Rohtang Pass in India. On our own by scooter/motorbike

After our 4-day trek in the Himalayas, we could not leave Manali without visiting one more fantastic place 50 km from town — Rohtang Pass. Rohtang is a mountain pass on the Pir Panjal Range in the Indian Himalayas, at an altitude of about 4000 meters.

Rohtang Pass — how to get there

You can get here in different ways — by bus or by taxi. We, however, decided to go by bike.
I have to say that finding a scooter in Manali is rather difficult. Almost everywhere they rent out motorcycles like the Enfield. We did find a scooter in the end, but it turned out to be fairly expensive — 600 rupees a day (compared to 150 a day in Goa).
The road to the pass is very scenic, the views are breathtaking, but the ride is a bit scary. The road is so narrow that two oncoming cars can barely pass each other, there is a sheer drop below, and there are almost no guardrails.

As you climb, it gets colder and colder, so be sure to bring warm clothes, or you can rent a warm snowsuit or even a fur coat in the little village before the pass. You can also eat and drink hot tea there — there are lots of small cafes and stalls renting out warm clothes.

On the pass itself there is snow and a great many people, mostly Indians, who go sledding, jump around in the snowdrifts, and take photos against the snow. There is a huge traffic jam of cars here, but motorbikes have an undeniable advantage — they can squeeze through anywhere and do not have to wait for hours, unlike all the other vehicles.

The large number of tourists does not get in the way of enjoying the stunning views of the snowy Himalayan peaks.