Raacho Trekkers

Lamkhaga Pass Trek 2023
2023-05-23 08:00 - 2023-05-31 17:00 (Asia/Kolkata) | Chitkul, Chitkul, Tehsil, Sangla, Himachal Pradesh, 172106, India
The Lamkhaga pass forms the drainage divide between Baspa river basin and Jalandhari Gad river basin. Baspa is left side tributary of Satluj and Jalandhari Gad is right side tributary of Bhagirathi river.

The trek is doable from both Chitkul / Sangla (Himachal Pradesh) or Harsil / Gangotri (Uttarakhand) side. Trekking this pass (creating the border between Uttarakhand and Himachal) is an opportunity to experience a range of contrasting but beautiful landscapes such as vast snowfields, mountain meadows, riverside slopes interspersed with boulders and scree, overhanging glaciers, alpine forests.

Before the construction of Hindustan-Tibet road by the Sutlej Valley, many travellers preferred to enter Kinnaur through Baspa Valley. The journey from plains could be accomplished over various passes in the Dhauladhar range.

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History of exploration of mountain passes on Kinnaur-Garhwal ranges

The earliest of the explorers were Gerard Brothers, who trekked over Buran & other passes from Pabbar valley in 1818.

In 1860, Lady Canning (wife of Viceroy Charles Canning) of British Raj crossed Rupin Pass all the way to Chini(Kalpa).

In 1933, Marco Pallis, the explorer & mountaineer, travelled to Kinnaur, took this difficult route over Chotkhaga or Nela Pass (a pass located nearby Lamkhaga ridge). He entered Baspa valley and finally summitted Leo Pargyal peak (6791 m)

In his book Ladakh : The Peaks and The Lamas Marco has written

The pass itself is long and monotonous. For the ignorant it is merely a snow grind, but for the geographer, who knows that here is the parting of the two of the great river systems of the world, there is a romance in the thought that standing on the crest, the waters on his right—go down to swell the sacred Ganga and bring life to the whole north Indian plains, before the river discharges its flood in the Bay of Bengal ; while the melting caused by his left boot will be carried first into the Baspa, and then via Satluj and the Indus into the Arabian Sea.

Lamkhaga Pass 2023 Itinerary

Day 0: (May 22) Shimla to Chitkul (3435 m) — By Bus or car

Day 1: Chitkul (3435 m) to Nagasthi — Rani Kanda (3700 m) 10 km distance and about 5 hr trek

Day 2: Rani Kanda to Dumti (4050 m) — 9 km distance / about 5 hr trek

Day 3: Dumti to Gundar (4450 m) — 15 km distance / about 7 hr trek

Day 4: Gundar (4400 m) to Lamkhaga Pass Base Camp 1 (4400 m)

Day 5: Lamkhaga Pass, base camp 1 to Base Camp 2 (Kinnaur)

Day 6: Lamkhaga Pass base camp 2 (Kinnaur side) to Lamkhaga Pass base camp 3 (14.4k feet / 4,395 m) on Gangotri Side via Lamkhaga Pass (5300 m) — 11 km distance and 6–7 hr trek

Day 7: Lamkhaga Pass Base Camp 3 to Kyarkoti (3820 m) — 16 km distance / 7–8 hr trek

Day 8: Kyarkoti to Harsil (2400 m) — 14 km/6–7 hr trek

Snow Leopard Photography Event in 2026
2026-01-03 09:00 - 2026-01-12 17:00 | Kibber, Village & Post Office Kibber, District Lahaul & Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, 172114, India
This event is your chance to capture the magnificent, densely furred, revered and rosette-stencilled cat of the Himalayas—Snow Leopard.

It is an 10-day photography tour covering the lesser, greater and trans-Himalayan region of the state of Himachal Pradesh, with five full days dedicated to stalking, tracking, and photographing the gray ghost in Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary.

Event Schedule

Day 1: Chandigarh–Narkanda (altitude, 2700 m): Distance covered 175 km. Drive (on NH5) duration: 6 hours (Overnight stay at HPTDC hotel).

