Trekking

• Rail: Chandigarh serves as the nearest railhead to Prashar Lake. From Chandigarh, the bus journey takes around 6-7 hours till Mandi. From there onwards hire a jeep to Baggi Village. The road is quite smooth till Manali except the patch between Chandigarh and Bilaspur.

• Road: If you are planning to travel by road, hitch a ride in a bus that is plying for Kullu and Manali, it goes via Mandi. The distance from Delhi to Mandi is 430 km, which is covered in about 10-12 hours. From there onwards hire a jeep to Baggi Village.

Approx trekking distance (Both sides): 15-16 km

Base Camp: Baggi

Difficulty: Easy Gradient

Highest point of trek: 9000 ft

Nearest Airport: Bhuntar

Nearest Railhead: 397 km

Region: Mandi District

Snow: The place is almost freezing during the winters covered under a thick blanket of snow. You can see snow from the last week of December till mid March.

Starting point of trek: Mandi

Day 1: Baggi Village to Prashar Lake

Distance: 7.5 km, Duration: 4-5 hours

The trek for Prashar Lake commences from Baggi Village lying about 26 km from Manali. You will find a motorable road that goes till half a kilometer from Prashar Lake, but the road may be in bad condition or closed owing to the bad weather condition, especially during the months of January and February due to heavy accumulation of snow. Now as you get off the bus, you will spot few shops nearby. Proceed ahead to find a stream across the road. Cross the stream to find a trail going towards a forested valley as the water body remains to your left. Walk for another 5 minutes and you will reach a three scissor bend; avoid this bend and go straight up to save time. After 10 minutes, the trail is a gradual incline. Soon you will come across a stream emerging from a mountain onto your right. The water from the stream is fit for drinking and the last source of water while on the trek. Be sure to carry your own water to avoid dehydration. A bend will be foreseen after 15-20 minutes where you will come across a small stream; this marks the first landmark of the trek. After an hour of trudging along the trail, you will find the second landmark of the trek, i.e. a trident of Lord Shiva fixed in the ground. While on the way, you will also witness the snow clad Dhauladhar ranges for the first time; the view is simply enchanting. Continue the ascent through the forest for about 30-40 minutes as you cross the third clearing. Try to spot the electricity wires that run deep into the forest till Prashar Lake. 15 minutes through a dense forest and you will reach a level ground, your third landmark. During winters, the area will be covered under snow while this part of trail may have solid ice, so be cautious. A steep ascend of 30-45 minutes, depending on the amount of snow, will lead you to a string of shepherd huts on a flat ground. This is your fourth landmark of the trek perched at the hill top. At this point you will get a first glimpse of the mighty Dhauladhar, Pir Pinjal and Kinnaur peaks gleaming in the background. Towards extreme left is Prashar ridge, behind which lies the pristine blue Prashar Lake. Right next to the lake is a series of wooden huts and a beautiful local temple.

Day 2: Prashar Lake to Baggi Village

Distance: 7.5 km, Duration: 3-4 hours

On your way back to Baggi Village, take the same route as taken while trekking towards Prashar. You may encounter few slippery tracks while descending, so be careful. Watch out for solid ice and walk around it.