Category: Trekking

Crossing the Himalayas: From Leh To Kathmandu

Post author By Eliott Schonfeld
Post date June 15, 2020
No Comments on Crossing the Himalayas: From Leh To Kathmandu

Home » Blog » Trekking

The 28-year-old French adventurer Eliott Schonfeld, winner of the GEO Adventure contest, crossed the Himalayan chains on foot and on horseback from August to December 2017. After four and a half months of trudging in trans-Himalaya, he gradually got rid of the modern comforts & paraphernalia. The aim was to replace the products of modern civilization with their natural alternatives adopted by the local communities of the Himalayas.

Drinking water from a mountain stream in Ladakhb — **A return to nature. Drinking water from a mountain stream in Ladakh**

My body is tossed in all directions as Rinpoche, a horse farm owner, maneuvers his 4×4 on the broken stone roads that crisscross the Ladakh range. My heart and head hurt like being caught in a vice. Going from Paris(with an elevation of 35 m) to the 3,500 meters of average altitude of this high desert plateau, it takes time and I think I am not yet acclimatized. But for now, it is not vertigo that worries me than the new world around me.

August 10: Choosing The Horse in Ladakh

I spent a few days in Leh, the regional capital of Ladakh Union Territory of India, to find someone to sell me a horse. I witnessed the Trans-Himalayan mountains up close.

**A lady from Changthang plateau of Ladakh**

**A child playing with his father in Ladakh**

**Tso-Moriri Lake in Changthang plains of Ladakh**

**The village at the end of the road. Stok village of Ladakh.**
Ladakh is a magnificent high altitude cold desert… but very sparsely populated. Before clicking this image, I walked for weeks without meeting a single soul. Then, seeing the village of Stok – the green patch at the end of the gentle slope – I felt immensely joyful.

They are no longer on the horizon, but vertically, erected like a tangible wall, and too high, much too high. Why did I decide to tackle such monsters? For me, who had spent all my life at sea level should have started with the lower altitudes. After two hours of driving and deep contemplation, we reached the horse farm. I see a tent in the shape of a teepee, and all around, thirty horses grazing peacefully.

Ladakhi horse standing on meadows — My Ladakhi horse

The introductions were brief & the farm owner offered me a horse. The horse was white & not very big. Rinpoche helped me to saddle the horse, gave me some pieces of advice and the animal’s rope, then left me to my fate.

In front of me, around 2,000 kilometers of trail awaits me to Nepal. I calculated that it would take me five months to get through it. Before I start, I decide to baptize my steed. He needs a name that is familiar & comforting in the midst of the unknown universe that I am about to explore. It’s decided, his name will be Robert. My Ladakhi horse would be called Robert.

Drinking water straight from a river in Ladakh. We walk about 8 hours a day, so we are often thirsty.

September 4: Robert’s fall in Spiti valley

We had been progressing on high altitude trails for a month now. Robert never gave up. As for me, I ended up taking the plunge and felt at ease when we reached Spiti valley, a cold mountain desert in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, the most perilous mountains since the beginning of the expedition.

Base of Parang-La pass — **Climbing towards Parang-La pass.** I arrived at the base of the Parang La pass on the afternoon of August 28, 2017. In front of me was 5,600 meters, a high rock giant. I would have preferred to start the ascent after a good night’s sleep. Problem: It was impossible some grass at the base which was essential to allow Robert to sustain himself. So we had to climb, on sheets of ice melting. After skidding and sliding for four hours, we finally arrived safely at the top of the pass.

My horse reveling in abundant tufts of grass in Spiti valley — Robert reveling in abundant tufts of grass after descending from Parang-La pass. After descending from the top of the Parang La pass, Robert was able to revel in abundant tufts of grass, and I admired the breathtaking view. I was lost on the roof of the world. There was an ideal place to pitch the tent and get a good night’s sleep. The crossing of the Parang La pass also marked the end of Ladakh and entry into the state of Himachal Pradesh.

I crossed the Manirang pass(also spelled as Manerang) on one fine morning, a pass at an elevation of 5,590 meters. The landslides on this route are normal, and you have to remain focussed on each step. Four hours walking continuously… and an obstacle blocked our path — a gigantic rock was in the middle of the descending route. To move ahead, there was no choice except to climb over it.

We ventured on the rock surface and progressed a few meters when suddenly the rope that connects me to the horse yanks me back. Robert had lost his footing, he was sliding down the slope. Panicked, he struggles to get up, but that only accelerated his fall. My heart was racing. At this rate, it would fall permanently into the abyss and crash 20 meters below. I pulled the rope with all my might, but to no avail, I had to let go of the fear of being dragged myself into the void.

But a miracle happened: Robert landed on a narrow ledge from where he can no longer move or risk falling into a deep gorge. I tried everything possible to get it out of there but with my 60 kilos weight did not make the cut. There was only one thing to do: descend to the last village I encountered, 20 kilometers before, and 1,000 meters of elevation drop.

I reached there at night, exhausted and in tears. Watching me in distress, the villagers decided to organize a rescue mission. Two men, Tanzin and Karma, offered to accompany me with ropes.

After an exhausting return trip, we left for six hours of night climb. We arrived at the accident site, at 2am, I pointed my flashlight on the ledge, I scanned the light beam down the slope, expecting the worst. Robert was there, unharmed. He quietly turned his head towards me, with an air that seems to say: “But what have you done for the past ten hours?”

Bewildered, released from an immense weight, I exploded with laughter and went to hug my trek partner. I’ll never know how he got out of there alone, getting away with a few scratches. As for me, I had walked 60 kilometers, 20 hours straight, with 3,500 meters of cumulative elevation… for nothing! Whatever. Considering the relief I felt, it was worth it.

September 27: Waking Up From Oblivion In Kinnaur

But what took me? How can I be so stupid? I’m going to cross the roof of the world and I’m not carrying a pair of gloves… As I climb the frozen mountain range(Kinnaur Kailash range) that separates me from the pass of Charang-Chitkul pass or Charang La, I curse myself out loud. I’m paying for being thick-skinned. Because I was using my bare hands to climb, I no longer felt my fingers. Of course, I did not take crampons or ice axes either and I had to kick in the ice to create required traction.

Glued against the wall, I assessed my progress. It took me some hours to climb just 200 meters from a vertically packed ice slope. I told myself that I did well to sell my little Robert to a horse breeder a few days earlier. No matter how well he showed his talent as a tightrope walker, he could never have climbed such a thing. I finally reached my goal, at 5,300 meters above sea level, I was at Charang-La pass.

Climbing the steep Charang-Chitkul pass — Climbing the steep Charang-La pass

As I caught my breath, I observed the thick layer of snow covering the ground. I was not the only one to have successfully climbed that day. Pugmarks of a snow leopard, all fresh, dotted the ridge before disappearing on the other side. Amazed, I touched the imprints of paws’ of the grey ghost, so beautiful, so pure. Then I scanned the surroundings, hoping to catch a glimpse— not a single soul found in sight. I hoped I didn’t scare him off. The Himalayan grey ghost lurks, I can feel it. Even invisible, he accompanies me.

Pugmarks of a snow leopard near Charang-Chitkul pass — Pugmarks of a snow leopard near Charang-La pass

October 1, 2017: Going Incognito in Baspa valley

I had been walking very close to the Indo-Tibetan border for three weeks now. I had absolutely no permission to venture in these troubled terrains. Because of the territorial conflicts between India and China, the region is tightly controlled. Tourists and Indians are required to obtain permits to do any activity on the border areas. Traveling alone is prohibited.

I managed to sneak through the last military posts by walking during the night. It seemed to be playing a cat and mouse game with the Indian army patrols. More than the detours that I was forced to make, the anxiety of getting caught made every step more painful.

According to my maps and the villagers of Chitkul, the route is restricted up to the Lamkhaga pass (5,280 meters). After crossing Lamkhaga pass, I would be back in the free zone. The weather was perfect, the sky was of a serene azure color. I was walking at a leisurely pace, at a distance, I saw two silhouettes. Two trekkers, bags on their backs, were heading in my direction.

As I was about to greet them, my head spun. They were not trekkers, but soldiers. They were not two, others were behind them. I ran towards a big boulder. A minute later, I heard the sounds of the boots of the first patrolmen, around 20 meters from me, in camouflage dress, weapons on the back. It was the Indian Tibetan Border Police(ITBP), the sentinel of the Himalayas.

I curled up as much as possible in my hiding place. Getting caught here would be fatal, I was aware of it. I was trekking without due authorization, with a satellite phone and a camera. I could never make them swallow that I was unaware of the restricted area. I would have ended up in prison. I was trying to calm down. The march of the soldiers continued. Twenty or thirty men had already passed. When will it stop, damn it? It was like the whole army of the subcontinent was hidden in these mountains.

After a while, silence fell. I stood still for another fifteen minutes, then got out of my hole. At a distance, the Indian army men went up the valley and trekked to the exact place where I had planned to pitch my tent. I realized that this situation, which could have turned serious, has become a godsend for me — the army men had mapped a track in the deep snow, which made my ascent infinitely easier. One soldier even dropped food just before the summit: caramels & a packet of noodles. The army mend does it to lighten the load and use it on their return journey.

**Summit of the Lamkhaga pass(5280m).** The pass forms a drainage divide between the Baspa valley of Kinnaur & the Harsil valley of Uttarakhand.

snowfields below Lamkhaga pass — **Immaculate beauty of Lamkhaga snowfields. Jalandhari Gad glacier of Harsil valley.** This soft white coat is not only pleasant for the eyes, it marked for my a return into the unrestricted zone. For several weeks, I had been traveling along the Indo-Tibetan border. An area prohibited to tourists unless accompanied by a permit authorized by the Indian government. From now on, our adventurer will no longer need to play hide and seek with the military patrols of the region. Phew!

A nomadic man near Harsil village. — **A nomadic man I met near Harsil.** I met this Indian nomad as I was walking towards the village of Harsil, in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Oddly, there was only this gentleman and his son, I do not know where the rest of his family was.

**Himalayan goats near Harsil.** These are the biggest goats I had ever seen! This herd of extraordinary herbivores belonging to the Indian nomad, I decided to help him milk them. A nice way to thank him for his hospitality.

October 20, 2017: Paradise found in Nepal

On my raft, I assume myself for Tarzan. The langurs & the white and black monkeys that populate the jungles of the middle Himalayas, jump from tree to tree while I raft on the Mahakali, river marking the border between India and Nepal.

Rafting in turquoise waters of Mahakali River — **Rafting in Mahakali River.** After the high peaks, the rapids. I traveled 200 kilometers on the Mahakali River. A trip made on a raft which I built himself using pieces of wood and some tubes.

I started my descent a week ago, letting myself be carried by the currents. I still had 200 kilometers to sail to Banbassa, the Nepalese border post. I finally landed in Nepal on a riverbank. I started my exploration deep into the forest, where I came across natural pools, large holes in the polished rock filled with turquoise water, and linked together by the pearled necklace of the waterfalls. Paradise, I tell you.

Sun rises over the Nepalese jungle near the Makhali river — The sun rises over the Nepalese jungle near the Makhali river

I loved to explore, like a tracker, for the traces of wildlife that swarmed around me. Here, a wavy line on the ground indicated the passage of a snake. There, handprints, tiny feet: probably a bunch of macaques. Farther on, between the trunks, the gigantic web of a Nephila Pilipes, a spider with long legs, capable of capturing small bats in its nets.

Nothing makes me happier than blending in such wilderness. I certainly feel very small, vulnerable amidst nature. But the feeling of this insignificance, instead of frightening me, releases me. It teaches me not to make humans the measure of everything anymore.

A raft on Mahakali river banks — **The Naked Explorer & his raft on Mahakali river banks.** It was the simplest device that went down the Mahakali river, stopping regularly on deserted beaches.
Perfect places to pitch the tent and observe the traces of monkeys … or tigers!

What terrifies me would be an entirely “civilized” world, where the city, the road, and the cement would have thrown their grip on everything. And where a man would only meet himself. That’s what I was thinking, lying on a bed of palm leaves, by the fire. A string of green dots lit up in the warm air. The fireflies had started their ballet of stars, while hundreds of little beings, carpeted in the trees, were singing the big night concert. That evening, I slept well.

November 10, 2017: Meeting the people of Rautes: The Last Nomadic tribe of Nepal

Before I started this expedition, I had a dream: to meet the Rautes. This nomadic tribe, whose name means “kings of the forest”, lives in the remote jungles of western Nepal. These are hunter-gatherers who track down the monkey and feed on wild fruits and tubers.

