Rupin Pass Trek
Rupin Pass is a 4-day trek in Garhwal, Uttarakhand, topping out at 4,669 m. On TrekBaba's normalized scale — the same formula applied to every trek in this catalogue — it scores 59.4/100, which puts it in the Moderate band: you want a few weekends of walking in your legs and no fear of long days. With a high point of 4,669 m, AMS risk is high; plan the acclimatization days in, and do not push through a headache that is getting worse.
Photo: Nikitaparwani · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Explore the route
Scrub the trail — satellite view, live altitude. 38.6 km
Route drawn from real OpenStreetMap geometry (864 sampled points simplified to 205), elevations from the Copernicus DEM. Imagery © Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics | Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Why Rupin Pass is graded Moderate
- Max altitude 4,669 m — altitude is weighted 35% and non-linearly, because AMS risk climbs steeply above ~3,500 m.
- Total ascent 2,730 m over 4 days — how much climbing your legs actually do.
- Longest day 13 km — one brutal day makes a trek harder than the average does.
- Trail type: snow — exposure (snow, scree, ice, pass crossings) is weighted 35%, the same as altitude.
Score 59.4/100. Bands: Easy <40 · Moderate <64 · Difficult <85 · Very Difficult ≥85. How the formula works. Easier alternative: Milam Glacier. Next step up: Pangarchulla Peak.
What you'll see from Rupin Pass high point
From Rupin Pass high point, a line-of-sight computation over the terrain model proves Jorkanden (6,473 m), Pt 6050 (6,050 m), Devbhoomi 6057m (6,057 m), Phawararang (6,349 m), Daboling (5,917 m) and Miquellink (5,378 m) are actually visible — not merely nearby. The model looks 40 km out, so a famous giant further away (Kangchenjunga from the Singalila ridge, say) is not listed even where it is visible.
Only peaks proven visible by line-of-sight over the terrain — not nearby-but-blocked ones — placed by true bearing and sized by how much they fill the view.
Dawn & dusk from Rupin Pass high point
In June, sunrise breaks right behind Pt 6050 at 05:13 — from Rupin Pass high point.
- Daboling3°
- Pt 60503°
- Devbhoomi 6057m5°
- Miquellink6°
- Jorkanden8°
- Phawararang9°
Nothing lines up this month.
Nothing lines up this month.
Nothing lines up this month.
Sun times and azimuths come from the NOAA solar-position equations for this viewpoint's GPS; the peak bearings are our own viewshed moat. Times assume a flat horizon — a ridge to your east delays real first light on the ground, often by 20–60 minutes, while a high summit opposite catches it a few minutes early. The 12° and 35° bands are editorial choices, not physics: a peak 90° from the sun is side-lit, which is often the better photograph.
Best time to do Rupin Pass
The best months for Rupin Pass are May–June and September–October. April and November are shoulder season — doable, with more weather risk. July–August are risky (The SW monsoon (Jul–Aug) brings landslides, leeches and washed-out views across the Garhwal / Kumaon / HP approaches — best avoided). The route is effectively closed in December–March. Expect snow on the trail in December–March. Reanalysis climate data for the route's own altitude puts the coldest camp night at about -20 °C in January, and the warmest daytime high near 8 °C in July.
The SW monsoon (Jul–Aug) brings landslides, leeches and washed-out views across the Garhwal / Kumaon / HP approaches — best avoided.
Best-season estimated from the trek's region and altitude — verify locally before committing to dates.
What the thermometer actually does up there
Computed from 10 years of Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis (2016–2025), with every sample point lapse-rate-downscaled to its true altitude — this is Rupin Pass high point at 4,669 m, not the valley town. Temperatures are downscaled to the point; wet and snow days come back at the reanalysis grid scale (~10 km), so read them as weather over the area. A climate estimate, not a forecast.
Rupin Pass trek cost — operators compared
Rupin Pass costs ₹13,490–₹22,000 per person with an organised operator (13 of 17 listed operators publish a price; the cheapest captured is Super Trekkers). That works out to roughly ₹2,275 per trek day. Fees typically cover meals, tents and guides from the base village; transport from the railhead, gear rental and permits vary — see the inclusion grid below. Prices are read from each operator's own page (latest capture 2026-09-22) and link straight to it.
