Kalihani Pass Trek
Kullu, Himachal Pradesh
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- Max altitude
- 4,800 m
- Days
- 8 days
- Distance
- 45 km
- Difficulty
- Difficult
A climb from about 2,000 m at Manali to a 4,800 m glacier pass in five days. Pass day starts around 4 am and takes 9-10 hours over snow slopes, moraine and the Kalihani glacier, and Bikat asks for a completed level-4 (BRS 4) trek beforehand.
Photos
On the trail
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Manali (drive 30 km to Sangchar) → Jammu Paani
2,050 m → 3,000 m
Day 2
Jammu Paani → Pani Dhar (via Maheli Thach)
3,000 m → 3,300 m
Day 3
Pani Dhar → Riyali Thach
3,300 m → 3,647 m
Day 4
Riyali Thach → Saghor (Kalihani Pass base camp)
3,647 m → 4,000 m
Day 5 · highest point
Saghor → Saghor (via Kalihani Pass and back)
4,000 m → 4,800 m → 4,000 m
Day 6
Saghor → Rani Sui lake (via Riyali Thach)
4,000 m → 3,400 m
Day 7
Rani Sui → Lamadugh (via Khanpari Tibba)
3,400 m → 4,000 m → 3,000 m
Day 8
Lamadugh → Manali (via Hadimba Devi temple)
3,000 m → 2,000 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 · Manali
at 2,050 mLoading forecast…
High point · Kalihani Pass (Kalihen Jot)
at 4,800 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
- Manali
- Nearest railway
- Joginder Nagar (narrow gauge); Chandigarh or Ambala for broad gauge
- Nearest airport
- Bhuntar Airport (Kullu), about 50 km from Manali
- By road
- Delhi to Manali (about 540 km, overnight bus); Chandigarh to Manali (about 305 km); Manali to Sangchar trailhead (about 30 km by jeep) on the Sangchar route
- Drive
- About 13 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
₹15,000–30,000
With an operator
₹19,400–64,000
Per person, ex-Manali (Manali to Manali). Guided prices published October 2026: Himtrek ₹18,500 + 5% GST (no 2026 dates listed); Bikat Adventures ₹19,400 + 5% GST; Trekup India ₹28,450 + 5% GST (includes the shared jeep to Sangchar); Himalaya Shelter ₹61,000 + 5% GST. Operators say forest and camping permits are included. Self-guided is an estimate only: a local guide who knows the glacier, porters or mules for 7-8 days of food and tents, and a jeep to Sangchar; costs fall when a group shares them.
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 4,800 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
- Good network in Manali; Bikat says none of the campsites has mobile signal.
- Last ATM
- Manali (no ATMs on the trail)
- Nearest hospital
- Manali (civil hospital and Mission Hospital) for first care; Kullu for more serious cases. Evacuation from Saghor means walking down to Sangchar or Manali.
- Water
- Streams near the camps, including the glacier-fed stream below Riyali Thach that is crossed on a snow bridge; boil or treat all water.
Highlights
- Views of Deo Tibba, Indrasan, Hanuman Tibba and the Pir Panjal from the 4,800 m pass, with the Bara Bhangal side opening up beyond it
- Wildflower meadows at Riyali Thach and on the ridge walk to Saghor
- Rani Sui, a small lake held sacred by local people, with views of the Dhauladhar range
- An old Gaddi shepherd route from the Kullu valley towards Bara Bhangal
- Oak, deodar and pine forest on the descent past Lamadugh to the Hadimba Devi temple in Manali
Risks
- Pass day crosses snow slopes, scree, moraine and the Kalihani glacier; Bikat and Trekup supply crampons and gaiters. Snow lies near the pass until about early July, and in September-October the final climb is over moraine and ice.
- Altitude sickness is a real risk: the route gains about 2,750 m from Manali to the pass in five days, and there is no road or mobile signal above Sangchar and Manali.
- July-August monsoon rain makes the lower trail slippery and brings landslide and flash-flood risk (Himalaya Shelter); several operators prefer June or September-October.
- Fresh snow can fall from late September, and October nights drop to about -6 °C.
- In 2022 the Himachal government restricted trekking above 15,000 ft (about 4,570 m) after 15 September following accidents in Kullu and Kinnaur. Kalihani (about 15,750 ft) is above that line. We could not confirm whether a similar order applies in 2026; check with the Kullu district administration or forest office in Manali before an autumn trek.
Know before you go
Questions
How difficult is the Kalihani Pass trek?
Most operators grade it difficult. Bikat asks for a completed BRS 4 trek and says it is not technical but physically strenuous: about 45 km over 8 days with a 9-10 hour pass day from about 4 am over snow, moraine and glacier to 4,800 m.
When is the best time to do the Kalihani Pass trek?
Mid-June to mid-October. Tour My India says the top is usually reachable after about 15 June; June and early July have more snow near the pass, July-August bring monsoon rain lower down, and September to early October usually give clear post-monsoon views with some risk of fresh snow.
Where does the Kalihani Pass trek start?
In Manali. Bikat and Trekup India drive about 30 km to Sangchar and walk up via Jammu Paani, Pani Dhar and Riyali Thach, returning via Rani Sui and Lamadugh to Manali. Himalayan Hikers and Himalaya Shelter walk out of Manali through Lamadugh to Riyali Thach instead.
Is Kalihani Pass the same as the Bara Bhangal trek?
Kalihani is the first of the two passes on the Bara Bhangal crossover. The Kalihani Pass trek goes up to the pass from the Manali side and returns to Manali in 7-8 days; the Bara Bhangal trek crosses Kalihani, descends to Bara Bhangal village and exits over Thamsar Pass to Billing.
Do I need a permit, and is there mobile network?
Operators say forest and camping permits are needed and include them in the trek fee; we found no current official fee, so self-guided trekkers should ask at the forest office in Manali. Manali has all networks but none of the campsites has mobile signal, and the last ATM is in Manali.
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
- Manali (civil hospital and Mission Hospital) for first care; Kullu for more serious cases. Evacuation from Saghor means walking down to Sangchar or Manali.
- Last ATM
- Manali (no ATMs on the trail)
- Phone network
- Good network in Manali; Bikat says none of the campsites has mobile signal.
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 Kalihani Pass
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Kalihani Pass Trek — Bikat Adventures
- Kalihani Pass Trek: 8-Day Stunning Himalayan Adventure — Himtrek
- Kalihani Pass Trek Gateway to Bara Bhangal in Manali — Himalayan Hikers
- Kalihani Pass Trek 2026 | High Pass Crossing, Alpine Lakes, Itinerary & Best Time — Trekup India
- Kalihani Pass Trek — Himalaya Shelter
- Kalihani Pass Trek — Tour My India
- Himachal Government restricts trekking in high-altitude tracks from September 15 — The Tribune
Photos: Kiran Jonnalagadda from Bangalore, India, CC BY-SA 2.0; Hippiefromhills, CC BY-SA 4.0