After ten days of research & miles & miles going around in circles, I was on the verge of giving up when luck struck me. From the top of the hill that I had just climbed, there was indeed one of their encampments that I discovered at the bottom of the valley. Shelters, made of branches and foliage. Under one of them, a man was cleaning peppers. A woman came back from the forest with some trunks under her arm, and a teenager who was cutting something out of a large piece of wood.

Children of Raute tribe bathing & playing by a stream

The children, who were playing in the river, finally noticed my presence. Intrigued – I must have appeared to them as an extraterrestrial – they surrounded me. It provoked the adults, who looked suspicious and started talking. They were very small, dressed in a light dress that revealed parts of their body. They finally lead me to the royal tent – because the Routes have kings. A man even more naked than the others came out and stared at me straight in the eyes. I greeted him in a solemn way, then shook his hand, impressed. It is the first time that I shake the hand of a king. It is also the first time that I have seen royal testicles. What a day!

Children of Raute tribe of Nepal — Innocent children of Raute tribe of Nepal

A Raute tribe couple harvesting the wheat crop — A tribe couple harvesting the wheat crop. These two villagers I met near the Rautes camp were harvesting wheat without machines, they use the oxen to crush it, and the wind to separate the grain from the chaff.

Raute tribes' camps — Raute tribes’ camps

An old Route tribe man with a child — An old Route tribe man

December 6, 2017: The Final Offload

I left the wood and stone hut that I built for the night and extinguished the brazier ignited by friction. Handmade bag on the back, goat skin on the shoulders, the bamboo fire starter, on one hand, I feel metamorphosed. I had set myself a challenge: replace all of my Western things with their natural counterparts. Not only did I manage to take it up, but in addition, I absolutely did not have the impression that it is limiting. On the contrary, I felt more free, independent. I learned to settle for the basic & minimum, to build what I needed to survive.

**Terraced fields of wheat in Nepal.** Terracing allows the Nepalese to practice agriculture on the steep slopes of the mountains.

A Nepali lady & her wooden pipe. In this photo, it is not Captain Haddock, but a Nepali woman. I met her in the Dailekh district, in the western region of the country. The venerable lady was taking a break to smoke tobacco packed in an artisanal pipe.

If I had been told a few years ago that I would be able to manage on my own in nature (and what nature!), I would not have believed it. After three days of a final ascent through the rocky peaks of the Dolpo region, in northern Nepal, I finally reached the Phoksundo.

Phoksundo is the most beautiful lake I have ever seen: an aquamarine crescent moon set like a relic in the galaxy of the Himalayan mountains. I sat in front of this splendor and allowed myself all the time it takes to soak up this moment. I felt good and would have gladly stayed there for days to meditate … if only I could. But the first snowflakes began to fall. Winter was coming. I was thinking about going back, going back to college, and going on with my life. Once again in Paris.

Undulating ranges of the lower Himalayas of Nepal

Tags Garhwal, Kinnaur, LEH, Nepal, Spiti valley, Trekking

Blog Garhwal Trekking

Kedartal Lake – A Trekker’s Dream

Post author By Kusum Sanu
Post date April 21, 2020
No Comments on Kedartal Lake – A Trekker’s Dream

Home » Blog » Trekking

Kedartal, as the name indicates its Lord Shiva’s lake. The legend says Shiva created this lake as a contribution to River Bhagirathi. The lake is believed to be the origin of Kedar Ganga, a tributary to Bhagirathi which joins the river at Gangotri. But, in that landscape, you happen to see Kedar Ganga originating from a glacier which feeds the lake too!

Sunlit peaks of Mt Thalaysagar and Mt Bhrigupanth above frozen Kedartal Lake — Kedartal with views of Mt Thalaysagar and Mt Bhrigupanth

After an injury at Chadar trek, I was thinking that my left hand is gone forever! Very depressed, I was pushing hard to get some movements in the wrist. I had never thought I could go for a trek within 4 months of injury.

Gangotri peaks around Kedar Kharak campsite — Craggy peaks around the Kedar Kharak campsite

I still decided to make it to Kedartal lake with only one hand operational. Initially, it sounded like madness but, later I didn’t regret. It was hard but wasn’t as hard as I believed.

Gangotri To Kedartal Lake Trek Route

Day 1: Gangotri to Bhoj Kharak

The trek starts from Gangotri and the trail is steep uphill including numerous switchbacks through the birch forest. Birch trees are referred to as Bhoj trees in the local language and so the first campsite inside the Bhoj forest is named Bhoj Kharak.

Bhoj Kharak is one of many campsites on the Auden’s Col trek route.

The trail is well marked, other than all uphill terrain there is nothing much to talk about. Just a few meters before the campsite the Spider Wall crossing is interesting. Almost vertical granite with a couple of inches wide footholds and quite a deep valley below … Well… it is not as scary as it is mentioned in all websites. But, yes! one needs to be careful.

Glimpse of Mt Bhrigupanth and Mt Thalaysagar peaks from Kedar Kharak campsite — Mt Bhrigupanth and Mt Thalaysagar seen from Kedar Kharak

Day 2: Bhoj Kharak to Kedar Kharak

The second day of trekking from Bhoj Kharak to Kedar Kharak is comparitively easy on knees but tricky and very interesting! Steep climb, blue sheep pushing lose rocks from top, we dodging those falling rocks, crossing sliding zones, river crossing at places. I loved it. What is the fun in just walking and walking? It is fun to get some dust and dirt.

The real heroes are the porters. I envied them, their immunity towards the cold, altitude and the terrain. When our team, well equipped with Vibram sole trekking shoes and saying “mein guide ke sath hi jaoonga” (I will go only with the guide), these guys were walking in a pair of flimsy slippers with no grip at all and carrying a backpack of the size of an almirah! I heard they carry about 30 to 50KG! They deserve a story of their own.

We had started late in the morning and got to experience some snowfall at the end. I was in an open area, there was nothing to hide and strong cold wind brought snowflakes. Snowflakes were ramming to my face. The lightweight poncho wasn’t of any use, it was flying in every direction except to protect me from snow and wind. The romantic looking snowflakes which come in slow motion aren’t so in reality, they seemed too hostile and felt like ripping my facial skin.

In the mountains, you can hardly do anything but accept the situation- if hot sweat, if cold shiver!! There was no option than walking ahead. Fortunately, the storm was brief and the last stretch of the trail is almost flat and opens up into a beautiful grassy meadow with views of high peaks and blue sheep grazing around.

Himalayan Blue Sheep at Kedar Kharak — Himalayan Blue Sheep or Bharal at Kedar Kharak

Since Kedartal has not gained much popularity as Roopkund the campgrounds are sparsely occupied. Kedar Kharak campsite is one of the best. Wide grassy ground gently sloping down and once a while the pretty visitors- Himalayan Blue Sheep grazing lazily. The campsite has good old mountains around, space, peace, quiet and some craziness. Only a group of Indiahikes had camped and ours. One of the best campsites ever!

A herd of blue sheep arrived and the whole campground came to life! People with cameras tried to approach them in all possible angles and postures. Others just stood around and took videos and pictures with mobile phones. Watching the sheep a thought came to my mind- on treks our existence comes down to that of these sheep. We want to survive, eat and sleep. Nothing else matters.

Moraines and Glacier zone below Kedartal — A massive glacier on one side of the Kedar lake. Took this picture from the lateral moraine separating lake and glacier.

Day 3: Kedar Kharak to Kedartal Lake

On the third day trail from Kedar Kharak to our final destination- Kedartal was rocky, harsh and looked never-ending. For me, the tension of reaching somewhere before the weather got bad was mounting. Today I was better prepared with waterproof pants and wasn’t relying on the poncho only. But, there was no snowfall or rain, it was a very pleasant day! After going up and down on the rocky moraines the final steep climb through the loose rocks and slushy slippery mud kind of induced the effect of altitude.

Almost at 16,000ft air is thin, crisp and dry. Climbing 4 steps makes you huff and puff! I went up like a zombie, every two steps I stopped and looked up to judge how much more! Finally, I was there!! Dumbstruck!!

The view was stunningly beautiful in “high altitude colors”- white and thousand shades brown. Well, there was blue of the sky at times when those cottony white clouds moved. It looked like magnificence redefined! I forgot about my tired limbs and tried to capture the sheer scale of the mountains with my mobile phone. Some pictures I captured are here though any camera cannot do justice to the spectacularly magnificent grandeur of the place. I went around the place and clicked pictures … so many of them!

Camping beside Kedartal Lake — Frozen Kedartal and our camp

The romance of staying in a tent pitched right beside a frozen lake and watching the moon-rise is beyond words to express. The moon slowly rose up from behind Mt Bhrigupanth. It was just a night after a full moon and the light-filled everywhere! I sat there on a rock on the lake bed and looking at Mt Thalay Sagar when others tried to do some long exposure photography.

A porter came for water and asked me gently … “Madam Ji, kab tak yahin baithi rahegi?” (Madam, How long will you sit here?). My response right away was … “Marne tak 😅” (Until death). Soon thick clouds covered the place, dampness was felt by the skin and it was time to get inside the tent.

At high altitudes, I cannot sleep. And while trekking above 8,000ft I just don’t get sleep for a week or so. And hence I keep coming out of the tent every night just to look around, and the star-filled sky. At Kedartal I came out to check twice at 1 AM and 3 AM. The first time there wasn’t much the mist had covered most of the mountains. But, the second time was dreamy.

The moonlight had lit up the whole place. But the thin curtain of clouds masked the sky and the light was diffused and dimmed. The stars were hiding. The enchanting and otherworldly beauty of the mountains soaked in the dim moonlight was like a dream. Trust me!

A moment’s sight of Mt Thalay Sagar shining under the moonlight was worth freezing me for a few minutes. I don’t have words to explain it. It made me forget everything else and I was eternally happy! I could stand there and watch forever! It was bitterly cold but the haunting beauty of the landscape was hypnotic. I thought of making friends with the bitter cold.

Kedartal & surrounding peak of Gangotri range of Himalayas — Hard to say goodbye! But, we had to … looking back at Kedartal …

Staying back at places like Kedartal is not an option. The next morning we had to leave. With tons of memories and a camera full of pictures we left.

Even though Kedartal is not ravaged like Roopkund or Goecha La the plastic still has made its presence. I could see some Pepsi Cola bottles on the surface of the frozen lake. Oh! When are we going to learn? Well, another drill on the sliding zone and descending the steep downhill trail finished our memorable trek. At Gangotri, while we settled the dues etc I finished two big fat aloo parathas effortlessly.

The jinx! Unfinished Moon Peak, unwell on Goecha La trek and injury on Chadar!! I broke the jinx!! I finished Kedartal with no issues! Yey to me!!

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as the sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of autumn – John Muir

A blog by Kusum Sanu.. She is author of Scrapbook-A Travel Blog. She is a solo traveler, photographer, and a trekker. She believes in minimalistic living and doesn’t just visit a place but tries to truly live it.

Blog Chitkul village Kinnaur Sangla valley Trekking

Kinnaur Kailash Trek Blog

Post author By Shyam Ramachandran
Post date October 6, 2018
10 Comments on Kinnaur Kailash Trek Blog

Charang - La base camp

Home » Blog » Trekking

Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama Trek

Otherwise called Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama, this trek is circumambulation(parikrama) around holy Kinnaur Kailash Range.
Kinnaur Kailash is one of the 5 Kailash a Shiv Bhakt must-visit (others being Shrikhand Mahadev, Manimahesh Kailash, Adi Kailash, and Kailash Mansarovar).

Kinnaur Kailash itself has two important routes from the pilgrimage perspective.
1) Kinnaur Kailash Shivling – Which is around 4500M ASL, approachable
in a 10 day period only in August. This is a state-sponsored Yatra.

2) Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama aka Charang-La pass which is around 5200 Meters, which this album is all about. This is a very difficult pass crossing in June snow and scree conditions.

It is said the spirits of the dead walk amidst Rangrik peak in the vicinity of Kinnaur Kailash peak. Kinnaur Kailash itself is winter abode to Lord Shiva who conducts darbar for a class of mythological people called Kinnaurs (one who is proficient in music in Hindu Mythology

And apart from the importance of Hinduism, this trek also provides an opportunity to visit the Charang Monastery one of the oldest Buddhist Monasteries in the Himalayas. Unlike the Male Lamas of Ladakh, this particular monastery is inhabited by Buddha Bikshinis (Female Buddha monks)

Kailash Circuit: Charang-La pass trek (Altitude 5270m)

June 2014 expedition blog

Charang La is probably tougher than any other treks and yatra‘s including Kailash itself. The reason being the remoteness of this trek, steepness of Charang-La pass and streams (Nala) to cross are at least 3. In the early season (June/July), snow will ease out boulder hopping, but pass itself will be under thick snow. I would easily reckon the day of CharangLa pass traverse (in June) is difficult than the day of Lamkagha pass traverse.

