Raktisar Trek
Kullu, Himachal Pradesh
Opens without signal on this phone, with the map file and checklist. Saved for offline →
- Max altitude
- 3,900 m
- Days
- 7 days
- Distance
- 60 km
- Difficulty
- Difficult
A long out-and-back walk up the full length of the Sainj valley inside the Great Himalayan National Park, climbing about 2,100 m from Niharni (1,770 m) to Raktisar (about 3,900 m). Above Parkachi Thach the trail turns rocky and steep, often with snow patches, the stream crossings are tricky, and the path is unmarked in places. Operators rate it moderate to difficult; the park calls it moderate to strenuous.
Photos
On the trail
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Mandi (drive about 70 km to Niharni), then Niharni → Shakti
1,770 m → 2,260 m
Day 2
Shakti → Maraur (Maror)
2,260 m → 2,560 m
Day 3
Maraur (Maror) → Parkachi Thach
2,560 m → 3,040 m
Day 4 · highest point
Parkachi Thach → Raktisar
3,040 m → 3,900 m
Day 5
Raktisar → Parkachi Thach
3,900 m → 3,040 m
Day 6
Parkachi Thach → Shakti
3,040 m → 2,260 m
Day 7
Shakti → Niharni (drive to Mandi)
2,260 m → 1,770 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 · Niharni
at 1,770 mLoading forecast…
High point · Raktisar campsite (source of the Sainj River)
at 3,900 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
- Niharni (nearest town: Sainj)
- Nearest railway
- Joginder Nagar (narrow gauge, limited trains); Chandigarh is the nearest major station (about 250 km)
- Nearest airport
- Kullu-Manali Airport, Bhuntar
- By road
- Mandi (about 70 km to Niharni; Bikat Adventures meets at Mandi ISBT and drives to Niharni); Aut on the Chandigarh-Manali highway: local bus or taxi into the Sainj valley via Larji and Sainj to Neuli and Niharni; Delhi (about 500 km): overnight Volvo bus towards Manali, get off at Aut or Mandi
- Drive
- About 8 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
₹8,000–18,000
With an operator
₹18,000–30,000
Per person, ex-Mandi/Sainj. No operator publishes a current price for this trek (Bikat Adventures lists it as 'on request'; Himalayan Ecotourism asks you to contact them), so both ranges are our estimates for a 7-day camping trek in the park. Self-guided still means hiring a local certified guide and porters, because the park requires them for multi-day treks and the trail is unmarked in places; budget for the GHNP permit, guide, porter, food and the drive from Mandi or Aut. Confirm prices with the operator or in Sainj.
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 34
Nights near 3,900 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
- Not confirmed by our sources; expect little or no mobile signal beyond Niharni and the last villages of the Sainj valley.
- Last ATM
- Not confirmed by our sources; draw cash in Mandi, Aut or Kullu before driving into the Sainj valley.
- Nearest hospital
- District Hospital Kullu, or the hospitals in Mandi, for serious cases
- Water
- The trail follows the Sainj River and its side streams to its source at Raktisar, so water is plentiful at every camp; treat all water.
Highlights
- Walking the whole length of the Sainj valley to Raktisar, the source of the Sainj River, where two glaciers meet
- Deep forests of oak and conifer along the river, then the open grass and flower meadow of Parkachi Thach above the tree line
- Wildlife of the Great Himalayan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site: musk deer, blue sheep and Himalayan tahr are seen near Raktisar
- The old villages of Shakti and Maraur, the last settlements inside the park, and a starlit night beside the glaciers at Raktisar
Risks
- Above Parkachi Thach the trail is rocky and steep, with snow patches in some months; the park warns that stream crossings on this stretch are tricky, especially when water rises in the afternoon and after rain.
- The path is unmarked in several stretches (GHNP); go with a local guide.
- Altitude: Raktisar is about 3,900 m; watch for Acute Mountain Sickness and descend if symptoms get worse.
- Remote area with no easy exit or quick rescue; the nearest road is at Niharni, two to three days' walk from Raktisar.
- Himalayan Ecotourism advises avoiding August (monsoon rain, slippery trail, swollen streams) and December to March (snow).
Know before you go
Questions
Do I need a permit for the Raktisar trek?
Yes. The trek runs into the Great Himalayan National Park, and the park says this route needs a permit from the GHNP office and should be done with a guide. Permits for the Sainj valley are issued at the GHNP Sainj range office near Neuli. The park's fee table online is old, so check the current fee with the park office.
How high is Raktisar?
Operators (Bikat Adventures, Himalayan Ecotourism) put the Raktisar campsite at about 3,900 m, and satellite terrain agrees. The park's own trek page gives 4,500 m, which looks like the height of the slopes above the camp rather than the camp itself.
Where does the trek start and how long is it?
Operators start at Niharni in the Sainj valley, about 70 km by road from Mandi, and take 7 days (Himalayan Ecotourism offers 7 or 8 with a rest day). Bikat Adventures gives about 56 km for the round trip. The park's itinerary starts lower down at Neuli village and gives 92 km in 7 days.
When is the best time to do the Raktisar trek?
May-June and September-November. Bikat Adventures says April to June and September to November; Himalayan Ecotourism rates May, June and October as best and November as good, and advises avoiding August and December to March.
Is the Raktisar trek suitable for beginners?
It suits fit trekkers with some experience. Days are 4-6 hours, but the climb from Parkachi Thach to Raktisar is steep and rocky, there are tricky stream crossings, and you are far from roads. Himalayan Ecotourism rates it moderate to difficult; the park says moderate to strenuous.
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
- District Hospital Kullu, or the hospitals in Mandi, for serious cases
- Last ATM
- Not confirmed by our sources; draw cash in Mandi, Aut or Kullu before driving into the Sainj valley.
- Phone network
- Not confirmed by our sources; expect little or no mobile signal beyond Niharni and the last villages of the Sainj valley.
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 Raktisar
No questions yet. Ask something and trekkers who have done it can answer.
Share your trek photo with #TreksAndTrails
I trekked this
Did Raktisar look different from this page? Tell us what changed and we will check it.
Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Sainj Valley – Raktisar Trek — Great Himalayan National Park (HP Forest Department) (official)
- Raktisar Trek - Source of Sainj River — Bikat Adventures
- Raktisar Trek in Great Himalayan National Park — Himalayan Ecotourism
- Fees, Rules and Guidelines — Great Himalayan National Park (HP Forest Department) (official)
Photos: Rah.sin89, CC BY-SA 4.0; Rajani Gairshail, CC BY 4.0
