The Kangla pass trek begins in the Miyar Valley in Lahaul, famous for its wildflowers and pristine alpine pastures, and crosses the Kang La Pass at a staggering altitude of 5465M taking you to the Zanskar valley in Ladakh, a stark alpine world of rock and ice. Lying on the border of Himachal and J&K, Kang La has the longest glacial approach of any pass in the central Himalaya at 24 km. The trail ascends one of the longest glaciers in Himachal Pradesh to access the extremely remote village of Padum in Zanskar, with a total contrast of scenery and culture. This challenging crossover trek between Himachal and Ladakh takes trekkers through pristine meadows, multiple emerald green glacial lakes, crevassed snowfields, rocky moraines, massive glaciers surrounded by several unnamed peaks. Being one of the most unexplored and untouched trails in the Indian Himalayas, the Kang La Trek is not for the faint-hearted, meant for only experienced trekkers with high physical fitness. This lengthy trek takes you from Manali to Srinagar, giving you unimaginable changes in scenery, landscapes, cultures, and languages. A complete package of a trek indeed. Stay on this page for more details Like - Kang La trek route map, itinerary, temperature chart, photos, and videos. Scroll to the end to read Kangla pass trek blogs.
Manali to Changut (10,500 ft) via Udaipur - 135 km Drive
We leave from Manali early morning and drive across the Rohtang Pass to Udaipur in the Chandrabhaga valley. From Udaipur, we turn north into the stunning Miyar valley to the small village of Changut. Overnight in Changut.
Changut to Yolithang (12,300 ft) via Shukto - 10 km
We have a short drive till the roadhead at the village of Shukto, from where we cross the Miyar nallah on a swaying wooden bridge to start our hike. Just across the bridge is Khanjer, the last village in the Miyar valley. The trail winds up the village to the local temple and chorten. We will walk through the pea and cabbage farmland of Khanjer before crossing a couple of streams. From here, we walk across vast meadows for a couple of kilometres before coming to the campsite at the grazing grounds of Thanpattan. There is a chorten on a small hill. There is an initial steep section to the chorten after which views of the upper valley open up. There are huge rock cliffs on either side of the valley. We will pass through the grazing grounds of Tharang, filled with pink Himalayan fleece and the huge rock and ice faces of Tharang peak to our right. It is a short walk from Tharang to Yolithang, our campsite for the day.
Yolithang to Zardung (12,800 ft) - 10 km
The trail today is also fairly flat and easy. We will cross a boulder field near our campsite and descend to a vast grassland that continues for 3 km. On our right, another subsidiary valley offers views of a gigantic rock pyramid - a pass over this valley connects to Darcha on the Manali Leh highway. From here the valley turns slightly eastward to Gompa, another campsite with a couple of small lakes that relfect the surrounding mountains. From Gompa, we walk to Zardung. Zardung is a magnificent campsite with gigantic boulders, some of which are said to contain precious stones. The evening is well spent exploring the boulder area. Overnight in Zardung.
Zardung to Kesar Yon Chhaap (13,100 ft) - 10 km
Today is the most interesting day of all. The Miyar valley becomes even more beautiful as we walk towards the source of the Miyar river. We will cross a glacial stream coming down from our right (true left) - the stream is cold and wide and fans a distance of almost half a kilometre. From here, a short walk brings you to a section of the terminal moraine of the Miyar glacier, across which lies our campsite at Kesar Yon Chhaap - which literally means seven holy waters. There are seven emerald green lakes near our campsite, which you can explore in the evening - see if you can find them all! Overnight in Kesar Yon Chhaap.
Rest and acclimatisation at Kesar Yon Chaap
Today, we will take a day to acclimatise at Kesar Yon Chaap, getting ready to head to the Miyar glacier tomorrow.
Kesar Yon Chaap to Miyar Glacier Camp (14,600 ft) - 12 km
The trail becomes tougher from today with a dramatic change in landscape is well. The vast meadows are replaced with moraine and scree. We head up the lateral moraine on our right (true left), climbing up to some grassy slopes carpeted with wildflowers. After walking for about an hour or two, we start descending slightly on moraine again to the Jungpada glacier coming down from a subsidiary valley on our right (true left). We will cross the terminal moraine of the Jungpada glacier, with massive ice covered rock cliffs surrounding us. After crossing the glacier we climb through more scree and moraine before reaching the Miyar glacier. We set camp at a suitable spot on the glacier.
Miyar Glacier Camp to Kang La Base Camp (15,750 ft) - 9 km
After a long day yesterday, this day's trek is an easy walk up the Miyar glacier. The gradient is gradual and the we walk right up the middle of the glacier. The Antarctic landscape will keep you occupied throughout the day. We set camp on the glacier again today.
