Day 1: Trek from Chitkul to Rani Kanda via Nagasti ITBP Check-post

Trek date during Lamkhaga Pass Expedition: 20th May 2017 (Saturday)

Trek distance: Around 9 to 10 Kms.

Time taken: Around 4 to 5 hours.

Difficulty level: Easy

Highlights during the trek:

1. Chitkul – India’s last village from Tibet side.
2. Beautiful Baspa Valley.
3. A walk on Jeep trails of Open Baspa Valley.
4. Evergreen Baspa River.
5. Snow-caped Mountains all over the valley.
6. Streams, Waterfalls & Glaciers throughout the trail.
7. Lovely experience of walking & interaction with ITBP Men.
8. Nagasti ITBP Check-post & Rani Kanda ITBP Camp.
9. Bhojpatra Trees – Right side of the trail on other side of Baspa River.
10. Trails of Borasu Pass – Right side of the trail on other side of Baspa River.
11. Peaceful Rani Kanda Camp-site of Rani Kanda Meadows.
12. One of the easiest days of Lamkhaga Pass Expedition – 2017.
13. Acclimatization day at Chitkul &  Rani Kanda Camp-site.

Challenges: Easy day of trek with walk on Jeep trail which is made for commutation of ITBP men on Indo-Tibet Border.

Altitude Meter: Please find altitude details for the day below:

• Chitkul comes around 3435 Mtr.
• Rani Kanda Meadows comes around 3700 Mtr.

Day in brief:

1st day of the Lamkhaga Pass Expedition – 2017 and Sonu ji told us to take it easy since there is clear Jeep trails till Rani Kanda Camp-site cos of ITBP Check-posts & Camps.

After freshen-up in the morning, all of us had breakfast at Thakur Guest House. Sonu ji briefed us about day’s plans and clicked group photo before leaving from India’s last village from Tibet Side – Chitkul.

Started our epic journey from Chitkul to Harsil around 9:00 AM and it was easy walk for the day on Jeep trails of Lower Baspa Valley of Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh.

Reached Nagasti ITBP Check-post around 11:00 AM which is just 3 Kms. from Chitkul. Everyone submitted our contact details & signed form provided by ITBP officer at Nagasti.

Note: I will be not posting any photographs of ITBP Camps & Check-posts in my articles cos we have strict order from ITBP Men not to post Photographs.

After break of half an hour, Started towards Rani Kanda Camp-site. Myself & Happy ji were way behind and capturing the beauty of the valley to the core! Clicked some superb pics throughout this stretch. We were last to reach Rani Kanda Camp-site around 1:30 PM. Rest of them reached little early.

Tents were already pitched at Rani Kanda Meadows since rest of the trek crew along with porters reached to the camp-site on previous day with camping stuff.

Happy ji served us Ginger Garlic water (Acclimatization drink) followed by afternoon lunch at camp-site.

It was 3:30 PM, remaining team members from the group decided to go for acclimatization walk while I was stayed back at camp-site cos I wanted to avoid unnecessary injuries!

Team returned to camp-site around 5:00 PM meanwhile i captured Rani Kanda Meadows beautifully in my capturing gears 🙂

Note: There was one ITBP Camp at Rani Kanda Meadows which is on other side of Baspa River around camp-site. It can be reached by crossing the river via Bridge.

All of us had dinner around 7:30 PM and told Bye Bye for the day with long journeys ahead in upcoming days!

Camp-site:

Rani Kanda camp-site belongs to Rani Kanda Meadows of Lower Baspa Valley, Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh. It is surrounded by Classic Himalayan Peaks, Baspa River & ITBP Camp which makes this camp-site as one of the unique camp-sites of Lamkhaga Pass Expedition.

Temperature: Around 5 to 10 degree Celsius at night since camp-site is situated at lower altitude.