Himachal
Trekking
MALANA TREK: TAKE THE CHANDERKHANI ROUTE
There was a time, not so long ago, when the trek to Malana from Jari village used to be one of the most popular and beautiful ones in the Parvati valley. But then they built a road and a hydro project came along — all in the name of the development. And the road killed the trek.
Today, this road takes you right up to the doorstep of Malana. All you need to do to reach Malana is to get off your vehicle, walk for less than half-an-hour and you are there.
But a true trekker, I believe, would never take such a short cut. The whole idea of doing a trek is to get as far off as you can from any signs of the human race and to get as much closer to the nature as you can. A good trek cuts you off from the rest of the world (physically, mentally and digitally), leads you to the heart of the wilderness, into the lap of the nature and to the top of a mountain.
So those who are in a hurry to reach Malana can go via the Jarri side but those who want to do a real trek should follow the Naggar-Chanderkhani-Malana route to reach this historical village. The trek starts near the heritage village Naggar, which houses the Roerich museum and the castle.
Here are some of the top reasons why we here at the WildCone recommend the Naggar-Chanderkhani-Malana trek over Jari-Malana route:
1. It’s pristine
First of all, Naggar-Chanderkhani-Malana trek remains untouched by human greed. There are no roads, no hydro projects, no so-called development. The roadlessness has kept this trek safe. The trek starts from Rumsu, a small beautiful village near Naggar. Once you are past Rumsu, you enter the wild mountains and become one with the nature. You are far away from the mad world with trees, waterfalls, and rivulets your only friends now.
2. It’s beautiful
This trek is one of the most beautiful ones of the entire Kullu valley. On this trek, you pass by green meadows, deodar forests, gushing waterfalls, shimmering waters of calmly-flowing rivulets and have splendid views of the awesome mountain ranges.
3. You stand atop the Chanderkhani Top
The trek takes you to the Chanderkhani Top, which has an elevation of around 3600 meters. The 360-degree view of the surrounding mountains from here is magnificent, to say the least. You can view the top mountains including Deo Tibba, Indrasan and Pir Panjal ranges from here along with the Parvati range.
In winters, the Top remains buried under heavy snow and it’s during late summers, monsoons and the autumn season, the Top is accessible. Residents of Malana visit the top annually to offer prayers to their deity Jamlu Rishi. According to a local legend, Jamlu Rishi had chosen Chandekhani Top as a place for doing meditation.
4. You cross a mountain pass
I don’t know about you, but I get goosebumps out of sheer excitement whenever I am about to cross a mountain Pass -– the moment when I am leaving a valley behind and entering the new one. It’s that sheer joy you feel while crossing Chanderkhani Pass, which connects the Kullu valley with the Parvati valley, that makes me go on this trek whenever I can. In the older days, people from Kullu villages used to cross the Chanderkhani Pass to enter Malana and the Parvati valley and vice versa.
5. You get to see the two valleys
If you choose the Naggar-Chanderkhani-Malana route, you start your trek from Naggar, a heritage village in the Kullu valley, and at the end of your trek you reach Malana, a village in the Parvati valley. You can further descend and reach Jari village and then go beyond and explore further.
