Borasu Pass Trek
Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) and Kinnaur (Himachal Pradesh), Uttarakhand & Himachal Pradesh
- Max altitude
- 5,200 m
- Days
- 9 days
- Distance
- 62 km
- Difficulty
- Difficult
A remote high pass for experienced trekkers only: long days over boulders, scree and moraine above 4,000 m, a glacier with open and hidden crevasses below the pass, a steep descent that operators rope up, a 10-hour crossing day and no marked trail on the Himachal side.
Photos
On the trail
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Dehradun → Sankri
640 m → 1,920 m
Day 2
Sankri (drive to Taluka/Dhatmeer) → Seema
1,920 m → 2,560 m
Day 3
Seema → Har Ki Dun
2,560 m → 3,510 m
Day 4
Har Ki Dun → Ratha Tho (via Morinda Tal)
3,510 m → 4,110 m
Day 5
Ratha Tho → Saunbhera
4,110 m → 4,400 m
Day 6
Saunbhera → Upper Lamjung (pass base camp)
4,400 m → 4,730 m
Day 7 · highest point
Upper Lamjung → Bonga (via Borasu Pass)
4,730 m → 5,200 m → 4,500 m
Day 8
Bonga → Chitkul (via Rani Kanda)
4,500 m → 3,450 m
Day 9
Chitkul → Shimla (drive)
3,450 m → 2,200 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 · Sankri
at 1,920 mLoading forecast…
High point · Borasu Pass
at 5,200 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
- Sankri
- Nearest railway
- Dehradun (start); Shimla or Kalka (end)
- Nearest airport
- Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun
- By road
- Dehradun to Sankri (about 185-200 km, 8-9 hours via Mussoorie, Purola and Mori); Sankri to Taluka or Dhatmeer road head by local jeep (about 15-18 km, 1-2 hours); Chitkul back to Shimla (about 237 km, 10-12 hours via Sangla, Rampur and Narkanda)
- Drive
- About 9 h from Dehradun
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
₹20,000–32,000
With an operator
₹37,000–42,000
Per person, ex-Sankri/ex-Dehradun. Guided prices published October 2026: Bikat Adventures ₹35,500 + 5% GST ex-Sankri to Chitkul (Dehradun pickup and the Chitkul-Shimla taxi cost extra, shared per vehicle); Himalaya Shelter ₹36,000 + 5% GST ex-Dehradun. Self-guided is an estimate only: jeep to Sankri, an experienced local guide and porters for 7 trekking days, tents, food and forest fees, and the long drive out from Chitkul. A glacier crossing with crevasses should not be attempted without a guide who knows the route.
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 36
Snow on the trail in May: microspikes, gaiters and a warm layer are not optional.
Tick each item as it goes in the bag.
Know before you go
Good to know
- Mobile network
- Only BSNL and Jio work in Sankri; no mobile reception after Sankri until Chitkul on the Himachal side.
- Last ATM
- Sankri or Purola (Sankri's is unreliable); carry enough cash from Dehradun
- Nearest hospital
- Mori and Purola for first care on the Uttarakhand side; serious cases need evacuation to Dehradun or, after the pass, down the Baspa valley towards Shimla
- Water
- The Supin river and side streams up to Har Ki Dun and Morinda Tal; above Saunbhera water comes from glacier melt that can freeze overnight, and on the day from Bonga the first water is about 2.5 hours away, so carry 2 litres. Boil or treat all water.
Highlights
- Crossing a 5,000 m+ glaciated pass on the Uttarakhand-Himachal border, an old trade route between the Har Ki Dun and Baspa valleys
- Walking beyond Har Ki Dun to Morinda Tal and the quiet meadows of Ratha Tho, away from the crowds
- Close views of Swargarohini, Bandarpoonch and Kalanag from the upper Har Ki Dun valley
- Descending into Chitkul, the last village in the Baspa valley near the Tibet border
Risks
- TREKKING BAN: In late October 2021 the Kinnaur Deputy Commissioner banned trekking and mountaineering on all treks in Kinnaur district 'till further orders' under Section 34 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, warning of legal action against violators (Himachal Watcher, 26 October 2021), and on 7 September 2022 the Kinnaur administration also barred, with immediate effect, the treks that link Uttarkashi and Kinnaur (Amar Ujala). We found no order lifting either ban. This trek crosses from Uttarkashi into Kinnaur and ends at Chitkul: do not attempt it while the ban is in force, and confirm with the Kinnaur district administration at Reckong Peo before booking.
