The Chandratal Trek - Spiti : Trekking and overland safari to Chandratal Lake July 7, 2009

The Chandratal Trek - Spiti : Trekking and overland safari to Chandratal Lake. The lake is situated at an altitude of about 4200 Mtrs. The water is crystal clear, and it boasts of different shades of blue as the day progresses. A small meadow at either side of the lake makes it a perfect camping location to enjoy the beautiful surroundings of this jewel of Spiti. Our trek would start from Kunzum Pass situated at an altitude of 4550 Mtrs. From here it is largely an easy downhill walk. Magnificient views of high Himalayan peaks of the CB range are in the vicinity all around. Chandratal lake is the source of Chandra river, which later confluences with Bhaga to form Chandra Bhaga and is later called the Chenab as it continues its journey into Pakistan. This tour is a combination of an overland himalayan jeep safari experience and high altitude trekking in the Indian Himalayas. Itinerary: Day 0: Depart from Delhi in evening by AC Volvo bus. The drive is approximately 14-16 hours. Day 1: Arrive in Manali in morning. Meet representative from Team 4 Adventure at the bus stand, and get escorted to the hotel. After some rest/refreshment and revival a short orientation program about the tour, and then a town visit to explore the markets of Manali and any last minute shopping. Overnight Hotel. Day 2: After breakfast, depart for an acclimatization hike to the Jogin Waterfall near Vashisth. After the hike, return back to hotel for a group meeting, preparation and packing for the journey and then dinner. Overnight Hotel. Day 3: Early morning departure. Breakfast at Marhi ( 3250 Mtrs ), proceed further to Rohtang pass ( 3960 Mtrs ) and cross into a geography which would transform from the lush green to dry and arid. This is the beginning of Lahaul and Spiti. We would drive along the Chandra River towards its source. The road from Rohtang onwards is largely unmetalled. We would camp besides the road at a nice grassy patch at Dadarphu near Chatru... Excellent views of glaciers and towering mountains and a stream flows through the camp site. Overnight stay is in dome tents with sleeping bag and ground mat arrangement. Overnight camp. Day 4: Wind up camp, and proceed towards Kunzum Pass ( 4550 Mtrs ). Trek towards Chandratal lake. Largely downhill trek. Would take about 3-4 hours. Camp is set about 4-5 kms before Chandratal lake. This is where all the vehicles would be able to reach up to. Overnight camp. Day 5: We would take up a compact set of equipment for camping and cooking and we would do a short trek to Chandratal. Idea is to camp completely on own right besides the lake. We would leave the vehicles and majority of the staff behind. So it would be a night out with self cooking. Overnight camp. Day 6: Departure early morning from Chandratal. We hike back to the camp site where we left the vehicles and the remaining team. From here we would drive back to Manali. Overnight hotel. Day 7: Rest day at Manali, shop for souveniers, explore the eateries of this cheerful hillstation. Overnight hotel. Day 8: Departure in evening from Manali for Delhi .

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