One side lush and green, the other stark and lunar — Hampta Pass packed two completely different Himalayan landscapes into four unforgettable days.
Hampta begins gently, with pine forest and the wide green valley of Jobra. The trail follows the river, crossing wooden bridges and camps where waterfalls tumble directly from the cliffs.
The pass day
We started in the dark. Snow patches reflected the first light, and the final climb arrived as a steep zigzag over loose rock. At the top, prayer flags snapped in the wind and the landscape changed all at once.
Behind us was the green Kullu valley. Ahead, Lahaul stretched out in browns, rust, and grey — dry, dramatic, and enormous.
The long descent demanded patience, but that sudden crossing between two worlds is the image I remember most clearly.