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Malana Trek Overview
Quick Facts of Malana Trek
Maximum altitude: The altitude reaches a maximum limit of 8701 feet above sea level.
Grade: This is a long mid-level trek and can efficiently be completed with a moderate fitness level.
Duration of Trek: It will take 6 days/5 and nights to complete the trek
Total Trekking distance: 16kms
The starting point of the Trek: The Malana trek will start and ends in Delhi.
Trail type: Straight paths with a few elevations here and there.
Nearest Railway station: The nearest railway station is New Delhi.
Nearest Airport: New Delhi Airport is the nearest airport.
Snow Season: Snowing will start in October and will last till FebruaryThe base camp of the Trek: Rumsu
Best season: The best time for the Malana trek is from early May to August. This is when the famous summer festival takes place.
Region: Malana, Himachal Pradesh
Who can participate: Although the Trek is long, it is suitable for everyone, including beginners and experts.
Short Itinerary of Malana Trek
Detailed Itinerary of Malana Trek
Drive from New Delhi to Manali
- Total time to finish: 12-hour drive from Delhi to Manali
- Travelling facilities: New Delhi to Manali in an AC BUS. Jeep ride from Patlikuhal to Rumsu base camp.
Manali to Ganachalani
- Total time to finish: 3-4 hours to cover the distance from Manali to Ghankulhadi campsite.
- Trek gradient: Easy in terms of difficulty level with a few moderate ascents.
Day 2 schedule:
Wake up early and freshen up to start the Malana trek.
After finishing breakfast, the journey will start to reach the Ghan Kulhadi campsite.
The trek to the campsite will be easy, involving moderate ascend, and will take around 3 to 4 hours to complete.
During the trek, you will encounter a dense forest filled with tall and beautiful trees of pine, fir, oaks, and chestnut.
The trek will pause at Sterling for lunch.
You will be staying overnight in tents at the Ghan Kulhadi campsite.
Ghana Kulhadi to Chaklani Campsite
- Total time to finish: It takes around 4-5 hours to reach the Chaklani campsite.
- Trek Gradient: The first part has a few ascents, but they are easy to cover.
Day 3 schedule:
After having breakfast, the trek to the Chaklani campsite will start.
It takes around 4-5 hours to reach the campsite.
During the first part of the trek, you will face a few moderate ascend, but the path becomes easy towards the second half.
On reaching Chaklani campsite, you will get to see stunning views of Manali valley.
In the evening, you can sit and enjoy the sunset while spotting some of the famous landmarks, including Ali Ratna, Friendship peak, Deo Tibba, Hanuman Tibba, Tiger Teeth, and others.
Call it a night in tents at the Chaklani campsite.
Chaklani Campsite to Chandrakhani Pass
- Total time to finish: 3 hours to Chandrakhani pass =+ 3 hours to Negroni Campsite
- Trek Gradient: Steep climbing to reach the Chandrakhani pass
Day 4 schedule
Have an early breakfast and continue the Malana trek at 06:00 AM. From Chaklani campsite, it takes around 3 hours to reach the top of Chandrakhani Pass.
On reaching the top, you can enjoy your packed lunch with a panoramic view of the mighty Himalayas.
After finishing lunch, you begin the descent to the Negroni campsite. It will take around 3 hours to reach the campsite.
Stay overnight in tents at the Negroni campsite.
Negroni campsite to Malana
- Total time to finish: The Trek from Negroni to Malana takes around 4 to 5 hours to complete.
- Trek gradient: An easy descent with an uneven path.
Day 5 schedule
After completing breakfast, the Malana village trek will start from Nagroni, which takes around 4 to 5 hours.
The Malana village trek route has a moderate descent throughout the way.
On your way to the village, you can see a small village named Dudhon. The villagers here are Malani people who settled at the place for better cultivation opportunities.
On reaching Malana, you can take the entire day to explore Malana and its own unique culture. However, you must be aware that the village has its own law book and rules. Outsiders are strictly not allowed to touch any of the books and things.
Spend the night in tents at Malana base camp.
Descending from Malana
- Total time to finish: It only takes an hour to reach Malana Dam
- Trek gradient: A steep but short descent
Day 6 schedule:
After spending the night in Malana, in the morning, you will be descending to Malana Dam.
The route is a steep descent but short and does not take more than an hour.
On reaching Malana Dam, you are driven back to the Rumsu base camp.
Enjoy the ride to Rumsu base camp, and have a hot lunch at the base camp.
Departure by 05:00 PM for New Delhi by an AC bus.
What To Pack For Malana Trek?
Food grade quality plastics water bottle. You can also carry hydrating packs.
Some sachets of glucose, ORS, and sports drink to refuel yourself in short intervals.
Good trekking shoes that can withstand the challenges of snowy, rocky, or rugged terrain. It should also have an excellent grip to help you overcome the steep ascents.
If you are travelling during the snow season, carry UV sunglasses to protect your eyes from sun glares.
Go for a superior quality waterproof bag that has a sweat protection layer on the back. The coating will keep you comfortable even when you are sweating. Don't opt for a hefty bag; a 20 -30 Litres backpack should be enough.
If your bag is not waterproof, make sure you carry a rain cover.
You must also carry a light raincoat with a cap, especially if you are travelling during the monsoons.
Carry enough light, breathable clothing like sports T-shirts and innerwear, full sleeve thick jacket. Do not carry heavy clothing like leather jackets, jeans, and more.
Always carry a pair of thermal inners and a woollen monkey cap in winter.
It is good if you carry a pair of slippers to walk around the campsite. This will give enough breathing space and rest to your feet.
Carry a small emergency torch.
