[ssambyal1980]

Introduction: A very warm hello to all the fellow BHPians. First of all would like to give a brief introduction about myself before I share my first travelogue. Being an avid travel enthusiast, I used to follow Team BHP travelogues very closely even before I became a member of this wonderfully informative automotive forum. Since joining I was too eager to share my bit on Team BHP travelogues. Had many memoirs to share from road trips done before I became a Team BHPian, but to begin with was thinking of starting by sharing something from the latest sojourns. As such planned and executed two trips in the upper Himalayan region of Chamba and Lahaul-Spiti districts of Himachal Pradesh in October 2015. Previous travelogues on Team BHP about the road trips in this region played a very crucial role in the planning of both the trips. This travelogue is about the first trip. So here we go.

The Trip: The first road trip made was over the mighty Sach Pass (Alt. 4400 Meters) into the Pangi Valley of Himachal Pradesh. A trip to Sach Pass was on the itinerary since quite some time back. Ever since I had read about the treacherous route over the Sach Pass, there was a constant itch to do a road trip across it. It was not quite long back when Sach Pass was crossed on foot only as there was no motorable road. The unmetalled road to Sach Pass and beyond or rather better to call it a dirt track strewn with stones and rocks both big and small, was finally widened and declared jeepable by the Himachal Pradesh PWD way back in 2007-2008. Since then many road trip enthusiasts have driven across the pass both on two wheelers and four wheelers. The pass is usually open for traffic from mid-June to mid-October, whereas for rest of the year it remains heavily snowbound and closed. The Himachal Road Transport Corporation runs a regular bus service from Chamba to Killar over the Sach Pass during the season. So this time around it was our turn to tread the uncharted territory.

Heres the link for information on Sach Pass:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saach_Pass (Source: Wikipedia)

The itinerary of the trip was decided as follows:
Day1: Chandigarh to Chamba
Day2: Chamba to Killar via Sach Pass
Day3: Killar to Keylong
Day4: Keylong to Kullu via Rohtang Pass & Manali
Day5: Kullu to Chandigarh

Trip Duration: 5 Days & 4 Nights

Trip Vehicle: Swift Dzire (Petrol) Vxi

Preparation: Given the duration of the trip, not much preparation was required on the luggage front. But yes in terms of logistics and route, a detailed plan was made which included all the considerations regarding the route to be taken, marking the points on the route where fuel will be available etc. Also thoroughly went through previous travelogues and blogs relating to the trips in the region. Team BHP travelogues came in very handy while planning along with that google maps were the guides to chalk out the best routes. Also went through the weather conditions forecast for the region on www.accuweather.com, as the trip was planned at the fag end of the season with quite likely chances of routes getting blocked with unexpected heavy snowfall. Then came the planning for the boarding and lodging during the trip, which was not an issue as most of the towns of Himachal Pradesh offer decent accommodation as they are on national as well as international tourist circuits and with villages also offering decent home stay facilities. Finally the choice of vehicle was to be made as half of the territory to be explored was primarily a domain of SUV’s with road conditions being largely unmetalled. Nonetheless the obvious choice was to take the car as at the moment that is the only vehicle which we own. Moreover Swift Dzire’s decent ground clearance of 170mm is definitely a confidence booster. Last but not the least comes the list of spares to be carried in the vehicle.

The usual spare items which are on list for the long drives are:
1. Spare Tyre (Tubeless)
2. Jack with handle & spanner
3. Engine Oil 1litre
4. Brake Fluid
5. Engine Oil Filter
6. Tool kit
7. Jump Start Cables
8. Manual Air Pump Foot Operated
9. A 6” by 6” square wooden plank which is at least 1” thick to place the jack upon in case of soft ground conditions.
10. Torch with spare batteries

With all set and done we were ready to roll out.

