Rupin Pass Trek

It is a 3½ km walk to Jakha, the highest and the last village on the Rupin pass trek. The trail out of Jiskun descends rapidly through a forest of deodars and walnut until it reaches an enchanting dark fold in the mountain. The fold’s upper reaches are dark and beyond human touch. Sight the remains of an old wooden bridge, almost hidden in the foliage. Below, at eye level, cross the new wooden bridge and crane your neck up to an eerie trail cut out of the rock face. So out of place and strange, you need moments to fathom how this was built and who made them.

The next one-hour climb to Jakha is through one of the best trekking trails. The scenery changes frequently. The trail initially zig-zags up on the ridgeline of the slope. Looking up from below, the trail appears ominous, reaching out to the sky. Once you start climbing it isn’t as monumental as it looks. The trail winds through an enchanting mixed forest – with a cliff face on the other side of the valley and whistling birds keeping you company on this site. Two-thirds of the way up, watch out for an equally broad trail that forks to your left. The other trail heads up to a village, Dhara, higher than Jakha. Stick to the trail that veers to the right.

The trail mostly climbs with one gentle walk in between. Jakha is a village completely enveloped in the ways of the Satsang. No meat is taken here. Avoid asking for any live animals or eating meat out of canned tins. The campsite is just above the village and doubles up as the children’s playground. An alternative campsite is the school courtyard itself.

Jakha is the last stop to replenish your supplies and also to look for porters if you are running short of either. For the next few days of your trek, there is rarely a soul you’ll encounter, except shepherds tending to their flocks. This is how it is until you reach Sangla.

From Jakha, the well-defined trail ascends past the playground, passing through fields of the upper Jakha village before entering a magnificent fir forest. The entry to the forest is again so sudden that it is almost like someone has opened up a gate to let you in. The towering blue pines, each more than a few centuries old, take you through pristine and untouched surroundings. If you have a keen eye, catch a few maple trees within the pines, their golden orange leaves strewn amidst the pine cones.

On the other side of the trail, high above, cliffs hang over the V-shaped valley. In their crags, you notice the first patches of snow. An hour into the descending walk through the fir forest, and around a bend in the trail, is the biggest surprise of the day.

Stretched under is a vast snow bridge across the Rupin – the last thing that you would expect on the trail. With no trace of snow earlier and only glimpses of snow patches at higher ground, finding a snow bridge at a lower height will make you gasp.

Run down to the snow bridge, put on your sunglasses, and for the first time on the trek feel the snow under your boots. The snow bridge is magnificent, with the Rupin carving out gaps and holes through it. Climb up to the higher reaches of the snow bridge, cross the Rupin and get onto the trail on the other side.

Note: During some blistering summer years the snow bridge melts with no chance of crossing. But don’t worry, the original trail, after a brief crossing of a tributary stream over wooden logs, continues further until you come to a wooden bridge that gets you to the other side of the Rupin.

The trail is no longer wide but a narrow foot has trodden path made by passing cattle and the shepherds. Follow the trail until you get to a wooden bridge mentioned above. Do not cross the bridge, but carry on with the Rupin on your left.

The bridge has its advantages though. Higher up, to the right of the bridge, is the first open grassland of Udakanal. Trekkers often camp here. But 2½ hrs out of Jakha is hardly the time to camp. Carry on further for more excitement stored for the day.

The scenery is rather different from what you have left behind. Most times the trail follows the course of the Rupin. Little tributaries from the upper reaches of the mountain flow into the Rupin, their bottom characterized by perennial snow patches. Often you are walking on the boulder-strewn river bed. The Rupin changes colour to a glorious icy blue – the water clear as crystal. No need to look for water to quench your thirst – just dip into the Rupin.

After an hour and half of intermittent boulder walk, and hopping over many cascading streams that feed the Rupin, the trail climbs and heads to the right, heading for a clump of a forest. Just before the trail enters their forest, you are met with a small open grassland. It is easily recognizable by a big rivulet that gushes out of the hillside – the water pure and clean. This is Burans Kandi, an excellent place to camp if you don’t mind the many cows that graze in the bounties of nature here.

Below, the Rupin thunders on. On the opposite bank, huge snow patches cover the gullies that once were part of glaciers feeding the river. A clump of forest starts just outside the camp area, and before you know it, you are in deep foliage.

The ascent is steep. The Rupin next to you and on your left climbs along rapidly in a series of mini waterfalls. The climb isn’t for long. Ten minutes later it evens out to leave you speechless. You are surrounded by thousands of Rhododendrons in full bloom. Where did they come from? They are in myriad colours – white, pink, and purple. They are everywhere. The Rhododendrons are the dwarf kind and rarely cross your chest. The trail weaves through the roots of the plants and some hang out on the Rupin – their flowers touching the clear waters of the river.

