trek to bhaba pass

8/10/2019 Trek to Bhaba Pass

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TREK TO BHABA PASS

OUR PLEDGE & PLEA TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

We conduct all our treks following theprinciples of ‘Leave No Trace’ policy and tryto keep our impact minimal. We will requestyou to participate in this initiative by firstknowing more about it and finallycontributing by adhering to the tenets of thispolicy. You are sure to enjoy this kind ofmountain travel where you don’tcompromise on any personal comforts andyet help nurture & preserve a habitat whichis beautiful and a source of joy, happiness &life to many

NATURE OF TRIPTrekking

LOCATION

Kinnaur & Spiti, Himachal DURATION

09 Days (Chandigarh - Chandigarh)

TREKKING DAYS 07 Days

MAXIMUM ALTITUDE Bhabha Pass (4850 m)

GRADAE

Moderate+/Vigorous

SEASON

June to mid October

MAX. GROUP SIZE ACCOMODATION12 eople (we do only small group trekking) Alpine Camping-6 Nights, Hotel/Guesthouse-2 Nights



OUR PLEDGE & PLEA

We conduct all our treks following the principles of‘Leave No Trace’ policy and try to ke ep our impactminimal. We will request you to participate in thisinitiative by first knowing more about it and finallycontributing by adhering to the tenets of this policy. Youare sure to enjoy this kind of mountain travel where youdon’t compromise on any personal comforts and yethelp nurture & preserve a habitat which is beautiful anda source of joy, happiness & life to many.

Why Trek With Us

Unique trekking style – we absolutely love the

mountains and care for them and have pledged to doour bit to take care of them. We know you love themtoo, else you wouldn’t be reading this right? Tofurther this this pledge, we have adopted the ‘LeaveNo Trace’ & ‘Tread Light’ philosophy in all our trips.You are sure to love our style of trekking where youdon’t compromise on anything and yet help nurture& Preserve nature. We believe in an inclusive style ofrunning our programs where the guests are

encouraged to contribute with their bit to run thetrek whether it is in camp set up, wrap up kitchenand so on. This builds camaraderie within thetrekking group and adds to the overall experience ofthe trip.

We only run small groups – We strongly believe thatmountains are best enjoyed & preserved in smallgroups. You get the opportunity to be with yourselfto enjoy the calmness and serenity of the mountains,

walk at your own pace & in your own space & meetlocal people, get to know the trekking staff & gettheir full attention and the opportunity to engageand build friendships with fellow trekkers as well.We never have more than 12 trekkers on any group

Great pricing – we offer high quality trips at a greatvalue. Our all inclusive prices include cost of goodquality transport also. We are not the cheapest but ifone were to do a fair comparison one will see that

the little extra that we charge is for the extra serviceswhich we believe will surely enhance the wholeexperience. We urge you to get more informed by



asking questions and knowing fully what you’regetting for the price charged

High quality Camping equipment – absolutely clean& washed sleeping bags (something you never geteasily), inflatable trekking mattresses (not sure ifanyone else offering these!) & high end high quality

3 season imported tents (cost 3-4 times the normaltents)

Our Team & Pedigree. We are a 100+ strong teamwith 98% people represented from different partsof the Himalayas. We were born & raised in themountains understand & appreciate wildernesstravel very well. Our entire team is trained andcertified from Nehru Institute of Mountaineering(NIM), and basic first aid. Apart from this, there isenormous emphasis on internal training andconstant enhancement of skills and each guide ishand-picked for attitude & love for the mountainsas much as sheer trekking excellence. Our team isheaded by Nalin Khanduri (MD of thecompany)whose experience in the mountains is onlysurpassed by his passion for them.

Personal Gear purchase/rental facility – you don’tneed to spend big sums on expensive personal gearas you could just take it on hire from us. Also wehave a facility where you can purchase new gearfrom us. We store trekking boots, sleeping bags,

jackets, rainwear, trekking poles etc. Please contactour team for more information on our range andprices.

Our Loyalty program – we always appreciate theopportunity you have given to us by our guests andin return reward them with meaningful benefits. Soyou get handsome discounts on other treks, ourrafting trips, family vacation to our lodges(www.himalayanecolodges.com), skiing trips etc.also you are the first ones to get information ongreat deals & new trips. But the biggest benefit isthe opportunity to join the GIO team on specialreccee trips where you pay minimal amount. Formore information this, you can write into us and wewould gladly include you in the growing GIO Family.

