Day 1: Drive from Delhi to Chandigarh (250 Kms 4 to 5 hrs), Overnight stay in hotel at Chandigarh.
The very first day of what we are sure will be a memorable trip, starts with a round of introductions, after which we get into our vehicles for the drive from Delhi to Chandigarh. This is a pretty straightforward stretch, with the road being the usual city highway and we should be in Chandigarh by evening. If we reach early, it’s worth spending some time at the Nek Chand Rock Garden and later soaking in the night ambience of Sector 17. Tomorrow we will head into the hills and stay overnight at Manali.

Day 2: Drive from Chandigarh to Manali (310 Kms, 7 to 9 hrs), Overnight stay in hotel at Manali.
The drive from Chandigarh to Manali is a long one that is flat in the beginning, but after a while it starts climbing up into the hills in a series of wide, sweeping turns and switchbacks. Once you reach Mandi, you can sense the beginning of the mountains with the River Beas rushing below the edge of the road and the turns ascending up along the jagged rock cliffs to the right. We will reach Manali by early evening (or late afternoon) and you can spend the time seeing the sights of the town, if you feel up to it, or you could just walk down to the market and have an early dinner.

Day 3: Drive from Manali to Solang valley 2505mtrs (13 Kms, 30 mins) and Trek to Beas Kund 3650 mtrs (14 Kms, 6 to 7 hrs) Via Dhundi 2820mtrs Overnight camping at Beas Kund.
Early in the morning, we begin our drive by crossing over the Beas river and proceeding Northwards parallel to it along the Leh highway. Enjoy the pleasant weather and the spectacular sights of the blue gushing Beas river as it flows below on the left, beyond which lie the dark deodar forests, capped by the glistening snow peaks of the Solang range in the background. To the right, the mountainside rises in a series of craggy rocks that lead up to the famous Basisht hot sulphur springs. We will pass by Basisht and go on further along till we reach a fork in the road at Palchan where we will be taking a left to continue following the true right bank of the Beas river as it heads upwards into the Solang valley. The road to the right leads onto Rohtang Pass after which it goes to either Spiti or Lahaul/Leh. From here it will not take long before we reach our destination, the Solang valley. We will alight here, get our equipment ready and begin our trek along a jeep track through the dense canopy of the tall welcoming deodars. After a while, the track gives way to a well defined forest trail that climbs up and over gentle grassy slopes and loose boulders in a series of switchbacks that brings you to a picturesque alpine meadow with the river Beas flowing through it. This is the Dhundi campsite, our first mini halt at an altitude of 9,310 feet. Rest a while and breathe in the crisp mountain air, having left the trappings of the city behind, The transformation, though swift is an absolute delight, who would imagine the serenity just a few hours out of Manali! Shutterbugs might enjoy scouting around for signs of the outrageously beautiful Himalayan pheasants that frequent the meadow. The striking mountain you see dominating the skyline is the north face of Mt. Hanuman Tibba (19,225 feet) After a quick lunch, we continue our trek to Beas Kund. This is a more difficult sector where the climb leads you gradually up a ridge where the Beas comes gushing down in a waterfall. Once you climb over and across this ridge, you get a spectacular view of a huge valley with a pea shaped lake in the distance ringed semi-circularly by awe inspiring summits, snow capped summits behind it. This is the Beas Kund and some of the summits you can see are Mt. Shitidhar, Mt. Hanuman Tibba, Mt. Manali, Mt. Ladakhi, Friendship Peak and Kullu Peak. Walk down the rocky moraine carefully and reach the banks of the Beas Kund lake where we will camp overnight amidst the giants. Please take care not to defile the waters of the lake as it is considered sacred. Evening walks around the periphery of the lake or a gentle climb on the surrounding mountain flanks will yield some beautiful sunset views, especially in winter.

Day 4: Trek from Beas Kund 3650 mtrs to Solang valley 2505mtrs (14 kms, 4 to 6 hrs) and then Drive to Manali. Overnight Stay in hotel at Manali.
If the weather is clear, some of the more adventurous would love to get up early in the morning and hike up the flanks nearby to get a glimpse of the rising sun as it sets the peaks aflame. After a relaxed breakfast, it is now time to head back to Solang valley. The route is the same with the next halt being at the Dhundi camp site, after which we retrace our route through the dense deodar, enjoying the gurgling river all the way back to Solang Valley. You can opt for a few hours of adventure sports before we head back to Manali. Tonight we will be staying overnight at Manali, and we would recommend you soak in the evening life of the Old Manali markets and Hadimba temple or Manu temple if you have the time.

Day 5: Drive from Manali to Delhi (550 Kms, 10 to 12 hrs)
Today early morning, we will need to get refreshed and packed for the long drive to Delhi. This is a long journey with the only tricky sector being the winding roads from Mandi to Chandigarh. After Chandigarh, its back to the busy bustle of city life, leaving the mountains far behind.

Beas Kund Trek - Detailed Itinerary (PDF)