The Rupin Pass is located at an altitude of 15, 250 feet across the Himalayan mountain range. It lies on a traditional shepherd and hiking route from Dhaula in Uttarakhand and ends in Sangla in Himachal Pradesh. It is a not very well known trek but is certainly one of the most beautiful.
Trail of Rupin Trek
Rupin Pass trek consists of trails dug out of rock faces and wooden bridges, cut through deep dark folds in the mountain, glaciers and icy slopes, and over snow fields. There are different trails that grant access to the Rupin Pass. One of them starts at the sleepy village of Gosangu which is the last road head of Himachal Pradesh. Generally, trekkers and adventurers travel to Gosangu by road from Shimla via Rohru. The alternate route to Rupin pass starts from Dhaula in the state of Uttarakhand, and the trail heads to the Sewa village where one can spot the Kinnaur temple. It is a two storey temple of Kinnauri culture, which is very different from its surrounding. The ethnicity of the inhabiting tribe is symbolised by this captivatingly beautiful temple.
After crossing a few more villages, the trekking route leads to the first camp called Jhaka. It is a hanging village, uniquely positioned at the utmost edge of the mountain making it appear to be hanging on the cliff. Jhaka is also the last stop for replenishing stock and getting to have a last look at civilization. The last phase of the trek begins when the traveller heads towards Sangla and the views of hanging glaciers and the Kinnaur Kailash Mountain Range from the summit is absolutely mesmerizing.
Rupin pass is unique in a way that the ice melting on the one side of the pass forms the Rupin river that merges with the Yamuna River and eventually flows into the Bay of Bengal while the snow melting on the Sangla side of the pass merges into a stream they eventually flow into the Sutlej River and hence flows into the Arabian sea.
Flora and Fauna of Rupin Pass
Rupin Pass is one of the most beautiful treks in the Himachal region. The gushing streams, rivers and waterfalls, snow capped mountains and lush green forests with flowers are a sight to behold. Dense forests of deodar, fir, oak, apple, apricot and walnut are in abundance. Expanses of green meadows are filled with flowers like yellow marigold and bushes of varied coloured rhododendrons. Some of the trails to the trek are lined by silver birches and surrounded by wild flowers and snow bridges.
Visiting Information for Rupin Pass Trek
The ideal season to visit here is pre- monsoon, from May to June and post-monsoon, from September to October. The Jolly Grant Airport at Dehradun is the nearest airport and the closest railway station is at Kalka. By roadways, Dehradun is easily accessible from major cities of the country. NH 72, NH 72A, NH 58 are few national highways connecting to Dehradun.
