Himachal Pradesh · India
Pin Parvati Pass
From the green Parvati valley to the Spiti desert
The trek
A committing high crossover from the lush Parvati valley of Kullu to the cold desert of Spiti, with glacier travel near the pass.
Pin Parvati is one of the great committing crossings of the Indian Himalaya — a route that links two utterly opposed worlds. It starts deep in the green, hot-spring-laced Parvati valley near Barshaini, where the river roars through forest and the trail passes the pilgrim sites of Kheerganga and Tunda Bhuj. By the time you stand on the far side of the pass, you look out over the bare, sand-coloured immensity of the Spiti cold desert.
Between those two extremes lies serious mountain ground. The upper Parvati is a long approach over moraine and meadow to Mantalai, the sacred lake where the river is born, and the pass itself sits above 17,400 ft, reached over glacier and snow that demand rope, crampons and careful timing. Once committed beyond Mantalai there is no easy retreat — the only way out is over the top and down into Spiti.
This is a trek for experienced, well-acclimatised mountain walkers. It is long, remote and weather-dependent, and it carries real objective hazard near the pass. The reward is one of the most profound geographical transitions you can make on foot anywhere in the Himalaya — from monsoon-green Kullu to rain-shadow Spiti in a single, hard-won crossing.
Highlights
- A full crossover from green Kullu to desert Spiti
- Hot springs at Kheerganga and the sacred Mantalai lake
- Glacier travel with rope and crampons near the pass
- A high point above 17,400 ft
- Deep remoteness and a committing, no-retreat traverse
From
₹24,999
per person
- Free reschedule up to 21 days out
- Small groups, certified mountain leaders
- Oximeter, oxygen & evacuation plan on every route
Day by day
The itinerary
11 days from Barshaini. Tap any day to read the detail — distances and altitudes are planning figures and may shift with conditions.
A drive up the Parvati valley delivers you to Barshaini, the last road head, where the trek begins. The trail climbs steadily through forest and past the riverside hamlets of the valley, with the Parvati thundering below. It tops out at Kheerganga, a famed pilgrim site set in a meadow whose natural hot springs offer a welcome soak at the end of the day.
What's included
- All camping equipment and meals on the trek
- Certified high-altitude mountaineering leader and crew
- Ropes, harnesses, crampons and glacier safety equipment
- Permits and entry fees
- First-aid, oximeter and emergency oxygen
Not included
- Transport to Barshaini and from Mud
- Personal mountaineering and trekking gear
- Insurance and offloading of personal bags
- Anything not listed
In the field
The country you'll walk
Ready when you are
Walk Pin Parvati Pass with us
Small groups, honest briefings and a crew that has done this route many times over. From ₹24,999 per person.
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