MOON PEAK EXPEDITION
Moon Peak EXPEDITION is an enchanting experience. It lies in the beautiful state of Himachal Pradesh in the Dhauladhar Mountain ranges of Western Himalayas. The starting point of the peak trek is from Mcleodganj in Dharamshala. It is mainly a two to three days Trek, depending on the trekkers capacity.
Best time to visit ?
The best time to visit the moon peak is between May to October. One should usually avoid this kind of trekking during the monsoons, because the surface would be slippery and that might call for some risk. It is approximately a 45 kilometers of trek, and is moderately difficult. The route is basically from Indrahar Pass- Triund- Lahesh Cave- Dhauladhar Range and then finally Dharamshala. You get to see the snow capped views of the mesmerising Kangra Valley.
Since it usually takes people three days to cover the entire trek, people also set base camps to rest and kind of adore the alluring beauty of nature and the breathtakingly Beautiful views. It is a rocky and tough trek, with mountains and greenery. The experience of having a base camp setup is itself an adventure, because falling out of your comfort zone and exploring completely new things is what an exhilarating experience is all about.
Things to know before start the trak
There is a certain level of fitness the traveler should have before embarking on this tedious but fulfilling journey. This trek wouldn’t be recommended for pregnant travelers, or people with high BP and other heart or breathing problems.
It usually takes from 3-3.5 hours to get to Lahesh Cave from Triund. If you wish to stay at Lahesh Cave, the best months of the year would from March to May and September to December.
The Triund trek also offers you to enjoy the beauty of Bhagsu Waterfalls enroute, it is widely known to be one of the most amazingly famous waterfalls of Himachal Pradesh.
The trek takes three hours from Illaqa. The path is usually rock strewn and uneven, and some spots are treacherous as well. One needs to ask the locals and the guides or any tour company that is assisting you, to give you a brief guide on how to carry the gears and equipment if you’re new to trekking. The illaqa is located at the snout of a glacier. The snowy view is marvelous. There are few rest points in the way for you to take a deep breath and reflect on your journey so far, only to continue your trek with great enthusiasm until you reach the final destination. One of the common sights during your climb would be to be able to see a swarm of about 200-300 birds together. The vast blue skies at the higher altitude, that sight is also a treat to relish. The last leg of the climb, which means the last 45 minutes, are quite arduous as the granite core of the range is fully exposed at this moment. After trudging forward for approximately 5 hours, when you reach your final destination – THE MOON PEAK in the Dhauladhar range.
Kangra Valley and Chamba Valley
The moon peak mountain divides the Kangra Valley and Chamba Valley. One can also see a small glacier visible from this point.
The view from the top is undeniably beautiful from the Chamba side. The entire range of Pir Panjal is also visible from the peak, this range is situated in the central Himalayas.
Other than this, if you’re visiting this region then there are more tourist attractions as well. The Dal Lake ( not the one in Srinagar) is approximately 4 kilometres away from Mcleodganj. It is known to be people’s favourite picnic spot. The Indru Nag temple ( nag means snake) is dedicated to the snake deity and is worth the visit. While trekking, one can also follow the trails of Kareri Lake, and allure it’s beauty. The Naddi Sunset point is, as the name suggests, ideal to be visited during the sunset timings, the golden hour would give you amazing pictures of the view. On top of that you would get to see the countryside and snow peaks as well.
Conclusion
One can also see the beautiful culture of both Hinduism and Tibetan culture here. The Buddhism cluture was started here by the strong Buddhist followers – the Tibetan Refugees. This place is culturally rich, where all the religions are respected and many temples, some of them mentioned above, are also seen. The local people are tourist friendly and helpful. The four Devis in Dharamshala are Chintpurni Devi, Jwala Ji, Kangra Devi, Chamnunda Ji, Bagla Mukhi, Bajinath Temple and Naina Devi. The people here usually speak Tibetan, English, Hindi, Pahari and sometimes Nepali language is used as well.
So, book your tickets, and go on, explore the beauty of these places and begin with your exhilarating journey, full of adventure and memories that would be etched in your heart for years to come!