Chandrakhani Pass Trek

Himachal's Classic Pass Climb for Beginners

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TREK DIFFICULTY

Easy-Moderate

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TREK DURATION

5 days

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HIGHEST ALTITUDE

12,185 ft

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TOTAL TREK DISTANCE

26 kms

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BASECAMP

Manali (Sarsai)

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ACCOMMODATION TYPE

Tents

Himachal's Classic Pass Climb for Beginners

Trekking in Himachal is all about the big mountain passes. From Pin Bhaba, Rupin, Buran, Borasu to Kugti and Hampta, the list is endless. But most of them are arduous treks, demanding prior experience. Hampta is easier but comes with tricky sections and multiple river crossings.

This is where the Chandrakhani Pass Trek stands out. It is a classic high-altitude pass in Himachal. Yet, it is perfect for fit beginners. In fact, it is the only navigable pass linking the Beas and Parvati Valleys—a historic route traveled by shepherds and traders for ages. Chandrakhani even finds mention in travelogues dating back to the 1800s. It was, then, called the Malana Pass.

Our in-house photographers, Jothiranjan and Pritish Bhanushali, trekked to Chandrakhani Pass last year during the monsoon season. Check out this photo gallery to see an unedited account of what they saw!

But, beyond its historical aspects, Chandrakhani Pass is a fantastic trek to do. Immediately as you start your trek from Rumsu, you enter an incredible forest section. From towering pine trees to maples, oaks and eventually rhododendrons, the variety is striking. As you climb higher, the tree line gives way to vast grasslands of the upper Kullu Valley. You begin to see the snow-capped peaks of Pir Panjal and Dhauladhar ranges. Camping on clearings amidst these forests and on the meadows of Chaklani is an experience of a lifetime. And then, ahead of Chaklani, a thrilling 2 km ridge walk from Chaklani takes you to the pass.From the ridge, on your left, you see Dhauladhar range. On your right, lies the Pir Panjal range. You see Mt Hanuman Tibba, Friendship Peak, Shikar Beh and Indrasan Peak– the iconic summits of Himachal. 

Chandrakhani Pass - Complete Trek Information

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 Chandrakhani Pass 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.

Chandrakhani Pass Videos

About the Chandrakhani Pass trek
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How to prepare for your trek
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Videos by Indiahikes trekkers
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Videos by other Youtube creators
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Highlights

What We Like About the Chandrakhani Pass Trek

1. The mixed forest trail 

The forests on this trek are out of the world. They are dense. The variety surprises you. 

You enter the forest trail as soon as you are out of the Rumsu village. You trek in the deep dense forest filled with pine, deodar and maple trees. Chirping of birds, scent of wood and rustling of leaves makes you feel like you are in a different world altogether. 

Then as you go higher, the rhododendron trees welcome you. An entire section from Naya Tapru to Chaklani dominated by rhododendron trees is a beautiful trail to trek on. 

As this was not enough, the forests on the other side of the pass are equally beautiful. And a pleasant descent under the tall dense tree cover is exactly what you need after a long summit day!

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A delightful forest section on the very first day of your trek. Picture by Jothiranjan

2. The stunning mountain views

The Chandrakhani Pass trek is known for its mountain views. 

Not just on the summit day, you start witnessing stunning snow-capped mountains from the very first campsite. You see Mt Hanuman Tibba, Friendship Peak, Indrasan Peak and many more. They play hide and seek as you navigate further through the forest section and various clearings. 

On Summit day, when you are walking on the ridge, on your left lies the Dhauladhar range and to the right is the Pir Panjal range that further extends to the Parvathi range. The grandeur of these views is mind-boggling. You may have a hard time deciding which side to look at!

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If there is a trek in Himachal for mountain views, it's the Chandrakhani Pass trek. Picture by Jothiranjan

3. The massive clearings

Chandrakhani Pass is famous for its clearings. With camping banned in the meadows of Uttarakhand, these clearings are the closest experience to camping on wide meadows.

On this trek, you come across four such vast clearings. The biggest one, the upper Naya Tapru clearing is almost 1.5 km wide.

From these clearings, you also get to see a wide expanse of snow peak mountains and villages of Himachal down below.

You might even meet some shepherds quitely going about their day with hundreds of sheep. Do not miss the chance to interact with them and learn about how they live. They are usually very kind and always eager to share local stories. If you are lucky, he might even treat you to a glass of goat's milk.

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4. The huge variety of flowers

There is a reason why this trek is unofficially called Himachal's valley of flowers trek.

Our in house photographer Pritish Bhanushali went on this trek in August on this trek. He was absolutely enthralled by the sheer volume and variety of flowers that he found on the trek.

His team of trekkers experienced cloudy weather due to which they could not experience fantastic mountain views. However, this is what he had to say "I went to Chandrakhani to capture its famous mountain views. Sadly, nature had other plans for us. But I did not have the time to be sad as the absolute greenery and wildflowers that I experienced were unbelievable. I don't know why we are not opening this as some sort of flower bouquet trek!"

To experience such amount of wildflowers, you have to time your trek right. Go during the rainy season, which is July and August.

If by chance you are worried about getting wet, don't be. It has been a common pattern that this region receives rain only in the afternoon and evening. By that time, you will have completed your trek for the day and would be resting at your cozy campsites.

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