Chitkul Archives | Raacho Trekkers

How Lamkhaga Pass Trek Made Chitkul Worth Visiting?

On top of the Lamkhaga pass

The Lamkhaga pass trekking is an amazing but exhausting experience. We trekked through beautiful villages, farm terraces, river streams, forests, and suspension bridges. Jaw-dropping views compensated for the boulder-strewn terrain & strenuous climb. 8 to 12 hours of trekking on average every day. Lamkhaga Pass The route to the Lamkhaga Pass is exceptionally scenic with… Continue reading How Lamkhaga Pass Trek Made Chitkul Worth Visiting?

Lamkhaga Pass Trek – May 2018 Expedition Blog

Jalandhari Gad amphitheater

Chitkul to Gangotri/Harsil Trek Lamkhaga Pass (5282m) (Chitkul to Harsil), May 2018This 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… Continue reading Lamkhaga Pass Trek – May 2018 Expedition Blog

Lamkhaga Pass Trek Expedition blog

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

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… Continue reading Lamkhaga Pass Trek Expedition blog

Kinner Kailash Parikrama Trek in Winter

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

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… Continue reading Kinner Kailash Parikrama Trek in Winter

Lamkhaga Pass Trek Expedition – Chitkul to Dumti

Bridge over Baspa river

Chitkul to Dumti Trek blog Lamkhaga Pass Trek: Day 1 & 2 It was 20th May 2017, and as per schedule 10 of us were to start for the Lamkhaga pass trek from Chitkul village in the morning after our breakfast. Even before the beginning of the Lamkhaga pass trek, I had got an adventurous… Continue reading Lamkhaga Pass Trek Expedition – Chitkul to Dumti

Recent FAQs

Which cellular network works in Spiti valley?

BSNL works in all regions of Spiti valley and Kinnaur. Reliance Jio has started expanding its network in Spiti valley. It is expected to get functional by the summer of 2021.

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What to pack for Spiti valley?

In summers, the maximum temperature crosses the 20 degrees Celcius mark in Spiti valley. During sunny daytime, you’ll feel comfortable just by wearing a t-shirt and trousers. It is always good to get wrapped in layers of clothes as the weather can change anytime in the Himalayas. Even if the sun starts shining again, you can always get rid of the outer layers of clothing.

Here is the packing list (summers) for Spiti valley:

T-shirts.
A windcheater/ rain jacket.
Jeans/trousers.
Light woolen.
A cap/hat.
Sunglasses.
A pair of hiking shoes.
3/4 pairs of regular socks.
A water purifier and filtration bottle (avoid plastic bottle).
Personal hygiene essentials.
Sunscreen sunblock cream.

Spiti valley packing list (for winters):

A pair of good quality waterproof trekking boots.
Three pairs of cotton socks.
Two pairs of waterproof hiking pants.
One pair of shorts
Two pairs of fleece jumpers.
Two pairs of thermal tops and bottoms
One down jacket.
Headgear (1 beanie/skull cap, 1 buff, and 1 trekking cap).
A pair of thick gloves
Personal hygiene essentials(alcohol-based gel hand sanitizer, soap, towels, toilet papers, baby wipes, etc.).
UV-block sunglasses.
First aid kit.
A water purifier and filtration bottle.

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What is Spiti valley famous for?

Spiti valley is acclaimed for its distinctive Moon-esque landscapes and interesting landforms. 5 entities that define the Spiti valley are:

Chandratal —.the lake of moon.
Buddhist monasteries of Ki, Kaza, Kungri, and Tabo.
Snow leopards of Kibber — the grey ghost of the Himalayas.
Fascinating Tibetan culture and customs.
Fossils — dating back to the Triassic period (252-201 million years ago) — of Langza village.

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How to reach Spiti valley from Shimla?

Shimla to Narkanda-Rampur Bushahr-Powari-Pooh-Dubling village drive is on National Highway 5 (NH5). The Dubling village to Nako-Tabo-Kaza drive is on NH505. Kaza is the headquarters of Spiti valley. During winters, Shimla-Narkanda-Rampur road gets closed for a day or two whenever there is a long spell of snowfall. During such events, take the Shimla-Suni-Rampur Bushahr route along the Satluj river. This route stays open for all 365 days of the year.

It takes longer — when compared from Manali to Spiti valley (Via Atal tunnel) route — to reach Kaza from Shimla.

Shimla is one of the two places (second is Manali town) to start the Spiti valley circuit tour.

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How to reach Spiti valley from Manali (via Atal tunnel)?

The road from Manali follows the Solang Valley-Atal tunnel-Gramphu-Batal-Kunzum Pass-Losar-Kaza route. The distance from Manali to Kaza is 183 km and it takes about 4-5 hours to reach Kaza. Manali-Kaza is a shorter route than the Shimla-Kaza route.

Though the Atal Tunnel has hardly reduced the road distance between Manali and Spiti valley by nearly 20km, the drive time between the two places has now been reduced by over 2 hours.

Manali town is one of the two — the second is Shimla — places to start the Spiti valley circuit tour.

Is it possible to drive to Spiti valley from Manali in winter (via Atal tunnel)?

No. Not until BRO (Border Road Organisation) punches another hole under Kunzum-La — a pass that keeps Spiti valley closed to vehicular traffic from November to May from Manali’s side.

What precautions do you need to take while driving through the Atal (Rohtang) tunnel?

If you are coming from any city located on the plains (like from Delhi/Chandigarh), do take a break in Manali — or a place located at a similar altitude.

Driving straight from a place located at 200m altitude to a place at 3000m can take a toll on your body. Moreover, the temperature difference between the two places is enormous — from temperatures above 40 degrees celsius to subzero temperatures at the north portal of the Atal tunnel (during winters).

The second thing you need to consider is the speed limit. As the Atal tunnel is built under the Seri Nallah stream. Water ingressing into the tunnel walls from Seri Nallah could cause the formation of black ice on tunnel tarmac during the winters as the tunnel will act as a venturi for icy winds blowing in through the North portal.

If you drive above the speed limits on a slippery surface, your car can easily go into a slide causing a major accident!

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