The Sar Pass is a trek of the Sar lake which is located in the Parvati Valley region of the district Kullu in Himachal Pradesh. It is one of the easiest and most well-explored treks in Himachal Pradesh and India. If you are beginning with trekking and unsure whether to go for a meadowy trail, snowy, rocky, or riverside trek then this is the ultimate trek for you as it has got every type of route covered.
So, if you are looking for a trek that is beginner-friendly and yet, gives you a 360-degree experience of all kinds of terrain then read on for a complete guide of the Sar Pass trek.
Quick glance at Sar Pass Trek
- Located in Himachal Pradesh
- Highest altitude: 4,220m or 13,845ft
- Part of: Pir Panjal Range
- Base Camp: Kasol
- Total trek distance: 40-50 km
- Trek difficulty: Easy to Moderate
- Number of days: 5
- Pricing: 5,000 to 10,000INR
Sar Pass trek is one of the easy ones in Himachal Pradesh. Even children over the age of 10 with good stamina can do it. It is usually completed in a duration of 5 days and 4 nights. Following is a detailed itinerary compiled for your studying.
Detailed Itinerary
Following is the breakdown of roughly how you will be journeying throughout this trek.
Day 1: From Kasol to Grahan village
The first day usually marks the arrival at the Kasol camp with the trekking company you will be hiring. Kasol is a tourist place so it will be bustling with a lot of people. You can get all the requirements among everything else. Pack your bags and leave for Grahan village in a 10 km trek which might take you about 4 to 5 hours. As you move away from the center of Kasol, you will see thick forests. Your trial will run parallel to a canal for a while till you encounter a rocky hill. This path will be steep. After you reach a meadow, you will be able to see makeshift tents where you can find refreshments and snacks. Again, you will have to climb to the top of a hill where you will find Grahan village. At the end of the village are camps and accommodation.
Day 2: Grahan village to Minh Thach village
On day 2, you will leave Grahan and go northwards with a gentle climb. After walking for some time you can see Minh thach (thach is the Himachali word for meadow just like how bugyal is in Uttarakhand). Upon further and steeper climbs into the forests, you will reach a gorgeous meadow. This is the Minh thach. From Grahan, this thach is only about 7 km in distance but for beginners, it is important to take a full day for this hike, so as to acclimatize. Experienced trekkers will take only about a day to reach here and that too from Kasol. You will mostly be camping near a ridgeline. Rest for the night and enjoy a bonfire.
Day 3: Minh Thach to Nagaru
On the third day of the trek, you will be gaining an altitude of 400-500 meters. Be prepared as the trail ahead will most likely be snowy albeit beautiful. So, it is better to start early as the afternoon onwards the snow becomes slippery. 8 km of hiking will take about 5-6 hours but it is important to have little breaks so as to acclimatize to the rising altitude.
The path towards Nagaru will be on a ridge for some time which will be very difficult to cover if there is snow around. Extreme care has to be taken and equipment such as ice axes, trekking poles, and gloves should be used under the care of a guide.
Once you reach the hilltop, you will find a field with exhilarating views. To one side you can look down at the gone by Graham and Minh thach. To one side you will see a mountain range hovering over Parvati valley. Facing the other way you can view Chanderkhani and the valley of the Beas river. Towards the south side is snow. After such a wonderful sightseeing experience, you must retire early as the temperature gets lower and harsher.
Day 4: Nagaru to Sar Pass Trek to Biskeri Thatch
On day 4, you will be trekking to Biskeri Thatch via the star of the trek, that is, the Sar pass. You will have to start early as this is going to be a 14 km long hike which will take you 6 to 8 hours to finish. To reach Sar pass you will have to climb through a snowy ridge up a hill. After a careful and strenuous mountain climb, you will reach the Sar pass. It has been named after a pond there but the pond is frozen throughout the year except during harsh summers.
You will witness a lot of ethereal beauty around with Himalayan mountains and the Tosh valley in sight. After this again you will be climbing upwards till you find a buried rope, with which you will climb even further. Once you reach the top, you will be left agape by the paradisiacal sight in front of you. After taking in the view, get ready for a joyride as you slide down the snowy slope. The slide is pretty safe unless you are being absolutely foolish. You will have to walk but only to slide again twice till you reach a rich meadow of Biskeri thatch. Camp here for the night. There is a water stream beside the camp along with a tap.
Day 5: Biskeri Thatch to Barsheni and return to Kasol
The fifth day is about descending. It will be around 10 km which has to cover in about 4 to 5 hours till Barsheni. The descent starts with a steep slope onto a plot. The plot will lead you to a thick forest. You can cross the forest with the help of your guide. After the forests, you will have to rappel down towards a stream crossing. Once you cross the stream you can see the campsites. To the left is the Pulga village. Through forests and grassland as you trek, you will reach Pulga village once you reach the end of a forest department-owned lumber yard.
Again after crossing a stream, you reach Tulga village from where you will find a bridge to cross the mighty Parvati river. Across the river is the Barshaini village. After resting for a few hours in the village, you will head back to Kasol.
This is one of the easiest and most exciting treks in Himachal Pradesh which has a lot of adventure to offer. So, get going to one of the finest treks while you are at it.
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