……..We welcome you to join us on this memorabletrip to the Himalayas



Brief Description Of The Trek

This is one trek which is liked by most, including ourtrekking team guys. There aren’t man y trek ofmoderate+ difficulty level where you get so much ofvariety & excitement. The landscape you start from andthe one you finish in have nothing in common other thanthe fact that both are mesmerising. The contrast is veryrefreshing indeed. You add to this the excitement ofcrossing a high Himalayan pass (4850 m), which can betesting on certain days of the season, and you have acomplete winner. Another stand out feature would bethe high ‘culture’ element in this trek. One gets to

experience the Kinnaur & Spiti culture at very close

quarters, with both being distinct and welcoming

Trek starts from Kinnaur, which is picture perfect withlush green landscapes, inviting meadows, gushingstreams and beautiful valleys. This region is as famousfor its beauty as it is for its apples. After a couple of dayswe get to the top of Bhabha pass at 4850 m (with somedifficulty!!) and will be rewarded by expansive views ofthe surrounding valleys. The thrill of reaching such aheight is immense and something you will surely carryback. From here we descend and walk through somehidden jewels in the Spiti valley. Spiti valley is in everysense as beautiful, if not more, than its famousneighbour, Ladakh. Only, it is still untouched by theimpact of tourism and not too many people are aware ofits surreal existence. The landscape of this valley is starkand spectacular and challenges one’s idea of beauty at

all stages. This valley is open only for a few months everyyear as the high passes leading to it get blocked bysnowfall. The trail ends at a small and quaint villagecalled Mudh in the famous Pin valley. From here w e willdrive to Kaza, the district headquarter of Spiti

Spiti is surrounded by ranges of the Greater Himalaya ina semi circular arc, separating it from Lahaul on the west,

Kullu to the south and Kinnaur to the southwest. Theseranges prevent the moisture laden monsoons fromreaching the region, thus creating in Spiti, a bleak and



arid landscape common with Ladakh and Tibet. Lackingvegetative gro wth, the exposed terrain is a geologist’s

paradise. It records every geological age from the Pre-Cambrian to the recent, in pristine formations. Last butnot the least you will drive to Kunzum La a high pass(4550 m) and from there trek down to Chandratal(moonlake). Chandratal is a spectacular high altitudelake with turquoise green water and snow cappedmountains all around. You will camp here for a nightbefore moving to Manali. You will get an evening inManali to explore the markets and do some shopping

Itinerary

DAY 01: Chandigarh to Sarahan (1920 m)Drive/8-9 hrs

We will meet at a centrally located point in Chandigarhat 7 a.m and from here board a vehicle (arranged by us)and be driven up to Sarahan. This is a long drive and wewill cross Shimla & Narkanda en route. Sarahan is asmall town famous for the Bhimakali temple, which hasa rare combination of Buddhist and Hindu Architecture.The main idol of the goddess is about 200 years old.Overnight in a hotel

DAY 02: Sarahan to Kafnu drive – 3/hrsAnd Kafnu – Mulling (3100 m) – trek /6 hrs

After breakfast we drive from Sarahan to the startingpoint of the trek, Kafnu. From here we set out on thebeautiful trail leading to the Bhabha pass. We walkthrough apple orchards initially and then through anicely wooded area with a well marked trail. Gradient ismoderate and we should take about 6 hours to reachthe meadows of Mulling. On reaching here you willsurely wonder how other places on the trek are prettierthan this and also why trek any further. This is trulynature play at its best. Overnight in tents

DAY 03: Mulling (31000 m) to Phustirang(4000 m) - trek 6/7 hrs

Today we have a few interesting river crossings involvingtraverse by natural bridges (rocks) and wading. You willalso come across beautiful carpets of alpine flowers andmostly meet a few gaddi shepherds along the way. Chatting up with them is highly recommended. We



will take a pit stop at the meadows of Kara and enjoylunch in the beautiful surroundings. We will reach thecampsite by the riverside early in the evening and relax.Overnight in tents

DAY 04: Phustirang (4000 m) to Bhabha pass(4850 m) to Baldar (3900 m) - trek 7/8 hrs

We start the day climbing up on the trail leading to thepass. The trail is steep and if there is lots of snow itmight require good effort on our part as walking onsnow is more energy/time consuming. On reaching thetop of the pass your effort will be suitably rewarded withfine views all around and a feeling of having achievedsomething. You can see many mountain ranges and thefamous Pin Parvati pass from here. After a brief stop wedescend towards the Spiti side. After a couple of hoursyou will tread upon a stark trans Himalayan landscapeconfirming your arrival in Spiti. Spitian landscape is awonderful collage of grasslands and mountains ofdifferent hues. Overnight in tents

DAY 05: Baldar (3900 m) to Mudh (3740 m) – Trek 3/4 hrs & drive to Kaza (3800 m)/2 hrs

It is pleasure walk right through to Mudh. The gradient isgentle and landscape awe inspiring. There are purplecoloured mountains, Pin river flowing by and miles ofopen space all around conjuring a beautiful picture. Wewill drive to Kaza after spending a couple of hoursexploring the quaint village of Mudh. Today we camp bythe riverside. Evening at leisure. Overnight in tents

DAY 06: Kaza (3800 m) – rest/exploration/rafting

Today you go on a monastery tour and visit some of the remotest monasteries in the country and alsovisit a few villages to appreciate Spiti way of life. Also for activity inclined there is river rafting on theSpiti river. This rafting is suitable for first timers and non swimmers. In the evening we head back to thecamp. Overnight in tents

DAY 07: Kaza (3800m) - Kunzum La (4550m) - drive /3 hrs andTrek to Chandratal (4270m) – 3 hrs

It’s a wonderful drive to Kunzum La with every second giving joy to the senses. We ill pass by a fewvillages to get a closer look at the local culture. We will from Kunzum La walk for about 3 hours to reachour campsite close to the lake. Chandratal is surely a sight one will always cherish. The turquoisecoloured lake with high mountains all around is quite a sight. We will spend the evening exploring thelake surroundings. Overnight in tents



DAY 08: Chandratal (4270 m) to Manali (2000 m) – trek 1/3 hrs & drive 6/7 hrs

Today depending upon the condition of the road we might have to walk for half an hour or maybe 3hours to reach the road head. From there we get onto the waiting vehicles and drive to Manali via thefamous Rohtang pass. In Manali we check into a hotel where a hot shower awaits us. Evening at leisure.Overnight in a hotel

DAY 09: Manali to Chandigarh – drive 8 hrsAfter an early breakfast we will start on the drive to Chandigarh via Kullu & Mandi. We will reachChandigarh by 4 p.m and one can proceed with the onwards journey. Trip ends here

Fixed Departure Dates

JUL 13-21 AUG 9-17 SEP 14-22

OCT7-15

Trip Cost

FIXED DEPARTURE PRICES

ON TWIN SHARINGthroughout the Trek

ON SINGLE OCCUPANCYduring Alpine Camping

ON SINGLE OCCUPANCYthroughout the Trip

Cost per person includesgood quality transport

Rs. 20,000 for the Trek+Rs. 4125 for Transport

Rs. 23,000 for the trek+Rs 4125 for Transport

Rs. 26,000 for the trek+Rs. 4125 for Transport

PRIVATE DEPARTURE PRICES

Not including Transport ON TWIN SHARINGthroughout the Trip

ON SINGLE OCCUPANCYduring Alpine Camping**

ON SINGLE OCCUPANCYthroughout the Trip

2 Pax 26,000 29,900 33,800

3-5 Pax 24,000 27,600 31,200

6-9 Pax 22,000 25,300 28,600

Note: All fixed departures treks are guaranteed to run with a min of 3 Persons.Also none of our departures will ever have more than 12 participants



Cost Includes

All road transfers from and back to Chandigarh in good quality vehicles (Tempo traveller, Innova,Xylo & Scorpio)

o Transport cost for private departures is extra and can be provided to you once we knowthe dates, choice of vehicle and the group size.

Accommodation in hotels/guest house in Sarahan & Manali and in 3/4 season alpine tents atother locations

o Single during Alpine camping is an option for people who want the luxury of having atent to themselves during the trek part only

All vegetarian meals beginning with dinner on Day 01 to Breakfast on Day 09 Porter/mules for client baggage (one bag per client not weighing more than 15 kgs) Camping equipment – international quality equipment will be provided Professional guide (trained from Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi or equivalent)and kitchen staff would accompany the group

Park entry fee Forest/other camping charges

Camping equipment provided on the trek (in case of tent stay) 3/4 season Mountain Hardwear (www.mountainhardwear.com) or similar imported alpine tents on

single & double sharing

Fresh and clean Sleeping bags of good quality/you can buy new sleeping bags at good rates from ourstore.

Imported Inflatable Camping Mattresses as against traditional foam mattresses.

Camping stools. Mess tent.

Toilet tents

First Aid / Medical kit

Cost Does Not Includes

Service Tax For Fixed Departure Trips 3.09% / Private Trips 4.94%

Travel between Delhi and Haridwar (can be arranged by us on request) Any meals/services not mentioned above Any charges for video cameras, still cameras, etc. Alcohol, soft drinks, beverages, etc. Personal expenses like tips, telephone calls, laundry, etc. Any costs arising out of unforeseen circumstances like landslides, road blocks, bad weather, etc. Insurance

Payment Terms & Conditions

Full payment to be made in advance at the time of booking the trek



Payment to be made by Bank Transfer/Cheque/DD in favour of GREAT INDIAN OUTDOORS (P)LTD. payable at New Delhi/Gurgaon

Payment for this trip will not be adjusted against any future trips

Cancellation policy

>30 days: Full refund (after deducting any expenses that have been incurred for hotel bookings,transport, etc.)

21-30 days: 75% of trip cost will be refunded (after deducting any expenses that have been incurredfor hotel bookings, transport, etc.)

14-21 days: 50% of trip cost will be refunded (after deducting any expenses that have been incurredfor hotel bookings, transport, etc.)

<14 days: No refund

Important Information

Transport Options (Delhi – Chandigarh – Delhi)

For travel to Chandigarh and back one can choose between air, rail & road. Chandigarh airport is wellconnected to Delhi and other parts of the country by Air India, Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines & SpiceJet. Train travel is highly recommended with enough options being there. For train details, you could logon to www.indianrail.gov.in and for online railway ticket bookings you could log on to www.irctc.co.in

There are frequent Public Transport buses including Volvos available from Delhi to Chandigarh that costabout Rs. 200 – 500 per person. These buses depart from Delhi ISBT every 30 mins. or so and take about4/5 hrs to cover the distance. The same is also applicable on the return journey. A private vehicle couldalso be arranged for if you require the same

Weather Details

Season for this trek is from June to mid October. In the early days of the season we will catch a lot ofsnow on the high passes which reduces considerably by July end. As the season proceeds we might catch

rain towards Kinnaur but on the other side, Spiti we will have sunny days. Days are generally going to besunny and warm (16 – 25 deg) while the night temperature at the highest campsite would be in therange of 6 to 12 deg. In the latter part of the season (Sep – mid Oct) there is very little snow on the trailand good weather throughout. The days are sunny with temperatures hovering around (12 – 18 deg) theevenings start getting cold with the onset of October and nights are comparatively colder (- 5 to 5 deg)

Please keep in mind that the above information is not exact and does not account for sudden changes.Whatever the temperatures and conditions rest assured we will be prepared to handle it with ease aswe use equipment of very high specifications

List Of EssentialsMountain/adventure travel requires one to be adequately equipped with the right kind of personal gear.Since one is travelling in the wilderness there will be hardly any opportunity to buy anything once you

http://www.indianrail.gov.in/



http://www.irctc.co.in/







hit the trail so we urge you to carefully pack everything into your bags. Also please keep in mind you canrent out or purchase equipment from our Gear Store, if required.

1. Shirts / T-shirts – 3/42. Jeans / Trekking Pants – 2/33. Windproof jacket of decent quality (no flimsy wind cheaters please!) preferably with a hood4. Warm and thick Fleece / Full-sleeve Woollen sweater5. Thermal inner wear (upper & lower)6. Woollen cap7. Woollen gloves8. Woollen socks & regular socks (3 – 4 pairs)9. Scarf/muffler (optional)10. Comfortable Trekking/Hiking shoes (shoes with a thick sole are recommended)11. Light weight floaters/sandals/chappals12. Raincoat / Poncho13. Small light weight towel14. Water bottle (sturdy ones, no empty Bisleri bottles!!)

