How to reach Kunzum Pass from Chandigarh- 2023 Updated

With spectacular views of Lahaul Valley and Spiti Valley, Kunzum Pass is a high altitude mountain pass which divides these both valleys. This blog will share complete knowledge of how to reach Kunzum Pass from Chandigarh through different modes.  

Where is Kunzum Pass located?

Kunzum Pass is located in Lahaul and Spiti District of Himachal Pradesh, It is a high altitude mountain pass dividing Lahaul & Spiti valleys. Spiti river originates from here.

Name of the Place	Kunzum Pass (कुंजम दर्रा )
State	Himachal Pradesh
District	Lahaul & Spiti
Elevation	4500  m, 14800 ft
Accessibility	By road
Best time to visit	June  – September

How to reach Kunzum Pass from Chandigarh

Kunzum Pass is connected by road and accessible majorly during summers.  There are two options to reach Kunzum Pass by road, One is via Shimla, Rampur which is open throughout the year except during heaving snowfall

The distance between Kunzum Pass from Chandigarh is around 630 Km. 

Another option is Via Manali which is open only for 4 months a year.

There are different modes by which one can reach Kunzum Pass.

How to reach Kunzum Pass from Chandigarh by Road

There are various options to reach Kunzum Pass by road.

 You can refer to the below table to plan your journey to Kunzum Pass.

Sr. No.	Location	Distance (Km)	Elevation (ft)	Elevation (m)	Time  (Hr)
1	Chandigarh	0	700	225	00:00
2	Solan	70	5100	1550	02:00
3	Shimla	120	7200	2200	03:30
4	Kufri	135	8500	2600	04:15
5	Narkanda	180	8900	2700	05:45
6	Rampur	240	3300	1000	07:30
7	Bhaba Nagar	290	5100	1550	09:15
8	Tapri	310	5600	1700	09:45
9	Karcham	320	5900	1800	10:00
10	Reckong Peo	335	7900	2400	10:30
11	Khab	410	8500	2600	12:15
12	Nako	445	12000	3650	12:55
13	Tabo	510	10800	3300	14:40
14	Kaza	540	12100	3700	16:10
15	Kunzum Pass	630	14800	4500	19:10

How to reach Kunzum Pass from Chandigarh on a Bus

If you want to travel to Himachal with a limited budget then traveling by Bus would be the best option. Unlike other hilly states, the bus network in Himachal is very good and night service is also available.

Himachal Pradesh State Owned Buses are called HRTC buses ( Himachal Road Transport Corporation buses). They are usually green/blue in color.   

There are multiple options to reach Kunzum Pass by bus. You can take the bus to major bus stands / ISBTs and then a further connecting bus can be taken.

Before moving to the options we need to understand the route map. 

Option – 1 Chandigarh – Reckong Peo by bus and then Reckong Peo to Kaza by another bus and then to Kunzum pass

Below are the bus details you can choose

From Chandigarh to Reckong Peo:

SR. No.	SERVICE NO.	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	DURATION	DEPOT	TYPE	ORIGIN	DESTINATION	ONLINE BOOKING
1	556	1:10 AM	3:00 PM	13:50 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE	RECONGPEO	NO
2	1220	1:30 AM	2:15 PM	12:45 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	HARIDWAR	RECONGPEO	NO
3	1513	4:44 AM	7:00 PM	14:16 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	YES
4	CHD-RPO	6:05 AM	7:00 PM	12:55 Hrs	REC PEO	HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 NON AC	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
5	1511	5:50 PM	7:00 AM	13:10 Hrs	REC PEO	HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 NON AC	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	YES
6	CHD-SML-RPO	6:00 PM	7:00 AM	13:00 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
7	1512	7:00 PM	9:00 AM	14:00 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	KALPA	YES

From   Reckong Peo to Kaza.

You can take a bus for  Kaza from Reckong Peo.

SR. No.	SERVICE NO.	RECONGPEO	Kunzum Pass	DURATION	DEPOT	TYPE	ORIGIN	DESTINATION	ONLINE BOOKING
1	RPO-KZA-01	5:30 AM	3:00 PM	9:30 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	RECONGPEO	Kunzum Pass	NO
2	RPO-KZA-02	7:30 AM	5:00 PM	9:30 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	RECONGPEO	Kunzum Pass	NO

From  Kaza  to Kunzum pass

SR. No.	SERVICE NO.	KAZA	KUNZUM LA	DURATION	DEPOT	TYPE	ORIGIN	DESTINATION	ONLINE BOOKING
1	KZA-KLU	5:00 AM	8:00 AM	3:00 Hrs	KEYLONG	ORDINARY	KAZA	KULLU	NO

Option – 2 Chandigarh to Manali, then to Kunzum Pass.