Since this expedition comes very close to the international border with Tibet, a written permit from SDM Reckong poo is a must and will be verified by Shurting and Charang ITBP. So plan this without fail.
This is a unique trek that starts from a rocky desert-like environment and ends up in the absolute beauty of greenery at Chitkul. So in 5 days’ time, we can experience the change every day. And tents/provisions are a must for at least 3 days after Charang.

To do this trek, one has to take a Jeep Safari (I am not sure about the availability of Bus) from Reckong Peo to Thangi/Lumbar which will cost anywhere from Rs.2500 to 3000 and henceforth trek the next 5 days. This Jeep safari is along Reckong Poo-Pooh-Nako-Kaza (Spiti) highway which is in full grandeur on an ancient mountain system to the Himalayas. Geologists claim this to be the confluence of Himalayas, Dhauladar, and Zanskar mountain systems. Very rugged mountains and the moon-like landscape
(read cold dry rocky dusty).

The trek itself was done as below:

Kinnaur Kailash Circuit Trek Itinerary

Day #1 June 16th: Reckong Poo to Thangi by Jeep (along Spiti Highway) and
further trek to Shurthing (ITBP camp)
Day #2 June 17th: Shurthing to Charang Buddhist Monastery and back
(Views of Rangrik Rang AKA Raacho peak)
Day #3 June 18th: Shurthing to Lalanti (Dilapidated ITBP shed is there)
June 19th: Lalanti to Charang La Base Camp (4800M)
Day #4 June 20th: Charang Base Camp to the last village of Kinnaur, Chitkul via incredible and nearly vertical, Snow Clad CharangLa pass @ 5200 Meters ASL.

Trek Guide and Organizer: www.raachotrekkers.com
(Proprietor and Guide: Sohan Negi from Charang Village/Chitkul)

Wild White Roses - Reckong Peo | Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama trek blog — Wild White Roses – Reckong Peo

Apple Orchids - Reckong Peo — Apple Orchids – Reckong Peo

Kinnaur Kailash Range - Burning in the morning sun | Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama trek blog — Kinnaur Kailash Range – Burning in the morning sun

Rocky Extensions - A common occurance on Kinnaur highways . The unique geological formations — Rocky Extensions – A common occurrence on Kinnaur highways. The unique geological formations

LandSlips (Enroute Thangi). Had to wait for 2.5 hours to clear. Effects of Hydro Power projects on fragile environment. A daily occurance in Kinnaur. | Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama trek blog — LandSlips (Enroute Thangi). I had to wait for 2.5 hours to clear. Effects of Hydro Power projects on a fragile environment. A daily occurrence in Kinnaur.

Enroute Thangi (Waterfalls like these are commonplace)

Enroute Lumbar..me enjoying the rough ride. Guide Sohan Negi in the front. You know i am an adventurer, i cant take the front seat!!! — Enroute Lumbar..me enjoying the rough ride. Guide Sohan Negi in the front. You know i am an adventurer, I cant take the front seat!!!

Enroute Shurting, Fantastic bridge over river Tidong. Tidong is a tributary of the river Satluj.

Enroute Shurthing. About to start the Parikrama and enter the narrow channel over river Tidong

Shurting to Charang - Scenaries enroute (River Tidong flowing down) | Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama trek blog — Shurting to Charang – Scenaries en route (River Tidong flowing down)

Shurting to Charang - Vistas enroute (River Tidong flowing down) — Shurting to Charang – Vistas enroute (River Tidong flowing down)

Shurting to Charang - Vistas enroute | Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama trek blog — Shurting to Charang – Vistas enroute

Tidong valley - Charang landscape — Tidong valley – Charang landscape

Standing before Rangrik Rang Peak and Charang Village is at the background

Green landscape of Charang village | Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama trek blog — Green landscape of Charang village

Rangrik Tungma monastery gate , Charang | Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama trek blog — Rangrik Tungma monastery gate , Charang

Rangrik Tungma monastery Charang. The monastery is believed to be one of the earliest monastery established in Kinnaur. — Rangrik Tungma monastery Charang. The monastery is believed to be one of the earliest monasteries established in Kinnaur.

Rangrik Tungma monastery | Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama trek blog — Rangrik Tungma monastery

Bronze sculpture of a Buddist deity inside Rangrik Tungma monastery

Wild Flowers out of rocks - Where there is a will there is a way — Wild Flowers out of rocks – Where there is a will there is a way

Scenary on Shurting to Lalanti route — Scenery on Shurting to Lalanti route

Approaching LalanTi meadows | Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama trek blog — Approaching LalanTi meadows

Lalanti medows Campsite | Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama trek blog — Lalanti medows Campsite

Porters raising campfire @ Lalanti (Tashi and Omkar)

At Lalanti meadows campsite | Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama trek blog — At Lalanti meadows campsite

Pitstop before Charang la pass basecamp | Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama trek blog — Pitstop before Charang la pass basecamp

Scenary @ Lalanti to CharangLa Base Camp route — Scenery @ Lalanti to CharangLa Base Camp route

Charang - La base camp — Charang – La base camp

Views from Charang - La base camp | Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama trek blog — Views from Charang – La base camp

Imposing sight of Charang-La from the base camp | Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama trek blog — The imposing sight of Charang-La from the base camp

Looking backwards at Glacial Lake while climbing the Charang- La pass | Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama trek blog — Looking backward at Glacial Lake while climbing the Charang- La pass

Looking backwards at Glacial Lake - enroute Charang-La — Looking backwards at Glacial Lake – enroute Charang-La

Taking a breather - CharangLa ascent — Taking a breather – CharangLa ascent

Looking backwards at Glacial Lake - en route CharangLa | Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama trek blog — Looking backwards at Glacial Lake – en route CharangLa

The slope - Charang-La pass | Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama trek blog — The slope – Charang-La pass

The snowscape - vista of the mountain range | Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama trek blog — The snowscape – vista of the mountain range

Cook Prakash Rathi. He helped me a lot to ascend CharangLa. He is the real hero. | Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama trek blog — Cook Prakash Rathi. He helped me a lot to ascend CharangLa. He is the real hero.

Charang La - Scenary from the top (notice the scree) | Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama trek blog — Charang La – Scenary from the top (notice the scree)

Steep scree slope.. the descent was slippery and taxing | Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama trek blog — Steep scree slope.. the descent was slippery and taxing

finally Chitkul is in sight... Chitkul is last village on Indo - Tibet border located in the Baspa/Sangla valley — finally Chitkul is in sight... Chitkul is last village on Indo – Tibet border located in the Baspa/Sangla valley

The Sangla valley , Chitkul | Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama trek blog — The Sangla valley, Kinnaur. Chitkul village can be seen at the base of the Baspa river valley.

Chitkul village - The gem of Sangla valley — Chitkul village – The gem of Sangla valley

Blog by Shyam Sundar Ramachandran

Blog Garhwal Mountaineering Trekking

Lamkhaga Pass Trek – May 2018 Expedition Blog

Post author By Upasana Ray
Post date September 12, 2018
1 Comment on Lamkhaga Pass Trek – May 2018 Expedition Blog

Jalandhari Gad amphitheater

Home » Blog » Trekking

Chitkul to Gangotri/Harsil Trek

Lamkhaga Pass (5282m) (Chitkul to Harsil), May 2018
This Himalayan high pass divides Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh from Uttarakhand in India. We followed the following route:
–Chitkul to Rani Kanda
-Rani Kanda to Dhumti
-Dhumti to Gundar
-Gundar to Lamkhaga advance base camp (Kinnaur side) (One may break this climb till base camp 1 and next day to advance base camp…….we skipped)
-Advance base camp to Upper Kyarkoti after crossing Lamkhaga pass (Again, you may camp at Lamkhaga pass base camp of Gangotri side followed by trek till Kyarkoti…….we decided to continue beyond base camp and camp at upper Kyarkoti)
-Upper Kyarkoti to Kyarkoti
-Kyarkoti to Gangnani
-Gangnani to Harsilsn
This is a remote pass and very few groups have finished this. Thus it could be a good option for all those who loves to visit the under-explored! Raacho Trekkers team did the first recce of the route from Kinnaur side in 2014.

First day camping at Ranikanda near Chitkul[Lamkhaga pass trek 2018] — First day camping at Ranikanda near Chitkul

View of Baspa glacier snout[Lamkhaga pass trek] — View of Baspa glacier snout

Huge icicles near Baspa glacier ice cave[Lamkhaga pass trek] — Huge icicles near Baspa glacier ice cave

Baspa glacier ice cave [Lamkhaga pass trek 2018]

Climbing up to the Lamkhaga pass base camp

Lamkhaga pass base camp [Lamkhaga 2018] — Lamkhaga pass base camp

Baspa Glacier. Chotakhaga pass is visible in the background.[Lamkhaga pass 2018]

View from base camp [Lamkhaga pass 2018] — View from base camp

Water pumped out off the glacier beneath the tent......trying to reset the tents [Lamkhaga pass 2018] — Water pumped out off the glacier beneath the tent……trying to reset the tents [Lamkhaga pass 2018]

Trying to dig out some water from beneath the glacier at advance base camp[Lamkhaga pass 2018]

Climbing Lamkhaga pass [Lamkhaga pass trek 2018] — Climbing Lamkhaga pass

Jalandri Gad amphitheater [Lamkhaga pass trek 2018]

Jalandri Gad stream making way through the glacier [Lamkhaga pass trek 2018] — Jalandri Gad stream making way through the glacier

Descending into the Jalandri Gad valley [Lamkhaga pass trek 2018]

Origin of Jalandri gad stream. Jalandri Gad is a right bank tributary of Bhagirathi river

The ridge[Lamkhaga pass trek 2018] — The ridge

Upper Kyarkoti... Jalandhari gad valley[Lamkhaga pass trek] — Upper Kyarkoti… Jalandhari gad valley

Meadows of Kyarkoti. Harsil valley Uttrakhand[Lamkhaga pass trek 2018] — Meadows of Kyarkoti. Harsil valley Uttrakhand

Blog by Upasana Ray

View this post on Instagram

Lamkhaga trek highlights May 2017 #natgeotravel #mountainclimbing #lonelyplanetindia #indiapictures #hippieinhills #bbctravel #himalayas #mountainlove #raachotrekkers #cntraveler #himgeo #optoutside #choosemountains #instahimachal #himachalpictures #uttrakhand #jannatehimachal #shimlalife
A post shared by Raacho Trekkers (@sonunegi106) on Jun 20, 2018 at 4:00am PDT

Tags Chitkul, Gangotri, Garhwal, Harsil, Himachal, Kinnaur, Mountaineering, Sangla valley, Trekking, Uttrakhand

Blog Chitkul village Kinnaur Trekking

Lamkhaga Pass Trek Expedition blog

Post author By Rohit Bhat
Post date March 13, 2018
1 Comment on Lamkhaga Pass Trek Expedition blog

That morning! Ranikanda meadows [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015]

Home » Blog » Trekking

Lamkhaga Pass Trek log | In The Footsteps Of Marco Pallis

Chitkul-Gangotri Trek

[Chitkul: The last village of Kinnaur, Himachal to Harsil via Lamkhaga Pass (5284mtr)] [MAY – June 2015 ]

TREK ITINERARY :

28th May: Reach Base Camp Chitkul by road from Shimla

Trek Starts:

Day #1 29th May: Chitkul (3435 meters) to Nagasthi – Rani Kanda (3700 meters) 10 km 5 hr trek.
Day #2 30th May: Rani Kanda to Dumti (4050 meters) – 9 km/5 hr trek.
Day #3 31st May: Dumti to Gundar (4450 meter) – 15km/7 hr trek
Day #4 1st June: Gundar (4400 mtrs) to Lamkhaga Pass Base Camp (4400 meters)
Day #5 2nd June: Lamkhaga Pass BC to Base Camp 2 (Kinnaur)
Day #6 3rd June: Lamkhaga Pass BC(Kinnaur) to Lamkhaga Pass BC (Gangotri Side) via Lamkhaga Pass (5282 mts/17320 ft) / 14432 ft) 11 km/6 – 7 hr trek
Day #7 4th June: Lamkhaga Pass Base Camp to Kyarkoti (3820 meter) – 16 km/7 – 8 hr trek
Day #8 5th June: Kyarkoti to Harsil (2400 meter) – 14 km/6-7 hr trek

DAY1:

CHANDIGARH- SHIMLA:
Pahadi Hospitality at its best: All restaurants were closed by the time we reached Shimla. After searching for food nearby passport office without any vehicle(our driver had left after dropping us at the hotel) we failed to get one. It was 12 am, the hotel manager and his assistant had to specially prepare rice and dal for us from their own personal kitchen.

