Dharamshala sits right under the Dhauladhar, and you can be on a mountain trail within half an hour of town. The treks people ask us about most are Triund, Kareri Lake and Thatharana. All of them top out at roughly 2,850 to 2,950 metres and all have big views, but on the ground they are quite different.
Side by side
| Triund | Thatharana | Kareri Lake | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Highest point | About 2,850 m | About 2,850 m | About 2,934 m |
| Total distance | About 14 km | About 12 km | About 26 km |
| Difficulty | Easy | Moderate | Moderate |
| Starts from | Gallu Devi temple, above McLeod Ganj | Kharota, about 30 minutes from McLeod Ganj | Kareri village, about 1.5 hours from Dharamshala |
| Crowds | Busy, especially weekends | Quiet | Quiet |
| Best months | Mar to Jun, Sep to Nov | Mar to Jun, Sep to Nov | Apr to Jun, Sep to Nov |
Triund, the classic first trek
A well-made path climbs about 7 km from the Gallu Devi temple through oak and rhododendron forest to an open grassy ridge. In front of you the Dhauladhar goes up like a wall of rock and snow, and behind you is the Kangra valley. At a steady pace it takes three to four hours, and there are tea stalls on the way.
Triund is the one for a first trek, for families or teenagers, or if you want the most famous view in the Dhauladhar. Stay the night instead of doing it up and down in a day. Sunset and sunrise from the ridge are the best part.
It is busy, though. On long weekends the ridge fills with tents.
Thatharana, Triund's quiet neighbour
Thatharana is a high meadow in the Khanyara valley, about three hours' walk from Kharota. The 5 to 6 km climb is steeper than Triund in places. At the top you camp on a meadow with views all round of the Dhauladhar and the Kangra valley, and usually the only other people there are shepherds with their flocks.
Go for Thatharana if you want what Triund gives you without the crowds, and you don't mind a few steep sections.
Kareri Lake, a longer and wilder walk
Kareri is a shallow glacial lake below the Minkiani pass, with a small Shiva temple on the ridge above it. The trail goes up along the Nyund stream through forest, crossing it on small bridges, past waterfalls and clear pools. We stop a night at Reoti to break the climb. In summer Gaddi shepherds graze the meadows around the lake.
Kareri is for when you have three days and want something that feels more remote. The last stretch to the lake is rocky and not always well marked, which is why we always go with a local guide.
The lake usually freezes from around December into spring, and in the monsoon the stream crossings are not safe.
So which one?
- For a first trek or a family trip, Triund.
- For the views without the crowds, Thatharana.
- If you have three days and want a proper mountain valley, Kareri Lake.
- If you only have one day, you can do Triund as a day hike, but you miss the evening and morning light.
You can add a stay in Dharamshala before or after any of them. Have a look at our stays, or tell us your dates and we will sort out the trek and the room together.
