Indrahar Pass Trek: Distance, Cost & Route
The Indrahar Pass trek is a four-day, 35–44 km walk to 4,342 m (14,245 ft) on the Kangra–Chamba border. It starts at the Gallu Devi temple above Dharamkot — the same trailhead as Triund — and the pass itself is a hard day above the treeline.
One thing to settle first, because it catches nearly everyone.
Two completely different treks are sold under this name. The four-day version walks up to the pass and comes back down the same way. The ten-day version crosses it, drops into Chamba, and climbs back over a second pass. Only one of them actually goes through.
Get that straight and the rest is simple.
At a glance¶
| Height | 4,342 m (14,245 ft) |
| Distance | 35–44 km return, four days |
| Difficulty | Hard — steep, snow, altitude |
| Season | April to October |
| Starts | Gallu Devi temple, above Dharamkot |
| Registration | Compulsory at Gallu check post |
| Guided cost | ₹5,500–8,800 per person |
The four-day trek and the ten-day trek are not the same route¶
The four-day version never crosses the pass. You climb to Triund, up to Laka Got or Lahesh Cave, push to the pass on day three, and turn around at the top. It's a viewpoint, not a doorway.
The ten-day version crosses it properly. Over Indrahar, down the Chamba side to Chhata and Kuarsi, then back over the Dhauladhar by Minkiani Pass, out past Kareri Lake.
A ₹5,500 package advertised as the Indrahar Pass trek is almost always the out-and-back. If you pictured walking through to the other side, ask before you pay.
Indrahar Pass trek distance¶
The Indrahar Pass trek is 35 to 44 km return from McLeodganj over four days. Nobody says whether their figure is one way or round trip, which is why you'll see both for the same walk.
| Leg | Distance |
|---|---|
| McLeodganj → Triund | ~9 km |
| Triund → Laka Got / Lahesh Cave | ~7 km |
| Camp → the pass and back | ~12 km |
| Camp → McLeodganj | ~16 km |
| Total, there and back | ~44 km |
The 35 km figures usually drop the final descent.
How difficult is the Indrahar Pass trek?¶
Hard. Some grade it easy or moderate — then pack an ice axe, crampons and a static rope for summit day.
- The last climb is steep, loose and often snow-covered well into June
- No cellular network beyond Triund
- Route-finding gets real after Triund — the path thins and the cairns are shepherd work, not signage
- Turn around by early afternoon, whether or not you've reached the top
The acclimatisation problem nobody flags. A four-day itinerary gains over 2,200 m in under 72 hours with no rest day. Add a night at Triund if you've come straight from the plains.
Not ready for this one yet? Thatharana is a single night at 2,700 m on the same range — steep enough to show you how you handle a long climb, low enough that nothing goes badly wrong. Never trekked at all? Start here instead.
Not one to do alone. Find people heading up the Dhauladhar →
Still want it? Here's what the trail actually does.
Where the Indrahar Pass trek starts¶
The Indrahar Pass trek starts at the Gallu Devi temple above Dharamkot, 2 km from McLeodganj — an hour's walk, or ₹400–600 by taxi.
And this is the part other guides leave out: Gallu Devi is one of Kangra's ten trekking check posts. The Kangra district administration put them up in November 2025, and walking past one without registering can mean legal action under the Disaster Management Act. Unlike Kareri Lake, where nobody is at the trailhead, somebody here takes your name.
Registering is free and takes a minute. Carry original photo ID.
The route, stage by stage¶
Day 1 — McLeodganj to Triund, ~9 km. Oak and rhododendron up to the ridge at 2,850 m. The easiest day by a distance; full detail in the Triund trek guide.
Day 2 — Triund to Laka Got or Lahesh Cave, ~7 km. Past the Snowline tea shop at Ilaqa Got, over the moraine at Laka. Two camps: Laka Got (~3,500 m, meadow) or Lahesh Cave (~3,300 m, rock overhang). The cave is closer to the pass; the meadow is comfier.
Day 3 — the pass, and back. Six hours up, four down. Steep from the start, snow in the gullies, a view from Kangra to the Pir Panjal. This is the day that gets cancelled if the weather turns.
Day 4 — down to McLeodganj, ~16 km. Long on the knees, and done.
