Pin Bhaba pass trek

• Altitude:7,465 ft (2,275 m) to 7,900 ft (2,400 m)
• Time taken: 7 hours drive from Shimla,  205 km

Drive to Kafnu, which is about a 7-hour trip from Shimla. Getting to Kafnu is not as tough, despite the fact that it is a tiny village in southern Himachal. The hydroelectric power project on the Bhaba river is what makes it accessible. The river flows through Kafnu village and up to Wangtoo. The hydroelectric project is as close to Kafnu as the river is there. 

Kafnu is well linked by bus, particularly from Karcham, Kalpa, and Recong Peo. There are also buses from Rampur.

The road to Kafnu climbs quickly above the Wangtoo hydropower project, which may be nerve-racking when the bus swings left to right on the narrow dirt road that hangs over  cliffs.

We’ll spend the night in Kafnu in one of the guest houses. It’s essential to relax today in preparation for the journey to Mulling tomorrow.

• Altitude:7,878 ft (2,401 m) to 10,700 ft (3,242 m)
• Altitude difference: 850m/2,800ft
• Time taken:8 hours, 11.3 km
• Trek gradient: Easy walk on motor road for 2.65 km followed by a 4.5 km ascent. Level walk for about 1 km then ascend all the way to Mulling.
• Water sources:We need to carry sufficient water. You will find 2 water sources on the trail to refill your water bottles.

We will drive 11 kilometres today. It will be remembered as one of the most stunning days of Pin Bhaba hiking. The track is magnificent and gorgeous as it runs through a beautiful coniferous forest.

We will begin our journey at Kafnu and prepare for a strenuous day. It’s vital to have a head start because the trek distance and altitude increase, which is 2,759 feet (841 m), and both are difficult. We’ll stroll around 200 metres from the village to see India’s first underground dam, the ‘Bhaba Hydro Project.’ We will next walk for 2.65 kilometres on the motorable road.

About 2 km into this trail, we will head towards a bridge. We will be crossing the bridge to reach the left bank of the Bhaba river. Shortly after that, we will see a narrow path going up from the motorable route.

We’ll go for another 4.4 kilometres along this path. We’ll be surrounded by lush jungle vegetation at this time. Silver birch, pine, and oak trees beautify the environment with their exquisite presence. The lovely sound of birds singing adds to the allure of this location. The convergence of such lovely trees inside a single frame will be one of the most unforgettable moments of this journey. From here, we’ll walk a flat 1 kilometre to a lovely clearing. The ground is cluttered with mud, grass, and tiny stones.

We’ll arrive at a nice campground surrounded by forests around 6.8 kilometres into the hike. This location is known as ‘Champoria,’ and it is located at an elevation of 9,491 feet. We’ll cross the Bhaba River from here. It’s a lot of fun crossing the river on the log bridge to get to the right side of the Bhaba river.

After crossing the bridge, we’ll stroll along the river’s edge until we come to a tributary of the Bhaba. We’ll need to pace ourselves gently from here on out for the ascent. We’ll arrive at Jhandi summit after around 10 kilometres of hiking. This is an excellent place to take some deep breaths. The Mulling hut and campground can be seen from Jhandi summit.

• Altitude: 10,637 ft (3,242 m) to 11,700 ft (3,552 m)
• Altitude difference: 300m/1000ft
• Time taken:4-5 hours, 6 km
• Trek gradient: Gradual ascent for 3.3 km followed by 1.5 km of steep ascent, easing off for the last 1.2 km.
• Water sources: We need to carry sufficient water and will find a water source to refill your water bottle around mid way.

The hike today begins with a moderate rise across rocky terrain. We will arrive to a magnificent meadow and a waterfall to our right around 1.6 kilometres into the journey. From here, it’s a 1.7-kilometer gentle hike to an intriguing topographical feature. You will be able to hear the sound of a river but not see it. This structure is known as a subterranean river because the water runs beneath the ground’s surface. From here, it’s a 1.5-kilometer difficult walk to the summit, where you’ll find a lovely meadow with flower beds.

We will walk for another 1.2 kilometres after passing through the meadow to reach the campground by a water stream, where we will locate a lake within 200 metres of the campsite. When it’s sunny, the lake has magnificent reflections. We’ll pitch our tents and eat lunch at Karah. We’ll have the entire day to recover and prepare for the obstacles that await us.

• Altitude: 11,653 ft (3,552 m) to 13,500 ft (4,107 m)
• Altitude difference: 550m/1800ft.
• Time taken:3-4 hours, 5 km
• Trek gradient: Steep ascent throughout.
• Water sources:We need to carry 2 litres of water from Karah. You might find a couple of streams but these are seasonal.

