Sach Pass in Pangi Valley, the big daddy of all mountain passes and we say that the name is JUST enough to give you shivers down the spine 😀 D… Yes, you guessed it right; I just came back from a f***** amazing adventure of my entire life last week only.

Trip to Sach Pass in July
Trip to Sach Pass in July

The journey to Sach Pass, Pangi Valley in Himachal Pradesh was something that I cannot put into words, something that I cannot recall to live it again, something that will go down as the most unforgettable experience of my lifetime, something that I can barely realize I made it through. If you are planning a trip to this region, do not forget to refer my article on the most common itinerary of Pangi Valley.

Why plan a Sach Pass trip?

Numerous water crossings, endless waterfalls, snow walls as high as 40 feet, roads as if the pathway to hell, picking up an XUV to cross the landslide, clearing the landslide on your own, driving through the ever violent gushing streams and waterfalls, running through the live landslides, taking an open wild waterfall bath, getting stuck in no mans land, crossing over mighty passes of Rohtang Pass and Jalori Pass in the middle of night…

Uff… Can you ask for anything more?? 😀 :D…

All in all an F-amazing drive to the daddy of all the mountain passes – Sach Pass in Pangi Valley which concluded with an exhilarating WTF kind of experience last week…

Adventure?? Now beat that - Sach Pass Quest
Adventure?? Now beat that – Sach Pass Quest

How was my experience?

Well, overall, the road conditions lived up to the expectations though we were just lucky to save ourselves from heavy rains as predicted at the start of the journey. The weather just kept itself to offer optimum beauty with light rains and ever-refreshing green colors.

Chandrabhagha river accompanied us throughout in Pangi Valley to keep us interested in the routes with some majestic infinite number of waterfalls pouring down into it. Some were just breathtakingly beautiful with multi-story falls right from the top of the mountains. All these things were WORTH the effort we had put into the trip 🙂 :)… The road conditions in most of the region of Pangi Valley were just horrendous to say at least 😉 ;)…

Though the detailed travel tale will take some time to write, in this article I would like to share what Sach Pass trip itinerary I followed, the route I took and the updates on road conditions of this mega-adventure in trans-Himalayas, that is, Sach Pass – Pangi Valley.

Trip Suggestion: Are you looking for an offbeat place to travel in Himachal Pradesh?

About Sach Pass – Pangi Valley

Before I dive into the trip details, for those who do not have much idea about Sach Pass and Pangi Valley, I will give brief details of it and then will move on to the trip details.

Sach Pass is situated at an altitude of 4,420 meters or 14500 feet lying on the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas. It connects Chamba Valley / Churah Valley with Pangi Valley in Himachal Pradesh. The distance of Sach Pass to Chamba is about 127 km, and Sach Pass to Dalhousie is about 175 km. Every year the pass gets open from late June or early July to mid-October, and then the road closes for winters after heavy snowfall. It is the shortest route from Chamba to the Killar, with a distance of about 160 km.

Hence, once open, this route is preferred by the locals too. The other routes to Killar are Chamba – Manali – Udaipur – Killar, about 680 km, and Chamba – Jammu – Doda – Gulabgarh – Kishtwar – Killar about 570 km. It is the shortest route for Pathankot to Leh over Manali – Leh Highway as well.

Route Breakdown

The breakup of route direction and distance to Sach Pass from Chamba is as Chamba – Tissa (63 km) – Bairagarh (90 km) – Satrundi (106 km) – Sach Pass (120 km) – Bagotu (130 km) – Killar (166 km).

The altitude graph from Chamba to Sach Pass to Killar goes like Tissa (1570 Mtrs) – Bairagarh (2800 Mtrs) – Satrundi (3400 Mtrs) – Sach Pass (4420 Mtrs) – Bagotu (3600 Mtrs) – Killar (2590 Mtrs)

Once you enter Pangi Valley, you unlock yourself some of the most beautiful and amazing places to explore in the Himalayas. You will need at least 4-5 days to explore Pangi Valley after reaching Killar and then can head towards Udaipur – Tandi – Manali for going back home.

Some of the beautiful places to explore in Pangi Valley around Killar are Dharwas, Luj, Sural, Hundan, Findroo, Findar, Mindhal, Parmar, etc.. to name a few. The entire Pangi Valley offers many picturesque villages, and there is a PWD rest house in Cherry where you can stay in peace too along with hotels or guest houses in Killar.

The Devils Gang at Sach Pass, Three cheers for the Spirits shown
The Devils Gang at Sach Pass, Three cheers for the Spirits shown
Sach Pass Top
Sach Pass Top
Beautifuly setup Killar village in Pangi Valley
Beautifully setup Killar village in Pangi Valley
An amazingly beautiful village in Lahaul Valley
An amazingly beautiful village in Lahaul Valley

My Sach Pass Trip in July – 5 Day Itinerary

Well, we had 5 days in hand for my Sach Pass trip including one buffer day and we followed the itinerary as mentioned below.

Day 1: Delhi – Dalhousie – Bairagarh

We started around 3.30 AM from my house, got together by 4.30 AM at Delhi bypass and left from Delhi. We had breakfast at Zhilmil, Karnal, with stuffed paranthas and then continued in heavy + light rains to Pathankot. There we took the road towards Dalhousie – Chamba and went on to reach Bairagarh at 7.30 PM. Half of the group stayed at Mannat homestay, and the other half stayed at hotel Chamunda just near it. Delhi to Bairagarh came out to be 686 km with a wrong detour towards Amritsar road for about 12-13 km on one side.

Day 2: Bairagarh – Sach Pass – Killar

This was supposed to be the D-Day, the day when we crossed the Sach Pass driving going through Kalaban – Satrundi and reaching Killar in Himachal by evening with ample of stops on the way. We started at 7.20 AM from Bairagarh to cross the pass early in the morning before the Nallahs gets flooded on the route and traveled around 76 KMs that day to reach Killar in evening passing through Bagotu nallah. We stayed at Chamunda Hotel in Killar too :)…

Day 3: Killar – Udaipur – Sissu – Manali

There was quite an anxiety on this day because a lot of was heard about Madgran Nallah which could swallow the big buses to afternoon or towards evening. The bridge wasn’t there, and hence, our only option was to cross it as early as possible. So, we started at 5.45 AM from Killar, and it was raining that day. Passing through various beautiful villages of Pangi Valley, witnessing loads of waterfalls and water crossings.

We were able to reach Udaipur by 12.55 PM after crossing Madgran, though it was one of the longest I ever crossed but was doable without much trouble at that time. We had our brunch at Udaipur – Bhandari Bhojnalya, which served us amazing vegetarian food. Then, we went to Trilokinath Ji for darshan and cruised to Tandi – Sissu – Khoksar. We reached Rohtang Pass at 7.40 PM and old Manali at 9.20 PM. We called off this never-ending day in Old Manali at Dontell Mama Guest House.

Route of the day was like Killar – Cherry (14 km) – Purthi (28 km) – Tindi (54 km) – Madgran (70 km) – Udaipur (79 km) – Trilokinath (96 km) – Khoksar (175 km) – Rohtang Pass (194 km) – Manali (245 km)

Day 4: Manali – Jalori Pass

We killed half of this day in Manali, and then we realized we have to move to Narkanda via Jalori Pass 😀 :D… A series of events held us on the road up to 2.00 PM, and we could not make much progress ahead.

Finally, around 4.30 PM we crossed Aut tunnel and then started the ascend towards Jalori Pass passing through Banjar Valley – Jibhi. Spared out 2.30 Hrs at Shringi Vatika as some of us wanted to have chicken made up there as a specialty. Hence, we could end our day in dhabha at Jalori Pass at 10.40 PM. Amit, Anshul, and Nitin went on to sleep in camps at Jalori Pass.

Day 5: Jalori Pass – Narkanda – Delhi

Started from Jalori Pass at 7.15 AM, passed through Ani – Khanag – Sainj – Kingal – Narkanda – Shimla – Ambala – Delhi. We had our brunch at Narkanda at Himalayan Restaurant this time, skipping my favorite Negi Dhabha, which is just the opposite of it. On the way home, we had our dinner+lunch at McD, Zirakpur and then drove non-stop to Delhi from there to reach home by 10.00 PM which concluded the trip.

The total drive over the trip was about 1610 KM done in a budget of around Rs 5600 per head, including all, and it had a couple of very costly meals for about 1000 per person at Manali that just got wasted 🙁 🙁 … As I said, words fall short to explain this f-amazing mega-adventure of my lifetime…

One of the Landslide points between Tissa and Bairagarh
One of the Landslide points between Tissa and Bairagarh
Partners in crime for Sach Pass Quest
Partners in crime for Sach Pass Quest
Zooming through...
Zooming through…
Devils, clearing the Landslide on the way to Sach Pass
Devils, clearing the Landslide on the way to Sach Pass
Waterfall and watercrossing, yes right on road
Waterfall and watercrossing, yes right on road 😀
Running through the water crossings
Running through the water crossings
Tamed Madgran Nallah in Lahaul Valley
Tamed Madgran Nallah in Lahaul Valley
Tamed Madgran Nallah in Lahaul Valley
Tamed Madgran Nallah in Lahaul Valley

Road Conditions for Sach Pass in July

Following is the breakdown of road conditions for my Sach Pass trip:

