Shumga Trek

Arrive at the Mandi bus stand by 11:30 hrs and meet your fellow trekkers and the trek leader. You'll board a private, shared vehicle and leave for a 4-hr drive to Shangarh. The journey takes you across the mountains of Himachal Pradesh, over winding roads and passes, and past the Pandoh Lake and the Hanogi Temple. You'll arrive at Shangarh by early evening. Overnight in a guesthouse at Shangarh.

Overnight in a guesthouse at Shangarh.

Report to Mandi and board a private, shared vehicle to Shangarh. You'll be accommodated in a guesthouse at Shangarh on a triple/quad-sharing basis. Today's meal package includes dinner only. You may stop at any of the restaurants and eateries en route to Shangarh to have meals at your own expense.

Rise and shine for your first trekking day of the trip. Today's trek to Lapah will take you over a fairly flat trail surrounded by pine trees. In the months of winter, these forests are layered snow, presenting magnificent views of the winter landscape. These forests are also home to alpine wildlife like the black deer, goral or the musk deer, that often dart in and out of view. The trail will intermittently go through patches of difficult and strenuous climbs to gain altitude. Overnight in tents at Lapah.

Overnight in tents at Lapah.

Trek from Shangarh to Lapah. You'll be accommodated in tents at Lapah on twin-sharing basis. You'll be given comfortable and clean sleeping bags and mattresses to ensure a restful night's sleep. The campsite will be equipped with a common kitchen/dining tent and a dry-pit style washroom tent. Today's meal package includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Begin trekking to Sara Lake, over the Saradhar mountain ridge, to views of peaks in the Greater Himalayan range on the horizon. The trail follows a steep ascent in the initial stretch, entering a forest rhododendron and juniper scrubs and bushes. Soon, you'll trek past the Raila village, to reach the Sara Lake, a dark-blue coloured lake surrounded by trees. Overnight in tents at Sara Lake.

Overnight in tents at Sara Lake.

Trek from Lapah to Sara Lake. You'll be accommodated in tents at Sara Lake on twin-sharing basis. Today's meal package includes breakfast, lunch and dinner. While non-vegetarian dishes will not be available due to concerns of freshness and quality, most meals will include an egg preparation.

The most awaited day of all, today, you'll make your way over to the Shumga Thatch. You'll trek onwards over a gradually ascending trail, taking you across dense forests. Soon, the meadows of Shumga arrive where the trees give way to open fields and grasslands, covered by snow in the months of winter. From the top, you can view the lower Himalayan valleys like Thachi and Bajar as well as higher Himalayan peaks in the Spiti, Kinnaur and Pir Panjal mountain ranges. After admiring the view from the top, you'll descend back to Sara Lake. Overnight in tents at Sara Lake.

Overnight in tents at Sara Lake.

Embark on a day trek to Shumga Thatch. Throughout the trek, you'll be accompanied by an English-speaking, experienced trek leader along with a support staff of cooks, helpers and porters. You'll be accommodated in the same tents at Sara Lake as yesterday. Today's meal package includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Today, you'll begin your return trek, retracing your steps back to Niharni. The initial descent is along the same route, until a diversion at Lapah. This is the longest route of the trek, however, the downhill trail makes it fairly easy. Crossing the Sainj River over a bridge, you'll walk to the road head at Niharni. Overnight in tents at Niharni.

Overnight in tents at Niharni.

Trek from Sara Lake to Niharni. You'll be accommodated in tents at Niharni on twin-sharing basis. Today's meal package includes breakfast, lunch and dinner. Please note that you'll be trekking in remote and mountainous area where the availability of services and comforts is limited. Accordingly, not all luxuries of a usual, sightseeing tour may be available during the trek.

Travel back to Mandi via a private vehicle. You'll arrive back in town by late afternoon, subject to traffic conditions. Your trip ends here.

Your trip ends by late afternoon.

Board a private, shared vehicle from Niharni to Mandi. Today's meal package includes breakfast only. If you're departing Mandi on the same day, make sure to allow some buffer time to accommodate time delays. If you're departing Mandi on the next day, make sure to book your accommodation for the night in advance.