Kinnaur Lahul Spiti in late July 2011

I have booked a seat for Kinnaur Lahul Spiti tour from Kolkata starting on 19/07/2011.

Their itinerary is as follows: -

01) 19/07/11 = Board Kalka Mail from Howrah
02) 20/07/11 = Train Journey
03) 21/07/11 = Kalka - Shimla (Toy Train)
04) 22/07/11 = Shimla - Sarahan
05) 23/07/11 = Sarahan - Sangla
06) 24/07/11 = Sangla - Chitkul - Kalpa
07) 25/07/11 = Kalpa
08) 26/07/11 = Kalpa - Kaza
09) 27/07/11 = Kaza
10) 28/07/11 = Kaza - Kunzum Pass - Chandratal - Batal - Keylong / Kaza
11) 29/07/11 = Keylong / Kaza - Keylong
12) 30/07/11 = Keylong - Udaypur - Keylong
13) 31/07/11 = Keylong - Rohtang Pass - Manali
14) 01/08/11 = Manali
15) 02/08/11 = Manali
16) 03/08/11 = Manali - Kalka
17) 04/08/11 = Train Journey
18) 05/08/11 = Howrah

My tour operator assured that monsoon will not affect the trip at all but I would like to take expert opinion from this forum!

In this context, my question is how the weather will react? Normally, how the weather used to behave during those days? Last year & this year (2011) also, weather is behaving unexpectedly. I came to know from sources that till now Kunzum Pass is not open; even Rohtang Pass is also not open, instead in Khoksar side 5 - 40 feet snow is waiting for melting &/or clearance by BRO.

As I need to take long leave from office, I need to plan early & required your valued suggestion & advice, although I booked a seat in the trip, as I said earlier.

Thanks for no reply!

Hi CK
your travel opertaor was right.. July is the best month to visit the same....you can cross kunzum pass after june only ... so domt wrry about that .. as far last year weather was concerned i was there in the month of july and august.... so dont worry and go ahead... real heaven..

Chandra, as Chandratal is in your list, I would say you have chosen the best possible time, see if you can camp beside Chandrataal for a night preferably close to a full moon night. Weather is unpredictable, specially till Kalpa you can face rage of Weather God anytime, after that until Rohtang you are safe as July is almost having zero chance of a western disturbance in the region. Rohtang you know well as you have experience of crossing Rohtang twice in July last year

In case Chandrataal is not in the list, I would vote for late Sep/Begin Oct period for best weather in the region atleast that's what I have observed last 4/5 years.

Have a safe and nice trip!!

Thanks to both of you! Actually, very less no of tour operator offering Kinnaur-Spiti-Lahul tour. My tour operator is also travelling to that direction on 1st October from Howrah but I don't want to go elsewhere during Durga Puja days. So, I had to take the option.

Following is the itinerary of tour operator but I wanted to modify it & yes, Chandratal is on our cards. Let me share our tour details: -

Total no of Passenger = 10 days (including me); which includes a family of 6 comprising a 45 years old person, his wife, his son (15 yrs.), his father (79 yrs.), his mother (70+ yrs.) & his mother-in-law (70+ yrs.), another couple (50+ yrs.) & a single person (53 yrs.) who will be sharing room with me.
Per person expenditure = Rs.11,375/- (Pickup Shimla & Drop Kalka).

Although I could not find any prospect of seeing Chandratal with such elderly persons on the trip, still that person is very keen for Chandratal trip alongwith other members excluding aged persons of the family. Hope for the best!

10 passengers mean one Sumo and with the passengers profile, I am almost sure you would get back seat for most of the time . The journey involved here with 10 persons in Sumo would really be tiring but you can't help much in a package tour, try to take break for snaps as the whole route is scenic and you can take countless shots there actually. Better is to stay at Tabo instead of Nako as it would give you some more time to explore the Dhankar. If possible try to include Pin Valley, without that Spiti would remain incomplete.

In Kaza, make sure you must visit Tashigang and Langza/Komic if not even Kye/Kibber.

