Region: Kullu – Malana
Season: June to October
Grade: Moderate
Duration: 7 Days
The trek itself is reasonably easy whilst taking you through some of the most beautiful scenery in the area.
Day 01: Manali to Naggar by jeep, Trek to Muling, 4 hours (2300m)
We’ll leave early in the morning and head straight to Naggar by jeep. We’ll spend a couple of hours looking at the sights of Naggar, including the famous Roerich gallery and the ancient wooden castle. We then start the trek and pass through the lovely village of Rumsu before arriving at our camp on a sheltered plateau.
Day 02: Muling to Chiklani, 4 hours (3300m)
After a relaxing breakfast we head to our next camp at the base of the Chandrakhani Pass. The trail takes us through beautiful pine and oak forests, large areas of rhododendrons and gives us spectacular veiws back into the Kullu Valley and beyond.
Day 03: Chiklani to Nagruni, over Chandrakhani Pass, 5 hours (3300m)
It’s a short distance up to the pass itself (3750m) and there we’ll spend some time taking in the views as the central part of the Great Himalayan Range comes into view. We then take a steady descent into the Malana Valley and the quiet pasture of Nagruni where we’ll camp for the night.
Day 04: Nagruni to Khiksa Thatch, 5 hours (2900m)
Normal trekking routes would head straight down to the village of Malana but the valley itself is full of breathtaking scenery. We’ll head up the valley through ever-changing scenery of beech and alpine fir trees and into the shadow of the mighty Ali Ratna Tibba. This colossal mountain dominates the Malana Valley and provides a stunning backdrop to our camp for the night.
Day 05: Malana Valley Exploration, 4-5 hours
A relaxing but spectacular day. After another leisurely breakfast we’ll trek towards the Malana glacier at the head of the valley. Depending on the time of year, we’ll be able to get close to the snout of the glacier and experience the feeling of being right in the middle of some remote Himalayan terrain. You’ll be surrounded by towering peaks on all sides and and may catch a glimpse of some of the areas amazing wildlife. Snow leopards roam this valley in the autumn and winter but to see one is a very rare treat. We’ll return to our camp at Khiksa Thatch late in the day.
Day 06: Khiksa Thatch to Malana Village, 5 hours (2650m)
We’ll now follow the Malana River down the valley and trek straight to the village of Malana. Due to it’s isolated location, the Malanese were seperated from the rest of the area for a long time. Supposedly descended from Alexander the Great, they have a different look and nature to the rest of the Kullu valley area. They self governed themselves for many years and still to this day they have a strict set of rules in the community that makes their culture stand apart from the rest of the Kullu Valley. We have to be very careful how we behave inside the village and abide by the rules in place. To break a rule could result in a fine of a goat sacrifice to the village God!!!
Day 07: Malana to Manikaran, 1 hour trek, 2 hours jeep (1600m)
It’s a short day to finish off tour trek. We’ll head from the village down towards the river once again and meet up with our transport to Manikaran. As we drive out of the Malana Valley the view behind makes you realise how isolated these people would have been until not that long ago. Manikaran is a small town set on the banks of the Parvati River and is famous for it’s natural hot springs. It’s the perfect place to finish a trek and relax amongst it’s many temples and cafes.