DAY2:

SHIMLA-KALPA
Enchanting Kinnaur, Irritating hydro-projects, awesome curvy drive, and the humble driver:
First of all, thank you Vikas for arranging the car. Will make sure to recommend him to my friends if needed at all in the future.
Today’s journey began with Aloo paranthas and a glass of bournvita just on the outskirts of Shimla. While eating parathas, we never thought that we will be hating paranthas so much at the end of our journey and we still do while I type this, however you will come to know as the Tlog progresses. Weather was pleasant and eating fresh Narkanda cherries was surely a ‘cherry on top’ to add in this journey.
The tea and the mischievous kids playing at Wangtoo tea house was fun. One layer of cloth comes out of the bag at this place.Brrrrr! Though we were driving on NER, the vistas were getting more beautiful. We reached Rakpa regency at Kalpa @10pm passing through muddy Karcham-Powari stretch to the beautiful dark town of Reckong Peo, through clouds and rains which got vanished later when we entered our room. The moonlit Kinner Kailash range was the most beautiful vista ever and the long tiring journey was totally worth it for this.

Near Chaura Check post [Lamkhaga pass expedition 2015] — Near Chaura Check post

Boundary gate of Kinnaur district [Lamkhaga pass expedition 2015] — Boundary gate of Kinnaur district

View across Satluj valley [Lamkhaga pass expedition 2015] — View across Satluj valley

Tranda Dhank kinnaur [Lamkhaga pass expedition 2015] — The construction of the Hindustan Tibet road in Himachal Pradesh began in 1850. The 637 Km road from Firozpur, Punjab to Shipki-La is also known as National Highway No. 5. It passes through the foothills of Shivalik Ranges, Shimla, Kingal and then runs along the river Satluj and thereafter passes through Rampur, Powari, and Pooh. From Khab to Sumdo, the road runs along the river Spiti. From Kalka to Wangtu, the 335 Km stretch is under the control of the Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department. While from Wangtu to Korik, it is under the Border Roads Organisation. This road has been featured on the National Geographic Channel as ‘The World’s Deadliest Roads’.
Tranda Dhank, Hindustan Tibet road Kinnaur.

National Highway 5 [Chaura - Bhabanagar stretch , Lamkhaga pass expedition 2015] — National Highway 5 [Chaura – Bhabanagar stretch]

Satluj river choked by numerous Hydro electric project built on the river [Lamkhaga pass expedition 2015] — Satluj river choked by numerous Hydroelectric project built on the river

Places in Kinnaur and their altitude [Lamkhaga pass expedition 2015] — Places in Kinnaur and their altitude

DAY3

KALPA – Hike to CHAKKA KANDA (~4000mtr)- KALPA and drive to CHITKUL

Chakka is a small peak which lies behind and above Kalpa town. Though a small hike for a little bit more than 1000mtr, it is a very good place for acclimatization for all the trekkers/travelers in that region. Just below the peak, lies Chakka Kanda, a lake that is culturally important for Kinnauris. It takes 2 -3 hours to reach.
We hired a car to Chitkul at 4 pm from Kalpa after descending down from Chakka Kanda.

Hotel in Kalpa: Rakpa Regency & Hotel in Chitkul: Shenshah/Shahenshah/Shen Sha or whatever you call it. Both the properties are run by Mr. Sandeep Karar.
All the rooms were charged 1500 INR/room after immense bargaining in advance as we did not had any options left. The stay at Kalpa has to be the best for its hospitality and views.

Hotel to Chakka Kanda
Time taken: 2 1/2 hours
Height gained: 800 meters. Just before lake, we stopped due to time restrictions.

Night Landscape , Kalpa [Lamkhaga pass expedition 2015] — Night Landscape, Kalpa

Night Landscape view of Kinner Kailash range , Kalpa [Lamkhaga pass expedition 2015] — Night Landscape view of Kinner Kailash range, Kalpa

That Morning , Kalpa [Lamkhaga pass expedition 2015] — That Morning, Kalpa

Chaka meadows can be seen from our hotel, Kalpa [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Chaka meadows can be seen from our hotel, Kalpa

Chaka stream , en route Chaka meadows , Kalpa [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Chaka stream, en route Chaka meadows, Kalpa

Walking along Chaka stream , en route Chaka meadows , Kalpa [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Walking along Chaka stream, en route Chaka meadows, Kalpa

Pebbled path , en route Chaka meadows trek [Lamkhaga pass trek 2015] — Pebbled path, en route Chaka meadows trek

Chaka stream , en route Chaka meadows , Kalpa [Lamkhaga passChaka stream , en route Chaka meadows , Kalpa [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] trek expedition 2015] — Chaka stream, en route Chaka meadows, Kalpa

Chaka meadows , Kalpa [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Chaka meadows, Kalpa

Somewhere above ~500 metres is the last house enroute , Chaka meadows trek [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015 ] — Somewhere above ~500 meters is the last house enroute, Chaka meadows trek

View from the hotel room , Kalpa [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — View from the hotel room, Kalpa

The hotel where we stayed at Kalpa , [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — The hotel where we stayed at Kalpa

The weather that night in Chitkul was luckily clear , Chitkul [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — The weather that night in Chitkul was luckily clear, Chitkul

DAY 4

CHITKUL Village.

Starting our day with super hot chai with amazing clouds in the sky. Parathas and Omelette were the only options for breakfast. It was an acclimatization day for all and we decided to start it by 11 am. Our guide and the support team reached at Chitkul at 5 pm. There were 8 porters and 1 cook along. They camped on the banks of river Baspa.
Meanwhile, we unpacked and packed our rucksacks again just to make sure the weight is balanced accordingly that day.

Time taken: 2 hours
Height Gained: 130mtr, towards Nagasthi ITBP and a small hill on the left.

Camping by the Baspa river , Chitkul [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Camping by the Baspa river, Chitkul

That morning at Chitkul [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — That morning at Chitkul

Dhaula peak locally called aka P6465m. [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Dhaula peak locally called aka P6465m.

A home in the Himalaya [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — A home in the Himalaya

[Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — The route to Kinnaur Kailash Circuit trek goes through these house all the way up to the glaciers visible in background.

Indigenous livestock , Chitkul [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Indigenous livestock, Chitkul

Chitkul Landscapes , Baspa valley [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Chitkul Landscapes, Baspa valley

Kitchen in the woods , Chitkul [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Kitchen in the woods, Chitkul

Kinnauri Sheepdog, Chitkul [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Kinnauri Sheepdog(Hapsu) at Chitkul

Hiking around Chitkul [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Hiking around Chitkul

An evening in Chitkul [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Sunny day at Chitkul

That night in Chitkul [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — That night in Chitkul

Who was Marco Pallis and why Lamkhaga?

A Greek-British author and mountaineer who was famous for his writings on Tibetan Buddhism. He made the first ascent of Leo Pargial(6790m), one of the highest in Kinnaur Himal(not be confused with Reo Purgyal) starting from Harsil all the way via unexplored/climbed LAMKHAGA PASS and then into Sutlej-Spiti valley to climb the peak in 1933. Well, we are doing the right opposite to him what he did.

Can this trek done from both the sides?

Yes. It takes ~7 to 10 days from both sides depending on the weather.

What is the route?
From Chitkul :
Chitkul-Nagasthi-Ranikanda-Dumti-Nithal Thatch- Base camp(Baspa Glacier)-Advance base camp- Lamkhaga pass- Base camp(Harsil side)-Kyarkoti-Harsil

From Harsil :
Harsil-Banswari nalla- Gangnani -Kyarkoti-Base camp(Sukha thal)-Advance base camp(aka Pass ke neeche)- Lamkhaga pass-Base camp(Chitkul side)-Dumti-Ranikanda or Chitkul.

Personally, I feel the ascent from Harsil is more daunting. Continuous ascent! unlike gradual incline at many places from the Chitkul side. But both are equal in difficulty.

Do we need an Inner line Permit for this trek and from where to get it?

DC office in Reckong Peo for people starting from the Chitkul side.
DC office in Uttarkashi for people starting from the Harsil side.

Porters are easily available from Uttarkashi or Gangotri(UK) and Reckong Peo(HP) and NOT HARSIL OR CHITKUL.

Must Equipment:
Ropes, Ice Axe, Gaiters, Alpine tents(neither t3, nor t2 please) and yes Microspikes will be helpful in the month of May-June.

Altitude:
I am still confused with its altitude. According to our altimeter(G-shock) which was well calibrated, showed up 5300metres on the pass. Old maps say 5284metres and some source says 5326metres.

Best Time:
There is no best time to visit higher regions, the weather takes a toll on any day/anytime. Still it is doable from Mid-May till Mid October.

Grade:
Difficult

TREK DAY 1.

Chitkul -Nagasthi(ITBP Checkpost) -Ranikanda.

A simple walk for 4 hours takes us to the beautiful Ranikanda camp site at 3700m which is situated just few metres away from Baspa river. Where we faced rain, a little headache, cold and dramatic sky.
Had the most delicious Khichdi and the soup for the lunch and Roti- Sabji-Salad for the dinner.

Bye bye Chitkul [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Bye bye Chitkul

Camping at Ranikanda , Trekking Day 1 [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Camping at Ranikanda, Trekking Day 1

View of upper Baspa Valley [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — View of upper Baspa Valley

Reaching Ranikanda , View of upper Baspa Valley [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Reaching Ranikanda, View of upper Baspa Valley

Camping at Ranikanda meadows , View of upper Baspa Valley [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Camping at Ranikanda meadows, View of upper Baspa Valley

Camping at Ranikanda meadows [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Camping at Ranikanda meadows

Teatime , Camping at Ranikanda [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Teatime , Camping at Ranikanda

Camping at Ranikanda [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Camping at Ranikanda

Mangsu sub-range in Great Himalayan range. Charang village is situated behind this, Camping at Ranikanda [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Mangsu sub-range in the Great Himalayan range. Charang village is situated behind this, Camping at Ranikanda

Cook serving warm water , Camping at Ranikanda [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Cook serving warm water , Camping at Ranikanda

TREK DAY 2.

Ranikanda – Lal Dhang – Dumti

8am:- AP’s struggle with rucksack weight and severe AMS.

It was a long hike that day going up to 4050m. Though the weather was clear, we had no trust in it either. Soon AP informed us he was having a mild headache but was okay to continue. But from the previous evening, it did not get any better, even after acclimatization walk up to 500ft nearby. He was walking slowly along with few members and porters. He gave up just before Lal Dhang at 10:30 am. His headache remained the same. VB who was walking along with him and me took his heavy rucksack, which he was carrying and in return gave his small camera bag to AP. Meanwhile, our guide Negi saw us from the edge, which was far away on Lal Dhank. He knew something was wrong and waited for us to cross the tricky part. Things were getting serious at that moment.

Negi’s views on AP:- Returning back to Chitkul did not make any sense as it is already at 3450m. It would take 5 -6 hours to reach from where we stood and descending further till Sangla (2800m) after that was completely out of the question. Continuing all the way till Dumti, which is at 4050m is again a threatening act to do. But Dumti had an ITBP camp. It had medical facilities. It had oxygen tanks but nothing in Chitkul. The only struggle was that tough scary walk from Lal Dhang till Dumti for 4 hours in the worst weather with poor visibility, wind, snow, and drizzle along. On one side it was Baspa river which was invisible and ferociously flowing down below and on the other side falling tiny rocks and slippery slopes to negotiate. All team members were separated and were just following the broken trail.
Negi was taking care of AP and was slowly walking far behind holding his hands.

We reached Dumti at 2:30 pm and along with Negi reached at 3:30 pm. But soon, he started hallucinating!

That morning! Ranikanda meadows [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — That morning! Ranikanda meadows

Kitchen tent can be seen far away in middle. Mangsu Charang range behind. [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Kitchen tent can be seen far away in the middle. Mangsu – Charang range behind.

Baspa river, near Ranikanda ITBP post. [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Baspa river, near Ranikanda ITBP post.

2 team members can be seen here. A wide horizontal angle image could have worked here to show the actual steepness of terrain. [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — 2 team members can be seen here. A wide horizontal angle image could have worked here to show the actual steepness of the terrain.

Well, I hope I did good with 18-55mm here ?[Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Well, I hope I did well with 18-55mm here?

Our porter Gopal at work. [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Our porter Gopal at work.

Our guide Negi waiting for us. [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Our guide Negi waiting for us.

VB & Gopal helping AP. [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — VB & Gopal helping AP.

