New Groups Opened to our latest Ranthan Kharak trek in Kumaon
New Groups Opened to our latest Ranthan Kharak trek in Kumaon

Difficulty

Moderate

Duration

6 Days

Highest Altitude

13,900 ft

Age

8 to 55 years

Duration

6 Days

Age

8 to 55 years

Difficulty

Moderate

Highest Altitude

13,900 ft

Chandranahan Lake Videos

Watch these videos to prepare well for your trek

Quick Itinerary

Day 1

Drive from Shimla to Janglik (9,200 ft)

Drive distance: 150 km | Duration: 9-10 hours | Pick up point for Indiahikes trekkers: Hotel Crystal Palace, Shimla

Transport will be organised from Hotel Crystal Palace in Shimla at 7.00 AM. It is a 10-minute walk from the Old Shimla Bus Stand. The cost of cab will be Rs 8,000 per vehicle

Day 2

Trek from Janglik to Dayara 

Trek Distance: 7.5 km | Duration: 5 hours | Altitude gain: 9,200 ft to 11,075 ft

Beautiful first day with the trek through the forests of pine and oak with streams running across the trail. It pops out of the tree line into a vast expanse of meadows climbing into the hills.

Day 3

Trek from Dayara to Litham

Trek Distance: 5.9 km | Duration: 3-4 hours | Altitude gain: 11,075 ft to 11,737 ft

The trail takes you through the meadows, forests of pine, and silver birch to begin with. Behind the pine forests are snow-lined towering cliffs completing a scenery that is perfect in its harmony.

Day 4

Trek to Chandranahan Lake and return to Litham

Trek Distance: 6.9 km | Duration: 4-5 hours | Altitude gain and loss: 11,737 ft to 13,900 ft and back to 11,737 ft

Trek towards the snout of the waterfall from where the stream emerges. The trek is a moderate climb. The closed alpine valley with snow patches all round is a treat. It is a steep descent from the lake to Litham.

Day 5

Trek from Litham to Dayara

Trek Distance: 7.5 km | Duration: 3-4 hours | Altitude gain: 11,737 ft to 11,075 ft

A gradual descent through the meadows or forest section and camping at the beautiful meadows of Dayara Bugyal.

Day

IMPORTANT POINTS

- The stay at Janglik will be in a lodge and the rest of the days during the trek is in tents (3 per tent).

- It is mandatory for trekkers to carry a copy of their photo id along with the mandatory documents of the Medical Certificate and Disclaimer form. This is required for entry at forest check posts during the travel and before the start of the trek.

- There are no facilities to take a photocopy at Janglik. Do not leave this till the end.

- The option of a Cloak Room facility at the base camp for excess luggage is available unlike Buran Ghati since you come back to the same base camp of Janglik.

PRO-TIPS

Onward Journey

We organize transport from the parking lot of Hotel Crystal Palace in Shimla at 7.00 AM sharp. It is a 10-minute walk from the Old Shimla Bus Stand.  Transport to Janglik costs Rs 8,000 per vehicle (shared between 5-6 trekkers)

Return Journey

From Janglik, again we arrange a cab to Shimla. The transport costs Rs 8,000 per vehicle (shared between 5-6 trekkers). The drive is around 8-9 hrs drive. Expected arrival time at Shima 10-11 pm.

Day 1

Drive from Shimla to Janglik (9,200 ft)

Drive distance: 150 km | Duration: 9-10 hours | Pick up point for Indiahikes trekkers: Hotel Crystal Palace, Shimla

Transport will be organised from Hotel Crystal Palace in Shimla at 7.00 AM. It is a 10-minute walk from the Old Shimla Bus Stand. The cost of cab will be Rs 8,000 per vehicle

Day 2

Trek from Janglik to Dayara 

Trek Distance: 7.5 km | Duration: 5 hours | Altitude gain: 9,200 ft to 11,075 ft

Beautiful first day with the trek through the forests of pine and oak with streams running across the trail. It pops out of the tree line into a vast expanse of meadows climbing into the hills.

Day 3

Trek from Dayara to Litham

Trek Distance: 5.9 km | Duration: 3-4 hours | Altitude gain: 11,075 ft to 11,737 ft

The trail takes you through the meadows, forests of pine, and silver birch to begin with. Behind the pine forests are snow-lined towering cliffs completing a scenery that is perfect in its harmony.

Day 4

Trek to Chandranahan Lake and return to Litham

Trek Distance: 6.9 km | Duration: 4-5 hours | Altitude gain and loss: 11,737 ft to 13,900 ft and back to 11,737 ft

Trek towards the snout of the waterfall from where the stream emerges. The trek is a moderate climb. The closed alpine valley with snow patches all round is a treat. It is a steep descent from the lake to Litham.

Day 5

Trek from Litham to Dayara

Trek Distance: 7.5 km | Duration: 3-4 hours | Altitude gain: 11,737 ft to 11,075 ft

A gradual descent through the meadows or forest section and camping at the beautiful meadows of Dayara Bugyal.

Day

IMPORTANT POINTS

- The stay at Janglik will be in a lodge and the rest of the days during the trek is in tents (3 per tent).

- It is mandatory for trekkers to carry a copy of their photo id along with the mandatory documents of the Medical Certificate and Disclaimer form. This is required for entry at forest check posts during the travel and before the start of the trek.

- There are no facilities to take a photocopy at Janglik. Do not leave this till the end.

- The option of a Cloak Room facility at the base camp for excess luggage is available unlike Buran Ghati since you come back to the same base camp of Janglik.

