Kareri Lake Trek
Kangra, Himachal Pradesh
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- Max altitude
- 2,934 m
- Days
- 3 days
- Distance
- 26 km
- Difficulty
- Moderate
No technical sections, but the trail climbs about 1,100 m on long flights of steep stone steps and boulder ground beside the Nyund stream, and the lake day is about 14 km out and back from Reoti.
Photos
On the trail
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Dharamshala (drive to Kareri Village) → Reoti campsite
1,475 m → 2,450 m
Day 2 · highest point
Reoti campsite → Reoti campsite (via Kareri Lake)
2,450 m → 2,934 m → 2,450 m
Day 3
Reoti campsite → Kareri Village (drive to Dharamshala)
2,450 m → 1,800 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 · Kareri Village
at 1,475 mLoading forecast…
High point · Kareri Lake
at 2,934 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
- Kareri Village (nearest town: Dharamshala)
- Nearest railway
- Pathankot (about 85 km from Dharamshala); Kangra Mandir is closer but few major trains stop there
- Nearest airport
- Gaggal (Kangra) Airport, about 13-15 km from Dharamshala
- By road
- Dharamshala (about 25 km to Kareri Village via Ghera; local buses run to Ghera, taxis go on to Kareri Village); Delhi (about 500 km to Dharamshala, roughly 13 hours by overnight bus)
- Drive
- About 13 h from Delhi
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
₹1,000–3,000
With an operator
₹1,500–5,800
Per person, ex-Dharamshala. Guided prices published October 2026: Trekkers of India ₹1,500 (2 days), Himtrek from ₹1,799 (2 days), Himalayan Hikers ₹4,500 + 5% GST (3 days, Dharamshala bus stand pickup), Trekup India ₹5,500 + 5% GST (3 days); Bikat Adventures quotes on request. Self-guided is an estimate: a shared taxi from Dharamshala to Kareri Village (Indiahikes quotes ₹800-1,000 one way for a group), tent or sleeping-bag hire and meals at the trail shacks, plus any forest entry fee collected locally.
Gear
Top picks for this trek
The gear that matters most on this route, chosen from its altitude, season and risks.
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Packing checklist
Matched to this trek: altitude, season, days and the risks on the route.
Packed 0 of 27
Monsoon months (Jun, Sep): pack everything in plastic or a dry bag and wear shoes with good grip.
Tick each item as it goes in the bag.
Know before you go
Good to know
- Mobile network
- Jio and Airtel work in Kareri Village; signal is patchy to absent on most of the trail and at the lake (Bikat reports only sparse BSNL on the trail).
- Last ATM
- Dharamshala; there is no ATM in Kareri Village
- Nearest hospital
- Zonal Hospital, Dharamshala for first care; Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda (Kangra) for serious cases
- Water
- Springs and the Nyund stream along most of the trail, and a waterfall on day 1 for refills. Boil or treat all water; the lake itself is marked not drinkable on OpenStreetMap.
Highlights
- A shallow, clear glacial lake at about 2,934 m under the main wall of the Dhauladhar, with the trail to Minkiani Pass in view
- A small temple of Bhagwan Shiv and Shakti on the hilltop overlooking the lake
- Pine, oak and rhododendron forest giving way to boulder grassland along the Nyund stream, with Gaddi shepherd huts on the way
- Camping by the stream at Reoti, with tea and simple meals at the trail shacks in season
- In winter the lake freezes (early December to March-April) and the upper trail is under snow
Risks
- Kangra district has issued winter orders (December 2024 and January 2026) that make prior permission from the SP Kangra mandatory for the Kareri route, ban trekking above 3,000 m, and cancel all permissions automatically on any Meteorological Department alert. Check the current order with the SP office or District Tourism Officer before a winter trek.
- July-August monsoon rain makes the stone steps slippery and swells the stream crossings; Himalayan Hikers advises against trekking then.
- In winter the trail above Reoti is snow-covered, temperatures drop below freezing and heavy snowfall can block access to the lake; recommended only for experienced trekkers with a guide and snow gear.
- Independent trekkers report the trail has several side branches; hire a local guide if you are not sure of the route.
Know before you go
Questions
How difficult is the Kareri Lake trek?
Operators rate it easy to easy-moderate and suitable for beginners; Indiahikes calls it moderate. There is no technical climbing, but the path climbs steadily on steep stone steps and boulder ground from about 1,800 m at Kareri Village to about 2,934 m at the lake.
How long is the trek and how many days does it take?
About 26 km round trip from Kareri Village (about 13 km each way). Most groups take 3 days with two nights at Reoti; fit trekkers do it in 2 days with one night at Reoti or by the lake.
When is the best time to visit Kareri Lake?
April to June and September to November. July and August bring heavy monsoon rain. From December to March the lake is frozen and the trail is snowbound; winter treks are run, but Kangra district has required SP permission for the route in recent winters.
Do I need a permit for the Kareri Lake trek?
Trekup India says you register at the forest checkpoint at Kareri Village and pay an entry fee, and operators include forest permits in their packages. We could not find the fee on an official site, so confirm it locally. In winter, Kangra district orders have made prior permission from the SP Kangra mandatory for this route.
Can I do the Kareri Lake trek without a guide?
Yes. Bikat Adventures and Indiahikes describe it as a beginner-friendly DIY trail with campsites and food shacks on the way. Himalayan Hikers advises a local guide for independent trekkers because of side branches on the trail.
How do I reach Kareri Village?
Kareri Village is about 25 km from Dharamshala via Ghera. Local buses run from Dharamshala to Ghera from about 8 am, from where it is a walk of about 2 hours; a taxi from Dharamshala bus stand goes all the way to Kareri Village.
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: KangraHimachal Pradesh
- Nearest hospital
- Zonal Hospital, Dharamshala for first care; Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda (Kangra) for serious cases
- Last ATM
- Dharamshala; there is no ATM in Kareri Village
- Phone network
- Jio and Airtel work in Kareri Village; signal is patchy to absent on most of the trail and at the lake (Bikat reports only sparse BSNL on the trail).
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 Kareri Lake
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Kareri Lake Trek Guide 2026: Route, Best Time & Itinerary — Himalayan Hikers
- Kareri Lake Trek 2026 | Alpine Lake, Dhauladhar Views, Itinerary & Best Time — Trekup India
- Kareri Lake Trek — Himtrek
- Kareri Lake Trek — Bikat Adventures
- Kareri Lake Winter Trek - Bikat Adventures — Bikat Adventures
- Kareri Lake Trek — Indiahikes
- Kareri Lake — Trekkers of India
- Kareri Lake — Wikipedia
- Kangra admn bans trekking above 3,000 metres (PTI, January 2026) — News Arena India (PTI)
- Tourism industry opposes ban on trekking in Kangra hills — The Tribune
Photos: Shorya Pathania, CC BY-SA 4.0; Meerah Dhiman, CC BY 4.0; Ashish Gupta from Noida, India, CC BY 2.0; Tanvi.sharmaaa, CC BY 4.0
