About the Trek
The Rupin Pass trek is widely considered one of the most diverse and beautiful treks in India. The trail crosses from the Tons valley in Uttarakhand to the Sangla valley in Himachal Pradesh via the spectacular Rupin Pass at 4,650 metres, showcasing an incredible variety of terrain and landscapes.
What sets the Rupin Pass trek apart is the sheer diversity of scenery packed into a single trail. You walk through terraced fields, dense forests, hanging villages perched on cliff edges, thundering waterfalls, vast alpine meadows, and finally navigate snow bridges and steep snow slopes at the pass.
The trail is famous for its massive snow bridges that form over the Rupin river, the dramatic 'Upper Waterfall' campsite where you sleep beside a thundering cascade, and the final pass crossing which offers views of the Kinnaur Himalayas stretching into the distance.
Trek Highlights
- Cross the spectacular Rupin Pass at 4,650m
- Walk across massive natural snow bridges
- Camp beside the thundering Upper Waterfall
- Visit hanging villages perched on cliff edges
- Incredible diversity — forests, waterfalls, meadows, snow
- Cross from Uttarakhand to Himachal Pradesh
Day-by-Day Itinerary
An 8-day crossover trek from Uttarakhand to Himachal Pradesh through diverse landscapes and the dramatic Rupin Pass.
- Drive from Dehradun to Dhaula village in the Tons valley
- Trek briefing and registration
- Overnight at guesthouse
- Begin trek through terraced fields and forest
- Pass through Jakha and Jiskun villages
- Reach Sewa — a hanging village on the cliff edge
- Overnight in tents
- Trek through dense forest
- Walk past massive snow bridges over the Rupin river
- Reach Lower Waterfall camp
- Overnight in tents
- Steep climb through forest and meadows
- Reach the dramatic Upper Waterfall campsite
- Camp beside the thundering waterfall
- Overnight in tents
- Ascend through snow and moraine
- Reach the base camp for the pass
- Prepare for the early morning crossing
- Overnight in tents
- Early start for the pass crossing
- Climb steep snow slopes to Rupin Pass at 4,650m
- Views of Kinnaur Himalayas from the top
- Long descent to Ronti Gad on the Sangla side
- Overnight in tents
- Descend through the Sangla valley
- Drive from Batseri to Sangla
- Explore the beautiful Sangla town
- Overnight at hotel
- Drive to Shimla or Dehradun via the Hindustan-Tibet road
- Trek concludes — departure
What's Included
- Meals as mentioned in the itinerary
- Accommodation — Hotel / Homestay / Tents on triple sharing
- All necessary entry fees and permits
- Professional trek leader, guide, cook and support staff
- Camping equipment — sleeping bags, blankets, mats, toilet tents
- Safety equipment — medical kit, oximeter, crampons & gaiters
What's Not Included
- Meals during the road journey
- Any kind of insurance
- Mules or porter to carry personal luggage (can be arranged at extra cost)
- Medical / evacuation expenses (assistance provided in emergencies)
- Any expense of personal nature
- Any expense not specified in inclusions
Things to Carry
Essentials
- Backpack (50-60 L) with rain cover
- Day pack (20 L)
- Trekking shoes with ankle support
- Headlamp / torch with spare batteries
- Water bottles (2 L)
- Personal medication
Clothing & Gear
- Thermal innerwear (top + bottom) x 2
- Heavy down jacket (-20°C rated)
- Waterproof hardshell jacket and pants
- Balaclava, insulated gloves, liner gloves
- Trekking pants x 2 + warm fleece pants
- Quick-dry t-shirts x 3
- Gaiters (high ankle)
- Mountaineering sunglasses (Category 4)
Documents
- Government photo ID (Aadhaar / Passport / DL)
- Two passport-sized photos
- Medical fitness certificate
Optional
- Trekking poles
- Sunglasses (UV protection)
- Sunscreen (SPF 50+)
- Power bank
- Energy bars / dry fruits
How to Prepare
This is a Moderate to Difficult grade trek. Expect long walking days (6–9 hours), steep ascents and descents, possible snow/glacier crossings, and altitudes above 4,000 m. Prior trekking experience and 6–8 weeks of dedicated preparation are strongly recommended.
Cardio — Start 6–8 Weeks Before
- Run: 5 km in under 25 minutes, 4–5x per week
- Long walks: 12–15 km weekend hikes with an 8–10 kg loaded pack
- Stairs with load: Climb 15+ floors with a backpack, 3x per week
- Incline training: Treadmill at 10–15% incline for 30 min, or find real hills
- Practice trek: Do at least 1–2 trail hikes (8–12 km) with full daypack before departure
Strength (4x per week)
- Weighted squats — 3 sets of 15 (10–15 kg)
- Bulgarian split squats — 3 sets of 12 each leg
- Step-ups with weight — 3 sets of 12 each leg
- Deadlifts or Romanian deadlifts — 3 sets of 10
- Core circuit: planks (90 sec) + mountain climbers (30) + Russian twists (20)
- Calf raises with weight — 3 sets of 20
Diet & Recovery
- 4+ litres of water daily throughout your training
- Protein-heavy diet (1.2–1.5 g per kg body weight) for muscle repair
- Load up on iron-rich foods (spinach, beetroot, dates) — helps with oxygen at altitude
- Avoid processed food, sugar and alcohol for 2+ weeks before departure
- Sleep 7–8 hours — recovery is as important as training
Altitude & Technical Readiness
- These treks cross 4,000–5,000 m — AMS is a serious concern
- Carry and know how to use Diamox (consult your doctor before the trek)
- Learn basic crampon walking if the trek involves snow — your leader will brief you, but practice helps
- Expect sub-zero camping nights — test your cold tolerance and layering system before departure
- Carry a personal first-aid kit: ORS, Diamox, Dolo, Avomine, bandages, antiseptic
- Inform the leader of ANY medical condition — no detail is too small at altitude
Photo Gallery
Photos from the trail. More coming soon — follow us on Instagram for daily updates.
Gallery photos will be added soon. Binoy is preparing the best shots from the trail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Snow bridges are typically present from May to early July. By September, most have melted. The May-June season offers the best snow bridge experience.
The pass crossing involves steep snow slopes and can take 6-8 hours. It is rated Difficult and prior high-altitude trekking experience is essential.
The standard direction is Dhaula to Sangla. The reverse is possible but less common and the ascent from the Sangla side is steeper.
In extreme conditions, we may need to turn back. This is rare during the main trekking season but weather decisions are always safety-first.