Trek to Hamta Pass for less than 3500

The cost estimates for a team of 4 from Manali to Manali via Hampta Pass - Chhatru are ready. Due to lack of time, I am not adding all details about the terrain. This info is easily available from online. There are tonnes of site givign this info.

The trek has been optimised to be over in 4 days. In past, the trek used to start from Prini. Now, there is a road constrcuted by NHPC till Jorba for the power generation project. You can take a Jeep to Jorba and then start the trek. This saves you a day. So, you can do it this trek over a long weekend from Delhi.

Trek Itinerary
Day1:
- Taka Jeep from Manali Jorba where a road has been built by NHPC.
- Trek from Jorba to Chhikka. Distance is 6 kms. Time taken is 3 hours.
- Stay Overnight in Tents. Food to be cooked by support staff(Cook and Porter to be carried).

Day2:
- Trek to Balu ka Gera
- Distance is 10kms.
- Time taken is 5-6 hours.
- Stay in Tents and food cooked by support staff.

Day3:
- Cross Hampta Pass, reach Shea Goru.
- Trekking time 7 hours
- Stay in Tent. Food cooked by Staff.

Day4:
- Start early by 6am. It takes max 4 hours to reach Chhatru.
- Take the 11am bus from Chhatru to Manali. The bus takes 6 hours and reaches Manali by 5PM.
- Stay in Hotel in Manali.

The detailed cost estimate is attached as a pdf.

- The estimates based on the assumptions that you dont have to carry the rugsack yourself and everything would be carried by Mules, Cook and helper.
- The cost for 4 people having sleeping bags and equipments comes to less than 3000/person.
- If you need to hire all equipmemts, then cost comes to less than 3500 by adding 10% cost as a buffer for any contigency.

Note: I have added a Poll at the top of the thread to get your inputs on the trek. You inputs would motivate/demotivate to write more such threads.

PS: Based on my previous bas experience, I prefer not to post phone numbers of guides and porters on forums. PM me if you want to get their contact details.

Well, thank you once more Jyotipg for coming up with this one. And yes, I hope you won't consider it annoying if you are being contacted for further guidance in this route.

Is it possible to do Hampta pass without guide and porters? I have never been on solo trek before but planning to go solo only from now on...contemplating this as my first. I'm planning to do

Gulaba - Bhrigu lake - PanduRopa - Hampta Pass - Chandratal - Manali

Is the complete trail well-marked throughout?? Any chances of getting lost/ going off-route here?

Hi Jyoti,

Your unending experience is a saviour sometimes...i'm planning to do this trek in October 2nd week. Let me know if its possible in that month and with your itinerary, will we be able to do it own our own. Need ur guidance to plan it properly.

Hello,
My friend and I are coming to India early January. We would like to trek the Hampta Pass. Could you give us some more information?
Thank you and love be with you
Hannah x

Hi,

This sounds like a really fun trek. I would love to do it though I dont want to do it alone. Is any one planning on going over the next few weeks? If you need company do let me know. I live in Delhi so it wont take much to join in.

Cheers

@ Jyotipg... Can we do this trek in December last week ?

leftmost, me and my wife are planning to do this trek starting October 22 or 23. We are a young chilean couple (aged 28) travelling in India for some weeks now. Our plan is to trek indepndently from agencies. I have some 10 years of mountaineering experience but my wife is a begginer, so I'm planning to make it an easy and relaxed trip. Hope to hear from you!

Cheers!

damiantomic@ Hi there... I am just arriving into delhi on the 22nd. Would you want to do the trek maybe a week after? I have some work to get done over the next weekend so i need to be in Delhi then and am free thereafter. Do let me know, I am quite keen on joining u guys. Cheers

I am the solo types as well. I will be interested in any opinions.

For your info
I have backpacked for a few months in Sikkim and Himachal. Generally, carrying rations for more than 2 days is the problem, and then even 2 liters of water can weight you down. Getting even 2000 calories per day can be a problem. I ended up being my own worn out pack mule on my last attempt ( I was particularly unfit by my own standards) and could not enjoy the trek much because I was too weighed down.

Now I have a camp stove earlier I used a mini folding kerosene stove of the pumping action type. One also needs to invest in an ultra compact tent capable of moderate snow storm and sleeping bag good for below zero.

Staying clean and personal hygiene can also be a problem if its more than 3 -4 days where climate is freezing, one cant enjoy a shower in a waterfall like in the western ghats ...

ALL water coming form higher up is suspect (even at 11000 ft) due to hidden army bunkers in the mountains all along the border and inside esp in Sikkim. One can only drink water when one knows the waterfall is originating right up where you are drinking it. Other wise you will go down with amoebasis or dysentery. The rivers only look clean and pristine - they are not. Besides last time I saw a dead cow in a stream at 9000ft. She had slipped and fallen down the gorge, poor thing. All that flesh would have rotted and polluted the water over months and the villagers downstream would have no clue what was making them sick unless it was discovered.

Regards

Oops.. Soory bro..I was off the thread for a while.. Its too late to reply.. But if you havent yet done this trek, you can contact the following guides in manali area to help you do the trek:

Rinjan - +91-9418722302
Polu Ram : 09816891591.

@jpg, will you tell me what is the earliest (doable with two kids aged 9 & 12), and what is the best time to do this trek?

Hampta would be buried under heavy snow at this time of the year.. The earliest you can do with kids is mid of May.

Thanks Jyoti Da, I don't know why but it is always a great pleasure to see you on board. Your enlightened face, a hidden smile and bright eyes looking some where far mesmerize me. In fact I am short of words to describe my feelings. Any way thanks again.

Thanks Pathakjee.. BTW, the pic on the profile is not mine. Its the pic of my Gurudev.