Itinerary Description
Grade:
Easy
Location:
India
Maximum Altitude:
4875 mts
Duration:
11 Days
One of the most breathtaking and underappreciated areas in the Western Himalayas is the alpine landscape between the Kullu Valley and Dharamshala. One travels on the Bara Bhangal trek from the verdant Kullu valley to the rugged Bara Bhangal range. It comes in the most difficult route beginning from the Kullu Valley is the Bara Bhangal path, which crosses the Dhauladhar mountain to connect the Kullu and Kangra valleys. In order to reach the distant Bara Bhangal hamlet, which is at least two days' walk away from civilization and shut off from the rest of the world for the larger part of the year, one must cross two high-altitude passes, Kalihani Pass at 4725 m and Thamsar Pass at 4875 m. Because of its difficulty, this walk should only be attempted by seasoned hikers. You will pass through lush meadows, flower-filled campsites, flowing rivers, countless waterfalls, moraines and glaciers, glacial lakes, and some of the most breathtaking views along the path. The passes provide breathtaking views of some of the towering peaks in the Himalayan Dhauladhar and Pir Panjal ranges. The pre-monsoon month of June or the post-monsoon months of mid-September and October are the ideal times to do this walk.
Brief Itinerary
Detailed Itinerary
WHAT'S INCLUDED
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
Are you eligible for this adventure?
Annapurna Base Camp Trek takes you to a height of 4,130M and is rated a moderate level trek for its long trekking distances. For its elevation and distances, it is recommended for trekkers with some prior experience in the high-altitudes.
Grade
Easy
Max Altitude
4875 mts
Distance
80 km
WIMRS Level Required
Terrain
Prerequisite Skills
Fitness Benchmark
WIMRS Level Required
WIMRS 3
Annapurna Base Camp Trek is a level 4 adventure on the Bikat Rating Scale.
This makes it mandatory for you to have high-altitude experience of preferably multiple treks marked at level 3 on the WIMRS. The altitude, the terrain, and the nature of the climb demand a certain level of endurance and a need for you to be aware of how your body reacts to the various features of the high-altitude environment.
If you do not know what level of WIMRS trek would suit you best, worry not! Fill out this Form:
We will send you a progression chart to help you comfortably get out of your comfort zone in order to level up and ultimately reach your highest potential in the big, bad world of outdoor adventure.
Packing List
This is a list of essential items for individuals doing the trek with Bikat Adventures. This list contains only those items which the participants are required to bring with them. The list excludes those items which are provided by Bikat Adventures on the trek. We have divided the items into five categories. All the items in the list are essential except for those marked as optional.
🟩 Trekking Gear
- Ruck sack bag with rain cover. Qty -1
- . Day Pack Bag - Recommended for treks with summit day
- Head Torch with spare Batteries. Qty -1
- U V protection sunglasses. Qty -1*
- Water Bottles: 2 bottles of 1 liter each*
🟩 Footwear
- Non-skid, deep treaded, high-ankle with water resistant trekking shoes Qty -1
- Pair of light weight Crocks/Sandals Qty -1
🟩 Clothing
- Quick Dry Warm lower or Track Pants. Qty – 2*
- Full sleeves T-shirts/ Sweatshirts. 1 for every 2 days of trekking
- Pair of thick woolen socks. 1 pair for every two days of trekking
- Thermal Body warmer Upper & Lower. Qty-1
- Undergarments. Qty - 1 for every day of trekking
- Warm jacket closed at wrist & neck .Qty-1
- Full sleeves sweater. Qty -1
- Rain wear (Poncho/ Jacket & Pants) . Qty-1
- Pair of waterproof, warm gloves. Qty-1
- Woolen cap. Qty-1
- Sun shielding Hat. Qty -1
🟩 Toiletries
- Personal toiletries kit (Small Towel, Toilet paper, paper soap, Bar soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, cold cream, etc.)
- Sun screen lotion small pack. Qty -1 (Minimum SPF 30)
- Lip Balm small pack. Qty-1
🟩 Miscellaneous
- Camera (Optional)
- Carry your medicines in plenty in case you have any specific ailment. Consult your doctor before joining the trek.
- Dry fruits, Nuts, Chocolate bars (Optional)
Here are a couple of tutorials on What & How to pack your rucksack for your upcoming trek from our experts:
Note-
- *For long trek please carry one spare sunglass
- *In winter trek please try to carry one hot water bottle
- * For long and winter trek to carry warm pent one pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Bara Bhangal is made only for experienced trekkers who want to test their limits. The challenges faced in the trek should not be underestimated. You should attempt this trek only If you have already done a trek that climbs to 4700-5000 metres. It is recommended not to opt this trek if you cannot get acclimatized in high altitudes. Besides you need to have a strong physical endurance to complete this trek. On TWM Scale Bara Bhangal Trek Difficulty level is 5.
A basic mountaineering course is recommended though not mandatory in case of highly experienced & skilled trekkers. At least 2-3 challenging treks along with 20 ? 25 total trekking days in the Himalayas. Medical fitness certificate from CMO of a recognized hospital.