A small clearing and the Rhododendrons now adorn the slopes, the plants climbing a few thousand feet into the air. Walk a bit further to a bigger clearing and get your second surprise of the day. You are in a glade with the Rupin on your left forking to give away to a little island. The island has a carpet of green grass, lush with life. Right in the middle are a few Silver birch trees completing a picture of utmost serenity. Just as you thought that the glade was a pretty sight, for the first time on your trek you catch a glimpse of the famous Rupin waterfall in the far distance. You can’t help but gasp. The sight of the U-shaped valley and the Rupin climbing down from the clouds above will make you hold on to something just to steady yourself. Bet on excitement to set in as you relish the prospect of an amazing adventure in store.

The day’s walk is perhaps one of the best you’ll ever do. What’s amazing about Saruwas thatch is the sight of the Rupin gushing out of a gorge just ahead and to your left. While everyone’s seen a gorge from above, very few can claim to see a gorge at eye level. The heady sight behind you, walk along an even trail with snow patches on the mountainside to your right getting bigger and lower around you. Silver birches (Bhoj trees) are common, their barks peeling off to reveal the sacred Bhoj leaves. Collect a few as souvenirs. The legend goes that the epic Ramayana was written on these leaves. Climb to a bump on the trail – and let the big surprise of the day overcome you.

The climb through forest and shrubs makes way to a grand amphitheatre of green. You stand on the edge and enjoy front row seats of grand-scale production.

From Saruwas Thatch, as you peer from the lip of the U-Shaped valley you notice thousands of waterfalls cascading down its brown walls to meet the Rupin. In contrast, laid out in front of you are miles of green meadows, dotted with thousands of yellow marigolds. And in between the undulating meadows, the Rupin gracefully snakes its way down from its source. To top the scenery you have white snow patches lying scattered all along the edges of the meadows.

Climb down to the valley of yellow marigolds. Enjoy the gentle undulating walk to the first hurdle of your trek: a snow bridge over the Rupin. The slope of the snow bridge is much steeper than you can anticipate. Get a good grip and try to climb upward and higher. The steep bit isn’t for long and the flat of the snow bridge is a thrill to walk on. Crossing the snow bridge is easy and soon you are on the left bank of the Rupin.

The walk climbs gently through the lushness of the meadows. Every few steps tiny brooks gurgle under your boots as you hipety hop over them. Wildflowers sprout everywhere. This time they are blue, purple, green, yellow and white. The Rupin gently makes its way down the valley, an icy blue.

Cross a big boulder sitting on the edge of the river and find the Rupin fanning out into a wide river bed. Step on the river bed and walk along its edge and reach the base of another snow bridge, the biggest of all you have come across. Climb onto the snow bridge and cross the Rupin once more, bringing you to the base of a short climb that leads to a plateau above.

The climb is like inching along near the top of a roller coaster ride, waiting, anticipating the next view. It doesn’t disappoint you. You have arrived at the prettiest meadow of the trek, a site so beautiful, that you want to set up camp right there. And you do, for no Himalayan campsite can better the location. You are in the middle of the valley’s bowl. Ahead, the Rupin thunders down its three stages of the waterfall. Beyond the waterfall is the alpine Dhauladar Range looming large. On your two sides are the snowy valley walls with numerous waterfalls.

Water isn’t a problem. You just have to walk in any direction to find a crystal clear icy rivulet passing by. Pitch tent but sit out on the grandest landscaped lawn that nature can serve up. This is Dhanderas Thatch.

This is perhaps the most important day of your trek. The acclimatization climb to the top of the waterfall will help you immensely for a super successful climb to the Rupin pass.

From Dhanderas Thatch the altitude gain for the Rupin pass crossing is almost 2,500 ft. It is considerable and it is almost certain that many will suffer from altitude sickness. It makes better sense to climb up about 1,500 ft to the top of the waterfall, allowing your body to feel the effects of the altitude.  Acclimatized somewhat, your body is better prepared for the gruelling climb to the Rupin pass the next day. Unlike most days, start your day at leisure. Let strength come back to your limbs. After breakfast, prepare for the climb to the top of the waterfall.

It is about a kilometre to the base of the waterfall from Dhanderas Thatch. On the way, you’ll get plenty of streams to hop and jump over and the wild display of yellow marigolds. Sometimes, the marigolds are laid out on a carpet and you just want to lie down on them.

Things get serious when you reach the snow patch at the base of the waterfall. Avoid getting on the snow patch directly, but climb against its side on the boulder-strewn hillside until you come to the trail that cuts across the snow patch. It would make sense to have a stick or trekking pole for support. An ice axe is extremely helpful here. If the trail has already been made on the ice patch, send a prayer of thanks upwards. If the trail is barely visible, then start cutting steps with your boots or ice axe and slowly inch your way across the ice patch. This brings you to the top of the lower waterfall.

