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Tilted layers of rock above a Bailey bridge, an SUV and a rider on the road from Killar towards Lahaul

Chamba to Manali via Sach Pass, Pangi and Lahaul: the grand crossover

One way across the mountains: Chamba over Sach Pass to Killar, along the Chenab to Udaipur and Keylong, and out through the Atal Tunnel to Manali.

  • Circuit
  • Taxi
  • Bike
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The trip

Duration
6 days · 5 nights
Difficulty
Challenging
Best months
Mid-June to early October (best: September)
Starts / ends
Chamba → Manali
Highest point
Sach Pass, about 4,414 m
Price
Quoted on WhatsApp

Few roads in Himachal cross as much country in a week. This trip starts among the temples of Chamba, climbs over Sach Pass, follows the Chenab through Pangi's gorges into Lahaul, and comes out through the Atal Tunnel at Manali. Every day looks different from the one before.

It's also a serious journey. Pangi has no petrol pump, and from Bairagarh the next pump is at Tandi in Lahaul, roughly 190 km of slow road later. The road from Killar to Udaipur is dusty, rocky and closed by rockfall at times. We check each stretch the day before you drive it, carry spare fuel, and if a road is shut we wait or change the plan with you. Extra nights that causes aren't in the quote, so leave some slack in your onward plans.

Difficulty: Long days on unpaved and cliff roads, a crossing of about 4,414 m, and about 190 km between the last two petrol pumps.

Highlights

  • Sach Pass, about 4,414 m, on the way from Chamba to Pangi
  • The Chenab gorge from Killar to Udaipur
  • Udaipur's old Markula Devi temple and nearby Trilokinath
  • Keylong, Lahaul's main town
  • Out through the Atal Tunnel, 9 km under the Pir Panjal

Who it suits

  • Travellers who want a one-way journey across the Himalaya
  • Riders with experience of rough roads (on the bike option)
  • People heading on to Manali, Spiti or Ladakh

Day by day

  1. Day 1

    Chamba

    Local · Chamba

    Arrive in Chamba

    Arrive and settle in. The briefing covers the whole route: where the fuel is, where the signal ends and starts again, and the days on which an early start matters.

    Distance
    Local
    Time on the road
    Afternoon
    Altitude
    Chamba ~1,000 m
    Overnight
    Chamba

    Stops: The Chaugan · Lakshmi Narayan temples

    On the road: Town.

  2. Day 2

    Chamba to Bairagarh

    About 90 km · Bairagarh (Hotel Diwan Sachpass)

    Chamba → Tissa → Bairagarh

    Up the Churah valley to Bairagarh. Fill every tank: the next pump on this route is at Tandi, after the pass and all of Pangi.

    Distance
    About 90 km
    Time on the road
    4–5 hours with stops
    Altitude
    Bairagarh ~2,800 m
    Overnight
    Bairagarh (Hotel Diwan Sachpass)

    Stops: Tissa · Fuel: fill up fully at Bairagarh

    On the road: Mostly paved.

  3. Day 3

    Over Sach Pass to Killar

    About 76 km · Killar

    Bairagarh → Sach Pass → Bagotu → Killar

    The crossing, at first light, and down into Pangi.

    Distance
    About 76 km
    Time on the road
    6–8 hours with stops
    Altitude
    Sach Pass ~4,414 m · Killar ~2,590 m
    Overnight
    Killar

    Stops: Satrundi · The top

    On the road: Unpaved, with streams. Be over the top by late morning.

  4. Day 4

    Killar to Udaipur along the Chenab

    About 78 km · Udaipur

    Killar → the Chenab road → Udaipur

    East along the Chenab out of Pangi and into Lahaul: a narrow road high above the river, cut under rock in places, with waterfalls dropping across it. Udaipur by the afternoon, with time for its old wooden Markula Devi temple.

    Distance
    About 78 km
    Time on the road
    About 3–5 hours
    Altitude
    Killar ~2,590 m · Udaipur ~2,740 m
    Overnight
    Udaipur

    Stops: The cliff road under the overhangs · Waterfalls in the side gullies

    On the road: Dusty, rocky and narrow, with loose stones. On 24 July 2026 a rockfall near Kadoonala on this road killed 13 people in a taxi: we check the road the day before and don't drive it in heavy rain.

  5. Day 5

    Trilokinath, Tandi and Keylong

    About 55–65 km with the Trilokinath detour · Keylong

    Udaipur → Trilokinath → Tandi → Keylong

    A short detour to Trilokinath, a temple holy to both Hindus and Buddhists, then down the valley to Tandi, where the Chandra and Bhaga rivers meet and the first petrol pump since Bairagarh is. On to Keylong for the night.

    Distance
    About 55–65 km with the Trilokinath detour
    Time on the road
    3–4 hours with stops
    Altitude
    Keylong ~3,080 m
    Overnight
    Keylong

    Stops: Trilokinath temple (about 9–10 km from Udaipur) · Fuel at Tandi · Tandi, where the Chandra and Bhaga meet

    On the road: Improving, partly paved. Expect road works.

  6. Day 6

    Keylong to Manali through the Atal Tunnel

    About 71 km · Trip ends in Manali

    Keylong → Sissu → Atal Tunnel → Manali

    Up the Chandra valley and through the 9 km Atal Tunnel under the Rohtang ridge to Manali. You're in town by lunch, with the afternoon to spare.