Taking a breath [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Taking a breath

Views of upper Baspa valley [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Views of upper Baspa valley

3:30pm: AP Hallucinations at Dumti

Our cook, Rathiji prepared “sheera“(they call it halwa) after a small darshan at Karu temple. We served a tiny portion to AP in the tent. It took him 20 minutes to gulp 2 serves. He did not know what he was eating, neither he was responding to anyone. His oxygen levels started deteriorating. We immediately took him to the ITBP camp which had medical facilities as I have mentioned above. We made him sit in one of the bunkers for the warmth, but soon he started dozing off. Meanwhile, we literally requested the medical personnel to give him supplementary oxygen as soon as possible. He was made to lay down by holding his hands on the medical bed. We played music in the background so that he won’t sleep which would turn out to be fatal in such conditions. It took 15 minutes for him to get back to normal, which stayed temporary.

Well, when we asked him how was he feeling? He did not remember how and what had happened. He did not remember anything, neither the “sheera” nor the supplementary oxygen. Every half an hour, he was given supplementary oxygen till 6:00 pm for 5 minutes and some medicines(NOT DIAMOX).
Meanwhile, few members from our team had won the cricket game against the ITBP team.

AP was my tent mate. I kept on checking his oxygen levels throughout that cold night. Luckily he was OK the next morning but had to send back with one of the porters.

Playing cricket at 4050 meter altitude [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — **Playing cricket at 4050-meter altitude**

Always maintain distance, so that snoring sounds wont clash [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Always maintain distance, so that snoring sounds won’t clash

Cricket field of Dumti ITBP camps [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Cricket field of Dumti ITBP camps

We remember them everyday for the courage and for their hospitality [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — We remember them every day for the courage and for their hospitality

A peak arise just towards the back of ITBP camp. [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — A peak arises just towards the back of the ITBP camp.

Night was the only time, when sky used to open up [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — The night was the only time when sky used to open up.

Our strength [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Sturdy porters..Our strength

TREK DAY 3

Dumti-Nithal Thatch- Gundar

The day began with Parathas and Bhindi subzi for breakfast following with the small pooja at Karu temple. A walk by banks of River Baspa all the way till Gundar Camp at 4450m. It was an easy but long walk over rocks and slight height gain. We reached around 2:00 pm. SC fell in the water while crossing it just before the camp and while rescuing her, Nishchay fell too. Quite a tough moment for both of them.

By 3:30 pm, we hiked up 1000ft for acclimatization. Due to the weather, things got worse again.
And it was again Parathas for lunch.

Dumti expanse [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Dumti expanse

Dumti - Nithal Thach expanse [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Dumti – Nithal Thach expanse

Nithal Thach meadows [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Nithal Thach meadows

Thola peak as seen from Dumti.... From the ITBP loo to be precise [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Thola peak as seen from Dumti…. From the ITBP loo to be precise

Boulder stretch en route Gundar [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Boulder stretch en route Gundar

Balancing act! [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Balancing act!

Hiking nearby while the camp was being set up [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Hiking nearby while the camp was being set up

Waiting for the sunshine [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Waiting for the sunshine.

Baspa Glacier in the background. [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Baspa Glacier in the background.

Towards Tibet [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Towards Tibet

Nithal Thatch grounds and ITBP post is just to the right. The time when we started enjoying the vistas around, snowfall began..[Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Nithal Thatch grounds and ITBP post is just to the right.
The time when we started enjoying the vistas around, the snowfall began.

Utro Utro Niche!!!!!.....The actual trek begins from here. The poor visibility and weather follows us all the way till Kyarktoti for next 3 days. [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — *Utro Utro Niche*! (Come…Come down fast!)The actual trek begins from here. The poor visibility and weather follow us all the way till Kyarktoti for the next 3 days.

Snowfall at Nithal Thach , [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Snowfall at Nithal Thach.

Nischay doing some Jugaad with his wet boots... tough times ahead [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Nishchay doing some Jugaad with his wet boots… tough times ahead.

TREK DAY 4

Gundar to Immediate Camp( 2 hours before Baspa Glacier/Lamkhaga Base camp).

Probably the most beautiful morning we witnessed here. The night was just out of the world with millions of stars and the bright moon and the lit on high peaks, but it was freezing at the same time. It was difficult for me to remove the camera from the bag and tripod at that time. However, I would like to say that, those irregular nature calls in the middle of the night have given us a lot of positive opportunities to see the actual beauty through naked eyes. Words are less to describe, so does the camera.

We woke up at 4 am and had Chapatis for breakfast with Achar and papaya porridge. It had snowed a lot. The first step of the day was snow. There were pug marks of some kind of animals parallel to us. First, we presumed it to be snow leopards……LOL. But it may have been wild fox’s, we partially confirmed after immense discussion with each other. A few days after looking at the photographs, we thought that it would be some bird’s footsteps. Maybe!!!

We had to cross the Baspa stream that day. There was an icy and slippery layer on the stones. So balancing on top of stones and crossing would make us fall in the bone freezing water. It took us half an hour to cross it. But Karan fell in the water while helping out RS and she was all fine. It was a funny but frustrating situation. Snowfall increased as we move further when Negiji finally had to stop. Because going further in that bad weather and pitching tents on glacier camp would be dangerous. It took 2 hours for the porters who were behind us. Finally, at 1:00 pm, we pitched our tents with all the wet boots and wet bags.

To the East of Nithal Thach camp [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — To the East of Nithal Thach camp.

To the North of Nithal Thach Camp [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — To the North of Nithal Thach Camp.

To the South of Nithal thach camp site [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — To the South of *Nithal thach* campsite.

And us in the center of Nithal Thach Camp site [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — And us in the center of Nithal Thach Campsite.

Our guide mending the way [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Our guide mending the way.

Rashmi had brought Kasim's old shoes on her trek. She managed to cross the pass successfully with it.[Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Rashmi had brought Kasim’s old shoes on her trek. She managed to cross the pass successfully with it.

Looks more like trekking poles marks... lol, BUT IT'S NOT.[Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Looks more like trekking poles marks… lol, BUT IT’S NOT.

Gundar camp site [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Gundar camp site.

Looking back towards Gundar.[Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Looking back towards Gundar.

The views around Gundar .[Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — The views around Gundar.

In the evening, things used to get normal.[Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — In the evening, things used to get normal.

This was the situation, where we decided not to move further.[Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — This was the situation, where we decided not to move further.

Waiting for the storm to subside , Gundar [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Waiting for the storm to subside, Gundar

In the evening, things used to get normal. Gundar camp site [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — In the evening, things used to get normal. Gundar campsite

TREK DAY 5

Immediate Camp – Baspa Glacier -Lamkhaga Base camp – Lamkhaga Advance Base Camp( aka Pass ke neeche)-5100m

We were already running behind the schedule( say 5 hours time). We started to climb at 4am. It was freezing and the weather was deteriorating again. Rathiji our cook, lead the team members, whereas our guide led the team of porters. In no meantime, all porters overtook us and waited on the snowy slopes.

Rangrik Rang assumed -6553m after checking out Leomann maps. [Lamhaga pass expedition] — Rangrik Rang assumed -6553m after checking out **Leomann maps.**

Near Baspa glacier snout [Lamkhaga pass expedition 2015] — Near Baspa glacier snout

Close up of Rangrik Rang -6553m [Lamkhaga pass expedition] — Close up of Rangrik Rang -6553m

Lamkhaga gully [Lamkhaga pass expedition 2015] — Lamkhaga gully

Inside Baspa Glacier snout. Looks so small, but it was too scary and large to even stand here and click. [Lamkhaga pass expedition 2015] — Inside Baspa Glacier snout. Looks so small, but it was too scary and large to even stand here and click.

Baspa glacier snout [Lamkhaga pass expedition 2015] — Baspa glacier snout

Baspa glacier [Lamkhaga pass expedition 2015] — Baspa glacier. The origin of Baspa river.

Climbing the Lamkhaga gradient [Lamkhaga pass expedition 2015] — Climbing the Lamkhaga gradient

Start of the climb [Lamkhaga pass expedition 2015] — Start of the climb

Climbing up to the advance base camp [Lamkhaga pass expedition 2015] — Climbing up to the advance base camp

We reached Lamkhaga Base Camp at 7 am for a short hungry break of dry fruits and water, as it was not easy to digest Parathas early in the morning. We took some rest and started climbing on a 50-degree incline with deep snow.
Plan of the day was to reach the Advance Base camp, just below the pass which was 7 hours far from where we were standing on that snowy conditions. We managed to cover it without much headache. Few people were too fast on snow, while others were the opposite of that. Finally, microspikes came into use. There were many steep patches which itself was a task to negotiate, but we managed somehow.
We reached at 2 pm. It was a task to beat the soft snow of 2ft, so that our tent could easily be pitched on hard snow. That day, one porter suffered from Hypothermia and he went mute. He was shifted to the kitchen tent as soon as the tent was ready and was made to rest near the cooking stove for the warmth. We gave him the warmee self-heating pouch. He felt okay later after gulping hot soup and hot water. So white-out conditions, freezing wind, Porter’s health, Highest Camp at 5100m, wet sleeping bags, frozen tents, snow melted “yuckk” water, etc. made it totally worth.

You climb up and again you go down several times. That was really hectic to be frank. [Lamkhaga pass expedition 2015] — You climb up and again you go down several times. That was really hectic to be frank.

going down.. [Lamkhaga pass expedition] — going down…..

Climbing up.. Sonu mending Rashmi's shoe[Lamkhaga pass expedition] — Climbing up.. Sonu mending Rashmi’s shoe

Lamkhaga traverse [Lamkhaga pass expedition 2015] — Lamkhaga traverse

Chotkhaga Pass (left) - Unnamed pass(middle)- Lamkhaga Ridge Pass(Right) Lamkhaga cannot be seen untill you reach its base, its so remote. [Lamkhaga pass expedition 2015] — Chotkhaga Pass (left) – Unnamed pass(middle)- Lamkhaga Ridge Pass(Right)
Lamkhaga cannot be seen untill you reach its base, its so remote.

Near the advance base camp [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Near the advance base camp

TREK DAY – 6 (LAMKHAGA PASS)

Plan: Advance Base camp to Lamkhaga Pass to Lamkhaga base camp( Harsil side)
What did we do? : Advance Base camp to Lamkhaga Pass to Lamkhaga base camp(Harsil side) to Kyarkoti

When we woke up at 6 in the morning, it was all white-out outside. Soon, we started discussing on to pass the cross or not. After a lot of arguments, we planned to go ahead. Waiting back did not make any sense. Descending to Chitkul was against our wishes. It was just a matter of 3 hours of the climb to the pass and it descended all the way down to Kyarkoti – Gangnani – Harsil. If anything worse happens within these 3 hours, nobody had an idea to escape it, except our guide Negi. He was confident about it and he leads us in a Pro way. We stood at the top at 9:00 am on 3rd June.

Looking towards HP unnamed peaks as seen from Abc at 5120m at 530am.

P5810m [Lamkhaga pass expedition 2015] — P5810m

Pitching the tent in raging snow storm [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — Pitching the tent in raging snow storm

After 7am, shot from Digicam. [Lamkhaga pass expedition 2015] — After 7am, shot from Digicam.

Chotkhaga Hidden behind. [Lamkhaga pass expedition 2015] — Chotkhaga Hidden behind.

Walking towards the pass [Lamkhaga trek expedition 2015] — Walking towards the pass

Lamkhaga glacier [Lamkhaga pass expedition 2015] — Lamkhaga glacier

The traverse [Lamkhaga pass trek expedition 2015] — The Lamkhaga traverse

The glacier [Lamhaga pass trek] — The glacier

View of Kinnaur - Garhwal range [Lamkhaga pass trek 2015] — View of Kinnaur – Garhwal range

Unnamed peak on Kinnaur - Garhwal range [Lamkhaga pass trek] — Unnamed peak on Kinnaur – Garhwal range

If you see exactly in the middle, there is a cornice. That is gateway to Harsil [Lamkhaga pass trek 2015] — If you see exactly in the middle, there is a cornice. That is the gateway to Harsil

Negi ji had made a zigzag route to the top, due to soft snow and the light was bright. In a meanwhile, a huge layer of ice like a mini avalanche came on our way and took Aditya down a few meters on the slope. Luckily he arrested himself on the gentle slopes and began climbing much faster. It was a horrifying scene when it happened. Somehow we all reached at 9 am on the top.

The pass is located at one of the greatest water source region which divides two great rivers, where one flows into the Arabian sea and other in Bay of Bengal.
All we could see is tears of joy in each and every member. It started snowing heavily from the Garhwal side and it was bright in the Kinnaur side. Realising, who was the culprit behind bad weather, we started our deadly descend soon.