[ssambyal1980]

Day1: Wednesday, 07th October 2015
Journey: Chandigarh to Chamba
Total Distance Covered: 348 kms
Total Travel Time (Including Halts): 10hrs 50mins (Halts:2hrs)
Departure: From Chandigarh @ 0740 hrs
Arrival: At Chamba @ 1830 hrs
Route: Chandigarh-Ropar-Kiratpur-Nangal Dam-Una-Mubarakpur-Talwara-Beas Dam-Jassur-Nurpur-Lahru-Chowari-Jot-Chamba


So finally after all the preparations the time was to put the plan into action. The idea was to start a bit early but the last minute preparations kept us awake late at night, hence we finally rolled out at 0740 hrs. Moreover as most of the travelling during the day was to be in the plains of Punjab and Shivalik hills of Himachal Pradesh with excellent road conditions, therefore there was no issue of time constraint. After travelling through Ropar, Kiratpur, Shri Anandpur Sahib and Nangal in Punjab we finally crossed over into Himachal at around 1000 hrs.

The first town of Himachal was Mehatpur and after 15 minutes’ drive we reached Una, which is an important town and a district headquarter as well. Moving further we crossed the important cross roads town of Mubarakpur, where important highways coming from Hoshiarpur, Chandigarh & Dharamshala meet. After re-entering Punjab at Talwara Township we again entered Himachal at Sansarpur, a small hamlet near famous Maharana Pratap Sagar Dam over River Beas at Pong. At Sansarpur, an entry is made at the check post for every vehicle intending to cross the dam. This is primarily done from security point of view as the dam is an important hydroelectric power project. The lake created by the dam is named after the legendary rajput king Maharana Pratap and is a famous tourist spot, known especially for thousands of migratory birds which come in hordes during the winters.

Heres the link for information on Maharan Pratap Sagar Lake & Dam:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maharana_Pratap_Sagar (Source: Wikipedia)

After crossing the dam, the highway once again meanders through the Shivalik hills region of Kangra district and finally meets up with the Pathankot-Mandi National Highway (NH-20) at Jassur. At 8 kilometres from Jassur is Nurpur, a historic town on NH-20, which is famous for its 17th century fort. It is from Nurpur that the road bifurcates to Chamba. As the time was 1400 hrs so we decided to have lunch at Nurpur itself. We resumed the journey towards Chamba at 1430 hrs.

There are two routes to go to Chamba from Nurpur. One route is via Banikhet, which is longer one being 112kms long although this one is mostly used as it is open throught the year, whereas the other is via Jot, a high altitude meadow located at a height of 2440 meters above sea level. The latter one is 77kms long but remains closed for 3-4 months after season’s heavy snowfall any time after mid-November.

We opted for the route via Jot as we had been to Chamba via Banikhet twice before. Moreover had also read about the picturesque panorama along the route to Chamba via Jot. The road to Chamba via Jot bifurcates at a place called Lahru which is about 24kms from Nurpur. Next comes the picturesque town of Chowari from where the steep gradient to Jot starts. The scenery along the route is quite beautiful with highway meandering through lush green forests, with the mighty Himalayan ranges to the north and vast plains of the Punjab towards the south.

Finally at 1630hrs we were on the highest point of journey for the day at Jot. The beautiful panorama around was too captivating compelling us to take a break.Also as Chamba was only 24kms, so we had ample time to explore the beautiful surroundings. The word ‘Jot’ in local parlance means high altitude meadows, which are used by nomadic shepherds for grazing by their livestock. Jot is basically located on the north western end of the mighty Dhauladhar mountain range, in close proximity to Dalhousie.

After savouring the scenery we headed towards Chamba. The road now was a steep descent of 24kms, as the altitude decreases by 1450 meters from Jot (2440 meters) to Chamba (990 meters). Finally by 1800 hrs we were at Chamba and as per first priority got the car refuelled for the next day’s journey to Sach Pass and beyond. Then we headed straight towards our first night halt at HPTDC’s Hotel Iravati. After checking in, had tea and then went about strolling in Chamba bazar alongside the famous Chowgan where every year the famous Minjar festival is celebrated. ‘Chowgan’ in local parlance stands for an open flat ground. Came back to our hotel by 2030 hrs and had dinner by 2130 hrs. After dinner had a brief discussion regarding next day’s journey and finally called it a day at 2300 hrs.

