Pin Parvati Pass Trek

Distance: 7 km
Time Taken: 6 hours 
Altitude: 2,800 m (9,186 ft)

We will be starting the Pin Parvati Pass Trek today to reach Kheerganga, our first campsite for the trek. There are two main routes to reach Kheerganga. The two routes are on either side of the Parvati river. One route goes via Nakthan village and Rudranag and the other route goes through the forest on the right side of the river. 

We will be trekking through the forest cover, and experience the full flora experience of the Parvati valley. The other route is exposed and gets direct sunlight on the trail. Trekking through the forest cover will help you preserve your energy. 

There are several small cafes on the trail and we’ll stop at one of them for our lunch. You can also see waterfalls at various viewpoints throughout this trail so make sure to keep a lookout for them. More than halfway on the trail, you can see the other trail joining the main forest trail to Kheerganga. 

Kheerganga is famous for a reason. It’s a pretty campsite with an amazing landscape with a hot water spring. It’s a heaven for all trekkers. In the season, there are several temporary campsites here. It almost feels like a village. But, thankfully, it’s a large meadow so there’s enough ground for everyone. 

We will be camping here today. After settling in, you can take a bath in the hot water springs and enjoy before the upcoming grueling days. 

Distance: 8.5 km
Time Taken: 6 hours 
Altitude: 3,340 m (10,958 ft)

We will be trekking to Tunda Bhuj today. The trail today will be more peaceful and solitary than the trek to Kheerganga. From Kheerganga, we will start our trek towards and the mountains on our left. There are several stream crossings on today’s trail and the trail will be muddy. 

The trail goes through thick forests, with several meadows in between. These meadows can make for great camping grounds but we will continue to trek to Tunda Bhuj. You can also see several waterfalls on the opposite side of the valley – flowing into the main Parvati river. 

Tunda Bhuj is a pretty open meadow with a stream flowing from the middle. It makes for a perfect camping ground. We will be spending the night here. 

Distance: 7.5 km
Time Taken: 5 hours 
Altitude: 3,540 m (11,614 ft)

From Tunda Bhuj, we start our trek to the next campsite i.e. Thakur Kuan. This is going to be an easy day because we will not be gaining much altitude. The initial part of the trail is through the forest. There is a tricky section where the trail is completely washed away because of a landslide. So, it will take us some time to negotiate this section safely. We may have to use ropes and other safety equipment. 

We will gradually be leaving the treeline behind. The trail is rocky now, and we have left the dense forests behind. You will start to feel the changes immediately. The air is crisper, and the changes in temperature. There are several streams on today’s trail as well that we will need to cross. You can also see the Parvati river flowing on your left. It’s exhilarating to trek alongside the forces of nature. 

Thakur Kuan is a wide meadow just beside the river. We will be camping here for the night. 

Distance: 7 km
Time Taken: 6 hours 
Altitude: 3,780 m (12,402 ft)

This is going to be an exhilarating day for everyone. We will be crossing a famous landmark of the Pin Parvati Pass i.e. Pandu Pul.

Our trek begins with a gradual ascent from the Thakur Kuan campsite on the right side of the river. As we make our way upstream, we cross several streams on the way. Halfway on the trek today, we will be crossing the river to the other side. 

There are two huge boulders in the middle of the river which act as a bridge, namely – Pandu Pul 1 & Pandu Pul 2. This is a tricky section so make sure to follow the group. Once we’ve crossed the river successfully, we will continue trekking along the left side of the river to reach Odi Thatch.

Odi Thatch is one of the windiest campsites on this trek because of its location. We will be camping here for the night. 

Distance: 12 km
Time Taken: 8 hours 
Altitude: 4,140 m (13,583 ft)

We will be trekking to the origin of the Parvati river i.e. Mantalai Lake so it’s going to be a pretty special day. The whole trail is along the river. As we move upstream, observe the Parvati river changing. It’s hard to believe that it’s the same raging river we see at Manikaran. 

It is a gradual ascend to Mini Mantalai, which is the mid-point of today’s trek. You can see the Parvati river forking into multiple streams and in the vast expanse of the valley. After having lunch, we will make our way to Mantalai Lake. 

