No, for an ordinary car or taxi the honest answer to “is Rohtang Pass open in December” is no in a normal year. Tourist vehicles are usually stopped at the Gulaba barrier by late November, and fresh snow on 13 November 2026 has already shut the pass. Snow at Gulaba and Solang stays reachable.
The reason is the road, not the view. Above Gulaba the surface turns to black ice once nights drop below zero, and the district administration closes it before someone slides off a bend. The traditional winter cut-off is 15 November, though a dry year can stretch it.
That exception is real. In December 2025 an unusually dry spell kept the road open to vehicles until 10 December, then to 4x4s only until 28 December. So, is Rohtang Pass open in December 2026? Only if the weather turns dry again, and nobody can promise that weeks ahead.
Whatever the answer to “is Rohtang Pass open in December” turns out to be this year, plan around the snow points you can reach, keep one spare day, and check the live order that morning. Still shaping the route? Browse more of our India travel guides and trip plans.
Is Rohtang Pass Open in December? The 2026 Status
As of 14 November 2026, the pass is closed to tourist traffic. We read the Kullu police advisory reported by The Tribune that morning: Rohtang got about five inches of fresh snow, vehicles were stopped from Marhi towards the top, and tourists were asked not to go beyond Gulaba.
Tourists who had already reached Marhi were escorted back to Manali, and only emergency vehicles were allowed on the upper stretch. Shinkula, Baralacha and Kunzum closed the same day, so this is a region-wide winter shift rather than a one-day blip.
Could the answer to “is Rohtang Pass open in December” flip to yes for a few days? It has happened. But a mid-November snowfall usually ends the season, and the pass then stays shut until the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) clears it the following May.
Why the December Rohtang Road Closure Happens
Rohtang sits at 3,978 metres, and the last stretch from Gulaba to the top is steep, exposed and shaded for much of the day. Snow that melts at noon refreezes by late afternoon, which is how a road that looks dry becomes a skating rink.
The closure isn’t a tourism decision. The Kullu Deputy Commissioner issues the order after a joint inspection by the Manali SDM, police and the BRO, and the police barrier then moves down to Gulaba. In the 2024 season, black ice shut the road beyond Gulaba around the end of November.
Is Rohtang Pass open in December every year, then? No. We went back through the closure orders The Tribune reported over the last two winters, and only the very dry 2025 season gave December access at all.
What Most People Get Wrong About December
When people search “is Rohtang Pass open in December”, what they usually want to know is whether they’ll see snow. Here’s the part most guides miss: in December the snow comes down to you, so Kothi, Gulaba, Solang and the Atal Tunnel area often hold more of it than Rohtang top did in October.
The other mistake is assuming a Rohtang permit gets you past the barrier. Once the closure order is out, Gulaba is the finish line for every tourist vehicle, permit or not.
Do You Need a Rohtang Pass December Permit?
Usually there’s nothing to book. Permits under the National Green Tribunal rules cover travel beyond the Gulaba barrier, and they’re sold only through the official Rohtang permit portal run by the Kullu administration. After the winter closure in December 2024, that portal was switched off for the season.
That’s why “is Rohtang Pass open in December” and “can I get a permit” share the same answer most years. If the pass does open in a dry December, normal rules apply: ₹550 per car, jeep or MUV (a ₹500 fee plus a ₹50 congestion charge), with a daily cap of 1,200 vehicles, split into 800 petrol and 400 diesel.
Watch the web address. The old rohtangpermits.nic.in site has moved to the hp.gov.in domain, and any page still sending you to the old one is out of date. You also don’t need a Rohtang permit to drive through the Atal Tunnel to Sissu.
Is Rohtang Pass Open in December for Private Cars and Taxis?
Not in a normal year. Even in the dry December of 2025, ordinary cars lost access after 10 December, and the extension to 28 December covered 4×4 vehicles only, allowed up from Gulaba between 9:30 am and noon and back past Marhi by 3 pm.
So if a friend asks is Rohtang Pass open in December for a hatchback or a sedan, the honest reply is no. A local 4×4 with snow chains is the only vehicle that has had December access recently, and only in a rare year.
December Snow Points Near Manali You Can Reach
If “is Rohtang Pass open in December” gets a no for your dates, this is where your trip actually happens. The December snow points near Manali sit on two roads: the old Rohtang road through Kothi and Gulaba, and the tunnel road through Solang to the Atal Tunnel and Sissu.