Unnamed Kinnaur peaks, some slightly above 6000m. You can see our kitchen tent(peach color) to the left hand side down. [Lamkhaga pass trek] — Unnamed Kinnaur peaks, some slightly above 6000m. You can see our kitchen tent(peach color) to the left-hand side down.

Sonu negi opening the route [Lamkhaga pass trek] — Sonu negi opening the route

Looking up to the pass [Lamkhaga pass trek] — Looking up to the pass

Small avalanche [Lamkhaga pass trek] — Small avalanche

This is how the border looks at 5285m, A thin wall between Kinnaur-Garhwal - LAMKHAGA PASS — This is how the border looks at 5285m, A thin wall between Kinnaur-Garhwal – LAMKHAGA PASS

Waiting for rest of the team [Lamkhaga pass trek] — Waiting for the rest of the team

Tiding the prayer flags on Lamkhaga pass [Lamkhaga pass trek 2015] — Trek leader Sonu Negi tiding the prayer flags on Lamkhaga pass

“We don't live to eat and make money. We eat and make money to be able to enjoy life. That is what life means, and that is what life is for.” ―George Mallory [Lamkhaga pass trek] — “We don’t live to eat and make money. We eat and make money to be able to enjoy life. That is what life means, and that is what life is for.”
―George Mallory

Welcome to the land of gods- Devbhoomi and huge snowfield looking towards Garhwal side. [Lamkhaga pass trek] — Welcome to the land of gods- Devbhoomi and huge snowfield looking towards Garhwal side.

The glissading was fun and risky too. Few members had many rolls, with the bags falling on one side and trekking poles to the others. The weather deteriorated and it was white out. This time, it did not stop for the next 8 hours of daunting descent. There was a huge gap of distance among members, a few of us were climbing down slowly with INFINITE no. of falls and breaking trekking sticks. The plan was to descend until the snowline. We reached Upper Kyarkoti, passing through Sukha Tal at 5:30 pm and threw our bags aside our tents.

Descending down the pass [Lamkhaga pass trek] — Descending down the pass

Glissading the slope [Lamkhaga pass trek] — Glissading the slope

Lamkhaga pass trek — Waiting for the storm to subside

Upper Kyarkoti(Jalandhari Gad valley ~~~4000mtr) [ Lamkhaga pass trek ] — The end of snow line at Upper Kyarkoti(Jalandhari Gad valley ~~~4000mtr)

Camping at Kyarkoti [Lamkhaga pass trek] — Camping at Kyarkoti

That evening, our porters went hunting some of the juniper bushes/woods for a bonfire. They excelled in getting a large bunch of wet junipers and some wet trunk of the unknown tree which was lying down on high slopes. There was an excitement within the team on the accomplishment of the trek. We sipped many teas that evening, as most of the things were wet and ferocious bonfire by the side.
I was the last one to sleep after taking a few night shots of heaven, Kyarkoti. In fact, all the nights at every camp have been beautiful for us, but this place beats all. As soon as I entered my sleeping and locked the chains of the tent, there was a scratching sound outside the tent. As if, someone/thing is scratching with hands on the outer layer of the tent. Initially, I thought someone was doing mischief among us, but everyone had slept by that time. I woke up and I switched on my tent light, no sounds! Again, I did not bother to wake up my tent mates as they all were snoring too loud. The sound of scratching continued for 2-3 hours that night and that was my last sleepless night of the entire journey.

This has to be best alpine tents (though bit heavy) on high altitudes. [Lamkhaga pass trek] — This has to be best alpine tents (though bit heavy) on high altitudes.

Definition of Relaxation is this! [Lamkhaga pass trek] — Definition of Relaxation is this!

Burning juniper shrubs [Lamkhaga pass trek] — Burning juniper shrubs

This is a shortcut to Chotkhaga Pass but very technical. NO! you actually cant see the Chotkhaga Ridge from here but this is the route.[Lamkhaga pass trek] — This is a shortcut to Chotkhaga Pass but very technical. NO! you actually cant see the Chotkhaga Ridge from here but this is the route.

It was full moon, my 18-55mm lens could only do this much. [Lamkhaga pass trek] — It was a full moon, my 18-55mm lens could only do this much.

A blog by Rohit Bhat

Tags Chitkul, Expedition, Garhwal, Harsil, Hiking, Lamkhaga pass, Lamkhaga pass trek, Trekking

Blog Chitkul village Kinnaur Sangla valley Trekking

Baspa Valley Kinnaur: Valley Of Brimming Beauty

Post author By raachotrekkers
Post date March 7, 2018
No Comments on Baspa Valley Kinnaur: Valley Of Brimming Beauty

Home » Blog » Trekking

In the western Himalayas, bordering along with Tibet and Garhwal, the Baspa valley—also called Sangla valley—of Kinnaur has been open to visitors since the early 90s. The valley got its name from the Baspa river which originates from Chung Sakhago pass and meanders for around 30 km before meeting Satluj on its left bank near Karcham.

Baspa valley, Kinnaur:

Unlike the Spiti valley and Hangrang region of Kinnaur, the Baspa valley is green paradise in largely barren mountains. Baspa valley or Sangla valley is known for fruit-laden orchards, cedar covered slopes and flower crusted meadows. Bhojpatra tree is abundantly found in the Chitkul region.

A land of blue skies, buzzing Baspa river, soaring peaks, deep valleys, apple orchards, and syncretic culture — Baspa valley a place for people who are seeking genuine peace and soul-calming solitude far, far from the madding crowd.

The fort of Kamru is another landmark in Baspa valley. As Gandhi once remarked that ‘the soul of India lies in its villages’— villages like Chitkul, Rackcham, Sangla, Kamru and Chansu are the soul of Baspa valley.

Rackcham village , Baspa valley , Kinnaur — Rendezvous with Rackcham

Monsoon in Baspa valley Kinnaur — Rain clouds brewing — Monsoon in Baspa valley

Baspa valley Kinnaur — Monsoon in Kinnaur — Wandering clouds descending over the valley

Snowy mountain tops of Baspa valley Kinnaur — Early spring in Baspa valley…Snowy mountain tops

Rackcham , Baspa valley , Kinnaur — Rendezvous with Rackcham

Rackcham region - Baspa valley Kinnaur — Rakcham region – Baspa valley Kinnaur. Early spring in Baspa valley

Shallow waters of Baspa river and Snowscapes of Chitkul. Clicked in later March.

Chitkul Snow landscapes , Spring 2017 [Winter - Early spring season ] — Snowscapes of Chitkul. Clicked in later March ( Upper Baspa Valley)

Spring in Kinnaur , Baspa valley , Sangla — Snowscapes of Sangla. Clicked in late March [ Spring in Kinnaur ]

Dried apple chips , Sangla , Baspa valley , Kinnaur — Apple chips. Apples are cut into pieces and spread over the slate roof or any sunny place. They get crispy after some time and eaten during wintertime. They are as nutritious as a fresh apple.

Folk music percussion instrument Baspa valley, Kinnaur. They are called a variety of names depending upon their sizes like Dhol, Dholku, Dolki, and *Nagara*. The skin of goat or sheep is used to make these instruments.

Kamru fort , Baspa valley , Kinnaur — Kamru fort, Baspa valley

Slate roof house built in Kath khuni architecture , Kamru , Baspa valley, Kinnaur — Slate roof house built in *Kath khuni* architecture, Kamru, Baspa valley.

Carvings on wooden window , en route Kamru , Baspa valley , Kinnaur — Carvings on a wooden window, en route Kamru

Beautiful Carvings on a metal door , Kamru fort compound , Baspa valley , Kinnaur — Beautiful Carvings on a metal door, Kamru fort compound

Brass door handle of Kamru fort entrance , Baspa valley , Kinnaur — Brass door handle of Kamru fort entrance

Inside Kamru fort complex , Baspa valley , Kinnaur — Inside Kamru fort complex

Intricate design on wooden door , Kamru fort complex , Baspa valley , Kinnaur — Intricate design on a wooden door, Kamru fort complex

Brass sculpture , Kamru fort complex , Baspa valley , Kinnaur — Brass sculpture, Kamru fort complex

Old house , en route Kamru fort , Baspa valley , Kinnaur — Old house, en route Kamru fort

getting up early was worth it , Sunrise from Thola peak Chitkul , Baspa Valley — Getting up early was worth it. Sunrise from Thola peak at Chitkul, Baspa Valley

Livestock feed ( dried grass ) hanged on tree to dry and later stored for use during winter season. Chitkul , Baspa valley — Livestock feed ( dried grass ) hanged on a tree to dry and later stored for use during the winter season.

Azure waters of Baspa river , Chitkul , Kinnaur — Azure waters of Baspa river, Chitkul [Autumn season: Clicked in October

Nagasti ITBP camp , Chitkul , Baspa valley — Nagasti ITBP camp, Chitkul[Autumn season: Clicked in October

Ruminating by the river , Chitkul , Baspa valley , Kinnaur — Ruminating by the river, Chitkul[Autumn season: Clicked in October.

Strolling around Chitkul , Baspa valley , Kinnaur — Strolling around Chitkul in Autumn season

The lush green valley, snow-capped mountains of Kinnaur-Garhwal region and melodically flowing Baspa river are the hallmark of Baspa valley. There are many trekking routes that lead to or end up in the Baspa Valley. Some of the prominent ones are the following.

Treks in Baspa valley

1. Lamkhaga pass trek.

It is a fairly remote trek and is now regarded as the classic route from Gangotri to Kinnaur, which was first crossed by Marco Pallis in 1933. The trek is also known as Chitkul to Gangotri trek or Harsil to Chitkul trek. It trek can be done from either side. The beautiful route takes you through some of the most remote areas of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, like the Jalandhari valley that is covered with flowers post monsoon. The snow in the early season could impede your progress. Harsil is famous for Wilson’s Cottage built in 1864. Gangotri is a short drive from Harsil, while Chitkul is the last village in the Baspa valley

2. Borasu pass trek

Borasu Pass at a height of 5450 meters (17880 feet) above sea level is a high mountain pass connecting the Indian states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh and is located at the border of the two states. This trek goes through the famous Har-ki-Dun valley and we witness the beautiful glacial lakes of Morinda Taal and Zhupkia Glacier. The trail for this trek passes through a glacier, narrow ridges, vertical show slopes, meadows, and boulders. Overall a very adventurous experience not to mention the unforgettable views of the mountains.

3. Buran Ghati trek

It is an old Sheppard route that connects Brua village of Baspa valley to Janglikh village of Pabbar valley, Rohru.

4. Kinner Kailash Parikrama ( Charang – La )

Mount Kinner Kailash is located in Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh. The trail provides a panoramic view of the whole range of Kinner Kailash mountain peaks. This region is located on the Indo-Tibet border and gives a wonderful introduction to the confluence of Hinduism and Buddhism. The landscape of the area varies from the lush green scenic valley of Sangla Valley to the snow-clad mountains of the Kinner ranges. This trek is packed not only with some of the best views of the mountains but also provides an insight into the rich history of trade, religion, and diverse ethnic groups, the experience of which leaves one enchanted.

5. Khimloga pass trek

It is a trade route mostly frequented by Sheppard from either side of Baspa of Supin valley of Uttrakhand.

6. Rupin pass trek

Rupin Pass is a high altitude pass across the Himalaya mountain range in the state of Himachal Pradesh. It lies on a traditional shepherd and hiking route which starts from Dhaula in Uttarakhand and ends in Sangla in Himachal Pradesh. The path itself is located across mostly uninhabited areas in the Himalayan ranges at an elevation of 15,250 ft (4,650M) above sea level

7. Yamrang la pass (5570 m) & Gugairang La

These two passes connect Baspa valley to Tibet.

Easy to moderate trails in Baspa valley:

1. Karcham to Barua

Karcham is a small town on National Highway 5 at the confluence of the Satluj and Baspa river. The trail passes through Sapni village (Visit to snake god temple is recommended) and ends up a Brua Village.

2.Brua to Chansu trail

After a gradual descend one needs to negotiate Brua Nallah and then Climb up to Chansu village.

3. Sangla to Kamru fort trail

Kamru village was the capital of the erstwhile principality of Bushahr. The Kamru Fort, a 15-minute walk from the Sangla town, houses quintessential wood-and-stone buildings with curved, peaked roofs. On the way up is the Badrinath Temple, a classic example of Kinnauri religious syncretism with both Hindu and Buddhist shrines. There are several folklores associated with it and according to one legend, there are crores of devi- devta residing inside the fort. Entry inside the fort is restricted – only into the courtyard in front of it – but the views of the surrounding mountains are good, anyway.

Sangla Village

Sangla serves as a base to hike to nearby villages like Kamru, Batseri, Rackham, and Chitkul. It offers an uninhibited rendezvous with nature — walks, treks and strolling in narrow alleys of Himalayan hamlets, lively bonfires by the river. If you’re an angling enthusiast, the swirling current of the Baspa is home to both the Rainbow and Brown Trout.