Kang La Base Camp to Temasa Tongpo (14,500 ft) via Kang La (17,900 ft) - 17 km
Today is the pass day, and we have a long climb and even longer descent ahead of us. We will walk along the left side of the glacier (true right) till the the confluence of two glaciers at the head of the Miyar valley. The glacier to our right (true left) leads to Kang La, though the pass is not the obvious saddle we can see from the base. We will skirt around the ridge on our left (true right) and climb to the pass, navigating through the heavily crevassed glacial slopes. From the pass, you can see a sea of rock peaks dominating the Zanskar region. We will descend along the glacier this side of the pass, also heavily crevassed, to a confluence of two valleys at the snout of the glacier. Though the descent is fairly long after an 18000 ft pass crossing, you will be glad to sleep on warm ground after two nights on the glacier.
Temasa Tongpo to Padam (11,800 ft) - 15 km Trek, 12 km Drive
Today, we will descend along the beautiful Temasa Nallah, down to the roadhead near Padam. As you get closer to the foot of the Temasa Valley, you will see signs of civilisation begin to return. Once you descend to the roadhead, we will board our vehicles for Padam, the largest village in the Zanskar valley. Overnight in guest house / hotel in Padam.
Padam to Kargil - 230 km Drive
Today, we will drive over the 14,800 ft Penzi La pass from Padam to Kargil. You will see the gigantic Drang Drung glacier and a bunch of stunning lakes near the pass. Overnight in guest house / hotel in Kargil.
Kargil to Srinagar
Today, we will drive on the Leh - Srinagar highway to Srinagar over the Zoji La Pass. Overnight in guest house / hotel in Srinagar. The trip ends in Srinagar the next morning.
Reserve Day
This day will only be used if the need arises during the trek due to bad weather or unforeseen circumstances. You are advised to keep a buffer day in your travel plan. If the buffer day is used, you have to pay us Rs. 4500 per day (INR) +5% GST / per person. The amount will be collected by the Trek Leader.
Pre monsoon - May and June
Post monsoon - September and October
Click here for text packing list.
The base for Kang La Trek is Manali, which is well connected to Delhi with all kinds of transport (except direct train) and can easily be reached through road or air.
By Road : The road distance from Delhi to Manali is 536 km. There are overnight HRTC buses and Volvos available from ISBT Kashmere Gate, Delhi for Manali. It is a 14 hour journey by bus. You can book your bus tickets online through hrtchp.com or any other bus services available. You can also hire a private taxi or an outstation cab from Delhi.
By Rail : To reach by train, take a direct train from Delhi to Pathankot. Some of the trains that run on this route are Delhi-Pathankot Express, Jammu Tawi Express, Delhi-Dhauladhar Express. You can then take a bus from Pathankot to Manali. Or you can take a connecting train to Joginder Nagar from Pathankot which is the nearest station to Manali. There are buses running frequently between Joginder Nagar and Manali.
By Air : The nearest airport is Bhuntar airport which is located 50 km from Manali. There are taxis available at the airport which will take you to Manali. You can also take local buses that keep running from Bhuntar to Manali at a very regular frequency. Buses are decent and very cheap compared to taxi that can cost you around INR 2000-5000 depending upon the season.
The trip ends at Leh. From Leh, you can take one of several daily flights to Delhi or Srinagar, or go back via road in shared or private taxis. A seat in a shared Tempo Traveler to Manali can cost anything between INR 1500 - INR 3500, depending on the season. From Manali, there are several overnight Volvo buses and HRTC buses to Delhi.
There will be no connectivity after we cross Rohtang Pass on our road journey to Lahaul. After the trek ends, you might get Airtel or BSNL connectivity at Kargil. Once you leave Kargil on the last day, you will lose network again until we reach the outskirts of Leh.
Manali: Manali is the gateway to Solang Valley where you can participate in adventure activities like paragliding, and zorbing in the summer months when the snow melts. Visit the ancient Hadimba Devi Temple which has an interesting mythological tale associated with it. Walk through the charming lanes of Old manali. Visit the bazaar to buy some souvenirs. Jogini Fall and Vashisht Temple are other famous attractions in Manali. You can also visit Rohtang pass while you are in Manali.
Leh: There are so many enchanting places to visit in Leh-Ladakh. You can roam around the town and visit the monasteries; Diskit Gompa, and Lamayuru Monastery. Drive up to the Magnetic Hill and experience the crazy magnetic phenomenon on the hill. The picturesque Nubra Valley will take your breath away. The green oasis villages, the monasteries, the ruined palaces- Turtuk and Bordang; there is a whole different culture in this place. It is 150 km away from Leh. You can take a shared taxi to this route. How can you leave Ladakh without seeing Pangong Lake, the sapphire blue lake? Also, visit Gurdwara Pathar Sahib and Leh Royal Palace.
