The first day of the trek leads through cool forests of giant deodars (Cedar), climbs gently through Manalsu valley with the Manalsu torrent for company. campsite in the lush green meadow of Lamadugh.
The Thamsar of my dreams. The Thamsar that leads to Bada Bhangal. Never judge Thamsar by what I have to say. I dreamt of going to this pass since I was 3 and it took me 25 years before it became a reality. Named probably after one of the lakes on either side of the pass, Thamsar has a romantic appeal paralleled by none.
Leading to a village of 400 people, over a centuries old mule trail, its your pass to bliss, a pass to another land, a land untouched by road. There are some makeshift shops on the way, 2 beautiful lakes on either side of the pass, Pir Panjals, 3 sister peaks above Panhartoo, lush green meadows with fabulous yellow flowers and a few waterfalls.
The first day of the trek leads through cool forests of giant deodars (Cedar), climbs gently through Manalsu valley with the Manalsu torrent for company. campsite in the lush green meadow of Lamadugh.
The trail now begins to ascend steeply through woodlands and meadows. With wild alpine flowers strewn all around. The brilliant shrubs of Rhododendron and Birch pave the way to the pass after which a descent leads to the campsite.
A lovely walk through the lush forest and over the debris of glaciers. A short ascend to the campsite. All around the famous mountain peaks of the Kullu and Lahoul valleys afford an unforgettable evening.
Today the landscape slowly begins to change, as forests and meadows give may to rocky outcrops with patches of snow starring to appear. A rather steep climb through glacial debris and snow, and the top of the pass is reached. Breath taking views envelop the crest of the pass and after a brief stopover, descending through glacier and moraine leads to the campsite on the bank of the sparkling mountain stream.
Now the trail leads down in to the Soony river, via Devi Gote. A small temple constructed by the shepherds (Gaddies) for the protection of the sheep and themselves from the natural catastrophes and the animal. Pay the homage to the Goddess and continue to the campsite.
Leaving this beautiful campsite, the path winds through rocky terrain, soon replaced by meadows again. The trail begins to ascend, a forest begins to appear, the river rushes through spectacular gorges: as soon as crossed via snow bridge or temporary wooden bridge, campsite is reached.
The trail now winds its way down towards the valley floor, after which almost level walk leads to the camp just before the tiny ancient village of Bara Bhangal.
A remote and isolated village open only four or five months in a year. The inhabitants are the legendary Himalayan shepherds (the Gaddies) who lead a nomadic life, leading their vast flocks of sheep and goats in high mountain summer pastures, and in autumn returning back to their isolated existence in the village.
A steady climb to the camp site: the scenery changes there quite dramatically while the air became cooler. The chill of the evening is replaced with the comfortable warmth of a lively campfire.
Today the trail steeply emerges from the rocky and glacial terrain in to the softer landscape. The lakes on both side of the pass offer a spectacular view of Dhauladhar range with mighty Manimahesh Tibba on the north of the pass. Steep descend to the campsite of the Pannihartu.
After breakfast drive to lamu Village and further trek to kwarsi. A footpath is developed and few small wooden bridges are made at few risky spots to ease the trekkers and local people.
The trail goes through the forest of oak and rhododendron. From Billing direct descend to the Bir. As the Billing is well known for the paragliding, the participants from all over the India as well as foreigners use to take part in the competition. On the way extensive view of the lush green Kangra valley are seated and soon the steep descend ends at the tiny Tibetan settlement of Bir. A delightful last day to this most wondrous of the trek through the land of the legendary Gaddis, tough and wiry Himalayan shepherds.On the way visit the Tibetan settlement and the monastery at Bir, Chamunda Devi temple in Palampur. After driving 50 km., reached at Dharamsala.
Transport Options (Delhi – Mcleod ganj – Delhi)
For travel to Mcleod ganj and back one can choose between air, rail & road. For air travel, the closest airport is the Gaggal DHM, also known as Kangra Airport, or Dharamshala Airport and is well connected to Delhi and other parts of the country by Indigo, Alliance Air , Spice Jet.
There are frequent Public Transport buses including Volvos available from Delhi to Mcleodganj that cost about Rs. 1200- 1500 per person. These buses depart from Majnu ka tilla every 30 mins. or so and take about 12 hrs to cover the distance. The same is also applicable on the return journey. A private vehicle could also be arranged for if you require the same.
Weather Details
Summer in Mcleod ganj extends from March to June when the temperature variation is recorded to be ranging between 23°c and 27°c. Mercury sometimes reaches up to 38°c but never goes beyond that. During winters the temperature can drop to -1° and the maximum temperature hardly goes up to 20°c.
Please keep in mind that the above information is not exact and does not account for sudden changes. Whatever the temperatures and conditions rest assured we will be prepared to handle it with ease as we use equipment of very high specifications
The trek is rated as difficult and is recommended for experienced trekkers. It involves long days of walking, high-altitude passes, and remote terrains.
The ideal season is from June to September, when the weather is more stable and the snow has cleared from the passes.
It typically takes around 10 to 12 days, depending on the route, weather, and pace of the group.
Yes, hiring a certified local guide or going with an organized trekking group is strongly recommended, given the remoteness, tough terrain, and lack of marked trails.
The trek crosses two high passes—Kaliheni Pass (~4,724 m) and Thamsar Pass (~4,800 m)—making altitude acclimatization crucial.