PRO-TIPS

Onward Journey

We organize transport from the parking lot of Hotel Crystal Palace in Shimla at 7.00 AM sharp. It is a 10-minute walk from the Old Shimla Bus Stand.  Transport to Janglik costs Rs 8,000 per vehicle (shared between 5-6 trekkers)

Return Journey

From Janglik, again we arrange a cab to Shimla. The transport costs Rs 8,000 per vehicle (shared between 5-6 trekkers). The drive is around 8-9 hrs drive. Expected arrival time at Shima 10-11 pm.

Campsites at a Glance

At Indiahikes, we are very particular about choosing terrific campsites. For the Chandranahan Lake trek too, after a lot of back and forth, we have settled on these terrific campsites, which trekkers have come to love and have a great experience.

Dayara Campsite, amidst the beautiful Dayara Meadows. PC Gautham Reddy.

View of the Litham campsite with the sun setting at the backdrop. PC VishwajeetChavan

Dhunda campsite, surrounded by snow clad cliffs, appears in the distance. PC: Sandhya UC

Why I Believe Everyone Must Trek: A Note from the Founder

Trekking transforms lives. It has changed my life totally. When I see my colleagues at Indiahikes, all of them have been impacted greatly. The transformations have been profound and irreversible. 

I see it in our trekkers too. I have seen them change professions, careers or start a new life. I have seen them get in and out of relationships, start new projects. These are life-changing experiences. 

I have seen children building resilience. I have seen families come together. When I see those above 55, I see them rediscover passion and a sense of purpose. These are not small gains.

In the mountains new professions, new economies and new businesses have opened up. Our staff no longer go to cities to earn their living. Their income has increased. Above all, they are happiest working in this world. Trekking has been truly transformative.  

Everyone must absolutely trek. It transforms lives far more than you imagine. 

Arjun Majumdar, Founder, CEO

Arjun Majumdar, the Founder of Indiahikes, went on this exploratory trek almost a decade ago. He is a veteran of then trekking community in India and one of the earliest to trek Buran Ghati. He’s an expert when it comes to the trek. Here’s Arjun talking about one of the grandest treks in our country.

What I Like and Don’t Like About Chandranahan Lake Trek

What I Like About Chandranahan Lake Trek

Arjun Majumdar, Founder, CEO

Arjun Majumdar, the Founder of Indiahikes, went on this exploratory trek almost a decade ago. He is a veteran of then trekking community in India and one of the earliest to trek Buran Ghati. He’s an expert when it comes to the trek. Here’s Arjun talking about one of the grandest treks in our country.

1. First, the Chandranahan Lake

The Chandranahan Lake is a small lake fed by several springs and melting snow. It is the true source of the Pabbar River, beside which you trek throughout this journey. The lake is in an alpine zone, around the 14,000 feet — the altitude makes it a whole different adventure. The lake is in a kind of a bowl flanked by high snow peaks. Trekking to the lake feels like almost being part of a big climbing expedition.

Reaching the lake is quite an adventure — something trekkers love. From your final camp at Litham, you climb up the towering Pabbar water falls to get to its snout. At the snout you can even watch the river falling down from under your feet. For most trekkers this is one of the high moments of the trek.

From the snout, you cross five other alpine lakes (smallish lakes) to get to the final Chandranahan lake, deep inside the alpine valley. The trek takes about two hours from the snout, but every step is like an expedition. In most seasons expect snow patches to be around you.

2. Second, the mind blowing meadows of Dayara

Dayara meadows is no ordinary meadows in trekking circles. In our experience, it is one of the most beautiful meadows that we have come across.

Camping in these meadows is pure privilege. Starting your trek from Janglik, the Dayara meadows pop out at you almost out of nowhere! There’s a point on the trek that we call the “wow point”,  where you exit the forests and suddenly see the meadows! It’s a moment to remember.

3. Third, the forests from Janglik to Dayara

The trail to Chandranahan from the very beginning is luxuriant with coniferous forests. These forests are resplendent with pines and oaks.

They are deep and dark — they give you a sense of calmness, and at the same time, a sense of adventure. For most city-bred people, this is a true experience of the outdoors. Here is where they become one with nature, and understand the pleasures and learning that come with the outdoors.

What I don't Like About the Chandranahan Lake Trek

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Know Your Trek

We have always wanted trekkers to be well-informed before they go on a Himalayan trek. Knowledge is the difference between a safe trek and a dangerous one. It’s also the difference between a wholesome experience and a superficial experience.

Use this section to learn about the Chandranahan Lake trek. It has in-depth information about each day of the trek, what to expect, and how you need to prepare for it. Many years of expertise have gone into this content. Trekkers find that extremely useful.

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PRO TIPS

Available Dates

Trek Trivia

Things Nobody Tells You About Chandranahan Lake Trek

The Mysterious Lake of Chandranahan

According to the locals, Chandranahan has seven lakes. However, what is interesting about this, is that there are a lot of mysteries surrounding the seventh lake on the top. The reason for this is its unreachability. Very few people from Janglik village have been able to climb up there. Sitting at approximately 17,000 feet, the lake poses a difficult trek even to the locals. But it is definitely one of the hidden jewels of the entire Buran valley. The alpine lake shows beautiful colours when surrounded by snow. 

Not only is this one of the few treks which has a trail alongside a river, but you actually get to see the glacier where the water originates from.

The Barren Mountain Range

When you start moving from Dayara to Litham, on the right side you see a range of mountains. These are mostly barren with the rock face opened up. On these barren rocks, a lot of vulture nestings can be spotted. So make sure to take a pair of binoculars on this trek!

When the sun rises on the opposite side of these barren mountains, and when it is on the horizon, it turns the barren mountains red with its glow.

Leaving Mountains Better

Green Trails is our promise to leave the mountains better. We have removed over 1 lakh kilos of waste left behind by others on trekking trails. Yet this is a small percentage of what we do. Green Trails dives into reducing use of resources, reducing our carbon footprint and bringing about a change in the daily practices of our trekkers too.