15. Cap / Hat to keep the strong sun away from your face16. Sun glasses17. Walking stick / Trekking pole18. Sunscreen Lotion19. Lip Balm20. Torch / Flashlight (with extra batteries)21. Medicines, if requiring any specific medication22. Personal toiletries23. Book, if you like reading

24. Day pack/small bag which you will carry on your back every day and keep your essentials in it25. Camera if you like (with fully charged batteries)26. LOADS OF ENTHUSIASM!! AND A PLEDGE TO LEAVE NO TRACE

Carry your stuff in a duffel bag, soft shoulder bag or a rucksack. Avoid suitcases, trolleys or any otherhard luggage. As you will be walking long distances carrying a rucksack, avoid bringing unnecessary itemson the trek. Please avoid carrying expensive watches, jewellery and electronic items on the trek. Alsoremember that the bag which will be carried by the porters can have a maximum wt. Of 15 kgs so packsensibly

GIO Trekking CodeWe are mountain lovers and have pledged to bring no harm to them in our pursuit of running organisedwilderness travel in the Himalayas and seek your assistance too in this regard. We are more thanconvinced that one can have more fun on a trip if we go about it in a way that no harm is caused to theecology. In this regard we have a set of guideli nes that we adhere to based on the tenets of ‘Leave NoTrace’ & ‘Tread Light’ policies. These guidelines are very simple and emphasise on travelling in smallgroups, better planning, understanding impact of camping, proper waste disposal, respecting localcultures, sensitivity towards wildlife and so on. We have a complete section on our trekking code in the‘GIO trekking Manual’. This manual will be couriered to you once you confirm a trip with us

Acclimatisation & High Altitude Sickness



This is one of the most important aspects of travelling in the high Himalayan mountains and cannot beignored or set aside. Acclimatisation basically means our body adjusting to lower levels of oxygen(rarefied air) & reduced air pressure as me move up. In case one does not acclimatise properly there arechances of the person facing extreme discomfort and this can be fatal in extreme cases. While there isno set route to getting properly acclimatised there are a general precautions and steps that one can taketo initiate good acclimatisation. Our trekking guides will assist you with these steps and also once youbook a trip with us the ‘GIO Trekking Manual’ which will cover this aspect extensively will be courieredto you. This is sure to help you enoy the trek in very good shape.

Selecting the right trek & training for it

Most important thing is to select the right trek keeping in mind your experience or inexperience, health,objectives & ability. Our senior team people can assist you with this, so when contacting us do mentionif you need guidance on this front also refer to our trek grading system mentioned below. Once the righttrek is selected comes your preparation. Once you have booked a trip with us we will courier the ‘GIOTrekking Manual’ to you which will have a complete practice drill explained in details.

GIO Trek Grading System

We have broadly classified our treks as belowEasy: These treks are 3 to 5 days long and involve walking for about 3/4 hrs daily. The trail on such treksis well defined but not always flat. These are great for families and first timersModerate: On these treks one is not required to trek for more than 5/6 hrs a day. Also the terrain is nottoo difficult. These treks are normally a week or so long. For these treks prior trekking experience is notnecessary. Very rarely on these treks would one camp at altitudes higher than 3800m. These treks aregreat for first timers or for veterans wanting to go on a trail which is relatively less demandingModerate +: These are moderate treks with mostly one difficult day. These trails are fine for fitbeginners alsoVigorous: On these treks one can be required to trek continuously for more than a week throughremote areas and at times trekking for more than 7 hrs a day. On most of these treks one has to crosspasses or areas which are snow covered and involve camping at altitude of more than 4000 m. Fitpeople with some kind of hiking experience & a spirit of adventure can contemplate going on thesetrails.Strenous: These treks apart from having continuous trekking stretches are at places technical and mightrequire assistance from trip leader/guide and other staff people. All these treks have rest days in

between. Also all of them involve crossing passes or areas having altitude of more than 4500 m. Firsttimers are discouraged from walking such routesExpedition Style: These involve long walks at high altitudes at times around 6000 mts. Camping can alsobe well over the snow line and on glaciers at times. Safety ropes, ice axes and crampons might berequired on these treks. These treks are not technically very difficult but are considerably challenging.Previous vigorous/strenuous trekking experience is required

GEAR STOREYOU COULD ALSO AVAIL RENTAL/PURCHASE FACILITY FOR TREKKING GEAR FROM OUR GEAR STORE

trek to bhaba pass

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