Manali to Chandratal Lake over Hamta pass
Manali to Chandratal Lake over Hamta pass
Detailed itinerary:
Day 01: Drive from Manali – Jobri, Trek from Jobri – Chika
Following your arrival in Manali by noon, embark on a scenic trail to Kullu. Located close to each other, both these towns are fringed with scenic mountains, picturesque meadows and offer a pleasant climate to their visitors. Upon the completion of this sightseeing tour, return back to Manali and check-in into a lodge/hotel.
Post lunch in the hotel/lodge; mark the beginning of the Hampta Pass trekking with a short drive to Jobri. During the drive, you can have stunning views of the Vashisht Temple, which is the origin of natural hot springs, a quaint settlement called Johari, several other villages along with Prerni, a snow-clad hamlet. Also during the drive, you can witness plenitude of temporary thatched huts that belong to the hydro-power plant.
Arriving in Jobri, you can see a bridge made of concrete; up on crossing this bridge and get started with the trek to Chika. Maintaining left from the bridge, trek for around 2-3 hours till you reach Chika. Upon arrival in the hamlet, check-in into the camps and spend overnight in there with a delicious dinner.
Day 02: Trek from Chika – Balu Ka Ghera
Waking up today, enjoy your morning meal and get prepared for the adventure ahead! Following the usual trails from the Chika camp, you will reach a wooden bridge, crossing which you will come to a stream that has high density and flow of the water. Maintaining left from here, you will gain some height and the trail will take you through a flowery meadow and a picturesque stream.
Crossing this stream, you will finally reach Bhalu Ka Ghera, which is the hibernating ground of the brown bears. Arriving in Bhalu Ka Ghera, get into the camp and retire for the day; dinner and overnight stay will be in the camp.
Day 03: Trek from Balu Ka Ghera – Hampta Pass – Siagoru
Today will be the most stunning day of the Hampta Pass trek, as you will be ascending to the pass within the day!
Starting with an early morning trek, maintain left to the valley and make your way through the snowy meadows. Hereafter, the hike will become more exciting as with every step of yours, you will get to witness the alluring beauty of the vicinity; for the shutterbugs, this is an ideal place to capture the charm and appeal of the Mother Nature.
Continuing on the left, you will finally reach the Hampta Pass! Witness the meticulous beauty of the surroundings, get yourself some beverages and food from the nearby stalls, and relax for a while. Post this; depart from the pass and embark on a fascinating hike to Lahaul.
Located 14,000ft above the sea level, on this trail, you will witness an entire valley blanketed with thick covering of snow. Though crossing this valley is not very difficult, you might encounter some hardships while crossing the last bridge in the vicinity. After crossing Lahaul, the trek will descend down towards Siagoru, the final destination for the day.
Situated 13,000ft high, Siagoru is an ideal camping destination with scenic mountains, gurgling rivers and stunning streams. Finally, after covering a total of 14 km trek, retire in the camp for overnight.
Day 04: Trek from Siagoru – Chatru, Drive from Chatru – Chandartal
Today morning, you will be crossing the river that is visible from the camp. While half of this trail comprises of easy and gradual hike, the rest will be a bit of challenging as the trek will become steeper and will take you through rocky surfaces. Traversing all the way, you will finally come closer to the captivating Chandra River.
A high altitude river, Chandra flows along the Manali-Kaza Highway and is fringed with stunning mountains on both the sides. The most scenic feature of this river is that, while on one side, the mountains are covered with snow; the other side of the river has barren mountains!
Finally after trekking for around 5 hours, you will arrive in Chatru, from where a delightful drive will take you to Chandartal, the last destination of the day.
Day 05: Drive from Chatru – Chandratal Lake – Manali
Embark on your journey by car to Manali on the last day of the trek through a route open between mid-July to October-end that leads to Chandratal Lake at 14,000 ft. The sight of the lake’s crystal waters and Tibetan prayer flags adorn the trail.
Trekking during other months will need you to take the Kunzum La route which offers a scintillating sight of the Chandra Bhaga range. After covering a total of 200 km reach your ultimate destination of Manali your Hampta Pass trek comes to an end.