  • Delhi – Ambala – Ludhiana – Jalandhar – Pathankot: Mostly Excellent, smooth sailing toll road.
  • Pathankot – Bungal – Bhatwan – Dunera – Nainikhad – Banikhet: Mostly good and some sections were average and very few bad patches with potholes.
  • Banikhet – Chamera Lake Reservoir – Larog – Koti: Mix of good and average roads.
  • Koti – Tissa – Bairagarh: Roads are mostly bad with few average patches Between Tissa and Bhairagarh, there are some landslide points and tricky sections along with few water crossings. Drive with care here.
  • Bairagarh – Satrundi – Sach Pass: Mostly non-existent roads, rocks, boulders on road, multiple gushing water crossings, landslide points, slush near the pass and some very very tricky sections. Quite difficult I will say.
  • Sach Pass – Bagotu – Killar: Again mostly non-existent road especially till Bagotu nallah which was totally flooded. The road on the other side of Sach Pass was extremely pathetic, I mean no words for it. Might kill sedan totally. Both XUV and Terrano struggled a lot in water crossings, big boulders, snow, and slush.
  • Killar – Cherry – Purthi – Tindi: No roads, dirt track but is OK to drive with average conditions and a couple of water crossings.
  • Tindi – Madgran – Udaipur: Again no roads, dirt track, slush, couple of very heavy/violent water crossings including Madgran.
  • Udaipur – Trilokinath – Tandi: Many patches of good tarred roads and smooth sailing. A couple of places have average and bad sections.
  • Tandi – Sissu – Khoksar: The majority of sections are good but there are few sections which are narrow, with slush and very bad especially for small cars.
  • Khoksar – Gramphu – Rohtang Pass: Quite bad roads, some sections are very pathetic again especially almost up to few KMs before Rohtang Pass.
  • Rohtang Pass – Marhi – Manali – Kullu – Aut: Mostly very good roads except for Rohtang Pass to Marhi which has a couple of bad sections.
  • Aut – Banjar – Ghiyaji/Jibhi – Shoja: Narrow road with a mix of good and average roads.
  • Shoja – Jalori Pass – Ani: Quite bad at places with slush on the road which made it more difficult. On the other side of Jalori Pass towards Ani, still fine with few bad sections.
  • Ani – Khanag – Sainj – Kingal: Mostly good roads.
  • Kingal – Narkanda – Shimla – Zirakpur – Ambala – Delhi: Smooth sailing with no issues while passing through the regular route of Shimla – Mashobra to Delhi.
Horrors of Road to Sach Pass
Horrors of Road to Sach Pass
Horrors of Road to Sach Pass
Our convoy struggling through on the Quest
Our convoy struggling through on the Quest
Splash in the water towards Satrundi
Splash in the water towards Satrundi
That amazing valley view from Satrundi
That amazing valley view from Satrundi
Amazing weather in Pangi Valley
Amazing weather in Pangi Valley

Phone Signals & Data Connectivity in Pangi Valley – Sach Pass Trip

I was carrying Airtel Postpaid, BSNL Postpaid connection while Vodafone Postpaid connection was with some friends. Following was the signal status:

  • All three were working mostly through all the routes up to Bairgarh. Then, there was no signal of Airtel or Vodafone up to Tandi. In Killar, by evening, BSNL started to work, but the connection is erratic. Udaipur had signals but then in between no signals.
  • Beyond Bairagarh, only BSNL connection worked, so do carry it else be ready for out of family connection for a couple of days till you reach Tandi – Sissu area in Lahaul. Jalori Pass too had signals though a bit week for all the connections.
  • Data Connectivity was almost always available wherever the signals were present, mostly limited to 2G and at places, even 3G was running.

Travel Tip: Do not forget to carry these 40 must-have things for a self-drive trip to the Himalayas.

In the land of Waterfalls - Pangi Valley
In the land of Waterfalls – Pangi Valley
In the land of Waterfalls - Pangi Valley

Other Important Updates for Pangi Valley – Sach Pass Trip

  • Bairagarh, Killar both have decent hotels and also liquor shops though preferred brands can be an issue.
  • DO NOT go towards Chamba or Dalhousie and follow the road to Chamera Lake from Banikhet, then reach Koti from there. That is the short route; the other route is quite long via Chamba or Dalhousie. Neither Chamba nor Dalhousie should come on the route to Bairagarh from Pathankot, in case they come, you took a longer route.
  • Once you cross Bairagarh, you will find Dhabha at Satrundi checkpost, but no paranthas, so pack your food from the hotel. Then after crossing Sach Pass, you get to eat around Bagotu Nallah before Killar in a dhabha. After Killar in Pangi Valley, you will find dhabhas at Purthi and then at Udaipur only.
  • Killar is a big town in Pangi Valley being headquarters of it and does also has an SBI ATM.
  • You can get good Rajma from Baban or Purthi villages in Pangi Valley even in Udaipur, Lahaul or Peas as well in case you want to carry them back here.
  • We filled up the fuel before Bairagarh guesses near Tissa somewhere and then after that, we could spot fuel pump only at Tandi on Manali – Leh Highway.
  • Whenever making a trip to Sach Pass or Pangi Valley, do leave early in the day so that water crossings have less water in them as there are numerous of them on the road with Madgran being the most violent along with Bagotu nallah.
  • Bhandari Bhojnalya at Udaipur is a great place to eat homely food. We loved it a lot.
That's our ride in Lahaul Valley
That’s our ride in Lahaul Valley
Splash time at Manali - Leh Highway
Splash time at Manali – Leh Highway
The ride getting a bath in Kullu
The ride getting a bath in Kullu
Early morning mist at Jalori Pass
Early morning mist at Jalori Pass

Toll Amounts on the Route

  • Toll at Panipat: Rs 30
  • Toll at Panipat: Rs 30
  • Toll at Panipat: Rs 30
  • Toll at Karnal: Rs 111
  • Toll at Gharggar: Rs 67
  • Toll at Ladowal: Rs 117
  • Toll at Chollang: Rs 70
  • Toll at Tunuhatti: Rs 30
  • Toll at Harse Mansar: Rs 75
  • Toll at Himachal entry: Rs 30
  • Toll at Banikhet: Rs 30
  • Toll at Himalayan Expressway, Panchkula: Rs 28
  • Toll at Ambala – Chandigarh NH22: Rs 36

You should always carry your water bottle and refill it as many times as you need water. It will not only keep you hydrated always, but you will also help in saving the Himalayas from plastic garbage. Remember, every tiny step counts and your step in this direction can help save the Himalayas too !! 🙂 🙂

Conclusion

I hope this Sach Pass itinerary article will help you plan a trip to this adventurous route of Himachal. I have explained the route plan, the road conditions on the Sach Pass trip, fuel availability, and phone signals. Knowing about these things will help you in planning your trip and making it memorable.

Have a travel question?? You can follow me on Instagram and subscribe to my YouTube channel to ask your travel questions in a direct message on Instagram or comment on my YouTube videos.

I will start sharing the detailed Travel Tale of this Sach Pass – Pangi Valley trip, the reviews of the hotels I stayed and places at which I ate food, very soon. So, stay tuned guys 🙂

If you know your friends or family are planning a trip to Sach Pass, do share this article with them to help them make a memorable Pangi Valley trip.

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I am Dheeraj Sharma - a traveler, techie, and Himalayan lover. Since 2009, I have been helping thousands of travelers every year plan memorable & budget-friendly trips to the Himalayas - Smartly, Safely, and responsibly.

256 Comments

  1. Abhishek Gupta on

    Hi Dheeraj,

    Hope you are doing well mate!

    Planning to do Delhi – Kishtwar – Killar – Sachpass – Dalhousie Trip next month.

    I have been told by someone that Patnitop – Kishtwar route is unsafe and have been asked to not to travel on that route, especially with girls. I have checked online a lot about that route but haven’t found a thing negative about that area. Can you pls confirm.

    We shall be travelling in day time only. Look forward to your earliest response.

    • Abhishek, just check on the news updates for any disturbances in the Kashmir valley and in these regions of Kishtwar – Doda area. In case there are any, please avoid else it should be OK. Also, do not expect too much from the accommodations than basic home stays or guest houses.

      • Abhishek Gupta on

        Hi Dheeraj,

        Thanks for your revert. One more thing I wanted to check.

        Can we cover Killar to Patnitop in one day? How long will it take? What time should we start from Killar?

    • ravi kumar on

      yesterday my journey is complete from Delhi to sach pass in 4 days i m follow this website this is very helpful for guidelines

      • Pankaj Wadhwa on

        Is it possible to do a return journey from Delhi to sachpass in 3 days with the following itinerary:

        July 12 Night travelling From Delhi to Pathankot.
        July 13 Pathankot to Bhairagarh by rented Car/Bike.
        July 14 Bhairagarh To Sach Pass and Back to Bhairagarh.
        July 15 Bhairagarh to Pathankot and catch night train to Delhi.

        Is it recommended to go their during this time as its monsoon time?

        • The way you have planned it, the trip is doable however it will be hectic and with monsoon please keep buffer days or be ready to return from blockade point. Also, a rented bike will not be available in Pathankot. Have you arranged any?

  2. Lokendra Fauzdar on

    Hi Dheeraj Sir,

    i am thinking of doing patnitop-kishtwar-killar-sachpass-udaipur-keylong or patnitop-kishtwar-killar-dalhousie. From 15-16 of august.

    i needed your opinion on the patnitop- doda route to kishtwar and also the weather, do you think it will raining a lot?

    Thank you.

    • In general, it rains a lot during mid-August and these mountains in Pangi Valley are quite fragile for landslides. So, expect blockades and landslides.

  3. Bhuvan sharma on

    Hello Devils,

    I crossed sach pass on 2nd July on Bullet 500 with pillion. Roads are in very bad shape, Pwd may do some repairs in next 15 days. Many surprises on turns, Nallas are difficult to cross after 12, try to start as early as possible. From killar to Udaipur, again roads are challenging for riders. We crossed all nallas before 11 and didn’t faced much problem. Try to start your travel at 05 in the morning. For bikers, it is very challenging especially the descent after sach pass. It is indeed Daddy of all Mountain passes.

    Regards,
    Bhuvan Sharma

    • Lokendra Fauzdar on

      Hello Bhuvan,

      was there any snow??

      Also what was your complete route?

      Many thanks

      • Bhuvan sharma on

        Hey Lokendra!!

        Snow was there but not on the roads.
        Pathankot- Bairagarh-Killar- Darcha-Whisky Nallah- Leh- Mahe- Tso Moriri- Sarchu- Manali- Chandigarh.