Toll charges for the day were:
1. Toll @ Behrampur Toll Plaza (Punjab): INR 44/-
2. Toll @ Kiratpur Toll Plaza (Punjab): INR 55/-
3. Himachal Pradesh Entry Tax @ Mehatpur Toll Barrier: INR 30/-
(Total for Tolls Paid: INR 129/-)

Route taken was:


Maharana Pratap Sagar Lake


The famous 17th century fort at Nurpur built by Mughal Empress Nurjahan





Panoramic view of Punjab plains from ramparts of the fort


Picturesque Chowari from Nurpur-Chowari-Jot-Chamba road


Views from Jot, the encircled area shows the location of Sach Pass in the Pir Panjal range of Himalayas


View of Jot from hill above


View of Chamba Town

[ssambyal1980]

Day2: Thursday, 8th October 2015
Journey: Chamba to Killar via Sach Pass (Altitude 4390 meters)
Total Distance Covered: 169kms
Total Travel Time (Including Halts): 10hrs 30mins (Halts:2hrs)
Departure: From Chamba @ 0905 hrs
Arrival: At Killar @ 1935 hrs
Route: Chamba-Koti-Tissa-Bairagarh-Satrundi Checkpost-Sach Pass-Bugotu-Killar

Over The Sach Pass: The Day of Days

So the day arrived for which all the planning was made as the main objective of the trip was to drive to Sach Pass and it was during the later stages of planning that further itinerary was added. Initially had planned to roll out by 0800 hrs but that was not to be as the breakfast was served at the hotel from 0800 hrs onwards itself and we couldn’t afford to miss it as the chances of getting a decent meal on the way were less as the day’s route passed through remote areas of the state, with very few habitations on the way. So finally after a satisfying breakfast, we checked out at 0905 hrs. In order to save on time took Chamba bye pass and headed straight on the Chamba-Pathankot highway. After a couple of kilometres drive, took a right turn towards Tissa at a place called Sultanpur. Crossed the bridge over River Ravi and we were on the Chamba-Sach Pass-Killar Highway SH-37. On the way we kept taking breaks to savour and capture the beauty around. By 1120 hrs we arrived at Tissa, a remote town of Chamba district and took a much needed tea break.

Route Maps:

Chamba-Sach Pass


Sach Pass-Killar


Distant view of River Ravi flowing through Chamba Valley.


A tributary of Ravi flowing along the Chamba-Tissa Highway


Swift Dzire proudly exhibits the most iconic sticker of Team BHP which defines the spirit of every Team BHPian. I live and I live to drive...!!!


After a refreshing tea, we resumed the journey and it was decided that next stop for lunch will be at Bairagarh, a village at the base of Sach Pass from where the steep ascent towards the pass starts. From Tissa onwards the altitude starts increasing and the road gets narrow. The steep gorges on the either sides calls in for very careful driving. With every kilometre of journey the mighty snow clad Pir Panjal mountain range was getting closer. Sach Pass is on the Pir Panjal range.

The famous 'carwash' waterfall on way to Bairagarh, it's pretty furious during the monsoons.


Beauty all around on way to Bairagarh.


Snowclad mountains of the mighty Pir Panjal range made for a perfect background.


By 1320 hrs we reached Bairagarh and had lunch at dhaba cum home stay. Bairagarh is a small village located at an altitude of 2190 meters. During the winter months when pass closes due to heavy snowfall, the security check post located at Satrundi is shifted to Bairagarh. From Bairagarh onwards the steep ascent towards the pass starts and the scenery changes dramatically, with lush green forests giving way to grassy meadows with scanty tree cover. Also the metalled road ends at Bairagarh and from now on the entire road upto pass and beyond till killar, a distance of 72 kms, is unmetalled, dangerously narrow, with steep cliffs and gorges on the either sides. Moreover there are no guard railings or parapets on the road, which makes driving very risky.

From Bairagarh onwards the road is unmetalled till Killar.


Views along the road.



Leaving the dense forests behind with increase in altitude.


View of switchback road meandering towards the pass as seen from Bairagarh-Satrundi stretch.




The next point after Bairagarh is Satrundi, which has a HP Police security check post and a small dhaba. Registration details of every vehicle heading towards Sach Pass and beyond are entered, along with the details of the passengers travelling. Videography of the vehicle along with its occupants is also done as a proof. This is primarily done as the road towards the pass and beyond is quite treacherous and uninhabited, so the recorded details can come in handy in case of emergency.

We were at the checkpost by 1500 hrs and there were a couple of taxis parked there which had just arrived from Killar side. The passengers were waiting for their turn to get their details entered at the post. Ours was the only vehicle which was heading towards the pass at the moment. As the officer was busy with noting down the details of the passengers who had arrived before, he asked us to wait for a while, so in the meantime we had tea at the small makeshift dhaba.