Kothi and Gulaba on the Rohtang Road
Kothi is about 13 km from Manali and Gulaba about 22 km, and both usually have snow by December. Gulaba is where the barrier sits, so whenever “is Rohtang Pass open in December” gets a no, it’s the highest point on this road most tourists will reach this winter.
Expect parked cars, snow-suit sellers and a crowd on weekends. In past winters, orders have allowed vehicles between Kothi and Gulaba only from 10 am to 4 pm, and mornings are icy anyway, so leaving Manali at dawn just means waiting at the barrier in the cold.
Solang Valley
For families who find out the answer to “is Rohtang Pass open in December” is no, Solang is the easiest swap and the one we’d pick. It’s also where police stop ordinary vehicles whenever the road towards the tunnel turns slippery, so on a bad-weather day Solang becomes the end of the road.
Atal Tunnel, Sissu and Koksar
The Atal Tunnel, opened in October 2020, runs 9.02 km under the Rohtang range and keeps Lahaul reachable in winter. The tunnel is the reason “is Rohtang Pass open in December” matters far less than it did before 2020.
On clear days tourists drive through to Sissu and Koksar, which have become winter snow spots of their own. After fresh snow, though, the administration often lets only 4×4 vehicles beyond Solang Nala, and ordinary cars get turned back at the barrier.
How to Check Rohtang Pass December Road Status Yourself
Don’t trust a blog date, ours included. The Rohtang Pass December road status can change overnight, so check the official Kullu district and police updates, the permit portal, and what your driver hears at the Solang or Gulaba barrier that morning.
On any given morning, the quickest test of “is Rohtang Pass open in December” is whether the portal is issuing permits for that date. If it isn’t, and local news says vehicles are stopping at Gulaba, take that as your answer and switch to the tunnel road or Solang without arguing at the barrier.
Save 112 on your phone before you leave Manali. It’s the emergency number Kullu police asked visitors to keep handy this week.
What to Skip on a December Manali Trip
We’d skip any package sold as a “Rohtang tour” in December. In a normal year the car stops at Gulaba or Solang either way, so pay a Solang or Gulaba day rate instead and ask the agent to write down exactly where the vehicle will go.
Skip the idea of walking past the barrier for a photo, too. The stretch beyond Gulaba is where ice, low cloud and early dark catch out visitors who think a short walk is harmless. Police already had to escort tourists back from Marhi this week.
Black Ice, Cold and Getting Stuck: The Real Risks
Even on days when the answer to “is Rohtang Pass open in December” is yes, your biggest risk is the drive in an ordinary car. In one heavy spell, more than 1,000 vehicles got stuck between Solang and the Atal Tunnel, most of them tourist cars not fitted for snow.
Hire a local 4×4 with snow chains already in the boot, and start back by 3 pm because the road refreezes as the sun drops. If police turn you back, turn back. They’re reading conditions you can’t see from the car.
Cold is the other risk. Headache, nausea, dizziness or breathlessness after hours in the snow means it’s time to head down, and you should see a doctor in Manali if symptoms don’t ease quickly. Our health guides on staying well explain the warning signs in more depth.
Get medical help straight away if someone becomes confused, very drowsy or can’t stop shivering. And if a cough or fever follows you home, our guide on easing winter colds and flu covers what actually helps.
Our Honest Plan for a December Manali Trip
Here’s what we tell readers: treat Rohtang as a May-to-October trip and build December around Solang, Gulaba and, on clear days, Sissu. We’d stop asking “is Rohtang Pass open in December” and start asking which snow point is open today.
Stay in Manali rather than Lahaul unless your 4×4 transport is confirmed, because tunnel restrictions can change while you’re on the far side. Pack waterproof boots, warm gloves and sunglasses for snow glare, and see our skin-care tips for sun and wind before you go.
If heavy snow closes Manali’s roads for days, Shimla makes a decent backup, with snow often reaching Kufri. Our round-up of places to visit in Shimla helps you plan that switch.
For an evening with a shiver of a different kind, our list of Shimla’s most talked-about haunted spots is a fun read on the drive. This guide is for general travel information, so follow the Kullu police and district administration’s instructions on the day you travel.