- ₹13,490as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- Moderate to Difficult
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ✓Gear
- ₹14,199as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- Moderate to Difficult
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹14,800as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 8
- They grade it
- —
- ✗Transport
- ·Meals
- ✓Stay
- ·Permits
- ✓Gear
- ₹15,500as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- —
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹15,999as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- —
- ✓Transport
- ✓Meals
- ✓Stay
- ✓Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹16,650as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 8
- They grade it
- Moderate
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
Show 11 more operators
- ₹16,750as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- —
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹17,500as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 8
- They grade it
- Moderate to Difficult
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ✓Stay
- ✓Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹17,500as of 2026-09-22flat
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- —
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹17,750as of 2026-09-22flat
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- Moderate-Difficult
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹18,000as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- Moderate to Difficult
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹18,200as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 8
- They grade it
- Moderate to Difficult
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹22,000as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- Moderate to Difficult
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- Days
- 8
- They grade it
- Moderate
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- Days
- 11
- They grade it
- Easy
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- Moderate to Difficult
- ·Transport
- ✓Meals
- ·Stay
- ✓Permits
- ·Gear
- Days
- 8
- They grade it
- —
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
Operators self-declare difficulty. TrekBaba grades every trek by one formula — normalized: Moderate. We link out to each operator; we never copy their words or photos. Prices were read from each operator's own page on the date shown — confirm with the operator before booking. Where we have read a price more than once, the sparkline is our own dated capture log, not the operator's.
Not affiliated with any operator. Prices are dated facts read from each operator's own page; confirm before paying. See every operator on the operators index.
How to reach Rupin Pass & staying safe
To reach Rupin Pass, the nearest railhead is Shimla (~111 km, OSM) and the nearest airport is Maa Ganga Airport (~93 km, OSM). The road ends at Dhaula, which is where the walking starts. Withdraw cash before atm (~1 km, OSM) — it is the last dependable ATM. The last reliable shop is at Dhan Singh (~21 km, OSM).
Plan 2 acclimatization days into the itinerary. At its most remote point the route is about 7.0 hours from the nearest drivable road (near Rupin Pass high point) — a floor for any evacuation, not a promise. The nearest hospital is clinic (~13 km, OSM), 13.2 km from the trailhead. Water: drinking_water (~13 km, OSM).
How far you are from a road
Computed against our own route line and the OpenStreetMap drivable road network over Copernicus GLO-30 elevations: hours = (crowfly_km x 1.4) / 4.0 + max(0, elev_point - elev_road) / 600 [terrain factor 1.4, 4 km/h walking, 600 m/h descent]. It is a floor, not a promise — a real evacuation with a casualty is slower, and a crow-fly line ignores what stands between you and the road. Read it as relative remoteness: which part of this trek commits you. Nearest drivable ways: unnamed unclassified, unnamed residential, rupin pass trail.
Estimated, not measured. Remoteness is computed from our own route geometry against the OpenStreetMap drivable road network (motorway-track) and Copernicus GLO-30 elevations; mobile coverage is a terrain line-of-sight estimate, not a carrier guarantee. Treat both as planning aids.
OSM-mapped masts only, carrier unknown — a mast-in-sight proxy, not a coverage guarantee. Carrier-by-carrier coverage needs a cell-tower dump; no open, no-signup one exists today, so we publish nothing rather than guess.
Rupin Pass permits & restrictions
Permit required: Yes · Govind Pashu Vihar National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary — Uttarakhand Forest Dept (DFO / Wildlife Warden, Purola, Uttarkashi)
Official park tariff: entry ₹200 Indian / ₹600 non-Indian for 3 days–2 nights, each extra day ₹50 / ₹250, refundable ₹50/day security deposit; tent pitching ₹50–100 Indian / ₹100–200 non-Indian (page carries no date; read 2026-08-11)
At the Naitwar/Sankri forest check post before entering the protected area (ID proof copy required, receipt carried for the trip), or online via gwsandnp.in; a guide from a registered agency is mandatory
Differential pricing only — 3× entry, 5× extra day, 2× tents. Any permit on the Himachal (Sangla) descent is not established.
Crowding, and where to go instead
When the interest arrives, relative to this trek's own busiest month (June).
A percentile of trailing-12-month English Wikipedia pageviews for Rupin_Pass (44 months observed)— measured within TrekBaba's own catalogue, bots excluded. It is a proxy for attention, not headcount.
Rupin Pass trek FAQ
How difficult is the Rupin Pass trek?
Rupin Pass is graded Moderate (59.4/100) on TrekBaba's normalized scale, which weighs max altitude (4,669 m), total ascent (2,730 m), the longest day (13 km) and terrain exposure identically for every trek.
