A dangerous dirt track to Kunzum Pass in India
India, asia
31 km
4,556 m
hard
Year-round
Kunzum La is a high-altitude Himalayan pass sitting pretty at 4,556m (14,947ft) in Himachal Pradesh, India. Think of it as the ultimate viewpoint on the Spiti Valley Road!
Clocking in at 31 km (19 miles) from Losar to Batal, this stretch of NH505 (aka Spiti Valley Road) is less "road" and more "epic dirt track." It's the only way to cruise between the Lahaul and Spiti Valleys. Prepare for a wild ride because around 80% of it isn't paved!
This isn't your average Sunday drive. You'll be fording streams (maybe even small rivers!), dodging glacial runoff, and navigating sand, rocks, and snow. Mother Nature calls the shots here, so watch out for floods, landslides, and the occasional rockfall. The road can get seriously narrow, but the views more than make up for it. Expect steep climbs – up to 15% in places – with hairpin turns galore.
Perched high in the Himalayas, Kunzum La is typically open from May to October. Any SUV with good ground clearance can handle the terrain.
The scenery is mind-blowing. Most of the road hovers above 11,000 feet, offering views of glaciers and snow-capped peaks. The summit is photo-op heaven with 360-degree views of the Bara-Shigri Glacier (one of the world's longest!), the Chandra-Bhaga mountains, and the Spiti Valley. And don't miss the temple of Goddess Durga at the top!
Where is it?
A dangerous dirt track to Kunzum Pass in India is located in India (asia). Coordinates: 21.9642, 80.3865
Road Details
- Country
- India
- Continent
- asia
- Length
- 31 km
- Max Elevation
- 4,556 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- 21.9642, 80.3865
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