Trekking on the vast snow-covered hills of Kuari Pass and Pangarchulla Peak

Phan Ngoc Bao (born 1992, Ho Chi Minh City) enjoys sports, is passionate about travel and exploration, especially mountain climbing. Recently, he trekked to Kuari Pass and Pangarchulla Peak in northern India. The scenery at these two locations is just as beautiful as the famous trekking routes in Nepal. This was Ngoc Bao's first time trekking in the snow, skiing, watching the snow fall, and experiencing the feeling of climbing a mountain over 4,000 meters high…

Trekking ở Kuari Pass và Pangarchulla Peak trên những thảm tuyết trải dài vô tận — Trekking in Kuari Pass and Pangarchulla Peak across endless stretches of snow.

Sharing with Travellive, Ngoc Bao said: “If you are a trekking enthusiast and love nature, don't miss this route. It's not yet popular with Vietnamese people, but it's guaranteed to be both affordable and amazing. I got to trek through a beautiful pine forest, stroll freely on vast snow-covered hills, and watch both sunrise and sunset over the Himalayas. It was an incredible feeling. And remember to prepare your health and fitness well because that will give you more time to explore.”

Kuari Pass (3,870 m) and Pangarchulla Peak (4,600 m) are located in North India, in Uttarakhand province, bordering Tibet and Nepal, and the Himalayas. This is one of the most beautiful trekking routes, especially Pangarchulla Peak, which can be trekked in winter with its magnificent snow-covered landscape.

Trekking vốn dĩ là hành trình đi bộ dài ngày đầy thử thách để leo lên những ngọn núi có độ cao chót vót — Trekking is essentially a challenging, multi-day hike to climb towering mountains.

Bãi camping lấp lánh ánh sao về đêm — The campsite sparkles with starlight at night.

Ngoc Bao added that both nights at Khullara camp were freezing cold, leaving them tossing and turning, but the sky was full of stars, and the frozen ground sparkled beautifully. The night before conquering Pangarchulla was a memorable one; although the whole group went to bed early, they could barely sleep, partly because of the cold and partly because of excitement. Around 3 am, everyone had to wake up to prepare for the early morning trek. The scenery of trekking while watching the sunrise over the Garhwal Himalayas was truly amazing.

“The most memorable moment was probably when I accidentally dropped my phone onto the snow, and it plummeted down into the ravine. Luckily, our guide, Raju, chased after it and retrieved it for me. I was also fortunate enough to see fresh black bear footprints on the climbing route to Pangarchulla,” Ngoc Bao excitedly recounted.

Những đoạn đường một bên là đồi cỏ lau một bên là rặng Himalaya — The roads are bordered on one side by hills covered in reeds and on the other by the Himalayan mountain range.

Kuari Pass (3.870 m) và Pangarchulla Peak (4.600 m) nằm ở Bắc Ấn, thuộc tỉnh Uttarakhand, giáp với Tây Tạng và Nepal, cùng dãy Himalaya — Kuari Pass (3,870 m) and Pangarchulla Peak (4,600 m) are located in North India, in Uttarakhand province, bordering Tibet and Nepal, and within the Himalayas.

A handy guide for trekking at Kuari Pass and Pangarchulla Peak.

Kuari Pass and Pangarchulla Peak are two different trekking destinations. The best time to conquer Pangarchulla is around the end of March to the beginning of May because the snow is still thick, making the climb easier. Kuari Pass, however, can be visited year-round. To fully explore both locations, Ngoc Bao chose April.

Pangarchulla is located at an altitude of approximately 4600 meters. Trekking this route requires physical fitness and knowledge about altitude sickness symptoms for a safer trip. The journey from Delhi to Josimath (the starting point of the trek) is about 500 km including mountain passes, so those prone to motion sickness should consider this. Additionally, you should prepare a lightweight and effective insulated water bottle, as the water bottle used by Ngoc Bao froze on cold trekking days.

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Thời tiết nơi đây khá khắc nghiệt, ban ngày nắng chang chang, nhưng gió lạnh, nhất là lúc ở đỉnh đèo — The weather here is quite harsh; it's scorching hot during the day, but the wind is cold, especially at the top of the pass.

"The biggest challenge was probably the food. In India, they don't eat beef or pork, and the dishes are quite simple, with flavors that are rather difficult for Vietnamese people to eat. Luckily, I and the other members of the group brought suitcases full of Vietnamese food up to the mountain," Ngoc Bao said.

Kuari Pass is a moderately challenging hike, suitable for beginners in the Himalayas, while Pangarchulla requires more physical strength and is more demanding. And be sure to bring altitude sickness medication before your trip.

The weather here is quite harsh; it's scorching hot during the day, but very windy, especially at the top of the pass. At night, it can drop below freezing. Therefore, be sure to bring warm clothing, gloves, socks, etc., to keep warm and comfortable while trekking. In addition, remember to bring moisturizer, sunscreen, lip balm, UV-protective sunglasses, heat patches, and more.