A year ago, if you had told me I would be standing in a bus at an elevation of 13,000 feet in the Himalayan Mountains, trying to decide if it was safe to get off and help push it out of the mud, I would have thought you were crazy! Fast forward one year, and you might think I’m the crazy one! One thing is for sure: traveling up Rohtang Pass was the most unforgettable experience of my lifetime.
Why it’s famous
Rohtang Pass is about 51 kilometers from the hill station of Manali on the eastern Par Panjal Range of the Himalayas. The roads are rough and steep, with no guard rails. Typically, only one car can fit at a time, even though there is two-way traffic. It is such an adventure that the History Channel has featured it on Ice Road Truckers and Deadliest Roads. Major traffic jams are common due to accidents, poor road conditions, and snow and ice. In fact, it is only open from May to November.
On our way
We had just stayed a couple of days in Manali and were looking forward to spending time at Chandra Taal Lake, which is near the top of the pass. Kirti felt strongly that his car wasn’t robust enough for the journey, so we took a bus. Turns out he was right! We didn’t have a reserved seat, so we were at the mercy of others, but luckily, we found a place to stand (which is allowed on the bus, no one wears a seat belt)! At times, we sat in the aisle. Within moments of the bus arriving, it was packed beyond capacity. I knew it was about a seven-hour ride, and I tried to prepare myself mentally for what I was certain would be the most uncomfortable and challenging bus ride of my lifetime.
Dhaba stop
About an hour into the ride, we stopped at a little cafe/dhaba that serves as a bus stop. It was 7:00 AM, and we had been up since 4:30, so we welcomed the chance for a quick breakfast and tea. At the table next to us was a sweet young couple from Germany. They told us they were on a two-month backpacking trip through India. We were excited to chat with them about their experiences and plans. A few hours later, on the trip, Fabian entertained the whole bus by singing and playing his mini guitar for us. He was pretty talented, and it was a lovely way to pass the time.
Spectacular view
Within a few more hours on the road, I was astounded by the beauty around us! It reminded me somewhat of the Grand Tetons, with soaring mountains, deep ravines, pristine waterfalls, and lush grass fields filled with wildflowers of all colors. It was breathtaking, and I couldn’t take pictures fast enough. At the inevitable annoyance of my weary bus mates, I was leaning over others and trying to capture the picture of a lifetime. Every twist and turn brought a new picturesque landscape, and I felt like a child on Christmas morning!
Dangers on the road
My exuberance over the spectacular scenery was somewhat diminished at times by the horrid conditions of the roads. I was impressed with our driver and how well he could navigate over giant potholes, fallen rocks, streams of water over the roadway, herds of goats, and oncoming trucks. Most times, when another vehicle was coming towards us, one of the drivers would have to find a “safe” shoulder and pull over. There was often no shoulder to be seen, so one of the drivers (typically the smaller vehicle) would have to reverse until they could find an area to pull over and let the other vehicle pass. There were a lot of blind corners where we suddenly found ourselves unexpectedly head to head with another vehicle. We were just inches away from giant cliffs as all this took place. One tiny error could be the death of us all, and indeed, Rohtang Pass has claimed many lives in that very fashion.
Stuck in the mud
We were lucky that our bus only got stuck once. The driver asked us to disembark so the men could push the bus out of the deep mud. Ten minutes later, we were on our way again. However, on our way back from Chandra Taal, that spot was nearly impassible after three days of rain. We were fortunate that we were able to finagle a ride back with a sympathetic couple in a rugged Range Rover, and by some miracle, he was able to make it through that mud. I was amazed! I thought we were doomed, but somehow, we made it through. There was no way in hell the bus was going to make it, and it was a very, very long trek back to Manali!
Batal
About an hour before we reached Chandra Taal, there was a little dhaba in a tiny village called Batal, a secret gem of the Spiti Valley. It has one actual building, and the rest are small huts made of stacked stones with a tarp over the top. That is where the bus ride stops, and after that, we would have to thumb a ride or trek about 8 kilometers to the top. We took about an hour’s break to buy snacks, eat a hot meal, and sit beside the beautiful Bias River. We chatted with other folks and soon found a ride for only 500 rupees (about $7 USD). It was a car full of young guys playing loud techno/trance music. The contrast between the nature outside and the music inside was a little unsettling! About an hour later I saw a tent camp in the distance! We had finally made it to Chandra Taal!!!
