Longest Tunnel in India Will Give You Winter-Access to Lahaul and Spiti by 2019!

Always wanted to experience Lahaul and Spiti during the winters, when it’s at its glorious, rugged, snowy-white best but the difficult access froze your dreams? We have good news for you. Come winter 2019, you will be able to drive straight to the valleys of Spiti through the Rohtang Tunnel that is currently being made. Until now, the only way to reach Spiti in the winter was by road from Shimla via the NH-22 highway through Kinnaur, as Rohtang Pass and Kunzum La are both closed in the winters. Not anymore! So now you have another reason to live up your winter valley adventure.  

What do we know so far ?

The digging work of the 8.8 km Rohtang Pass tunnel in Himachal Pradesh is almost complete, which will give the travellers a direct access to the Lahaul-Spiti region, in all seasons, by the winter of 2019.

Projected as the longest tunnel in India, the Rohtang Pass tunnel will cut the distance between Keylong and Manali by 48 km.

As per reports, the road to the tunnel will get diverted from the Manali-Leh Highway at Palchan (about 9 km from Manali), and join the highway again near Gufa Hotel in Sissu.

Even for the winter of 2018, the tunnel will open up but only for medical emergencies. 

How this is going to change tourism in Lahaul and Spiti

With the Rohtang tunnel’s all-weather access to the snowy region, the hotels in Spiti are likely to remain open in the winter months. The cafes and restaurants will be serving up hot local delights too. What more do you need to bring it up on your winter must-visit list. Gear up for a bike trip with your pals to the wondrous valleys of Lahaul and Spiti this winter!

Read more: Head Over to Offbeat Himachal: Explore Lahaul and Spiti

Wait for the winter that’s coming in 2019!