Sin La Pass Trek
Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand
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- Max altitude
- 5,495 m
- Days
- 11 days
- Distance
- 85 km
- Difficulty
- Challenging
A high-pass crossing of about 5,300-5,500 m between Jolingkong in the Kuthi Yankti valley and Bidang in the Darma valley. The pass carries snow for much of the year, both sides are steep and rocky, the trail fades into loose scree and exposed scrambling near the top, and the crossing day climbs about 1,000 m and descends about 1,500 m.
Photos
On the trail
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Kathgodam → Dharchula
560 m → 950 m
Day 2
Dharchula (collect Inner Line Permit) → Budhi (by road via Malpa)
950 m → 2,750 m
Day 3
Budhi → Gunji (by road via Chiyalekh)
2,750 m → 3,222 m
Day 4
Gunji → Kuti
3,222 m → 3,857 m
Day 5
Kuti → Jolingkong
3,857 m → 4,443 m
Day 6
Jolingkong → Jolingkong (via Parvati Kund and Gauri Kund)
4,443 m → 4,550 m → 4,443 m
Day 7 · highest point
Jolingkong → Bidang (via Sin La)
4,443 m → 5,495 m → 3,950 m
Day 8
Bidang → Dugtu (via Tidang)
3,950 m → 3,250 m
Day 9
Dugtu → Dugtu (via Panchachuli Base Camp)
3,250 m → 3,500 m → 3,250 m
Day 10
Dugtu → Dharchula
3,250 m → 950 m
Day 11
Dharchula → Kathgodam
950 m → 560 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 · Dharchula
at 3,222 mLoading forecast…
High point · Sin La
at 5,495 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
- Dharchula
- Nearest railway
- Kathgodam (Tanakpur is nearer but has fewer trains)
- Nearest airport
- Naini Saini Airport, Pithoragarh (limited regional flights); Pantnagar for more connections
- By road
- Kathgodam to Dharchula (about 260-290 km, 9-10 hours); Dharchula to Budhi and Gunji on the Dharchula-Lipulekh road; the road now continues past Kuti to Jolingkong; Exit from the Darma side: Dugtu to Dharchula (about 80 km by jeep via Dar and Sobla)
- Drive
- About 10 h from Haldwani
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
₹18,000–30,000
With an operator
₹40,000–70,000
Per person, ex-Kathgodam. Estimates only: neither Himalayan High (private trips, quote on request) nor Himalayan Hikers publishes a price for this route, and we found no other published package. The guided range is reasoned from 2026 Adi Kailash packages (KMVN about ₹37,800 ex-Dharchula; Himalayan Dream Treks ₹40,000 + GST for 7 days) plus four extra camping days and a pass crossing with local guide and porters. Self-guided is an estimate: shared taxi Kathgodam-Dharchula and back, local 4x4 to Gunji and out of the Darma valley, a local guide who knows the pass (strongly advised), porter or mule, tent and food for the Jolingkong-Bidang camps, and homestays in Gunji, Kuti and Dugtu.
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
Nights near 5,495 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
- Patchy BSNL and Jio around Dharchula, Gunji and the lower Darma villages; no reliable signal at Jolingkong, on the pass or at Bidang. ITBP posts on both sides have satellite phones for emergencies.
- Last ATM
- Dharchula (it can run out of cash; draw money in Pithoragarh). No cards or UPI beyond Dharchula.
- Nearest hospital
- Community Health Centre, Dharchula for first care; District Hospital, Pithoragarh for serious cases; ITBP medical post at Gunji
- Water
- Streams and glacier melt along the Kuthi Yankti and Dhauli valleys and near Jolingkong and Bidang camps; little reliable water on the pass itself, so fill bottles at Jolingkong. Treat all water.
