Queries on Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama in August '07

Pijush Kanti Mondal

Friends,

I am planning to cover this holy Parikrama in this August of '07. Can you suggest me whether Tents & Sleeping Bags are available in the route (like in Dhancho in Mani-Mahesh Kailash route in August) in Lamber / Charang & in Lalanti or I have to carry these! In that case, is there any chace to borrow these in Kalpa / Rekang Peo or Thangi on rental?

What is about Fooding? Should I carry all the stuffs & arrange to cook it? How can I get good Porter cum Guide in Thangi or in Peo?

Are the Peaks / Kailash Range easily seen in August? How much rain-fall is predicted in August?

My family also will be with me - my Father (age - 70yr), wife & son. Can we avail any horse or pony-ride enroute the Parikrama? You can please be requested to guide me if you have the answers.


Thanks & Regards,

Pijush

AvidTrekker

This is a tough trek.

Peo may have some people renting out tents etc, but i haven't seen them when i was there.

Forget about ponies carrying 70 year old dad. IMHO ponies don't do this route. Only men.

The decsent from top of the pass is from 16000 feet to 9500 feet... over a continuous 45 to 50 degree slope. This can play havoc even with a very fit trekker's knees coz it has to be done in about three hours.... (i wuz there last year)

Lambar and Charang both have log huts with basic food available. After that, you are on your own. You will have to carry food and tent for at least 3 days. (preferably 4) Difficult to get guide from the local villages Lambar etc. Get one from Peo. Guide will charge double rate and WILL NOT become porter (will not carry your load). Separate porter will carry the load, that too not more than 20 kg. The trekking scene is very organized and set in Himachal.

Jeeps go upto Lambar... so everyone can tag along upto there... and sleep and eat in the log huts. Mules go upto Charang (next halt). The route Lambar to Charang has become dangerous coz of dynamite blasting as they are making a road upto Charang. The old trail has been wiped off in certain places and is also subject to rocks falling due to blasting.

It is still do-able if you are reasonably fit. I personally will not take my father even if he was a fit 70 years old. He's your father after all, if you feel like taking the risk, i will pray for you. Your son could get AMS quicker than you... so take good care. (AMS can become life threatening).

That's all.... if you feel like going ahead with the entire family with all these attendant risks, I can't really say anything. Take your family upto Charang after asking the dynamiting times in advance. Even here some patches are so steep that dad may not be able to ride the mule. After Charang the muleteer will not come.

Take care and happy trekking.

Where do angels fear to tread??

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capt_mahajan

Pijush, my knowledge of this area is twenty years old, and in any case it is greatly lesser than avid's.

But I would seriously consider scrapping the idea. Put bluntly, this is not a picnic area for families, specially the elderly and the very young, or unfit.

Sorry to be blunt, but this is my honest opinion.

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Pijush Kanti Mondal

Thanks to both of u & so idea of taking my Father over thr is dropped. In that case he might be relocated to Chitkul & wait thr.

H'ever, what is abt the cloudy weather & rain-fall in Aug in this area! Can the Kailash Ranges be visible clearly frm Kalpa / Peo / Sangla or Chitkul in Aug?

As I understood, the last lap frm Charang to Chitkul over the Pass gone to be the toughest one. Can u suggest how to trek this zone bit safe? Shd we stop & pitch tent in Lalanti or some-where else or if body, time & weather permit to stretch further to Chitkul?

I heard the Locales are also making this holy Parikrama this time in Aug - Sept. Can we find the Locales with us .... or alone ....?

Regards,

Pijush

landoormama

I did this trek in 2005 , I did not have a guide .. but I walked with the villagers ..During JANMASHTAMI ( september 4th this year) ..there is a festival in the village of Charang and many vilagers do the parikrama ..
Until Thangi there is Bus and Thangi has a guest house .
Thangi - Charang ( stayed in the Temple -- Food was served in the Temple )

Charang- Lalanti ( Stayed in the Tin Shed there and ate food with other pligrims )

Lalanti- Chitkul( Over Charang Ghati )

This is the route I followed and the Villagers/Pligrims were very very kind enough to help me with Food . It was okay till Lalanti. But From Lalanti to Chitkul over charang pass ,I found it intense and had to walk over boulders . I am a slow / average walker .. I think u could do it . It would not have been possible without the help of the Villagers though .

fsg

I have a book called A DREAM COME TRUE 150/- complete with 2 vcds which decsribes the authors Kailash Mansarovar Yatra [bought 2006]
Published by ASHRAM SIDDHA YOGA TRUST
3/33 Iyer Line
Swarnapuri
SALEM
636 004
ph no 2446677
pub 2003.

It gives very good descriptions on the trip and the vcd s help too.

Worth a punt

VSK Sharma

Hi,
I thought the thread was on Kinner Kailash Parikarama,Good and recent info has been provided about the trail. From where Kailash Mansarovar has come in?
As for weather is concerened only time tells in the mountains.

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Pijush Kanti Mondal

Probably there is a festival in this region in 1st week of Sept. called Fulekh or Fuleth. But, Janmastami festival is also popular in Himachal.

