Chandranahan Lake Trek

A trek to the true source of river Pabbar

A Trek to the True Source of River Pabbar

Chandranahan Lake Videos

Watch these videos to prepare well for your trek

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. 

Expert Speak

Arjun Majumdar, Founder, CEO

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.

5 Reasons Why Indiahikes

We are India’s safest trekking organisation

When we brought out new trails in Indian trekking, safety came with us. Back in 2012, we were the first to introduce microspikes, and two years later, pulse oximeters became standard thanks to us. Nobody does safe treks like Indiahikes. In the mountains, emergencies don't care who you're with – everyone knows that when trouble hits, you look for the yellow tents of Indiahikes.

We are pioneers of treks in India

We are pioneers in trekking. Since 2007, we have brought out treks that have become India's most famous treks: Roopkund, Rupin Pass, Buran Ghati, Kedarkantha, Kashmir Great Lakes, Tarsar Marsar, Brahmatal, Phulara Ridge—the list goes on. In 2023 alone, we brought out five new treks in Indian trekking. We know treks better than anyone. This comes directly from the reason why Indiahikes was born: to bring out trek information and enable trekkers to trek on their own.

We are India’s largest trekking organisation

More than 25,000 people trek with us every year. We are the largest trekking organisation in India. 24% of our trekkers come back to trek with us every year. Over 4,000 students from the top educational institutions trek with us every year. Aside from this, families with children choose to trek with Indiahikes knowing that our treks are the safest. We have taken over 8000 children trekking so far, and the number continues to grow.

Our treks are transformative

We focus on designing transformative experiences. Our trek leaders conduct thought-provoking exercises that help you reflect and contemplate. This impact stays with you for a long time. Trekkers return feeling energised, more confident, or developing abilities to deal with difficulties. Many have changed careers, rethought their core values, become more humble, shown gratitude to others, or started a new fitness journey.

We are India's most sustainable trekking organisation

Since 2012, we have pioneered sustainable practices that have become standard in trekking. Using eco-bags, our trekkers have cleared over 120 tonnes of litter from the mountains. We do not carry packaged foods; instead, we serve freshly made food. We do not light campfires; we carry coal to light angethis to keep you warm. Our bio-toilets not only keep our toilets odour-free but also enrich the soil. When you trek with us, you leave mountains better.

Indiahikes Features

You’re guarded with our trek again philosophy

If you are unable to complete a trek, or if you love a trek, you can repeat it with us anytime. You don’t have to pay us for it. See our thoughts behind this here.

Get expert guidance even before you start the trek

Get personalised support from our expert Experience Coordinators. From registration to departure, they'll prepare you every step of the way.

Join any group, they are all women-friendly groups 

With around 30% of our trekkers being women, all women, including those travelling solo are comfortable to join any of our groups.

Meet like-minded trekkers

Indiahikes carries with it a strong spirit of trekking, one that comes with fitness, minimalism, mindfulness and a deep love for nature.

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.

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