Part of the Sach Pass complete guide · Tags: #distances #getting-there #planning
Sach Pass is about 120 km from Chamba, 30 km from Bairagarh and 46 km from Killar. From Dalhousie it's roughly 165–175 km, from Pathankot about 240 km, and from Manali roughly 245 km the long way round, through the Atal Tunnel, Lahaul and Pangi. The kilometres are the easy part: the last 30 km to the top usually take two to three hours on their own.
On this page
From the nearest towns to the top
The figures people most often need, with the road you’ll be on and how long it really takes:
| From | To the top of Sach Pass | Road | Time, one way |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bairagarh | About 30 km | Unpaved: rock, ruts, streams | 2–3 hours |
| Satrundi | About 14 km | Unpaved | About 1–1½ hours |
| Tissa | About 57 km | Paved to Bairagarh, then unpaved | 3½–4½ hours |
| Chamba | About 120 km | 90 km mostly paved, 30 km unpaved | 6–8 hours with stops |
| Dalhousie | Roughly 165–175 km | Hill road to Chamba, then as above | 8–10 hours with stops |
| Killar | About 46 km | Unpaved, steep on the Pangi side | 2½–3½ hours |
| Udaipur (Lahaul) | Roughly 125 km | Rough road along the Chenab, then the pass | A long day |
| Manali | Roughly 245 km | Paved to Tandi, rough through Pangi | Two days, with a night in Killar |
Chamba is the usual starting point, and the figures for Dalhousie, Pathankot and further away all run through it.
The road in sections, Chamba to Manali
If you’re crossing from one side to the other, these are the legs, in order:
| Section | Distance | Height at the end | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chamba → Tissa | 63 km | ~1,570 m | Mostly paved |
| Tissa → Bairagarh | 27 km | ~2,800 m | Last petrol pump before the pass |
| Bairagarh → Satrundi | 16 km | ~3,400 m | Unpaved from here; police check post |
| Satrundi → Sach Pass | 14 km | ~4,414 m | Snow walls early in the season |
| Sach Pass → Bagotu | About 10 km | ~3,600 m | Steep descent |
| Bagotu → Killar | About 36 km | ~2,590 m | Down into Pangi; no petrol pump in Pangi |
| Killar → Udaipur | About 78 km | ~2,740 m | Dusty cliff road along the Chenab |
| Udaipur → Tandi | About 40 km | — | First fuel since Bairagarh |
| Tandi → Keylong | About 8 km | ~3,080 m | Lahaul’s main town |
| Keylong → Manali | About 71 km | ~2,000 m | Through the 9 km Atal Tunnel |
The fuel gap stands out: from Bairagarh to Tandi is roughly 190 km of slow road with no petrol pump. Fill up fully at Bairagarh, and carry spare fuel if you’re going on through Pangi.
From the cities
To the top of the pass, through Chamba:
| From | To Chamba | To the top of Sach Pass |
|---|---|---|
| Pathankot (station or airport) | About 120 km | About 240 km |
| Kangra airport (Gaggal) | About 150 km | About 270 km |
| Dharamshala | Roughly 120–130 km by the Jot road | Roughly 240–250 km |
| Chandigarh | Roughly 390–400 km | Roughly 510–520 km |
| Delhi | Roughly 600 km | Roughly 720 km |
Nobody should try any of the city distances in one go. How to split the journey, and how to reach Chamba by train, air or bus, is in how to reach Sach Pass.
Why the times are longer than the kilometres suggest
On a highway, 120 km is under two hours. To the top of Sach Pass from Chamba it’s most of a day, for three reasons:
- The paved part is a hill road. From Chamba to Bairagarh the road is narrow and winding, with buses, trucks and villages. Averages of 20–30 km an hour are normal.
- The last 30 km are unpaved. Above Bairagarh you’re in low gear on rock and through meltwater streams, often at walking pace.
- You have to stop and wait. For oncoming vehicles where the road is one lane, for a stream to drop, or for a road crew clearing a slide.
So plan by hours, not kilometres. The common split is Chamba to Bairagarh one day and over the top the next morning: see our 3, 5 and 7-day itineraries.
Trips that fit this post
All Sach Pass packagesSach Pass Taxi Package
Sit back in a high-clearance SUV with a driver who knows the road: Chamba, a night in Bairagarh, over the top to Killar and back.
- Taxi
Sach Pass & Pangi Valley Circuit
Cross Sach Pass to Killar and stay three nights in Pangi: the side valleys of Sural and Hudan, Mindhal's temple and the cliff roads above the Chenab.
- Circuit
- Taxi
Quick answers
How many kilometres is it from Chamba to the top?
About 120 km: roughly 90 km of mostly paved road to Bairagarh, then 30 km of rough road to the top. Allow six to eight hours one way with stops.
How far is Sach Pass from Dalhousie?
Roughly 165–175 km, depending on which road you take to Chamba. That is why we advise a night in Bairagarh rather than a same-day trip.
How far is Killar from Sach Pass?
About 46 km down the Pangi side, and about 76 km from Bairagarh over the top. Chamba to Killar is about 166 km.
How far is Sach Pass from Manali?
Roughly 245 km, via the Atal Tunnel, Keylong, Tandi, Udaipur and Killar, and you approach the pass from the Pangi side. There is no direct road.
How far is Sach Pass from Pathankot?
About 240 km: about 120 km to Chamba, then about 120 km on to the top.
Sources
- Sach Pass in July: itinerary and road conditions (Chamba–Tissa–Bairagarh–Satrundi–top–Bagotu–Killar distances), Discover with Dheeraj (updated 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- Chamba: how to reach (Pathankot about 120 km, Gaggal about 150 km), Himachal Tourism (opens in a new tab)
- Atal Tunnel (Manali–Keylong 71 km via the tunnel), Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)
- Killar to Udaipur, Trilokinath, Miyar and Manali (Killar–Udaipur about 78 km), vargiskhan.com (opens in a new tab)
- Udaipur in Lahaul (about 53 km from Keylong), WanderOn (opens in a new tab)
- BRO opens Tandi–Udaipur road (Tandi about 40 km from Udaipur), The Tribune (opens in a new tab)
- Pangi residents pay ‘survival tax’ as fuel prices rise (Tandi pump about 118 km from Pangi), The Tribune via Newswav (24 May 2026) (opens in a new tab)
