Informative

Sar Pass: Who Is This Trek Meant For?

Neeti Singhal

Last updated: 12-07-2024

Going on the Sar Pass trek is like extending an already good vacation. Starting from Kasol, a tourist town which sees backpackers from across the globe, Sar Pass trek goes up to a height of 4,223M across the pass and brings you back to Kasol. And just like that, in a short span of 5-days it takes you across all that is beautiful about the Parvati Valley.

Even though it doesn’t fall too high on the difficulty scale because of its short duration, marked trails, and an overall manageable terrain, do not allow these to fool you into believing that it is a walk in the park! Although much shorter than its list of highlights, the trek does pose some challenges which are listed in this article. Even though the trek takes you to only a little over 4,000M in altitude, knowing the few difficulties you can encounter while on this journey may be helpful.

Read on to know more about the challenges, the gear and the skills required for this trek.

 

Difficulty Level of the Trek:

Sar Pass is a level 4 trek on the Bikat Rating Scale.

 

About the BRS: The Bikat Rating Scale rates the difficulty level of all treks and expeditions in our portfolio after taking into account their geographical and climatic conditions. 

According to this scale, if you are a beginner who is unsure of your fitness level and don’t know what to expect on a trek, a trek rated one will be a good place to start. 

If you liked your very first trekking experience and are looking to test your limits next, the treks rated 2 or 3 will do the job for you.

A beginner who is sure of their fitness level on the other hand is welcome to skip the first two levels and directly start with one of the treks rated 3.

From 4 onwards, the rules change a little. It is mandatory to have trekking experience of the previous level to participate in the next level.

 

The Trails of Sar Pass Trek

The trek takes you from remote villages in the Parvati Valley to thick forests of pine and to eventually get to the endless fields of snow with the most prominent peaks of the region forming the backdrop of this magnificent landscape. The trails are mostly marked; there’s no chance you could lose your way. Used by shepherds very frequently, the route is stippled with dome-shaped shepherd huts made of stone. As gorgeous in green as in white, the trail of Sar Pass is thrilling through and through; the beauty of the campsites only a cherry on the mountain-top. It serves well to go with the knowledge that the mountain makes you work up a sweat in exchange for the magnificence it has to offer. 

Allow us to acquaint you to some exciting challenges which make the trek demanding as well as fun!

 

Challenge 1: Getting to Kasol is a Time-Consuming Affair

If you live away from the North of India, you’d know that the proximity of the Himalayas is not best friends with the concept of limited time. While the trail heads of some of the treks are easily accessible locations, Sar Pass demands a little more of your time in travel. The trek begins at a charming little mountain village called Kasol which is a name almost everyone who likes the mountains would be familiar with. This charming little backpacking hotspot which rests at an elevation of 1,580M, however, is close to 500kms from Delhi with roads being the best way to get here. Given that Himachal Pradesh is not on the railway grid yet and the closest airport, i.e. the Kullu Manali Airport does not receive frequent flights, increases the travel time by a considerable amount.

 

Sar Pass: Who Is This Trek Meant For?

 

So, if you are travelling to Kasol, especially for this trek, the time spent in transit is a fair bit. But you can always extend your trip and spend a few extra days in this charming mountain town to make up for it!

 

(Read: How to Reach Kasol)

 

Challenge 2: From 1,500M to 4,200M in 5 Days; The Altitude Gain is Significant

Kasol is at an elevation of 1,580M and the highest point on the Sar Pass trek which we get to on Day 4 is 4,223M. Basically, we are gaining precisely 2,643M in a matter of 4 days. This is a LOT to altitude gain in a very short span of time. The elevation gain is especially high on the first two days of the trek: 640M and 840M respectively.

 

Sar Pass: Who Is This Trek Meant For?

 

For most treks, the first few days are light and then the physical exertion gradually increases after the body has had a chance to warm up. But Sar Pass doesn’t follow this rule – because of the way the route is, the first two days are quite exhausting and the most physically demanding. This usually puts trekkers at a risk of high-altitude related health issues so it is important to pace yourself and take it slow on these days. Do not rush or race to get to the campsite first and drink plenty of water.

These 2 days may be especially challenging for those who aren’t used to high-altitudes or have just started their trekking journey with Sar Pass as their first trek. You will be fine if you find your individual rhythm and keep with it. Do not feel the pressure to match up to someone else’s speed.  

 

Day 1:

Kasol to Grahan

Day 2:

Grahan to Min Thatch

Day 3:

Min Thatch to Nagaru

Day 4:

Nagaru to Sar Pass

640M ascent

985 M ascent

525M ascent

325M ascent

Day-wise vertical ascent (approx.)

 

Challenge 3: Steep & Continuous Ascent with No Respite

The trek is physically demanding not only for its considerable altitude gain but because the route is a continuous and steep slope upwards. Most trails give you a breather in the form of flat terrain after small sections on steep gradients but not Sar Pass. The route for this trek goes up and up throughout. If the ascent was continuous but not steep, or steep but not continuous, it would fall under the bracket of an ‘easy’ trek but the combination of continuous and steep is what makes it a little more challenging. You are going to love your calves after this one!

Oh, the descent gets even more interesting with the steep trail through the forest with the forest floor full of slippery pine needles. If it’s any consolation, the thick roots of the tall trees provide for great brakes during your slip-downs!

Sar Pass: Who Is This Trek Meant For?

