Often mistaken for the slightly more challenging Hampta Pass trek, the Hampta Circle trek is a short yet equally beautiful trek that traces a more unexplored trail. You get stunning views of the lofty Bara Bhangal, Dhauladhar, and Pir Panjal Ranges even without the difficult climb to Hampta Pass. Placed in the Kullu region of Himachal Pradesh, the trek plunges into the beautiful forests of pine, oak and deodar, lush meadows and through some of the most beautiful mountain villages. The trail begins from Jagatsukh and ends at Prini village. This 4 days trek is enjoyed best when done during the months of May and June when a blanket of pristine snow shrouds the trails. If you're unable to spare the required days for the Hampta Pass trek, or just wish to dip your toes into Himalayan trekking, you should seriously consider the Hampta Circle trek.
Trip Highlights
An easy alternative to the slightly challenging Hampta Pass trek.
The trek lets you experience the beauty of the Hampta Pass
trek through offbeat trails and
a relatively easier gradient.
Mesmerizing views of Hanuman Tibba, along with Dhauladhar,
Bara Bhangal, and Pir
Panjal Ranges.
Makes for a great weekend trek, too!
Itinerary Details
Drive to Jagatsukh from Manali in the morning. The village is known for its beautiful apple orchards. We start trekking post breakfast. The trek takes us through Bhanara village within a half-hour, and this ascent includes a great number of steps to climb. A canopy of apple trees can line our trail now, and we continue past the village and into a lovely pine forest through yet another bunch of stairs. Takshak Nag Mandir is a beautiful Shiva Temple that falls en route our trek today. We resume trekking after a short halt here. The trail soon opens up into a beautiful clearing which is our campsite for the night.
Day two of the trek is relatively moderate but equally thrilling. We continue further into the heart of the forest until the tree line is left behind and a sweeping meadow pops up. A few minutes into the trail and the majestic Hanuman Tibba rises to greet you. We also come across some temporary Gujjar huts, from where the path climbs uphill to Saraha Baggi. Behold the wonder of the city unfolding before your eyes in entirety, while distant Himalayan peaks watch over you. Explore around the site to your heart’s content. This is our campsite for the night.
We leave behind one beautiful campsite and make for another. The trail unfurls over a lush green path, crisscrossed by a variety of bright yellow flowers. After an hour, we reach a gushing waterfall, from where the trail climbs into a dense forest. The trail near the waterfall must be traversed with caution, as it is narrow and likely to be slippery and muddy. The trail maybe, depending on the season, laden with crisp chestnuts or a fine carpet of snow. And if you though Saraha Baggi was beautiful, today’s campsite will leave you stunned! The trail soon leads to Sarotu, the most beautiful campsite of our trek. Guarded by massive Himalayan neighbors, you can see numerous shepherds with their flock nearby. The beauty of this campsite is overwhelming. Camp at Sarotu for the night.
Despite being the shortest day of the trek, the descent may exhaust your knees. Maintain a steady pace while descending, making sure you don’t put a lot of pressure on your knees. Trek past Sarotu hills, and cross a gurgling stream to arrive at the Jobra Dam, from where the Hampta Pass trek begins. This officially marks the end of your trek. Freshen up and rest a little at Jobra, then drive back to Manali.
How To Reach
The Pickup point and Drop Point will be Jagatsukh. We can arrange a cab for you from the bus station in Manali, the charges for the same are not included in the package. The cost of the cab can be shared among the trekkers joining the trek. For communications purposes, we will create a Whatsapp Group before the departure date of the trek and will share the details regarding the transportation. The drop at Bus Stand after the trek will be arranged in a similar way.
How to Reach Hampta Circle Trek Base Camp (Jagatsukh, Manali)
By Air
To reach Patalsu Peak, the nearest airport is in Bhuntar which is 11km from Kullu and 52
km from Manali. You can take a taxi from Bhuntar to Manali which will cost approximately
Rs, 1000/-. The airlines that you can take are Indian Airlines, Kingfisher Airlines,
Jagson Airlines operating flights from Delhi as well as Chandigarh. To reach Manali by
air, you need to have a connecting flight via Delhi or Chandigarh. Delhi or Chandigarh is
well connected to major airports across the country. You can check your flight in the
following links: 1. https://www.google.com/flights 2. https://www.makemytrip.com/flights/
By Road
To reach Patalsu trek by road, you can take an overnight bus from Delhi to Manali or
Chandigarh to Manali. Manali is well connected to cities by road. The roads are in good
condition but there are sudden landslides in the monsoon season. The bus from Delhi to
Manali can take up to 14 hours and from Chandigarh to Manali is 9 hours at least. Tickets
are available online on Redbus.in, Goibibo.in or Hrtc.gov.in. You can pay online for the
bus tickets. You should always take the Himsuta bus from HRTC as they are the most
comfortable government buses on this route. You can also book private buses but sometimes
sudden hiccups come with them. The last government bus leaves at 11:15 pm at night and
starts from ISBT Kashmere Gate. Plan your onward journeys only post noon giving enough
buffer for bus delays.
By Train
We do not recommend you travel by train as the closest railway station, Jogindernagar is 5
hours away which you will again have to cover by bus or cab.
Inclusions
- To and Fro economy class air trave
- Travel by comfortable A/c or Non A/c coach / Vehicle as per the tour itinerary
- Entrance fees of all sightseeing places to be visited from inside
- Accommodation in comfortable and convenient hotels
- All Meals – Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (set menu) as mentioned in the itinerary
- All Tips – Guide, Driver & Restaurants
Exclusions
- Govt Tax of 5.00% over and above the Tour Cost mentioned
- Any applicable new taxes from Government
- Any upgradation in Airline class or hotel room category
- Any extra expense such as route change, Airline change, Date change, Accommodation facilities, etc incurred due to the unforeseen, unavoidable forced majeure circumstances during the tour
- Porterage (coolie charges), laundry, telephone charges, shopping, wines & alcoholic beverages, mineral water, items of personal nature and food or drink which is not part of a set group menu
- Any extra cost incurred on behalf of an individual due to illness, accident, hospitalisation, or any personal emergency