Day 1. Manali to Gulaba (drive) and trek to Rola Kholi/2600m/5 hr

Take the Manali-Rohtang Pass road. Drive by Kolang, Palchan, Kothi as you reach Gulaba, base camp of the trek. Gulaba is 22 km from Manali. Once a quiet hamlet, Gulaba is buzzing with tourist in transit to Rohtang Pass. There are few road side dhabas. Do not expect last minute purchase of kitchen provisions here. The trek to Gulaba starts from the 14th scissor bend on the right side of the roadhead. Trek steadily underneath forest cover, passing through open grasslands every now and then. The trail turns steeper after around 20 minutes. Make note of silver oak, cedar and birch trees on the trail here. These are few of the most prominent trees in the Himalayas. There are also a few rivulets that flow by. After around 40 minutes, the trail enters an open meadow where shepherds camp. Observe Mt. Hanuman Tibba towering over the meadow in the background. Below Hanuman Tibba are the Seven Sister peaks seated in Beas Kund Valley. Turn right from the upper ridge of the meadow and head south. The second forested cover begins here. Ahead, there’s a milky white rivulet flowing down the imposing Kolang Valley. This is Kolang Nallah. Walk straight towards it until you are walking along the banks of the stream. You have to cross over to the other side of the nallah. Look for a wooden makeshift bridge to cross over. The bridge is usually washed away during monsoon. If such is the circumstance, look for suitable logs to hop on and get onto the other side. Here, a trail on the right ascends towards a ridge (from south east). As you climb up the ridge, pause to enjoy brilliant views of Manali and Solang Valley. From here, Rola Kholi is around 2 hours away. Rola Kholi is a scenic grazing ground used by local shepherds. Located at the base of Bhrigu Lake, it makes for an ideal camping spot. You water source here is Chor Nallah, which flows across the camping ground.

Day 2. Rola Kholi to Bhrigu Lake and then to Pandu Ropa /3830m/8 hr         

Start early as you have a lot of distance to cover today. You have to trek a height of around 411 m to reach Bhrigu Lake. Trek slowly and steadily to avoid mountain sickness. After about an hour, begin looking for patches of snow on scree. This bit of snow is generally hard ice and could be slippery. So walk over it carefully if you have to. Bhrigu Lake rests between two high-altitude ridges. You’re currently hiking to the first ridge, which is an hour away. The trail slowly turns from green to brown and white. As you reach the ridge, look for an oval glacial lake in the distance. Depending upon the season, the lake is either surrounded by snow or fresh grass, along with a few alpine flowers.

On a clear day, you can catch a stunning panoramic view of Pir Pinjal and Dhauladhar ranges. Also, major peaks, Indrasen, Deo Tibba and Hanuman Tibba stand majestically before you. The lake is normally is enveloped in fog. So finding the route could be tricky. It is always advisable to hire a local guide. After spending time at the lake, head down to Vashisht Valley on the other side. As you proceed, look for the mountain ridge of Vashisht Theli ahead. You have to climb the ridge and get down onto the other side. The initial downhill section is steep and slippery. Descend slowly. The meadow walk is refreshing all the way to rice fields of Pandu Ropa. This is an old Kullu village with several native stories about Sage Bhrigu and the Pandavas. Camp overnight at the fields here.

Days 3. Pandu Ropa to Vashisht/3,000m/5 hr                                                                   

Today’s trek is an easy one. Descend through the forest ridge of Pandu Ropa. Keep inmind that there are many steep downhill sections today.Once you exit the forest ridge, treat yourself to a grand view of Kullu Valley. Below you, there are attractive apple orchards that Kullu Valley is famous for.The village trail from here all the way to Vashisht is well-defined. The trek ends at Vashisht. Once there, you could pamper yourself by bathing in hot springs. Drive from Vashisht to Manali. From Manali, one can take evening Volvo buses to Delhi.

Cost:

Inclusions:

• – All the required trekking equipment
• – Stay in hotels/guest houses/camps
• – Tents/toilet tent/kitchen tent/dining tent
• – Sleeping bag, mattress
• – Certified trekking guide, cook and helper
• – Breakfast/lunch/dinner during trekking
• – Porter or Pony as per requirement
• – First aid kit
• – Taxi/jeep for transport (Manali to Manali)
• – Innerline permits
• – All applicable taxes

Exlusions:

• – Stay in Manali (or anywhere) other than trekking days (hotel/guest house can be booked on request)
• – Any meal other than trekking time
• – Insurance
• – Airfare/rail/bus charges
• – Unexpected expenses as a result of bad weather/landslides/road blockades etc
• – Expenses of personal nature like shopping, tip, donation or anything not mentioned under the head "Inclusions"

• (Remember that you can face extreme weather conditons (rain, snow, extreme cold, direct sunlight) on the mountains, so your preparations should be accordingly. We have a saying on mountains: "Those who carry extra survive extra"
• – Rain coat/poncho, warm jacket, fleece, sweater
• –3/4 pair of cotton socks, innerwear and thermal wear
• – Trekkig shoes, slippers, gloves, hat/cap, trekking pants/trousers
• – Backpack with water proof cover
• – Water bottle
• – Sunglasses/goggle, sunscreen lotion, lip balm
• – Your toothbrush/paste, soaps, oil, cream etc (toiletries)
• – Your prescribed medicines (if any)
• – A copy of your identitiy card
• – Camera with extra batteries (if any) (Please note generally you will find no power source to charge while on trekking/climbing)
• – Mobile phone with powerbank (optional)
• – A torch (optional)
• – Mosquito/insect repellent (optional)

   

  CLICK HERE for survival techniques and detailed checklist/things to carry for trekking, hiking or expedition.