The state of Himachal Pradesh due to its sheer diversity is one of the most toured states in India. Vast alpine pastures, gorgeous mountain Lakes, thick forest, snow-covered mountains, lush meadows make Himachal Pradesh one of the most beautiful places in the world. Various adventure sports and touristic activities are carried out in the mountains of Himachal Pradesh, with trekking being on the top among them.
There are more than 200 defined trekking trails in Himachal Pradesh, here is a list of the best 5 trekking destinations of Himachal Pradesh
Bhrigu Lake
Considered very sacred, Bhrigu Lake is a high altitude lake in the Kullu Valley of Himachal Pradesh. It is said that Maharishi Bhrigu used to meditate at this lake thus a good number of pilgrims opt for the Bhrigu Lake trek to reach this divine lake at an altitude of 14,000 ft.
Bhrigu Lake is located very near to the junction of the snap-capped range of the mighty Pir Panjal and Dhauladhar range. On the trail of Bhrigu Lake trek, you can witness the mesmerizing peaks of Seven Sisters and Deo Tibba, enchanting green lush meadows and ranges of Pir Panjal. It’s a moderate to difficult trek with a trekking distance of 26 km.
Hampta Pass
Hampta pass is a small corridor between Lahaul Chandra valley and the Kullu Valley of Himachal Pradesh. Lying at an elevation of 140309 ft on the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas.
The Hampta Pass trail expands over fast-flowing rivers, high altitude grasslands, challenging terrain, waterfalls, open meadows, rhododendron forest and some tiny lakes making this trek a once in a lifetime experience.
Starting from Jobri base camp (19km away from Manali), the distance of the Hampta Pass trek is 26 km which can easily be covered in 4 to 5 days.
Malana Village
Malana village is an ancient Indian village isolated from the rest of the world lying at an altitude of 10,000 ft, on the side value of Parvati Valley very close to Kullu Valley, Himachal Pradesh.
It is a village which is very interesting in terms of its culture, history and democracy . The village grows one of the finest weeds in India. Malana cream is their main product which is made from a strain of cannabis Hashish. The residents of Malana village are very reserved and have their own rules and regulations that are expected to be followed by everyone.
The Trek to Malana village lasts for about 3 to 4 days, starting from Manali taking you through Nagger, Ghoni Karadi, Chandrakhani Pass and then to Malana. It is a moderate one on the difficulty level and the best time to do this track is from mid-April to October.
Prashar Lake
Like many other high altitude lakes of Himachal Pradesh, Prasar lake is also considered very sacred by the locals.The Prashar lake is surrounded by Dauladhar ranges in Kullu valley. Prashar Lake trek could be your best weekend trek as it takes only two days to complete it, to reach the maximum elevation of 8,900 ft.
It is an easy to moderate trek where you cover the distance of around 7.5 km and you can go through any of the two routes one via Baggi village and the other from the Jabalpur village, both following a spellbound trail through forests, some villages, several rivulets and blesses your eyes with outstanding views of Triund, Dhauladhar ranges, Matterhorn, Mukar Beh, Man Hill, Hanuman Tibba, Friendship peak and so on.
There is also a local temple dedicated to Prasar Rishi around the Lake. Prashar Lake trek can be done any time around the year but November to December is the best time for this trek as the whole surrounding will be covered with white snow.
Kheerganga
Kheerganga (Khir Ganga) is located at the end of Parvati valley ( Kullu Valley) at an altitude of 2950m. Apart from its panoramic skies, vast greenery, serene waterfalls the best thing about Kheerganga is that it is a spiritual site as it has a temple and hot water spring. The water of these hot springs is milky white. The temple is considered very sacred and Kheerganga is considered as the ‘abode of Lord shiva’ (by the locals).
On the difficulty scale, Kheerganga trek is ranked as an easy one, thus is best suited for beginners. The total trekking distance is approximately 26 km (both sides) and can be covered in about 4-6 hours. The trek starts from Barshaini and terminates at the divine Kheerganga, the distance between these two is 13-15 km (depends upon the route chosen). While trekking you cross villages (tosh,kalga ), several cafes, and small restaurants where you can relax and have some basic food. The summer or autumn season is the best time for the Kheerganga trek.
