02 Rohtang-La
A backpacking tour over 3 Passes in Himachal Pradesh ... using Local Buses & Share-Maxx'es. A non-touristy route from South of GNHP (Great Himalayan National Park) over Jalori-Pass, then crossing Rohtang-La to Keylong in Lahaul and then West into Pangi Valley, almost to J&K border ... and then south crossing over the rarely used Sach-Pass to Chamba and Dalhousie.
In this page: Day-4 Manali > Keylang
29th July 2011: Got up at 4AM checked out and walked to bus-stand by 4:30AM. Met Pradip Dey (my friend from Thane), his friend and 2 guide, porters alos in teh same bus going to Keylang for their Darcha-Padum trek. The bus left at 5:15AM and it had started raining all the way as we stopped briefly at Marhi for Tea at 6:45AM and then continued onwards climbing towards Rohtang.
The road starts to get slushy as we near the top
At 7:25AM at an altitude of 3600M we ran into a huge traffic pile-up; due to landslide slush and some vehicles getting stalled. We were stuck here, some way below the pass for 2.5 hours!
The slushy road where we were stuck for nearly 2.5 hours
The traffic started moving again at 11:00AM and we moved ahead, crossed the Rani-Nalla and at last reached the top at 11:30. The roads on the other side as we descended were pretty decent and much less traffic. We reached Kokhsar at 12:30PM and stopped for lunch of Paratha, Sabji and Curds in a roadside Dhaba.
The waterfall (zoomed view ) at Khoksar behind the line of dhabas.
12:45PM: A share-Maxx driver and our HPRTC Bus driver having an argument on who should reverse and give way for other? - 30 mins lost
*******
We finally reached Keylang bus-stand at 2:20PM said bye to Pardip Dey and Co. they were going to see if they can hire a Maxx to go to Darcha immediately. I hired a porter to carry my bag up hill to the HPTDC Chandrabhaga hotel where I had a room booking made yesterday from HP Tourism in Manali. Checked into a DBL room at 3:00PM. The room rate was about Rs 1350/-.
The nice looking Chandrabhaga Hotel
Snow peaks seen from my room looking South
There was a 16 tent camp set up in the lawns of the Chandrabhaga Hotel. This was for overnight stay of HP Tourism's Leh bus package Pax that passed here twice every week in summer.
Rain drenched Marhi dhabas no tourists here!
Looking down at Marhi as we climb further up
View towards Marhi and Solang from where we were stuck for 2.5 hours below the pass.
View as start descent on other side of Rohtanga
The Chandrabhaga River (flowing west from Kunzum-La); At 1:50PM we pass Tandi signpost .. but we will be turning away towards Keylang. We will cross Tandi on way to Pangi Valley later.
2:15PM - Keylang appears ahead on the road
A nice flower on way up to Keylong Hotel
The Monastery (Khardang Gompa) seen on opposite side of the valley (zoomed view) from my Keylang Chandrabhaga hotel room
Click to see all pics as Flickriver: Rohtang-Pass
A collection of 4 Albums of all Pictures of this Tour are in this collection: