Latest Updates from Rain-ridden Himachal Pradesh: Here’s What to Expect 

August 3rd, 2024: It has been raining heavily in Himachal Pradesh for 3-4 days. There have been separate incidents of cloudbursts in different regions of Himachal. As of this afternoon, August 1st, the rain has started to clear a bit, but could be back over the next few days. 

While it is not abnormal for it to rain in monsoon, there are certain repercussions of it: 

• Rivers start overflowing, which means that treks with river crossings and river-side camps become difficult to complete. 
• More than the trekking trails, it is the connecting roads that get obstructed, especially between Mandi-Kullu-Manali-Palchan. Multiple landslides and rockfalls usually block roads and take time to clear out, causing traffic-build ups. 
• Himachal has multiple bridges, across small and big rivers. Many of these get damaged with over-flowing rivers, blocking off large areas from access. 

Keeping this in mind, we're sharing this post to give you an update on our Himachal treks. We'll do this trek-by-trek, so that we cover all the treks that are currently running and scheduled to run.

1. Hampta Pass: 

The Hampta Pass trek is going to run as scheduled, but with a small change in the campsite. We will not be camping at Balu Ka Gera. The campsite, which is situated within a river delta is flooded and not safe for camping. Our team is currently identifying a safer campsite.

2. Beas Kund: 

While the Beas Kund trek has been running smoothly so far, our past experience tells us that it is unsafe to trek beside the river or camp beside the river in this weather. This is why we are taking a pre-emptive call and diverting the Beas Kund trek of August 3rd to Bhrigu Lake. 

For the next group of Beas Kund, leaving on August 10th, we will take a call within the next three days based on how the weather turns out. 

3. Bhrigu Lake: 

The Bhrigu Lake, largely unaffected by rains, is continuing as scheduled.

4. Miyar Valley: 

The Miyar Valley trail is largely safe from rains, given that it is in the rain-shadow region of Lahaul. However, the road between Udaipur and Manali (which is the road that the Miyar Valley trekkers take) is susceptible to obstructions.

The next week’s groups will be able to carry on as scheduled, unless heavy rain obstructs the road/bridge again. In such cases, our team is ready with an alternative plan for crossing the section.

5. Pin Bhaba Pass: 

The Pin Bhaba Pass too, has not faced much challenge in last week's rains. Trekkers are carrying on as scheduled.

6. Chandrakhani Pass:

There is news of the Malana Dam flooding because of the cloudburst in the region. However, on our itinerary of Chandrakhani Pass, we do not cross the pass and get down to Malana. We climb up to a vantage point beyond the pass and return from the same route. 

This is because in monsoon, the Malana side of the trail gets very tricky to cross with slushy trails and steep descents. It is also susceptible to weather-related disruptions. 

So with our current itinerary, the Chandrakhani Pass is running smoothly. It is among the other safest treks to do in monsoon, given that there are no streams / rivers on the trek.

7. Bijli Mahadev: 

The Bijli Mahadev trek is running safely as of now. Our next group is on August 12th, and we expect the rains to have subsided by then. 

What to expect over the next week: 

1. Given it is the peak monsoon season, it is likely to continue raining over the next ten days. Trekkers must be prepared with rain wear. We would highly recommend using waterproof socks, and carrying good rain wear for your treks. 
2. Please plan your travel with a buffer day. In case you have to remain stationed at a camp due to the weather, it’s better to have an extra day in hand. 
3. Please be mentally prepared for last-minute changes in itinerary or trek. This is normal for a Himalayan trek, especially in the Himalayas, where the weather or govt. Orders can disrupt your trek. You must be mentally prepared for it. (Go through our policy here) to understand what we do in such cases.
4. While regular rain does not cause obstructions, it is sudden cloudbursts that cause the largest damage to trails, roads and bridges. If that happens, we will try to make small changes to your itinerary to accommodate your trek. 
5. In case the government feels it is unsafe to permit treks for a certain period of time, we will change our plans and inform you immediately. 
6. If we find that the circumstances are unsafe for trekkers, we will call off treks, keeping safety as a priority.