Bus service from  Chandigarh to Manali is also  frequent. 

From Manali to Kunzum Pass Travel you can read this blog with complete details of Buses.

For online booking of buses on the HRTC website kindly Click here

Note: If you are planning to take an offline HRTC bus, kindly confirm the timings from the HRTC Depot office before finalization. Click here to know the phone numbers. 

 How to reach Kunzum Pass from Chandigarh on your own Vehicle

If you have good exposure to driving on mountainous roads and your vehicle is an SUV then this is a perfect option to travel to Kunzum Pass. Below are Key things to be considered while traveling to Kunzum Pass on your own driving.

For Option – 1

1. The travel time is more than  19 hrs.
2. Roads till Solan are good ( separate lanes for up and down traffic).   
3. Highway up to Karcham after that single-lane road.
4. You don’t require a 4X4 vehicle there as the normal vehicle can reach there.
5. The road from Rampur to Kunzum Pass is considered among the most dangerous roads so driving should be done carefully.
6. There would be many landslide-prone areas that are treacherous during the rainy season.
7. In winter there would be high snowfall above Shimla to Narkanda and then in the Kinnaur district so weather updates to be taken before the start of the journey.
8. There are limited petrol pumps the way after Rampur.

For Option – 2

1. One can easily reach Manali from Chandigarh.
2. The route after a few kilometers from the Atal tunnel is totally bad in shape and opens for only 4 months a year. So please make sure you are well prepared for that terrain.
3. The travel time is more than 8 hrs Kunzum Pass from Manali, so please make sure you start early in the day as during the rest of the day the water level in the crossing is high.
4. There is no network/support on this route. Make sure you are having cold prevention set up in case you get stuck somewhere. 
5. If you are having a 4X4 vehicle then this is a good option.
6. Cancel or postpone your travel if there is bad weather.
7. on Manali – Kunzum Pass route petrol pump is only at  Manali.

How to reach Kunzum Pass from Chandigarh on a bike

Nowadays traveling into the Himalayas on Bike is becoming a trend. Lots of bikers every year travel to remote areas and enjoy the beauty. Reaching Kunzum Pass on a bike would be the dream for every adventure lover. Kindly consider the below points before planning a trip to Kunzum Pass on a bike.

1. Every bike can reach Kunzum Pass but prefer a bike with > 150 cc engine if you are with a pillion rider. 
2. Ride carefully as the road from Rampur to Kunzum Pass is considered a dangerous road so driving should be done carefully.
3. Carry rain covers along as there might be rainy uphill while there is a clear sky on the plains.
4. There are many landslide-prone areas that are treacherous during the rainy season.
5. During winters Bike riding is not advisable as there will be snowfall / black ice on roads and bike riding is extremely dangerous..
6. There are limited petrol pumps the way after Rampur so please plan and fill the tank based upon the fuel consumption of your bike. 

How to reach Kunzum Pass from Chandigarh on a Taxi

Taxis can easily be hired for Kunzum Pass and there are many options available on the online platforms. Following key things to be considered while taxing taxis to Kunzum Pass.

1. Drivers should be experienced in traveling in these areas.
2. Vehicle to be comfortable since travel time would be more than 19 hrs.
3. Ground clearance of the Vehicle to be good.
4. Negotiate well before finalization.

How to reach Kunzum Pass from Chandigarh by Train

The nearest railway station en route to Kunzum Pass is the Shimla railway station. But this station is on the narrow gauge. You need to change trains from Kalka railway station. The Kalka railway station is for both broad gauge and narrow gauge. You can easily reach Kalka railway station from Chandigarh which is less than an Hour.

How to reach Kunzum Pass from Chandigarh by air

Since Kunzum Pass is located deep  in the Himalayas, there is no major airport nearby.

The nearest airport en route to Kunzum Pass is Shimla airport and Bhuntar airport

Summary – “How to reach Kunzum Pass from Chandigarh”

Let’s summarize what we have understood in this blog  “How to reach Kunzum Pass from Chandigarh ”

• Kunzum Pass is a high altitude mountain pass located in the Lahaul & Spiti District of Himachal Pradesh at around 630 KM from Chandigarh.
• Kunzum Pass can be reached during summers but the best time is from April – June and then from September – October.
• Kunzum Pass can be reached by self-driven car, bike, taxi, and by Bus.
• Nearest railway station is  Shimla which is narrow gauge. The train can be taken from Kalka.
• Nearest airport is Shimla airport but no direct service from Chandigarh.
• Cheapest way to reach Kunzum Pass is by the HRTC bus and many options are available.

We hope you have got a good understanding of “How to reach Kunzum Pass from Chandigarh ”. If you want to give suggestions on this blog ” please comment.

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