Highlights
- Crossing a 5,000 m-plus pass on the old Bhotiya trade route that links the Byans (Kuthi Yankti) and Darma valleys
- Darshan of Adi Kailash (Chhota Kailash, 6,191 m) and Parvati Kund at Jolingkong, the camp below the pass
- Stone villages of Gunji and Kuti in the Kuthi Yankti valley, then Bidang, Tidang and Dugtu in the Darma valley
- An optional walk to Panchachuli Base Camp below the Meola Glacier on the way out (see our Darma Valley page)
Risks
- The pass holds snow for much of the year; the route over the top is steep, rocky and hard to follow in cloud. The Pithoragarh district page says ITBP and SPF personnel decide whether you may cross to Bedang, and if not you must turn back.
- Altitude: the road lifts you from about 950 m to over 3,200 m within two days, and the pass is about 1,000 m above the last camp. Rest at Gunji or Kuti and turn back if headache or breathlessness worsens.
- Monsoon: Inner Line Permits for Jolingkong were suspended from July in 2025 and 2026 because of landslides on the Dharchula-Lipulekh road; roads in both valleys can close at short notice in any month.
- Border area: carry the Inner Line Permit, photo ID and medical papers, and register at every ITBP post (Gunji, Jolingkong, Bidang, Tidang).
- Start the crossing very early; afternoon cloud and whiteout are common near the top, and the descent to Bidang is long.
Know before you go
Questions
Where is Sin La and what does it connect?
Sin La is a high pass in Dharchula tehsil, Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand. It links Jolingkong, the camp below Adi Kailash in the Kuthi Yankti (Byans) valley, with Bidang (Bedang) in the Darma valley. It was once a Bhotiya trade route.
How high is Sin La?
Wikipedia and Himalayan Hikers give 5,495 m and a 2004 Himalayan Journal account heads it 5,500 m. Himalayan High lists 5,323-5,350 m, and a 30 m satellite elevation model gives about 5,370 m at the pass point in OpenStreetMap. Expect somewhere between 5,300 and 5,500 m.
Do I need a permit for the Sin La trek?
Yes. Both valleys are in the Inner Line border area, so Indian trekkers need an Inner Line Permit from the SDM office in Dharchula, and you must register at the ITBP posts on the way. ITBP and SPF personnel decide on the spot whether the pass may be crossed. We could not confirm the current fee from an official source, so check at the SDM office in Dharchula.
When is the best time to cross Sin La?
May-June and September-October, according to Himalayan High and Himalayan Hikers. Permits for Jolingkong have been suspended in the monsoon (July-August), and in winter the route is snowbound.
How many days does the Sin La trek take?
Operators run it as an 11- to 14-day trip from Kathgodam. Himalayan High's plan is 11 days from Dharchula with 6 walking days; Himalayan Hikers runs 14 days with an Om Parvat detour and extra rest days.
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: PithoragarhUttarakhand
- Nearest hospital
- Community Health Centre, Dharchula for first care; District Hospital, Pithoragarh for serious cases; ITBP medical post at Gunji
- Last ATM
- Dharchula (it can run out of cash; draw money in Pithoragarh). No cards or UPI beyond Dharchula.
- Phone network
- Patchy BSNL and Jio around Dharchula, Gunji and the lower Darma villages; no reliable signal at Jolingkong, on the pass or at Bidang. ITBP posts on both sides have satellite phones for emergencies.
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 Sin La Pass
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Sinla Pass Trek - Kuthi Yankti to Darma Valley — Himalayan High
- Sinla Pass Trek | A high Pass Trek in 'Little Kashmir' Uttarakhand — Himalayan Hikers
- Pithoragarh district (redirect from Sin La): table of passes — Wikipedia
- More High Passes in Kumaun (Himalayan Journal 63; Shin La, July 2004) — The Himalayan Club
- Pithoragarh Sin La Pass Trek (7 Nights - 8 Days) — Tour My India
- Chota Kailash | District Pithoragarh, Government of Uttarakhand — District Administration Pithoragarh (official)
- Best Treks in Kumaon Himalayas (12. Sinla Pass Trek) — Himalayan Dream Treks
- Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh admn stops issuing permits for visiting Adi Kailash temple (PTI, 9 July 2025) — The Week (PTI)
- Adi Kailash Yatra suspended due to monsoon (4 July 2026) — The Pioneer
