trekker walking uphill on a monsson trek

Himachal

Chanderkhani Pass Trek

Duration

3 days

Length

19 km

Difficulty Level

Easy

Altitude

12000 ft

Best Time to Visit

May to November

Trek Overview

Among all the breathtaking treks that Kully valley offers, Chanderkhani Pass is certainly one of the striking ones. Despite being a short trek, it presents few of the most stunning visuals in the lap of the Himalayas. Rocky paths leading to dense coniferous forests opening up to wide, lush green pastures and meadows are the main features of this trek. The vivid landscape is a contribution of the Malana glacier nearby.

The view of the trek from the starting point Rumsu to Chanderkhani Pass is further accentuated by the presence of three great mountain ranges on three sides of the route. On the west, Barabangal Range stands tall and proud, Pirpanjal towers high along the north, and Parvati Range keeps guard on the east. The trail amidst the mammoth beauties is dotted with abundant growth of pines, deodars, birches, cherries, oaks and many other varieties of alpine wilderness. The view opens up into a scintillating vista at the summit at 3600 meters, offering never-seen-before views of the Parvati, Malana, Kullu and Lahaul valley extensively.

Like most other locations of this part of the Himalayas, Chanderkhani Pass is not without its share of folklore. A story of the legend surrounding a local deity of Malana named Jamlu says that once he carried a basket full of Gods and opened it near the Pass, where a strong gust of wind blew their spirits away to the nearby peaks. It is for this reason that most of the nearby peaks are named after important deities of the Hindu pantheon and are considered holy and sacred locally.

Apart from unparalleled natural beauty, this story adds a spiritual significance to the trek as well.

Brief Details

Here are all the important details you need to know about the trek.

Trekking Distance: 19 kilometres
Number of Days: 3 Days
Altitude: 3,660m (12,008ft)
Difficulty Level: Easy-Moderate
Temperature: 5°-20°C
Base Camp: Rumsu Village
Nearest Railway Station: Jogindernagar Railway Station
Nearest Airport: Bhuntar Airport, Kullu

Short Itinerary

Take a look at the highlights of the trek in this short itinerary to have an idea of the route.

Day 1: Manali - Rumsu - Naya Thapru (5km) 4-5 hours
Day 2: Naya Thapru - Chanderkhani Top - Back to Naya Thapru(9km) 8-9 hours
Day 3: Naya Thapru - Rumsu - Manali (5km) 3-4 hours

Itinerary

Day 1: Manali to Rumsu, trek to Naya Thapru (5 km)

On the first day of your Chanderkhani pass trek, you will be expected to report at Manali Bus Stand(Ram Bagh) at 8 am in The Morning. It will take 1 hour to complete the 27 km drive from Manali Bus station to the basecamp, Rumsu. Here, you will get a chance to be properly introduced to your trek leaders and fellow trekkers. Getting a grasp of the route that you will be following throughout the trek is also part of the orientation on day 1.

The trail initially goes through adorable little hamlets of Himachal. There are no stops in any of these villages as such, but you can witness from up close how life is in the depths of Himachal Himalayas on the go. The first stop will be at Naggar, a village known for its shrines, an ancient castle named after the village itself, and the Roerich Art Gallery.

The medieval castle was built by Raja Sidh Singh back in 1460 A.D. for residential purposes and it was taken over by the state's tourism department in 1978 to be transformed into a hotel. The art gallery, on the other hand, is the estate of famous Russian painter Nicholas Roerich who arrive in India and settled in the mountains in around 1917. The preserved estate houses an art museum which displays an impressive collection of the painter's work on the beautiful, snow-covered peaks of Himachal.

The gradient of the trail gets slightly uphill. But you will reach Rumsu in no time. From there with a little bit more of an uphill climb, you will arrive at the campsite of your first day, Naya Thapru.

