COMPLETE GUIDE FOR SAR PASS TREK
Wanting to start your adventure journey in the field of Himalayan Trekking can be difficult. Tired of going to pubs and bars to spend the weekend and want something more productive and natural to spend your time with. Trekking is just the right thing for you to do as it’ll refresh your mind and body and take you away from the stress and monotonous lifestyle of cities.
There are various treks available in the great Himalayas but only few are open throughout the year and out of them only few come in the category of easy and short treks. Some famous treks available in the Himalayas are Kedarkantha, Brahmatal, Kuari Pass, Hampta Pass, Rupin Pass, Chopta Chandrashila, Bali Pass, Sar Pass and whatnot. Another problem with the majority of these treks is the prior experience you need in the field of trekking as they all come in the category of moderate treks and difficult ones which takes you around 5-8days of trekking in the Himalayan region.
ABOUT SAR PASS TREK
Sar pass trek is a hidden gem in the trekking circle as not many are aware of this offbeat trek. Less popularity of Sar Pass trek makes it even more inviting and attractive for those who are looking for a peaceful and solo trekking experience. The trek is located in the Kasol region of Himachal Pradesh which itself is a very very famous destination among the tourists. B
ut an interesting thing to notice here is even the Kasol is super popular among the tourists and a nearby trek named as Kheerganga Trek is also quite famous within the travellers, Sar Pass trek is still not as popular as them and still has that flavour of newness and raw natural trekking feel to it. This makes it more apt for a surreal trekking experience for beginners and veterans both. The trek comes in the category of easy to moderate trek and can be done without any much experience of trekking in the Himalayan region. The trail is quite easy and offers very little resistance to the trekkers and what is on offer are the majestic views and snow capped mountain peaks.
The complete trek is of around 50km which will be covered in the span of 5 days from base to base. Kasol serves as the base village for the Sar Pass trek. The maximum altitude that
you would be gaining during the trek is 13,780ft which in itself is quite a lot and makes it sound difficult.
WHAT TO SEE in SAR PASS
The best part about the Sar Pass trek is that the trail on this trek offers all kinds of terrains to walk on from forests, meadows, snow covered mountains, quaint villages, steep climb sections and everything that you can ask for.
The views are beautiful and picturesque and worth it for the amount of effort you are putting it in the trek. Although the rewards and views are not as grand and as beautiful as they are in other famous treks , they are still spellbounding. The snow capped mountains, jaw dropping snow views and forest trail makes this trek an ideal trek for the beginners in the trekking circle.
You also have an option to explore the famous town of Kasol where there are so many things to see and do. The cafes of Kasol are so famous with river passing by and picturesque landscape views from every corner of the cafe. The night life of Kasol is also very famous with vibrant colours on the streets and artists from around the world performing live on the streets.
HOW TO REACH SAR PASS
Kasol is the base camp for Sar Pass trek and is very well connected to various metropolitan cities by road and railways. You can take an overnight bus from Delhi and Chandigarh to Kasol with numerous bus operators both private and public transportation available. By railways, the nearest station is Chandigarh from where you can take a Volvo bus or can also take a taxi or a cab to Kasol from there. Shared taxis and cabs are also available from Delhi also on frequent bases. The roads are very well maintained and can easily be ridden by a regular driver.
WHERE TO STAY in SAR PASS
The accommodation options available for the trek are the usual 2-3 sharing tents on the trek and at the base camp that is Kasol you have various options available to choose from. There are options available for everyone whether it be the luxurious ones or the budget ones. From lavish and luxurious hotels to typical trekker hostels, every option is open for the accommodation in Kasol. During the tourists season, it might be difficult to book on spot so come prepared by booking accommodation prior to your travel.
ITINERARY
It’s a 5 day trek which starts from Kasol village.
On your arrival in Kasol you’ll be briefed about the complete tour and then you can set on the trek for day 1. You’ll be covering a distance of 9km on the trek and will be trekking to Grahan Village. The trail passes through lush green dense alpine meadows with pine and rhododendron trees surrounding you.
It’ll take you around 5 hours to reach Grahan.
Next morning you’ll need to leave early for Min Thach which is again 4-5hours of trek. The climb starts descent but gradually becomes steeper. You’ll witness a mesmerizing sunset at the Min Thach camping site.
Next day you’ll trek to Nagaru which is almost 3-4 hours away from Min Thach. The trail gets steeper and slippery because of the snow present there. The views start to open from here as you get a clear view of snow-capped mountains and the quaint village of Manikaran.
The next day will be the most exciting one as you’ll be walking on the Sar Pass ridge to cross over to Biskeri Thach from Nagaru. This is the longest day of trek with 6-7 hours of trek to be done.
5th day is the last of your trek as you’ll reach Kasol via Barshaini village and give a suiting end to this wonderful Sar Pass trek.
Thus, you have reached your destination.
