This will remain to be a dedicated post to update Rohtang Pass Status 2018 and condition of the road en route. As the year progresses, I will continue updating the status of the pass here; and also at our Community Forum.
- For complete information on visiting Rohtang, please read How to Plan a Trip to Rohtang Pass.
- For information on permits for Rohtang, Please read How to Obtain Permits for Rohtang Pass.
- If you wanted to visit Rohtang by public transport, then take a look at Rohtang Pass Bus Service from Manali.
If you were planning a trip towards Ladakh, Spiti or Chandratal, please take a look at the articles below.
- How to Plan a Trip to Ladakh
- Chandratal Lake – How to Plan a Trip there
- How to Plan a Trip to Spiti Valley
Update: May 20th
Rohtang pass is now open for tourists. Permits to visit Rohtang and also to cross is over are now getting issued. The weather seems clear as of now and it is highly unlikely that the pass will close again. There is however plenty of snow towards Rohtang Pass; about 2 to 3 feet towards the top. Snow walls 10 feet high still stand tall at several places along the way. Please practice caution while driving through the route.
Update May 10th
The game of Rohtang getting open, closed, open, closed and open again continues. Authorities declared the pass open yesterday and will allow the movement of civilian traffic from today onward. Ever sine it was opened in early April, the mighty pass has been closed and reopened again three times due to late snowfall and unpredictable weather . However, for now only local traffic will be allowed and there is still no word on by when the tourists will be allowed to visit or cross Rohtang top. The road condition at the pass is dangerous right now and even local traffic had to be stopped yesterday due to some cars skidding off the road.
Update May 9th
Surprise Surprise !! It is the month of May and the spell of late snowfall still continues. Valleys of Lahaul and Spiti and Passes of Rohtang, Kunzum, Sach and Baralacha all received fresh snowfall yesterday. This is definitely bound to delay the opening of all routes including Rohtang Pass, Sach Pass, Manali Leh and Manali Kaza routes. For now, the estimate is that both Manali Leh and Manali Kaza routes will not open until Late May and Rohtang Pass will probably open around 20th; provided that there is no more heavy snowfall. Below is a pic of Kaza after fresh snowfall in Spiti yesterday. There is forecast that more snow is on the way.
As of now, tourists are allowed only till Marhi which is about 30 kilometers from Manali. Road beyond Marhi is closed and tourists are not yet allowed to cross over towards Lahaul or Spiti Valley. Rohtang was declared open in early April; but then the weather turned and it started to snow again; which forced the authorities to close the pass and it has not yet open since.
Snow however was cleared last week from Rohtang La, Kunzum Pass and Baralacha La. Local vehicles will be allowed from Kaza to ply towards Manali today. Same will be the case from Keylong as well. It however is only allowed for locals and not tourists. Once the local traffic has been on the road for a few days, authorities will then take a call on whether or not the road is safe for tourists before declaring it open again. For now, it is safe to assume that it will be at least another week before tourist are allowed to cross Rohtang over.
Rohtang Pass Status 2018
The picture above is of the check post at Gulaba (clicked last week) where your permits for Rohtang get checked. Expect a wait time of about 45 minutes to 1 hour here. This wait time is as of now and will increase as the tourist rush too increases later in the year.
Due to less snowfall all across Himalayas, some people may be a little disappointed by the amount of snow available at the pass. I am not saying there is no snow at all but it is a bit less as compared to previous years. There is no snow at all until Marhi. You can however rent a horse from Marhi and then climb up another 6-7 kilometers to find snow.
For complete information on visiting Rohtang, please read How to Plan a Trip to Rohtang Pass.
For information on permits for Rohtang, Please read How to Obtain Permits for Rohtang Pass.
If you wanted to visit Rohtang by public transport, then take a look at Rohtang Pass Bus Service from Manali.
If you were planning a trip towards Ladakh, Spiti or Chandratal, please take a look at the articles below.
- How to Plan a Trip to Ladakh
- Chandratal Lake – How to Plan a Trip there
- How to Plan a Trip to Spiti Valley
I hope the information above was of help. If you need any further details; or have any other questions; please feel free to ask in the comments section below; or at our Community Forum; and I will be glad to answer.
24 comments
This is a thank you response! Followed your page for a while and planned our trip. We took a taxi to Rohtang. Allowed only upto Marhi! Nice and fun place to play with the snow. It’s a well maintained road upto Marhi! Very risky to drive, though. Tips: start early, we started at 530. Came back at around 9. Late starters had to bear with a long queue both ways and need to walk a lot if there’s no space to park because of the rush
Hire your driver ahead. We paid 3.5k for an alto!
