 (12-14 seat) one way.

While returning from Sangla either one can take the overnight bus to Shimla at 5 pm or board the bus next morning at 8 am. The 235 Km journey will take 10 to 12 hours. From Shimla there are frequent bus services for Chandigarh and Delhi.

Return from Sangla (trek end point) to Shimla/Chandigarh/Delhi:

Rupin pass trek ends at Sangla. You should reach Sangla latest by noon on Day 8, starting from Sangla Kanda. Some trekkers start their return journey on the same evening whereas few prefer to stay back at Sangla for the night. The last village on Baspa valley is Chitkul, which is 25 Km further up from Sangla. Here are the different options which you can avail:

1) There is a state transport HRTC operated bus starts in the afternoon/evening (4/5 pm) and reaches Shimla in 10/12 hours. From the same bus terminus you will get busses for Chandigarh and Delhi which will take 4 and 9/10 hours respectively.

2) If you prefer to stay the night at Sangla (there are plenty of accommodation options) then you can avail the next morning HRTC bus ( at 6 am) directly going to Delhi (ISBT Kashmiri Gate) via Shimla. This will take around 18/20 hours.

3) At times trekkers take a reserved vehicle from Sangla to Shimla on Day 8 evening or Day 9 morning. Our team will help you to get one. This will be shared equally by the availing team members and a Tata Sumo charges around 7000/8000 Rs.

To reach the trek base Dhaula independently/public transportation, check the details in GETTING THERE TAB.

Duration: 8 days of trekking from Dhaula to Sangla over Rupin pass; Dehradun to Sangla in 9 days. Add another full day to return to Delhi via Shimla.

Prerequisite: One or two prior Himalayan trekking experience is advised. Heavy to moderate snow in pre monsoon. Trekkers must be in good physical condition to endure sustained walk and climbs.

Grade: Moderate

Physicality: 7/10

Trail Length: 60 Km

Highest Point: Rupin Pass ~ 4685 m/15370 ft

Seasons: May/June (summer/pre monsoon) & September/October (Post Monsoon/Fall)

Further Option: There are other trekking passes like Borasu Pass, Lamkhaga Pass, Nalgan Ghati, Shinkha Ghati (Lamea Pass) which connect western Garhwal to Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh. It is possible to do a round trip while reaching Sangla and returning through another pass to Garhwal.

Access: Trek starting point (trek base) is Dhaula, 200 Km from Dehradun.

Rail station: Dehradun (Station Code: DDN)

Airport: Delhi; Nearest airport at Jolly Grant, 20 Km from Dehradun (Code: DED)

Upcoming scheduled dates for Rupin Pass trek:

You can check the scheduled Fixed Departure dates in the calendar available inside Booking Form or inside REGISTER NOW form. Tour starting Dates are highlighted as per our itinerary (Day 1 of 9 days itinerary).
At present BOOK NOW functionality is disabled. You can get all the information in your email by submitting the Get Best Quote form.
If you are a group of people and available dates are not matching then you may select Custom date mode (by clicking the Select your custom date) and fill in the displayed form.
You can also check all the available dates at a glance in our TREK CALENDAR.
Trekkers need to reach Dehradun on Day 1 morning (latest by 8 am) or the previous night. Return to Dehradun on Day 6 evening (around 7 pm). Arrange your tickets for inward journey and return accordingly.

DEPARTURE LOCATION	Dehradun railway station
REPORTING TIME	7:00 AM for a prompt departure to Sankri (Day 1)
RETURN LOCATION	Dehradun
RETURN TIME	Approximately 7:00 PM (Day 6)

How to reach Dhaula (The trek base):

Nearest Rail station: Dehradun (Station Code: DDN)

Nearest Airport: Delhi, Jolly Grant in Dehradun (Airport Code: DED)

Based upon your request we will arrange a pick up and drop from Dehradun to Sankri and back. This will be shared equally by the team members on actual basis. You pay directly to the driver/transporter. The fare is Rs 6000 for a Tata Sumo/Mahindra Maxx one way. This can accommodate 6 to 8 people. A Tempo Traveller charges Rs 9000 (12-14 seat) one way. This is NOT included in TREK FEE and to be paid directly to the driver/owner.

If you wish to reach our Trek Base Dhaula on your own by public transportation:

There are 2/3 privately operated buses from Dehradun (near DDN railway station on Gandhi road) To Sankri. The 200 Km journey will take around 10/12 hours. The busses start at 5:30/6/7 am. You need to get down at Netwar and then hire a cab for last 10 Km.

How to reach Dehradun:

For the treks at Uttarkashi district in Garhwal , one has to reach the capital city of Uttarakhand, Dehradun, specially the trek starting from Sankri, Yamunotri etc. Haridwar, Rishikesh and Dehradun are 3 nearby cities in the area and one can move from one to another by public vehicles like bus or shared Jeeps.