        Bhuvan

  4. Hello Deeraj , thanks a lot for all information you are sharing here. It’s really very helpful. I am also leaving to Sach pass on 17th of this month for 10 days. Delhi- Sach Pass- Manali-Delhi with family by four wheel. I mean all are adult. Have done already Delhi – Kaza by Road also with ladies and grown up Children and Delhi-Leh-Zanskar-Kashmir also by Road. So my question is?? Is it really OK to travel on this trip in this time or it’s too late?? As far as the weather concern. Do you have latest update from there. With Regards. Ashwani Rajput

    • Hi Ashwani,

      It seems fine as you have experience with these roads. You can also follow the article: Sach Pass – Pangi Valley – Most Common Itinerary Also, below is the most recent update:

      Hello Devils,
      I crossed sach pass on 2nd July on Bullet 500 with pillion. Roads are in very bad shape, Pwd may do some repairs in next 15 days. Many surprises on turns, Nallas are difficult to cross after 12, try to start as early as possible. From killar to Udaipur, again roads are challenging for riders. We crossed all nallas before 11 and didn’t faced much problem. Try to start your travel at 05 in the morning. For bikers, it is very challenging especially the descent after sach pass. It is indeed Daddy of all Mountain passes.
      Regards,
Bhuvan Sharma

  5. Hi Dheeraj Bai,

    We r planing for a trip from Pathankot – killar – keylong on Sep 15th in 2 bikes with 3 persons is it a good time to take this trip, do you suggest riding with a pillion?

  6. piyush rawat on

    Hi Dheeraj,

    Hope you are doing great!

    Planning to leave for SACH pass on 8-JUL-17 on bikes . My first stop would be Bairagrh from CHandigarh.
    2. Killar via sach pass
    3. Killar-dalhousie
    4. Dalhousie-chandigarh

    Is this feasible? I dont want it to be much hectic..if u have a better option please tell me..but i have just 4 days in hand…
    Also can u suggest the route to bairagarh from pathankot? can Chamba be avoided?
    Decent stay options at Bairagarh and killar?

    Thanks a lot as usual 🙂

    • Well, yes looks feasible but yes a bit hectic as there is no rest day bhai. Yes, follow the route to Chamera lake via Banikhet. Do not go to Dalhousie and then towards Tissa. DO NOT follow any signs for Chamba as the shorter route does not goes through Chamba. Google maps also will follow the route from Chamera lake only without going to Chamba.

      At Bairagarh there is Mannat Homestay and Chamunda Guest House. Then, at Killar there is a PWD rest house ahead of town at Cherry village and in Killar there is basic hotels like Raj guest house and again Chamunda Guest House

      • piyush rawat on

        thanks bro…I just have 4 days in hand so no other option…Hope the weather will remain a bit calm..:)

        • piyush rawat on

          Hi dheeraj,

          just came back from the trip.. the weather was calm..no rain at all..Roads are perfect till Bairagarh and after that its full of misery..Heavy rainbs are predicted this week though there..
          thanks for your suggestions a always

    • Hello Piyush, I hope you are having a good time there. I m also leaving for sach pass soon, I mean in a weeks time. Just wanted to know the weather and road conditions. If possible do write please. Thanks. Ashwani Rajput

      • piyush rawat on

        HI Ashwani,

        The roads are perfect till Bairagrh, After that it is complete off-roading and tough roads. Heavy rains are predicted this week over there. So do inquire about the weather before leaving. If Sach pass gets closed due to rains, The police wont let u cross Satrundi check post and u will have to go back. Also that area is v much prone to Landslides and u wont like to be caught up over there. DO follow the same route as Dheeraj suggested. Pathankot-bankikhet-Bairagarh via Chamera lake. Do not go via dalhousie and Chamba as it is extra 60 KM approx.

        Take care and have a great trip!

  7. Mohit kaushik on

    Hello
    We are planning to go sach pass by bike in July our itinerary is :

    6 th July 2017 delhi to Dalhousie
    7 th July 2017 Dalhousie to killar
    8 th July 2017. Killar to Kishtwar
    9 th July 2017 Kishtwar to Udhampur
    10 th July 2017 Udhampur to delhi

    Is it fine ?
    Give us your suggestions please

    • Hi Mohit,

      It is possible to plan this trip but it will surely be hectic. I will recommend to reach Bairagarh one day 1 instead of staying at Dalhousie.

  8. NamitaSharma on

    Fantastic!!!!!!!
    Give me the Mighty Himalayas anytime….every time.
    Not done Sach pass.
    Hmmmmm…..

  9. sanjay sharma on

    Sir can some one advise the best and short route from ambala to chamera lake. I am planning to go to such pass from Delhi. Upto ambala and from chamera lake to bairagarh no problem. But from ambala to chamera lake I am not clear which route should I take which is best as far as road conditions r concerned and short.

    • You should take the route from Ambala – Ludhiana – Jalandhar – Pathankot – Bhatwan – Banikhet – Chamera Lake – Tissa

      Just keep in mind that you do not need to go to Dalhousie or Chamba or Khajjiar

  10. is it possible to do sach pass in baleno (diesel) during last weekend of june ??

    • Dina, doing Sach Pass in a hatch or sedan is mostly like beating the vehicle to the extreme. In case you have not been to such roads including Spiti or Ladakh on such a vehicle, I will not recommend taking it to Sach Pass. If you love adventure more than your own car and have good experience in such terrains, well, then you may try for it.

  11. Sharath Babu N G on

    HI Dheeraj,
    Generally what is preferred time for sach pass according to your past experience. Wwe are planning to cross sach pass from killar on approximately 24th july. is it the right time or will it be rainy at that time?

    we are going in bike to sachpass .

    • Sharath, Sach Pass safest time is September but now Sach Pass is open this year early so anywhere from today till the time monsoon does not arrive in Norther India should be good time to travel to Sach Pass. Before leaving for the trip, do keep an eye on weather updates.

      • Anmol Malhotra on

        how do i book rooms with PWD guest house. i am unable to contact them

      • sanjay sharma on

        Sir,
        Could u tell me any update of opening of sach pass treck. Further from ambala to chamara lake what route should I take?
        Thanks

        • sanjay sharma on

          Sir, Whether taxi etc. r available from bairagarh to sach pass.
          Thanks

        • Yes Sanjay, some taxis will be available to Sach Pass from Bairagarh and you can connect with Hotel Chamunda who can arrange the taxi in advance to be 100% sure.

        • Sanjay, the Sach Pass is already open now. Follow the route to Chamera Lake from Banikhet. Do not turn to Chamba or Dalhousie. It is the shortest route to Bairagarh

  12. Hii this is Neeraj ..u r dng a grt job..jst want to Knw spiti valley itinerary is more adventurous or Sach pass itinerary?..m a solo rider ..I want to complete the Leh belt also..so wants to Knw frm where I cn complete via Sach pas or spiti ..which is more adventurous road..also suggest me the itinerary till Leh..m leaving on July1 frm Chandigarh

  13. Hi Dheeraj ..this is Neeraj frm indore ..m a solo rider..so is it good to travel on this kind of roads?and plz suggest me Sach pass is more adventurous of spiti valley ..as I want to go cover the Leh circuit ..so plz suggest me frm where I go Leh via Sach pass itinerary or spiti valley itinerary ..m solo rider if any1 wants to join me they r most welcome..my jrny strt frm Chandigarh 1july

  14. Sanjay sharma on

    Sir what is the best and short route from Delhi to sach pass. I heard that going to chamara lake via chamba or banikhet is time consuming. Besides when the sach pass will open?

    • Sanjay, Sach Pass will open by end of June. But, I feel the short route is from Chamera lake and Chamba does not come in short route. Please read the article above. You need to follow directions to Bairagarh.

  15. Hi Dheeraj,

    Thanks for the detailed post , it is quite help full . I am planning the below in last week on June , to start on 24th June.
    We will be 2 families ( 5 Adults and 2 kids ( 3 years + )) in 2 crossovers, Please share your thoughts and suggestions.

    Day 1 – New Delhi to Chamba
    Day 2 – Chamba to Killar
    Day 3 – Killar to Keylong
    Day 4 – Keylong to Chandar Taal ( stay in our tent )
    Day 5 – Chandar Taal to Kibber ( covering key )
    Day 6 – Kibber to Kaza ( Covering Langza , Koumik )
    Day 7 – Kaza to Nako ( stay at Nako in our tent )
    Day 8 – Nako to Sarahan
    Day 9 – Sarahan to Newdelhi

    Also if you could confirm about road conditions , I was going through the url shared by you but could not find any information about Sach pass and its tentative time to open . I hope it will be open by June end .

    • Saket, frankly speaking, the above trip does not look like a family trip to me at all. It is over ambitious and lots of traveling every day on one of the most treacherous roads of the world !! Sach Pass opens up in end June or July starting only.Though it is possible to do it but it is very hectic.

      • thanks for input … and sorry for a delayed response … I did the trip a per the above schedule … It was great fun and every one enjoyed it .. no major problems in way . All the kids ( 3 years , 4 years and 7 years )also enjoyed a lot and they did hot have any problem with acclimatization. in fact the mothers were quite happy to see an increased diet 🙂

  16. HARMANDEEP SINGH on

    HI Dheeraj we are planning to saach pass on 30 june 17. We have 10 days in hand .our itineary is as below

    30 Jun-Delhi -Dalhousie
    1 July-Dalhousie-Chamba
    2 Jul-Chamba –Sach Pass – Killar
    3 Jul-Explore Killar
    4 Jul-Killar – Keylong
    5 Jul-Keylong-Chandartaal
    6 Jul-Chandartaal – Kaaza
    7 Jul-Kaaza- Reckong peo
    8 Jul- Reckong peo- narkanda
    9 Jul- Narkanda- Delhi

    Now your expert advise needed.We had already covered spiti valley before . Pls let us know if any other off beat places we can cover during the trip with this number of days in hand & Where can we stay during the trip.Thanks in advance,

    • Hi Harmandeep,

      Though the plan looks doable but towards the end you are just on road. It will be better to spend a day in Kaza on 7th July and then come to Manali and then do Manali to Delhi. You can visit Langza, Hikkim, Komic, Demul on Kaza rest day if you havent been there.

    • Hi Harmandeep,

      I am doing almost the same trip a week before , My itineary is as under , I will start on 24th June from Indrapuram , GZB.

      Day 1 – New Delhi to Chamba
      Day 2 – Chamba to Kilar
      Day 3 – Kilar to Keylong
      Day 4 – Keylong to Chandar Taal ( stay in our tent )
      Day 5 – Chandar Taal to Kibber ( covering key monestry )
      Day 6 – Kibber to Kaza ( Covering Langza , Koumik )
      Day 7 – Kaza to Nako ( stay at Nako in our tent )
      Day 8 – Nako to Sarahan/kalpa
      Day 9 – Sarahan/Kalpa to Newdelhi

      • HARMANDEEP SINGH on

        Hi saket…now we are also leaving on 24th June from Noida..but slightly change in our itinerary..will come back from manali side instead of shimla.

