All About Kareri Lake Trek

OVERVIEW

Ever wondered what melting glaciers are leaving behind? The glaciers are melting day by day but the only good in this is that they are leaving behind their gems exposed. The ones which were buried under them for unknown years , which have immaculate beauty and religious belief attached to them. One category of these gems are the high altitude freshwater lakes. We are blessed to have a great part of the Himalayas in the country which has numerous high altitude freshwater lakes to visit. The water in these lakes is so pure and considered to be holy in some cases that you can even drink it.It is one of the must visit place in India.

ABOUT KARERI LAKE

One such hidden gem is Kareri Lake or Kareri Dal as in the local language. Kareri Lake is located in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra district near Dharamshala. It's around 10km away from Dharamshala to be precise. It's a shallow freshwater lake nestled in the laps of Dhauladhar Range at a height of 3200m above sea level. It's a perfect weekend trek from Delhi which would offer snow and frozen lake in the winter months from December to March which is a charm to see. During the summer time, as the altitude is not that high it even crosses the 40°c mark in the thermostat. Therefore spring is taken as the best time to do this trek where you'll see greenery kicking in on the trail, fauna getting back to life after long winters and the trees blossoming. The trail is covered with huge high risen Pine and Oak trees with Deodars sneaking in onto the scenery. During this time only you'll experience the magic of this lake. The water is so still and clear that you can even see the lake bed from the surface. Looking at the lake bed with such a clear view is in itself a surreal experience to behold. The reflection of magnificent Dhauladhar Ranges and it's peaks is quite stunning and pleasing to eyes. During the spring season, as the ice starts to melt away, it creates various small waterfalls and streams which is a bonus for the trekkers on this trek. 

ABOUT THE TREK

The complete trek is about 60 odd km from base to base and is covered in 3 days time. The terrain is not so tough but as every other trek one should have at least an average fitness level to compete against the terrain. The slopes are gentle in the starting but as the trek goes further, it starts to get steeper and tougher. The trek won't drain you out but will surely challenge your body and your endurance. Considering the challenges and the trail, the trek is kept in the category of easy to moderate trek and is a perfect beginners trek for fit trekkers who are willing to start their trekking game in the Himalayas. 

The trek starts from a small village of Dharamkot which is about 2km from McLeodganj which is a famous tourist destination near Dharamshala. On day 1 as you start from Dharamkot, you'll be covering a distance of around 14km to reach the base camp of the trek Kareri village which is a small typical himalayan village. People of Gaddi tribe are the native inhabitants of the village and are very generous to the trekkers. This day is the most tiring one as the body has not yet adapted to the height and you'll be covering quite a bit of distance. Upon reaching Kareri you can relax and see the day out with villagers and try to explore their culture and beliefs. You'll also get to listen to many stories of Kareri Lake which is a treat in itself. 

Next day start early and push for the summit. The climb will get steeper as you'll gain a height of 1100m from 2200m to 3300m. Once you reach the Minkiani Pass, you'll be mesmerized by the view of the turquoise blue colour and the aura of Kareri Lake trek . This will surely leave an imprint on your mind for ever. Take a moment to soak in everything that Kareri Lake has to offer, the views, the ranges behind and then start trekking back to the Kareri village. You'll reach Kareri village late afternoon and can either stay there or leave for McLeodganj for rest the night.  

This marks an end of a short but quite amazing trek to Kareri Lake and you'll leave with so many memories of this with you. It's a perfect weekend getaway for those who seek adventure and peace but don't have much of a trekking experience with them. Kareri Lake Trek has something for every, so come and enjoy the beauty of Kareri Lake trek.

Have a good and Memorable Trip!