A Waterproof pouch to carry money, wallets, mobile phones, electronic gadgets, and other valuables.
Your trekking guide will have a top-notch first aid kit ready, but they might not have the medications that your doctor prescribed. Therefore you must carry your personal medicine and first aid kit according to your doctor's prescriptions. Make sure to include medicines for mountain sickness, fever, nausea, injury of cuts, body ache/ headache, diarrhoea/ amoebic infections, injury of cuts, crape, and regular bandage rolls.
Know Before You Go Malana Trek
The journey will start from Delhi air-conditioned bus to Manali. This will be around 12 hours. The bus will drop you at Patlikuhal; from there, you will be taking a jeep ride to reach the Rumsu base camp, which is 10 km from Patlikuhal.
This trek is not recommended for women who are more than 3 months pregnant for safety purposes. Also, people who went had major surgery, had a broken limb, or had chronic back or neck pains must refrain from getting on board the trek.
During the trek, avoid using earphones. This might hinder your audibility, and you might miss out on important instructions.
Do not expect any luxuries while camping in nature.
You must carry enough cash as the number of ATMs in high-altitude regions is comparatively less.
Climatic conditions change quickly in high altitudes. Therefore you must take adequate time to get acclimatised to these changes before moving ahead.
The management team will have the entire right to change or modify the trek in case of any emergencies or natural calamities.
Always listen to the trek guides and instructors in order to complete the trek safely.
Do not indulge in trekking during the night. Do so only if it is a part of the itinerary and a trekking guide is with you. Moving alone at night might be dangerous.
Respect the local area and nature. Avoid using plastic bags to maintain the ecological balance of the valley.
Guidelines issued by the state government must be strictly followed. The trekkers must maintain Social distancing, and the use of the mask is recommended.
Do not pack unnecessary items in your luggage. Keep your luggage minimum. Remember, the more you carry, the more you hassle while trekking.
Due to sudden drops in temperature, it is recommended to carry some warm clothes, including thermals.
Please carry proper hiking shoes for the Malana trekking journey.
Do not spoil the beauty of the local sites or campsites by littering. Travellers caught littering may be fined.
Consult your doctor before undertaking the trek. Remember to carry the medications in your prescription and a first-aid kit during the Malana trek.
There is no particular best season for visiting Malana. Malana holds different vibes in different seasons. Therefore the best time can be different for everyone.
If you want to see snow in Malana, the winter season is perfect for planning the Malana village trek. During winter, the entire village gets draped in a bright snowy cover. While the surroundings become beautiful, the journey to reach Malana becomes tough during winter. You might have to encounter several feet of snow during peak winter months; sometimes, the snow even blocks the roads leading to the Malana gate.Due to low visibility and snow, it becomes tough to even navigate. Therefore one must wear sufficient layers of warm clothes for the Malana trek in winter.
In Summers: The bright summer season is great to visit this region for those who enjoy trekking amidst the mountains. During this season, the temperatures are soothing compared to the cities; the whole Malana is colored vibrantly in shades of green, topped with the hues of a clear blues sky, making it perfect for hiking. If you travel in May, you might come across some snow in the higher reaches of the region.
In Winters: During the peak summers, a ton of people travel to Malana to find an escape from the scorching city temperatures.The monsoons bring heavy rains to Malana. This increases the chances of landslides in the valley. So it is not the best time for the Malana trekking journey as the trails might be slippery
General Trivia About Malana Trek
- The people of Malana village have their own administration and are considered the oldest democracy in the world.
- If any traveller is travelling to this village, then needs to follow the rule of not touching any of the walls, houses, and even the people there.
- If they do so, then they have to pay some fine to cover the lamb's sacrificial slaughter in order to purify the impure.
- They need to sign with consent that only the village council would be in an authority position, not the authority from outside.
- It is believed that the natives of this village are the descendants of Alexander the Great's soldiers. The villagers have a unique lifestyle and their own social structures.
- The Malanis are extremely proud of their culture and do not like to mingle with outsiders. The villagers have their own set of laws.
- One can see that no police have ever entered the village, and they do not have any respect for the outside authority. They are a unique tribal community staying away from the hustle and bustle of cities.
Why to Go for Malana Trek?
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FAQs of Malana Trek
How difficult is the Malana Trek?
The Malana trek is considered to be an easy trek. The pathways are straight, and the climbing is also nothing too tough. The only point of concern is the distance covered and the time taken. Since the trek is long, it can get a little tedious for beginners towards the end stages. Moreover, if you travel during the snow season, the dropping temperature can also be a point of concern for newcomers.Thus, Malana trekking requires a high amount of cardiovascular endurance. People having low endurance can jog daily at a slow pace in order to be prepared for this 6-day long trek.
Where does the Malana trek start?
The Malana Trek will start from the Rumsu Base Camp. The first part of the trek will end on the 5th day with the Malana Base Camp.
What activities are included in the Malana village trek?
The activities included in the Malana Village trek are:
- Trekking: On the way, you will come across some of the most enchanting sceneries, making the whole experience totally unforgettable and worth it.
- Camping: Since you will be trekking for around 6 days, five of your nights will be spent camping under the twinkling stars. Every day, your camping spot will be changed. Therefore you will be provided with different scenery every day and every night.
What kind of accommodations are included in the Malana village trek?
While you are trekking to Malana Village, you will have to either stay in tents or camps on a sharing basis. You will also be provided with a sleeping bag and sleeping mat not only for convenience but also to stay away from the bites of chilly wind. The tents or camps where you are going to stay are quite effective in blocking the air, so you will surely get a good night's sleep with them.
Is the Malana village trek good for the solo traveller?
Malana village is an ideal spot to travel solo and meet new people.
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