Are you looking for the road status of Manali to Kaza road in 2022? This article will help you track the opening and closing of this adventurous road. Manali to Kaza road connects Spiti Valley with Lahaul Valley and Kullu Valley.

As of May 3, 2022, the road from Manali to Kaza is open for tourists for light vehicles including cars and bikes. So, you can travel on this route as a tourist or local.

Last couple of years in 2020 and 2021, the snow clearance operations on Manali – Kaza road did not last long even though there was heavy snowfall in the winter months. The road opened in record time in May, which was the first ever since I started blogging 13 years ago. It looks like that in 2022 as well there will be a similar pattern as now there is one less pass, Rohtang Pass, to open.

There was snowfall going on in the second week of June hampering the snow clearance operations at Kunzum Pass to Rohtang Pass route.

In 2022, the snow clearance operations will start sometime in March even though it may snow in Spiti Valley in March. It means the butterflies in the stomach of many adventure enthusiasts who are planning their upcoming trip to Spiti Valley from Manali to Kaza road in 2022 🙂 🙂 …

The Manali Kaza Highway Status 2022 is still CLOSED as of 11 Feb 2022. Last year in 2021, BRO has toiled hard to clear the snow from Kaza to Manali road since the middle of April, mainly from Kunzum Pass to Gramphu, and even though they were trying a historic opening in April, the weather gods had the last laugh. Still, the opening of Manali to Kaza road in the last week of May was a big feat and hasn’t happened many times. It was also a record time of the opening of Kaza Manali road in 2021.

As of March 20, 2021, the road up to Kunzum Pass was opened. Authorities will start the snow clearance operations soon from both sides and will continue to move towards Manali ahead of Batal towards Gramphu. Last year they do have one less pass to worry about which is Rohtang Pass because of the opening of the Atal Tunnel in 2020. The time to travel from Manali to Kaza via Atal Tunnel is reduced by 2-3 hrs easily now.

You might also be interested in tracking the road status for Srinagar Leh Highway and the road status of Manali Leh Highway.

When will Manali Kaza Road open in 2022?

This year due to the average amount of snow in Spiti Valley and other parts of the high Himalayas, the roads from Manali to Kaza over Kunzum Pass may open in May 2022. As of now, it looks like it may be around the middle of May to open the roads from Manali to Kaza.

However, we shall wait for the day when the road from Manali to Gramphu to Kunzum Pass opens soon and let the adventure for 2022 begin.

When will Kunzum Pass open in 2022?

There has been average snowfall this year in the entire Himalayas. So like last year, the snow may be just enough to let the Kunzum Pass open by sometime in April. As per the authorities, there are about 5-10 feet of snow stretches that have to be cut around Rohtang Pass, and about 5-10 feet is around Beas Nalla only. However, BRO does not need to open Rohtang Pass t connect Kaza with Manali because of the opening of the Atal Tunnel route.

There aren’t very high snow walls from Batal to Gramphu route which is usually full of glaciers. Even the roads to Chandratal from Manali side may not take time to open as compared to the last couple of years.

It will be interesting to watch for the weather in the coming days of March end or April starting and as we all understand that these predictions are only the means of interest & hope to us, the mere mortals. It is weather and mountains gods which always have the last say when it comes to weather, especially in the Himalayas 🙂 🙂

Spiti - Manali - Kaza Road Status 2022
Spiti – Manali – Kaza Road Status 2022

When does Manali Kaza Road open usually?

This 202 km long Manali to Kaza Highway usually opens up by the first week of June, and as per the updates so far, this year in 2022 it may open by early May provided the weather holds up. It has been a norm that we set up the targets to open the highway early only to realize that the weather has the last laugh. However, due to less snow and no Rohtang Pass in the picture, this year can be as historic as the year 2021.

I have been watching it for the last 13 years now, but this year, I expect similar changes like last one. Eventually, it will all get down upon the weather and snow conditions in the months of April and May when snow clearance operations are at their peak in many parts of the Himalayas including this belt of Himachal Pradesh too.

Should I travel on Manali to Kaza Road immediately after the road opening?

When making a road trip to Spiti Valley from Manali Kaza road, you must keep in mind that even when the road from Manali to Kaza opens, it takes some time to get them stabilized. Due to snow sliding and loose gravel, roadblocks are very common in the initial days.

