Ookhal trek
This is one of our best itineraries in 5 days in the GHNP area for those who have average fitness. You will enjoy the scenic Marahni top, crossing a high-altitude pass, dense pristine forests and a unique hidden lake. What a pleasure to pass from one valley to another. The sceneries suddenly change radically.
Right from day 2 you enter the realm of wilderness. Many birds and mammals can be observed especially in the Sainj valley. The ecosystem’s diversity is equally great, from Oak to Himalayan Cedar forests, from meadows to rocky slopes, and from dry ridges to a mountain lake.
This trek is available for anyone who has average fitness, but preferably you must have either previous experience trekking or be sure that your body and mind will support each other in case of a tougher time on the trek. Oh ! One more star should be added to this trek : A great view of the usually masked GHNP top peak at 6246 m !
Ookhal trek features
Duration of your trek
Day-min : The minimum number of days required for the trek
Day-max : The maximum number of days you can spend on this trek. Prolonged itineraries can be discussed with our team.
Average walking time : Average walking time per day (<3 : easy, 3 to 5 : moderate, >5 : strenuous)
Altitudes of your trek
Min : Minimum altitude of your trek.
Max : Maximum altitude of your trek.
Ascent : An estimate of the total climb during your trek.
Descent : An estimate of the total descent during your trek.
Difficulty of your trek
Stamina : The physical effort involved during your trek. Rated from 0 (easiest) to 100 (most strenuous). If you have an average fitness you can consider all the treks up to 50. See here for more details
Technical : Difficulty of your trek in terms of exposure to danger and required experience.
0 to 20 : No difficulties,
20 to 40 : Walk on good mountain trails,
40 to 60 : Some walks on difficult mountain trails (steep slope, rocks, etc.),
60 to 80: You are exposed to some dangers (void, snow, falling rocks, etc.),
80 to 100 : Experience required (please inquire).
Overall : Average between Stamina and Technical rating.
Duration
Altitudes
Difficulty
Ookhal trek map
Ookhal trek itinerary in short
Ookhal trek takes you from the Tirthan valley to the Sainj valley via Marahni. From Rangthar to the lake the trek is very scenic as you walk on the edge of the mountain. Some stretches of the trail are exposed to void around the pass.
Ookhal trek elevation profile
Ookhal trek ascent and descent
Although there are some delightful pathways, there are a few steep slopes on the trek, and the crossing of the pass is somehow exposed to the void.
Ookhal trek best time to go
Best time to trek to Ookhal is April, May, June, and then October and November.
You may also consider July and September. As the pass is often covered by snow, we can update you about the snow conditions before you decide on your departure date.
JAN
Avoid
FEB
Avoid
MAR
Avoid
APR
Good to go
MAY
Best time to go
JUN
Best time to go
JUL
You may go
AUG
Avoid
SEP
You may go
OCT
Best time to go
NOV
Good to go
DEC
You may go
Contact us for Booking the Ookhal trek
Trekking in GHNP
The Great Himalayan National Park, Himachal Pradesh, offers the trekker a wide-ranging experience encompassing stunning vistas, varied terrain, and biodiversity.
Himalayan Ecotourism hosts multiple treks in GHNP. Our treks in the Great Himalayan National Park, a World Heritage Site, are for short and long durations and scale from beginner’s to more challenging treks. Whether you are looking for weekend treks in Himachal, treks in Himachal for beginners, or longer and more challenging treks, you will find it on our curated list of treks.
Each trek page has all the information you may need about the trek along with itineraries that are flexible. For more information on trekking holidays in the Himalayas and upcoming treks in Himachal, contact us.