I also trekked in Mani Mahesh Kailash from Hadsar village (enroute Chamba - Varmour) without any Porter but with all the villagers. Foods & Camps were also available in the route.

But if it is Janmastami, Festival should start in middle of Aug & last upto middle of Sept - 1 month. We will be there by 2nd week (7th!)of Aug, so the chance of getting the mass there - I don't know!! Nothing will be like that to get locals over there.

However, I am thinking, if we start at opposite side - from Chitkul to Lambar / Thangi - how will that work! Day 1 or 2 to cross the Pass!! How is it!!!

Regards,

Pijush

arunnegi

Hi Pijush,
Avidtrekker and capt mahajan are not joking !! the trek sure is no piece of cake... i personally havent done this but my relatives have... my paternal aunt is from thangi, she did this trek when she was young ..she had a tough time and sweared never to do this again..all this despite she being pretty well acclimitised as she's a local. i would suggest you ask your wife and son(definately) to wait at chitkul .. if they have never done a trek of this scale earlier it does'nt make sense to do it.You and brother-in law can go ahead ..make sure you do some running and attain the required fitnes level.
Also i think you should stick to the proper route.. the descent from pass to chitkul is laden with rocks...i dont think it would be wise to do it...Avidtrekker and landoormama can tell us more..
i'll be forwarding you the contact details of someone at peo soon
cheers

uttam

Pijush,
KK Parikarma is undoubtedly very beautiful trek but equally demanding.I guess, u r familier with the drills of such heights. Avid, Arun and Landoormama have given ample insight.I am just back from Kinnaur its cold and raining (needless to mention some amount of snowing at higher passes and some bit of landslide enroute Reckong-peo). So, which week of august u venture out for KK Parikarma, is important. I had planned to go ranikanda, Lalanti and the Natural Shivalingam and back to thangi with my friend from thangi village. But didn't get the clearance from the weather! Please, keep an eye on weather factor. I would suggest having a fall-back plan of some other trek in the district also when u set-out for KK Parikarma.
All the best n trek safe!
We'll all wait for u to get back and share ur experiences with us.

Pijush Kanti Mondal

I just chalked out the plan in following way -

3/8 - o/n stay in Delhi.

4/8 - o/n stay in Simla.

5/8 - o/n stay in Sarahan.

6/8 - o/n stay in Kalpa.

7/8 - o/n stay in R'Peo.(I expect Arun will give me some contacts of experienced Porters & Guides. I wud meet them here).

8/8 - o/n stay in R'Peo (additional day for acclimatization & basic arrangements).

9/8 - o/n stay in Lambar (considering the complete motorable journey from Peo to Lambar, so Thangi skipped - Avid's info.).

10/8 - o/n stay in Shrutingting.

11/8 - o/n stay in Charang village (if we could manage Charang w/o staying in Shrutingting, I want to stay one day more here).

12/8 - o/n stay in Lalanti (after Lalanti Pass).

13/8 - o/n stay in Base Camp.

14/8 - o/n stay in Chitkul.

15/8 - o/n stay in Sangla.

16/8 - o/n stay in Simla.

17/8 - Kalka to Howrah / Kolkata.

I presume Janmastami might fall on 16th Aug. If it is, residants of Charang, I do hope, could walk with us.

My problem is, though my native place is in Kolkata, I am working in Dubai, UAE since last 3 years. And u won't believe, how hot is Dubai - now-a-days. I hv to fly Delhi on 3/8 and witness a 180deg weather-change in next 48hrs.

Same thing happened last yr, when we gone to Chandratal via Batal. We had to stay couple of days in Manali for acclimatization. It's okay, but this has an adverse effect in time & money.

Another problem, I am not getting usual touch of my Kolkatians who help to ooze out some addrenaline in my brain. Yes, We trekked some places, but not in this much altitude. & Honestly we r avg walkers, rather, not hard-core trekker, although, we covered Gomukh, ofcourse Kedar, Tungnath, Sandakphu, Mani-Mahesh Kailsh, Chandratal etc.

We may feel it great if we could cross atleast Lalanti Pass. For sure, we shall keep eyes open on weather. Rest is in HIS hand who is watching us always.

My regards to all who given lot of info.s to me. H'ever, still I need yr suggestions (on fall-back plans!). Keep connected plz & comment on schedules.

Regards,

Pijush

AndreasW

I'd like you inspire with some pictures...
Did this trek in Sept. 2004.

We hired Nepalese porters in Thangi...


First camp 10min. behind Lambar...


Camp at Shurtingting...


Easy way to Charang... Acclimatization day... Visit Rangrik gompa


Trek to Lalanthi...

AndreasW

Camp Lalanthi...


To glacier base camp...


Ascent to the Charang pass...


My crew at the top...


...enjoy the view...


Steep descent to Chitkul

AndreasW

I needed 4 journeys to Kalpa for shooting these pics, but photographers can/must wait for the right day- and moonlight...


AndreasW

arunnegi

wow those are some real neat pics!! i'm amazed to see the level of acclimitisation nepali people have..they are carrying quite a heavy load.
andreas do you have any idea about the trek till shivlingam( vertical rock massiff)?

@Pijush
I've mailed you the contact details