Day 2: Naya Thapru to Chanderkhani Top and Back to Naya Thapru (9km)

The second day of the trek is when you reach your main destination- the Chanderkhani Pass. But the path leading to it is as beautiful as the summit. You will be needed to start early on this day, as the distance to be covered is long and steep. It will take you through beautiful forests of conifer, pines, birches, firs, and deodars abound. The forests are broken by patches of green alpine meadows set apart by a couple of kilometers, where you will find the trail to be slightly flatter. The great peaks of Pirpanjal, Barabangal, and Parvati skirts the view of the valleys on three sides as you will walkthrough.

After breaking a sweat in the last one kilometer or saw, you will finally reach your destination at 3660 meters (12008ft). Your hard work of two long days will be rewarded with the panoramic views of the bests of Himachal Himalayas. Mount Indrasan, Deo Tibba, Hanuman Tibba and other eminent peaks of Pirpanjal and Parvati Mountain Ranges are clearly visible from the pass summit if you are lucky to arrive on a clear-skied day. The day will end with the trekkers retracing their steps back to camp at Naya Thapru.

Day 3: Naya thapru to Rumsu and Drive back to Manali (5 km)

On the third and final day of the trek, you will be making your way back to where you started through the same route. However, with nature changing every day in the depths of a mountainous region, you will be rewarded with newer but as mind-blowing views, as you had enjoyed on your way up. Upon returning to the starting and finishing point at Rumsu, vehicles will be waiting for the group to take the trekkers back to Manali.

What's Included

Inclusions

Certified Trek Leaders

High-quality trekking gears (Tents, Sleeping Bags, Gaiters, Crampons, Liners, Cutlery).

Experienced Staff (Guides, Cooking Staff, Helpers, Porters).

Delicious, Hygienic & Nutritious Meals on scheduled time (Morning Tea, Breakfast, Lunch, Evening Snacks & Dinner).

Adventure gears for team (Ice axe, walkie talkies, oximeter).

Fully equipped medial kit, oxygen and safety equipment.

All forest permits and camping charges.

Exclusions

Food items purchased by individuals at local canteens on the trek or during the drive.

Any early return travel costs or accommodation except for the days as per the itinerary.

Any expenses for medical treatment of injury or accident before, during or after the trek.

Health and Safety

For any Himalayan Trek, Ideal BMI for a trekker should be 18.5 to 24.9

To keep a check of this please calculate BMI here

Below given Safety checks should be done to get prepared for any Himalayan Trek.
- Balance : As well said a balanced mind and body gives out best in every condition and that too works in Himalayan treks as well.
- Legs Strength : Body and Legs Strength is required to carry body weight as well as the backpack while trekking in uneven multi terrains. Generally, a good strength on legs works out good in any Trek. One can gain legs strength by doing simple Squats.
- Muscle Flexibility : While trekking in Trans Himalayan region with a flexible body one can easily achieve full range of movement and this can be really helpful for trekkers as well as trek leads. A good flexible will be an advantage while walking on trails, climbing and river crossing etc. Flexibility can be achieved by simple stretching, yoga etc.
- Cardiovascular Endurance : Cardiovascular endurance is defined as the ability of lungs and heart to transmit oxygen to the body muscles. All Himalayan treks are basically ascending descending the slopes and for this trekkers should be having a good cardiovascular endurance. Anyone planning for a Himalayan trek can attain this capacity by doing any cardio exercise like running, swimming, cycling etc.

Cancellation

If a trek is called off at the last moment due to a natural calamity/unforeseen circumstances (like rains, snowfall, earthquake, landslides, strike, bandh etc.), Moxtain will issue a trek voucher for the full amount. The voucher can be redeemed upto same amount for the same trek or another trek in the next one year.

In case you wish to cancel your trek please email us at cancel@moxtain.com

Cancellation charges are based on the total trek fee, irrespective of the amount paid either full or partial.

The cancellation policy is based on the original booking time and original start date of the trek.

Cancel before 30 days of trek start date and get full refund after deduction of 1.99% payment processing fee.

Cancel before 15 days of trek start date and get refund after deduction of 20% of total trek fee.

Cancel before 10 days of trek start date and get refund after deduction of 40% of total trek fee.

Cancel before 5 days of trek start date and get refund after deduction of 60% of total trek fee.

Trek fee is non-refundable if you cancel within 4 days before trek start date.