Things to do
Nobody here is going to sell you a package. But we've been up all of these, and we know which guide turns up on time and which one doesn't.
Ask at the counter the night before. Treks that need a 4:30 start need four people signed up, and that usually happens over the fire.
Ask about a trekAsk at the counter
No commission, no markup. We call someone we know and hand you the phone.
The same four people, all local, all insured. We'll tell you which one for which trail.
Hand-drawn on the board in the hut. Photograph it and go — no app needed.
Fixed rates to Solang, Bhuntar airport and the bus stand. Written on the wall so nobody haggles.
Sleeping bags, a few down jackets, walking poles. Free if you're staying.
Around here
If you only do one
Times are from our gate, at a normal pace, with a stop. Add an hour in the rain and take two if there's snow above 3,000 m.
Up past the temple, along the water. Easy, and busy by eleven — go at seven.
Steady climb through pine into open meadow. Carry water, there's none on the way.
Camp at Rola Kholi, summit at dawn. Guide not optional. June to October.
Green valley on one side, Lahaul desert on the other. The one people talk about after.
Temple, orchards, the far bridge, back through the village. No guide, no gear.
Honest version
Blossom in the orchards, trails clearing, rooms still cheap. The best month is April and nobody believes us.
Full, loud, brilliant. Book three weeks ahead or take a dorm bed and make friends.
Green like nothing else, landslides on the highway, and the games room earns its keep. Cheapest time to stay a month.
Clear skies, snow from January, fire lit every single night. Bring more layers than you think.
Say how many days you have and how much you like walking uphill. We'll come back with a plan that fits.