        Dheeraj bhai need one more suggestion from your side..we are hiring zoom car..trip can be doable by Honda jazz or will rent duster/Scorpio for the trip.

        • HARMANDEEP SINGH on

          Hi Dheeraj bhai .. Duster is booked for the trip..Just want to know fuel is easily available after chamba or we have to carry fuel can.

        • Petrol Pumps on Sach Pass Trip
          Couple of petrol pumps there on the way to Banikhet
          Near Chamba or Banikhet Do Top Up Here
          Manjir, Bhadram. There is one fuel pump at Bhadram and Manjir. Bhadram is about 40 KMs from Banikhet towards Sach Pass and Manjir is about 28 KMs ahead of it.
          Churah about 8 KMs from Tissa towards Sach Pass. Do Top Up Here
          Tandi near Keylong if doing the full circuit from Killar – Udaipur – Manali route
          Manali

        • Sachin Arora on

          Hi Saket/Harmandeep,

          I am also on the same route but till sach pass starting on 26th June from Crossings Republik. Just wanted to check if it is worth going beyond such pass being with family.

          Thanks,
          Sachin

    • Kirat preet on

      Hiiii harman dear we r also planning for sach pass on 29 or 30 june so we can go togher that way

      • HARMANDEEP SINGH on

        we are leaving on 24th june ..already applied for leaves can’t change my plan..if your dates are flexible..u are most welcome ..we will go together.

      • Sachin Arora on

        Hi Kirat Preet,

        We will be leaving Dalhousie on 29th towards sach pass. Will be staying in Monga Dalhousie.

  17. Sharmila Ghishnath on

    Hello Dheeraj, I am a regular follower of your posts. In fact your post helped me a lot in planning our trip at Ladakh region last year, particularly in taking the road from Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri via Hanle as well as Nubra to Pangong via the road thru river bed (not the usual road thru Khardung la).
    Next year I am planning to take a trip covering Sach Pass, Kunzum la and Chandratal but we are a family of middle aged husband and wife with a son who is fit but not physically strong, hence we cannot afford to be adventurous too much.
    I will be extremely grateful if you can provide me the following information:
    1) the safest time to take the trip
    2) no. of days required to cover comfortably
    3) contact of a reliable driver (like Sonam for Ladakh)
    Regards,

    • Hello Sharmila,

      Thank you 🙂 🙂

      Well, I will suggest to make up mind and choose between doing just Chandratal + Sach Pass Pangi Valley OR making trip to entire Spiti valley and Kinnaur Valley. Then we can discuss about rest of the things. If you have not been to Spiti, I will recommend it over Sach Pass at his moment. but let me know and we can discuss rest.

      • Sharmila Ghoshnath on

        Dear Dheeraj, thank u for such an early response. We did travel to the Spiti and Kinnaur valleys earlier covering Sarahan, Kalpa, Sangla, Chitkul, Tabo, Nako, Kaza till Kibber but had to come back via the same route to Shimla and cd nt take the road to Manali via Kunzum and Rohtang bcoz it was nt open that time. Same way, we took the Srinagar- Leh road while going but cd nt come bk via Leh- Manali road due to again the same reason. Hence we want to do this time even if we hv to take the same places once more.
        Regards

        • Hmm, that’s fine then. In that case what you can do is follow a below plan:

          Day 1 | Delhi – Dalhousie/Khajjiar
          Day 2 | Dalhousie/Khajjiar – Chamba
          Day 3 | Chamba – Sach Pass – Killar (leave by 5-6 AM at max)
          Day 4,5 | Spend in Killar going over to various surrounding/nearby villages which offer great beautiful landscapes of Pangi Valley
          Day 6 | Killar – Udaipur – Tandi – Keylong (Leave by 5 am to avoid deep water crossings)
          Day 7 | Keylong – Baralacha La – Keylong
          Day 8 | Keylong – Gramphu – Chatru – Batal – Chandratal
          Day 9 | Chandratal – Kunzum Pass (if you want) – Batal – Chatru – Gramphu – Rohtang Pass – Manali
          Day 10 | LEave back home

        • Sharmila Ghoshnath on

          Thank u so much for such a brilliantly planned itinerary. I hope after going thru ur posts, Sept wd b the safest bet to do it. Last one request. Can u provide contact no of a reliable driver fr the route which is extremely important in difficult hilly terrain like this? Fr Leh, we got an ex- army man as our driver cum guide that made our experience different altogether

        • Sharmila Ghoshnath on

          Thank u, so much Dheeraj. U r doing such a commendable job and such a dependable friend for all the hopeless and eternal lovers of Himalaya

  18. Ajay Ketkar on

    Hi Dheeraj,
    Jus t want to know, can sach pass be considered as an alternative to Rohatnag Pass?
    I have been to Leh-Ladhak this year. I did it via jammu – leh – manali. I am planning again for 2017. I dont want to go via J&K this time. I would prefer getting stranded into sach pass route than wainting in Manali for Rohtang permit.

    Regards
    Ajay

    • Yes Ajay, very much you can travel from Sach Pass. route. The plan will be like below:

      Day 1 | Get off early morning and plan to reach Bairagarh by end of day
      Day 2 | Bairagarh – Satrundi – Sach Pass – Killar
      Day 3 | Killar – Udaipur – Tandi – Keylong / Jispa
      Day 4 | Reach Leh.

  19. Alka bharwaj on

    Hieee..me and my husband jst had a trip from Shimla to kazzza… it zzz an amazing trip of 4 days…we were going through Alto lxi 2005 model… roads were not good..it’s like dat we r on vibration mode …sites r breathtaking from nakoo..we crossed nako after 6pm…there were no signs of people , no vechiles, I was very scared..bcoz we r only two people….by it was amazing and unforgettable…,,,nw on these holidays we both r going to explore sach pass….thnxxx for such a good tips ..

  20. shivangmehta2020 on

    Hi, I m planning a trip to sach pass from dalhousie side in first week of oct. It would be a short trip. Itenary is as follows
    1. Gurgaon to kalatop / khajjiar
    2. Khajjiar to Killar
    3. Killar to manali
    4. Manali to gurgaon
    5. Buffer

    Want an input from fellow DOWians if this is doable.

    • Killar to Manali is a bit long drive, we did it but I only know how. Better avoid it and halt at Sissu at max. Also, no need to go to Khajjiar, be on road towards Bairagarh or reach Chamba. Leave very early on Day 2.

      • shivangmehta2020 on

        Hi Dheeraj, have just been back from the trip. Yes I did want to go in the month of Oct, but it somehow happened.
        There is actually no road about 60 kms before sach pass till phura. Drove approx 225 kms without any road. The climb is really treacherous. Sacrificed one of my new michellins. Driver side tyre got burst while descending from sach pass. It was 8 pm, and unfortunately the jack also broke. We actually got straded about 16 kms from Killar before a truck came and helped us. I really would not suggest anyone to even visit if he s not having a 4×4. Must visit in a big group. It took me 4 days to do gurgaon – khajjiar – sach pass – killar – keylong – manali – gurgaon circuit and 1700 kms.

      • Nitirath.Minhas on

        Hi Dheeraj,

        Thanks a lot for the info above, it was really helpful. I also frequently make trips to the himalayas. However, pangi i will be going for the first time. Would request your inputs on the following since you have already visited.
        1) Firstly, i’m leaving on the 8th of october to pangi from delhi by road. Is sach pass accessible during mid October?
        2) Is it also accessible from through Shimla- rampur – kinnaur , the road to spiti? Please let me all routes you know to pangi from delhi?
        3) I have to be back on 16th october to delhi as i have work resuming 17th October. Are 10 days enough and please suggest routes basis the time we have which is 10 days.
        4) Any special places you would want us to visit?
        5) Please feel free to tell me any other inputs you think would be helpful.

        thanks

        • Sachendra Pal on

          Hi Dheeraj,

          Due to certain issues, i couldn’t plan my trip earlier but now planning for solo bike ride starting from Pathankot – Koti – Tissa – Sach Pass – Killar – Keylong – Manali. Is it advisable to travel solo on bike this time? Would i get any water crossings at Sach Pass?

        • Sach Pass shall be fine but for Manali – leh highway for a solo biker this late in the season, from my side it will be big NO.

  21. Satish Patel on

    Sir,We request for your Kind expert opinion & advise for our tour
    Day 1 (Thu, 22-Sep-16) …….Chandigarh – Narkanda
    Day 2…… Narkanda – Recong Peo
    Day 3…. Recong Peo – Kaza
    Day 4…. Kaza Tandi
    Day 5…. Tandi- killar
    Day 6…. killar – Khajjiar
    Day 7 (Thu, 29-Sep-16)….. Khajjiar – Chandigarh
    Total 1500 Km.
    Thanking You,
    Satish Patel, Pune (9371007737)
    mvijaycreations@gmail.com

      • SATISH PATEL on

        Yes Sir,
        We just want to ride on the road with Innova….
        & night haults for rest….
        We have already made sightseeing around Kaza & Manali in 2014.
        Thank You

  22. Sachendra Pal on

    Hi Dheeraj,

    I am back with another question.

    As i am unable to opt Jammu-Srinagar-Leh route, I will start my solo bike trip from 21st Sept and i am planning to go through Dalhousie-Killar-Keylong route. I have read the comment and you specified the perfect route to reach jispa. I will exactly follow that but please let me know if that route can be covered in September end. After starting from Dalhousie i am planning to take a halt at Killar and then to Jispa.

    • Sachendra, the road conditions are tough, so plan a day in between I will say. September you can surely plan the trip from Sach Pass – Killar route. The route remains open.

      • Sachendra Pal on

        Thanks Dheeraj,

        I am gonna move slowly and enjoy the every bit of scenery.

        So on first day i would cover Dalhousie – Bairagarh – Sach Pass – Killar (leave early in the day)
        On 2nd day i would cover Killar – Udaipur – Tandi – Keylong – Jispa (leave early in the day)

        Just few more questions, Is there anything good to see in Dalhousie? So that i can stay for one day there.
        Is there any beautiful spot near killar where i can spend a day enjoying the natural landscapes?