(Note: the step cutting is invaluable and can save your life from a slip or a fall)

It is another similar series of snow patch crossing and intermittent climbs before you are on to the big snow bridge over the Rupin. The sight is spectacular when you stand in the middle of the snow bridge and look up to the waterfall and watch the Rupin disappear under your feet hidden somewhere in the snow bridge. At this spot, you are over the middle waterfall.

Crossing over to the other side of the Rupin, it is a steep climb flanking the slopes that leads to the top of the waterfall. It is like climbing a series of ledges (and a minor snow patch) before getting down to the meadow at the top of the waterfall.

For the first time, you catch a view of what it is actually like at the top of the waterfall. It is quite unlike what you expected, keeping to the tradition of surprises of the Rupin trail. It is a wide meadow, reaching out to a flat bowl. Streams fed from the alpine snowy flank that converge on the bowl merge to form the Rupin.

Get down to the snout of the waterfall and sit on the edge. Dangle your legs over as you watch the Rupin crash down to the valley below. This is the top of the waterfall, a spot that has been in your sight the last two days.

Steep climb to the pass followed by a sharp descent. This is the longest day of your trek and the most gruelling – and perhaps the most exciting too. It has enough adventure in-store to haunt your memories for a long time.

Start your day even before the sun up. Make sure you are out of the camp by 5:00 am. Carry breakfast with you. You’ll need the energy boost for your brief halt at the top of the pass.

The trail to Rati Pheri starts to the left of the meadow, climbing steeply along with a snow patch that looks a mile long. The climb gains altitude in bountiful. An hour into the climb, the ascent veers left, rounding the shoulder of a ridge and opens out to the camping grounds of Rati Pheri. Stop here for a breather and needed a drink of water (and also fill your bottles for the water source is limited until you cross the pass). Also, marvel at the change in scenery.

The Rupin valley that has been your companion for the last six days is lost to view, and the alpine Dhauladar range takes its place to your right and across the valley. It is now snowfields and alpine country till you get to the Rupin pass. This is a good time to put on your gaiters if you are carrying them.

From Rati Pheri, for the first time, across vast acres of snowfields, you get a glimpse of the Rupin pass, a tiny gap on the ridgeline of the Dhauladar. It looks so far away, that the thought of actually climbing through the gap does not register.

The slow walk over the undulating snowfields is endless. The snow makes the going difficult. At times you are going to slip and slide a few meters. At times your foot is going to sink in up to the thighs. But never is it going to get so difficult that it scares the life out of you. The scenery is singularly white.

There are no tracks on the snow and you need to keep a general sense of direction towards the Rupin pass gully. The good news is, there are hardly any chances of losing your way, and if you keep your sight on the pass and stick to your right, you will eventually, after an arduous trek of an hour and a half, come to the foot of the Rupin pass gully.

Rest for a while, collect your breath and prepare yourself for a thrilling adventurous climb through the Rupin pass gully.

A word of caution here: The trek through the gully is a short climb of about 200 meters. What makes the climb tricky is the loose stones and boulders (scree) that line its entire length. Add to it the initial climb leading to the gully over a steep snowy flank of the slope. Footholds on the icy slope are difficult to find and scrambling on all fours is sometimes the only option. An ice axe to cut steps is extremely handy here.

It is a good idea to let your guides and porters go in advance as they can mark out the route for you. In addition, they can give you precious hand-holds in some of the tricky stretches.

Climb in a single file and place your step in the hollow of the footstep in front. Watch for falling stones and rocks and gingerly make your way to the base of the gully.

The gully is a half tube cut out of the mountainside. Voices echo and travel sharply all over the gully. Conversations in a regular tone get amplified and it is fun listening to the travails of the trekkers as they make their way up the gully.

Crane your neck up to the mouth of the gully. A multitude of prayer flags flutters in the high winds that blow across. You are looking at the Rupin pass.

The climb through the gully is as thrilling as it gets. The rocky world is surreal. The anticipation of reaching the pass is exhilarating. It won’t take you more than fifteen to twenty minutes to get to the top of the pass.

The pass is a saddle on a ridgeline cutting its way through and across the Dhauladar range. For the first time you catch views of the Sangla side of the mountain – and you are again spun into the world of eternal surprises of the trek. The green open mountainscape is so much in stark contrast to the snow and alpine country behind you that it takes a while for the scenery to sink in.

The Rupin Pass

Hundreds of little stone cairns line up the ridgeline of the Rupin pass. Multicolour prayer flags flutter in the high winds of the pass. All around are the many branches of the Dhauladar range, like a spider’s legs branching off from the Rupin pass.

