Hampta Pass Trek – A Fabulous Trek In Manali
The Hampta Pass trek is one of the most enjoyable in the Manali area. The eastern Pir Panjal Range’s Deo Tibba, at 6001 metres, is a common peak, and the Hampta Pass (4270 metres) used to be the traditional route between Kullu and Lahaul valleys. This trek takes us through the majestic Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas, crossing at Hampta Pass (4270m) to reach remote Lahaul, a Himachal Pradesh district.
The trail is stunning because of the barren scenery in the upper regions and the lush valleys below. The scenic views from Hampta Pass include lush green valleys, majestic snow-capped mountains, and hills. After leaving the Manali valley, the trek continues through walnut, oak, and occasional alder trees, as well as meadows, to the Deo Tibba base camp, and then to the Hampta Pass, before descending the other side to Chattru in the Lahaul Valley.
This is a mild trek that covers a lot of ground in just eight days. NOTE: Due to heavy snow conditions, crossing Hampta Pass can be difficult for pre-monsoon departures. The final two days of the trek will be rerouted to Chikka in the Hampta Valley in order to meet the road ahead.
Day 1 – Manali to Jobra:
On the first day, after arriving in Manali, the drive from Manali to Jobra takes about 2 hours and is a visual treat. Keep an eye out for the expansive views of the lush green Kullu valley and Chandra valley. The Rani Nallah emerges somewhere along the way and begins running alongside the trek until it is eventually hidden by the incredible pristine snow of Hampta Pass.
On the first day, after arriving in Manali, the drive from Manali to Jobra takes about 2 hours and is a visual treat. Keep an eye out for the expansive views of the lush green Kullu valley and Chandra valley. The Rani Nallah emerges somewhere along the way and begins running alongside the trek until it is eventually hidden by the incredible pristine snow of Hampta Pass.
There are plenty of water sources along the way to refill your bottles. The trek to the day 1 campsite takes about 2 hours once you arrive in Jobra. It passes through magnificent fir, silver birch, and maple woods. When you arrive at Jobra, look for a narrow path that leads into the forest, where the trek starts. Take this path. Green maple trees break up the tall pine canopies, which is a welcome sight. A lovely meadow appears about 25 minutes into the trail, just below a massive boulder.
The Rani River separates the Jobra meadow, and beautiful hills can be seen on both sides. Cows and sheep have often seen grazing in the meadows. You can either trek through the meadow or go over the hill on the left side, which will make the path slightly shorter. Take a slight right here and stay on the left side of the stream until the end. The path has a lot of stones and boulders at first, but a little careful treading gets you across it.
On the lower and middle parts of the mountain, there are beautiful dwarf Rhododendrons, and on the higher ends, there are Birch trees. The Dhauladhar range can be seen in all its glory in the background. You will refill your water bottle at the waterfall on your left. Turn slightly right after the waterfall and head for the stream. There is a river crossing; to cross the river, remove your shoes and jump across the river through the rocks. The trek reaches its halfway point as you enter a bordered gorge. The lovely Chika campsite is located on one bank of the river.
Day 2 – Chika to Balu Ka Gera:
On day 2, the river is continually fed by melting snow, and you can see magnificent snow-capped peaks protecting the Hampta Pass. Take the river trail, which will lead you into a rectangular valley. Purple, pink, and yellow floral colours are interspersed along the trail. There are no trees in the field, and they don’t appear for a long time.
After about a half-hour of trekking, you leave the valley behind and continue walking until the trail levels out just before Chota Balu Ka Ghera. Chota Balu ka Ghera is a nice place to rest and eat a fast bite. You continue on the same trail after this stage.
The trail is laden with large rocks, scattered unevenly and a little far apart, just before you enter the campsite. It’s a little more difficult to cross them because of this. Balu Ka Gera greets you once you’ve passed through that part.
Balu ka Gera is mostly made up of sand and dust deposited by the river. The densely forested mountains that you’ll trek through the next day to enter the Hampta Pass are just behind you. The sunsets spectacularly behind the lofty Hanuman Tibba hill.
Day 3: Balu Ka Ghera to Shea Goru:
The third day of the trek is the most critical. The trail to Hampta Pass is a steep climb that is followed by a descent to Shea Goru. We intend to arrive at the Pass by lunchtime and then begin descending to Shea Goru afterwards. After breakfast, you start your trek towards the mountains just before the Hampta Pass. The river banks are carpeted with beautiful flowers along the trail, which you follow for about an hour before you hit the river.
Make sure you don’t get lost because the trail starts to disappear at some points during today’s trek. As you pass through a rockfall-prone area, the ascent becomes much steeper. In about a half-hour, you’ll hit a scenic plateau with the looming Deo Tibba peak right in front of you. Take a quick break here to catch your breath before moving on to the next major climb.
Make sure you don’t get lost because the trail starts to disappear at some points during today’s trek. As you pass through a rockfall-prone area, the ascent becomes much steeper. In about a half-hour, you’ll hit a scenic plateau with the looming Deo Tibba peak right in front of you. Take a quick break here to catch your breath before moving on to the next major climb.
The Lahaul side of the pass can be seen unfolding right below you from the right side of the pass. To relieve tension on your knees and make the descent more comfortable, descend in a zig-zag pattern. The first half-hour downhill walk is followed by a u-bend that takes you just below the Hampta Pass.
It’s now a complete downhill trek on snow, with the same zig-zag path to follow all the way to the valley. When you hit the bottom of the valley, which is surrounded on three sides by majestic clad mountains, trek along the open side to Shea Goru.
The trail has now been flattened out and is relatively easy to walk. On your turn, the river reappears. Camp here for the night and enjoy the rush of adrenaline and joy of passing through the pass.
Day 4: Trek from Shea Goru to Chatru, then drive to Chandratal Lake and return to Chatru:
When you enter the road on day 4, the descent becomes more challenging. Although it is often preferable to traverse down through the river/glacier bed to avoid the rocks completely, you must walk along the sides of the rocks. Some parts of the trail may have slick dirt, so be extra careful and try to jump over these sections to avoid slipping and sliding.
After leaving the mountains behind, the Chandra river can be seen in around 3 hours, flanked by a couple of glacial streams that must be crossed to meet the road on the other side. The Chhatru campsite appears, surrounded by the barren Lahaul mountains.
Only when the roads are clear of snow is it possible to visit Chandra Tal Lake, Spiti’s famous ‘Moon Lake.’ The lake is about 70 kilometres away, and the ride there is a little unpleasant. Keep Avomine tablets on hand if you suffer from motion sickness.
Chandra Tal Lake, at 14,100 feet, is a visual and auditory delight. However, because of the high altitude, remember to remain hydrated to avoid AMS.
Day 5: Drive from Chhatru to Manali:
The fifth and final day of your Hampta pass trek. You return to Manali through the legendary Rohtang Pass, leaving the magnificent desert of the Spiti valley and the Pir Panjal ranges behind. The four-hour drive was beautiful.
