Every road trip into Spiti from the Kullu side has one great threshold: the Kunzum Pass. At 4,590 m (about 15,060 ft), this windswept saddle is the gateway between the Lahaul and Spiti valleys, marked by a whitewashed temple, a chorten and thousands of fluttering prayer flags. Crossing it is one of the defining moments of the journey up from Naggar and Manali.
The pass of the Kunzum Mata
At the top stands the temple of the Kunzum Mata, the goddess believed to protect the pass and everyone who crosses it. By long tradition, drivers stop to pay their respects and take a slow clockwise circle — a parikrama — around the temple and its chortens before descending into Spiti. Even for travellers just passing through, it is a moving, very Himalayan ritual, and a chance to stretch your legs and take in the panorama of the Chandra-Bhaga peaks.
Gateway to Chandratal and Spiti
Kunzum is a true crossroads. On one side the road drops towards Batal and the turn-off for the beautiful Chandratal Lake; on the other it winds down to Losar, the first village in Spiti, and on to Kaza. A well-loved high-altitude trek of roughly 12–15 km also links the pass down to Chandratal, for those who want to walk a stretch of this landscape rather than drive it.
Practical tips
- Altitude: At 4,590 m the air is thin — do not linger too long if you have climbed fast, and watch for headaches or breathlessness.
- Best season: Late May or June to early October, the window when the Border Roads Organisation keeps the pass open. June and September usually offer the clearest skies.
- Road conditions: The Gramphu–Batal–Kunzum stretch is rough and unpaved in places, with stream crossings — a high-clearance vehicle and an early start both help.
- No fuel or services: Fill up in Manali; the next reliable fuel is at Kaza.
Crossing the pass from Naggar
From Naggar, the summer route heads up the valley past Manali and through the Atal Tunnel to Gramphu, then follows the Chandra river past Chatru and Batal to Kunzum, before dropping into Spiti — a long day best split with an overnight or a Chandratal detour. HRTC also runs seasonal buses from Manali to Kaza over the pass once the road opens, usually by mid-June.
Because Kunzum is high and remote, it pays to be well rested before you tackle it. Ghar in the Hills in Naggar is a comfortable homestay to begin from — plan your Spiti crossing over breakfast with the valley spread out below, and come back to it when the mountains are behind you.
Ready to spin the prayer wheels at the gateway to Spiti? Time your crossing for the open season, take the altitude seriously, and make Naggar your starting line — book your stay and point the wheels north.