Mantalai Lake Trek
Kullu, Himachal Pradesh
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- Max altitude
- 4,100 m
- Days
- 7 days
- Distance
- 90 km
- Difficulty
- Difficult
Bikat Adventures calls the trail moderate but takes only trekkers with prior high-altitude experience (BRS 4), and The Wild Cone rates it tough: about 90 km in 7 days, two days of nearly 20 km around the lake, boulder 'bridges' over the Parvati at Pandu Pul, loose scree and slippery rock, and a high point of about 4,100 m.
Photos
On the trail
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Bhuntar → Kheerganga (drive to Pulga, trek up)
1,100 m → 2,960 m
Day 2
Kheerganga → Tunda Bhuj
2,960 m → 3,285 m
Day 3
Tunda Bhuj → Pandu Pul (Pandu Bridge)
3,285 m → 3,700 m
Day 4 · highest point
Pandu Pul → Mini Mantalai (via Odi Thach and Mantalai Lake)
3,700 m → 4,100 m → 3,800 m
Day 5
Mini Mantalai → Tunda Bhuj
3,800 m → 3,285 m
Day 6
Tunda Bhuj → Kheerganga
3,285 m → 2,960 m
Day 7
Kheerganga → Pulga (drive to Bhuntar)
2,960 m → 2,200 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 · Barshaini Pulga
at 1,100 mLoading forecast…
High point · Mantalai Lake
at 4,100 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
- Barshaini Pulga (nearest town: Manikaran)
- Nearest railway
- Joginder Nagar (narrow gauge); Chandigarh for broad-gauge trains
- Nearest airport
- Kullu-Manali Airport, Bhuntar
- By road
- Bhuntar to Barshaini/Pulga (about 60 km via Kasol and Manikaran, 2.5-3 hours); Delhi (about 500 km to Bhuntar or Kasol by overnight bus); Chandigarh (about 250 km to Kasol, 6-7 hours)
- Drive
- About 9 h from Chandigarh
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
₹12,000–20,000
With an operator
₹20,000–22,050
Per person, ex-Bhuntar. Guided prices published as of October 2026: Bikat Adventures ₹21,000 + 5% GST (about ₹22,050), Bhuntar to Bhuntar, 7 days, permits included; The Wild Cone ₹20,000 for 7 days/6 nights ex-Barshaini. Self-guided is our estimate for a small group hiring a local guide and porter for 6 trekking days, plus food, tent hire, forest fees and the Bhuntar-Barshaini taxi or bus; the route above Tunda Bhuj is a faint shepherd trail and should not be walked without a local guide.
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 34
Nights near 4,100 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
- Bikat Adventures says there is mobile network only up to Kheerganga; nothing beyond it.
- Last ATM
- Bikat Adventures names Bhuntar as the nearest ATM; Kasol and Manikaran also have ATMs. Carry cash for the whole trek.
- Nearest hospital
- Health centre at Manikaran for first care; Regional Hospital Kullu for serious cases
- Water
- The Parvati river and side streams all along the route; treat or boil all water.
Highlights
- Mantalai Lake at about 4,100 m, the source of the Parvati river, held sacred by the people of the Parvati valley
- Crossing Pandu Pul, natural 'bridges' of giant boulders over the Parvati
- The wide pastures of Odi Thach and the braided streams of Mini Mantalai
- A dip in the Kheerganga hot spring on the way up and back
- Birch forest, waterfalls and shepherd camps at Tunda Bhuj
Risks
- The Pandu Pul crossings are giant boulders in the middle of the Parvati river and can be unnerving; follow the guide closely.
- Broken trail with loose rock and steep, slippery scree; Bikat Adventures warns the area is prone to sudden rain that makes these sections harder and colder.
- Days 4 and 5 are each close to 20 km at 3,700-4,100 m; altitude sickness is possible, so turn back at the first serious symptoms.
- Above Tunda Bhuj the route is a shepherd trail with many branches, and there is no mobile signal after Kheerganga for calling help.
- Early in the season (May-June) snow can still cover the upper valley near Mantalai; check conditions in Barshaini or Kasol before setting out.
Know before you go
Questions
How difficult is the Mantalai Lake trek? Can a beginner do it?
It is not a beginner trek. Bikat Adventures grades it moderate but asks for prior trekking experience (its level 4), and The Wild Cone rates it tough. Expect about 90 km over 7 days, two days of nearly 20 km, boulder crossings at Pandu Pul and slippery scree.
What is the best time for the Mantalai Lake trek?
Bikat Adventures runs it from May to September; Trekup India suggests mid-June to late September, when snow has usually cleared. The Wild Cone lists May-June and September-October. Shepherds leave the upper valley around October.
Where does the trek start and how do I reach it?
Operators start from Bhuntar (Kullu-Manali Airport) and drive about 60 km via Kasol and Manikaran to Barshaini and Pulga, the last road point. From there the trail climbs to Kheerganga on day 1.
Do I need a permit for Mantalai Lake?
Bikat Adventures says multiple permits are needed and includes them in its trek fee. We could not find an official fee notice, so self-guided trekkers should ask at the forest office in Kullu or at Barshaini before setting out.
Is there mobile network or an ATM on the trek?
Bikat Adventures says there is mobile network only up to Kheerganga and names Bhuntar as the nearest ATM, so carry enough cash for the whole trek.
Can I continue from Mantalai to Pin Parvati Pass?
Yes. Mantalai is a camp on the Pin Parvati Pass route; experienced trekkers continue up the Parvati glacier and over the 5,300 m pass into Spiti's Pin valley. That is a separate, much harder crossing.
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: KulluHimachal Pradesh
- Nearest hospital
- Health centre at Manikaran for first care; Regional Hospital Kullu for serious cases
- Last ATM
- Bikat Adventures names Bhuntar as the nearest ATM; Kasol and Manikaran also have ATMs. Carry cash for the whole trek.
- Phone network
- Bikat Adventures says there is mobile network only up to Kheerganga; nothing beyond it.
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 Mantalai Lake
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Mantalai Lake Trek — Bikat Adventures
- Pin Parvati Pass Trek (GPS day distances Kalga-Mantalai) — Bikat Adventures
- Mantalai Lake Trek — The Wild Cone
- Mantalai Lake: Trekking The Origin of Parvati River — The Wild Cone
- Mantalai Lake Trek — Trekup India
Photos: Bharatkaistha, CC BY-SA 4.0; Bharatkaistha, CC BY-SA 4.0; Bharatkaistha, CC BY-SA 4.0
