Chandratal Lake Trek

The walk to Chandratal begins at Batal, a scattering of roadside dhabas at the base of the Kunzum range that marks the trailhead for one of Himachal's most photographed high-altitude lakes. From here, the trail follows the Chandra river's braided course through a wide, stark valley, the surrounding slopes almost entirely bare except for scattered patches of hardy alpine scrub that manage to survive in this cold, dry, high-altitude environment. Glacial streams cross the path at several points, their icy water fed directly by the Kunzum range's remaining glaciers, and the walking, while not technically difficult, is made genuinely demanding by the thin air at this altitude and the complete absence of any shade for the duration of the walk. As the trail climbs a final rise, Chandratal reveals itself gradually, its crescent shape, said locally to resemble the moon and giving the lake its name, cupped within a natural amphitheatre of barren peaks that reflect dramatically in the water's surface on calm days. The lake's colour shifts noticeably through the day depending on light and cloud cover, ranging from a deep, almost navy blue in overcast conditions to a striking turquoise under full sun, and this variability is part of what makes Chandratal such a consistently rewarding destination regardless of exact timing. Time at the lakeside is typically spent simply absorbing the setting, watching the play of light across the water and the surrounding scree slopes, before the group begins the return walk to Batal, retracing the same braided valley trail with the afternoon light now casting long shadows across the terrain.