Day 2: Narkanda–Kalpa (altitude, 2900 m). Distance covered 175 km. Drive time on NH5: 5–6 hours (Stay at Hotel Sheetal, Kalpa).

Day 3: Kalpa–Chicham/Kibber Village (altitude, 4270 m): Drive time on NH5 and NH505: 7–8 hours to cover 225 km of distance. Overnight stay at Cold Desert Homestay in Chicham.

Day 4,5,6,7, and 8: On this once-in-a-lifetime trip, you’ll be hiking through high-altitude snow-covered plateaux to follow the elusive snow leopard in Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary. Our team reach early to spotting places like the deep Rong Nala gorge and Chicham, where you have a better chance of spotting the elusive snow leopard. Snow leopard scanners, guides, and porters will lead you to the spot. There won’t be any specific routine for these 5 days reserved for spotting snow leopards. We need to move to the spotting places as soon as we hear about the sightings from our spotters and guides.

Day 9: Kibber–Kalpa: 10 hours drive time, covering about 225 km. Stay at Hotel Sheetal.

Day 10: Kalpa to Shimla: 7 to 8 hours drive on National Highway 5, traversing a road distance of 230 km.

Expedition Highlights

Highly experienced team of trackers, guides, and wildlife photography tour organizers.

All staff members are local.

All-inclusive trip.

4WD car for all days as per final itinerary and fixed departure schedule.

Premium Accommodation at Hotels and Homestays with heating facilities.

Foldable Camping Chairs for seating while waiting for snow leopard sighting.

Opportunity to photograph associated Himalayan wildlife like Ibex, Blue sheep, and Red foxes

Lead Spotter & Guide

Gompo Tsering

All our guides and spotters hail from the Kibber-Chicham-Langza region, with Gompo as the lead. With over 12 years of expertise in wildlife spotting and conservation, Gompo is a seasoned leader in this field. He began his photography journey as an assistant to renowned photographers Naresh Bedi and Rajesh Bedi of Bedi Brothers during the making of the documentary Monarch of the Himalayas.

Gompo is an esteemed member of the Snow Leopard Conservation Committee of Spiti and actively collaborates with the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) on various conservation initiatives. His extensive experience includes working alongside Dr. Rajiv S. Kalsi, a distinguished zoologist and retired professor.

Sighting & Photography Tips

Take local spotters/tour guides with you. These people know the spotting locations and best time to sight the rare Himalayan wildlife.

Check the weather forecast and go for snow leopard photography after snowfall. Sighting snow leopards against a snowy backdrop becomes easy.

Patience is the key when it comes to bettering your chances of photographing snow leopard. It can take days to sight the grey ghost of the Himalayas.

Find the places where prey of snow leopards (Ibexes, blue sheep etc) are. You’d often sight snow leopard near their prey.

Understanding the behaviour of snow leopards is also important if you’re planning to photograph them. Read online resources like Snow Leopard Trust and National Geographic, read books, talk to someone who has a good experience of filming/photographing snow leopards.

Invest in a good tripod. As snow leopards are frequently sighted (and they are most active) during early mornings or late evenings, taking pictures in low light become inevitable. Take a camera with large aperture lens, higher ISO and faster shutter speed and a good quality tripod.

Shooting a snow leopard chasing an Ibex is a dream for every photographer. To capture such events, shoot in continues shooting mode and faster shutter speed.

Wintertime (from January to early March) is mating time of snow leopards. This is the best time to see and photograph love lives of snow leopard couples.

Feb1Snow Leopard Photo Tour in February 2026 When:Feb 1, 2026 9:00 amWhere:Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, Himachal Pradesh
Our second Snow Leopard Photography Expedition is scheduled for the first week of 2026. Two participants have already confirmed their spots, and we are now looking for four more photographers to join. This 10-day photography event includes 5 dedicated days of snow leopard tracking and photography in the Kibber–Chicham–Langza region—one of the most reliable hotspots for snow leopard sightings in the wild. Participants will work in the field alongside experienced local trackers and guides to see and photograph the elusive and solitary Panthera uncia in its natural habitat.