        • You can spend couple of days at Killar to explore the beautiful villages in Pangi Valley around Killar are Dharwas, Luj, Sural, Hundan, Findroo, Findar, Mindhal, Parmar, etc.. to name a few. The entire Pangi Valley offer many picturesque villages and there is a PWD rest house in Cherry where you can stay in peace too along with hotels or guest houses in Killar.

    • shivangmehta2020 on

      Sir, one suggestion, pls donot opt for solo trip. I’ve just been back and the route is strictly no no for a solo traveller, unless you find more bikers there and you join them. One of the bikers from Bombay was sharing his own experience (@ killar). His bike got punctured and he had to leave everything there to get the tyre puncture repaired. Luckily the facility was nearby, but it still took him more than an hour. The place is completely isolated and cut from the rest of the world.

  23. hi dheeraj,
    i m planning delhi-leh trip via sach pass on rented bullets from delhi.
    we have 14 days in hand… is it possible to make this trip with this duration…
    we start our trip on 12 september…
    our plan is
    delhi-dalhousie-baigarh-killar-udaipur-keylong-leh-manali-delhi
    we are planing to return via manali leh highway…
    can u suggest an iternary???
    how is the road condition there on september??
    is it possible to travel on two wheeler in sach pass???

    • Tony, this is very much possible and you can follow the below plan:

      Day 1 | Delhi – Dalhousie
      Day 2 | Dalhousie – Bairagarh – Sach Pass – Killar (leave early in the day)
      Day 3 | Killar – Udaipur – Tandi – Keylong – Jispa (leave early in the day)
      Day 4 | Jispa – Baralacha La – Sarchu – Pang – Taglang La – Upshi – Leh (leave early in the day)
      Day 5 | Leh Local Sightseeing + Acclimatization
      — To know the about the places to visit check the link: Travel Guide for Local Sightseeing of Leh Town in Ladakh
      — Overnight at Leh

      Day 6 | Leh – Khardung La – Diskit – Hunder
      — Head for Nubra Valley and stay overnight at Hunder / Diskit
      — On the way enjoy a cup of soup at Highest Motorable Pass (as claimed) Khardung La
      — Diskit has monasteries with tallest lord Buddha statue and Hunder has sand dunes and bacterian camel safari

      Day 7 | Hunder / Diskit – Sumur – Panamik – Sumur – Khardung La – Leh
      — Sumur has a famous monastery to check out and Panamik has hot water springs
      — Overnight at Leh

      Day 8 | Leh – Hemis Monastery – Pangong Tso Lake
      — Cover either of Hemis, Thicksey and Shey on the go towards Pangong Tso
      — Overnight at Pangong Tso (Spangmik or Lukung)

      Day 9 | Pangong Tso Lake – Thicksey Monastery – Shey Palace – Leh
      — Cover either of Hemis, Thicksey and Shey on return to Leh
      — Overnight at Leh

      Day 10 | Rest day at Leh to enjoy local culture and some shopping
      — Overnight at Leh

      Day 11 | Leh – Tso Moriri via Chumathang
      — Cover Karzok Monastery
      — Overnight at Karzok or Tso Moriri

      Day 12 | Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Debring (Manali – Leh Highway starts) – Moore Plains – Pang / Sarchu
      — Try to start early in the day so that you reach Sarchu where the accommodation options are better than Pang
      — Overnight at Sarchu or Pang

      Day 13 | Pang / Sarchu – Baralacha La – Keylong – Rohtang Pass – Manali
      — On the way cover Suraj Tal, Deepak Tal which are on the road sides only
      — Overnight at Manali

      Day 14 | Manali – Delhi
      — Return
      Day 15 + 16 | Buffer days to be kept incase of road closure due to landslides or snowfall or perhaps you want to enjoy more.

        • Yes Tony you can do so. However, those are isolated routes and hence it is highly recommended that you travel on those routes only with convoys of at least 3-4 vehicles so that you can help each other inc ase of any need. Also, it is highly recommended to do the route in the first half of the day as later the water crossings can be swollen and impossible to cross at times.

    • Hi Tony, I too am starting with two cousins from Delhi on September 12 on rented bikes. Are you okay with connecting with a few more people for this trip? Thanks!

  24. Hemant Sharma on

    HI Dheeraj…. Just amazed by your journey and the snaps posted. Need an expert advice of yours, we have 3 days and are visiting Dalhousie but want to visit Sach pass too (till Killar, as we dont have much time exploring the rest). Can you put your suggestion on how to plan our Journey & from where could we get a Car hired (If you know)…??

    • This is what you can do:

      Day 1 | Delhi – Dalhousie
      Day 2 | Dalhousie – Bairagarh – Sach Pass – Killar (leave early in the day)
      Day 3 | Killar – Udaipur – Tandi – Sissu
      Day 4 | Sissu – Manali – Delhi, very long drive

      OR

      Day 1 | Delhi – Dalhousie
      Day 2 | Dalhousie – Bairagarh – Sach Pass – Bairagarh (leave early in the day to complete it)
      Day 3 | Bairagarh – Delhi, long drive

      • Thanx Dheeraj for your reply, but we are not travelling from Delhi… Kindly consider our journey from Dalhousie and Back to Dalhousie (We have 3 days in Dal here, travelling is additional). Now can you tell how to travel, we do not want to go to Manali and are planning to revert back to Dal from Killar. Where can we stay, what we can do Kindly let me know.

        • IN that case, you can do below:

          Day 1 | Dalhousie – Sach Pass – Killar
          Day 2 | Around Killar
          Spend a day at Killar to explore the beautiful villages in Pangi Valley around Killar are Dharwas, Luj, Sural, Hundan, Findroo, Findar, Mindhal, Parmar, etc.. to name a few. The entire Pangi Valley offer many picturesque villages and there is a PWD rest house in Cherry where you can stay in peace too along with hotels or guest houses in Killar.
          Day 3 | Killar – Sach Pass – Bairagarh
          Day 4 | Bairagarh – return

  25. Hey Dheeraj,

    Over 2 weeks i intend to cover some of these areas in HP. specifically spiti. Let me know the best way, or if can add more to the journey:

    Chandigarh, Dharamsala, Chamba, Killar, Udaipur, keylong, Kaza, tabo, sangla, chandigarh…

    • Karthik, for a 14 day plan I will suggest:

      Day 1 | Delhi/Chandigarh – Narkanda
      Day 2 | Narkanda – Sangla/Chitkul
      Day 3 | Sangla/Chitkul – Kalpa
      Day 4 | Kalpa – Nako – Nako Lake – Geyu Mummy – Tabo
      Day 5 | Tabo – Dhankar – Dhankar Lake – Lhalung
      Day 6 | Lallung – Demul – Pin Valley
      Day 7 | Pin Valley – Kaza
      — Sakya abode is a nice option to stay at Kaza apart from PWD Guest houses
      Day 8 | Kaza Local Sightseeing (Ki, Kibber, Tashigang, Gette)
      Day 9 | Kaza Local (Hikkim, Komik, Langza)
      Day 10 | Kaza – Chandratal
      Day 11 | Chandratal – Gramphu – Sissu – Keylong
      Day 12 | Keylong – Udaipur – Trilokinath – Keylong/Sissu
      Day 13 | Keylong/Sissu – Rohtang Pass – Manali
      Day 11 | Manali – Delhi

    • Bhai any reason for making the trip from Manali? Bike? Can you hire from Delhi?

      Also, I will suggest to drop Kinnaur Valley from it and focus on Lahaul, Spiti and Pangi Valley. If you planning to focus on it, it makes sense to rent bike in Manali. Shall I suggest considering you dropping Kinnaur?

      • Sachin Alex on

        Thank you for your reply bhaai..
        The reason behind to start from Manali is that we are hiring bike from our close friend who has a bullet garage there.
        I appreciate your suggestion and it makes seance. Our starting point is Manali fixed. Could you please edit the Day # 4, 5, 6 & 7 in our itinerary and suggest the best places to visit on what all days and overnight? That would help us immensely.

        Also how about the 2nd leg of the itinerary. Is that all OK? Any issues or unsafety in Kishtwar area

        • So Sachin bhai, I will suggest you below from Day 3 to Day 13

          Day 3 – Manali – Rohtang Pass – Sissu
          Day 4 – Sissu – Tandi – Udaipur (have lunch) – Pangi – Killar
          Day 5 – Killar – Kishtwar (check the current situation up there)
          Day 6 – Kishtwar – Killar
          Day 7 – Killar – Sach Pass – may be go beyond up to Satrundi checkpost beyond Sach Pass towards Bairagarh if required then come back from Sach Pass to Killar
          day 8 – Killar – Udaipur – Sissu
          Day 9 – Sissu – Gramphu – Chandratal
          Day 10 – Chandratal – Kunzum Pass – Kaza
          Day 11 – Kaza (Langza, Hikkim, Komik, Ki, Kibber) divide them into two halves of the day and move to Pin Valley
          day 12 – Pin Valley – Dhangkar – Tabo – Kaza
          Day 13 – Kaza – Manali

          Bhai I have kept it a bit relaxed as the roads up there are not conducive to faster travel and since it will be first time, I Will suggest to make it easy and enjoy the remote beauty of Pangi Valley

        • Sachin Alex on

          Thanks a lot bhai.. that make sense.

          Is there any permit required in the whole itinerary?

        • Sachin Alex on

          And bhai.. what is the expected climate all the places.. do we need to take extra precaution?

  26. hi Dhiraj,

    can we plan Udhampur-Patnitop-Doda-Jangalwar-Kishtwar-dharwas-killar-sach Pass- Purthi-Udaipur-Keylong route on my Thunderbird Bike ? me and my wife are riding to leh. we just came to know that we can not take srinagar-Kargil-Lamayuru route since situations are not in control at Anantnag route.

  27. Hi Dheeraj, Very well-written and informative blog. Thanks! I along with few friends are planning a day trip to Sach Pass from Banikhet. We will reach Banikhet a day before and then next morning, we want to do a full-day trip to Sach Pass. Is it doable? What are the precautions we should take. Any suggestions/advice will be greatly apprecaited.
    For sure, we will go though a tour company as none of us are experineced mountain drivers.

    Cheers,
    Priya

    • Hi Priya,

      Well, the article explains all the Do’s and Don’ts but since you are going via some tour agent, there wont be any concerns. August is not the time to be in that region if you are planning to do so because landslides are very common in rains up there. If you get late while coming from Sach Pass to Banikhet, you can also stay at Bairagarh. BTW, for such a trip you DO NOT need a tour agent rather just book hotels at Banikhet/Chamba and Bairagarh and take taxi from the taxi stand there.