Kang La is made only for experienced trekkers who want to test their limits. The challenges faced in the trek should not be underestimated. You should attempt this trek only If you have already done a trek that climbs to 4700-5000 metres. It is recommended not to opt this trek if you cannot get acclimatized in the mountains of Ladakh. Besides you need to have a strong physical endurance to complete this trek. For details on trek difficulty level, please read on Bikat Rating Scale
A basic mountaineering course is recommended though not mandatory in case of highly experienced & skilled trekkers. At least 2-3 challenging treks along with 20 – 25 total trekking days in the Himalayas. Medical fitness certificate from CMO of a recognized hospital.
How to use an Ice Axe
How to use Climbing boots & Crampons
How to rope up & follow queued climbing/descending
How to self-arrest using an ice axe
Knowledge of Basic First aid
The minimum age limit is 13 years. However, minors aged between 13 to 17 should be accompanied with their parents or guardians. If you are above the age of 60, kindly carry a medical certificate from your doctor that deem you fit for adventure activities like trekking.
On trekking days, all the trekkers will be accommodated in twin or triple sharing tents. Along with this, there will also be a toilet tent and a dining tent installed at every campsite as we roll.
We provide 4 seasons tents by Gipfel for higher altitudes which can easily withstand heavy snowfall and storms. They are spacious enough to accommodate 3 people at once with a vestibule to place the backpacks. Our sleeping bags are made up of Heatseeker Pro synthetic insulation that can provide you comfort in -10 degrees celsius. We also use additional fleece liners to have thermal efficiency even in the extreme temperatures of -17 degrees Celsius. If you carry your own sleeping bag, you will get a cashback reward provided that you inform us as soon as you have booked your trek.
Toilet tents will be provided to you on the trek. These are portable toilets tents where a deep pit will be dug. A shovel will be provided inside the tent to cover the waste after you have made your business. You can take a toilet roll inside. Make sure you dig used toilet paper along with the waste. Though water is recommended in place of toilet paper. Please refrain from using wet wipes as they are non-biodegradable. There will be no facility for bathing on the trek. Go through our blog section for tips on how to maintain personal hygiene on treks.
You will be provided with good quality of gaiters and microspikes from us depending upon the situation of the snow. Our trek leaders will also be carrying ropes and ice axe.
Vegetarian food will be served throughout the trek. The only non-vegetarian item served on our treks are eggs. Our kitchen staff follows a proper menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner which has been designed in order to fulfill the nutritional requirements of the participants. There will be milk, poha, eggs, muesli/corn flakes, bread and butter served for breakfast. Rice or simple roti sabzi will be packed for lunch. In dinner, you will have dal, egg curry or any other vegetarian dish along with rice, roti, and a dessert item. Packed lunch will be provided to you on the days you are trekking. You are requested to carry your own tiffin box and a mug to consume food. The meals consumed on the journey and arrival day are not included in our cost.
You can rent the following items from us- Trekking Pole, Trekking Shoes, Fleece Jacket, Rucksack.
The temperatures vary from 20 degree celcius to 5 degree celcius during the months of June and September.
Yes, there will be snow on the trek.
If you want to offload your rucksack, you will have to make a request for offloading a few days prior the trek through an email so that arrangement can be made in advance. You will be charged per day for offloading your rucksack. In case you decide to offload on the spot, you may have to pay a higher price than usual. However offloading your rucksack is not recommended since it is not a safe practice.
A team of participant will be led by a course certified trek leader and a local guide. All participants are requested to abide by what their leader says. There will also be a team of kitchen staff and porters on the trek. We maintain 1:8 ratio of trek leader and participants. All our trek leaders and staff have a certified training in first-aid and rescue operation.
Yes, the trekking pole is necessary. If you don’t want to buy one, you can rent it from us on minimal daily basis charges. You can request the renting link from us.
Yes, there are stores/shops in Manali from where you can buy necessary stuff. Though it is recommended that you come prepared with all the stuff. Please do not leave anything for last minute buying.
Yes, it is absolutely safe for a solo woman to travel in fix departures. Women on the trek will be sharing a tent with each other. In case you are the only woman on the trek, you will be given a separate tent.
Yes, e-certificates will be given at the end of each trek provided that you completed it. It will bear your name, the trek, and the maximum altitude you achieved on the trek.
You will be picked up from Manali ISBT and dropped off at Srinagar.
Expect to reach Srinagar by evening.
ID Proof (Soft Copy to be sent to us in Advance & original to be carried), Medical Certificate (Soft Copy to be sent to us & original to be carried) and Photocopy of ID Proof and passport size photos are the mandatory documents required for the trek.
Our community is an integral part of us and we take pride in our trekkers and climbers. When you complete at least three days on any trek or expedition with us, you become eligible for our membership and referral programs.
For us, a successful summit is not about reaching the highest point of a mountain but about making it safely back to base.
Cancellations up to 30 days prior to departure date
5% Deduction
Between 30 days to 15 days prior to departure
50%
deduction
Less than 15 days of departure
No Cash Refund
Cancellations up to 5 days prior to departure date
No Deduction
Cancellations less than 5 days prior to departure
No Refund
Sarthak Madan 22 November 2018
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