Credit: Dr. Mahan Singh
The Rupin river flowing through the Rupin valley separates two villages, Dodra and Kwar, that fall in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. After crossing Chanshal Pass, situated at a height of 3784 m, which is an iconic journey in itself, you enter into the remoteness of Dodra and Kwar, which have been connected recently by road.
LarotLarot, which is a last village before Chansal Pass, was the roadhead for Dodra and Kwar villages.The locals have to trek around 60 km to reach Larot. The situation changed in 2009 when Dodra and the Kwar region were connected by a motorable road. Now the locals can transport the surplus agricultural produce to nearby Rohru, located on the bank of Pabbar.
How to reach Dodra Kwar
In part of the upper Shimla district, there is no direct bus that runs from Delhi. You have to first reach the capital of Himachal Pradesh, Shimla. From there, reach Rohru, which lies 110 km away and takes around 6-7 hours. Rohru, which is a major town in the Pabbar valley, runs a daily bus at 10:00 am by Chansal Pass to Dodra-Kwar.
After crossing Chirgaon, the road condition changes dramatically and gives off the vibe of Pangi Valley Road. The road journey of 33.4 km up to Chanshal Pass is unexpected and dangerous.
Best time to visit
Despite the road connectivity, In the winter season the region receives heavy snowfall and remains cut off from the rest of the region.
Other attractions nearby
Situated on the border with Garhwal, Dodra and Kwar have many treks to explore. Har Ki doon trek that falls in the Govind Pashu Vihar National park in Uttarakhand is not far from here. But if you are looking for an option of transport, you can catch a bus from Rohru, which runs a regular bus service via Mori & Hanol, to Purola, a basecamp of Har ki doon trek.
Rupin Pass Trek is the other option that falls in the Rupin Valley. The trek starts from the village of Netwar in Uttarakhand, which is connected to the Sangla Valley in the Kinnaur region of Himachal Pradesh.