      • Thanks Dheeraj.

        Last question, as its hard to find the right information out there. What will be the average temperature up there in Sach Pass. Should we carry heavy warm clothings?

        Thanks,
        Priya

        • Priya, just carry a pair of light woolens or light jackets because in Himalayas, it is always recommended to carry as weather can change anytime. Else mostly weather will be nice and pleasant.

  28. Sir We are two bikers planned our ride in Aug from Delhi – Narkand – chitkul – Nako – Keylong – killar – sach pass – dalhousie – Delhi in 9 Days. is it possible to cover Kishwar – killar in the same days?
    Pls let me know fuel stations available from Kaza to Killar.

    Thank you sir.

    • Hi Kamal, possible for sure but very hectic.

      Day 1 | Delhi – Narkanda
      Day 2 | Narkanda – Sangla
      Day 3 | Sangla – Chitkul – Sangla – Nako – Tabo, very long day
      Day 4 | Tabo – Dhangkar – Pin Valley – Kaza
      Day 5 | Kaza – Chandratal – Sissu/Tandi/Keylong, very long day
      Day 6 | Sissu/Tandi/Keylong – Udaipur – Killar
      Day 7 | Killar – Sach Pass – Chamba/Bairagarh
      Day 8 | Chamba/Bairagarh – Delhi, long day
      Day 9 | Buffer day as it will be monsoons.

    • Thank you sir,
      Pls let me know about fuel stations after Kaza.

      Thank you sir.

      • Kamal, you will get fuel station at Kaza, then at Tandi and then after crossing over Sach Pass – Bairagarh down toowards Chamba/Banikhet/Dalhousie. In between, there will not be any fuel pump.

  29. raguraman sundaram on

    Hi Deeraj,

    Very nice write up about sach pass. I am planning for a bike trip in spiti valley between Aug 12-22. As per plan (if goes well) I would be camping at chandra taal on Aug 16th. I am planning to cover the sach pass and below is the itinerary. Let me know whether this is doable

    Aug 17 – chandrataal to Killar (over night @ killar) – 220kms
    Aug 18 – Killar to dalhousie – 187 kms
    Aug 19 – dalhousie to chandigarh
    Aug 20 – chandigarh to delhi.

    We have one extra day as buffer. Worst case need to reach delhi on Aug 21 afternoon.
    Please let me whether the plan would work ? especially considering the nalas and the time of the day I would be crossing them.

    Thanks,
    With Regards,
    -Ragu

    • It is too optimistic a route, when you travel from Chandratal to Gramphu, it is one of the most trecherous roads in entire Himalayas almost comparable to Sach Pass roads. So, adding a day will make more sense. Do Chandratal to Sissu/Keylong/Tandi, next day to Killar, then next day to Chamba/Bairagarh/Dalhousie and finally delhi

  30. Hi Dheeraj,

    First of all i would like to thank you again for helping me plan my Spiti ride last year. Just when I plan for Sach Pass this year , I see your article here which makes things even clear 🙂 So I have planned a 9 & half day bike route which goes like this :
    1 (Friday Evening) Leave for Chandigarh. Overnite stay
    2 Leave for Chamba. Overnite stay
    3 Leave for Killar via Sach Pass. Overnite stay
    4 Explore the Killar valley. Overnite stay
    5 Leave for Kishtwar.Overnite stay
    6 Leave for Killar.Overnite stay
    7 Leave for Tandi.Overnite stay
    8 Leave for Manali.Overnite stay
    9 Leave for Kufri via Jalori pass.Overnite stay
    10 Leave for home

    Is this a hectic schedule that would require some changes or is it good to go ? Also I would like to know if we need to carry extra fuel from Chamba onwards to Killar-Kishtwar-Killar-Tandi ?

    Regards
    Rahul

  31. Arijeet Sarkar on

    Hi I am thinking to go for a roadtrip to Leh-Ladak from Mumbai in my wagonR (2013 model) in September, will my car be able to take the bad roads of Leh-Ladak during that time ?

    • For hatchback/sedan taking on Manali – Leh Highway and Ladakh, I will say:

      You will indeed face few tough challenges on the route. The hatchback/sedan will increase the level of every challenge even further, sedan is the worst candidate. My suggestion will be to go via Srinagar route as it will help you feel comfortable with the driving, provide more acclimatization and then once you have done the local Leh-Ladakh, then come back via Manali side. Secondly, since you are in hatch/sedan, then you need to drive with extra care as well. There will be some sections on the Manali – Leh highway in which you might need to sacrifice some scratches on the underbelly. Just make sure you do not bump the engine sump (know it before where it is placed in your car). You need to protect it all around the trip. Thirdly, whenever in doubt do not rush into the section rather park aside and feel the section with your foot, see how other vehicles are crossing it and make a planned route in your mind to cross that section. At the very least do carry Mseal, quick fix, funnel, jerry cans and towing rope with you all the time.

      Also, I will strongly suggest that you go through and read my series on Ladakh Self Drive tips at the links below:

      7 Useful Tips for a Self Drive to Leh – Ladakh, Routes and Road Conditions In Leh – Ladakh | Ladakh Self Drive Tips, Fuel Availability In Leh – Ladakh | Ladakh Self Drive Tips

  32. Hi Dheeraj, Your blog is amazing and super informative. Me and my husband love to travel to Himalayas and thanks to your blog our last two trips have been great. First was Chindi in April and your helpful directions saved a lot of time. The details are accurate and exactly what travelers want to know.
    Last weekend we went to Sach Pass in our humble Swift!! Still can’t get over the feeling!! We stayed at Bairagarh as recommended and it was a good decision. We were at the pass at 11am next morning. It was absolutely magical. Thanx again for the detailed route description. Looking forward to further trips..

      • Sukhmani Tiwana on

        Hi. I read your post on Facebook where you had uploaded a picture of a toppled pajero near Chandrataal. I was hoping to get more info on that, my brother was there in the car too and I haven’t been able to get through to him. If you have anyone there who has access to them can you please forward me any number?? And are they all okay? I haven’t heard from him in a week..just hoping to get any information so that I can take further action accordingly! Thanks in advance.

  33. Avadh Singj on

    Planning same tour but can we do on suzuki alto lxi 2006 model?? Plz reply asap thnq or some other route for alto plz

  34. hi dheeraj we are planning to visit sach pass , killar , kishtwar and back to jalandhar in4 days we wish to start on 12 june . we can even come back via manali pl suggest itenry and guidance

    • Harish, you can do it only hectic way:

      Delhi – Bairagarh
      Bairagarh – Sach Pass – Killar
      Killar – Tandi – Manali (very very long)
      Manali – Delhi

  35. Hi Spitibaba ,

    Again at your Darbar 🙂 for Sach pass queries now. First of all thanks a ton paji guiding me in planning for successful triumphing Ladakh , Spiti and others undisclosed locations blogs provided by you.
    Boss am planning for ‘Sach pass’ on 6th July 2016. Here is my itinerary :
    6th july : Ludhiana to Banikhet
    7th July : Banikhet to Sach pass to Killar
    8th July : Killar to Trilokinath – Tandi [staying at Tandi]
    9th July : Tandi to Manali via Rohtangla
    10th July : Manali to Ludhiana

    Kindly give me your inputs regarding this itinerary .
    1) WIll it be good to go ?
    2) July is appropriate for sach pass ? hope weather don’t play spoil game .

    Awaiting your green signal , Thanks in advance
    Best wishes ,
    Tanmay

    • Tanmay, Julley !! 🙂 🙂

      I will suggest that first day you push to reach Bairagarh. Instead of Tandi, better put up at Sissu. Rest is fine. Each day leave no later than 6 AM as water crossings in Pangi Valley are nasty and becomes non-traversable later in noon.

  36. The road from Chamba to Sach Pass has been opened, will take few days to make it through from Sach Pass to Killar. However, since you can carry the bike there will only be very few patches remaining where you can carry and cross if at all required.

    • Thanks a ton for the update Dheeraj. That’s a great itinerary there. Appreciations for your time in replying each and every comment with so much patience. You’re doing a great job, thank you very much.

      My ques: I’m planning to do Pathankot to Killar on 13th of June (in one day) on a motorcycle. Is that possible? Roads will be open? Please suggest a night halt if I have to break this journey.

      If this is possible, are there any homestays or lodges to spend a night at Killar?

      Thanks again for all the info, your patience and time.

      • Thank you Prakash. Sach Pass has been opened and road to Killar from Sach Pass should open soon too. You can surely do it but I will frankly advise that you halt at Bairagarh. This will give you time to start the journey to Sach Pass early in the morning so that you can cross the Bogatu Nalla with less water in it. The late you reach there, the slim are the chances to cross it due to high rush of water

  37. Hi dheeraj first of thanks to you for ur amazing experience and guidance ..m planning sach pass from delhi via as per ur route alongwith my freind . my question is can we ride on karizma r (2007) (on one bike)? wht will be the approx cost of tour? what time will be the best time for the tour?

  38. Hi your blog helps me to understand and plan for our trip.
    We plan to ride Spiti & Sach Pass starting from Delhi – Shimla – Spiti – keylong – killar – sach pass – pathankot – delhi is it possibleto do in 8Days in Aug 2016.
    or u will advice us to do either Spiti or Sach Pass,
    We are 3 CBR 250 Bikers from Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
    Awaiting for your reply thank in advance.

    • Kamal, I will suggest you do either one of them Either go with Pangi Valley or go with Spiti Valley. also, in August you will face monsoon challenges in lower hills

  39. Saurabh Sharma on

    Hi Dheeraj, Need your valuable suggestion and information/contact number if possible.

    We have planned a bike tour for Sach Pass from Delhi on 4 June 2016.
    Route would be: Delhi– Banikhet– Killar — Saach— Keylong–Spiti

    Question is: Will the roads be open by that time considering the fact that this year it didn’t snow much…
    I will be waiting for your reply as based upon that only we can go ahead as we don’t want to come back disappointed because of roads closed issue.
    Chat Conversation End
    Type a message…

      • Saurabh Sharma on

        Aaah ! A pretty big turn down for us as we have already applied for leaves too in our respective offices too. Can you suggest any other place which can be done on Bikes within 9 days starting from 04 Jun’16 till 12 Jun’16 ?