For more options to reach Haridwar you can check here.

Haridwar to Dehradun: 55 Km and may take one and half to 2 hours.

Dehradun to Rishikesh: 45 Km and may take around one and a half hour.

You can fly or by train reach New Delhi as per your convenience from any part within India.

There are direct trains from Kolkata to Dehradun.

KUMBHA EXPRESS – Train No. – 12369 ( Very good option to reach Haridwar by 5 pm; You can take a bus from the terminus just opposite to the railway station referred as Roadways bus stand/ISBT and reach Dehradun in one and half hour. Spend the night in Dehradun and start your onward journey by car next morning.)

UPASANA EXPRESS – Train No. – 12327 ( Very good option to reach Dehradun directly by 5 pm; Spend the night in Haridwar and start your onward journey by car next morning)

DOON EXPRESS – Train No. – 13009 (Don’t book this train when you plan a long onward journey immediately in the morning)]

Avoid booking wait listed (WL) tickets in AC classes (1A/2A/3A) or Chair Car (CC). Book Sleeper class (SL)/Second Sitting class (2S) tickets which have normally more seats/berths and hence much better chance to get confirmed.

You can reach Dehradun easily from New Delhi by train or bus (~ 6/7 hours) and is around 260 Km.

By train:

Following trains are good to reach Haridwar and run daily.

DDN JANSHTBDI – Train No. 12055 (Arrives DDN in the evening @ 9:10 pm, good choice when you stay the night in Dehradun and have a long drive ahead next day)
NANDA DEVI EXP – Train No. 12205 (arrives DDN early morning @ 5:40 am)

Always avoid booking wait listed (WL) tickets in AC classes (1A/2A/3A) or Chair Car (CC). Book Sleeper class (SL)/Second Sitting class (2S) tickets which have normally more seats/berth and hence much better chance to get confirmed.

By bus:

Govt. Road Transport (Roadways of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab etc.) buses are frequently available in day time and night from Kashmiri Gate ISBT (http://www.delhi.gov.in/wps/wcm/connect/doit_transport/Transport/Home/ISBT/Fare+Chart). Tickets are available on board for these regular type buses. From Delhi Airport or Station you can reach ISBT Kashmiri Gate via Delhi Metro service (http://www.delhimetrorail.com/metro-fares.aspx). It is only 4 Km from NDLS and can be reached easily by booking an auto rickshaw.

For privately operated bus, you can book online from different portals. Select a boarding point suitably. Overnight Volvo/A.C/Push back buses are available. Normally these buses take up to 7 hours to reach Dehradun ISBT. You can book an auto rickshaw for Railway Station (5 Km away)/Hotel Drona (GMVN) or take a shared auto (Route No. 5) from ISBT.

[There are two major bus terminus in Dehradun. The buses from Delhi/Haridwar goes to the ISBT (Inter State Bus Terminus) and the other one is the Parvatiya Depot (Hill Depot, from where you can get the buses going up the hills like Uttarkashi, Barkot, Purola etc) located just beside the Railway station.

Nearest Airport Jolly Grant is 25 Km away from Dehradun. book a private taxi to reach Dehradun city. This airport is accessed from Dehradun, Haridwar and Rishikesh easily. The flights are mostly via Delhi.

For night stay in Dehradun:

Trekkers reaching on the previous day before the journey to the actual trek base need to stay the night in Dehradun. There are several options in Dehradun for spending a night while staying in Premium, Standard or Budget accommodation. Options vary from Privately operated Hotels/Lodges, to state run Tourist Rest Houses.

State run GMVN (Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam) operates Hotel Drona complex is 10 minutes walking from the railway Station. You can book an auto rickshaw. From ISBT it is around 5 Km. You can book an auto rickshaw to Hotel Drona (GMVN) or take a shared auto (Route No. 5) from ISBT (Inter State Bus Terminus). This is a reliable and a decent choice for Standard accommodation. The have restaurant and room service.
Check the following for online booking of the above: http://www.gmvnl.com/newgmvn/tour/booktrh.asp
You can call or visit GMVN nearest office or even send an email for more information.The information is available at:
http://www.gmvnl.com/newgmvn/online_reservation/#

Return from Sangla:

Day 1

Drive to Dhaula: 200 Km – 10/12 hours

Pickup in the morning from Dehradun and reach Dhaula (~ 1550m, 5100 ft) . Distance around 200 Km and can take up to 12 hours with lunch break in between. The road is one of the most scenic in Garhwal region while we go up to the classy hill station of Mussorie at the beginning, turquoise Yamuna river in the middle and conifer forests and meandering Tons river at the later half of the journey. The major points are Mussorie, Yamuna Pool, Damta, Nawgaon, Purola, Mori and Netwar. Mori is the last place where you get a guaranteed mobile network! From Netwar onward we are inside Govind National Park area and at the Forest Check Post entries are made. We cross the Tons River and enter into Rupin valley. Dhaula is a small village with handful of homes and few home-stays for shelter. We camp for the night beside Rupin.