Blog by Pawan Ranta

Tags Baspa valley, Kinnaur, Sangla valley

Auden's Col Blog Garhwal Mountaineering Trekking

Auden’s Col Trek : Via Khatling Glacier & Mayali Pass

Post author By Anshul Chaurasia
Post date February 22, 2018
No Comments on Auden’s Col Trek : Via Khatling Glacier & Mayali Pass

Bhrigupanth - Thalay Sagar - Jogin towering over Kedar Tal

Home » Blog » Trekking

Auden’s Col is a pass in the Gangotri Group of mountains that connects Jogin I (6465m) and Gangotri III (6580m) and is reportedly situated at an altitude of around 5400m. It also binds two glaciers on the opposite sides. One is Khatling glacier and the other one looks like the glacier belonging to Jogin I.

Auden’s Col Trek Expedition: A photoblog

Auden’s Col is approachable from Gangotri and one can trek up to Kedarnath following Auden’s Col and Khatling glacier. The pass is named after John Bicknell Auden of the Geological Survey of India, who first discovered it in 1935 and crossed it in 1939. Mr. Harish Kapadia and Mr. Romesh Bhattacharjee from the Himalayan Club repeated Auden’s explorations in the late eighties.

Normally pass and the Khatling glacier is heavily infested with crevasses. However, we crossed the pass in early June and encountered few crevasses due to heavy snow cover. To read more about the expedition, please read this blog written by Neelima Vallangi on National Geographic Traveler. Sridevi Nair has also written a brief account of Auden’s col trek expedition 2018

In between the Gangotri III and Jogin I, lies this amazingly beautiful pass which hides the crevasse-ridden Khatling glacier on its other side that one requires to cross while getting down. We crossed this as a part of tri-pass-route (Patangani Dhar-Auden’s Col-Mayali Pass).

Expedition’s highlights

Auden: John Bicknell Auden, brother of the famous poet Auden, was a Geographical Survey officer. He discovered the Col in 1935 and finally crossed it in 1939.
Col: the lowest point of a ridge or saddle between two peaks, typically providing a pass from one side of a mountain range to another.
Auden’s Col is one of the toughest and most challenging treks in the western Himalayas and definitely the most treacherous pass in the Garhwal Himalayas.
It’s not a popular trek due to its level of difficulty.
The Col is at a height of 5490 m – 18,000 feet. (That’s high).
The terrain is strenuous and the trail passes through moraines, narrow cliffs, Boulders, and difficult ridges.
The pass links two glaciers on the opposite sides, viz Khatling glacier and Jogin I glacier. The pass and the Khatling glacier are heavily infested with crevasses.

Gangotri to Auden’s col via Patangini Dhar

Sudershan Parvat, Garhwal Himalayas — Sudershan Parvat

A male Bharal ( Himalayan blue sheep ) — A male Bharal (Himalayan blue sheep)

Kedar Tal ( Gangotri National Park ) — Onwards to Kedar Tal (Gangotri National Park)

Kedartal lake

It is a snow-fed lake surrounded by Thalay Sagar (6,904m), Meru (6,672m), Bhrigupanth (6,772m) and other Gangotri group of peaks, and is the source of Kedar Ganga, which in Hindu mythology is considered to be Shiva’s contribution to Bhagirathi. Kedartal is 17 km from Gangotri. The route involves a steep rocky climb along the narrow Kedar Ganga gorge for 8 Km to Bhojkharak. From there it is 4km to the next available flat area for camping at Kedarkharak, and a further 5 km to Kedartal. The route passes through scenic Himalayan birch forests but is made hazardous in places by falling rocks, high altitude, and segments of steep ascent. Kedar Ganga originates from Kedartal and meets the Ganges in Gangotri.

Bhrigupanth - Thalay Sagar - Jogin towering over Kedar Tal — Bhrigupanth – Thalay Sagar – Jogin towering over Kedar Tal

Mandakini peak [ Gangotri National Park ]

Thalay Sagar peak (6904m) [ Gangotri National Park ]

Bhrigupanth and Thalay Sagar [ Gangotri National Park ]

Kedartal lake [Thalaysagar peak visible in the background] - Auden's col trek — Kedartal lake [Thalaysagar peak visible in the background]

Auden’s col to Kedarnath via Khatling Glacier & Mayali pass

After crossing Auden’s col, there are two exit options. The first one is to exit through Masar Tal – Mayali pass – Vasuki Tal to Kedarnath. The other is to exit through the trek route which is from Tambakund, Kharsoli, Gangi to Village Guttu. Village Guttu is a day’s journey from Haridwar or Rishikesh.

Climbing Auden's col [The three passes trek Auden's col - Mayali pass - Patangini Dhar] — Climbing Auden’s col

Huge icefalls near Khatling Glacier [Auden's col trek] — Huge icefalls near Khatling Glacier

Auden's col snowfield — Climbing Auden’s col

Sheer vastness of the Khatling Glacier [Auden's col trek] — The Sheer vastness of the Khatling Glacier

Masar top, Enroute Mayali pass [Auden's col trek] — Masar top, Enroute Mayali pass

Most beautiful minefield - Khatling glacier | Auden's col — Known for its notoriety as being highly crevasse infested and taking a couple of days to cross after getting down the treacherous Auden’s Col (5300m). Doing it in June, somehow we got exceptional weather and totally snow-covered glacier which meant we couldn’t know where the crevasses were (those are fully visible in post monsoons). We just followed our local guide’s footsteps and crossed it in 4-5 hours straight. Khatling Glacier, Uttrakhand. June’17

Mayali Glacier below Mayali pass | Auden's col trek — Mayali Pass, Uttrakhand, June 2017

Our guide told us that he had come here three times before. The first time when he came 10-12 years back the glacier used to start right away from the point where you see us standing (in this pic) till it joined the surrounding mountains. But now it has receded as much as the black line you can see somewhat in the middle. It has left a glacial pool (uncrossable as it breaks) which makes the crossing much difficult as one needs to skirt across the moraine field on the right hugging the slopes and then join the glacier after it receded point.
Maybe with the rate of global warming, this glacier might only be in photos over the next 10-12 years.

Auden’s Col Trek Itinerary:

Day 0: Reached Gangotri (2940m), acclimatization day, visit the temple
Day #1: Trekked to Bhoj Kharak (3415m)
Day #2: Trekked to Kedar Kharak (4315m)
Day #3: Trekked to Kedar Tal (4760m) and back to Kedar Kharak
Day #4: Trekked to Patangini Dhar base campsite (4540m)
Day #5: Crossed Patangini Dhar (5085m) and reached Dhabba Camp Site (4685m) in Rudugaira valley
Day #6: Trekked to Rudugaira / Auden’s Col Advanced Base Camp (4975m)
Day #7: Crossed Auden’s Col (5490m), trekked on Khatling and reached Khatling campsite (4970m)
Day #8: Trekked rest of the Khatling, crossed waterfall area (4300m) and reached Khatling Base camp (3765m)
Day #9: Crossed Bhilangna river (3480m), and reached Chowki campsite (3630m)
Day #10: Trekked to Masar Tal (4550m)
Day #11: Trekked to Masar Top (4695m), Crossed Mayali Pass (4990m) and camp (4335m) near Vasuki Tal
Day 12: Trekked Vasuki Tal (4210m), trek to Vasuki Top (4480m), and descended to Kedarnath (3530m)

Auden’s Col & Mayali pass trek map

[The three passes trek ] photoblog by Anshul Chaurasia

Tags Auden's col, Blog, Mountaineering, Trekking

Kinnaur Trek Blog Trekking

Pin-Bhabha pass trek

Crossing Kara stream , enroute Bhabha pass trek

Pin-Bhabha Pass

Bhabha pass is located between the Kinnaur and Pin valley of Spiti region of Himachal Pradesh. From the beginning of the trek to the end, one experiences wildly vivid landscapes, people, languages, and religions.

Pin valley,Spiti to Bhaba valley crossover

Bhabha Pass Trek can be done in either direction, from the Mud village of Spiti and from Kafnu village of Bhabha valley, Kinnaur. Normally it takes 4-5 days to reach the Mud village under normal weather conditions. Bhabha Pass connects two contrasting valleys of Kinnaur and Spiti. Lush green meadows of Bhabha valley transforms into barren moonscapes of the Pin valley of Spiti region.

enroute Bhabha pass , Bhabha pass trek — En route Bhabha pass, Bhabha pass trek

Crossing Kara stream , enroute Bhabha pass trek — Crossing Kara stream, en route Bhabha pass trek

Highlights Of Pin Bhabha Trek:

Moonscapes of Spiti valley.
Kara stream crossing.
Pin river.
Mulling Meadows
High altitude mountains.

Pin-Bhabha Pass Itinerary:

Day 1: Kafnu to Mulling (2,400 m to 3,200 m)

Approx. Trekking time: 6-7 hours,

Trek gradient: Easy walk on a moderate slope.

Day 2: Mulling to Kara(3,200 m to 3,500 m)

Approx. trekking time: 5-6 hours

Trek gradient: Moderate.

Day 3: Trek from Kara to Phustirang (3,500 m to 3950 m)

Approx. trekking time: 4-5 hours

Trek gradient: Moderate to tough

Day 4: Phutsirang to Mangrungse over Pin Bhaba Pass (4,107 m to 4,900 m Bhabha pass to 4,100 m Mangrungse)

Approx. trekking time: 8-9 hours

Trek gradient: Difficult. Ascent to the pass followed by a gradual descent.

Day 5: Trek from Mangrungse to Baldhar (4,100 m to 3850 m)

Approx. trekking time: 3-4 hours

Trek gradient: Moderate

Day 6: Baldhar to Mudh (3850 m to 3700m)

Approx. trekking time: 3-4 hours

Trek gradient: Easy

Getting there:

Kafnu: Kafnu is situated in the Kinnaur district. It is around 201 km from Shimla. Drive on NH 22 from Shimla will take you to Kafnu via Rampur & Wangtoo.

Distance from Shimla to Kafnu: 201 Kms.

Mud village: Mud village is situated in the Spiti valley of Lahaul & Spiti district. First, reach Manali then take a drive to Kaza which is 201 Kms. from Manali. From Kaza, Book sumo & reach Mud village.

Distance from Manali to Kaza: 201 Kms.

Distance from Kaza to Mud village: Around 50 to 60 Kms.

Tags Bhabha pass, Hiking, Kinnaur, Trekking

Blog Kinnaur Sangla valley Trekking

Sangla – A Buddhist Town in the lap of Himalayas!

Post author By Gautham Baliga
Post date February 7, 2018
2 Comments on Sangla – A Buddhist Town in the lap of Himalayas!

Sangla,Baspa valley,Kinnaur

Home » Blog » Trekking

Sangla village of Kinnaur is a scenic & heavenly Himalayan village revered by travelers and backpackers alike. It is the largest village of the Sangla valley aka Baspa valley and one of the largest in Kinnaur. Located at the middle of the valley and about 18km from the nearest highway i.e NH 05, it has found a place in an itinerary of every traveller or backpacker for its spellbinding attractions like Kamru, Basteri, Rackham, Chitkul village and Rankanda meadows.

Sangla Valley

The valley is acclaimed for the Sangla Bering Nag Temple, Kamru Village Fort, Sangla Buddhist Monastery, Beautiful Baspa Valley along & Baspa riverside, India’s last village from Tibet side – Chitkul. Sangla village is the gateway to many high altitude Himalayan treks like Lamkhaga Pass, Rupin Pass & Borasu Pass Trek.

Best time to visit?

The weather remains cold to bitterly cold from November to March. May to September are pleasant days So better to visit Sangla is in the months of April to October. If you want to experience the snow, then December to early March is the best time.

Sangla average rainfall | Sangla weather — Sangla average rainfall

Sangla average temperature | Sangla weather — Sangla average temperature

The Weather of Sangla village:

Sangla is located in the temperate zone. The average yearly temperature of Sangla hovers around 17°C. It peaks in the months of May and June when it reaches 30°C but the weather remains pleasant.

In July, August and September the average rainfall reach its apex point. It crosses the 300mm mark in the month of July. After July it starts decreasing and the average rainfall plummets to less than 100 mm in September month. In October it barely rains. With dwindling rains temperature graph also takes a nose dive and it crosses below 5°C mark in December month.

How to reach Sangla?

It is well connected from Shimla – The Capital of Himachal Pradesh. Once you reach Shimla, There are HRTC Buses available from the Shimla ISBT Tutikandi bus stand, Chandigarh and Delhi.

