Day 1
Make your way to Manali (2,050 M)
The trek starts from Manali, which is a very popular tourist destination as well as a high-altitude backpacking center and hence extremely accessible.
Day one is reserved for everyone to make their way to Manali and get settled into their accommodation. Since climbers will be coming to this altitude from sea level, the body will need time to get comfortable with the mountain air.
While the body acclimatizes, we use this time to get acquainted with each other, go over some of the basic mountain rules and discuss the route, terrain, weather and all there is to know about what to expect on CB13 and CB14.
Day 2
Manali (2,050M) to Batal (4,060M)
Distance: 95 kms
Duration: 5-6 hours
We leave between 9 and 10 AM, after breakfast when we pick you up from the hotel. While there is no rush today since all that’s on the agenda is a 5-6 hour drive to Batal which is the trailhead for our expedition, we try to leave not-too-late for the roads in the mountains are unpredictable and it’s better to account for delays when we start.
Batal is a small settlement situated in the Lahaul district of Himachal Pradesh and is also the basecamp for the famous Chandratal Lake which is close to 14 kms from there.
The drive starts along the Beas River. Soon we leave the city behind and get onto the Leh-Manali highway heading towards the Atal Tunnel.
Day 3
Acclimatization at Batal (4,060M)
We wake up with no rush since we spent our first night at high-altitude and do not want to stress the body too much.
This day is reserved for acclimatization as we gained significant height the previous day and entered a different terrain.
Day 4
Batal (4,060M) to Base Camp (4,440M)
Distance: 10 kms
Duration: 7 hours
The actual trek starts today as we begin moving towards higher reaches of the mountain.
Day 5
Acclimatization at Base Camp (4,440M)
The day starts with a traditional puja at base camp. The base camp has small stone structures decorated with prayer flags where we offer prayers to the mountain gods.
Day 6 to Day 11
Expedition
Since high-altitude conditions are unpredictable, plans are adjusted constantly. A fixed schedule is difficult to define.
However, the expedition generally includes rotation climbs between camps, which is a standard acclimatization process.
CB13 and CB14 share a common Advance Base Camp at 4,860M. From there, summit strategies differ slightly depending on the peak.
Day 12 & Day 13
Reserve Days
These days are kept as buffer for summit attempts in case of bad weather or unforeseen delays.
Day 14
Advance Base Camp (4,900M) To Base Camp (4,440M)
Distance: 3.5-4 kms
Duration: 2.5-3.5 hours
We descend back to Base Camp following the same route.
Day 15
Base Camp (4,440M) to Batal (4,060M)
We retrace our steps back to Batal along the same trail.
Day 16
Batal (4,060M) to Manali (2,050M)
Distance: 95 kms
Duration: 5-6 hours
We drive back to Manali and expect to reach by evening. It is advisable to plan onward travel the next day to account for delays.