[ssambyal1980]

Day2 Continued...
So finally by 1530 hrs, after getting the details of the vehicle as well as that of ours entered at the check post, we again set out and this time around on the most treacherous leg of the day’s journey. The officer at checkpost had advised us to exercise extreme caution while negotiating the road towards the pass and beyond. A couple of kilometres from checkpost we came across Satrundi helipad, which is used for emergency evacuations and rescue during winter months, when the pass is heavily snow bound.

It is from the helipad onwards that a series of switchbacks to the pass start. The road from Satrundi till Sach Pass is a continuous ascent of 12kms, wherein the altitude increases by around 900 meters, from 3520 meters at Satrundi to 4390 meters at Sach Pass. Most of the drive was in first gear with maximum speed of around 20km/h. The rough and uneven road surface is embedded with small and big stones alike, which mandates for careful manoeuvring of the vehicle, lest you run the risk of scrapping the underside or worst still could get a nasty blow on the sump. The entire drive till the top of the pass was quite taxing as one has to crane the neck and has to keep the eyes glued to the road. But yes the beauty around was simply breath taking.

Views along the Satrundi-Sach Pass stretch.



The barren beauty around was simply mesmerising.



Soon we crossed the 4000 meter altitude and had first encounter with the snow accumulated on the road side. It had snowed just a week back but luckily the day was bright and sunny. Soon after a couple of kilometres drive we reached Sach Pass. A temple and a small rain shelter bore testimony to the fact that indeed we were on the pass. The time was now 1610 hrs, so it was after a gruelling and tiring journey of 7 hours and 120 odd kilometers from Chamba that we finally made it to the top. Mission accomplished...!!!




There was not a soul around and ours was the only vehicle, the wind was blowing fast due to high altitude, which increased the chill factor. It was really cold out there so we stayed on the pass for about 15 minutes, took some photographs and observed silence to feel the calm and peace of the mountains.

On top of the world...!!!.
The arrow points to the location on the road in front of the temple wherein the altitude is 4390 meters i.e. the highest point of the journey, the pass itself. Had checked it on google earth. Nonetheless the altitude of Sach Pass is also mentioned as 4400 meters, which also holds true as before the construction of the road across, the pass was crossed at points higher than the road. Now that surely sounds getting into too much details.



There was snow accumulation on the north face of the pass, as that side receives less sunshine. It had snowed a week back.


Immediately after crossing the pass, the road deteriorated further and it remained so till we reached the bridge on the river Chandrabhaga. It was a virtual torture and a driving nightmare for 35kms. It was purely a SUV territory but nonetheless Dzire didn't let us down at all. Only worry was to prevent the underside getting hit by rocks.

The road turned pathetic after crossing the pass.


Now as sunset was around the corner we decided to leave for our last destination of the day i.e. Killar, which was a good 42kms away. Normally that much distance sounds nothing while driving in the plains with excellent road conditions but in the high altitude areas with narrow unmetalled roads that’s quite a lot. The road from pass towards Killar is a sheer descent of 35kms till one reaches the bridge over Chandrabhaga River and the drop in the altitude is a whopping 2300 meters…!!! That’s really a drop of sorts within a short distance of 35kms.

We started from pass at 1625 hrs and the onward drive was totally in first gear with an occasional shift into the second because the road was slushy, narrow and a continuous steep descent. Under such conditions it is wise to use engine braking by driving in low gear, so that the brakes are not strained. At a distance of 12kms below the pass is a temporary settlement of Bugotu, which houses a dhaba which caters to the needs of travellers.

Road descending from the pass, the arrow points to location of Killar town.


Road descending in a series of switchbacks.


Whitewashed...!!! The road meanders through the Pir Panjal Range on which the pass is located.


Leaving the pass behind.



From Bugotu onwards the road further descended steeply and was too narrow at points that even two cars cannot cross without scrapping their sides. To add to the anxiety was deep gorge on the right side, a slight diversion of attention and game over..!!! Luckily we came across only two jeeps coming from the opposite direction on this stretch and that too at points wide enough to allow safe passage, albeit with some reversing and adjusting. Right from pass onwards the speed was restricted to 15 km/h owing to treacherous road conditions.

