National Highway 505, was designated Himachal state highway 30 prior to its being notified on 4 March 2014 as a national highway. The highway runs through the high altitude cold desert area of Lahaul and Spiti valleys of Himachal, which area receives negligible rainfall. The terrain is barren and treacherous, prone to landslides and disruptions. The road is narrow and rough at places and crosses the high altitude Kunzum pass, requiring good driving skills in mountains. NH-505 provides connectivity to some major Buddhist monasteries and various interesting places.