Today is the shortest day of the walk, with only 4.9 kilometres to go. We’ll gear ourselves for a long ascent. The first goal for the day is to cross a tributary of the Bhaba river. The mountain stream reaches Phutsirang from the left side. We must cross the stream and proceed up the steep slope.

We must take precautions since the ground is a mix of stone and loose mud. Today, the entire route is defined by mountain stream crossings and humps. It is important that you pace yourself appropriately.

We will arrive at a campground for lower Phutsirang around 4.2 kilometres into the trip. From here, we’ll continue climbing for another 700 metres till we reach Phutsirang.

Phustsirang will provide an excellent panoramic view for seeing three magnificent mountain crossings and peaks: Nimish Khango (16,185 feet), Tari Khango (17,318 feet), and Pin Bhaba Pass a.k.a Wang Khango (16,105 feet) and Hansbeshan Peak.

We will setup tents here and have our lunch at campsite.

• Altitude: Mangrungse 4,150m/13,600ft, Bhaba Pass 4,900m/16,100
• Altitude difference: 800m/2,600ft
• Time taken: 10-11 hours, 12 km
• Trek gradient: Steep ascent for close to 3 km to reach the pass. Initial 2 km of steep descent from the pass followed by a river crossing and gradual descent through moraine and scree all the way to the campsite.
• Water sources:We need to carry sufficient water. You will find one water source just before the pass and one right after.

Today, we’ll be climbing steep slopes and navigating high mountain passes that connect the Bhaba and Pin valleys. Trekkers who have scaled a mountain pass will tell you that it is an exhilarating experience on par with summiting. Because you go in with fewer expectations, you get a considerably higher sense of adventure and success than a peak ascent.

The abrupt change in terrain may be seen from the highest point between the mountain valleys. The geographical inconsistencies are prominent in this location. We’ll be leaving the green meadows of Bhaba Valley behind and heading to the brown, chilly desert mountain valleys of Pin. From here, you can also view the Pin River.

The Pin river will be seen around 2 kilometres into the descent. To cross the river and get to the right side, we need to remove our shoes. It’s a gentle decline from here, although it’s plagued with moraine and scree. Pace yourself slowly and take breaks as required. We’ll be able to see the Mangrungse campground below the route around 5 kilometres from the river crossing. The Tiya campground is located across the river from Mangrungse. Tiya is one of the Pin Parvati Pass Trek’s campsites. We’ll make up camp here, eat our packed lunch, and spend the night in our tent.

• Altitude: 13,674 ft (4,168 m) to 12,300 ft (3,744 m)
• Altitude difference: loose 400m/1,300ft
• Time taken: 7 hours, 16.29 km (trek)
• Trek gradient: Moderate – difficult. Initial easy 4 km trail followed by a gradual descent and flat walk through moraine.
• Water sources: We need to carry sufficient water. You can refill your water bottles at a couple of spots from the river and a small stream.

Today, we’ll set off on the lengthy 16 kilometer journey to Mudh. We will leave our campground as soon as possible and ascend the slope from Mangrungse to reach the route, which we will continue walking along. The distance between Mangrungse and Bara Boulder is 4 kilometres, including a gentle slope via moraine from the Bara Boulder campground. This is a nice camping, however the water isn’t clean. At Mangrungse, it’s a good idea to stock up on water bottles. A stream of the Pin River is about 300 metres away from Bara Boulder. We’ll use the log bridge to cross this stream. The walk from Bara boulder is totally level, with red dirt and little red stones dominating.

A 1.5 kilometer level hike from Bara Boulder will lead us to the banks of a mountain creek. To get to a dry, level area of land, cross the creek using the log bridge. The Mudh settlement will be seen from a distance of 5 kilometres. The community is well-known for its pea growing. The sight of the settlement will drive you to push through this final stretch. The Pin River is the final river we’ll cross to get to the settlement. Our is another another thrilling event on this journey. The vista of the suspension bridge dangling over the Pin River is breathtaking.

Crossing the river via the suspension bridge is thrilling. After crossing the river, it’s a short climb to reach the village.

A buffer day will be utilized in case of unfavourable weather to move ahead. We have mentioned the buffer day on day 7 but it can be utilized on any day of the trek as per the requirement. If we are fortunate to have a favourable weather throughout the trek, we won’t be utilizing this buffer day and will be reaching Kaza on Day 7. 

Note: If the the weather condition remains favourable throughout the trek and buffer day is not utilized henceforth the trekker completing the trek in 7 days, the cost of accomodation and fooding for the rest of the stay will be borne by the trekker.

Distance: 200km, 9-11 hours

Today is the day of our departure from Kaza for Manali and then to further respective destinations marking the end of the trek. There are Spiti bus services that travels from Kaza to Manali. You can also book shared cars from Kaza to Manali. You are likely to reach Manali by late evening hence plan your ahead journey accordingly.