Himachal
Trekking
Bhrigu Lake Trek: A Short but Awesome Trek
Want to do a trek that takes you to the tranquil waters of a blue lake high up in the mountains without having to spend too much time out there?
If your answer is in a big Yes then the trek to Bhrigu lake in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district is a must-go destination for you.
Bhrigu lake trek is one of the few treks in the Kullu-Manali region that leads you to a lake high in the mountains in comparatively less time and also effort. And this is precisely why it is also one of the most popular treks in the Kullu valley.
Now, I have been wanting to do this trek for quite some time now and recently got the time and opportunity as well and straightway headed to Manali where some of my trekker friends were already waiting for me.
In this blog article, I am going to share some of our experiences and try answering queries about this trek besides offering helpful tips to all those first-timers, who are planning to touch the serene waters of Bhrigu lake.
So here I go then.
Gulaba: The Starting Point
There are three places you can start your trek from and all of them are located at a short distance from Manali town. You can either start your trek from Vashisht and Palchan villages or Gulaba village as we did.
The trek from 14 Mor located near Gulaba, which is around 20 kms from Manali and 6 kms from Rohtang, is the best one as it’s more beautiful, shorter and comparatively easier. We had stayed for the night in Manali and started off early in the morning.
You can either stay in Manali and if you find the town a little crowded then there is no dearth of accommodations -– from home stays, guest houses to hotels — in the surroundings of Manali. We reached Gulaba in an hour at around 8 am and immediately got on our feet.
Gulaba to Rola Kholi
The trek from 14 Mor to Rola Kholi is as picturesque as it could get. As you go up, the vegetation soon starts to disappear and you find yourself walking by the endless green meadows and amidst mighty mountains. You can see Manali, Solang valley and Rohtang Pass from this distance and spot a number of other Himalayan peaks including Hanuman Tibba and Seven Sisters peaks.
The trek from here till Rola Kholi is a steep one and we moved slowly but steadily underneath a clear blue sky and a shining sun. We took a small lunch break at the beautiful Kolang Nallah and resumed our trek after about half-an-hour.
We reached Rola Kholi around 2 pm and decided to stay here for the night. Rola Kholi is a beautiful campsite and most trekkers like to stay here because there is a water source here and the wind is not that harsh. Also, the view is unbeaten. We had carried our ready-to-eat food and after an early dinner around a bonfire we decided to call it a day as tomorrow we had a lot of distance to cover.
Rola Kholi to Bhrigu Lake to Pandu Ropa
We woke up early to a beautiful dawn over the Pir Panjal range and started early after breakfast. We moved up the mountain slowly as the terrain was steeper now and as we gained height we felt more tired with each step due to thinning air. Then came the endless rocks on our way.
We kept on moving on rocks thinking will they ever end. Then finally after two hours of difficult climb we saw big boulders and knew we were close by the lake. About 15 minutes of more walking and there she was! The blue glacial Bhrigu lake!
Breathing heavily, all of us took off our rucksacks and sat down by the lake. We were tired but happy. The water of the lake was so cold that when I put my hand in it, I thought it just froze. I immediately pulled my hand out to the laughter of my friends.
We spent around two hours at the lake and after lunch started moving down to Pandu Ropa. The way was not difficult except the fact that when you go downhill you may end having wobbly knees. We reached Pandu Ropa in around three hours after crossing beautiful meadows and stayed for the night here in our tents.
Pandu Ropa to Vashisht to Manali
We spent the sunny morning lazing around the scenic Pandu Ropa as we didn’t have much distance to cover. The sight of mountains above and forests down was simply breathtaking. We resumed the final leg of our trek around afternoon and reached Vashisht before sunset.
We spent couple of more hours in Vashisht, a small village known for its hot water springs and temples, before heading off to Manali in the evening. It was a trek we would always remember.
Bhrigu Lake Trek Info:
*Altitude: 4300 meters
*Trek Starting Point: Gulaba, 20 kms from Manali on Rohtang Pass road
*Accommodation: You can stay in Manali or in the nearby villages
*Duration: 3 Days & 2 Nights
*Best Time: May/June & September till mid-October
*Average Temperature (Summer): Day: 10 degrees to 15 degrees Centigrade. Night: 0 degrees Centigrade to 5 degrees Centigrade
*Trek High Points: Meadows, breathtaking views of mountain ranges, Deodar forests, and of course the lake
Trek Tips:
*Trek light: Just carry the essentials as a heavier rucksack will slow you down especially after the height of 3,000 meters and above
*Carry packed and Ready-to-Eat food besides dry fruits and chocolates etc for instant energy
*If travelling in September and October, make sure to carry woolen clothes including inners, jackets, pair of socks, cap etc
*Carry an emergency kit
*Trekking poles can be quite handy and useful
*First-timers can hire a mountain guide
