With some amazing experiences, comes a great itinerary. That is going to be certified by the following five day itinerary entailing a trek to Bhaba Pass in Himachal Pradesh.
A complete guide to a trek to Tari Khango (Bhaba Pass) in Himachal Pradesh.
To reach Kafnu, the starting point, either fly to Shimla and drive up to Kafnu or fly to Kullu and drive to Kafnu via Jalori Pass. BTW, to know more about Himachal Pradesh, check this cool travel guide page.
Day 01: Kafnu to Mulling (12 km; 10,758 ft) in five hours. It is a gradual trek with a gradual climb, and keeps on moving the same way along Bhaba river. Passing through the rich deodar mix forest, the last bit of the climb opens up in a big meadow where you camp for the night.
Day 02: Mulling to Kara (six kilometres; 11,676 ft) in four hours. The walk from Mulling to Kara takes you through boulders and meadows, and in the small hike in between the two, you can see the Kara valley, like a big meadow. There’s a small and beautiful lake in Kara that gives a wonderful reflection of mighty mountain ranges ahead.
Day 03: Kara to Pustring (12,927 ft) in four hours. From Kara, you enter into the left valley. As you gradually climb up, the valley gets narrower but the scenery is sure to win your heart with alpine flowers on the valley floor and waterfalls on the adjoining hills. Today, you camp at foot of the Pass.
Day 04: Pustring to Phaldar via Bhaba Pass (13,776 ft) in seven to eight hours. Today, you get up early in the morning and get ready for the toughest and steepest part of the trek. The walk starts over rocky moraines with no fixed trails. The steep and rocky zig-zag way is home to snow cocks. You can see them appearing suddenly and then vanishing as quickly by camouflaging in the surroundings. Pushing through snowfields and rocky moraines, you reach the top where you can see the contrast nature has created. On the Spiti side, you can see the rugged, brown, barren mountains in contrast to the lush green Spiti valley. Once at the top, you start the descend through a few glaciers and then you again hit the rocky moraines. After walking for another hour, you get into an open valley with chocolate coloured mountains. You have to get down to the river for the camp site. In this stretch, you cross the highest possible point of the trek at 16,000 ft.
Day 05: Phaldar to Mudh Pharka (12,632 ft) in five to six hours. After doing a lot of trekking up and down mountains, you may find this flat walk over small rocks a bit boring but the beautiful scapes around you keep you busy clicking pictures. As you walk ahead, you can see the road across the river that leads from the famous Pin Parvati trek. As you walk through, you see a green patch with lots of Spitian houses — that’s Mudh village that falls on the way on the last day of the walk. This day, you walk all day through the Pin Valley National Park that is home to the elusive snow leopard. In Mudh, you can have a hot water bath at Tara guest house. National parks in India are great, aren’t they?
Tips not to be missed while on a trek to Bhaba Pass:
Keep yourself hydrated and drink at least four litres of water.
Acclimatisation is a must for treks above 3,000 m or 9,800 ft (approx). Give yourself sufficient days before the trek to help acclimatise.
Don’t carry too much equipment. Your day bag should include emergency food, rain gear, torch, a warm jacket, and packed lunch. Hard boiled sweets are great to carry in trek as they release energy to the body slowly. Listen to local advice, especially of the main guide, and walk slowly but steadily. During steep climbs, reduce your speed to a minimum, and pick up speed when on ground level. Walking sticks are a must for all Himalayan treks and add many years to your trekking life taking a lot off your knees. They’re also useful in balancing and for walking in snow.
Start the day early and be by the camp late in the afternoon. Wait at given points for fellow trekkers who are slow, and make a point to meet them by lunch time. Always carry some dry fruits and chocolates for extra energy.
After reaching Mudh, you can also go on a jeep safari towards Kullu via Rohtang Pass to see the beautiful Chandratal Lake.
In the end, I would just like to say that if you have even the slightest of love for trekking, this is one trek that you cannot miss.
By Kshitiz
About the author
Kshitiz loves to travel, read and write. And yes, second love: theatre.