No tent, no group? See who's walking Indrahar this month →
Best time for the Indrahar Pass trek¶
April to October, with two good windows:
- Late May and June — snow still in the gullies, beautiful and slower
- September and October — clearest air, most reliable summit days
- July and August are out — 859 mm and 942 mm of rain, the most in Himachal
- Winter closes it. The district has twice banned trekking above 3,000 m — November 2024 and January 2026 — and Indrahar is well above that line
The best time to visit Dharamshala has the weather month by month.
What the Indrahar Pass trek costs¶
Guided four-day packages run ₹5,500 to ₹8,800 per person plus GST — tents, meals, guide. The top end adds porters and mules.
| On your own | |
|---|---|
| Taxi to Gallu Devi | ₹400–600, split |
| Registration | Free |
| Triund entry and camping | ₹100 + ₹275 per day |
| Guide, if you hire one | Splits up to ten people |
A guide is worth it here, unlike on most of these walks. The route above Triund is hard to follow, and one guide can take up to ten people, so the cost falls fast with numbers.
One guide takes ten. Split one — see who's going →
The rain god and the shepherds' road¶
Indrahar was never built for walkers. It's a Gaddi shepherd crossing — flocks have gone over this notch for generations, up to the summer grazing above the Ravi valley. The cairns above Laka were stacked by shepherds, for shepherds. Lahesh Cave is their shelter, not a feature — the last night before the pass for longer than anyone has counted.
The wall itself is the Dhauladhar — "the white range": dhaula, pure, and dhar, range.
And the name may belong to a god. Indru Nag is Dharamshala's rain god, with a temple down at Khaniyara. He speaks through an oracle and is consulted before anything that matters here, international cricket at the HPCA included. Locals connect him to the pass. That's the valley's telling rather than documented history — but it fits a mountain that decides which side gets the weather.
Finding people to walk with¶
A tent splits. A taxi splits. A guide costs the same whether two of you hire him or eight do.
Gigavent shows what people near you are doing this week — treks, gigs, football, open mics. Join one, or post your own.
Find an Indrahar group on Gigavent, or create your own — pick the dates, say how many you've room for, and anyone interested gets in touch. New here and don't know anyone? How to meet new people covers the rest.
Indrahar is one of seventeen walks around Dharamshala — see the full list. Not walking? The places worth your time covers the rest of the valley, and Bir Billing is 70 km east.
FAQ¶
How difficult is the Indrahar Pass trek?¶
The Indrahar Pass trek is hard. The final climb is steep, loose and often snow-covered into June, route-finding above Triund is a real skill, and a four-day itinerary gains over 2,200 m in under 72 hours. Some operators grade it moderate; one of them packs an ice axe and crampons for summit day.
Where does the Indrahar Pass trek start?¶
The Indrahar Pass trek starts at the Gallu Devi temple above Dharamkot, roughly 2 km from McLeodganj. Gallu is also one of Kangra's ten trekking check posts, so you register there before walking.
How much does the Indrahar Pass trek cost?¶
A guided four-day Indrahar Pass trek costs ₹5,500 to ₹8,800 per person plus GST, covering tents, meals and a guide. Going unguided, your costs are the ₹400–600 taxi to Gallu Devi and Triund's ₹100 entry plus ₹275 a day to camp.
How high is Indrahar Pass?¶
Indrahar Pass is 4,342 metres, or 14,245 feet. It forms the border between Kangra and Chamba districts. You'll see 14,160 ft and 14,271 ft quoted elsewhere.
Can you do the Indrahar Pass trek in one day?¶
No. Indrahar Pass is roughly 22 km from McLeodganj one way, with 2,200 m of climbing. Day-hikers stop at Triund or Snowline; the pass needs a camp.
Do you need a permit for the Indrahar Pass trek?¶
No permit, but registration at the Gallu Devi check post is compulsory. Trekking past a Kangra check post without registering can mean legal action under the Disaster Management Act. In winter, when the district bans trekking above 3,000 m, Indrahar closes entirely.
Four days, one pass, and a shepherd's road older than any guidebook. Register at Gallu, turn around by afternoon, and don't book the four-day trip expecting to come out the other side.
Rules verified November 2026. Kangra's trekking orders have changed six times since 2023, so ask locally before you walk.
