The melting snow from the Minkani Peak is the water source for this high altitude lake. Kareri Lake Trek is a moderate trek that will take you to scenic views of the dense conifers forests and passes through the lush green meadows, wild -colorful orchards, and thick forests.
Kareri Lake Trek is one of the most scenic treks in Himachal Pradesh.
The lake looks appealing especially in winter during the month of December to February when the lake is frozen. The trek starts from Mcleodganj. It is a 26 km long trek. From Mcleodganj the trek goes to Kareri Village, a small village located at an altitude of 1,800ft above the sea level and basecamp to Kareri Lake trek. The trek takes you to the lush subtropical forests mix of pines and shrubs. One can also encounter some Himalayan Birds and animal species like the leopards and mountain bears but they do not come near the trail.The entire trek passes through the thick pine forests and a few small villages. From Kareri Village the trail starts to ascend towards the Kareri Lake. Half trail of the trek is a rocky grassland, along with Nyund Nallah. While on the trek, the trail will go to straight roads to river crossing nallahs to wooden bridges to steep ascents.
Kareri Lake offers some boastful views of the Dhauladhar Range, reflected its surface. On this wonderful trek, you will explore the rich flora and fauna that inhabit the area. The forest area is full of Chir and Chilgoza pines. And get a chance to meet local people.
Camping beside the lake is something one can desire. With ravishing views of mountains and captivating greenery of pine and oaks make your trip a memorable one. Kareri is also the base of other treks in the Dhauladhar Range.
The best time to do this Trek is in Winters between the months of December - March as the lake gets frozen and the area surrounds with snow. The place receives a good amount of snow.
In monsoons, the place receives heavy rainfalls. It is highly advisable not to undertake this adventure in rainy seasons as the route can get slippery and very dangerous.
The summer season is a high trekking season in Kareri. This is also counted as the time to go beyond on to Kareri to Minkani pass or Baleni Pass. The only thing gets missing is the frozen lake. The views and greenery of pine-oak forests will be breathtaking.
Beginners can do this trek in the summer season when the weather remains soothing and pleasant. The trek can easily be done and the trail will take you to the splendid vistas of forests, grasslands, streams, and lakes.
One of the major attractions of the trek are Lord Shiva and Shakti Temple on the hill-top and overlooks the beautiful lake. On another side, you will see the gaddi kothis, which means an area of ground used by the Gaddis for grazing their cattle.
Enjoy your stay in tents/ homestays/forest houses. Network connectivity near Kareri is very weak or we can say bad. As we all know the internet and mobile networks hardly work in the mountains.
To reach Kareri Lake one has to reach Dharamshala. Mcleodganj is the nearest place to Dharamshala, from where the trek will start.
Transportation to Dharamshala:-
- By Bus: All the major cities like Delhi, Chandigarh, Srinagar, Dehradun, and Manali are well connected to Dharamshala. You can take a direct or can reach Dharamshala by taking a private taxi.
- By Air: The nearest is the Kangra Airport in the Kangra District. From there a lot of direct buses and taxis are easily available to Dharamshala.
- By Railways: Pathankot railway station is the nearest railway station which is 85km from Dharamshala.
Here are some other weekend getaways treks one can do:
- The Triund Trek
- The Nag Tibba Trek
- The Prashar Lake Trek
- Khar Mundayri Trek
- Bijli Mahadev Trek
- Beas Kund Trek
If you want to spend some time in the Himalayas by doing camping near a frozen lake, this adventure is the best choice you can make. Take a break from your busy schedule and plan your weekend to Kareri Lake and get close to nature.
Live. Travel. Explore.
