Hampta Pass

About this departure

Five days and one very good pass. demoAdventures runs Hampta as a small-group crossing that ends where almost nobody expects it to — not back in Manali, but on the far side of the range, on the grey banks of the Chandra river in Lahaul. The trek is deliberately gentle for the first two days. Short walking stages from Jobra through Chhika to Balu ka Ghera let the altitude settle and let people who have never camped at 3,600 m find out that they can. Everything then converges on day three: an early start, the climb to the 4,270 m pass, the moment at the top when the green valley behind you gives way to bare rock and glacier in front, and a steep descent to camp at Shea Goru. Nine to ten hours, and the reason people come back. We keep groups small, walk with a certified leader and local crew who have worked this pass for years, and carry oxygen and an oximeter as standard — checked twice a day from Balu ka Ghera on. Snow usually sits on the pass into July, so we fix a rope on the descent whenever conditions call for it. On day four we walk out to Chhatru and, weather and road permitting, run the jeep up to **Chandratal** — the crescent lake at 4,300 m — before camping a last night and driving home through the Atal Tunnel.

Day-by-day itinerary

1. Day 1 · Manali → Jobra (3,000 m) → Chhika (2,940 m)
   Drive out through Prini and up the Jobra hairpins to the road-head, then an easy two-hour walk through maple, pine and silver birch beside the Rani nala to the Chhika meadow. Short and deliberate — the point of today is to arrive rested and let the altitude start working.
   Day 1 · Manali → Jobra (3,000 m) → Chhika (2,940 m)
2. Day 2 · Chhika → Balu ka Ghera (3,590 m)
   Out of the trees and into open country, crossing the Rani nala and climbing steadily past the Jwara meadows into the wide grazing ground of Balu ka Ghera, with Indrasan and Deo Tibba filling the skyline. Around five hours. Afternoon is for resting and the pass-day briefing.
   Day 2 · Chhika → Balu ka Ghera (3,590 m)
3. Day 3 · Balu ka Ghera → Hampta Pass (4,270 m) → Shea Goru (3,900 m)
   The big one. Away before first light for the long climb to the pass, arriving mid-morning to the view that defines this trek — Kullu green on one side, the bare Lahaul desert on the other. Then a steep, often snow-covered descent (roped if conditions need it) to camp beside the stream at Shea Goru. Nine to ten hours.
   Day 3 · Balu ka Ghera → Hampta Pass (4,270 m) → Shea Goru (3,900 m)
4. Day 4 · Shea Goru → Chhatru (3,307 m), optional Chandratal
   An easier morning down the Chandra valley over scree and stream crossings to the Chhatru road-head. If the road is open we take jeeps up to Chandratal, the crescent lake at 4,300 m, and return to camp at Chhatru for the last night.
   Day 4 · Shea Goru → Chhatru (3,307 m), optional Chandratal
5. Day 5 · Chhatru → Manali
   Breakfast by the river, then the drive back over the range through the Atal Tunnel. Most groups are on Mall Road by early afternoon.
   Day 5 · Chhatru → Manali

What's included

• Certified trek leader, local guides and kitchen crew
• Manali ⇄ Jobra and Chhatru ⇄ Manali transport (via the Atal Tunnel)
• All camping equipment — tents, −10 °C sleeping bags, mats, dining and toilet tents
• All meals on trek, freshly cooked, vegetarian
• Forest permits and camping fees
• Mules for the shared camp load
• Oxygen cylinder, oximeter checks and a comprehensive first-aid kit
• Microspikes and a fixed rope on the pass descent when there is snow

Not included

• Travel to and from Manali
• Personal trekking gear, boots and rucksack
• Travel and medical insurance
• Hotel and meals in Manali either side of the trek
• The Chandratal jeep excursion (₹1,500 per person, paid on the day if the road is open)
• Personal porter (₹1,000 per day if booked in advance)
• Tips, and anything not listed under what's included

What to pack

• Waterproof trekking boots, already broken in
• Three layers: thermals, fleece, and a windproof shell
• Rain jacket and rain cover for the rucksack (afternoon showers are normal)
• Warm hat, sun hat, gloves and UV sunglasses
• Quick-dry trekking trousers — jeans are miserable at river crossings
• Headtorch with spare batteries for the pre-dawn pass start
• Two one-litre water bottles and purification tablets
• Sunscreen SPF 50, lip balm and personal medication
• Sandals or crocs for camp and stream crossings