On the Sangla side, the descent is steep and the only place to camp is in the vast meadows below the snowline. Unlike the Rupin side, getting down to the snowline is quicker and steeper.

Step out of the pass and slide down the chutes of the snow. And if you think you can walk down the slope (like I did), that’s a big mistake. There’s only one way to get down and that’s on your bottom.

The slide down the slope is in three stages and each one is so much fun that you want to do it again. Grown-ups squeal and whoop in delight as the rush of sliding the slope brings to the surface the little ones in everyone. Within minutes you lose about 400 ft in altitude.

After the slides, the slope evens out to a more manageable trudge over snow. Numerous melting streams trickle out of the snow below your feet joining the now roaring feeder of the Rukti gad.

It takes slightly more than an hour to get to the edge of the snowline. Looking back, Rupin pass is high above, a speck in the ridgeline.

From the snowline, there is a sharp descent to the endless meadows that stretches to Sangla Kanda (3 hours away). At the base of the descent, there is a clear bountiful stream. Pitch camp at the even grounds that are around it. Remnant of old camping fire is another way to recognize the camping ground – otherwise indistinguishable from the surrounding. This is the camping grounds of Ronti Gad – another green paradise on earth.

You are again in meadows land – but the scenery is different. Towering, snow-capped mountains lean over the campsite. The visual is a blend of whites of the snow and the greens of the meadows. A just reward for a hard day’s trekking, starting at 13,100 ft, climbing to 15,380 ft and then dropping down to 13,100 ft. At Ronti Gad you are going to spend your coldest night of the trek, so dive into your sleeping bags early for a well-deserved rest.

The descent to Sangla is hell on your knees and toes but makes up for everything with its ever-changing scenery. For the first time, you get to view the Kinner Kailash range and the blue pines of the Baspa valley.

Start the day leisurely but not too late. The descent will make you lose height rapidly and it can get rather warm near Sangla (that’s all comparative with the chilling height of the Rupin Pass)

The trail out of the campsite is a shepherd’s trail that heads to the valley below. After days you will come across shepherds tending to their flocks. Multiple trails join your path and some go away from it. If you come to two trails that look alike and you want to make a choice, it doesn’t matter. All of them lead to Sangla Kanda. Only, avoid the trails that head down to the river.

After an hour and a half and a drop of over 1,500 ft, the trail leaves the narrow valley of the Ronti Gad, veers left and opens out to the valley overlooking the Rukti Gad. To the right, in the snowbound Nalgan pass, a gentle reminder of a trek for another day.

The meadows abound the entire slope of the mountains, the snow behind and out of sight. What takes your breath away is the sudden appearance of the Kinner Kailash range right in front. The sharp serrated edge of the range all over 20,000 ft overlooking the meadows of Sangla Kanda is enough to make you stand still, awed by the moment — that has now become an expected twist and turn of the Rupin pass trek plot.

Far below are the first signs of civilization – the lake of Sangla Kanda and the tiny settlement of the village. It takes another hour and a half to get to the village. The sharp descent would have taken a toll on your toes and knees – and the village is a good place to take a break. The villagers are warm and friendly and you can always get yourself a warm cup of tea while exchanging stories of your climb to the Rupin pass.

Many trails lead out of Sangla Kanda to Sangla. Ask a villager for directions or take any trail that turns right. Most trails would join the main trail that skirts its way around and below the lake. After days, you get below the tree line – and almost welcome it.

The mixed vegetation abruptly gives way to a forest of blue pines – the last of the surprises of the trek. The trail to Sangla is now entirely along with the Rukti Gad (about 500-700 ft below). The descent through the pines is refreshing and occasionally you come across the hectic activity of a road being built. The road is a feeder that in future would connect Sangla and Kanda – a much-needed infrastructure for the locals but a blob in the landscape for a trekker from the Rupin pass.

The trail is broad and descends rapidly to Sangla passing quaint wooden houses and step farms. The woods of the blue pine give way to apple orchards and more of civilization. Telephone lines, a resting place in the middle of the track, cell phone connectivity and you know Sangla is not too much further off.

Half an hour later and a sharp descent to the Baspa along with a school with children in uniform, you get to the bridge below the forest rest house. Cross the muddy waters of the Baspa, and look back one last time at the blue pines behind and above you – a symbol of a trek that is part of the best that the country can give you.

Footnote: From the bridge over the Baspa, it is a steep 20-minute climb to the motorable road at Sangla. There are many concrete lanes that you can take to get to the main road and some wind their way without seeming to go anywhere. Ask for directions to the bus stand, though the route is marked in paint.

At the bus stand, there are restaurants where you can eat and places to stay. Most of them are good and offer basic bed and bedding. Charges are reasonable and quite negotiable. The last bus to Shimla leaves at 5:00 pm and gets to Shimla at 3:00 am the following day.