Hampta Pass Trek

Your Hampta Pass adventure begins in Manali, a town you'll likely reach the evening before. Most trekking groups assemble here, collect permits, and do a last-minute gear check. After breakfast, drive up to Jobra (2,740 m), which is where the tarmac ends and the real trail begins. The drive itself — through the Rani Nala valley — is a mood-setter, with the Deo Tibba massif slowly revealing itself through the windshield. The first steps on this trail smell like crushed herbs, pine resin, and something wild you can't name — and that's when you know you've properly left the city behind. From Jobra, the trail is a gentle ascent along the left bank of the Rani Nala stream. You'll walk through birch and pine forest, occasionally breaking into open patches with views of the valley walls towering above. The sound of the stream accompanies you throughout — cold, silver, impossibly fast. After about 90 minutes of unhurried walking, you arrive at Chika Camp, a wide grassy flat where tents go up with the glacier-capped peaks framing the horizon like a painting. This is a short day by design. Use the afternoon to explore the meadow, hydrate well, do some light stretching, and get into camp mode. Your body is still adjusting to the altitude, and pushing hard on Day 1 is the single most common mistake trekkers make here. Dinner around camp is a good time to get to know your fellow trekkers and listen to the stream lull the valley into silence. Tips for Day 1 Carry your own snacks and a 2-litre water bottle — there are no shops after Jobra Wear layers; the temperature drops fast after sundown even in June Avoid alcohol on your first night — acclimatisation is everything Pack your rain cover: afternoon showers are common in July–August