Other treks by Himalayan Ecotourism
From our gallery
Photos of the Ookhal trek
Itinerary
Day One : Rangthar
| Timing | Details |
|---|---|
| Morning | The Ookhal trek starts from a village of the ecozone called Pekhri accessible by a jeepable road from Gushaini. From Pekhri you walk towards Lakcha (two hours), a very charming traditional Himalayan village. Have your packed lunch before Lakcha at a very scenic spot. Some parts of the trail to Lakcha are quite steep but don’t worry, anyone with an average fitness can do it.. |
| Afternoon | After Lakcha you still have at least one hour walk. You reach a flat-topped ridge where you will set up your first camp, Ranghthar. From Ranghthar you have an ideal view on the Himalayas and the Tirthan valley. A spectacular spot for camping ! It is really great to enjoy your meal at the bonfire during sunset. |
Day Two : Kundri or Marahni meadow
| Timing | Details |
|---|---|
| Morning | The sun rises over the peaks of the GHNP. Don’t miss out on this ! After a copious breakfast, everything is packed and you start your second walking day. The first step is Kauni, a very nice small summit 350 m above Rangthar. The way to Kauni is the steeper ascending trail of the entire trek. Don’t feel discouraged, it is steep but you will be reaching Kauni very fast and you will be rewarded by the view and the beauty of the forest around. |
| Afternoon | After Kauni it is a very pleasant hike up to Kundri. You go through a golden oak forest that sporadically let you observe the giant Himalayan mountains that appear closer and closer. You have a choice of camp site : Kundri or Marahni. According to the weather, snow conditions, water availability and your physical fitness you decide with your guide where to camp. Both meadows are great for camping. If you reach the Marahni meadow it is worth climbing up to the Marahni top (3670 m) before the sunset to admire the entire valley illuminated with golden sun rays. |
Day Three : Ookhal meadow
| Timing | Details |
|---|---|
| Morning | From your camp have a walk up to Marahni top to Enjoy the spectacular 360° view. The entire Tirthan valley with its surrounding snow-capped mountains above 5000 m height, one side. The lower green Himalayas and even the plains of Punjab on the other side. If you never reached a high peak in your life you will never forget the pleasure of reaching Marahni ! After enjoying the scenery your guide will take you on the way to the pass for the Tirthan valley. You move towards the pass on an impressive ridge. Then you suddenly discover the sceneries of the Sainj valley. |
| Afternoon | Be cautious around the pass some parts of the trails are exposed to heights. You continue on the ridge that separates the Tirthan valley from the Sainj valley. Today is definitively a scenic day ! Leave the ridge and go down to a small meadow : Ookhal Thach. Just relax, your trekking staff take care of everything. Dinner and night at the camp with a bonfire. |
Day Four : Sara lake
| Timing | Details |
|---|---|
| Morning | Today is a shorter/easier but very nice day. After your breakfast you packed up the camp and have a pleasant hike on the ridge of the mountain. The path weaves in between meadows and forest. It is an ideal day to observe birds and other wildlife. Get your camera ready. You never know what may appear and at what precise time. The Western Tragopan might be on the list of the special guests. Footprints of Bear and droppings of Leopard are commonly found on this trail. |
| Afternoon | The sceneries remain stunning. You are still far from any civilization. You stop nearby a very beautiful small lake where you will have your last camp. The lake is called the Sara lake. |
Day Five : Shangarh
| Timing | Details |
|---|---|
| Morning | Today you need to reach the village Shangarh. From the lake, you have a very steep descent through a dense forest. After 800 m of descent, you finally reach a small village. |
| Afternoon | From there you are again with the local villagers on the paths. You comfortably reach Shangarh after re-climbing 200 m. Shangarh is an awesome village which has a holy ground naturally clear from any trees or bushes despite of the proximity of an invasive forest. Pay a visit to the temple that lies at the extreme north of the ground. Be blessed by the local deities after having travelled to a unique part of the Himalayas. |
Ookhal trek in 4 days
Day 1 : Rangthar
This itinerary is made possible in 4 days by skipping the night at Sara lake.
It would be best to have strong legs and knees to descend from Ookhal straight to Shangarh.
The first day is the hike to Rangthar.
Day 2 : Marahni meadow
On day 2, you can reach the Marahni meadow. If the weather or other conditions force you to stop at Kundri, that’s also fine.
Day 3 : Ookhal Thach
Crossing the pass to the Sainj valley and nightstay at the Ookhal thach.
Day 4 : Shangarh
This is the long descent day to reach Shangarh.
You can expect a 7-hour long descent.
Gallery
Photos of the Ookhal trek
Share your feedback
Thank you for sharing your experience! Your feedback is invaluable and inspires fellow travelers to choose responsible tourism when they journey with us.
ANIL AGARWAL
We opted for the 3N/4D Ookhal trek with Himalayan Ecotourism in April. It was very well organized, including helpful guides and delicious food. I highly recommend this team
May 4, 2021 at 7:49 pm
Rohan Shah
Did the 4N/5D Ookhal trek in Tirthan valley with Himalayan Ecotourism. Amazing and gorgeous views of valleys, peaks, meadows and a lake. Our trek started at Pekhri- Rangthar- Marahni top- Ookhal – Sara lake and ended at Shangarh. Noteworthy was the trek from Marahni top to Ookhal where we had to walk on thin ridges of several mountains at 3000+ metres. The fabulous views of both Tirthan and Sainj valleys will never be forgotten.
October 12, 2022 at 1:43 pm
Varsha Khare
This was an experience for life – my first solo trip + maiden Himalayan trek, and it could not have been so good without the Himalayan Ecotourism team. I was to spend a week trekking to Raktisar but a fracture made me change my plans and I went ahead with a shorter trek. The guides are highly experienced and professional. Cannot wait to plan my next trek with them.
October 7, 2023 at 5:23 pm