We will need to negotiate a steep ascend just before we reach the Mantalai campsite. Mantalai Lake is a glacial lake, which is the origin of the Parvati river. We will be camping near the shores of the lake, and visit the lake in the evening. 

Distance: 5 km
Time Taken: 4 hours 
Altitude: 4,950 m (16,240 ft)

We will be starting our day early today. This is going to be a challenging day as we will be crossing the river, moraines, and steep slopes to reach the Pin Parvati Base Camp. As we start our trek from the Mantalai camp, it’s a flat walk across the valley. 

Once we are across, we will need to climb the mountain on the left of the valley. It is going to be a steep slope. After crossing this section, the trail eases to a gradual slope and you are among the moraines of the Parvati glacier. This moraine section is not long, but it takes time to negotiate this section. 

The Pin Parvati Base Camp is a raw and beautiful campsite at the base of the glacier. It is an amazing and thrilling feeling. In the night, the icy glacier will be twinkling along with the stars. We will be camping here for the night before the big day tomorrow. 

Distance: 7.5 km
Time Taken: 7 hours
Altitude: 4,400 m (14,436 ft) via 5,300 m (17,388 ft)

The day is here! We will be crossing the Pin Parvati Pass today so we will be starting early. Before the pass, we need to cross the glacier and the crevasses of the Parvati glacier. There may be hidden crevasses around here so make sure to follow the footsteps of the person ahead of you or use your trekking poles to ensure the step ahead of you. You will be receiving a proper safety briefing before the pass-crossing so you’ll be safe and well-informed. 

After crossing the glacier, it’s a gradual climb up to the pass. Once you reach the pass, you can see the stark contrast on the other side to the green Parvati valley. You will now be crossing over to Spiti. It’s an incredible feat.

Before that, look behind you and appreciate the beauty of Parvati valley. After spending some time at the top of the pass, we’ll start descending to the next campsite. It is a gradual descend to the Pin Base Camp on the other side of the pass. 

Distance: 10 km
Time Taken: 5 hours
Altitude: 4,000 m (13,123 ft)

The difficult part of the trek is over. Now, it’s time to enjoy the landscapes of Spiti with some light trekking. The descend is steep but can be negotiated with a little attention. We will continue to descend the valley. We will need to cross the water stream to the other side of the river. 

Today’s camp is at the roadside camp. This camp is known by several names. It’s a wide flat ground next to the stream. If you look at the adjoining valley, you can see the route of the Pin Bhabha pass. There is also a confluence of streams from Pin Parvati Pass and Pin Bhabha Pass to form the Pin River.

We will be camping here for the night. This is going to be our last camp away from civilization on this trek. 

Distance: 14 km & 50 km (Drive)
Time Taken: 7 hours & 2.5 hours (Drive)
Altitude: 3,650 m (11,975 ft)

It is time to head back to civilization. We will be descending to the Mud village. It’s a flat and level walk to the village along the river. We will need to cross a couple of streams to reach the main village. 

After getting there, we will board our vehicles and head to Kaza. Kaza is basically the hotspot of Spiti. All the travelers, trekkers, and adventure seekers in Spiti will have been through Kaza. There are several landmarks near Kaza that you can visit, such as Key Monastery, Langza Gompa, Kibber village, etc. 

But before that, we will celebrate the successful completion of the trek and the safe pass crossing. The stay will be in a homestay and you can enjoy the comfort of a warm bed. It’s time to rest and recover after the long and grueling trek. 

Distance: 183 km (Drive)
Time Taken: 7 hours (Drive)
Altitude: 2,050 m (6,726 ft)

We will be traveling back to Manali today. If you want to explore more of Spiti, you can say goodbye to us at Kaza or travel back with us to Manali. This is the last day of the thrilling Pin Parvati Pass Trek. 

We keep a buffer day in our pass-crossing treks or long treks because of the many hurdles we might face. For example, bad weather (heavy snowfall, or rain). Therefore, it becomes risky to cross the pass or to carry on trekking.

However, it must be a unanimous decision to use the buffer day. All the participants will be required to pay 6,000/- INR (exclusive of 5% GST) if the group decides to use the buffer day. The amount will be collected by your trek leader in cash.