Baralacha Pass

About Baralacha Pass Ladak

Baralacha Pass looks ancient & timeless, making you think how such a beautiful place could exist!

Baralacha Pass, situated in the Zanskar Valley, is a popular tourist attraction in Ladakh & a place of such immense beauty that it’s hard to believe something like this could exist. While crossing it requires courage & an unending capacity for adventure, the sight that awaits you here is worth every bit of the effort.

It’s an 8 kilometer long pass located in the famous Zanskar Range in Ladakh, along the famous Leh-Manali highway which connects Leh district in Ladakh to Lahaul district in Himachal Pradesh. One of the highest motorable passes in India, it is also the meeting point of Pir Panjal, Zanskar & Great Himalayan Mountain Ranges.

In close proximity lies the River Bhaga, which originates from the Surya Taal Lake & is a tributary of the River Chenab.

Legend Behind Baralacha Pass

According to a famous legend, there were two lovers, Chandra and Bhaga. While Chandra was the daughter of the Moon, Bhaga was the son of Surya, the Sun God. To perform their eternal marriage, they decided to climb the Baralacha.

After they had climbed the pass, they ran off in separate directions. Chandra, who was smart & active, found her way quite easily & reached Tandi (a small village), covering a distance of almost 115 kilometers.

Soon, Bhaga also reached Tandi, after struggling a lot, where they both met, followed by a celestial marriage.

What makes Baralacha Pass so famous?

The main attraction of Baralacha Pass, one of the famous mountain passes in Ladakh, is the unbelievably beautiful sight that awaits you. The entire region looks so remote & ancient, and everywhere you see, there is fresh snow falling, even in the month of June!

The fresh snow settles comfortably on the sombre looking black mountains, with the grey meditative skies above, this is a sight which makes you one with it, making you think that you were visiting it in your dream! The Baralacha Pass is also a stop for trekkers who are on their way to the Chandra Taal Lake.

The other famous thing to see at Baralacha Pass is the Suryataal Lake, commonly known as the Surajtal Lake. It is the third highest lake in India & the 21st highest in the world. Surrounded by brown mountains with snow capped peaks, it is an extraordinary sight to come across. The lake is also part of the Zingzingbar-Suraj Tal-Baralacha Pass trek, where the route involves trekking along the River Bhaga for 3 kilometers crossing a bridge to reach the North Bank followed by a steep trail that leads all the way to the Suraj Tal Lake.

It is also interesting to know that the Baralacha Pass makes an appearance in Kim, one of the famous novels written by Rudyard Kipling.