Chandrataal won't be a problem with elders as it's motorable barring last 3 km which you need to trek. But unless you stay a night in Chandrataal, you won't get that Magic Mirror of Chandrataal as that normally visible till 8.30/9.00 max when wind speed remains low, the region post noon usually very windy.

Wish you a nice and safe journey!!

Actually, the tour operator assured that we shall be provided with a Tempo Traveller instead of Sumo, should check the ground realities there! Last year, I was provided Leh-Pangong (including return journey) back seat in a scorpio, even while returning from Sarchu to Keylong, I was in the back seat.

Tabo is on the cards for night stay option.

Tour operator was not said anything about Pin Valley but we decided to talk with our Driver cum Manager cum Guide on the way to get the best possible.

I am not sure about staying option at Losar, which is higher altitude than Kaza. As Kaza - Kunzum - Chandratal - Keylong will be very difficult but if we can start from Losar early, we can witness the magic moments of Chandratal by reaching early & can ensure reaching Keylong by late evening. Last year we reached Keylong (from Manali) at midnight.

Frankly speaking, I don't think the tour operator will be very keen to provide night stay option at Losar instead of 2 night stay at Kaza.

Main Office of tour operator is in Shimla & we decided to talk to the highest authority in person there to convince regarding night stay option at Losar for Chandratal & a brief Pin Valley trip.

Thanks again!

Hi,
I am planning a Bike/Gypsy trip to Spiti. Plan is to start from Shimla and end in Manali (Shimla-Kalpa-Dhankar-Losar-Chandratal-Rohtang-Manali). Having read all I could, I have some questions for you all to answer

1. I am confused about the stretch from Kunzum to Chandratal and Batal.Can we drive from Kunzum to Batal or is there another route? Where do we start the trek? We need to come back to same place to our vehicles.

2. Is June 3rd week a good bet?

3 This can be done on a gypsy and bikes, right?

Thanks all

Araib

Drive route is Losar - Kunzum - Batal (Take diversion to right) - Chandrataal. Cars allowed till 3 km before the lake. Rest is a trek. While return after completing (3+3km) trek, drive from Chandratal to Batal, take right and move through Gramphoo/Rohtang to Manali.

There is one more route with much better view and mostly downhill but entirely for trek (no car/bike) from Kunzum to Chandrataal.

No, chances are pretty less unless you walk all 15km with snow from Batal itself, from Kunzum it would be little shorter. Chances of opening of motorable road between Batal to Chandrataal is remote considering this years snowfall and pace with which BRO/PWD is removing the snow in the region. Leave Chandrataal, you watch out if you get Kunzum open properly in 3rd week, (may really be an issue if a few more late Western Disturbances hit the region) last year we marginally got it opened in 3rd week of June. Chandratal motorable road was closed then and opened 2nd week of July.

Yes can be done in bikes and gypsy if road is open.

Thanks a lot!!
My main worry is to complete the circuit ( Shimla-Kunzum-Manali) which depends on Kunzum. I am prepared to trek 15 km ,if its possible, and return to same point and then move further.
If Kunzum is not opened then we need to retrace the route , right? Or is there any detour?

Thanks again.

Yes it's possible to trek 15km oneway but returning and that too if not starting very early from Batal and with uncertain weather may be tricky.

Yes as long as as motorable route is concerned you have to retrace the road atleast close to Narkanda from where you can take a detour to Mandi via Jalori Pass and can reach manali by avoiding Shimla.

Thanks,
Is there any reliable source to get the updated info about condition of Kunzum ( if its open or not) before heading out? There is a website for Leh which lists if route via Manali/Srinagar is open or not, was wondering if there is something like that here too.

Your posts ( and report) have been of great help!

Check out my report and I have given contact number of Lotey who is a Kaza resident and could update you better status than even PWD could. He is extremely helpful, be in touch with him for Kunzum's latest status.

Thanks for all the details, I will connect with them when we near the date.

Another set of questions :
1. Can we expect some sort of accommodation at Chandratal in june 3 week (on around 23-24 June). If not, can camping gear be rented from a place nearby or do we need to carry our own camping gear and provisions?