Day 2

Trek to Sewa: 10 Km – 5/6 hours

Our trek starts today. From campsite we take the wide trail and cross the Rupin for the first time. (Hence onward we will cross Rupin on few occasions till the base of Waterfall) . After crossing the bridge Rupin stays for the day on our right side. The walk is gentle along the river valley with very low gradient. Rupin runs in the gorge some 500 ft below. One moderate climb of 30 mins takes us to the village of Datadhar. Then we traverse and encircle the mountains for couple of hours gently along Rupin to reach the village of Sewa (~ 2000m, 6550ft). The village is a small one with a tea shop and a small lodge. Wooden crafted temple in the village depicts the influence of Kinnaur culture. The Distance is 10 Km and may take up to 6 hours. There is a nice camping ground just another kilometer after the village on the bank of Rupin. After crossing a short jungle stretch we descent to the river bed and cross a side stream called Aligad. The bridge marks the boundary of Uttarakhand and Himachal. The campsite of Aligad (~ 1900m/6230 ft) is on the true right of Rupin in the state of Himachal Pradesh. It may take up to 6 ours.

Day 3

Trek to Jhaka: 12 Km – 6/7 hours

From campsite we take the trail along the river and then a steady comfortable climb to hit a motor road under construction inside Himachal Pradesh. This area is under Shimla district and the motor able road on the left goes to Rohru over Changshil top. We take the wide and leveled road on our right along the Rupin to walk around an hour to get a diversion on the road. Our road is on the left towards Gosangu. Another 3 or so kilometers walking on almost flat surface and then a climb of around 500 ft takes us to the first house of the village Jiskun. A tea and noodles shop welcomes the trekkers. Skirting the entire village we cross the last stretch (marked by a cozy lodge apple orchards) and descent inside the jungle to cross a over bridge. This is a good spot to have our packed lunch. From now onward a steady climb takes us suddenly to a turn from where Rupin appears deep beneath gorge. The view of the valley is surprisingly beautiful from here and remains green throughout the year. From here we climb for an hour inside the blue pine forest to see the first glimpse of the village Jhaka. The portion of the village seen from here on a steep slope and looks like hanging on the cliff. There are couple of Home-Stays offering bedrolls and food. It may take 6/7 hours. We can either pitch our tents or stay in the Home-stay. It may take 6 to 7 hours to reach lower Jhaka (~ 2650 m/8700 ft).

Day 4

Trek to Suruwas Thatch: 7 Km – 4/5 hours

Starting from the camp site at Jhaka, we gradually climb and cross the upper part of the village and enter in to the magnificent conifer forest. Gently we loss altitude while walking through the forest and after an hour we cross the snow bridge on the Rupin river to go to the trail on the other side. We continue our trek on the boulder covered stretch to reach Buras Kandi. This trail is often used by the shepherds for grazing in summer and monsoon. A steep ascent and followed by walking along the river bed takes us to our today’s camp named Suruwas Thach (~ 3400m, 11150ft). Distance is 7 Km and may take 5 hours. Camp for the night.

Day 5

Trek to Dhanderas Thatch (Lower Waterfall): 6 Km – 4 hours

Today we walk on almost level ground and amidst the meadows while we can see numerous cascading waterfalls feeding Rupin. The trail goes through the lash green pastures to our campsite at Dhanderas Thach/Lower waterfall camp (~3550m, 11650ft). Distance is 6 Km and takes up to 4 hours. Camp over night.

Day 6

Trek to Ratapheri: 5 Km – 4/5 hours

A small day’s trek will give us a much needed recuperation on high altitude before crossing the pass. Trail nature differs based upon the time you choose to trek. In the beginning of summer the trail is filled up with ice fields and semi hard frosty snow while in the later half after the monsoon there is hardly any snow. From the base of the water fall the ascend is steep till we reach the top called Rati Pheri/Upper waterfall camp (~4000m, 13100ft). Distance is 3 Km and may take 2/3 hours. Camp for the night.

Day 7

Yoga workshop to Sangla Kanda

Day 8

Trek to Sangla Kanda over Rupin Pass: 12 Km – 8/9 hours

e start early in the morning to cross the pass. From Rati Pheri the climb is steep and demanding. After an hour or so we reach the vast stretch of snow field and locate the pass above on the ridge line. We climb up slowly as the oxygen level depletes. The exhilarating climb ends at Rupin Pass (~4650m, 15200ft) and the view is mesmerising. This eternally snowbound pass puts up the snowy mountains of Kinnaur Kailash range on the northern side while the Rupin valley in the south. Spending around half an hour we startthe steep descend towards Sangla side. Again depending on the season the level of snow will be determined. After crossing the snowline the descent is sharper till we reach Ronti Gad at the starting of the green meadows (~4100m, 13450ft). Distance is 12 Km and may take 10/11 hours. We camp for the night.