The steep descent and narrow road made us ponder that how the bus drivers negotiate such a dangerous route. Yes you’ve heard right, this very route has a regular govt. bus service run by Himachal Road Transport Corporation. Hats off to the gutsy drivers who drive buses on a route, on which even driving a car is pretty much anxiety ridden and risky. To add to the driver’s woes are blind turns and absence of guards rails along the road. Nonetheless slowly but steadily we were able to cover this hazardous route fraught with dangers all the way.

By the time we reached bridge over Chandrabhaga River it was total dark and the time was 1905 hrs. It took us nearly 2hrs 40mins to cover a distance of 35kms from pass till the bridge. From bridge onwards the steep ascent started for Killar which was still 7kms away. We were again climbing uphill on a dusty, narrow and unmetalled road. After a couple of kilometres the road from Sach Pass merged with the Killar-Dharwas-Kishtwar road and we took a right U-turn and continued heading towards Killar. Then again after about 3kms drive, took yet another U-turn this time towards the left, leaving the Killar-Udaipur highway. Finally we reached Killar at 1935 hrs.

It took us a good 3hrs 10mins to cover a distance of 42kms, that speaks volumes for the treacherous road conditions, which called in for an extremely cautious driving. It was such a relief to be in a civilization after a long and tiring journey. Killar is the remotest town of Himachal Pradesh, located in westernmost part of the state bordering Jammu & Kashmir. At last we checked in at a hotel (Hotel Raj), had dinner and after usual discussions and chat regarding the day’s journey called it a day by 2300 hrs. That was the end of an eventful day full of adventure, fear, thrills, anxiety and accomplishment.

[ssambyal1980]

Day3: Friday, 09th October 2015
Journey: Killar to Keylong
Total Distance Covered: 136kms
Total Travel Time (Including Halts): 09hrs 30mins (Halts: 1hrs 30mins)
Departure: From Killar @ 0930 hrs
Arrival: At Keylong @ 1900 hrs
Route: Killar-Udaipur-Keylong

Yet another Day on a Treacherous Route

After a much deserved night’s sleep we woke up to yet another bright and sunny day and that was an icing on the cake as clear weather aided in the perfect revelation of the Himalayan panorama. Now as the distance to be covered during the day was not more than 150kms, we decided to start after the sun was well above the horizon. As such we continued with our morning chores at a relaxed pace. So finally after the breakfast we rolled out at 0930 hrs. We knew beforehand that the route for the day will pass through valleys with River Chandrabhaga accompanying all through and with almost negligible change in the altitude but still enquired from the locals about the road conditions ahead. We were told that road from Killar till Udaipur is unmetalled, a distance of around 80kms and we happily took the information in our stride thinking that to be a non issue, considering what we have been through the day before. But we were wrong…!!!

After covering a distance of 5kms on a narrow dusty track the road changed into a completely rough patch strewn around with stones, embedded in the surface. That considerably reduced the speed as the drive now was mostly in 1st and 2nd gear. The whole drive right up till Udaipur was full of jerks, with painstaking efforts to manoeuver the vehicle carefully to avoid underside hits. To add to the woes were two landslides which we came across on the way, though luckily both were minor and were cleared in around 30mins time respectively. Not to forget had to cross through one seasonal rivulet around 150 meters wide called as ‘Pagal Nala’ (Insane Rivulet) by locals, a few kilometres before Udaipur. In fact most of the rivulets in the Lahaul & Spiti region are called ‘Pagal’ or insane due to the unpredictable flash floods which they cause. Luckily this so called ‘insane’ rivulet was quite calm with little water, as such we were able to negotiate it without any problem.

So finally after a frustratingly slow and jerks ridden drive of 7 hrs and 82 odd kilometres, we reached Udaipur, an important tourist town in Lahaul District. The average speed worked out to a sluggish 15km/h. The time was 1630hrs and our destination Keylong was another 50kms ahead but the saving grace was that the road from Udaipur onwards was by and large metalled with in between rough stretches which accounted for around 25% of the route. But the fading light and increasing darkness forced us to drive slowly and cautiously as the road was quite narrow at points. Nonetheless we reached Keylong by 1900hrs. The halt for the day was planned at HPTDC Hotel Chandrabhaga but as it was dark with very few people around, we found it difficult to find way to the hotel, which was located on the outskirts of the town on Manali-Leh Highway. After wandering around for 15mins we were finally at the hotel. Had dinner and the lights were off by 2300hrs. That was the happy ending of yet another eventful day.