Hence, it is recommended that you wait for a couple of weeks before planning the trip on Manali to Spiti Valley after its official opening. The last thing you will want on your much-awaited Spiti Valley trip is to get stranded on the lonely stretch from Batal to Gramphu in early May.

Where can I track Kaza Manali Road Status 2022?

As per the previous years, I will be starting this sticky post for Manali Kaza Road Status 2022, which so many adventure lovers await every year. Unlike the last few years, I will keep updating this article with the latest updates. Up until the last year, I used to update the progress in the DwD Community forums thread for better tracking of updates.

I understand that a forum topic always helps in better tracking as well as collation of info over time in an organized manner. However, forum management has become a pain due to a lack of team. Hence, all updates on Manali to Spiti Valley Road Status 2022 will be posted or updated in this article only.

If you are traveling to Spiti Valley from Shimla – Kinnaur then you can refer to the road conditions post about Delhi – Kinnaur – Spiti Valley | Road Status & Conditions 2021.

Will this thread have updated Manali Kaza Road Status in 2022?

Once the Kunzum Pass road opens from Manali to Kaza, I may not be that active in updating the minor road closures or status because of these roads in the high Himalayas which close and open frequently. It is barely impossible for a single tiny soul like me to update this information daily once the road gets open, so please request you to excuse me on that front and accept my apologies :)…

However, if there is some major blockade of 3 – 4 days, I will try to surely update such information about Manali Kaza Highway status 2022.

I hope as per the last years, this year as well this article thread will be useful in planning your journey from Manali to Spiti Valley via Kunzum Pass.

If you are traveling from Manali to Spiti over Rohtang Pass, you will need to get the permit for Rohtang Pass which can be applied online. However starting 2021, you are not required to travel to Spiti via Rohtang Pass because of the opening of the Atal Tunnel. This route via Sissu will reduce the time to reach Kaza from Manali by 2-3 hrs easily.

Current Manali Kaza Road Status = OPEN | Update Date: 3 May 2022

The road from Manali to Kaza is open for light vehicles including bikes and cars. Caution is advised to travel after Kunzum Pass because there is a lot of snow and slippery conditions, especially for bikes. In a couple of weeks, the road conditions should improve and better for traveling from Manali to Kaza, Spiti Valley.

Update Date: 15 April 2022

As of now the road from Manali to Kaza is closed due to heavy snow between Gramphu to Kunzum Pass and Kunzum Pass itself. The road from Kunzum Pass to Losar is also closed as of now and snow clearance operations have not yet started.

Manali Kaza Road Status = OPEN | Update Date: 31 May 2021

The road from Manali to Kaza is open as of the last week of May. BRO worked hard on the snow clearance operations from both Manali and Kaza sides to open this road connecting Spiti Valley from Lahaul Valley in record time this year.

  • Manali to Sissu – Keylong via Atal Tunnel is OPEN
  • Kaza to Kunzum Pass is OPEN
  • Sissu – Keylong to Kaza is OPEN
  • Manali to Rohtang Pass is CLOSED
  • Rohtang Pass to Sissu – Keylong is CLOSED
  • Rohtang Pass to Kunzum Pass is CLOSED

Manali Kaza Highway Status = CLOSED | Update Date: 22 March 2021

As per recent updates from BRO and locals, the road from Kaza to Kunzum Pass and a bit further has been opened. That means Kunzum Pass has been opened from the Kaza side.

However, the last few days have been snowfall all over the Himalayas which undoubtedly would have hampered the progress of snow clearance further towards Manali.

As of now, it looks like it will take at least up to the middle of April for Batal to Gramphu road to open up. Hence, wait for a month and a half before planning your trip to Spiti Valley from the Manali side.

In any case, the Rohtang Pass is has been put out of the question after the opening of the Atal Tunnel and it usually faced a tremendous amount of traffic jams along with Manali town during springtime with all the tourist rush.

Manali 21 March 20201: The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has hastened the process to reopen the Sumdho-Kaza-Gramphu road in Lahaul-Spiti much earlier than the usual time.

The road is crucial from the defence point of view as it leads to the border Spiti shares with China. Sources say the Union Government has asked the BRO to clear this road earlier in view of the ongoing tensions along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh.

