Friendship Peak trek

Nestled beautifully in between the Pir Panjal and the Dhauladhar range the Friendship peak is an arena where mesmerizing views of the tallest mountains of the lesser Himalayas take the centre stage. Standing at 5289 M, at the peak you will be up close with the Hanuman Tibba and other neighbours such as Deo Tibba, Seven Sisters, Indrasan, Priyadarshani and other glorious giants, even the mountain ranges in Lahaul would be in sight.

The route to the Friendship peak is a difficult trail perfect for Adrenaline junkies and challenging the seasoned trekkers. The 7-day long journey will unravel the uncharted beauty of the Solang valley Infront of you. Over the 35km of trail we will encounter high altitudes, harsh unpredictable temperatures, icy mountain streams, trails of rocks covered in snow and many more challenges, but the people who attempted this trek say that the thrill of the expedition and the magnificent sights refuels your zeal and excitement.  The trail of trek will take you from beautiful lush green meadows to alpine forests of Oak; you will be trekking through ravines and moraines across glaciers carefully placing your grip on snow covered boulders. This trek will require you to be well equipped as we will be needing to travel through the tough terrain using ice-axes with heavy snow boots.

The best time for the trek would be May to July if you are a snow lover; expect to find a snow covered peak with thick sheets of crème white snow along the way. The other great choice of time will be from September and October; you will be at the heart of mother nature right along side the beautiful birds and unique wildlife all peaking a glance from the bloom of flora and lush green vegetations all around. From tough snowy climbs to beautiful sunsets and sunrises from the base camp the Friendship peak trek is sure to engrave itself deep into your minds as it has with us.

A perfect expedition:

Friendship Peak is regarded as a transition point between hiking and climbing. Despite being classified as a hiking peak by the IMF, it possesses all of the characteristics of an expedition. You can’t cut corners on the peak, no matter how little it is. Along with the arduous ascent and even more difficult terrain, the summit requires you to acquire some rigorous mountaineering methods including rope up, ascending and descending in the snow, using snow boots and crampons, and, obviously physical and mental stamina. While you have to pull your hands out of your gloves and put the metal crampons in sub-zero temperatures for a night climb or while standing on a thin ledge on the side of a hill with a big pack on your shoulders,  , then you get to know the real distinction between a trek and an expedition.

Another feature that makes it feel more like an expedition is indeed the load ferry. Apart from the Summit Day, you can discharge your luggage on all other days. ‘You bring-you-carry’ is the mantra after you’ve arrived at Summit Camp. Each gramme with your backpack on yours back seems like a kilogram at such a high height, with such cold temperatures and strong winds. At the very least, the hills will train you how to pack light and distinguish between necessary and non-essential items.

Sunrise from the Col :

On Summit Day, half way up the continuous vertical ascent on the vast, icy slopes of Friendship Peak, you’re greeted by the most magnificent sight – dawn from the col!

After starting at 12 a.m. with almost no food and little sleep, the sight that greets you at 5 a.m. is guaranteed to suffocate the exhaustion of 5 hours of strenuous climbing and glimmers with high severity in your memory than others.

After a frigid night, its warm ascension right beside you seems like a hug. The splendor of the snowy summits reflecting the crimson sun, as well as the motion of oranges and purples through all distant heights, can outlast memory’s flaws.

The memory of seen glory brightens the remainder of your day. The memory of this observed magnificence makes the whole  journey much easier, and it stays with you long after you’ve left the mountains and returned to the monotony of everyday life. These memories is likely to explode as brightly as hope inside you.

Midnight adventures:

There’s something about getting up right in the middle of the night, get equipped in your gear and line up in the moon light in frigid temperatures. This gives you the sensation of a professional climber and thus all the motivation of being one. Summit Day is a true test of willpower and a stark reminder that a lot may occur in a day. The achievement of reaching the summit comes with bragging rights after a continuous ascent across large icy slopes. The entire trek takes roughly 16 hours of walking to complete in a single day. Don’t be fooled into thinking that ascending this ‘little’ peak is a walk in the park compared to the altitude of the mountain. Navigating the enormous snowy stones and various patterns of the snow in the dead of night is thrilling in and of itself. You’re likely to feel a hint of a halo surrounding you as a result of doing this feat, which is a true test of your mettle.

Trek from Bakarthach to Advanced Base Camp (ABC):

The journey from Bakarthach to ABC is the highest in the globe. The 28-kilometer walk begins at Everest Base Camp (5200m) and ascends across undulating moraine slopes alongside the Rongphu Glacier. It takes an average of 4 days from the moment you arrive at  Bakarthach to the time you climb to the top. However, you’re still toting a 20- to 30-pound backpack loaded with personal items. The process of acclimatization cannot be hastened.

Elite Circle of Neighbours:

Friendship Peak does surely hang  in some powerful circles. It is surrounded by some elite and popular peaks on all side. Surprising views of the Pir Panjal and Dhauladhar ranges can be seen along the way. Beas Kund,Hanuman Tibba,Shitidhar, Indrasan, Deo Tibba are namely those peaks.