Route Map


Here's the photologue for the Day

Views from the hotel balcony. River Chandrabhaga can be seen flowing through the gorge.


The pass is located near snowcapped mountains visible in the photograph and road descends right down up to the river.


The hotel where we stayed at Killar.


River Chandrabhaga accompanied us all through from Killar till Keylong.


One of the rivulet on the way, which intersects the road.


First landslide of the day.


Waiting for road clearance.


The unmetalled highway with beautiful views around.


Waiting for the second landslide to clear. The road was being widened by blasting the mountain.


Despite best efforts to negotiate carefully, got a nasty hit on the front bumper.


Views of orchards and fields at Udaipur was a welcome relief after a tiring and jerky ride from Killar.



Villages on the other side of Chandrabhaga as seen from highway.


And the journey continues...

[ssambyal1980]

Day4: Saturday, 10th October 2015
Journey: Keylong to Kullu
Total Distance Covered: 161kms
Total Travel Time (Including Halts): 8hrs 45mins (Halts: 2hrs)
Departure: From Keylong @ 0945 hrs
Arrival: At Kullu @ 1830 hrs
Route: Keylong-Rohtang Pass-Manali-Kullu

Over the Rohtang Pass: Into the Valley of Gods

We woke up to yet another bright and sunny day and finally rolled out by 0945 hrs. The highlight of the day was the crossing over of the famous and the most visited motorable pass of the world i.e. Rohtang Pass (3978 meters). The first priority of the day was to get refuelled at Tandi, a village famous for being the confluence point of Chandra and Bhaga Rivers. Tandi is 8kms from Keylong and it houses the only filling station on the Manali-Leh Highway and also it is the only filling station in the entire Lahaul region. After refuelling we continued with the journey and crossed the villages of Gondhla and Sissu. Sissu is the place where the Lahaul valley is the widest and off late it has become an important place as the construction work on the north portal of Rohtang Tunnel is going on in its vicinity.

After Sissu the next important village on the route is Khoksar, which is the coldest inhabited village in the Lahaul valley. Khoksar (3140 meters) is situated at the base of Rohtang Pass and it is from here that the steep ascent to Rohtang starts. Drive from Keylong till Khoksar, a distance of 44 kms is through the valley with River Bhaga flowing by the side. Khoksar houses a few decent eating joints (Dhabas) which cater to the needs of travellers. Rohtang Pass is at a distance of 20kms from Khoksar and the road to the top is a series of switchbacks. We reached Rohtang Pass by 1315 hrs and stayed there for a good one hour and fifteen minutes to savour the picturesque beauty around. Although Rohtang Pass is comparatively at a low altitude as compared to other motorable passes on the Manali-Leh route but it is notoriously famous for snow blizzards and the heavy snowfall which it receives during the winter.

Weather also remains tricky on the pass, one moment it is bright sunshine and the other it is cloudy with shivering cold. Nonetheless Rohtang is quite famous, both in the national as well as international tourist circuits. After the customary photo shoots and a long break at the pass, we resumed our onward journey by 1435 hrs. After descending 17kms from the pass, we took much needed tea break at Marhi. Marhi is an important halt on the Manali-Rohtang highway which houses temporary eating joints catering to the needs of travellers. From Marhi the drive till Manali was a roller coaster one owing to continuous descent and good metalled road. We reached Manali by 1700hrs and continued with our drive towards Kullu, our final halt for the day. Reached Kullu by 1830hrs and checked into HPTDC Hotel Sarvari. So that was the end of day four of the journey.

Route Map:


Following is the photologue for the Day:

View of Keylong Town from hotel.


Bright sunshine gave a promising start to the day.


The hotel where we stayed at Keylong.


Views near Tandi village.




Views along the Tandi-Sissu-Khoksar stretch. The mountain peak in the photograph is Mt. Gepang Goh (5870 meters), it is one of the most prominent Himalayan peak in Himachal Pradesh.


Views along the Tandi-Sissu-Khoksar stretch.



