Chandrabhaga Glaciers Trek
Lahaul and Spiti, Himachal Pradesh
Opens without signal on this phone, with the map file and checklist. Saved for offline →
- Max altitude
- 5,243 m
- Days
- 6 days
- Distance
- 32 km
- Difficulty
- Difficult
The whole trek stays between about 4,880 m and 5,240 m with no lower camp to retreat to; days of 10-11 km cross scree, boulders and moraine ridges, glacial streams must be hopped or waded, and the nearest proper hospital is in Keylong, about three hours' drive from the roadhead.
Photos
On the trail
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Manali → Darcha
1,830 m → 3,350 m
Day 2
Darcha → Darcha (acclimatisation day)
3,350 m → 3,350 m
Day 3
Baralacha La (drive from Darcha) → Lunar Campsite via Paralatse La
4,880 m → 4,950 m → 4,910 m
Day 4
Lunar Campsite → Lunar Campsite (via Chandrabhaga Glaciers viewpoint and Chandra river source)
4,910 m → 4,940 m → 4,910 m
Day 5 · highest point
Lunar Campsite → River Campsite via Kya Tso and Ga Tso
4,910 m → 5,243 m → 4,940 m
Day 6
River Campsite → Baralacha La roadhead (drive to Manali)
4,940 m → 4,880 m
Ups and downs
Altitude profile
Where it is
Map
Trailhead and high point only — not a recorded track. Use it with a proper map.
Weather
Next 5 days on the trail
Live forecast for the trailhead and the high point. Mountain weather changes fast — check again on the morning you start.
Trailhead · Baralacha La
at 4,880 mLoading forecast…
High point · Ga Tso glacial lake
at 5,243 mLoading forecast…
Each day: high / low °C · rain mm and chance · snow cm · wind km/h
Weather data: Open-Meteo.comModel forecast, not an official warning. For alerts follow IMD and the local administration.
Plan the trip
How to reach
- Trailhead
- Baralacha La (nearest town: Darcha)
- Nearest railway
- Joginder Nagar (narrow gauge); Chandigarh for broad gauge
- Nearest airport
- Bhuntar Airport, Kullu
- By road
- Manali to Darcha (about 120 km via Atal Tunnel, Sissu and Keylong); Darcha to Baralacha La (about 50 km on the Manali-Leh highway)
- Drive
- About 6 h from Manali
Plan the trip
Permits and fees
We could not confirm the current permit rules and fees from an official source. Check with the local forest department or tourism office before you go.
Plan the trip
Cost
Self-guided
₹15,000–25,000
With an operator
₹18,950–24,500
Per person, ex-Manali. Guided prices published in 2026: Trekup India ₹18,950 + 5% GST; Indiahikes ₹16,450 plus ₹3,800 for Manali-Darcha-Baralacha La transport (₹20,250) plus GST and optional insurance. Self-guided is an estimate: shared or hired vehicle Manali-Darcha-Baralacha La and back, two homestay nights in Darcha, and a hired local guide, cook and porter or mules, which this remote route needs since there are no villages or shops after Darcha.
Gear
Top picks for this trek
The gear that matters most on this route, chosen from its altitude, season and risks.
Ad · affiliate link
Ad · affiliate link
Ad · affiliate link
Ad · affiliate link
Ad · affiliate link
Ad · affiliate link
Ad · affiliate link
Ad · affiliate link
Store buttons open a search on that store, not a product we picked. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Photos show the kind of item, not a specific product. Affiliate disclosure
Packing checklist
Matched to this trek: altitude, season, days and the risks on the route.
Packed 0 of 35
Nights near 5,243 m can drop close to freezing even in summer. Pack one more warm layer than you think.
Tick each item as it goes in the bag.
Know before you go
Good to know
- Mobile network
- Manali and Darcha are the last places with mobile network; there is no signal and no electricity on the trek.
- Last ATM
- Keylong (last big market before the trek)
- Nearest hospital
- Army healthcare centre at Zing Zing Bar for emergencies; first government hospital at Keylong, about 3 hours from Baralacha La; serious cases go to Manali (5-6 hours).
- Water
- Glacial streams run past the Lunar and River campsites and along most of the route; the water is silty near glaciers, so filter and treat it. Indiahikes notes streams start drying up after mid-October.
