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Day 01
Welcome and check in at hotel in
Delhi and a small briefing about
the journey, can discuss special
requirements if any. As we are
following the road less taken at
higher altitude so we will
change altitude slowly to get
accustomed to environment - it's
very important --take advice
from a trekker. Next two days we
can organize a small trip to
golden triangle - Delhi-Agra-Jaipur
(optional - will add two more
days to your itinerary).
Day 02
Journey towards the Himalayas
begins early in the morning, to
avoid heavy traffic and heat, to
Chandigarh with lush vegetation
and a little rest there, and
then onward to Mandi (465 km
from Delhi and altitude of 750
meters) with stay in hotel
Rajmahal -- a palace converted
into a heritage hotel with
choice of meals and light
entertainment.
Day 03
Onward journey towards Manali
(altitude 2,050 meters and
distance 120 kms), and a local
visit and insight into places of
tourist interest around this
town named for the first man
Manu - according to Hindu
mythology. This will fill you-
with curiosity about what
additional new experiences are
coming up! After a night's stay
we take off the next morning
towards Rohtang (altitude 3,978
meters and distance 52 kms) ---
Now things are getting somewhat
serious and exiting (this point
is higher than any of known
mountains in Europe)! Wanna know
what Rohtang means in Tibetan? A
pile of dead bodies! ---
The hardships of your adventure
quest will be compensated by
greetings of welcome from
numbers of glaciers where snow
will be throughout the year --a
different terrain with nature in
its extraordinary state.
Day 04
After crossing Rohtang pass, we
will reach a village known as
Gramphoo. From here we will trek
until Chatroo by evening, and
that will be our first camp
site. Here we will have a
bonfire and cook some roast and
local dishes. This meal will be
our last treat for a few days,
as food for us will be simple
and as per availability, but it
will be pre-planned to include
all dietary requirement of such
a high level of altitude.
Here we will start a trek
towards Lake of Moon, along with
the Chandra river crossing.
Jumping from rock to rock, and
avoiding drizzling from many
waterfalls --- Feel it and it
will be real, when you are
actually there. Did I tell you
that you should load your camera
and keep extra rolls of film? -
That's because from here you
will be taking pictures all the
time --you can't help it--
because nobody wants to miss
anything-mark my words. We will
carry on through narrow natural
trails where snow and glaciers,
sometimes the road is missing,
so just follow your instincts to
make one! - Anyway, our
experienced guide will be there
always. The choice will be
yours, whether to take a steep
green trek, or a moderately
ascending one - you will be
surrounded by green treeless
mountains with yellow Alpine
flowers. Making your way through
glaciers some times will require
caution, sometimes will be easy
- sometimes on snow, other times
through cold water. We will be
in a place called Chatru by
evening. We will pitch our tents
here and make ready for a well
deserved sleep, but you can't
resist yourself from taking a
walk in solitude under calmness
and serenity! --- For me, it was
always a means to spend some
time in self analysis. It could
mean something different for
you. This place is windy, which
makes your night's stay
adventuresome, a common feature
at that height. (Total stretch
of 25-28 kms)
Day 05
We will wake up in the morning
to a refreshing breakfast and
tea, and then we will carry on
with our journey. From here our
surroundings will change to
sharper gradients, and the
valley will be narrow, and our
companion river Chandra fed with
glacier water. Let me caution
you here. There will be cold and
snow, even in July, a very
different weather when compared
to other parts of India, which
will be swept by a heat wave by
this time of year. We are ready
for any contingency plan. We
will walk up till we reach a
placed called Chota Dara. Here
will be a government guest house
where we can stay, or we can
move ahead. From here you can do
photo shoots of shining
mountains, deep trenches, the
hide and seek of sun with
clouds! That's what I call
"nature in its untouched state"!
You will go through a lot of
river crossings, precarious and
slippery paths and be welcomed
by the massive Bara Shigari
glacier! Soon we will be on the
way to Batal through the base of
Kunjum pass (altitude 15,500
feet). You have to cross Pagal
Nala (means mad rivulet), such a
precarious that we must help
each other cross it. So our camp
will be on rock terrain of Batal.
It's a mysterious place, because
for a few hours it will be very
windy, then after a time, it
will be quite as if nothing
happened - amazing isn't it. We
will take a halt here and next
day we will trek to Chandratal.
It seems so near - yet it will
be a long trek.
Day 06
After relaxing and a good sleep,
we will trek forward, and after
crossing a rope bridge, will be
in the Spiti valley, with its
sharp mountains and sometimes
green meadows. In between, it
will be quite a hectic walk, but
worth the magic of Chandratal,
as someone has written --- 'long
and difficult the trek, the more
is its magic'! Anyway, after
making the trek, you will then
be in a beautiful meadow and
gazing upon the heavenly lake
called Chandratal - fed with
water from near twenty glaciers,
which are like soldiers
protecting its uniqueness. - The
reflections of the surrounding
environment will be mesmerizing!
We will camp here and enjoy this
heavenly place.
Day 07-08
Next day we will head back to
Manali. The route will be the
same, but you will find it
different all again.
Day 09-10
But soon, after two days of
trek, we will be back to Manali,
and next day to Delhi.
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