Trek with the heights to find the moon
Maximum Altitude
14,100 ft.
Trek Duration
4N / 5D
Trek Distance
26 Km
Difficulty Level
Easy to moderate
Start/End Point
Manali
Nearest Airport
Bhuntar Airport, Kullu Manali
Best Season
June to September
Accommodation
4 night at dome style tent
Meals
Breakfast, lunch, evening snacks and dinner
Permits
Forest Department & Trekking permit
Temperature
12°C to 18°C (day) ; - 2°C to 6°C (night)
Snow
November to May
At an altitude of 14,100 feet (4,270 meters) above sea level, the Hampta Pass Trek is often considered one of the most spectacular cross-over treks in all of the Indian Himalayas. Known as the Gateway to the Pir Panjal, the Hampta Pass trail provides trekkers with the unique opportunity to trek between two incredibly different geographical environments in a matter of just a few days. The trek begins in the lush, green forests and fields full of wildflowers along the banks of the Kullu Valley, and within days changes dramatically from that environment into the barren high-altitude desert of Lahaul and Spiti. The portion of the Hampta Pass Trek where this transformation occurs at the summit (or top) of Hampta Pass where trekkers have an immediate view of the dramatically different environment just seconds after they step off the summit is the most memorable moment of the entire trek. The incredible geologic features created by the Himalayan rain shadow make this an unforgettable experience for trekkers. The trek is characterized by two complementary experiences throughout, such as going through vast boulder fields and then crossing icy cold glacier rivers, and then ending the trek with the exhilarating experience of glissading (sliding) down snowy slopes in early summer. Curry and churros are the two most recognizable meal items served at Chatru, which serves as the starting point for most trekkers completing this trek as well as the starting point for most trekkers trekking to Chandratal Lake, also known as Moon Lake, completing a remarkable ecological journey.
1. The Phenomenal Spectacular Crossover
This is widely recognized as one of the most outstanding examples of the Himalayan Rain-shadows effect in the world, revealing two unique landscapes both geologically and climatically all created by location and topography. The trek culminates on the narrow, windy ridge of the 14,100 ft. (4,270 m.) summit, where you are at once at both a geographical and meteorological border. Behind you is the Kullu Valley - a green, vertically-vegetated basin filled with both moisture and forested, emerald-green trees, and directly in front of you, the Lahaul Valley looks like a stark, monochromatic, high-altitude cold desert, with no greenery. In fact, the entire transition from a vertical environment of lush greenery to a horizontal moonscape of reddish-brown rock occurs as an extraordinary revelation within one afternoon of trekking time.
2. A Technical Sampler Platter
Categorized as a moderate trek, Hampta Pass has the capacity to introduce trekkers how to perform techniques that are typically only used by professional mountaineers over a short period of time. This will require an active engagement with the elements where you will have an opportunity to cross glacial rivers (the frigid temperature of the Rani Nallah River will challenge your nerve), negotiate to traverse glaciers (natural snow bridges) with large amounts of water roaring beneath the glacier, and finally, slide and glide down the steep slopes of Lahaul Valley for approximately 500 m. in total with a great deal of speed because the slide is accelerated by the thrill/excitement generated from this technique only.
3. Base to Summit Logistical Efficiency
Most high-altitude treks require grueling, 10-12 hours of trek to reach a remote trailhead. The leg to the trailhead for the Hampta Pass trek begins in Jobra which is just a short 60 minute drive from Manali. The route consists of 40 wild hairpin turns from Manali to Jobra. In less than 1 hour you move from dynamic Manali at 6,700 feet to the wilderness of Jobra at 10,000 feet. The result is that you are in the middle of the high alpine environment in no time at all.
4. Ancient and Living Cultural History
The Hampta Pass trail follows an ancient trade route that Gaddi and Gujjar shepherds have used for centuries to migrate their livestock across The Pir Panjal Range. During your trek you will encounter these semi-nomadic people moving thousands of sheep and goats across the rough, high pass in search of greener feed. Many Vedic Mythologies also run along this trail. For example, you will trek across Panduropa (a high marsh where the Pandavas are said to have cultivated rice while in exile) as well as follow the same path that Yudhisthira was said to have taken to walk to Heaven.
5. Elite Astro-Photography at the Shea Goru
The camp here at Shea Goru is a unique geographical anomaly due to the fact that this particular campsite is located deep within a glacial valley and on the leeward side of the rain shadow. Given that the atmospheric water content is virtually non-existent, and that the air is extremely thin and clear, this makes for world class conditions for photographing the milky way and deep sky objects. There is also no light pollution or humidity present to interfere with your view of the stars, which appear incredibly bright and dense, and are capable of casting faint silver shadows on the rocky floor of the valley.