What is the best time to do Rupin Pass?
May–June and September–October. April and November are shoulder season — doable, with more weather risk. July–August are risky (The SW monsoon (Jul–Aug) brings landslides, leeches and washed-out views across the Garhwal / Kumaon / HP approaches — best avoided). The route is effectively closed in December–March. Expect snow on the trail in December–March. Reanalysis climate data for the route's own altitude puts the coldest camp night at about -20 °C in January, and the warmest daytime high near 8 °C in July.
How much does the Rupin Pass trek cost?
Between ₹13,490 and ₹22,000 per person with an operator, based on 13 published prices captured from operator pages (latest 2026-09-22). The cheapest listed is Super Trekkers.
How many days does Rupin Pass take?
4 days is the standard itinerary; operators run it as 7/8/11 days including travel from the base town. The longest walking day is 13 km.
What is the maximum altitude of Rupin Pass?
4,669 m (15,319 ft), which TrekBaba rates as high AMS risk. Plan 2 acclimatization days.
Is a permit required for Rupin Pass?
Yes — issued by Govind Pashu Vihar National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary — Uttarakhand Forest Dept (DFO / Wildlife Warden, Purola, Uttarkashi). Official park tariff: entry ₹200 Indian / ₹600 non-Indian for 3 days–2 nights, each extra day ₹50 / ₹250, refundable ₹50/day security deposit; tent pitching ₹50–100 Indian / ₹100–200 non-Indian (page carries no date; read 2026-08-11). Differential pricing only — 3× entry, 5× extra day, 2× tents. Any permit on the Himachal (Sangla) descent is not established..
Which operators run Rupin Pass?
Super Trekkers, Moxtain, Trekveda, Trekkers of India, Trekos, Bikat Adventures, Trekup India, Trek The Himalayas, MadTrek, Indiahikes, Himalayan Hikers, Thrillophilia, Himalaya Shelter, Trekmunk, Himalayan High, Tour My India, Universal Adventures list Rupin Pass. Each is linked to its own trek page above with the captured price, days and inclusions.
How do I reach the Rupin Pass trailhead?
To reach Rupin Pass, the nearest railhead is Shimla (~111 km, OSM) and the nearest airport is Maa Ganga Airport (~93 km, OSM). The road ends at Dhaula, which is where the walking starts. Withdraw cash before atm (~1 km, OSM) — it is the last dependable ATM. The last reliable shop is at Dhan Singh (~21 km, OSM).
Is Rupin Pass suitable for beginners?
For a fit beginner, yes — but it is a Moderate trek, with a 13 km longest day and a 4,669 m high point. One easier trek first makes it far more enjoyable.
Which peaks can you see from Rupin Pass?
From Rupin Pass high point, a line-of-sight computation over the terrain model proves Jorkanden (6,473 m), Pt 6050 (6,050 m), Devbhoomi 6057m (6,057 m), Phawararang (6,349 m), Daboling (5,917 m) and Miquellink (5,378 m) are actually visible — not merely nearby. The model looks 40 km out, so a famous giant further away (Kangchenjunga from the Singalila ridge, say) is not listed even where it is visible.
Treks like Rupin Pass
- ModerateUttarakhand
Milam Glacier
Kumaon
5 days↑ 4,212 mfrom ₹20,000May–Jun and Sep–Oct 
ModerateUttarakhandKedartal
Gangotri NP, Uttarkashi
6 days↑ 4,750 mfrom ₹13,500May–Jun and Sep–Oct
ModerateUttarakhandGaumukh–Tapovan
Gangotri, Uttarkashi
7 days↑ 4,463 mfrom ₹13,599May–Jun and Sep–Oct
DifficultUttarakhandPangarchulla Peak
Nanda Devi Biosphere buffer, Joshimath (Chamoli)
6 days↑ 4,590 mfrom ₹7,300Mar–May and Sep–Oct
This trek's altitude, ascent and exposure are computed from OpenStreetMap route data (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL) over the Copernicus DEM — its difficulty grade is provisional, pending field verification.
Difficulty grade, peak horizon, per-camp climate, remoteness, sun alignment and the crowding index are all computed — the moats — and every one of them is an estimate, labelled as such where it appears. Found-fact and operator values are public approximations pending field + source verification, not citations. Peaks named on this page: Jorkanden, Pt 6050, Devbhoomi 6057m, Phawararang, Daboling.