10 Reasons to do Hampta Pass Trek

Hampta Pass Himalayan trek is easily accessible via Manali. You can reach Manali from Delhi covering 550 km either on a car service or taking local buses like volvo. Another option is to board a direct flight to the nearest Kullu-Manali Airport. This airport is located in Bhuntar, just 50 kilometers from Manali. Cities like Delhi, Chandigarh, and many others offer direct flight connectivity. Furthermore, the base camp Jobra is located 17 km from Manali, reachable within an hour.

The ever-changing beauty of Hampta Pass trek is one of the reasons to take the trek. The lush greenery starts as you trek from Jobra base camp to Chika. The forests of green maple, birch, and pine trees come across your trekking journey. As you ascend higher from Balu ka Ghera, the green fields turn to Spiti Valley’s cold barren landscape, also known as the cold desert. There are some steep ascents as you pass the Hampta Village. Again, green meadows come into the picture as you trek to the mystical Chandratal Lake surrounded by wildflowers.

Chandratal alpine lake is what makes Hampta Pass trek beautiful. Nestling at an altitude of 4551 meters, the emerald lake lies secluded from the human touch. It is the source of Rivers Chandra and Chenab. The name of the lake “Moon Lake” stays true as it changes its colors multiple times a day to reflect the best views of the Himalayas. It reflects the enchanting views of the Chandra Bagga Mountain range and its lush greenery. The greatest pleasure of Hampta Pass Himalayan trek is that it allows you to camp near this lake and watch its beauty as green meadows along with wildflowers encircle it.

The journey starts from Jobra Base Camp near Manali and lets you trek to Chika at 10,400 ft. The journey lets you ascend through the forests of pines, green maples, and birch, and camp near Rani Nallah reflecting big mountainous views. The further trekking journey takes you to Balu Ka Ghera and the views of the Dhauladhar Range cover your eyes entirely, a phenomenon known as the “White Range”. From there, the trail rapidly changes to the barren cold landscapes of Spiti Valley. The further trekking journey lets you camp near the beautiful Chandratal alpine lake before ending the trek at the confluence of Rohtang Pass, Hampta Pass, and Spiti Valley.

Spiti Valley is the main highlight of the Hampta Pass trek that bifurcates Tibet, and India. The name “Spiti” translates to “The Middle Land” as it is a border area that lies in the high altitude Northeastern region of Himachal Pradesh. It adjoins breathtaking trekking destinations like Kullu, Lahaul, Kinnaur, Ladakh, etc. Most of Spiti’s landscapes are barren landscapes, known as the Cold Deserts of the mountains. The Spiti River flows through the valley and originates from Kunzum Range and mountains rise high covering the river.

Nesting at the eastern end of Pir Panjal Range, and 51 km from Manali, Rohtang Pass connects Kullu, Spiti, and Lahaul Valleys. The pass crosses through Beas, and Chenab Basins and the Beas River flows towards its Southern side and the Chandra River towards its West. Besides the beauty of gushy rivers, and alpine lakes, the beauty of Rohtang Valley lies in its picturesque landscapes of lush greenery, and snow-capped mountains covering the views of its road. The Rohtang valley is beautiful enough to be featured in the song “Yeh Ishq Haaye” in Jab We Met.

The campsites of Hampta Pass trek in June are breathtakingly beautiful as you get near to set up your tents just along the alpine lakes, and green meadows. One of the earliest places to camp is on the banks of the Rani Nallah River at Chika. The picturesque site rewards you with the views of big Himalayan rocky hills. The next campsite is the Hampta Village where you can indulge in local activities to understand their mountain culture. The final campsite is near Chandratal Lake surrounded by green meadows, and purple wildflowers.

Hampta Pass Himalayan trek is nicknamed as Himachal Pradesh’s “Valley of Flowers''. This is because the trekking trail flourishes in lush greenery and presents you with many flowers throughout the journey. After crossing Chika, and before reaching Balu ka Ghera, there is a green meadow named as “Jwara”, which showcases Yellow Marigolds, Pink Hill Geranium, Himalayan Blue Poppy, and many more mesmerizing flowers. You can even find wildflowers blooming on the sides of Chandratal Lake at high altitudes.

Hampta Pass trek is a beginner-friendly moderate-level trek rated grade 3. The trek starts from Jobra Village near Manali and takes you through the ever-changing trail to reach the campsites at Chika, Balu ka Ghera, and Hampta Village. First-timers can attempt this trek with a little practice as it requires you to cross grasslands, valleys, barren lands, and forests of pine, green maple, and birch. The challenge of the trek arises when you are about to reach Hampta Pass and takes about 9 hours to complete. These steep climbs can be easily completed if you train yourself well, and maintain a good fitness level. However, it is just a small part of the journey, the rest of the trek is easy for a first-timer.

The altitude of Hampta Pass Himalayan Trek lets you reach an altitude of 14,100ft above sea level. The trek starts from Jobra Village near Manali already at an altitude of 6,725 ft. You gain approximately 8000 ft of altitude in 4 days. This is beginner-friendly and easily manageable with standard acclimatization techniques. The elevation of Chandratal Lake is 14,100 ft.