Highlights
- Standing at the glacier snout where the Chandra river, the headstream of the Chenab, is born
- Kya Tso and Ga Tso, two turquoise glacial lakes at about 5,100-5,240 m below Mt Yunam
- Close views of crevasses, icefalls and glacier snouts without walking on the glacier itself
- Camping at about 4,900 m at the Lunar Campsite under the conical KR-5 peak
- Vast cold-desert plateaus of Lahaul, in the rain shadow of the Pir Panjal
Risks
- Very high altitude from the first trek day: you drive to about 4,880 m and sleep above 4,900 m every night, so acute mountain sickness is a real risk; groups acclimatise for a day at Darcha first.
- The climb over moraine ridges to Kya Tso and Ga Tso at 5,100-5,240 m is strenuous, on loose boulders and scree.
- Glacial streams are fast and full in July and August from snowmelt and must be crossed with care; some sections early in the season lie on ice.
- Nights fall below freezing; after mid-October water sources dry up and fresh snow can cut the region off.
- There is no mobile signal on the trek and the nearest hospital is in Keylong, so evacuation is slow.
- Lahaul-Spiti's DDMA (June 2026 directive) requires all trekkers to register before starting and check out on return; solo trekking is discouraged and unauthorised trekking can be fined.
Know before you go
Questions
How high does the Chandrabhaga Glaciers trek go?
The highest point is Ga Tso glacial lake at about 17,200 ft (5,243 m). The trek starts at Baralacha La, about 16,000 ft, and every camp is above 16,000 ft.
When is the best time to do the Chandrabhaga Glaciers trek?
Operators run it from late June or July to mid-September or mid-October. Indiahikes recommends late July to mid-October, because Lahaul is in the rain shadow and gets little monsoon rain. Early in the season the lakes are partly frozen; by September they are turquoise. After mid-October snow cuts the area off.
Where does the trek start and how do I get there?
Groups meet in Manali, drive about 120 km through Atal Tunnel and Keylong to Darcha, spend an acclimatisation day there, then drive about 50 km to Baralacha La where the walk begins. The trek ends back at the Baralacha La roadhead with a 6-hour drive to Manali.
Is the Chandrabhaga Glaciers trek difficult?
Operators rate it moderate to difficult. Total walking is about 32 km over four trek days, but at 16,000-17,200 ft with long boulder and moraine sections; Indiahikes asks trekkers to run 5 km in 32 minutes before joining.
Do I need a permit?
Since June 2026 the Lahaul-Spiti District Disaster Management Authority requires every trekker to register with an authorised officer before starting, giving the route, team and emergency contacts, and to report back on return. We found no official fee; guided groups usually handle this. Check with the district administration in Keylong before going.
Is there mobile network on the trek?
No. Manali and Darcha are the last places with network and power for charging. Keylong is the last town with an ATM and shops.
In an emergency
Save these numbers before you lose signal. Tap to call.
- 112All emergenciesIndia’s single emergency number — works in every state
- 108Ambulance
- 1077District disaster control room
You are in
District: Lahaul and SpitiHimachal Pradesh
- Nearest hospital
- Army healthcare centre at Zing Zing Bar for emergencies; first government hospital at Keylong, about 3 hours from Baralacha La; serious cases go to Manali (5-6 hours).
- Last ATM
- Keylong (last big market before the trek)
- Phone network
- Manali and Darcha are the last places with mobile network; there is no signal and no electricity on the trek.
Before you set off
- Tell someone your route and when you will be back.
- Carry a charged phone and a power bank.
- Download an offline map of the route.
- Turn back if the weather turns bad — the mountain will wait.
Questions about Chandrabhaga Glaciers
No questions yet. Ask something and trekkers who have done it can answer.
Share your trek photo with #TreksAndTrails
I trekked this
Did Chandrabhaga Glaciers look different from this page? Tell us what changed and we will check it.
Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Chandrabhaga Glaciers Trek 2027 | A Remote Trail Above 16,000 ft — Indiahikes
- Chandrabhaga Glaciers Trek - Complete Guide — Trekup India
- Chandrabhaga Glacier Trek | Route, Difficulty, Best Time & Tips — Himalaya Shelter
- Trekkers must register before hitting Lahaul-Spiti trails now (25 June 2026) — Newswav (news report on Lahaul-Spiti DDMA directive)
Photos: Tagooty, CC BY-SA 4.0; Timothy Gonsalves, CC BY-SA 4.0
