Jalori Pass is an isolated road full of adventure in India
Jalori Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.134m (10,282ft) above the sea level, situated in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, in India. The pass is the nearest mountain pass from Delhi, approximately 600 km away, and is featured on every adventure tourist’s map.
Can you drive to Jalori Pass?
Nestled in the peaks of northern Himalayas, make sure you get your vehicle and yourself well-prepared before driving this road. At the top of the Jaluri pass there are restaurants available to take lunch, and a Mahakali temple known as Jalori Mata, visited by thousands of devotees from the nearby villages. The road to the summit is called NH305. It is narrow, steep, uneven and full of potholes, making it a bumpy ride. The pass sits on the way from Khanag towards Shoja. The road to the top is both scenic and challenging.
Is Jalori Pass open?
Remember this is is a mountainous area, climbing up a high mountain. This pass remains closed in peak on winter only. Usually opens around second week of March every year and closes mid December, depending on the snow. Always check the weather forecast before you start your journey. Jalori Pass is the first Indian pass to open every year, and is drivable by all vehicles, but is advised to go down in first gear only, according to Indian signals. The winters here are quite harsh and should always be neglected. Vehicles are prone to slipping due to frost.
Is the road to Jalori Pass challenging?
Ideal time to travel is daylight. Not adviced night drive. From Ghayagi to Jalori Pass, the road is a mix of mud and pebbles restricting the speed of the vehicle to barely 20 kmph. After Shoja, the climb to Jalori Pass is steep and just about 3 kms before the pass, road conditions become bad, narrow and steep which makes it more difficult to climb even in first gear. A traveller on this road must follow some rules: Extreme caution advised, drive in first gear only. It has steep gradients and dangerous curves along the road. The road to the pass is narrow, steep and winding but as long as you have decent enough driving experience, know how to handle a vehicle in the hills and drive sensibly, you are absolutely safe.
Pic: Himalaya Chauhan