Mostly the buses leave from Chandigarh in the night, then reach Shimla in the morning. An HRTC bus will leave for Sangla or Rakchham in the morning around 7:00 AM from the Shimla Bus stand. The long 12-hour bus ride is an adventurous one!

There is a Bus with number HP 25 A 3043 which runs every alternate day from Shimla around 7:00 – 7:15 AM from Shimla Bus stand to Sangla. One can call Shimla Bus Depo Control Room for details on Bus timings, they will help you. For us, Shimla to Sangla HRTC Bus road journey cost just Rs. 354

Note: There is a 25% concession for Women in HRTC Bus ticket fares. Please check with the conductor once you board the bus if you are a woman or a lady traveler.

The helpline number of Shimla Bus Depo Control Room is 01772656326.

If you are visiting Sangla with friends or family, try to take or book Innova, XUV, Tata Sumo or Tempo Traveler from Shimla. This will help you to stop & spend enough time en-route Sangla. The journey from Shimla to Sangla is Epic & Deadly dangerous one with Breathtaking views of Sutlej River, High Mountains, Mountain Villages, Lovely Bridges, Some Beautiful Towns of Kinnaur Valley.

Distance from different cities:

If you are traveling from the different States of India, it is better to reach Delhi or Chandigarh by Flight, Train or other transport options then plan accordingly in advance. This will help to reach Sangla without any transport issues.

From Delhi: Around 590 Kms. via NH44 and NH5 (Delhi to Sangla)

From Chandigarh: Around 354 Kms. via NH5 (Chandigarh to Sangla)

From Shimla: 240 Kms. via NH5 (Shimla to Sangla)

How to reach Sangla from Shimla: From Shimla, Take following route to Sangla: Shimla –> Kufri –> Fagu –> Rampur –> Tapri –> Karcham –> Sangla

Altitude: Altitude of Sangla Valley, Kinnaur District, Himachal Pradesh comes to around 3000 Mtr.

Bucketlist Places To See Around Sangla Village

Kamru village

Kamru village is around a 2-kilometer easy hike from the Sangla Town. It is famous for its Kamru Fort & Temple. Please don’t miss to explore these Ancient Buddhist architectures while exploring Sangla. It is must visit when you are in Sangla!

Kamru Temple: Kamru Temple is situated just below Kamru Fort. This temple is called Shree Badri Vishal Ji Temple of Kamru Village which is also a 15th Century shrine of Lord Badrinath, which hosts a light every three years.

Kamru village, Baspa valley,Kinnaur — Kamru village

Kamru temple , Baspa valley , Kinnaur — Beautiful Kamru Temple in the lap of Himalayas!

"<yoastmark — Buddhist Temple in Kamru village

Kamru Fort

Kamru Fort is one of the Oldest Fort’s located in Sangla valley of Kinnaur District, Himachal Pradesh. Kamru Fort is the main historical place of the Valley. After 2 Kms. walk from Sangla Town, there lies the tower-like fort of Kamru at an altitude of 2600 Mtrs above sea level.

An exotic Image of Lord Buddha on the Fort’s Main Gate and an Image of Kamkhya Devi are the unique features of this fort. The image of Kamkhya Devi supposed to have been brought from Assam is installed on the third floor.

The fort seems like being placed overpacking of dressed stone that acts as a pedestal for an exalted piece of art. The tower possesses an elegant wooden balcony. There are a number of interesting myths attached to this fort. This fort is ruled by 100 plus dynasties of Himachal. Other parts of the fort are restricted for general public viewing including local Kinnaur’s except Kamkhya Devi Idol which is situated near tower-like Fort.

Only ancestors of Himachal Royal families get to go further inside the fort. Virbhadra Singh, CM of Himachal Pradesh belongs to one of the royal families of Himachal visited recently to this fort for family function as informed to us by Watch-woman of Kamru Fort Chandru Negi during our visit on 19th May 2017 mornings.

Sangla Buddhist Monastery

There is a Buddhist Monastery situated in the heart of Sangla Town. As per the monks of Monastery, this monastery is recently built and it is a very good place to meditate & relax. Don’t miss to explore this monastery of Sangla!

View of Kinner Kailash from Sangla

The back-side view of Kinner Kailash is clearly visible from Kamru Village & surroundings of Sangla where the front-side can be seen from Kalpa or Reckong Peo. This is how I captured the back-side of Kinner Kailash from the Sangla Buddhist Monastery. A classic view indeed!

Sangla Buddhist Monastery, Baspa valley, Kinnaur — Sangla Buddhist Monastery

View of Kinner Kailash from Sangla , Baspa valley , Kinnaur — View of Kinner Kailash from Sangla

Beautiful Baspa Valley

Baspa Valley belongs to the Kinnaur District of Himachal Pradesh. It lies at Indo-Tibet Border. This valley is famous for Baspa River, Rani Kanda Meadows, Dumti Meadows, Karu Devta Temple at Dumti, ITBP Camps & Check-posts, Nagdum River, Mighty Baspa Glacier, Moraine Stretches, Snowfields & Snow-slopes of Upper Baspa Valley, Gateway to many High Altitude Himalayan Treks like Lamkhaga Pass, Borasu Pass & Many more…

India’s last village – Chitkul

Chitkul is India ‘s last village from Tibet side which can be reached via Road. The distance from Sangla to Chitkul is 22 Kilometer and people throng into this place to experience the beauty of mother nature which is famous for the Snow-capped Mountains, Baspa River & Many more. Potatoes grown at Chitkul are one of the best in the world and are very costly.

Treks around Sangla

Sangla Valley of Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh is Gateway to many High Altitude Himalayan Treks like Lamkhaga Pass, Rupin Pass, Borasu Pass & Many more. These treks can either start or end from Himachal Pradesh or Uttrakhand.

Lamkhaga Pass: Either Start from or end at Chitkul.
Sangla Kanda hike: A high mountain pasture near Sangla village
Rupin Pass trek: Either Start from or end at Sangla Town.
Borasu pass trek: Either Start from or end at Chitkul.

Final Words: Sangla Valley is a must-visit place for Adventure Seekers, Tourists & Travelers across the world. I will rate this valley 8 out of 10. Please don’t miss to explore this place if you plan an Adventure Trip around Kinnaur & Spiti. Must visit the region of Himachal Pradesh indeed!!!

Blog by Gautham Baliga

Tags Baspa valley, Blog, Kinnaur, Sangla valley

Blog Chitkul village Kinnaur Sangla valley Trekking Winter in Kinnaur

Kinner Kailash Parikrama Trek in Winter

Post author By raachotrekkers
Post date January 29, 2018
No Comments on Kinner Kailash Parikrama Trek in Winter

View from the 5,266 m (17,275 ft) Charang La

Home » Blog » Trekking

Kinnaur-Kailash Parikrama Trek

Blog by Micah Hanson

“How will you know the way, the weather is bad, there is a lot of snow,” the senior officer said. “I’ve hiked all over the Himalayas, I hiked the Pin-Paravati pass in a snowstorm,” I retorted. “Ok, I’ll give you permission if you write a statement that you take responsibility for your safety.” And that’s how I got the permission to hike the Kinnaur Kailash Parikarma on my own.

Although, Kinner Kailash circuit route is a traditional pilgrimage route around the sacred mountain of Kinnaur Kailash, technically foreigners are either supposed to have a group of four or be guided.

I got off to a bit of a slow start jumping on a bus to Lambar where I would start the trek with a bus driver who loved taking his time, stopping the bus and shaking hands with everyone he knew. Then he decided he really didn’t want to finish is route so he turned around about 4 km before Thangi and 10 km before Lambar under the pretext that there was a landslide blocking the road ahead.

There was no landslide, so much for my theory that bus drivers in India are the only government employees who do their jobs the way they are supposed to be done. Maybe this guy had previously been a postal worker, for whatever reason he dumped me and the other passengers alongside the road. I walked for about 15 minutes before managing to get a ride in a jeep to Lambar with some of the other locals from the bus. After a lunch of rice and dhal in Lambar, I headed off a bit later than I would have liked.

But not before a local advised me that not to go over the Charang La, “too much snow” he said. “So I keep hearing,” I replied as I walk off towards the Charang La.

My map showed Charang village (my attempted destination for the day) on the north side of the river so when a bridge went to the south side of the river I stayed on the north bank about a half-hour later I passed the Indo-Tibetan Border Police checkpoint which was on the opposite side of the river.

The men at the check post told me I had to cross the knee-deep ice-cold river to sign in. I said they could bring the book to me but I didn’t want to walk through the icy river. I showed my permission across the river. After a semi audible discussion across the rushing river, one of the officers crossed to my side, a man from Meru who spoke the best English of the lot. It turned out I was on the wrong side of the river heading to a village I wasn’t supposed to go to.

I reluctantly crossed the river to the side of the camp. By the time I finished tea with the officers and signed in it was about a half-hour away from darkness. I decided I didn’t have enough time to make it to Charang. They invited me to stay at camp for the night, an accommodation that included a nice hot meal and several glasses of whiskey and water.

The following day I visited the friendly and picturesque village of Charang. After an hour of looking around and some tea with the locals, I headed over the ridge above town up the steep-sided valley towards the Charang La. The valley widened as I approached the snow line. It was mid-afternoon and I decided to camp just before the snow line knowing the snowfields would be difficult to cross in the heat of the afternoon. I found a small patch of grass and a nearby spring suitable for the purpose and pitched my tent.

Trail leading up towards the Charang La — The trail leading up towards the Charang La

View up the valley towards the Charang La

Lalanti stream , enroute Charang - La — Lalanti stream, en route Charang – La

Upper Lalanti traverse , Enroute Charang - La — Upper Lalanti traverse, Enroute Charang – La

Early the next morning I headed out across the snow towards the pass. I got my first view of the “pass” known as the Charang La. I had heard the pass was difficult but this wasn’t a pass it was a cliff. A steep snow-covered slope leads up to a notch between the mountains.

I reached the base of the pass before noon. Any path that had existed was completely obscured by the snow. I decided it would be best to attempt the pass the following morning, but hiking up the steep snow-covered slope with my full pack would be extremely difficult. I set up camp on the snow beneath the pass. I figured if I carved out a path in the afternoon it would firm up overnight making the climb much easier the following morning. It took me two hours to climb the pass making footholds along the way.

Small lake beneath the Charang La — A small lake beneath the Charang La

My campsite on the snow beneath the Charang La

The steep snow slope leading beneath the Charang La

The Charang - La Climb — The Charang – La Climb

View from the 5,266 m (17,275 ft) Charang La

The Baspa valley view from Charang - La — The Baspa valley view from Charang – La

While the view was great, my campsite was less than ideal, it was a cold night sleeping on snow at around 5,000 m. Furthermore, there was no water at my campsite, but lots of snow which take a surprisingly long time to melt even in the bright sun. What water I had managed to melt was frozen by the morning. A bigger problem was that it had entered in my shoes. They were frozen solid and I couldn’t get my feet into them. I had to delay my start until they had thawed out enough from the morning sun so that I could at least put them on.

The footholds that I had made the previous day made the hike over the pass much easier. I reached the top in about an hour loaded down with all of my gear. I couldn’t have asked for clearer weather to enjoy the view atop the 5,266 m (17,275 ft) Charang La over the snow-covered landscape. I spent a good hour enjoying the fruits of my effort before descending the steep slope down to the pleasant village of Chitkul four hours away.

Ornate spout at Chitkul village — Ornate spout, Chitkul

Wooden grain store of people of Chitkul. — ‘Urch’ – A wooden grain storage container. Almost every family has one in Chitkul and rest of the Kinnaur.

A wooden house in Chitkul village — A wooden charming house in Chitkul

A wooden temple wind chimes in Chitkul — Wooden wind chimes adorning a temple in Chitkul

A man from Chitkul village carrying sack of grass. — A man from Chitkul carrying a sack of grass.

A lady from Chitkul village working in her Olga fields. — A lady from Chitkul working in the Ogla(a kind of grain) fields.

People of Chitkul village — People of Chitkul

Chitkul lady carrying a child on her back

An old man from Chitkul village — An old man from Chitkul

Mountains at the head of the Baspa Valley

Thola peak overlooking Chitkul village of Baspa Valley, Kinnaur

View from above Chitkul village — View from above Chitkul

The village of Chitkul is an idyllic place at the end of the road that winds its way up the Baspa Valley. I would have stayed longer than the two days I spent there had I not left most of my things back in Kalpa. In the interest of reducing weight for the trek, I had only one set of clothes with me, a set of clothes that I was anxious to change out of after 4 days of trekking. But as it was I had time to explore the village a bit and hike up above the village before catching a bus back to Kalpa.

Tags Blog, Chitkul, Kinner Kailash, Trekking