The BRO has set April 15 deadline to clear the road, which will also connect Spiti to Manali and Lahaul valley via Kunzum pass. The BRO machinery has reached near Batal from Kaza side via Kunzum pass (Gramphu). The Sumdho-Kaza-Gramphu road is 209-km-long. Nearly 100-km stretch of this road is snowbound from Kaza up to Gramphu. The road is usually restored for traffic movement in mid-June since the BRO first works on the Manali-Leh highway for giving military vehicles access to the Leh and Ladakh region.

Sources in the BRO said from Kaza and Gramphu, the workforce and machinery was moving steadily towards Chhota Dara. There are two avalanche-prone sites between Batal and Chhota Dara, which might pose a challenge to the BRO.

BRO officials will soon inspect these sites on foot. One of its teams has already started clearing snow from Gramphu towards Kaza.

Brig MS Baghi, Chief Engineer of Project Dipak, said: “We are working relentlessly in freezing temperatures to restore the Sumdho-Kaza-Gramphu road by April 15.”

External Link: Strategic Spiti road to reopen 2 months earlier

Aah that's Discover with Dheeraj spotted in Spiti Valley
Aah that’s Discover with Dheeraj spotted in Spiti Valley

Some Important Articles for Reference & Regular Updates

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Places on Road to Spiti Valley via Manali – Rohtang Pass

The places that fall on this route along with approximate distances between them go like Manali – Marhi – Rohtang Pass – Gramphu – Chattru – Chota Dhara – Batal – Kunzum Pass – Losar – Kaza. The approximate distances along with the altitude of these places are shown in the chart below. This chart will help you judge over the acclimatization schedule too.

Road to Spiti Valley via Manali Altitude & Distance Graph
Road to Spiti Valley via Manali – (Right-click and save image as)

Route Details from Manali to Spiti Valley via Kunzum Pass

Here is the route from Manali to Kaza over Rohtang Pass and Kunzum Pass.

Manali – Marhi (37 KMs) – Rohtang Pass (51 KMs) – Gramphu (66 KMs) – Chattru (81 KMs) – Chota Dhara (98 KMs) – Battal (113 KMs) – Kunzum Pass (131 KMs) – Losar (151 KMs) – Kaza (202 KMs)

Places on Road to Spiti Valley via Manali – Atal Tunnel

With the open of the Atal Tunnel, you can now bypass Rohtang Pass, the places that fall on this route go like Manali – Atal Tunnel – Khoksar – Gramphu – Chattru – Chota Dhara – Batal – Kunzum Pass – Losar – Kaza. The approximate distances along with the altitude of these places are shown in the chart below. This chart will help you judge over the acclimatization schedule too.

And the route details with distances between the places from Manali – Atal Tunnel – Kunzum Pass as it goes like below:

Manali – Atal Tunnel – Khoksar (41 KMs) – Gramphu (46 KMs) – Chattru (61 KMs) – Chota Dhara (78 KMs) – Battal (93 KMs) – Kunzum Pass (111 KMs) – Losar (131 KMs) – Kaza (182 KMs)

So, this route to Spiti Valley via Atal Tunnel is much faster and 20 km shorter than the one going via Rohtang Pass.

Permits for Manali – Rohtang Pass Road for Spiti Valley

Please note that with the opening of Atal Tunnel, Rohtang Pass Permit is not required for Spiti valley. You can travel from Manali to Kaza via Atal Tunnel without needing any permit for your vehicle.

Since 2010, all vehicles going to Rohtang Pass from Manali side need permits which can be obtained free of cost by showing the vehicle’s RC and DL copy. You can use the Kullu Administration official website or you can also use the recently launched mobile app for the Rohtang Pass permit in 2018.

Please note that all bikes, as well as cars, need to get this Rohtang Pass permit if you travel from Manali to Kaza route. However, if you are traveling from Kaza to Manali or Keylong to Manali direction, these permits are not required. Hence, another reason to start your Spiti road trip from Shimla side and end the trip at Manali.

If you are coming from the Keylong side or Kaza side, then you do not need any permit to ply on Manali – Rohtang Pass road even if you have a non-HP registered vehicle. You need Rohtang Pass Permit only if you are going from Manali side towards Rohtang Pass.