- The glacier below the pass has open and hidden crevasses; crampons or microspikes, helmets and a rope are used, and the first part of the descent is steep enough that operators fix ropes.
- The crossing day is about 10 hours over heavy boulders with no marked trail, and the next day to Chitkul is a long walk across an exposed boulder face.
- Altitude sickness: three nights are spent above 4,000 m and the pass is above 5,000 m; acclimatise and keep a buffer day.
- Weather changes fast near the pass, with fog, snowstorms and whiteouts even in season.
- Winter snow: Himalaya Shelter says heavy snowfall blocks the pass from mid-October to April, and Wikipedia notes snowfall after October; no operator runs the crossing in winter, so plan for May-June or September to early October.
- July and August bring heavy rain, landslides on the Sankri-Taluka road and slippery trails; Himalaya Shelter advises against these months, though Raacho Trekkers runs an August departure.
- No mobile signal between Sankri and Chitkul, and rescue from the upper valley is slow.
Know before you go
Questions
Is trekking to Borasu Pass allowed right now?
Not as far as we can find. In late October 2021 the Kinnaur Deputy Commissioner banned trekking and mountaineering on all treks in Kinnaur district 'till further orders' under Section 34 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, warning of legal action against violators (Himachal Watcher, 26 October 2021), and on 7 September 2022 the Kinnaur administration also barred, with immediate effect, the treks that link Uttarkashi and Kinnaur (Amar Ujala). We found no order lifting either ban. Do not attempt this trek while the ban is in force; check with the Kinnaur district administration at Reckong Peo before booking. Uttarkashi's administration said in 2022 that it has no ban of its own but would let trekkers go only if Kinnaur gives permission.
How long is the Borasu Pass trek and how many days does it take?
About 60-63 km of walking over 7 trekking days from Sankri to Chitkul. With the drive in from Dehradun and out to Shimla it is 8-10 days; Bikat Adventures adds a reserve day.
What is the altitude of Borasu Pass?
The point groups actually cross is about 5,200 m (17,060 ft): Bikat Adventures' itinerary gives 5,200 m, a Raacho Trekkers trek log lists the crossing at 5,203 m, and SRTM terrain data agrees. Wikipedia and several operators quote 5,450 m (17,880 ft) and others 5,360 m, but the same log says the mapped pass lies 500-600 m north-west along the ridge at nearly the same height, so the higher figures are not what trekkers reach.
Is Borasu Pass suitable for beginners?
No. Operators rate it difficult and ask for prior high-altitude trekking experience, because of the crevassed glacier, roped descent and long boulder days.
What is the best time for the Borasu Pass trek?
May-June and September to early October. July-August is rainy and landslide-prone, and Himalaya Shelter says heavy snow blocks the pass from mid-October to April.
Where does the trek start and end?
It starts at Sankri in Uttarkashi district (the walk begins after a jeep ride to Taluka or Dhatmeer) and ends at Chitkul in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh. Some operators run it in reverse from Chitkul.
Do I need a permit for Borasu Pass?
Yes. The route passes through Govind National Park, so forest entry and camping fees apply, and guided groups arrange these. We could not confirm the current official fees, so self-guided trekkers should check at the forest office in Sankri.
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: Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) and Kinnaur (Himachal Pradesh)Uttarakhand · Himachal Pradesh
- Nearest hospital
- Mori and Purola for first care on the Uttarakhand side; serious cases need evacuation to Dehradun or, after the pass, down the Baspa valley towards Shimla
- Last ATM
- Sankri or Purola (Sankri's is unreliable); carry enough cash from Dehradun
- Phone network
- Only BSNL and Jio work in Sankri; no mobile reception after Sankri until Chitkul on the Himachal side.
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 Borasu Pass
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Borasu Pass Trek — Bikat Adventures
- Borasu Pass Trek - Best time to visit, Itinerary, Weather, Cost — Himalaya Shelter
- Borasu Pass Trek | Sankri to Chitkul — Himalayan High
- Borasu Pass Trek (Itinerary & Cost) — Raacho Trekkers
- Borasu Pass Trek Log — Raacho Trekkers
- Borasu Pass — Wikipedia
- Borasu Pass Trek — Himalayan Hikers
- Trekking in Kinnaur banned after two tragedies — Himachal Watcher
- Kinnaur administration banned trekking on Uttarkashi-Kinnaur route — Amar Ujala
Photos: Biswajit Majumdar, CC BY-SA 3.0; Pawanranta, CC BY-SA 4.0