Jog/Run for 5 Kms in 25-30 mins Or Walk continuously for 10 kms (with 3-4 small breaks) on plain terrain (slight incline is better) and
Hold your breath for 40 seconds and
3 sets of Climbing 30 ? 40 steps in one stretch and
Push Ups ? 10 and
Lunges & Squats ? 15 X 2 sets
How to use an Ice Axe
How to use Climbing boots & Crampons
How to rope up & follow queued climbing/descending
How to self-arrest using an ice axe
Knowledge of Basic First aid
The Bara Bhangal trek offers an opportunity to trek across two high altitudes passes, from the Kullu valley to the Kangra valley. Along the way, you see some of the best views of the Dhauladhar and Pir Panjal ranges and go to Bara Bhangal, a remote and isolated village, at least two days away from civilization. The trail is full of flowers, meadows, meandering rivers, waterfalls, moraines, glaciers, glacial lakes and fantastic views of some of the prominent peaks of the Dhauladhar and Pir Panjal range.
June to September are the best months to undertake the Kalihani Pass Trek.
The base camp for the Bara Bhangal Trek is Manali, which is well connected to Delhi with all kinds of transport (except direct train) and can easily be reached through road or air.
By Road :?The road distance from Delhi to Manali is 536 km. There are overnight HRTC buses and Volvos available from ISBT Kashmere Gate, Delhi for Manali. It is a 14 hour journey by bus. You can book your bus tickets online through hrtchp.com or any other bus services available. You can also hire a private taxi or an outstation cab from Delhi.
By Rail :?To reach by train, take a direct train from Delhi to Pathankot. Some of the trains that run on this route are Delhi-Pathankot Express, Jammu Tawi Express, Delhi-Dhauladhar Express. You can then take a bus from Pathankot to Manali. Or you can take a connecting train to Joginder Nagar from Pathankot which is the nearest station to Manali. There are buses running frequently between Joginder Nagar and Manali.
By Air :?The nearest airport is Bhuntar airport which is located 50 km from Manali. There are taxis available at the airport which will take you to Manali. You can also take local buses that keep running from Bhuntar to Manali at a very regular frequency. Buses are decent and very cheap compared to taxi that can cost you around INR 2000-5000 depending upon the season.
The trek ends at Bir. From Bir, there are multiple options to head back to Delhi and onwards.
By Road:?The road distance from Bir to Delhi is 517 km. There are overnight Volvo buses to Delhi from Baijnath (13 km from Bir) and Dharamshala (70 km from Bir). You can also hire private cabs to Delhi from Bir.
By Air:?The closest airport to Bir is Dharamshala (DHM), 70 kms away. Air India and Spicejet run two flights daily each to Delhi.
By Rail:?The closest railway station from Bir with connectivity to Delhi is Pathankot, 140 km away. There are regular buses to Pathankot from Baijnath, or you can hire a private cab. There is also a toy train to Pathankot from Ahju, 3km from Bir, which is a wonderful experience, though it takes a longer time than any other mode of transport.
Manali and Bir have full coverage for all major networks. There is one point on the first days' trek where it is possible to get BSNL network. Apart from this, there is no connectivity for the entire duration of the trek, except a satellite phone in Bara Bhangal village.
Manali is the gateway to Solang Valley where you can participate in adventure activities like paragliding, and zorbing in the summer months when the snow melts. Visit the ancient Hadimba Devi Temple which has an interesting mythological tale associated with it. Walk through the charming lanes of Old manali. Visit the bazaar to buy some souvenirs. Jogini Fall and Vashisht Temple are other famous attractions in Manali. You can also visit Rohtang pass while you are in Manali. Billing is one of the best paragliding destinations in the world. You can take a tandem ride from Billing to Bir at the end of the trek. There are also a lot of monasteries in and around the Tibetan Colony, where the landing ground is situated.
On trekking days, all the trekkers will be accommodated in twin or triple sharing tents. Along with this, there will be also be a toilet tent and a dining tent installed at every campsite as we roll.
We provide 4 seasons tents by Gipfel for higher altitudes which can easily withstand heavy snowfall and storms. They are spacious enough to accomodate 3 people at once with a vestibule to place the backpacks. Our sleeping bags are made up of Heatseeker Pro synthetic insulation that can provide you comfort in -10 degrees celsius. We also use additional fleece liners to have thermal efficiency even in the extreme temperatures of -17 degrees Celsius. If you carry your own sleeping bag, you will get a cashback reward provided that you inform us as soon as you have booked your trek.
Toilet tents will be provided to you on the trek. These are portable toilets tents where a deep pit will be dug. A shovel will be provided inside the tent to cover the waste after you have made your business. You can take a toilet roll inside. Make sure you dig used toilet paper along with the waste. Though water is recommended in place of toilet paper. Please refrain from using wet wipes as they are non-biodegradable. There will be no facility for bathing on the trek. Go through our blog section for tips on how to maintain personal hygiene on treks.