Spiti valley from Manali – Perfect Itinerary

Once the Manali to Kaza road is open in 2021, you guys can plan the trip to Spiti from Manali side. This itinerary I created will help you plan a perfect trip to this middle land in the Himalayas.

Day by Day Plan for a trip to Spiti Valley from Manali in 9 days
Day by Day Plan for a trip to Spiti Valley from Manali in 9 days

Download your FREE high-resolution version pdf copy of this Leh Ladakh day by day plan infographic guide. If, you liked it and found it helpful, please feel free to share it with your family and friends to help them too.

Conclusion

I hope this article will help you keep a check on Manali to Kaza road status in 2021. It will help you plan your trip to Spiti Valley successfully. If you have any updates for this route, then please feel free to share it with everyone on this thread.

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.

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

22 Comments

  1. Gautam Chowdhury on

    Hello Dhiraj !

    I am planning to go to Kaza from manali in the first week of October, stay for two days there and proceed to Kalpa from Kaza and then to Shimla/chandigarh/Delhi. Will the roads be travellable during the first week of October ? This a Family trip and we are all 50+ people, though physically very active and Gymming.

    Looking forward to your revert,

  2. Priyanjan Kumar on

    Hi Need Cab for my trip.
    Starting from chandigarh via Shimla -> places in between -> Kaza -> Chandratal lake -> Manali -> kasol -> chandigarh
    Trip start date : between 28 th may 2022 and 2nd june 2022
    trip days : 10 days

    Please help with getting affordable cab for the trip.

  3. Hi Dheeraj,
    i am planning my trip from delhi to spiti from 4 – 12 October on Bike. Will Manali to Kaaza road will opens at that time.
    And what will be the conditions at that time. Is it safe to ride via Manali to kaaza?

  4. HI deeraj,

    Thanks for keep updating the road status, i have question regarding the permit to go thru the passes, do we need to pay or provide the permit or our private driver will do it for us, and what do u think the road status will be by the last week of September? Tq

  5. Hi, After the rains, how is the condition of the route from Rmapur to Gramphu?

  6. Hi – One of my friends got stuck on the Kaza-Manali route(most likely before Kunzum) on Sunday(18Aug2019) due to the untimely snowfall. We haven’t heard back anything from him yet. Any updates on the route? If someone can help

  7. Hi Dheeraj,

    As per the above road status, how is keylong to Kaza closed but rohtang to kunzum open?

  8. Jenish pithadiya on

    Hello Dheeraj,

    We are planing to explore spiti valley in first time. we will decide to go in 16 aug to 26 aug to cover chandigarh to chandigarh with self drive. is it best root we are covering Manali – Rohtang Pass – Kunzum Pass – Losar – Kaza. or go with tour agency ?

  9. Hi Dheeraj,

    I’m doing the Spiti Circuit starting 13th July. Is the Kaza – Manali route open?
    Also, I’m riding solo and I’ve been hearing a lot of cases of Land Slides and accident cases this year. Is it advisable to ride solo? Anything else that I should keep in mind?
    Thanks!

  10. Vivek Vijyarao Patil on

    Hi Dheeraj,

    Thank your for and update.
    We are planning to travel kaza from manali on July 02 and we are coming back from same route to reach Jispa on July 05. Accordingly we have booked everything but now I got know the road is still closed. If you have any information then please share.

  11. Sir I am plannong to visit kaza from the manali side on 1st of july. Is it open

  12. Thank you the Dheeraj !! Appreciate your help. Just update this article once the road is open. Our whole itinerary and the status of road we get from your articles.

    • Yes Ashir, I will surely update once the road is thrown open. As of now the road is cleared of snow but they have not yet allowed vehicles to pass through.

  13. Hi Dheeraj,

    Thanks a lot for your help as always. Can you please confirm the Status of Kaza–Manali Road. We are group of Bikers coming from Kolkata to complete the SPITI Circuit. We will be probably crossing the KAZA –Manali road on 5th July.

    • By that time road shall open. In fact the road from Kaza to Manali shall open anyday in this week and you should be able to rode from Manali to Kaza

  14. Please let me know the route for kaza -chandratal – Manali it will be open by 4 the July ?

  15. Nishant Kumar on

    Please let me know the current status of road from chandratal to Rohtang. Currently enroute sangla. Wud be reaching kunzum on 26/06 and plan to go to Manali on 27th of june