Chandratal Lake

Chandratal Lake, also referred to as “the trekker’s paradise,” is regarded as the most alluring lake to be found in the Himalayas. This captivating lagoon is situated near the Chandra River on the Samudra Tapu plateau. The most beautiful views of the Spiti area can be found at Chandratal, which is located at an elevation of 4300 meters.

The lake’s moniker derives from its crescent-shaped shape. Chandratal is the ideal place to begin your trip if you’re looking for the ideal balance between adventure and relaxing vacations. Your heart will race as you travel through dangerous Batal paths on the way to Chandratal Lake.

You will also have the opportunity to ascend the mountains between Kunzum Pass and Rohtang Pass while traveling. Although this fascinating location has a lot of folklore associated with it, what draws tourists there are the crystal-clear water, majestic mountains, and serene environs, which make it a suitable location for camping. Chandratal, which is dispersed over an area of 2.5 kilometers, experiences a tremendous inflow of tourists in the summer.

This location continues to be high on adventure seekers’ bucket lists who want to push themselves to the maximum during the winter.

There are two viable routes from Delhi to Chandratal Lake by road. While the first route takes you through Manali, the other one passes through Shimla and then leads you to Spiti Valley.

– Routes from Shimla:

Starting in Delhi, this path goes to Narkanda. One can journey to Kalpa from here and then on to Kaza and Nako. After stopping at Spiti Valley, move from Kaza in the direction of Chandratal Lake. It is advised to journey along this route from Shimla to Kinnaur before continuing on to Spiti Valley. Chandratal Lake is accessible after leaving Spiti Valley.

– Routes from Manali:

The Manali route is your best option if you want to take a quicker journey to Chandratal Lake. You will begin your voyage in Delhi, travel through Mandi, Kullu, Rohtang La, Battal, and Gramphoo, and then arrive at Chandratal Lake.

1. By Public transport:

While traveling through public transport, there are the following two routes to Chandratal which you can opt for.

– Manali to Chandratal: Early in the morning, there are two vehicles that travel between Manali and Kaza. At 4:30 AM, the bus departs from Kullu and brings you to Manali. The expense of a ticket to Kaza from here is only about Rs 250 per person. You can hike to Chandratal Lake after arriving at Chandratal diversion point in the twilight.
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-Shimla to Chandratal: There are two non-ac buses that travel from Shimla to Reckong Peo. Once you reach Reckong Peo, board on a 7:00 AM HRTC bus to reach Kaza. From Kaza, board a bus for Manali and get down at the Chandratal Lake diversion point. From this point, you can cover the remaining distance by hiking.

2. Road Conditions: 

The road conditions worsen once you leave the Manali-Leh route. The path from Gramphu to Batal is just a rough, unpaved road that crosses several bodies of water. Even if you chose the Kaza-Chandratal route, the state of the roads won’t significantly change. Due to the existence of rocky formations, the complete route has numerous problematic areas.

Since the complete route is covered in snow during the winter, it is not recommended to schedule your trip to Chandratal Lake during this time. The routes past Losar will still be blocked even after the snow begins to melt in May. When the snow removal process is finished in June, Chandratal Lake is at its most beautiful.

You can walk the 14 km road from Batal to the lake during this period. You can also schedule your trip for July through September, when the weather is pleasant and the roads are still accessible. However, owing to landslides and wet roads, the August monsoon should be avoided at all costs.