Itinerary -
DAY 01: Reach McLeodganj (2000m)
We will all meet in McLeodganj and check into the hotel. The day can be spent exploring this beautiful hill town. One can take a stroll in the local market and visit the monastery. Overnight in a hotel.
DAY 02: McLeodganj (2000m) – Stowar – Kareri village (1800m) Drive/7 kms & Trek/5 hrs
After breakfast we will take a short drive to Stowari, starting point of our trek. Today we will initially climb down to Bhote Khola and Ghera village and from there climb up to Kareri village. Today's hike is through an interesting forest of oak, rhododendron and pine. We will camp at a convenient and scenic location and towards evening explore the village and meet up with the local inhabitants. Overnight in tents.
DAY 03: Kareri village – Kareri lake (2900m) Trek/5-6 hrs
It's again a day of moving through forest of spruce, oak & rhododendron. After hiking for a couple of hours where we move along Kareri nullah we will reach the beautiful meadow of Harote. After a short rest we hike for another 3-4 hours to reach the high altitude lake. The lake is a small in size but is scenically situated at the base of Minkiani pass. We camp next to the lake and spend the evening relaxing by the lakeside. For people wanting more action there are various options for further exploration. We will visit the Shiva temple here. Overnight in tents.
DAY 04: Kareri Lake (2900m) – Kareri Village (1800m) Trek/15 kms/5-6 hrs
After a leisurely breakfast we will climb up to various vantage points to enjoy some outstanding views. One can climb up a for bit today depending upon endurance and availability of time. From these vantage points, there are great views of Dhauladar, Pin Panjal and other mountains in Himachal and the underlying valleys. We will head back to the camp post our exploration, have an early lunch and descend to Kareri village. Overnight in tents.
DAY 05: Kareri village (1800m) – Dharamkot (2100m) Trek/6 hrs
The day begins with a long descent to the Bhote Khola. There are fine views of the Kangra valley along the trail. We will pass the villages of Roa and Bal. From Bal we ascend to the ridge leading to Dharamkot. Today's hike is overall a very pleasant one with fine views of the Dhauladhars and the vast Indian plains. Overnight in tents.
DAY 06: Dharamkot (2100m) – Laka Got (3300m) Trek/4-5 hrs
Now we are on the main trail leading to the pass. Today we will again hike through forest of oak and rhododendron to reach Laka Got, which is a good camping site. Alternately we can hike for some more time and camp at Lahesh caves. Laka Got is a big alpine meadow which marks the start of boulder and scree fields. Along the trail we are likely to meet the gaddi shepherds who inhabit the region and get to interact with them and know more about their way of life. Overnight in tents.
DAY 07: Laka Got (3300m) – Indrahar Pass (4420m) – Laka Got (3300m) Trek/7-8 hrs
Today is the big day! We scale the pass and get back to our campsite by evening time. It's going to be a long and exhausting day but we are going to be more than suitably rewarded for our effort. We have an early breakfast and start hiking through steep scree terrain to reach Lahesh caves. From the caves to the pass it is a completely uphill hike and we are going to take about 3-4 hrs to make it to the top. The route can become slightly technical at certain points depending upon the snow conditions but our guides will be there to assist you throughout so there's nothing that you need to be concerned about. On top of the pass you will surely feel like being on top of the world with outstanding views all around. You get views of the snow-capped peaks of Pir Panjal range, Mani Mahesh, Kailash peak and the underlying Kangra valley. After taking pictures and soaking in the views we will hike back to the campsite. Overnight in tents.
DAY 08: Laka Got (3300m) – McLeodganj (1800m) Trek/4-5 hrs
After breakfast we return to McLeodganj via Triund. One is free to stay in McLeodganj or continue with their onward journey.
Trip Ends With Sweet Memories !!!
List of Essentials
Mountain/adventure travel requires one to be adequately equipped with the right kind of personal gear. Since one is travelling in the wilderness there will be hardly any opportunity to buy anything once you hit the trail so we urge you to carefully pack everything into your bags. Also please keep in mind you can rent out or purchase equipment from our Gear Store, if required..
Shirts / T-shirts – 2/3
Jeans / Trekking Pants - 2
Windproof jacket of decent quality (no flimsy wind cheaters please!) preferably with a hood
Warm and thick Fleece / Full-sleeve Woollen sweater
Thermal inner wear (upper & lower)
Woollen cap
Woollen gloves
Woollen socks & regular socks (3-4 pairs)
Scarf/muffler (optional)
Comfortable Trekking/Hiking shoes (shoes with a thick sole are recommended)
Lightweight floaters/sandals/slippers
Raincoat / Poncho
Small light weight towel
Water bottle (sturdy ones, no empty Bisleri bottles!!)
