Pin Parvati Pass

Day 1: BHUNTAR (6,561 Ft ) TO BARSHENI (8,464 Ft)
Distance: 50 Kms drive
Time: 2.5 Hrs
Today is a relaxed day – one which includes assembling at Bhuntar and then driving up to
Barsheni, which is the trailhead for Pin Parvati Trek. Bhunter is 11 kms from Kullu, Himachal
Pradesh.  The airport at Bhuntar connects the place to all the major cities making it easily
accessible. The drive from Bhuntar to Barsheni is 50 km and should take about 2.5 hours to
complete. From here, we trek to Kalga which will take less than 20 minutes to cover. We spend
the remainder of the day going over the itinerary, getting acquainted with our fellow trekkers,
and settling into our accommodation for the day.

Day 2: KALGA (7,480 Ft) TO KHEERGANGA (9,711 Ft)
Distance: 8 Kms
Time : 6 Hrs
The trail begins with a sharp descent until we hit the riverbed. Post this, it is a moderate climb
all the way up to Nakthan which is an even smaller settlement. Soak in the beauty of the place,
for from here on, it is a steep climb up to Kheerganga. A lot of streams that need crossing
welcome you all through the trail. It is not overly strenuous though, for there are plenty of rest
points all the way to the campsite for the day. Kheerganga is a small colony of temporary tent
shelters. It’s bang in the middle of a massive meadow with a hot water spring.

Day 3: KHEERGANGA (9,711 Ft) TO TUNDA BHUJ (10,500 Ft)
Distance: 11 Kms
Time: 5 Hrs
We make an early start from Kheerganga through the flower-strewn meadows on to our
campsite for the day. At the beginning, the trail is muddy as opposed to the slightly rocky
terrain we encountered the day before. The trek today is mostly through flat terrain with a few
patches of ascent. It takes you through dense forests. More than the climb itself, there is a
higher likelihood of delay to get to the campsite because of the picturesque landscape which
might demand frequent and long halts just to soak all the beauty in. It is commonplace to
chance upon families living in these thick forests going about their lives as you navigate your
way through the trail.

Day 4: TUNDA BHUJ (10,500 Ft) TO THAKUR KUAN (11,900 Ft)
Distance: 5 Kms
Time: 4 Hrs 
We will start the day right after an early breakfast. If you feel bad about leaving the beautiful
campsite of Tunda Bhuj behind, worry not! The route today is strewn with meadows and
waterfalls too. We have 400M of height to gain today, which means that it is a fairly easy day
except for the tricky section at an hour’s mark from the beginning of the trail. It tends to get a
bit precarious because of the possibility of landslides. Since we are now slowly moving towards
the end of the tree line, the terrain starts to get a bit rocky – it would serve you well to exercise
caution on this section. Our campsite for the day is a vast expanse of pasture land right next to
the bustling Parvati River. There is a trolley bridge close to the campsite which you can check
out in case you reach well before dark.

Day 5: THAKUR KUAN (11,900 Ft) TO ODI THATCH (12,516 Ft)
Distance: 9 Kms
Time: 5 Hrs
Today is going to be one thrilling day for the two bridges which need crossing to get to our next
campsite! After a mild ascent, there is a steep rise in the trail which gets you to the first bridge.
Once you descend down to the river, you will encounter a massive boulder which needs to be
crossed to continue on the trail. This massive boulder bang in the middle of the ferocious
Parvati River is the first bridge which will make your palms sweat. It goes by the name of Pandu
Pul 1. Just when you would have recuperated from this little river-crossing-in-style adventure,
you will come across another 20 feet boulder just chilling in the middle of the thundering river
giving you a strong sense of deja-vu! This one’s called Pandu Pul 2.

Day 6:  ODI THATCH (12,516 Ft) TO MANTALAI (13,500 Ft)
Distance: 10 Kms
Time: 6 Hrs
If the day before can be labeled the most thrilling, today earns the title of being the most fun!
The trail for today is pretty straightforward with no harsh ascents or descents except for the
last 300M to the lake. It’s a fair walk in the park along the banks of the pleasant and refreshing
Parvati River. Halfway to our destination today, we get to a place called Mini Mantalai which is
a junction for all the thousands of tiny streams which have made their way to this vast expense
from different directions. This wide-open land sees the merging of these many water bodies
and is a marvel to witness. From Mini Mantalai, to get to the campsite for today, we now have
to make a steep ascent of close to 300M which is manageable to negotiate. On the other side of
the ascent lies the glacial lake, Mantalai – our campsite for the day on the banks of the lake
surrounded by the mighty Himalayas.

