Rupin Pass, Sangla

If there is a classic trek in India, it has to be the Rupin Pass. This trek is like an orchestra, building up momentum with surprises in scenery every hour or so. With every step, the trek throws up a new vista to see, new scenery to unfold. Quite suddenly too! The surprises begin right from your first day of trekking. When, around 20 minutes into the trail, you see the Rupin River make an appearance, fanning out into a wide bed below you. And it doesn’t stop here. From here, the trail takes you through hanging villages, and then quite suddenly, it plunges into a deep pine forest! That’s not all. The trail then meanders through glacial meadows, snow bridges, glacial valleys, snowfields, and hundreds of waterfalls! Rupin Pass trek is 7 days long (including the drive to and from the trek, buffer, and acclimatization day) in the Himalayas. It begins at the remote village of Jiskun and ends at the village of Sangla in Himachal Pradesh. The lower waterfall campsite is probably one of the most exquisite Himalayas have to offer. Snuggled at the bottom of a perfect “U” shaped glacial valley – it lies on the bed of a lush green meadow. From your view at the bottom of the meadow, snow-patched cliffs tower on all three sides. In front, the Rupin cascades down from the snowy Dhauladhar range for over two thousand feet to form the famous Rupin waterfall. Spending two days at this campsite is a luxury!

Rupin (4670m) is one of the several passes in the Baspa range connecting Kinaur with Shimla district of Himachal. The trail starts from the picturesque village of Sangla in the Baspa river valley and climbs up through apple orchards and scenic meadows along the Rukti Gad to the pass. On the other side we descend steeply across a glacier, moraines and several waterfalls in the beautiful Rupin river valley amidst mesmerizing bugyals and forests to merge with the Tons river in Uttarakhand. #UltraJourneys #Life #Mountains #Himalayas #Himachal #Hospitality