Camping in Himachal and Lahaul — Sarchu, Chandratal and more

The high camps

Sarchu sits on a wide plain at about 4,200 m where Himachal meets Ladakh, halfway between Manali and Leh. In summer a line of tent camps springs up there to break the two-day drive — simple, cold at night, and under one of the clearest skies you will ever see. Our Manali–Leh jeep safari stops there on night three.

Near Chandratal, the crescent lake in Lahaul, camps are set up in the summer months for the night by the water. See the Spiti guide.

Lower down

Our old adventure guide listed tents at Sangla and Kalpa in Kinnaur and at Kaza in Spiti, private camps in the Baspa valley at Sangla, at Tabo, at Al Hilal (Taragarh) and Dharamshala in Kangra, at Shoja near Kullu and at Mashobra and Baldian near Shimla, and youth-hostel camps at Dalhousie and Kullu–Manali; camps were also planned for the Pabbar valley around Jubbal, Hatkoti and Rohru. Most camps offer accommodation, meals and activities such as hiking, fishing, nature walks and rafting — or bring your own gear. Riverside camps near Kasol and Manali make an easy first night under canvas.

What to bring

Warm layers, a head torch, sunscreen, and patience with basic toilets at altitude. Above 3,500 m, take the first evening slowly.