Beautiful view of Sissu village, Lahaul valley is widest at Sissu.


Highway amidst the riot of colours @ Sissu


Sun shines brightly over the Himalayas.


Hidden narrow valleys visible along the highway.


The work was on full swing at the north portal of Rohtang Tunnel near Sissu.


On the switchbacks stretch from Khoksar to Rohtang.

[ssambyal1980]

Day 4 Photologue Continued...

Finally on the top @ Rohtang Pass.




Barren beauty on the top.


Beas Kund at Rohtang Pass is considered as the source of River Beas.


Resting on top.


View of Marhi as one descends from Rohtang.


The road descends to Marhi from Rohtang in a series of switchbacks.


Looking back towards Rohtang.


Tea Break at Marhi.


River Beas along the Manali-Kullu highway.




A small foot bridge takes you to the other side of the river.


Our stay at Himachal Tourism's Hotel Sarvari at Kullu.


First and the only puncture of the trip, encountered at Kullu.


That's all for the fourth day's journey.

[ssambyal1980]

Day5: Sunday, 11th October 2015
Journey: Kullu to Chandigarh
Total Distance Covered: 284 kms
Total Travel Time (Including Halts): 8hrs (Halts: 1hrs)
Departure: From Kullu @ 1300 hrs
Arrival: At Chandigarh @ 2100 hrs
Route: Kullu-Mandi-Bilaspur-Kiratpur-Ropar-Chandigarh

The Familiar Last Leg: Back to Chaos

At last we were on the last leg of the journey and as it was on a familiar route, we decided to start late. Finally we were on the roll by 1300hrs. From Kullu to Mandi, the journey is through a narrow gorge alongside River Beas with a couple of hydroelectric projects on the way. Then from Mandi till Sundernagar the route is chaotic and full of traffic. The four laning of Sundernagar-Kiratpur stretch of national highway was going on; as such the road was bumpy and rough from Sundernagar onwards for about 10-15kms. Took lunch break at Ghagas, a cross road town few kilometres before Bilaspur. The route from Bilaspur onwards till Kiratpur was virtually infested with trucks, which slowed down the progress as overtaking was tricky with trucks moving in convoys. This stretch remains clogged with trucks throughout the year as the region has two important cement plants. By the time we entered the Punjab plains at Kiratpur the time was 1945 hrs. The highway from Kiratpur to Chandigarh is four laned which aides in smooth and quick drive. Finally reached Chandigarh at 2100hrs and that was the end of an adventure filled journey which we wished should have continued for ever.

Toll charges for the day were:
1. Toll @ Kiratpur Toll Plaza (Punjab): INR 55/-
2. Toll @ Behrampur Toll Plaza (Punjab): INR 44/-
Total Toll Paid: INR 99/-

Route Maps:

Route via NH-21


Alternate Route via NH-21A:

[ampere]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

Nice way to kickstart a sunday morning. A piping hot coffee and stories of the road!

[subbu567]

Hi ssambyal1980

What a breathtaking TL! Seems to be a fantastic adventurous drive.

Some of the road photographs, the surface, the width and the edges, WOW truly mind blowing!

Just reading through and seeing the photo's got my Adrenalin pumping!

Congrats for a great trip and TL!

Ps: Sorry about your bumper. It will be alright you know

[rajneeesh]

Fantastic TL Ssambyal1980,

I had attempted to cross the Sach pass in May 2013 but had to turn back from Satrundi as the road was blocked due to snow. I rate this toute tougher than the drive to Ladakh which has better roads and facilities and also much grater traffic. On this trip we did not encounter any vehicles for long periods of time which can be a bit unnerving if you are travelling with your family. The question that bothers you is "how will I get help if the vehicle breaks down".

[ssambyal1980]

Originally Posted by subbu567

Hi ssambyal1980

What a breathtaking TL! Seems to be a fantastic adventurous drive.

Some of the road photographs, the surface, the width and the edges, WOW truly mind blowing!

Just reading through and seeing the photo's got my Adrenalin pumping!

Congrats for a great trip and TL!

Ps: Sorry about your bumper. It will be alright you know

@subbu567 Thanks for taking out time to read the travelogue. Certainly the trip was truly adventurous with adrenalin gushing around all through the high altitude drive. Thanks for your concern regarding the bumper. Got it repaired after the trip.

