Animal Pass Trek
Kullu, Himachal Pradesh
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- Max altitude
- 4,560 m
- Satellite terrain suggests about 4,747 m
- Days
- 6 days
- Distance
- 37 km
- Difficulty
- Moderate
Operators grade it moderate and meant for trekkers with prior experience: three days of steady climbing up the Tosh valley to about 3,800 m, then a long, steep and rough climb of about 760 m to the pass and back on day 4 (about 8 hours), with snow patches possible above Sharam Thach.
Photos
On the trail
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Kasol → Buddhaban (drive to Tosh, then trek)
1,580 m → 3,020 m
Day 2
Buddhaban → Sharam Thach
3,020 m → 3,505 m
Day 3
Sharam Thach → Shamshi Thach
3,505 m → 3,800 m
Day 4 · highest point
Shamshi Thach → Shamshi Thach (via Animal Pass)
3,800 m → 4,560 m → 3,800 m
Day 5
Shamshi Thach → Buddhaban
3,800 m → 3,020 m
Day 6
Buddhaban → Kasol (trek to Tosh, then drive)
3,020 m → 1,580 m
Ups and downs
Altitude profile
Where it is
Map
Trailhead and high point only — not a recorded track. Use it with a proper map.
Weather
Next 5 days on the trail
Live forecast for the trailhead and the high point. Mountain weather changes fast — check again on the morning you start.
Trailhead · Tosh
at 1,580 mLoading forecast…
High point · Animal Pass
at 4,560 mLoading forecast…
Each day: high / low °C · rain mm and chance · snow cm · wind km/h
Weather data: Open-Meteo.comModel forecast, not an official warning. For alerts follow IMD and the local administration.
Plan the trip
How to reach
- Trailhead
- Tosh (nearest town: Kasol)
- Nearest railway
- Chandigarh (Joginder Nagar narrow-gauge station is nearer but has few trains)
- Nearest airport
- Bhuntar (Kullu-Manali) Airport
- By road
- Bhuntar to Kasol by local bus or taxi (about 1 hour); Kasol to Tosh by jeep (about 1 hour); Overnight Volvo and HRTC buses from Delhi to Bhuntar or Kasol
- Drive
- About 12 h from Delhi
Plan the trip
Permits and fees
We could not confirm the current permit rules and fees from an official source. Check with the local forest department or tourism office before you go.
Plan the trip
Cost
Self-guided
₹7,000–12,000
With an operator
₹13,125–19,450
Per person, ex-Kasol. Guided prices seen October 2026: Bikat Adventures ₹12,500 + 5% GST Kasol to Kasol; TrekUp India ₹17,448 (list ₹19,450). Both include forest/camping permit charges. Self-guided is our estimate: Kasol-Tosh jeep, a local guide and porter for five nights, tent, stove and food hire or carry, and forest camping charges paid locally.
Gear
Top picks for this trek
The gear that matters most on this route, chosen from its altitude, season and risks.
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Packing checklist
Matched to this trek: altitude, season, days and the risks on the route.
Packed 0 of 33
Nights near 4,560 m can drop close to freezing even in summer. Pack one more warm layer than you think.
Tick each item as it goes in the bag.
Know before you go
Good to know
- Mobile network
- Mobile signal in Tosh village; expect none higher up the Tosh valley (not confirmed by a source).
- Last ATM
- Kasol (TrekUp India notes there are no ATMs on the trek; carry cash)
- Nearest hospital
- Health centres at Manikaran and Kasol for first care; Regional Hospital Kullu for serious cases
- Water
- The trail follows the Tosh river with side streams and waterfalls near the camps; boil or treat all water.
Highlights
- Views of Papsura, Dharamsura, Devachan and the Deo Tibba range from the pass
- Shamshi Thach camp facing the Tosh glacier and Kullu Makalu peak
- Pine and oak forest along the Tosh river, then open meadows with rhododendron and juniper above the tree line
- An offbeat route from Tosh, the last village of the Tosh valley above the Parvati valley
Risks
- Day 4 is a long, steep climb on rough, uneven ground to about 4,560 m and back; start early and turn back if the weather closes in.
- Snow patches may lie on the trail between Sharam Thach and Shamshi Thach and below the pass; operators supply micro-spikes and gaiters.
- Altitude sickness is possible above 3,800 m; know the signs and descend if symptoms worsen.
- Monsoon (the operators' season) brings rain, slippery trails and swollen side streams in the Tosh valley.
- A Himachal disaster-management advisory (September 2022) restricted treks above 15,000 ft from 15 September and gave 1 May to 15 September as the suitable high-altitude season; the pass is just under that height, but check with Kullu district before a late-season trip.
- Beyond the pass lies an exploratory, glaciated route to Doangan Col and Manali that is not part of this trek.
Know before you go
Questions
Where does the Animal Pass trek start?
From Tosh village in the Tosh valley, a side valley of the Parvati valley in Kullu district. Operators meet at Kasol and drive about an hour to Tosh before the first day's walk to Buddhaban.
What is the best time for Animal Pass?
Operators sell it as a monsoon trek, best from June to September when the meadows are green. TrekUp India also lists May and October.
How difficult is the Animal Pass trek and how high is it?
Operators grade it moderate and recommend it for trekkers with prior experience. They give the pass as 4,560 m; satellite terrain at the mapped pass point reads about 4,750 m, and a 2018 expedition note gives 4,780 m. Summit day is about 8 hours on a steep, rough trail.
Do I need a permit for Animal Pass?
Guided groups include forest permits and camping charges in their price. We could not find a current official fee, so self-guided trekkers should check with the forest and district offices in Kullu or Kasol.
How long is the trek?
Bikat Adventures runs it as a 6-day, 37 km trip from Kasol to Kasol, camping at Buddhaban, Sharam Thach and Shamshi Thach.
In an emergency
Save these numbers before you lose signal. Tap to call.
- 112All emergenciesIndia’s single emergency number — works in every state
- 108Ambulance
- 1077District disaster control room
You are in
District: KulluHimachal Pradesh
- Nearest hospital
- Health centres at Manikaran and Kasol for first care; Regional Hospital Kullu for serious cases
- Last ATM
- Kasol (TrekUp India notes there are no ATMs on the trek; carry cash)
- Phone network
- Mobile signal in Tosh village; expect none higher up the Tosh valley (not confirmed by a source).
Before you set off
- Tell someone your route and when you will be back.
- Carry a charged phone and a power bank.
- Download an offline map of the route.
- Turn back if the weather turns bad — the mountain will wait.
Questions about Animal Pass
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Animal Pass Trek - Bikat Adventures — Bikat Adventures
- Animal Pass Trek - Complete Guide — TrekUp India
- Debabrata Mukherjee to explore a new trek route in Himachal — Dream Wanderlust
- Youths explore new trekking route — The Tribune
- Himachal Government restricts trekking in high-altitude tracks from September 15 — The Tribune (Himachal disaster-management advisory)
Photos: Timothy A. Gonsalves, CC BY-SA 4.0; Bishu Naik, CC BY-SA 4.0; Timothy A. Gonsalves, CC BY-SA 4.0
