The surprises on the Rupin Pass start even before the trek starts. The drive from Rohru to Jiskun passes through the Chainsheel Valley. Not many understand how unique and mind-boggling this drive is. It’s like a trek in fast-forward. You drive past dense rhododendron forests and then into the lush meadows that stretch for miles in front of you. Imagine driving right in the middle of such a landscape.

To add to this, you drive almost at 11,000 feet, at the height of Dhanderas Thatch (11,700 ft) on Rupin Pass trail. In fact, you can even see Dhanderas Thatch from a point on this drive!

Stepping past the post office of the Jiskun village, peer straight ahead and high up in the horizon. A cluster of houses, marking a village hangs out of the mountainside – so incredulous, that it takes time for you to fathom how a village can hang from the walls of a mountain. The village is Jakha, also commonly called the hanging village.

Half hour outside Jakha village, the trail flattens out and plunges into a fir forest, so sudden that it is almost like a gate has opened up. Pine trees over 100 feet tall tower over the trail. And within the enchanting forest Maple trees play hide and seek. The forest ends as suddenly as it starts over a confluence of the Rupin with a tributary.

Later, past Udaknal and just past Buras Kandi, around a bend in the trail a sight leaves you gaping. Rhododendrons bloom everywhere and climb a thousand feet into the slope. It is a riot of colours: pink, violet and white Rhododendrons – all of the dwarf kind. Some of the Rhododendrons even swoop over the clear waters of the Rupin, their flowers falling into the river to be carried downstream forever. After Buras Kandi you enter Saruwas Thatch, which is another sight in itself. With bursts of yellow flowers and bees buzzing around them, it i a sight to behold!

After a while, stepping over the roots of the Rhododendrons, the trail suddenly tunnels into a view of the U-shaped Rupin glacial valley. In the far distance, at the end of the valley, is the famous three stage Rupin waterfall. It appears to be falling from the clouds.

Soon after Saruwas Thatch, the trail climbs over a bump to suddenly stand on the lip of the glacial valley. The sight in front is straight out of a picture book. The Rupin flows gently, slowly through the middle of the greenest meadow that you have seen. On the sides of the valley, snow patches stick to the valley walls.

If you are trekking in summer, look out for the snow bridges that you have to cross on your way to the lower waterfall camp site (Dhanderas Thatch). Snow bridges are common on slopes but to see them on a wide open valley is a surprise.

Getting to the upper water fall camp site is a series of switchback climbs over the three water falls (and many on snow bridges and patches). Climbing the final ridge, the Upper Waterfall campsite is unlike any place you have seen before. It is a large basin where icy flanks of mountains surround it. Below the flanks snow melts to form hundreds of little streams that join together to form the Rupin.

The final climb to the Rupin pass is through a gully. In the narrow snow laden gully voices echo and reverberate through its confines – something that is new to most trekkers.

Getting out of the Ronti Gad campsite on the Sangla side, the trail descends harmlessly along over meadows, when a sudden bend on the trail brings you face to face with the towering summits of the Kinner Kailash ranges.

The Rupin gully is a half tube cut out of the mountainside. When you first see it from the trail, the sight of the near-vertical climb is enough to make your heart stop. (A sentiment even our staff and Trek Leaders attest to – despite having done this trek multiple times!).

The climb is 200 meters, on a steep snowy flank through narrow rocky confines of the mountain. As finding a foothold in this terrain is difficult, our staff will cut steps for you on the hard ice. As you climb, placing your foot on these steps – you find that voices echo and travel sharply all over the gully. This climb is as thrilling as it gets!

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!

From the snowline after the pass, the trail descends sharply through endless meadows that stretch to Sangla Kanda.  The Ronti Gad campsite is amid these grasslands. Towering, snow-capped mountains lean over the campsite and a bountiful stream flows along with the camp.

This is a gift after a long pass day! The meadows of Sangla Kanda are awe-inspiring, especially in its setting. The sharp serrated edge of the Kinnaur Kailash range, all over 20,000 ft, overlooking the meadows of Sangla Kanda is enough to make you stand still in amazement.