There is n number of mountain passes in India. These mountain passes have played a crucial part in trade, travel, battle, and migration throughout history. Some of them are hotly contested regions with high levels of military protection since they are situated on the borders of India’s neighbouring countries but some are within the boundaries. But all have one thing in common pleasant rides, and picturesque views.
Rohtang Pass
The most well-known Rohtang Pass connects two of Himachal Pradesh’s most stunning valleys near Manali and is located in the Pir Panjal Range of the vast Himalayas. On the Manali-Leh Highway, Rohtang Pass, which is located at an elevation of 3,978 m (13,051 ft), links the Kullu Valley with the Lahaul and Spiti Valleys. Only from May to November is Rohtang Pass accessible, and the rest of the year it is exceedingly challenging to traverse owing to avalanches and snowstorms.
Sela Pass
The frozen Sela Pass is located in the Tawang District of Arunachal Pradesh at a height of 4,170 m (13,680 ft). Sela Pass, which connects Tawang to the rest of India through Tezpur and Guwahati, receives a lot of snow in the winter but is open all year. The sole gateway to Tawang and the Buddhist Tawang Monastery is the high-altitude mountain pass, which is a very challenging terrain crossing.
Jelep La Pass
At an elevation of 4,270 metres, Jelep La Pass is located in the East Sikkim District (14,009 ft). It is one of the most beautiful routes with rhododendron trees beside India and the Chumbi Valley on the Tibetan Plateau. The high mountain pass links Sikkim, India, to the Lhasa area of Tibet.
Nathu La pass
At a height of 4,310 metres (14,140 feet), the main Nathu La pass in the Himalayan mountain ranges links Sikkim with Tibet. One of the three open commercial routes between India and China is the Nathu La Pass; the other two are Shipkila in Himachal Pradesh and Lipulekh in Uttarakhand. Nathu La Pass provides a vast variety of Flora and Fauna, including endangered ground orchida, snow leopard, Tibetan wolf, and black-winged kite. It is situated close to significant Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage sites.
Rupin Pass
The magnificent high altitude pass is located in Uttarakhand across the Rupin River; it begins in Dhaula and ends in Sangla, Himachal Pradesh. The uninhabited Rupin Pass is situated in the vast Himalayan peaks at an elevation of 4650 metres (15,250 feet) and is made up of deep, dark valleys, snowy slopes, and snow fields.
Karakoram Pass
In the Karakoram Range, between India and China, at a height of 4,693 metres (15,397 feet), stands the Karakoram Pass. The oldest road between Leh and Yarkant is the Karakoram Pass, which is also the highest pass in the Karakoram Mountain Range. The Siachen Glacier is located west of the pass in the vast Himalaya Mountains in the eastern Karakoram range.
Lipulekh Pass
At a height of 5,334 metres, the Himalayan pass links the Kumaon area of Uttarakhand with Purang in Tibet (17,500 ft). The Lipulekh Pass connects the Tibetan area to the Vyas and Chaudans valleys. It is also traversed by Hindus on their Kailash Mansarovar Yatra to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar.
Debsa Pass
The Debsa Pass is a high mountain pass of 5,360 meters (17,590 ft) in the Himalayas that connects the Kullu and Spiti valleys of Himachal Pradesh. Beautiful Spiti Valley is a desert mountain land between Tibet and India in the north-eastern part of Himachal Pradesh in the Himalayas mountains, Debsa pass runs around the Parbati River valley in Kullu.
Chang La pass
On the way from Leh to Pangong Lake, the Chang La pass in Ladakh is a high-altitude mountain pass at an elevation of 5,360 m (17,590 ft). The Chang La Pass, which connects the Indus Valley to the Pangong Lake area, is among the world’s three highest motorable passes. The vast Himalayan highlands and the high-altitude big lakes on the Changtang plateau are well-known.
Borasu Pass
At an altitude of 5,450 m (17,881 ft) close to the Chinese border, the Borasu Pass in the Himalayan Mountains links the states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. The magnificent Doon Valley and Kinnaur Valley were once connected via a high-elevation mountain pass used for commerce.
Khardung La Pass
In Jammu and Kashmir’s Ladakh area, close to Leh, is where you’ll find the impressive Khardung La pass. The Ladakh Ranges’ Khardung La Pass, which connects the Shyok and Nubra valleys, is located north of Leh at an elevation of 5,602 metres (18,380 feet). The highest motorable pass and one of the highest motorable roads are Khardung La, which has been the site of several motorcycle and mountain bike trips.
Mana Pass
With a height of 5,608 metres, the Dungri la pass, also known as Mana Pass, is the highest motorable road in the world (18,399 ft). In the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve in the Zanskar mountain range in Uttarakhand, the Dungri La Pass connects India with Tibet. The Saraswati River’s source, together with the Deotal Lake, and Badrinath were connected via the Mana Pass.
Other significant mountain crossings in India include the Lachungla Pass in Ladakh, the Zoji La Pass, the Namika La and the Fotu La pass between Srinagar and Leh, and the Banihal Pass that crosses the Pir Panjal Range on National Highway 1 (NH 1). The Pir Panjal Range just inaugurated India’s longest rail tunnel, the Pir Panjal Railway Tunnel, while Banihal Pass only has a Kashmir Railway route and one of India’s biggest tunnels, known as the Jawahar Tunnel.