Dharansi Pass Trek
Chamoli, Uttarakhand
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- Max altitude
- 4,261 m
- Days
- 7 days
- Distance
- 55 km
- Difficulty
- Difficult
Day three climbs about 1,400 m from Lata to Lata Kharak in one push, the Dharansi ridge sits above 4,000 m with strong cold winds at night, and the optional Debrugheta day is a 14 km round trip that ends with a steep 750 m climb back to camp. Operators rate it moderate to difficult and not for first-timers.
Photos
On the trail
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Rishikesh → Joshimath
340 m → 1,875 m
Day 2
Joshimath → Lata village (drive to the Lata roadhead, then walk)
1,875 m → 2,370 m
Day 3
Lata village → Lata Kharak (via Bhelta)
2,370 m → 3,780 m
Day 4 · highest point
Lata Kharak → Dharansi camp (via Jhandi Dhar)
3,780 m → 4,261 m → 4,100 m
Day 5 · highest point
Dharansi camp → Dharansi camp (round trip to Debrugheta meadow)
4,100 m → 4,261 m → 4,100 m
Day 6
Dharansi camp → Hitoli (via Jhandi Dhar and Tolma)
4,100 m → 2,896 m
Day 7
Hitoli → Joshimath (trek to Surai Thota, then jeep)
2,896 m → 1,875 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 · Lata
at 1,875 mLoading forecast…
High point · Dharansi Pass
at 4,261 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
- Lata (nearest town: Joshimath)
- Nearest railway
- Rishikesh (Yog Nagari Rishikesh); Haridwar for more trains
- Nearest airport
- Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun
- By road
- Rishikesh to Joshimath (about 253 km via Devprayag, Rudraprayag and Chamoli); Joshimath to the Lata roadhead (about 25 km on the Malari road, about 1.5 hours by jeep); Surai Thota back to Joshimath (about 30 km by shared jeep)
- Drive
- About 10 h from Rishikesh
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
₹12,000–20,000
With an operator
₹20,000–55,000
Per person, ex-Joshimath. Guided: Bikat Adventures publishes ₹19,950 + 5% GST (8 days, Joshimath to Joshimath); euttaranchal.com lists ₹40,000-50,000 for a group fixed departure and ₹55,000 for a private trek. Himalaya Shelter quotes on demand. Self-guided is an estimate for a small group that hires a local Lata guide and porter (entry into the national park is by forest permit and is usually arranged through an approved operator): guide and porter wages for 6 days, tent and sleeping-bag hire, food, jeeps and forest entry fees; bus fare to Joshimath extra.
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 4,261 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
- Reliable signal only up to Joshimath; a phone may catch a signal at Lata Kharak during the day, but there is no dependable coverage on the trail.
- Last ATM
- Joshimath (no ATM in Lata or Surai Thota; carry cash)
- Nearest hospital
- Health sub-centre in Lata village for first aid; Joshimath for the nearest hospital; AIIMS Rishikesh or Dehradun for serious cases
- Water
- Good water at Bhelta and small streams on the climb to Lata Kharak; many water points in the forest on the descent to Hitoli. Debrugheta has no usable drinking water, so carry enough for the whole round trip. Treat all water.
Highlights
- One of the few walks into Nanda Devi National Park, which was closed to visitors in the early 1980s and partly reopened to trekkers in 2004
- Close views of Dunagiri, Bethartoli, Hathi-Ghoda and the peaks around the Nanda Devi Sanctuary from Lata Kharak and the Jhandi Dhar ridge
- Camping on the high Dharansi meadows above 4,000 m and an optional day down to the Debrugheta pasture at the edge of the inner sanctuary
- Darshan at the stone temple of Mata Nanda Devi in Lata village, the starting point of the trek
- A traverse that climbs from Lata and descends a different way through forest to Hitoli and Surai Thota
Risks
- Steep 1,400 m gain from Lata to Lata Kharak in one day; acclimatise well, as altitude sickness is possible above 4,000 m.
- Strong, cold winds on the Dharansi ridge, especially at night; if winds are severe, groups drop back to Lata Kharak instead of camping on the pass.
- The descent to Debrugheta is narrow, loose and slippery, and the return climb takes about 5 hours.
- Monsoon (July-August) brings slippery trails, poor visibility, leeches and landslides on the Joshimath-Malari road; operators advise against it.
- No trekker may go beyond Debrugheta: the inner Nanda Devi Sanctuary remains closed. Evacuation beyond Lata is difficult.
Know before you go
Questions
Is the Nanda Devi Sanctuary open for trekking?
Only partly. The government banned entry to the sanctuary and made it a national park in the early 1980s. In 2004 it partly reopened the park to a limited number of trekkers, who may go as far as the Dharansi and Debrugheta meadows. The inner sanctuary beyond Debrugheta stays closed.
Do I need a permit for the Dharansi Pass trek?
Yes. The route is inside Nanda Devi National Park, so a forest permit from the Divisional Forest Officer at Joshimath is mandatory, and visits are usually booked through a forest-approved operator. Guided packages include the forest fees for Indian nationals; foreigners pay extra. We could not confirm the current official fee, so check with the forest office in Joshimath.
What is the best time to do the Dharansi Pass trek?
May to June, when rhododendrons bloom and the meadows turn green, and September to October, for the clearest views after the monsoon. Avoid July and August. From November to April the pass is snowbound and the trek is not run.
How high is Dharansi Pass and how long is the trek?
Dharansi Pass is about 4,261 m (13,980 ft). The trek covers about 55 km over five walking days, usually sold as 7 days from Joshimath or 8 days from Rishikesh.
Is Dharansi Pass suitable for beginners?
It is not recommended without prior Himalayan trekking experience. Operators rate it moderate to difficult and ask for 7-10 days of earlier high-altitude trekking and the fitness to jog 5 km in about 30 minutes.
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: ChamoliUttarakhand
- Nearest hospital
- Health sub-centre in Lata village for first aid; Joshimath for the nearest hospital; AIIMS Rishikesh or Dehradun for serious cases
- Last ATM
- Joshimath (no ATM in Lata or Surai Thota; carry cash)
- Phone network
- Reliable signal only up to Joshimath; a phone may catch a signal at Lata Kharak during the day, but there is no dependable coverage on the trail.
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 Dharansi Pass
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Dharansi Pass Trek — Bikat Adventures
- Dharansi Pass Trek — Trek The Himalayas
- Dharansi Pass Trek — Himalaya Shelter
- Dharansi Pass Trek (documented trek) — Indiahikes
- Dharansi Pass Trekking Tour — euttaranchal.com
- Complete guide on Nanda Devi National Park and Valley of Flowers trek in Uttarakhand — StayVista
- Nanda Devi National Park — Outlook Traveller
Photos: Mountain Shepherds, CC BY-SA 4.0; Cliohimalayan, CC BY-SA 4.0