        • Saurabh Sharma on

          Dheeraj,
          As planned, we are going for Sach Pass ride on 04 June’16 starting from Delhi. Could you please provide the road status update for the following route (if possible):

          Day 1: Delhi – Banikhet (600 Kms)
          Day 2: Banikhet – Killar (180 Kms)
          Day 3: Killar – Kishtwar – Killar (To & Fro 236 Kms)
          Day 4: Killar – Spiti Valley (296 Kms)
          Day 5: Spiti Local Sightseeing
          Day 6: Spiti – Pangi (213 Kms)
          Day 7: Pangi – Shimla (234 Kms)
          Day 8: Shimla – Delhi (350 Kms)

          Also we have 1 spare day as a buffer for the entire trip. Kindly suggest if we need to spend that extra day somewhere in entire itinerary.
          Waiting for your valuable suggestion.

        • Hi Saurabh,

          I will suggest you following

          Day 1: Delhi – Bairagarh
          Day 2: Bairagarh – Sach Pass – Killar
          Day 3: Killar – Kishtwar
          Day 4: Kishtwar – Killar
          Day 5: Killar – Udaipur
          Day 6: Udaipur – Tandi – Manali
          Day 7: Manali – Delhi
          Day 8: Buffer day

  40. Hi,

    Can you please let me know if there is any reliable driver you are aware of to travel with in Leh-Ladakh..

    • wati, For the leh – ladakh taxi union rate list 2016 – 17 including the contacts of some reliable taxi drivers within Leh – Ladakh, check the link here. You can get about 12-15% of discount by directly getting in touch with drivers and of course, talking in person rather on phone always help in bargaining more.

  41. Is it possible to ride from katra > Patnitop > Kishtwar > Killar > Udaipur > Keylong on June 22nd . Im going on solo bike ride and later i want to enter Kunzum La.

  42. Yogesh Gehlot on

    Planning a trip in July after 7th
    Delhi – Sach pass – srinagar – kargil – leh – Manali – Delhi

    Need help for Sach pass crossing… How long would it take from Delhi towards srinagar via Sach pass on two wheels…. KTM 390 (4 bikes)

    Any help here is really appreciated.

    Thnak you.
    Yogesh Gehlot

    • Hi Yogesh,

      Depending upon the effort you can put into long rides, it will be like: Delhi – Bairagarh, Bairagarh – Sach Pass – Killar, Killar – Kishtwar, Kishtwar – Srinagar. These all will be long rides and tough rides.

      • Yogesh Gehlot on

        Thank you Dheeraj,

        So would it be 3 days fro Delhi to srinagar via Sach pass?
        Long/ Tough rides would not be a problem.

        Regards,
        Yogesh Gehlot

        • dave morgan on

          I’ve ridden on a (pedal) cycle from Killar to Kishtwar in two days so I doubt it would take more than 4-5 hours on a motor-cycle. Possibly the same time for Bairgarh to Killar? If so, you might manage Bairgarh to Kishtwar in a long day. It would certainly be a spectacular day!

        • Hey Dave, the road from Chamba to Sach Pass has been opened, will take few days to make it through from Sach Pass to Killar. However, since you can carry the bike there will only be very few patches remaining where you can carry and cross if at all required.

      • dave morgan on

        Hi Dheeraj,

        Thanks for the news; it is welcome news indeed. I arrive in Delhi on June 13th so everything should be clear by then. Now I have to decide whether to cycle from Delhi or take the bus to Pathankot and start from there.

        Thanks again, Dave

        • Hello Dave,

          I will recommend to travel to Pathankot and then ride from there. It is already touching 47 degree C in Delhi and around, it will be unnecessary fatigue riding in such hot conditions.

  43. Beautiful trip Dheeraj!

    Whats the best month to ride through Pangi valley to Srinagar. Last year we tried in July but after Udaipur there was a landslide and had to go back and ride through Manali-Leh. Is June ok? I know its very hot in Pangi in June. But does it rain then? Snow melt due to heat? How about August? Obviously i want to avoid deeper water crossings and landslides so factoring these what are your suggestions. Thank you for the info and updates you help us with.

    • Hi Chaitanya,

      Well, July to September are the months when you can make a trip to Pangi Valley in July landslides are common, you see tons of waterfall with beautiful scenes, it does poses lot of road conditions issues and deep water crossings. Mid-late September makes it ideal as water crossings are tamed by then and roads are much stable.

  44. Supratim Paul on

    Dheeraj vai,

    We are planning for a self drive (Zoomcar – Eco Sports or Scorpio) 1st in Pangi Valley through Sach Pass and then Towards Lahual Valley (Upto Sarchu) through Baralchala Pass. Could we make this trip in July this year? I heard and read that there are some flooding nallahs in Pangi valley. Please suggest. Last year we have done Kinnaur, Lahual-Spiti, your blog helped us a lot.

    Thanks in advance.

  45. zerodecibelnirvanaa on

    Excellent itinerary designed!

    Did I hear “Negi Dhaba” at Narkanda? It has been one of my favourites too over all these years of my illicit affair with Narkanda. Found it closed(maybe seasonal) on two of my last visits in Aug-15 and Jan-16. Their chana subzi is something that get my craving tongue watering even while I am in office with my MS Lync status shouting “In a meeting”.

    Great write-up brother!

    Warm Love,
    #HimalayanWadia

  46. Sharad C. Mohan on

    HI Dheeraj, I’m planning a solo journey to Sach Pass and Pangi sometime in Jul / Aug in my Yeti 4×4. I’ve done several solos in the past, with the last one being the Lahaul-Spiti circuit (up from Kinnaur and down from Manali). Between Kaza and Rohtang, I drove through several nallahs, including Paagal Nallah. Does the Sach route have similar nallahs, or even worse? Also, is it better to do this clock-wise (up from Chamba and down from Manali) or anti-clock-wise (the reverse)?

    Also, my Yeti has a ground clearance of only 180, as against 210 of the Duster. But the only place this proved to be a problem was on the Chandra Taal leg, which was strewn with rocks. Would I encounter similar problems on the Sach route?

    Rgds,

    • Hello Sharad,

      Yes, Sach Pass has much more nallas than that route between Kaza and Manali and yes some of them are much much worse like Bogatu Nalla and Madgran Nalla, in fact Madgran is epic, never saw such a thing. It is almost like a river 🙂 🙂 …. Better do it from Chamba side and come back from Killar – Keylong – Manali side. This has more chances of at least reaching Sach Pass and then deciding upon if the road is open or not further.

      Yes, the road beyond Satrundi checkpost to Sach Pass and then further towards Boagatu Nalla will have much simlar or worse rock presence on the road, so drive with care and caution

      • Great, sounds exciting! Thanks for the quick response. I’ll probably ask for more advice closer to my journey dates. Cheers…

        • Sure Sharad, feel free to do so. If you live around Delhi NCR, DoW Mini Meet will be happening on 21st Feb at Indian Habitat Center in case you have any queries, you can get the answered there.

  47. Hey dheeraj,
    Firstly thanks for your replies. And now i want to know if i am planning to sach pass on dates 1st july to 4 july!!! Is this possible ??! To cross all passes and as u replied me about day schedules about 4 day trip could u plz suggest me about any of contact which will provide hotels booking info or book our rooms in advance. For this kinda info . Suggest me bhai..

    • This year it has been less snow, so it might be possible else in general Sach Pass opens up in first or second week of July only. Sorry bhai, no contact info. of tour operator working in that region, especially Bairagarh.

      • Ok thanks bro. So that time we would get hotels or rooms on arrival !!! ???!

        • Yes, yes, the above article has name of the hotels in Killar and Baiargarh. Both named Chamunda Hotels, you can check them out on arrival

  48. Dave Morgan on

    As mentioned at the top of these comments, I plan to cycle Sach Pass this summer (late June or as soon as the pass opens). The climb from Chamba to Sach Pass climbs about 3300m in 120 km so I am a little concerned about the altitude. I think it would be safest for me to spend a rest/acclimatisation day every 30km or so. Is there any accommodation between Chamba and Sach Pass or do I need to take a tent and food for the whole week of so I expect this 120 km to take me?

    Any information would be useful.

    Also, there is mention of a route from Darcha to Shinku La Pass. Is it feasible to make the connection on to Zanskar if I’m prepared to push my cycle for a day or two?

    Thanks, Dave

    • Hello Dave,

      You should take a halt at Bairagarh, from where Sach Pass is treacherous ride of 16 KMs with no habitation whatsoever apart from Satrundi Checkpost. Once you reach Sach Pass top, you need to ride down all the way to Bogatu Nalla where there is a Dhabha located nearby before the Nalla. Just confirm from them about the state of the nalla (water crossing) as in late afternoon it will be flooded and will be very difficult to cross. If you plan to halt at Dhabha, then next day you can ride to Killar. So, both Bairagarh and Killar are not at altitude which you should be concerned with respect to AMS. But, yes, you will have to descend to at least Bogatu from Sach Pass. You can do Chamba to Bairagarh first.

      Regarding the route to Zanskar via Shikul La pass. The road has been made through from Darcha to Shinku La pass BUT you will have to return from the top as on the other side the road is not open yet and only trek route exist from there to Sheela / Padum villages in Zanskar

      • Dave Morgan on

        My trip is approaching rapidly! Plans have changed somewhat: I’m still planning Pathankot – Sach Pass, but then on to Keylong and up to the top of the Shinku La. Then I’ll push/carry my bike along the hikers trek into Zanskar.

        My main concern is finding up-to-date information on the Sach Pass status. If I arrive in Delhi (mid-June) and it looks like it’ll be a couple of weeks until Sach Pass is open, I could ride from Delhi (hot and wet but it’ll help get my legs in shape after a winter behind a desk). Alternatively, if the pass is open, or about to open, I can get a bus to Pathankot.

        I know there was little snow this last winter but spring storms may change conditions quickly. Is there a web-site that publishes information about the status and the expected opening for the Sach Pass?

        Thanks, Dave

        • Dave Morgan on

          My bike is a pedal-powered mountain bike, not a motorcycle, and weighs 40lb. I have heard of a number of people pushing/carrying to get into Zanskar from Keylong. I make settle for a couple of horses, one for bike and one for my gear, if they are readily available.