You will be provided with good quality of gaiters and microspikes from us depending upon the situation of the snow. Our trek leaders will also be carrying ropes and ice axe.
Vegetarian food will be served throughout the trek. The only non-vegetarian item served on our treks are eggs. Our kitchen staff follows a proper menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner which has been designed in order to fulfil the nutritional requirements of the participants. There will be milk, poha, eggs, muesli/corn flakes, bread and butter served for breakfast. Rice or simple roti sabzi will be packed for lunch. In dinner, you will have dal, egg curry or any other vegetarian dish along with rice, roti, and a dessert item. Packed lunch will be provided to you on the days you are trekking. You are requested to carry your own tiffin box and a mug to consume food. The meals consumed on journey and arrival day are not included in our cost.
You can rent following items from us- Trekking Pole, Trekking Shoes, Fleece Jacket, Rucksack.
July and August: 15-10 deg celsius during the day and at night temperatures may drop to 5 deg celsius. Day temperatures in September will be around 7 deg celsius and at night temperatures will vary from 0-2 deg celsius.
Yes there will be snow on the pass.
If you want to offload your rucksack, you will have to make a request for offloading a few days prior the trek through an email so that arrangement can be made in advance. You will be charged per day for offloading your rucksack. In case you decide to offload on the spot, you may have to pay a higher price than usual. However offloading your rucksack is not recommended since it is not a safe practice.
A team of participant will be led by a course certified trek leader and a local guide. All participants are requested to abide by what their leader says. There will also be a team of kitchen staff and porters on the trek. We maintain 1:8 ratio of trek leader and participants. All our trek leaders and staff have a certified training in first-aid and rescue operation.
Manali has reasonable size market but because of immediate departure from Manali last minute purchasing might be difficult. Please do not leave anything for last minute buying.
Yes, it is absolutely safe for solo woman to travel in fix departures. Women on the trek will be sharing tent with each other. In case you are the only woman on the trek, you will be given a separate tent.
Yes, e-certificates will be given at the end of each trek provided that you completed it. It will bear your name, the trek, and the maximum altitude you achieved on the trek.
We have one pick-up point: Main Government Bus Stand in Manali. The dropping point will be at Bir or Dharamshala depending on what you opt for.
Expect to reach Bir or Dharamshala by evening.
ID Proof (Soft Copy to be sent to us in Advance & original to be carried) and Medical Certificate (Soft Copy to be sent to us & original to be carried) are the mandatory documents required for this trek.
Why Wanderin Man?
(SET- Safety, Expertise & Trust )
Safety
- ●Small Group Size in the ratio of 6:1 (participant to leader)
- ●No compromise on safety and sustainability promise
- ●Experienced and Certified Mountaineering Professional Leaders
- ●Region Mapped with Emergency Evacuation Plan
- ●Certified Standard Equipment by UIAA (International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation certification) & other Similar Bodies
- ●Minimized Risk Management Standard Operating Procedure are applied for every Trek and tour
- ●Certified First Aid Support and Doctors* with constant availability of Safety Equipments like Medical Kit, Rescue Kit
- ●Constant communication is aided with the help of Communication Devices
- ●Certified and registered Transporter for transportation purpose
Expertise
- ●Founders of the company have extensive experience of 15 years having organized 8k+ peak expeditions.
- ●Under the umbrella of Wanderin’ Man Adventures 15+ adventure activities Programs have been organized
- ●Founders have mountaineering certifications from the esteemed mountaineering institutes of India.
- ●Team is composed of experienced mountaineers and trek leaders with thorough understanding of norms and procedures.
Trust
- ●Trust has been the hallmark of our company since its inception be it any program on the list.
- ●Special emphasis is laid on the use of standard procedures and equipments as per the mountaineering norms
- ●95% of our clients have availed our service on repeat basis.
- ●Our business has expanded primarily based on the “word of mouth” from our existing clients to new ones
What Our Customers Say
Cancellation Policy
Cash Refund (All events including Friendship Peak Expedition except other Mountaineering Expeditions) - Cash refunds are only available for bookings made without any discounts, such as promotional codes or dynamic discounts. Additionally, cash refunds are not available for shifted batch bookings or if the booking status is "Booked". The amount of the refund will be determined based on the following guidelines:
Cancellations made up to 45 days before the departure date
Cancellations made up to 31 days before the departure date
Cancellations made between 30 and 21 days before the departure date
Cancellations made between 20 and 11 days before the departure date
Cancellations made less than 11 days before the departure date are not eligible for a cash refund.
Similar Adventures
Khopra Ridge Trek
Less popular, less crowded, more beautiful alternative to ABC
- Nepal
- 10 Days
- BRS 4
- 4767 m
Tarsar Marsar Trek
A Shorter and Easier Alternative to the Kashmir Great Lakes Trek
- Kashmir
- 7 Days
- BRS 4
- 4024 m
Hampta Pass Trek
An Enchanting Cross-Over from Manali to Spiti
- Himachal
- 5 Days
- BRS 4
- 4200 m