Originally Posted by rajneeesh

Fantastic TL Ssambyal1980,

I had attempted to cross the Sach pass in May 2013 but had to turn back from Satrundi as the road was blocked due to snow. I rate this toute tougher than the drive to Ladakh which has better roads and facilities and also much grater traffic. On this trip we did not encounter any vehicles for long periods of time which can be a bit unnerving if you are travelling with your family. The question that bothers you is "how will I get help if the vehicle breaks down".

@rajneeesh Thanks for appreciating the effort. Definitely the Chamba-Killar route via Sach Pass is amongst the most toughest motorable roads to negotiate in the Himalayas. The road is narrow, unmetalled, with negligible habitations and virtually zero traffic. The gradient is very high especially from Killar side, which calls in for a 4WD. It is extremely difficult to travel back from Killar to Sach Pass in a front wheel drive car. The 72 kms Bairagarh-Killar stretch is notoriously solitary which leads to anxiety lest your vehicle breaks down on the way. The best time to attempt the drive over Sach Pass is after the monsoons, preferably either in the last week of September or in the first week of October. Nonetheless the weather is quite unpredictable at those formidable heights. It had snowed on the pass a week before we crossed it which definitely made us consider whether to go ahead with the trip or not. Luckily the weather improved and we got a clear window to execute our plans. It was bright and sunny the day we crossed the pass but still the very sight of clouds descending on the peaks made us really anxious.

[kaushal21fb]

Amazing Journey and 5 Stars to the Travelogue!

Drove the Manali-Leh-Srinagar circuit in my Linea (2014) in the early August. Inspite of high ground clearance (190 mm) the car took some nasty underbody hits. Major part of the problem being the large overhangs and long wheelbase.

Therefore I can now truly appreciate what it takes to do such a tough journey in a sedean/hatchback. Hats off! Someday I'll do this stretch in a proper 4X4 but for now I totally dread to do it in a Sedan.

On a side note Rohtang- Koksar was one of the worst sections that we encountered in the entire journey. With water crossings and terrible road condition. Seems like you didn't have much issue there.

[ssambyal1980]

Originally Posted by kaushal21fb

Amazing Journey and 5 Stars to the Travelogue!

Drove the Manali-Leh-Srinagar circuit in my Linea (2014) in the early August. Inspite of high ground clearance (190 mm) the car took some nasty underbody hits. Major part of the problem being the large overhangs and long wheelbase...

Thanks alot for taking out time to read the travelogue and for your kind appreciation as well. Its always good to hear from a fellow travel and driving enthusiast. With a similar experience in your kitty you can very well understand the pangs of taking a sedan on such trips. This trip was a hell of a ride given the pathetic condition of roads. The route especially after Bairagarh till Killar is in fact a SUV territory as only a rear wheel drive vehicle can handle the traction issues on the unmetalled road with a very high gradient. Moreover on an unmetalled road embedded with large rocks, the constant worry is about avoiding underbody hits, lest it leads to break down, thus leaving you helpless in the midst of nowhere. Hands down, Gypsy is the best vehicle for such trips. Despite tiringly cautious and slow driving, the car did have its share of underbody hits especially on the front axle. Most were of minor nature except 2-3 which caused bending of metal plate. Sharing the photograph below:



Luckily the 'vital' sump was spared of any torture primarily due to the fact that it's position is at a safer higher level than the normal ground clearance.



Every time we would hear the sound of stone hitting underside, we used to immediately stop the car and check whether everything was ok. Nonetheless the Dzire didn't let us down at all and performed excellently throughout the trip but personally I won't recommend this journey in a hatchback or a sedan.

Regarding the khoksar-Rohtang stretch you are very much right that we didn't encounter much issues as the trip was done after the monsoons and also there was not a trace of snow. But still the road condition on this stretch was far from satisfactory and hence called in for a cautious manouevering. Drove on this stretch again after two weeks while driving back from Kaza. Would soon share the travelogue of that trip too.

Regards

[pduttaghy]

Hi Ssambyal1980. First of all let me complement you for your feat with the Swift Dzire. It is admirable how you managed to negotiate such tough conditions without facing any hitches. It is also good to see that the car was alright at the completion of the trip. Wish you many more happy tripping.