About Chandratal Trek

One of the crescent shaped lakes that is located in the middle of the Spiti Valley on the Samudra Tapu plateau, the Chandra Tal, which means ‘Lake of the Moon’, is a popular destination for trekkers and climbers. It is confined in between the mountains at a lofty height of 4,250 meters and is one of two high-altitude wetlands of India which have been designated as Ramsar sites. The Chandra Tal Trek grabs the imagination of the travellers with its rambling landscape at different altitude. The lake encircles a vast meadow that is carpeted with different kinds of wildflowers. One of the easy to moderate treks in Himachal Pradesh and also a short trek from Manali, which is a popular hill station at an altitude of 2,050 meters, the Chandra Tal Trek solicits the mind of travellers with the abundant beauty of nature and wildlife.

The Chandra Tal Trek commences from Manali and leads to Chikka, which is at an altitude of 3,100 meters, via Sethan at 2,900 meters. The trail then winds up at Balu Ka Gera at 3,600 meters before further continuing to Shira Gorh after a steep ascend towards Hampta Pass, which is at an elevation of 4,268 meters. From Shira Gorh the trail snakes through the deserted track to Batal via Chatru wherefrom the track splits to Kunzum at an altitude of 4,551 meters, which is the gateway to Chandra Tal. The trail continues to Tokpo Gongma and snakes up to Baralacha La, which is at an altitude of 4,890 meters. From there the trail leads to Manali en route to Keylong, which is approximately a 4 – 5 hours drive.

The Chandra Tal Lake Trek is an absolute bliss for amateur trekkers and the best time to hit the tracks is from Mid June to Mid October. From Manali the trail is approximately of 7-8 days.

Best Time to Visit Chandratal Trek

Best season to visit Chandratal Trek is from mid-June till mid-October. In the beginning of the season, there are more chances of seeing lots of snow. Snow cover reduces considerably as August approaches. As the season advances, we are more likely to witness rain in the Kullu Manali Valley and bask in the sun at the Spiti Valley.

The days are warm and sunny with temperatures ranging from 12 to 20°C, and nights at the highest campsite fall in between -2 to 6°C. In the last phase of the season (Sept to mid-Oct), the amount of snow in the path will dwindle. General weather conditions will be good and sunny, but with October approaching there is a chance of snowfall. The day temperatures float between 12 to 18°C; while the night’s hover around -6 to 4°C.

Where is the Chandratal Trek

Chandra Tal (‘the Lake of Moon) is located at the height of 4,270 metres in the Himalayas. It comes under the Spiti area of Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh. Chandra Tal is a popular trekking and camping destination, attracting a number of travellers every year. It can be reached on foot from Batal as well as from Kunzum La Pass. The best season to embark on the Chandratal Trek is from mid-June to mid-October. There is a 16 km motorable road from Batal which can be accessed after mid-July, as the condition of the road can be dangerous before this period. Even after taking this road, one needs to walk for 2 km from the road head.

Trail which begins from Kunzum is truly picturesque and displays panoramic views of Samudra Tapu Glacier, CB Peaks and Chandra River. It is 8 km long and takes only 4 hours to complete. Chandratal Lake is just at a walking distance from Kunzum. The source which feeds the lake is probably under the ground, as there is nothing visible on the surface. Wild flowers fill up the banks of the lake in summer. The vast green meadows around the lake are a favourite among the Gaddi Shepherds, who come here to graze their flocks. The shepherds of Gaddi tribe enjoy their traditional and long held grazing rights in the area. Chandratal Lake is one of the two high altitude wetlands of India.

How to Reach Chandratal Trek?

Nearest Airport:The Kullu Manali airport at Bhuntar Town (about 50 km south of Manali and 10 km south of Kullu town) is the nearest airport. Indian Airlines and some private airlines have regular flights to the airport (But due to bad visibility most of the time flight cancelled). Chandigarh airport is the nearest international airport.

Nearest Railway Station:Jogindar Nagar is the nearest railway station (lies 166 km from Manali). The other convenient rail heads are at Chandigarh and Pathankot.

By Road:Manali is well connected by road with Delhi, Ambala, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Haridwar, Shimla, Dharamsala and Chamba/Dalhousie. Regular buses ply between these stations. It is connected with Leh during July to October.