6. The Spiritual Finale at Chandratal (Moon Lake)
Part of the journey will be a rugged drive to the mystical Chandratal, or Moon Lake. Chandratal is located at an elevation of 14,100 feet (about 4,267 meters) and has been declared a Ramsar Protected Site, the only Ramsar Site in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. This glacially-formed, crescent-shaped wetland glimmers like a jewel as the sun arcs through the sky, reflecting its ever-changing shades of blue and green upon its surface. The Chandratal Lake, ringed by the towering, jagged peaks of the Chandra Bhaga Range, serves as both a symbol of physical exertion and an incredible alpine mirror by offering the final reward of your spiritual journey after crossing over the mountain pass at high altitude.
The trek offers two unforgettable experiences you can’t find any other place on Earth. First, the 500-meter Glissade, where you sit on the snow and slide down the steep face of Lahaul; this fast-paced, exhilarating descent transforms the difficult trek into utter joy. Secondly, camping at Shea Goru, otherwise known as the Refrigerator, because this campsite is located in a very deep glacial valley that has no light pollution and no atmospheric moisture, resulting in an incredible view of the stars as a bright, glowing bridge across the entire sky with light enough to cast faint shadows on the rocks below.
The Hampta Pass Trek is rated moderate and is a perfect introduction to technical trekking for anyone wanting to become a mountaineer. Trekking in the Himalayas is more than just trekking; it involves interacting with nature's elements. For example, you will cross a glacial river on a human chain at the Rani Nallah to endure the current of the icy meltwater. Also, you will trek on perilous snow bridges above roaring sub-glacial streams and descend through steep, knee-jarring terrain of loose scree and boulders on the Lahaul side, which will help test your physical endurance and mental toughness.
The Hampta Pass trek provides an ecological transition zone of different altitudinal zones in one area. You will also see many unusual Bhojpatra trees where the bark was originally used for writing ancient texts. When you arrive at the high alpine meadows, you will find many unusual medicinal plants and the lovely Blue Poppy. The animal diversity is just as amazing; be on the lookout for the colourful plumage of the Himalayan Monal and the little golden brown Himalayan Marmots running around in the rocks of the Lahaul Valley. You will also have many opportunities to observe the magnificent Lammergeier (Bearded Vulture) soaring on the thermal updrafts over the pass from a great distance.
The human aspect of the Hampta Pass trek is related to the traditional use of the Hampta Pass over many centuries by the Gaddi and Gujjar shepherds as a seasonal migration route. When trekking along Hampta Pass, you will often see nomadic shepherds moving thousands of sheep and goats over the difficult pass to continue their seasonal migration to better pastures. Shepherds use temporary stone huts and fierce-looking Tibetan mastiffs to create a sense of history along the trail. The trek starts at Jobra, a remote village, where lifestyle is similar to how it was many years ago prior to modern development.
Depending on the time of year, the Hampta Pass trek can provide an adventure of completely different types. Due to heavy snowfall in the early summer months (June and July), the Hampta Pass can be enjoyed as a pure snow experience with glissading possible in all valleys (the pass is enclosed by huge walls of snow). Also, while much of India experiences monsoon rains during this period, the Lahaul region of the mountain remains rain-free and clear, while the Kullu region transforms into a green, misty paradise with significant contrast between the green and desert landscape.
The 14,100 ft (4,270 m) summit itself is less about the height or altitude than it is about experiencing the theatrical reveal. The pass itself is a narrow ridge acting as the physical doorway between two contrasting worlds. At the peak, you will experience an incredible 360-degree sensory contrasting experience in which you see/feel the jagged, fog-covered peaks of the Pir Panjal range behind you and ahead of you, the huge, barren beauty of the Spiti mountains. From the summit, you will have a front-row seat to view the huge and spectacular Mt Indrasan and Mt Deo Tibba as they tower over the landscape.
The Hampta Pass area provides excellent examples of the Himalayan rain shadow effect. As you trek and ascend from the lush, humid Kullu Valley with its thick, ancient Deodar, Horse Chestnut and Maple forests through the all colour carpeted alpine meadows of Jwara (during the monsoon), you transition from dense vegetation to high altitude barren land (almost instantaneously) upon crossing the pass and into the stark, colourless, wind-sculpted Lahaul Valley (a high altitude cold desert) where the earth has raw earth tones of rust, purple and brown, reminiscent of the lunar landscape.
