CHANDRAKHANI PASS TREK- A HIGH VOLTAGE ADVENTURE

This lesser known trek has been one of the many high octane adventures in the Kullu Valley of the beautiful state of Himachal Pradesh. This trek stands out due to its outstanding views and the difficulties faced due to its steep terrain. The trek to Chandrakhani pass starts from the small town of Naggar near Manali. The trek can be completed in 3 days.

There are two ways through which you can reach Chandrakhani Pass, one way is through the Malana Village which is very steep, and other way is through the Rumsu Village near Naggar Town which is a little less steep but still a lot steeper as compared to other treks in Kullu. The trek can be started by early morning from Rumsu. Rumsu is a village near Naggar town which can be reached from Manali via bus or taxi in an hour. The trail from Rumsu goes through a dense forest and now and then the trail opens into green meadows. There are two-three small tea shops at some distance from each other on the trail. As you move ahead, the trail starts getting more and more steep and there is no natural water source on the trail so you have to rely on water bottles that can be purchased from the tea shops. It takes 4 hours to reach the first camp site which is at Naya Tapru. This place is at the top of the mountain and gives a 180 degree view of the valley of Manali and the surrounding mountains. There is a small tea shop where the owner guy provides tea, maggi, omelette and Dal roti. The guy also provides tents at just Rs.300 for one night. When you reach the top by afternoon, the surrounding mountains are enveloped in clouds and so are not clearly visible. Manali is beautifully nestled in the valley beneath in front of you and is glittering in the night. If the weather is clear all through the night, you could even hear the sound of the wind playing with the leaves of trees as it is very quiet and calm. You can pitch your tent and retire for the night. You are now at a height of above 3000m.

It becomes extremely cold at night and you are advised to bring woollen clothes to keep yourself warm. When the sun comes out in the morning and there are no clouds, the surrounding mountains are clearly visible and the view is worth dying for. The white snow clad mountains are glowing with blue sky above and the view is breathtaking. You will be satisfied by the fact that after such an arduous trek, you had atleast feasted your eyes on such a great view. After eating breakfast, you will move further towards the Chandrakhani pass which takes 3 hours to reach from Naya Tapru. The view from Chandrakhani pass is mesmerizing and you can see the Pir Panjal range of mountains. There is a small temple on the top of the pass. You can take the same return route from which you arrived or you can descend towards Malana from where you can return via Bhuntar. It is even tougher to descend the trail due to its steepness and you will keep sliding down most of the trail and slipping every now and then. You will reach Rumsu and from there can depart towards Delhi by taking a bus from Patlikuhal plying between Manali and Delhi.

This trek is one of the toughest and most arduous treks. It requires a lot of determination and physical fitness and is a moderate-to-difficult trek. You can do the trek for the mesmerising view that welcomes you when you reach the top. It is worth the hard work done.

HOW TO REACH- Private buses, Volvo and Govt. Buses regularly ply from Delhi to Manali. You can take any of these buses and reach Manali by morning. From Manali, you can buy your necessities and reach Naggar in half an hour by taking a local bus from Manali. From Naggar, you can take a private taxi till Rumsu. The trek starts and ends at Rumsu.

BEST TIME TO DO THE TREK- Best time to do the trek is from May till October.