 

Challenge 4: Icy Slides; You Really Want to Sit These Out

While the forest trail is a pleasant experience, the trouble begins when you enter the world of snow on the higher reaches of the trail. Since we are traversing across the mountain, which means we are cutting through the face of the mountain with a slope on either side, the quality of the snow will determine your experience on this trek! Given that the trail is extremely narrow, if the snow is very hard or very smooth (not powdery), the chances of slipping are quite high. If you slip from these trails, you will be sliding down a few dozen feet on the soft slopes of the mountain before you are able to bring yourself to a stop. These slopes are quite scary too; they offer a view of the green valley hundreds of meters below. Tread with caution or it will be one long, smooth slide back to the greens – this slide is the mother of all slides!

 

Sar Pass: Who Is This Trek Meant For?

 

Challenge 5: Porterage Here is Very Expensive

Here’s something interesting. The trek starts from a village named Grahan. The people of this small village which is 200 people strong mostly earn their living by turning their homes into homestays, other than small time farming of course. Since they depend mostly on tourism for their survival, they have some peculiar rules. No horses are allowed to carry loads for treks that start from their village or pass from their village. Only women carry loads because they want to make money which they can call their own. And each day’s porterage will cost you at least a 1000 bucks per 10 kgs.

If you are someone who prefers offloading your backpacks on the trek, you may end up spending half your trek’s cost on porterage. 

 

Sar Pass: Who Is This Trek Meant For?

 

Challenge 6: A Short Window Can Cram the Trail

This one is more of a challenge during the planning phase of the trek. Unlike a lot of the Himalayan treks, Sar Pass is accessible only for a short window of 2.5 months across the year. Starting from April to the mid of June, if you want to experience this trail, you are left with a very restricted time frame. With the increasing popularity of the trail, it can get a bit crowded as well since the trekkers are all cramped into one short season of a little over 2 months.

But this is no way takes away from the beauty of the trek.

 

Sar Pass: Who Is This Trek Meant For?

 

GEAR REQUIRED FOR SAR PASS TREK

While the trek is fairly easy and requires no technical gear, there is some basic gear you will need from your end to get through your trek comfortably. 

Some of the things you will need are:

1. A sturdy, lightweight backpack: A good backpack which sits comfortably on your back without putting too much pressure on it can be the deciding factor between making it to the summit or not. Good, however, is not a synonym for expensive.

One of our founders, Pankaj, purchased a non-branded pack for INR 1100 in 2010 and the pack continues to work just fine for him even today. In the article linked below, he shares some helpful tips on what to look for when choosing a trekking backpack. 

How to choose your backpack 

 

2. Comfortable trekking shoes: Happy feet equal a happy trek. Conventional sports shoes don’t suit trekking trails. We recommend wearing high ankle shoes with sturdy soles. These not only provide better support but also reduce the possibility of injuries while hiking. In case, you need help with a list of deciding factors that make for good trekking shoes, please refer to the article below.

How to choose a good pair of hiking shoes

 

3. Right Clothing: Any high-altitude trek requires specific kinds of clothing. It should be warm but light weight. It should also be such that it is easily packaged. On high-altitude treks such as Sar Pass, we usually employ the layering method where you put on multiple layers of clothing instead of one very heavy, thick jacket. This is for two reasons:

a. The weather in Himalayan regions is unpredictable and changes very quickly. Layering gives you the freedom to adapt to that accordingly where you are not left feeling too hot or too cold.

b. These are easy to carry and are packing-friendly.

 

4. Trekking Poles: Since there is a fair bit of steep ascent on this trek, and steep descents too, trekking poles can be a great addition to your gear list for this trek. They can make tackling these steep gradients a lot easier.

 

SKILLS REQUIRED FOR SAR PASS TREK

Bikat Adventures is primarily an adventure learning organization. This means our key objective is not just to help trekkers complete their treks but also to ensure they pick up some valuable lessons and skills in trekking along the way. 

To achieve this, we have created learning modules and paired them to different levels on the Bikat Rating Scale. 

These modules are taught real-time on the trails by our trek leaders. 

The following are some skills that are likely to come in handy on a trek like Sar Pass.

While you will have all the assistance you need on the trek from our capable trek leaders and guides, we suggest browsing through the articles below to get an idea of what is involved.

Given how unpredictable the weather gets throughout the trail on Sar Pass, you are likely to keep changing your layering frequently along the way. Also, due to the vast difference in day temperature and that at night, you most probably will spend a lot of time packing and re-packing your sack depending on whether you are on-trail or at the campsite, have chanced upon sudden rains or are stuck in a suddenly arrived cold hour. The area is also prone to unannounced rains. Under such changeable circumstances, accessing your stuff can get a bit messy and confusing.

Also, a sack packed right can facilitate your trekking while incorrect packing can even make an easy trail seem difficult. Worry not, we are here to help. The article linked below shares some useful guidelines you can follow to pack efficiently. 

How to pack your rucksack

 

Layering appropriately to protect yourself from the cold is essential. The article linked below will give you a fair idea of the winter layers you will need and guide you on how to layer up at campsites and while hiking.

 Hiking attire and layering 

 

Like we said before, some sections on the trek are sharp ascents and equally sharp descents. Add that to the distances to be covered each day and the difficulty only increases. Using trekking poles can ease out some of that difficulty by providing additional support. The article below will help you understand how to use them as well as how they can facilitate your climb.

How to use a trekking pole?

 

When on any trek, it is each person’s responsibility to know the requirements of the area, some campsite basics and how to manage our own selves as well as the environment around us. While our trek leaders will keep you abreast about the basic dos and don’ts, do read the article below to brush up on some basic principles before the trek.

Waste Management and Leave No Trace Principles

 

We hope this article answers all the questions you may have about Sar Pass trek. In case you need further assistance/information with something, please feel free to reach out to us. We are only a phone call away. 

Neeti Singhal

A psychologist, a developmental researcher, and a constant seeker of stories, Neeti is usually found Read more

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