Kang La
District Lahaul & Spiti/Kargil, Himachal Pradesh/Jammu & Kashmir
Position - N33 14.187 E76 49.149
Altitude – 5468 metres above MSL
Trail Orientation – South - North
Closest Settlement(s) – Khanjer (South), Bardung (North)
When you cross a pass with a La at the end, chances are it is in deep Himalaya and quite high. Chances also are it is part of The Great Himalayan range and takes you beyond the Himalaya. For me, that is the orgasmic equivalent in trekking. Not often do you cross the Great Himalaya and get to see the other side. To do it over a 35 km glacier, thats even better. To do it over 5400+ pass is fantastic. And when the other side you reach is Zanskar, life does not get any better. At 5468 Metres above sea level, Kang La is one of the highest mountain passes in the Himalayas and the world. Given that most passes were traditional trade and pilgrim routes, I find it impossible to imagine passes much higher than that.
If you cross the Kang La, amongst other things, you see Kesar Yon Chap. As for the other things, there is the Miyar Glacier, live avalanches on both sides of the glacier, a moraine with loose rocks and you walk on them, some colossal and beautiful camp grounds, beautiful peaks, a couple of typical Lahaul villages, the dry but stunningly beautiful Zanskar and the experience of sleeping on a glacier. Summer time is when you make the pilgrimage and it promises to green pastures dotted or flooded with some wonderful wild flowers and mushrooms, a smattering of sheep herds, mountain horses and yaks.
Trekking to Kang La:
Kang La is one of the passes leading from Himachal to Zanskar. Amongst the others are Poat La, Sersank La and Umasi La. Relatively unknown in trekking circles because of difficult approach to the start point and probably also because of its crevass infested long glacier, Kang La has been a traditional route for local people for centuries. Till the road reached Urgus (which is now the start point for the trek), Udaipur was the closest town and the point where many a trekker started their Kang La adventure.
Being a part of The Great Himalaya and as high as it is, the season for trekking to Kang La is relatively short. Early July to middle September is the window and it could shorten anytime with a fresh snowfall. This is also the season when Gaddi shepherds graze their herds here. The 2 months spent by the sheep grazing on the nutritious alpine grass fattens them more than anything else. The presence of shepherds also means the route is not difficult to navigate on for the early parts. Once you get on the moraine and glacier, it can be a little tricky, particularly the exact location of the pass. Most of the trail is on the glacier. You take your pick where you walk on the glacier. Its hardened snow with excellent grip. The only thing you need to avoid is the crevass zone, which is historically the east of the glacier. Walking on extreme sides is anyway not advisable given the propensity of every peak in the surrounding to avalanche down.
There is almost definitely one night of sleeping on the glacier. An inflatable mat with a good sleeping bag is most definitely the best thing to have. If you dont walk fast enough, you could end up spending 2 or even 3 nights on the glacier though I certainly would never recommend that. Unless you cant avoid it, use Base Camp I as the last camp because Base Camp II is way too high at 5050 metres for my liking and is an open snowground.
For seeing the Kang La trail from Urgus on a map, click here.
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