    Distance
    About 71 km
    Time on the road
    About 2½–3 hours
    Altitude
    Atal Tunnel ~3,000–3,100 m · Manali ~2,000 m
    Overnight
    Trip ends in Manali

    Stops: Sissu · The Atal Tunnel

    On the road: Paved. Heavy traffic near the tunnel in peak season.

The route at a glance

  1. 0 kmChamba~1,000 m
  2. 90 kmBairagarh~2,800 mFill up: next pump at Tandi
  3. 120 kmSach Pass~4,414 m
  4. 166 kmKillar~2,590 m
  5. About 245 kmUdaipur~2,740 m
  6. About 285 kmTandiFuel
  7. About 295 kmKeylong~3,080 m
  8. About 365 kmManali~2,000 mEnd

What's included

Included

  • A high-clearance SUV with a local driver, Chamba to Manali (or a bike and back-up vehicle on request)
  • Five nights' stays as listed, twin sharing
  • Breakfast and dinner every day
  • Fuel, including spare fuel for the stretch with no pumps
  • A road check before each stage

Not included

  • Travel to Chamba and onward from Manali
  • Lunches and personal spending
  • Temple offerings and entry fees
  • Extra nights caused by closures or rockfall
  • Travel insurance

The car or bike

  • A high-clearance SUV such as an Innova Crysta or Scorpio, with a local driver
  • Or ride: a Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 on request, with a back-up vehicle
  • One-way: the car or bike goes back without you, which is part of the quote

No prices on this site: we quote for your dates and group on WhatsApp, and nothing is paid here.

Before you go

Road, season and permit notes last checked . For today's report, see is Sach Pass open?

Permits and documents

  • No permit for Indian travellers for Sach Pass, as of November 2026. Carry photo ID.
  • The Atal Tunnel road between Lahaul and Manali doesn't need the Rohtang Pass permit, which is for the old road over the pass. Lahaul's administration can bring in rules at short notice (registration, night closures): we check the current ones before you travel.
  • Foreign nationals should check the current rules for Pangi and Lahaul before booking.

Safety and acclimatisation

  • Keylong, at about 3,080 m, is the highest night of the trip. The nights before it are lower (Bairagarh about 2,800 m, Killar about 2,590 m, Udaipur about 2,740 m), so you climb gradually, but tell us about any heart or lung condition.
  • Rockfall is the main danger between Killar and Udaipur. We don't drive it in heavy rain and we keep moving under the overhangs.
  • Signal is patchy through Pangi and much of the road to Udaipur. Tell someone your plan.

Road conditions

  • Fuel: Bairagarh is the last pump before the pass; Pangi has none. Tandi in Lahaul, about 118 km from Pangi, is the next.
  • Killar to Udaipur is dusty, rocky and narrow, and has been closed by rockfall and road works.
  • The Atal Tunnel road is paved but crowded in peak season, and the administration has sometimes restricted night travel through the tunnel.

What to pack

  • Warm layers and a down jacket
  • Rain gear
  • Sunglasses and sunscreen
  • Personal medicines
  • Cash: ATMs are few between Tissa and Keylong
  • Power bank and a paper copy of the route

Photos

Photos show the road and the kind of trip. Not every photo is from this exact route.

Grand Crossover: Chamba to Manali via Sach Pass: quick answers

Can you drive from Chamba to Manali via Sach Pass?

Yes, in season. Over Sach Pass to Killar, along the Chenab to Udaipur and Tandi in Lahaul, then through the Atal Tunnel to Manali. It's roughly 365 km and we split it over five travel days.

Where is the fuel on this route?

Bairagarh, before the pass, then Tandi in Lahaul, roughly 190 km of slow road later. Pangi has no petrol pump, and Udaipur doesn't have one either. We carry spare fuel.

Can we do it the other way, from Manali?

Yes. Manali to Chamba via Keylong, Udaipur and Killar works just as well. The Sach Pass crossing then comes from the Pangi side, with a night in Killar before it.

Can we go from Killar to Kishtwar instead?

Ask us. The Killar–Kishtwar road is wilder still, and we plan it case by case. Our post on the roads beyond Killar compares the two.

Do we need a Rohtang permit for the Atal Tunnel?

Not for the tunnel road, as reported in 2026: the Rohtang permit is for the old road over the pass. Rules for Lahaul can change, so we check before you travel.

When is the crossover possible?

Only when both Sach Pass and the Pangi–Lahaul road are open: usually from mid-June or July to early October. We check both before confirming your dates.

Sources

Things that change, and what we couldn't confirm

  • The running kilometres from Chamba to Manali add up figures from different sources (Killar–Udaipur about 78 km, Udaipur–Keylong about 53–55 km, Keylong–Manali 71 km). Treat them as rough.
  • Udaipur's altitude is given between about 2,730 m and 2,745 m by different sources.
  • 'About 190 km' between pumps is Bairagarh–Killar (76 km) plus the Tribune's 'about 118 km' from Pangi to Tandi.
  • Lahaul's entry and tunnel rules (registration, night travel) have changed several times; we check them before each trip.

Photo credits

Other photos on this page: Himalayan Brothers.

Read before you go

Sach Pass complete guide

Where you stay: Bairagarh, Killar

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