Day 9

Trek to Sangla: 4 Km – 2 hours

Today is our last day of trek and we start in the morning to descend to the Baspa river valley. The height loss is rapid till we reach Sangla Kanda. This is a meadow and has a small lake.There are small settlements of the villagers for summer and monsoon season. Number of trails cutting across the meadow but eventually leading to the main trail. We go down further to enter in to the tree line again and finally to the village of Sangla. There is a bridge to cross the Baspa river and climb up to the motor able road at Sangla (~2700m, 8850ft). Trek ends here. Distance is 12 Km and may take 6 hours.

P.S.: Distances and altitudes are approximate and may not be exact.

TREK FEE: ₹ 30000 (Dhaula to Sangla) + 5% GST

Book for 5 persons or more and get 10% Group Discount on TREK FEE>

Inclusions:

1 night’s accommodation at Dhaula (Day 1) in homestay on sharing basis and dinner.

All meals during the trek. Regular Indian style nutritious vegetarian food during the trek (including occasional eggs), breakfast packed/hot lunch (depending upon the time you reach a campsite), snacks, dinner along with coffee/tea/soup.

Excellent Trekking Guide, who will be a local to this particular area and has profound knowledge of the trekking trails around.

Specialised Cook, Support staff, Porters for carrying the central logistics of the trek.

Stay in tents (3 persons dome or ridge shaped tents) on sharing basis during the trek.

Camping equipment like Sleeping bag, Carry mattress, Gaiters, Micro spikes/Crampon. (Bring your own sleeping if you have a high altitude specific personal Sleeping Bag. This is always better for hygienic reasons.)

Kitchen tent, dinning tent and toilet tent as required during the trek.

All permit fee, camping charges, forest levy required for the trek.

Basic Medical & First Aid kit.

Exclusions:

Transportation from Dehradun to Sankri and from Sangla to Shimla/Delhi. From Dehradun to Dhaula a Tata Sumo charges ₹ 6000 and A Tempo Traveller is ₹ 10000 (12/13 seat). Thia gets shared by the availing team members. From Sangla there are busses for Shimla/Delhi.

We assume that you will carry your personal Rucksack/Backpack with all your personal belongings. If you want to offload your Rucksack and be carried by our Pack Animal/Porter then you need to pay additional ₹ 5000 for the entire duration of the trek. The Rucksack should not weigh more than 10 Kg.

Anything is is NOT mentioned in the “Inclusions” or personal in nature.

Booking:

To reserve your place in a scheduled Fixed Departure trek or a Customised/Private trek pay 25% of the TREK/TOUR FEE as the initial “Booking Deposit”. You can pay by Net banking/Draft/Cheque/Credit/Debit/AMEX cards. This will ensure your participation in the desired trek and we will reserve your place in the scheduled date. You need to pay the remaining amount at least 15 days before Trek Starting Date.
If you book a Trek/Tour before 14 days or less from Trek/Tour Starting Date, you need to pay the full TREK/TOUR FEE.

Cancellations:

“Booking Amount” i.e.25% of the TREK/TOUR FEE is Non-Refundable at any stage.
If in case you are not able to make it due to unavoidable reason(s), we provide you a very flexible choice of Shifting to another trek within next one year. One year is counted from the starting date of the trek/tour you booked initially with us.
In case you postpone your trip you need to inform minimum of 15 days before the trek/tour starting date. (Though we suggest to inform us earlier if known)
In case you postpone a trek/tour before 15 days of the scheduled Trek/Tour Starting date or prior, you may shift to another group of the same trek/tour scheduled in the same season or within next one year. You may shift to another suitable route also. For changing any, you need our approval first. Your request must be in written communication through your registered email with us.
If you cancel/postpone a trek/tour from 14 days to 8 days before tour starting date, your Booking Amount is Non-Refundable. We will not take any request of shifting dates. We will charge 50% of the amount as Cancellation Charges and process refund of remaining 50%. You may also shift to another group within next year but 25% Booking Amount will be deemed as Cancellation Charge and the rest amount will be transferred to the shifted group.
If you cancel a trek/tour 7 days (i.e. a week) before Trek/Tour Starting Date or later, there will be NO REFUND.
In case of any unforeseen incident including but not limited to natural calamities like flood, earthquake, landslide, forest fire or any political unrest, if we are compelled to cancel the trek/trip, you will be entitled to redeem the full amount for the same/similar kind of trek/trip within next one year.

If you need more clarifications write in to info@kedarkanthyoga.com