Cap / Hat to keep the strong sun away from your face
Sun glasses
Walking stick / Trekking pole
Sunscreen Lotion
Lip Balm
Torch / Flashlight (with extra batteries)
Medicines, if requiring any specific medication
Personal toiletries
Books, if you like reading
Day pack/small bag which you will carry on your back every day and keep your essentials in it
Carry rain cover for your bags
Keep a few poly bags or waterproof bags in your bag in which if required you can put your belongings in case of heavy rain
Camera if you like (with fully charged batteries))
…LOADS OF ENTHUSIASM!! AND A PLEDGE TO LEAVE NO TRACE
Carry your stuff in a duffel bag, soft shoulder bag or a rucksack. Avoid suitcases, trolleys or any other hard luggage. As you will be walking long distances carrying a rucksack, avoid bringing unnecessary items on the trek. Please avoid carrying expensive watches, jewellery and electronic items on the trek.
For Departure Dates just call 7350530009 / 7350540009 / 7350550009
TRANSPORT OPTIONS (Delhi – McLeodganj – Delhi)
For travel from Delhi to McLeodganj & back, one can choose between rail & road. Train travel is highly recommended with enough options being there. The closest railway station is Pathankot from where you could get local taxis and buses for McLeodganj. You could also hire a private taxi if you prefer one.
There are frequent Public Transport buses including Volvos available from Delhi to Dharamsala/McLeodganj that cost about Rs. 1000-1400 per person. They take about 13 hrs to cover the distance. A private vehicle could also be arranged for if you require the same.
Weather Details
In the initial days of the pre monsoon season (May-Jun) there will be lots of snow on the higher meadows and the pass which generally starts melting by June. Days are going to be sunny and warm (12-20 °C) while the night temperature at the highest campsite would be in the range of -2 to 5 °C. In the post monsoon season (Sep-Nov) there is hardly any snow at the start with possibility of snowfall towards the end of October, which also melts very fast. The days are sunny with temperatures hovering around (8-16 °C) and the evenings start getting cold with the onset of October and nights are comparatively colder (-5 to 5 °C). Wind chill factor is something you need to be prepared for on most Himalayan treks so come equipped adequately.
Please keep in mind that the above information is not exact and does not account for sudden changes. Whatever the temperatures and conditions rest assured we will be prepared to handle it with ease as we use equipment of very high specifications.
Duration: 8 Days
Season: May-Jun, Sep-Oct
Grade: Moderate +
Region: Kangra Valley (Himachal Pradesh)
Description
This is a great trek for beginners as well as experienced trekkers and has a variety of elements in it which make it a very interesting option for both. Set in the beautiful and unique Kangra valley, it is filled to the brim with hiking pleasures. On this trail one gets fabulous views of the Dhauladhar range. We get to visit sacred lakes, ancient temples and quaint Hindu villages hidden inside the valleys and waiting to be explored.
There are some great camping sites and the added joy of scaling a 4000m+ Himalayan pass. The most memorable moment on the trek would surely be the views from Indrahar pass. We get unending views of the snow-capped mountains of the Pir Panjal range, underlying Kangra valley and Mani Mahesh Kailash peak from the top.
We have a unique itinerary for this trek where we have added Kareri Lake to Indrahar pass itinerary and instead of crossing over the pass and exiting from Chamba we return to McLeodganj, which makes return journey easier and at the same time you dont miss out on anything. The trek starts from Dharamsala/McLeodganj which over the years has become a well-known hill vacation destination.
This bustling Tibetan Buddhist town is home to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and his Tibetan government in exile. We visit monasteries and museums here and roam around in the Tibetan market on the day we reach McLeodganj. Indrahar Pass & Kareri lake The first stage of the trek will take you to the beautiful high altitude Kareri Lake through the enchanting Kareri village.
This is not a very demanding stage and one gets to walk through enchanting forest sections and beautiful villages. We will camp next to the lake which is quite an experience. From here we start hiking towards the 4420m high Indrahar pass. This stage will require a lot of climbing up on steep slopes but nothing very drastic. The day we scale the pass one will need to put in a lot of hard work, climbing up through sections of scree and boulders. This effort is going to be suitably rewarded with fine views all around.
During the end-May to mid-June period there is going to be snow on the trail and we will plan our hike keeping the conditions in mind. After having done the pass we start climbing down to McLeodganj.