Finally, head up, enjoy, click pics and have a cup of piping hot Maggi. Thanks Vargis! Commendable efforts
Thanks for taking the time to drop a note Rubin. Do share some pictures if possible.
Dear Vargis,
I am planning on 2nd June by road (Ford Figo) from Haldwani to Leh. 2 adults and 2 kids (10+12years)
On 2nd morning we shall leave from Haldwani (Uttarakhand) to Mandi (HP) by road we shall reach around 7:00 in evening to Mandi (633 kms).
Next day morning 3rd leave for Leh (597 kms) hear I need a suggestion for night break in between Mandi and Leh as after reading your notes I took this decision else i was ready for one stroke drive to Leh.
So I need a sugession for
1. Halt between Mandi and Leh ?
2. Fod Figo should be oket for this road route ?
3. Any budget family accommodation rooms in Leh ?
Thanks
Sachin
What is the present condition of Rohtang pass to Sarchu ? Is the road slushy, will it be okay for amateurs to travel by coming weekend
Dear Varghis
is that possible to rohtang is open till 20th may 2018 because our tickets already booked from 22nd may to 26th.
can we see snow like rohtang at marhi and activity like this.
and last thing we could take a permit to go till marhi ya widout permit entry is open.
please update me.
Hi Neeraj,
1. As of now it is only open till Marhi but may open even further in next couple of days
2. You will have to trek another 6-7 kms after Marhi to find snow.
3. You will have to get a permit for Marhi as well
Thnakssss dear….
Please update, if rohtang pass is open before 22nd may.
Hello sir..we have planned a trip from Delhi to kaza via Shimla route..leave Delhi on 16th morning..and reach kaza by 18th night..we r coming all the wat from kolkata..have booked tickets also..then after spending 2 3 days in kaza and going to chandrathal lake..we were rhinthin of reaching Manali from kaza by 22nd..will.the road be oeon by then sir..if not we have to replan out whole trip..we also plan to go to kasol and bir billing and amrtisar and reach Delhi by 27th…your help would be much appreciated…
Even Rohtang is not open right now. First that will open sometime after May 15th, then a decision will be made on the opening of Kaza stretch and after that the camp sites at Chandratal will start setting up their camps.
Ok sir that means we have to go back via Shimla route only..another thing sir can ..if we plan to leave delhi on 16th morning and go to kaza via Shimla route..and come back to Shimla via same route..can we come back by 22nd night to Shimla..meaning 6 days…we self driving Scorpio..we have a tifjt schedule as we have reyurr tickets from Delhi to kolkata on 27th night and after coming back to Shimla on 22nd..we plan to go to kasol bir billing and amrtisar and then Delhi…ur inputs would be much appreciated…
Sudashan Bhai Spiti, Kasol, Bir Billing, Amritsar… all in 6 days is impossible. Either you pick Spiti and leave rest of the places or you pick the rest and leave Spiti
Sir not in 6 days..all this we r thinking of covering in 12 days..from 16th may to 27th may…that would be fine naa sir??
Yes Sudharshan Bhai, if you have 12 days then you can easily cover all these places.
Hi Vargis. We are going to be in Manali on 16th and 17th May. ANy chance we will be able to go to Rohtang pass? If not where we can experience snow? Thanks!!!
Hi Rajesh – You will only be able to go as far as Marhi for now. From Marhi, you can rent a horse, hike another 6-7 kilometers and you will find snow.
Hi,
We are planning to do the SPITI valley circuit entering from Shimla… we will be in Kaza by the 18th May 2018…. is there a possibility of us being able to visit Chandratal lake on 19th and cross over to Manali through the Rohtang pass???
In case it snows, then till which point is it safe to travel from Shimla side??
TIA
You can travel all the way till Kaza but will not be able to cross over to Manali on 19th. Even Rohtang is not open for tourists still.
We are planning almost the same trip..if Manali side is not open from kaza by 21st…we will have to replan the whole trip..
Hi Sudarshan,
If you mean these dates in the month of May then yes, you will have to replan. Manali Kaza route and Chandratal will not open by the dates you mentioned.
There isn’t slightest possibilty also?? As still 10 days to go??
Even Rohtang is not open right now. First that will open sometime after May 15th, then a decision will be made on the opening of Kaza stretch and after that the camp sites at Chandratal will start setting up their camps.
Hi Vandana..even we r planning to go to kaza via Shimla route…we r leaving from Delhi on 16th morning through zoom car….if you have the same plan..may be we can tag along somewhere..
any info on when the manali leh highway could possibly open up..we are travelling to leh tomorrow 9th may via srinagar…but as the situation in srinagar is not stable we are wondering if the manali leh highway opens up in 1-2 days??
It will probably not open until late May. It snowed at Rohtang even yesterday.