The Buran Ghati trek is built to perfection. It feels like a wormhole between two worlds– one green and verdant with meadows and hills and the other rough, jagged and majestic.
This trek is suitable for those who have some trekking experience and have followed the fitness schedule regularly. The minimum age requirement to be eligible for this trek is 12 years.Buran Ghati is a moderate to difficult trek. The 1628 ft climb to Dunda can be challenging and requires a decent level of fitness. On this trek, your mental strength is as important as physical fitness. At the top of the Buran pass, you will see the main obstacle ahead- a 400-meter vertical ice wall. This stretch is a great adventure but one must tread carefully.
Region: Himachal Pradesh
Duration: 8 days
Difficulty: Moderate-Difficult
Highest altitude: 15,000 ft
Average temperature: Daytime: 13°C-18°C; Night time: 0°C-7°C
Brief Itinerary
Day 1: Reach Diude/Janglik; 9-10 hours drive from Shimla.
Day 2: Diude/Janglik (9,200 ft) to Dayara (11,075 ft)
Day 3: Dayara (11,075 ft) to Litham (11,737 ft)
Day 4: Expedition to Chandranahan Lake (13,900 ft)
Day 5: Litham (11,737 ft) to Dhunda (13,365 ft)
Day 6: Dhunda (13,365 ft) to River campsite (11,800 ft) via Buran Ghati (15,000 ft)
Day 7: River campsite (11,800 ft) to Barua (6,700 ft)
Day 8: Buffer Day
We start our drive from Shimla to Janglik. The journey takes us 9 hours. Overnight stay at Janglik.
The trek starts from Diude. The trail till Dayara is covered with beautiful flowers– yellow, white and purple and myriads of sweet-smelling herbs. Every little stream is covered with bright yellow flowers.
These streams are all over the place, glistening as they go on their way. The trail takes you through a dense forest of oak and pine before a nights halt at the Litham valley.
Chandranahan lake is set in a glacial nest surrounded by prayer pillars and other symbols of spiritual adoration. The lake is considered sacred by many locals. The view of both sides from the Buran pass is exquisite! After spending some time at the lake we turn back to the campsite. This short excursion will help you acclimatize for the trek ahead.
The 1628 ft climb to Dunda can be challenging and requires a decent level of fitness. Continue north-east along the Pabbar River which originates from the slopes of the Buran Ghati. Pass through Khubrini Thach and leaving the tree line behind climb steeply through boulders to enter Dunda Thach, located at the foot of the pass.
Out of the Dhunda campsite follow the ridge and hop over boulders towards the base of the pass. From the base, it is an hour long climb to the top, mostly on snow. Buran Ghati at exactly 15,000 ft is a thrilling climb. Descending on the Buran Ghati trek is quick and very soon you lose all the altitude that you have gained. It takes about 2 hours to get to the end of the snow line. You also lose about 3,000 ft in altitude. Out of the snow line, the descent takes you down a ridge with junipers and lovely flower crested shrubs. Descend for another hour to get to a stream that needs to be hopped over. Across the stream, the first farmers’ huts appear. This is where you camp for the night.
The trail is well marled from river campsite. Take the lower trail descending into the valley. The trail passes through grasslands & forest of pine trees. Arrive at kahrcham by the afternoon. You deserve to spend some easy time after an arduous trek. The campsite itself is very beautiful. Enjoy the evening at the campsite.