          I do not want to go the Bairagarh and wait there (days or weeks!) waiting for the pass to open. Is the expected opening for this year available anywhere? Thanks again.

        • Aah I see, Well, yeah you can do so. However, you will need to plan for the porters and mules ahead of time. They will not be available readily at the top.

        • Hey Dave, the road from Chamba to Sach Pass has been opened, will take few days to make it through from Sach Pass to Killar. However, since you can carry the bike there will only be very few patches remaining where you can carry and cross if at all required.

        • Dave Morgan on

          Thanks for your reply. I will look for porters in Darcha although I would like to ride (or try to ride) up to the pass under my own steam.

          It’s the beginning of my trip that is of greater concern at the moment. It’s difficult to make decisions without knowing how long it will be before Sach Pass opens. If it’s open (unlikely) when I arrive in Delhi, I’ll jump on a bus to Pathankot. If it isn’t, maybe I’ll pedal from Delhi to Joginder Nagar and get the train to Pathankot – I do love that narrow gauge train ride, so full of life. I don’t think there is a bagage car but I should be able to get my bike in if I’m starting at JN.

        • Yes Dave, I am sure you should be able to manage it. You should find the porters at Darcha too along with mules. Though winters did not have great amount of snowfall BUT this year March had pretty dense snowfall in the upper reaches of Lahaul, Spiti and Pangi Valley. I wish that the Sach Pass will open soon before your ride begins. If there is less distance remaining, I am sure you should be able to push your bike through for couple of KMs. I will keep posting the updates on its status here under this thread.

        • Hey Dave, the road from Chamba to Sach Pass has been opened, will take few days to make it through from Sach Pass to Killar. However, since you can carry the bike there will only be very few patches remaining where you can carry and cross if at all required.

  49. Hi,
    I cycled Keylong-Tandi-Killar-Kishtwar-Srinagar in 2014 with no water crossings or wet weather. Of course, there was not much monsoon that year.
    I’m planning next years’ adventure now: Pathankot-SachPass-Kishtwar-Srinagar-Leh, if Sach Pass is open early enough (my time in India will be late June to late August).
    If Sach Pass is late opening, I may start in Srinagar and go to Leh – Keylong-Killar-SachPass from there. I do want to travel the road from Killar to Gulabgarh again – that is the most amazing road I have cycled, but I could do that as a two or three day side trip from Killar.
    Your information is helpful for my planning. Thank you.

    • Hi Dave,

      Lucky you !! Amazing collections of some mind blowing bike rides on your website blog, kudos to the brilliant efforts.

      That will be some amazing ride for sure. Looking by the way Sach Pass opens, I feel your Plan B will be more applicable where you travel to Srinagar first and then into Ladakh and then from Ladakh you come to Keylong – Sach Pass and then towards Killar – Gulabgarh back tracking. Looking at the later winters here in India, I feel another delayed opening of passes in the making but no one can predict that you know 🙂

      Feel free to post any queries or doubts you have and in case any help required.

      There is a new route which has now opened from Darcha to Shinku La Pass towards Zanskar Valley. The road is through up to Shinku La top from where one needs to return back. In coming years this road will connect Zanskar Valley – Padum to Darcha. You may give it a try too in case you have time on hand.

  50. Anuj maheshwari on

    Is it worth doing as delhi- dalhousie – sach pass and back ? Got 1-4 October time .

  51. Tikka Bimbrahw on

    I immediately plan a trip to Sach pass n onwards to Manali. I m alone and have a Duster 4×4. Do people form a convoy from Chamba or is their anyone or a group which is leaving in around a week ? Is going alone tricky ? Any suggestions for a loner ?

    • Tikka, you will be on your own to travel up there else you can ride with taxis which will be a much safer bet especially between Bairagarh to Killar part over Sach Pass.

  52. Saurabh Sharma on

    Hi Dheeraj,
    Although I have asked so many questions in past couple of weeks from you, please bear with me for that :P.
    A quick question: Which place to go for dates Oct 18 till Oct 30 ?
    a) Spiti
    b) Ladakh
    c) Sach Pass

    How to go : (available options with me are 🙂
    a) Swift
    b) Bullet Bikes (considering the fact we will be 3 people travelling)

    Thanks in advance 🙂

      • Saurabh, I will suggest that you choose Spiti Valley from Kinnaur Valley side and come back from Kinnaur Valley only in case you want to make a trip that late in the season. Rest of the two places are not recommended such late in the season as chances of being stranded in the middle of no where are much more.

  53. Hi Dheeraj – We are two girls planning a trip by public transport from 29 aug to 5th sep , are roads ok and buses running?

    • missed mentioning that we would be entering spiti from shimla and doing whole circuit and exiting from manali.

    • Pratibha, you are planning a Spiti circuit right as per your other comment? If yes, then yes you can surely plan a trip on public transport. Buses are available from Shimla to Reckong Peo to Kaza to Manali. So, all can be covered by buses too. In between once reaching Spiti, to explore the near by places, you will need to rely on shared jeeps.

  54. what is name of your twitter handle? Any group traveling to Ladhak in mid Sep?

    • It is @devilonwheeels. Please note the extra “e” in it. Also, we do not organize any group tours. The community forum has active members who form their group as friends and travel together as friends now in case people are aligned to the dates it gets bigger like this 🙂 🙂 … Rest we only have one annual mega meet every year where people from all over India join us to travel for a cause in Himalayas.

  55. Vanol Paresh on

    Can I traveled Manali-Leh to 5september from my suv.And how much road conditions in this time

  56. Mike Cork on

    Fantastic write up, thank you for the time and effort you put into this.

    I attempted the trip over Saach Pass 2 years ago, after researching the trip I found that the ice was bad on the top of the pass and they were still clearing it. The ride up from Chamba was great, as was the ride back down. The trip was done in late July on Royal Enfields.

    Next time, we will attempt the trip in September. Hopefully next year.

    Enjoy your travels, as I always enjoy mine.

    • Thank you Mike !! Yeah, Sach Pass is always like that. All you need is luck in favour of you to cross this one of the most mighty passes in Himalayas. We had our luck on our side so we came out fine but a day or two here and there, it could be different story. Wish you best of luck for the next planned trip. September should be little less taxing as most of the snow melts and roads are much better shape with tamed water crossings.

  57. Nikita Kotian on

    Hi Dheeraj,

    We are planning for trip to Leh-Ladakh and will be going by our private car.
    We’ll be going via Manali-Leh Highway .
    The car is Chevrolet Enjoy and it is not a SUV car.
    Is it ok to take a non SUV car for Ladakh trip.

    Thanks in advance.

    Nikita.K

    • Nikita, For hatchback/sedan taking on Manali – Leh Highway Or Spiti Valley via Manali Or Ladakh, please refer the link: FAQ | Can I do Leh – Ladakh / Spiti / Manali – Leh trip in Hatchback or Sedan? for more details.

  58. Wow..thats an awesome ride. We are planning to cover this route from Dalhousie to reach Srinagar and our machine is Innove. Would it be fine and what are the major things to take care while covering this route?

  59. Rahul Mehra on

    WOOOW!
    Thanks for the details on the Route
    Would it be fine to drive this route on Mahindra Thar ??

  60. Rahul Mehra on

    WOOW!
    Thanks a tonne Mr.Sharma for the details on this route
    Even i am planning to explore this route by 2nd week of September
    I am planning to drive via Mahindra Thar.
    Wat do u say ? Is it a right option for this Terrian ??

  61. Dheeraj,
    Your article sure spells envy for those who couldn’t join the drive to Sach Pass and experience the enigma . But the envy gets diluted when I see pictures of those smiling faces after you all accomplished it . That moment of joy I see on all faces overtakes all other shades of emotion and I realise there is no room for envy !
    Keep the spirit of travel alive as you always do.

    Best to DoW always ,
    Sangeeta

    • Thanks a ton Sangs, good to see that the envy eventually fades away 😉 😉 … It was one of the most amazing trips I have ever undertaken in last 6 years of travel 🙂

  62. Detailed account. Great job. After reading your blogs I have detailed map of himachal and ladakh in my head. I read your blog, open google maps, search that place, read again, search again. This way a complete map has been memorised. Thanks a lots.

  63. Pankaj Kumar on

    Awesome Devils. waiting to hear sach pass tale in Mini Meet.

  64. U surely seem to had lot of fun… But did u guys do all the driving through the falls and steam or did u hire anyone? And on ur way there did u see people going on motorcycle

    • Yes Karthik, it was a great fun. We drive ourselves 🙂 … Yes, people do Sach Pass on motrocycles too and it is quite common for core adventure lovers.

  65. Dheeraj bhai,

    Sach Pass in September end and in Swift, possible hai kya ?

    Regards
    Dev

    • Dev bhai, if not love your swift then only YES else will be too tough on the car, just look at some pictures of roads above. Will be sharing more in time to come 🙂

  66. Shamsheer Khan on

    Hi Rajeev,

    We actually had a flat tyre for about 30 Kms – we managed with a travel air compressor – inflated multiple times till we got hold of one – on this stretch we have a puncture help at Dalhousie…

  67. rajeev chanda on

    Hey it would be a good idea to share the puncture expenses and the availability of puncturewallas on the mountains, it will help others to go tention free since they would know where they can fix their tyre problems.

    • Thank you Rajeev, I hope Shamsheer reply helped you out on it. Actually, we also believe in carrying own puncture repair kits, air compressor and sometimes spare stepny as well because it is very difficult to get mechanics in such remote regions.

  68. rajeev chanda on

    Your blog has helped me a great deal to understand the challenges on the trip. i mean you guys have taken efforts to tell us right from toll to routes to phone signals, i mean this is really very courteous and your spirit as a team is just not limited to your selves but you want others to be part of the larger experience… “”The Experience”…

    Your gangs approach to life is respectable and I am glad I happened to visit your blog and it has helped me plan my trip accordingly.

    A VERY BIG THANK YOU ” ACTUALLY THANK YOU IS JUST TOO SMALLER A WORD TO RESPECT YOUR SPIRIT”….” LIVE ON YOU ARE BORN JUST ONCE”

    • Yes Sachin, this can be done with an RE as well and alot of people do it Sach Pass every year on bikes too. You have to be prepared for chilly water crossings though 😀