Bhrigu Lake
lake · 38 min from Manali
3 nights · 4 daysTrekkersWalks & treksbalanced
Bhrigu Lake from Manali — a four-day trek plan
A four-day Manali trip built round the Bhrigu Lake trek: a climb to Jogini Falls first, two days from Gulaba to the lake at 4,235 m and back, then the grove.
Bhrigu Lake is the other classic short trek from Manali. It climbs from the meadow at Gulaba on the Rohtang road through forest to open meadows above the treeline, and on the second morning crosses to a small glacial lake at 4,235 m on the ridge east of the pass. It is higher than Beas Kund and gains its height faster, which is why the standard plans put a night at the meadows.
This plan wraps the two-day trek in four: a climb at valley height on the first afternoon, the trek on the second and third, and a slow morning on the fourth. The trek days are in outline; the outfit's plan is the timetable, and the treks page has the outfits we know.
Photos: Karan Manocha (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Vishalwiki2606 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Biswarup Ganguly (CC BY 3.0) · Sharvipul (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Who this is for
Fit walkers with a long weekend who want a high lake and a night above the treeline; second-time trekkers who did Beas Kund and want the next step. Not for anyone new to altitude who has one day — the height comes fast — and not in July and August, when the meadows are in cloud.
Day by day
Day 1
Arrive, and one climb for the legs
A walk on the first afternoon, not a drive.
- 10:00Vashisht TempleThe hot baths first, then the path up from the top of the village.
- ↓ 8 min by road · 4 km11:30Upper Jogini FallsAbout 46 min up through orchards and pine; about 19 min down. A first climb at valley height.
Day 2
Gulaba to the meadows
Drive to Gulaba on the Rohtang road, walk up through the forest to the camp above the treeline.
- 07:00GulabaAbout 35 min from Manali; the trek leaves the meadow here and climbs through forest to the high camp.
- ↓ 1 h 13 min by road · 37 km12:00Bhrigu LakeThe lake at 4,235 m is the second morning's goal; groups camp at the meadows below it the first night for the altitude. We have no measured walking times for this route yet — the outfit's plan is the timetable.
Day 3
The lake, and down to Gulaba
Up to the lake in the morning, back through the meadows and the forest to the road.
- 16:30KothiOn the way down, the gorge at the bridge and tea; the town half an hour on.
Day 4
The grove and the Mall
A slow last morning at valley height.
- 09:00Hadimba Devi TempleThe cedar grove after three days above the trees.
- ↓ 6 min by road · 2 km17:00Mall RoadThe evening walk and a last dinner.
Getting there
The overnight bus from Delhi, 513 km, or the drive from Chandigarh, 264 km and about 289 min. Gulaba is about 35 min above Manali on the Rohtang road, below the permit checkpost, so the road head needs no permit; the outfit usually includes the drive.
Where to stay
Vashisht or Old Manali for the first and last nights, near the outfits and the hot baths; the outfit's tents at the meadows for the trek. Our stays page shows the town; the treks page lists the outfits.
Know before you go
- Book a fixed departure ahead in June and September; ask what is included — tents, food, guide, porterage, the drive to Gulaba.
- Take the version with a night at the meadows. The second night is the difference between a hard trek and a good one, and the sunsets are there.
- Warm layers for the night at the meadows, rain gear in September, sun protection always; the meadows have no shade.
- Snow on the route into June and a half-frozen lake; September and early October are the clear, cold, best weeks.
- The Jogini climb on day one is on purpose — a first hour of uphill at valley height before the real one.
- Leave the meadows as you found them; carry everything out.
If plans change
If you want the gentler classic: the Beas Kund plan, a single valley with no fast height gain.
If you want the crossing: Hampta Pass, four to five days into Lahaul with a guide for everyone.
If the weather closes in: the day-hikes plan keeps you walking below the cloud.
Places on this route
Other ways to do it
All Manali itineraries →
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2 nights · 3 days · TrekkersWalks & treksManali day hikes — three days on foot, home every night
Three days of walking from Manali with a bed every night: Jogini Falls from Vashisht, the Anjani Mahadev climb and the sanctuary forest, then a temple walk.
Best Mar–Jun · Sep–Nov
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1 night · 2 days · Slow travelWaterfallsWaterfalls and short walks around Manali
A slow two-day Manali plan on foot: the Jogini falls above Vashisht, a rock shrine above Solang, Rehala Falls on the Rohtang road and Bhrigu Lake in season.
Best Apr–Jun · Sep–Oct
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2 nights · 3 days · FriendsAdventureManali with friends — three days of paragliding, waterfalls and the snow line
A three-day Manali plan for a group: paragliding off the Solang ridge at dawn, the Jogini falls and hot springs on foot, then the Rohtang road to the snow line.
Best Mar–Jun · Sep–Nov
See the plan →Questions people ask
How high is Bhrigu Lake and does altitude matter?
About 4,235 m on the figure in its Wikipedia infobox, on the ridge east of the Rohtang road above Gulaba. That is high enough to matter: the trek gains height quickly, and the standard plans put a night at the meadows rather than going straight to the lake. Go slowly, drink water, take the extra night.
How long is the Bhrigu Lake trek?
Two to three days from the road head at Gulaba, about 35 min from Manali. Most groups camp one night at the meadows and reach the lake the next morning, then return the same way; strong walkers do it in two days, three is kinder. We have no measured walking times yet; the outfit's plan is the timetable.
When can you trek to Bhrigu Lake?
Late May to mid-October. Snow lies on the route into June and the lake is half frozen; July and August are green and wet with cloud on the meadows; September and early October are the clearest and coldest and the best of it. Outside that window the ridge is under snow and it is a different outing.
Do I need a guide for Bhrigu Lake?
For most people, yes — for the camping, the route across the meadows in cloud, and the altitude. Trekking outfits in Manali run it as a fixed departure through the season with camping, food and a guide included and quote by the day. Ask at the outfits in Old Manali and on the Mall and compare what is included.