Hampta Pass Trek - One of the finest expeditions for trekking in India

 A cross over trek as rich and diverse as the Hampta Pass Trek is a rare as well as widely celebrated opportunity; it is one of the finest expeditions for trekking in India. The hospitable weather, the evened out gradual ascent along the route, the soul-filling ambiece and an average trekking distance make it a popular choice amongst new trekking enthusiasts. It is one of the few trekking expeditions that are capable of birthing in you, a thread of emotions leavig you tongue-tied and blown away at different intersections throughout the expedition. I have romanticized the Hampta Pass Trek since the first time I hopped onto it; never before had I witnessed nature's beauty in such close proximity, it was an overwhelming episode with adrenaline and serotonin waves surging their highest inside me! Since then, the Hampta Pass Trek has made it to my list of top 10 expeditions for trekking in India.

 

The beginning of August jarred me with the idea of trekking to Hampta Pass, I knew August was the perfect time for Hampta Pass Trek and so I roped in two of my friends to join me for the same and soon there we were, in a bus, travelling to Manali, on our way to Hampta Pass. Upon reaching Manali, we rested and prepared for the trek next day. As per our itinerary, we were to drive to Jobra and then trek to Chika, the next day and so we did. The drive from Manali to the village of Jobra was fascinating and swift; it lasted only two hours. We then trekked from Jobra to Chika which is at a mere distance of 2kms. The trek from Jobra to Chika was short, easy and pleasing which took us to a height of 10,100 ft. Up next on the itinerary, was a trek to Balu Ka Ghera which is at a distance of approximately 9kms from Chika. We trekked along a few gurgling streams and even cut paths with patches of heavy, rocks and boulders to finally reach the majestic campsite at Balu Ka Ghera situated at an altitude of 11,900 ft.

 

Next up was the most anticipated and sought after part of the expedition; we were to trek to Siagoru via the Hampta Pass. Excited and thrilled we hiked upwards to reach the breathtakingly beautiful Hampta Pass resting at a whopping altitude of 14,100 ft. The trek started with gradual and evend out ascent which quickly escalated to steeper climbs as we reached closer to the highest point of the expedition; the Hampta Pass. The temperature at that point was the lowest but the views from the top were worth the struggle; they were all things thrilling, electric and magical! We then trekked to Siagoru, hiking along a gradual descent which later switched to a large patch of flat land as we reached the campsite at Siagoru. We were down at an altitude of 12,900 ft at Siagoru where we dined and rested for the night.

 

The fourth day of the expedition began with a trek to the serene village of Chatru. The descent from Hampta Pass to Siagoru marked the beginning of the shift in the overall ambience and scenery of the surrounding. The landscape switched from vibrant, lush green to arid, bleak and desertish. The trek to Chatru further saw the stark difference in the landscape compared to the precious day. What appeared before us, at this point were dark brown shaded moraines covered with sheets of milky white snow. The trek from Siagoru to Chatru spanned over 7kms at the end of which we stood at a height of 11,000 ft. We also visited the marvelous Chandratal Trek, the same day and relished it's eternal beauty before bringing an end to the day.

 

The fifth and the last day of the expedition began with a bright, fresh morning at Chatru where we spent the last few moments in nature's vicinity, post which we clung onto vehicles that drove us back to Manali via the Rohtang Pass. The distance between Chatru village and Manali is approximately 85kms which we covered in about 4-5 hours.