In January 2016, two Jeep enthusiasts from Shimla drove all the way to Chanshal Ghati in tricky snow conditions. The hardship they endured to reach Chanshal Ghati was rewarded by the unprecedented views. They conquered the banished Brute that is Chanshal Ghati.
Enjoy a mash of select pictures from our local Hero’s road journey in the Himalayas. Click on the images below for a full-screen view.
About Chanshal Ghati
There is nothing more exhilarating than taking a Trans Himalayan Jeep Safari. Driving on such extreme roads requires skill and tact. Chanshal Pass (Ghati) is a high altitude pass in Himachal Pradesh that can be reached via a motorable road. At a height of over 12,000 feet, the road connects land-locked Dodra and Kwar villages with rest of Himachal. The 180-kilometer road drive from Shimla is one of the most anticipated road destination for any Jeep, Bike enthusiast.
Reaching Chanshal Ghati is not that easy. The roads are in bad shape. There is no on-road assistance available in the last 50 kilometers of the road stretch. There have been so many enthusiasts who tried reaching Chanshal Pass but failed. This has added the lure for conquering Chanshal Ghati of own accord.
Important Information
- Last Petrol Pump: Rohru
- Night stay/Hotel Option: Last hotel Stay is available at Larot (20 km before Chanshal Pass). Larot has a Himachal Pradesh PWD Guest House. Night Stay options are also available at Chirgaon and Maandali with Forest Department Guest House. Facilities are basic. A cooked meal can be arranged here.
- Mobile Signal and Phone connectivity: Mobile signal range is till Larot. BSNL Landline works in Chirgaon, Larot and Dodra-Kwar.
- Last Motor Mechanic on route: Chirgaon
- Nearest Hospital: Rohru
Picture Credit: Sandeep Banchta (Shimla), all permissions obtained.
WANDER THE HIMALAYAS 
Words fall short…. beautiful!! I’m sure accessibility issue has retained it’s pristine environs!
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The road can hardly be called motorable seeing its condition. More suited for off-roading, requiring skills. It was built in 2009. Imagine the local villagers from Dodra-Kwar had to trek for over 60 km to reach nearest road head. The interest in catching up. H.P Govt. have listed Chanshal for its potential for trekking and Skiing. However, till the time they do not invest in manning the roads and build infrastructure, the bulk tourists are not going to take a chance of coming here. Also, the region is land-locked. This mean a traveller has to take the same route and drive back. The only way of passing over is by trekking. You can cross over to reach Sangla and Kinnaur valley by crossing the high altitude passes here.
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I’m not worried if the tourist doesn’t reach here…. Looking at how certain regions have turned out due to tourism, it’s best to restrict them to certain places to maintain the ecology and environment. to me tourism in India translate into degradation because of many reasons. primarily because tourist needs convenience in every which way and both tourist and system supporting tourist cares very little for environment! Unlike many developed and developing countries eco -tourism is just a word here. But in the interest of locals, these roads surely needs to be developed into motorable conditions.
I’m unable to answer why tourists in India cannot be educated for environment? Why can’t we ban plastic completely from hills including pouches? It’s a nauseating thought!!
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My god, these are stunning shots! Beautiful. Can you give me some details on the camera you use?
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They were taken by a mobile camera. It is amazing how one can take good shots using a mobile camera, if you follow a few basic things.
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Awesome post! I wanna do this trip 🙂
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Thank you Tes. If you like this, you may also want to read about a trek that connects Chanshal Pass with a hidden lake and a lovely hamlet. https://goo.gl/dyFYNi
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