ROHTANG PASS, India — The name of this white-knuckle pass, one of the highest in the world, means “pile of corpses” in the Tibetan language. Every year a few dozen people die trying to cross these spiky Himalayan peaks. For six months the road is snowbound, putting at the mercy of the elements tens of thousands of Indian troops posted beyond it in this remote but strategically important region along India’s long and disputed border with China. The Rohtang Pass on the Indian side has stood as mute testimony to India’s inability and unwillingness to master its far-flung and rugged outermost reaches.

It is situated about 51 km from Manali town at an altitude of 4,111 meters (13,400 ft.) on the highway to Keylong. Here one sees the majesty of the mountains at its height and splendour. At the top of the Pass the air seems to glitter against the fog and snow as you look down over herringboned ridges into the Lahaul Valley. There is a beautiful Doshohar Lake left to the pass, where pilgrims go every year on the auspicious day of 20th Bhadon. This is the only access to Lahaul valley. The pass is open from June to September each year although trekkers can across the pass a little earlier. Rohtang pass is the gateway to Lahaul valley just as Zojila pass in between Kashmir valley and Ladakh.

Rohtang is another adventure tourist site where it can be cold even on a summer day. Winds were blowing at a super furious pace when we were there. It is also one of the Highest motorable roads in the world,along with being one of the most dangerous.. Only we know how many landslides we got saved from .

In winter, the road of Rothang Pass is closed. Skiing is possible even in summer months (May and up to mid June) when the snow is still there on slopes. Wooden sledges are popular for rides. Para gliding is now a days very popular in summers between Rohtang and Marhi, taking one high in the sky for unforgettable views and lifetime experience.

On the way to Rohtang are the Rahala waterfalls, at an altitude of 2,500 m. The other places of stopovers for beautiful views are Kothi and Gulaba. Many Bollywood films have been shot at these locations. Visit to Rohtang is a day trip worth spending and enjoyable.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 27th, 2010 at 11:53 AM and is filed under Road Trips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.