Lush green valleys and Forests:

From the very moment you start, you’re immersed in beauty. It’s difficult to believe that the terrain could get any prettier with each step forward, yet it does happen.  Once you arrive in Dhundi, you can actually look and taste the river, which had been choppy for virtually the whole journey from Manali to Dhundi. Strolling alongside the thundering flow of the self-assured Beas river instils a flash of radiance in your demeanor and a spring in your step in and of itself. It has already begun to unpack some of the anticipated surprises not long into the journey.

You can now see the Seven Sisters staring right at you from afar, if you can pull your gaze away from the chilly water swooshing over and all around the helpless stones as it crisscrosses the walkway. It’s understandable that you’d want to sit in silence and watch the grandeur in front of you as it unfolds, but you can be assured that things will only get better from this one. As the walk along this somewhat easy muddy trail gradually becomes a steep climb via tall grass. The path narrows, the slopes steepen, and the winds develop a fresh set of incisors. As you progress up the mountain, you’ll find yourself moving farther and farther away from civilization, listening to a variety of roaring winds and soothing bird chirps – even sometimes deafening silence with the whisper of fallen leaves crunching beneath your feet as you walk. You’ve entered the lovely forest, which is marked by tall ferns, higher shrubs, and the ground strewn with pine needles. It isn’t a challenging climb, but it does have an elasticity to it. It is not a difficult ascent, but it has a supple quality to it — it seems to go on forever because the brain has so much to analyze and store. You are now introduced to open regions with green mountains once you are well above the tree line. From this vantage point, you can see the entire valley beneath. Soak in the vistas, noises, and taste of the wind from this lovely point on the earth.

Hadimba Devi Temple:

The temple is said to be built on the place where Hindu god Hadimba meditated, it  was designed and built by Maharaja Bahadur Singh in 1553 CE . This connection links the location to the Mahabharata era. Hadimba, was born into a rakshasa (demon) household. Hidimba along with her family used to reside in the wilderness near Manali, according to folklore. Her brother Hidimb was killed by Bhim, one of the Pandavas, and eventually she married Bhim.   They had a son named Ghatotkachha, who fought for the Pandavas in the Mahabharata battle. Hidimba is revered as a divinity by the locals. This ancient temple in Manali is surrounded by a deep cedar forest, which is a pleasant surprise in such a touristic area.

Solang Valley:

Solang Valley gets its name from the words Solang  which means near a village and Nallah means water stream. This is a small valley right at the top of the Kullu Valley in Himachal Pradesh, India, famed for it’s own summer as well as winter sports facilities. Parachuting, paragliding, skating, horse riding and zorbing are the most popular sports.

Solang Valley is known for its large lawn slopes, which contribute to its popularity as a ski destination. A few ski academies and rental shops are located here, and they are only open during the winter months. Solang Valley, commonly known as the ‘Snow Valley,’ is at an average elevation of 2,560 metres above sea level, this brilliant valley is among Manali’s most stunning vistas.

Easy Access :

Traveling to the Himalayas from outside of India comes at a significant expense in terms of time and money going to and from the peak. The Friendship Peak climb begins in Manali, a well-known tourist location. Aside from the time spent on the hills, you will begin and end your trek in a location that is well-connected to every large city, reducing the amount of time spent travelling. What’s more, the route puts you off the grid for the entire week but reconnects you at just the appropriate times so you can show your dear ones the most gorgeous aspects of the path. Although there is no network on any of the campsites, there must be network on the rest of the property.

Confirmation policy

• Email on booking@meandmountain.com or WhatsApp on +91-9051055011 the following details: Name of the participant(s), Name of the event, Date of the event, Email address (Note: This is not the Enrolment form) and proceed with the online payment either via the payment link shared via WhatsApp or the payment section on the website.
• Mode of payment: only online
• The participants will receive the Confirmation email and Ticket via email within 48 hours.
• Ater the confirmation, you will need to send the dully filled, signed and scanned forms (Enrolment, Medical & Self-declaration) to booking@meandmountain.com, before commencement of the expedition.
• The forms can be downloaded from the links below or ‘FORMS’ section in the home page.
• It is mandatory for all the participants to submit all 3 forms before the expedition, in absence of which Me and Mountain shall have a full right to deny the entry of that participant to the particular expedition.

Cancellation policy

• Cancellation done any time after the booking of the event shall be adjusted in any event later with ‘Me And Mountain Global Adventures Pvt Ltd’ only via Adjustment voucher. The Adjustment voucher will be valid for 1 year from the date of the event cancelled.
• Refer the section on Cancellation/Refund Policy for the detail cancellation policy.

Discontinuation policy

• In an event of a participant deciding on discontinuing the event mid-way due to any circumstance other than medical condition requiring emergency evacuation, he/she will require to do so by signing the ‘Discontinuation form’ after which he/she is set to go on own. In such situation the participant will neither be eligible for the Refund or the Adjustment voucher.