Day 7:  MANTALAI (13,500 Ft) TO BASE CAMP 1 (15,750 Ft)
Distance: 4 Kms
Time: 6 Hrs
Today is a long and hard day with a height gain of almost 800M. Considering the challenge for
the day, we make an early start, at the break of dawn while the sun is still hiding behind the
high peaks in the region. At the start, the trail is a bit muddy with large sections of loose scree
which require extreme caution to be navigated. Once this section is crossed, we begin the long
and hard ascent for the day. On reaching the spur, the trail eases up a bit with gradual ascent
until we hit the moraine section of the climb. The moraine section is only a kilometer but takes
the longest time to traverse through. It is a fairly steep climb made much more difficult by the
rocky terrain. On reaching the campsite, it won’t be long before you realize that we are
camping on the edge of the Parvati glacier. Even otherwise, but especially on moonlit nights,
the glacier is a sight to behold.

Day 8:  BASE CAMP 1 (15,750 Ft) TO BASE CAMP 2 (15,800 Ft) VIA PIN PARVATI PASS (17,352 Ft)
Distance: 6 Kms
Time: 8 Hrs
Today is THE day! We pass the cross today and make our way into Spiti - a completely different
world on the other side. Since it is going to be a long day, we make an early start, much before
the break of dawn so that we get some firm ice to walk on. As the day starts to go up, the ice
becomes unstable and hence much harder to walk on. Take one good look at the lush Parvati
Valley before we bid it adieu to emerge in the cold desert of Spiti Valley. Today requires
negotiating long distances on glaciers. It would serve well to exercise caution and to keep very
close to your fellow climbers. Don’t be surprised if you chance upon a few open and many
hidden crevasses which can prove to be extremely dangerous. On crossing the glacier, the last
bit to get to the pass is a steep climb of close to 300-400M. This climb will take you straight to
the top of the pass which gives you a glimpse into the two distinct valleys - the Parvati valley to
one side and the Pin Valley on the other.

Day 9: BASE CAMP 2 (15,800 Ft) TO WICHKURUNG THATCH (11,500 Ft)
Distance: 11 Kms
Time:  6 Hrs
We again make an early start. The trail descends down sharply for around 3Km. Another 1.5kms
will bring you to a river crossing section post which the descent continues. Three more
kilometers and we cross the river over to the other side. We continue walking on this trail by
the river till we reach our campsite for the day. After around 1.5 km there is a stream crossing,
after that the decent still continues. The trail after crossing the river is fairly flat and easy which
is a welcome change of pace after the last two days which have been tough.

Day 10: WICHKURUNG THATCH (11,500 Ft) TO MUDH (13,000 Ft) TO KAZA (12,400 Ft)
Distance: 12 Kms Trek + 40 Kms Drive
Time: 6 Hrs
The trail today enters a wide-open valley with numerous streams spread across its floor. With
the colors of the earth, spilling out of its dry cracks in the form of tufts and a strong smell of the
herbs following you on the trail like a stalker, we stop for lunch near the water. Our destination
is not too far from here. This trail leads us straight to the Mudh Village in the desolate, galactic
Pin Valley. After you explore the peculiar mountain culture and are done introducing your taste
buds to their local Himalayan cuisine, we hit the road again, this time to drive two hours to the
town of Kaza. This is where we end our trail for the trek. Expect to reach Kaza late evening. Do
remember to book your accommodation in this town before you lose network at the beginning
of the trek.

Day 11: KAZA (12,400 Ft) TO MANALI (6,725 Ft)
Distance: 183 Kms
Time: 7 Hrs
Kaza is the largest township and a commercial hub of the Spiti valley. Famous for its
monasteries and local shopping, there are a lot of small hamlets close to Kaza, for you to
explore. A window into how people co-exist with the exotic wildlife of the terrain, their peculiar
houses, lifestyle and means of livelihood in this barren land are every bit as fascinating as the
trail for the trek.

Day 12: RESERVE DAY
Reserve a day in case the weather does not permit us to cross the pass. If a reserve day is used
then participants will have to pay an extra amount on spot to the trek leader.