Tours & Adventure

Trekking season:

Because they are so pristine and precious, and considered holy by locals, reaching them is not an easy task, certainly not for first-time trekkers. But if you are a seasoned trekker and interested in the Dhauladhar Lake Trail, it begins at an altitude of 8,000ft, with the highest elevation on this trail being 14,245ft. The lakes are frozen during the early summer months of April and May, so most batches for this trek start in June when snow melts.

 

Duration of Trek:

The trek typically takes around 5 to 7 days, depending on your starting point and the route you choose. The most common starting point for the trek is McLeod Ganj, near Dharamshala.

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Difficulty of Trekking: 

Two different routes can be taken to start this lake trek. One begins from Kareri village, and the other route starts at Triund. The better place to start this trek is from Triund in comparison to Kareri, because through Triund, you will gain altitude smoothly and you will also get used to the steep gradient that you'll have to walk on in the coming days.

 

This is a difficult trail and requires perseverance by trekkers, and I recommend that you hire a guide who can take you on the right trail.

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Itinerary for Trekking:

Here's an itinerary for when you start the trek from Triund.

 

Day 1

Triund

Dharmkot to Triund

 

You will be trekking to the famous Triund Hill on the first day. This is an easy trail and should take you about 5-6 hours to cover 8 km to reach your campsite for tonight. There is a very well-demarcated campsite at Triund, and there will be other trekkers to give you company.

 

Walking distance 9km

 

 

Day 2

Lahesh Cave

Triund to Lahesh Caves

 

Start your trek the day, You will be crossing the Snowline Glacier on your way up. The Lahesh Caves, are 6km away from Triund. It should take you around 4 hours to cover this distance and reach the campsite before sunset.

 

Walking distance: 6km

 

 

Day 3

Nag Dal

The real trek begins from this point. The route from Lahesh Caves to Nag Dal at 3,900m will have you walking on a slightly steeper incline and you will gain altitude rapidly and cross over the Indrahaar Pass to reach the other side of the Dhauladhar ranges. The Indrahaar Pass at 4,350 meters above sea level is the highest point to reach on this day. It is advised to cross the pass as soon as possible to avoid any high-altitude sickness. From this milestone, you will descend slightly below to reach the first glacial lake on your trek: Nag Dal. Nag Dal is also called the Cobra Lake. You will be walking for about 6 hours today.

 

Walking distance: 8km

 

 

Day 4

Chanderkup Dal

Nag Dal – Chaderkup Dal – Dham Godi Dal Trail

 

Chanderkup Dal is also called Moon Lake because it stays frozen for most parts in the early summers and has chunks of ice floating in it. If you go for this trek during May end, the lake will be frozen.

 

The distance from Nag Dal to Chanderkup Dal is 3km and should take you around 3 to 4 hours to cover this distance. You will be at 12,000ft when you finish at Chanderkup. Spend some time at the lake and start for your next stop, the Dham Godi Dal.

 

Dham Godi Dal drains down into the Beas River that flows through the Kangra Valley. The distance from Chanderkup to Dham Godi Dal is another 2 to 3km and should take you another 3 to 4 hours because of its steep incline to reach Dham Godi Dal. Camp can be set up near the lake.

 

Walking distance: 6 to 7km

 

 

Day 5

Lam Dal

Dam Godi Dal – Lam Dal

 

Once again you step out to reach your next destination early in the morning. Today will be the most difficult climb. Even though the distance from Dam Godi Dal to Lam Dal is about 2 to 3km, the climb is quite steep and rocky so it should take you some time if you take small breaks. Lam Dal is the largest lake in this circuit and spreads across 2km. You can reach the lake in the early afternoon and spend some time near the lake. Camps will be set up a little far from the lake to avoid cluttering it in case there are devotees.

 

Walking distance: 3km

 

 

Day 6

Kali Dal Lake

Lam Dal Lake – Naghar

 

The distance from Lam Dal to Naghar is 8km and on your way, you will be stopping at Kali Dal, which is the fourth lake in this circuit. Another glacial lake that is considered holy, the Kali Kund is just a little below the Lam Dal (3km) and the descent is gradual and not sudden.

 

Your stop for this day will be at Naghar, a popular camping site for people who trek up to Lam Dal from the Kareri Lakeside after crossing the Minkiani Pass, that you will be crossing tomorrow to reach the Kareri Lake. 

 

Walking distance: 8km

 

 

Day 7

Kareri Lake

Naghar – Kareri Lake

 

On the 7th day of the trek, you will ascend to a higher altitude and cross the Minkiani Pass. The Minkiani Pass is surrounded by glacial mountains at the base of which lies the Kareri Lake. The distance from Naghar to Kareri Lake is 8km and should take you about 6-7 hours to reach.

 

You can also do a separate trek to Kareri Lake starting from Kareri Village which has a well-defined path up. You will be at an altitude of 13,950ft and it will be awfully cold even in the day while you cross the pass, there are many campsites at Kareri Lake and around as well, and you will find many trekkers at this lake. Tomorrow will be an easy day for you, as the trek down is quite easy with several makeshift stalls on the way that sell snacks and aerated drinks.

 

Walking distance: 8km

 

 

Day 8

Kareri

Kareri Lake – Kareri Village 

 

This trail to rocky grassland, pines, and shrubs. With a vast number of birds, this trek brings you close to nature with the chirping of birds. If you love bird watching then let us tell you that the Kareri Lake Trek is an endless treasure trove of a large number of species of birds and it is the perfect destination for the shutterbugs as there are a huge number of bird species that hide in the pines and shrubs which is a perfect location for these unique species of birds.

 

Walking distance 10km