My first Himalayan Trek: Hampta Pass
I have a deep passion for adventure and had always been eager to go on a trek, as it’s the best way to truly experience nature’s beauty. I chose the Hampta Pass Trek for three main reasons:
- Moderate Difficulty Level: This trek is perfect for a first-time trekker like myself.
- Trek Duration: Spanning 5 nights and 6 days, it strikes a balance between not being too long or too short.
- Dramatic Crossover: It is renowned for its dramatic transition from the lush green valley of Kullu to the barren mountains of Lahaul.
There are many companies that organize treks, but I chose India Hikes because I had heard they are the best in the business. They truly lived up to their reputation. We received frequent emails with checklists for the trek, and they diligently followed up to ensure we were meeting our fitness requirements.
Mumbai to Manali
We flew from Mumbai to Delhi and then took a bus from Delhi to Manali. The buses are safe and comfortable, equipped with live GPS tracking, which was reassuring for my parents. The journey took roughly 13 hours by road, though it was slightly longer because we encountered a minor accident. Note: Accidents are quite common on the Delhi-Chandigarh highway.
Day 1 — Trek from Manali to Jobra
Drive Duration: 1 hour | Trek Duration: 2 hours | Altitude: 8,965 ft
We reached the meeting point and met our trek leader, who conducted a basic health check. Some of us were advised to take Diamox, while others were not. After breakfast, we began our journey to Jobra, our first campsite. The drive takes about an hour and includes navigating around 42 hairpin turns. If you suffer from motion sickness, I highly recommend taking Avomine so you can enjoy the stunning panoramic views of the Kullu Valley. I took this precaution and thoroughly enjoyed the uphill drive.
Once we reached the end of the road, it was an easy 2-hour trek to the campsite. Our first campsite was beautiful and lush green. We played a few icebreaking games to get to know our fellow trekkers better.
Day 2 — Trek from Jobra to Jwara
Trek Duration: 4 hours | Trek Distance: 4.50 km | Altitude Gain: 8,965 ft to 11,005 ft
The ascent was fairly easy and beautiful. To reach Jwara, we needed to cross the icy cold Rani River. We arrived at the campsite by late afternoon. Upon arrival, we had a stretching session and listened to a talk by the trek leader, followed by another icebreaking session. By this time, we knew our trek mates better and were more engaged in the games.
Day 3 — Trek from Jwara to Balu Ka Ghera
Trek Duration: 4 hours | Trek Distance: 5 km | Altitude Gain: 11005 ft to 12220 ft
The trek started to get challenging on this day, but the views provided comfort. Along the trail, we encountered a variety of tiny flowers in purple, yellow, and pink, as the trees were now left behind. Finally, we saw some snow — old, leftover snow, but it was the first time I had seen snow in my life, so I was excited. The terrain was mostly flat and easy to walk on, except towards the end, where it became a bit rocky.
We soon reached the next campsite, Balu Ka Ghera, also known as the “bed of sand.” The ground is formed mainly by the sand and dust brought down by the river. After our usual stretching session, we didn’t need any more icebreaking activities. We spent the evening viewing all the pictures and videos from the day and, of course, making jokes with each other. In fact, we stayed up late discussing ghost stories — not the best idea, as I wasn’t able to sleep afterward.
Day 4 — Trek from Balu ka Ghera to Shea Goru via Hampta Pass
Trek Duration: 9 hours | Trek Distance: 5 km | Altitude Gain and Loss: 12,220 ft to 12,695 ft via 14,065 ft
And finally, it was summit day! In my opinion, this was the hardest day of all. It involved a steep ascent to the pass, followed by a descent to Shea Goru. Additionally, it had snowed the previous night on the mountain top, causing temperatures to drop. After a challenging climb, we made it to the summit. Since the day was longer than usual, we grabbed our lunch and ate it at the summit.
From there, we began our descent, moving towards the Lahaul side, where you can notice the greenery gradually reducing. After a long day, we reached the campsite, which, in my opinion, was the prettiest of all. We rested for a while and then gathered in the common tent by evening. We enjoyed evening snacks and chatted, and when the sun set, we all went outside for stargazing. I had never seen anything this stunning; my mind was blown.
Day 5 — Trek from Shea Goru to Chhatru
Trek Duration: 4.5 hours | Trek Distance: 6 km | Altitude Loss: 12695 ft to 10785 ft
I did not start my day on a good note because I got kicked by a pony right after giving him some breakfast. I had to quickly pull myself together and start the day. It began with a river crossing, which was a lot harder than the first one. This time, the water reached up to our hips and the width of the river was much greater. After we crossed the river, our legs were completely numb. It took quite a bit of jumping around to finally feel like I still had legs. From here, the descent was easy.
We soon reached Chattru, where the scenery changed dramatically — no more trees or flowers, just barren mountains, and it was quite hot. We ate lunch and freshened up quickly, as we had a drive planned to see Chandratal Lake. The roads had to be clear and devoid of snow for the trek leader to approve this trip.
The drive to Spiti Valley was an unforgettable experience. Chandratal Lake, often compared to Pangong Lake, was absolutely stunning. We returned by late evening, had our dinner, and headed to our tents to sleep. The night was very disturbed since our campsite was right next to the road.
Day 6 — Chhatru to Manali
Drive Duration: 5 hours | Drive Distance: 64 km
And the trek comes to an end! We started our journey from Chhatru to Manali via Rohtang Pass early in the morning. We stopped at Rohtang to enjoy the views and grab some roadside food. I must say I missed the buttery, spice-filled dishes.
We reached Manali before lunch. We rented a room for the day, freshened up, and decided to explore Manali. We stopped at a bar called The Lazy Goose and enjoyed some fruit wine and beers. The evening was spent sharing stories about the trek, cracking jokes, and laughing.
As the night drew to a close, we said our goodbyes, and everyone headed to their scheduled buses to their respective destinations.
All in all, this was a very refreshing experience. Six days without phones left us with no option but to interact with one another, leading to the formation of good friendships and lasting memories. The trek had its own challenges, but we got through it together. There were times when I was too tired to carry my bags, and my trek mates stepped in to help me. I definitely wouldn’t have been able to complete it without everyone’s support. It may not be the most comfortable trip, but it’s definitely one that you’ll want to tell everyone about.
