Heaving with surprises at every turn, the hike towards the Chandratal Lake is one of the most eye-catching walks till you arrive at a Samudra Tapu plateau in the Spiti valley. The trek will be enclosed by the iridescent sundown on the turquoise waters of Chandratal, rippled scenery, mountain passes, small watercourse, verdant emerald meadows, wild and colorful orchard, sited in the nurturing laps of nature.

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At the elevation of the 4300 meters, the hike not only occupies the wits of trekkers, photographers, and nature lovers but makes them spellbound towards it.The chandertal Lake hike begins from a town Manali and after that plank your motor vehicle to the chikka from Manali on a way you will be crossing the hamlets of Pirni, Hampta, and Sethan.

HISTORY

Touted as one of the sacred lakes of the Hindus, the lake attracts hordes of Hindu devotees to its holy waters. It is the origin of the Himalayan river Chandra, one of the tributaries of river Chenab.

As eerie as it may sound but the mythical Chandra Taal lake has not one but three legends attached to it.

The most famous folklore revolves around the two lovebirds by the name of Chandra, the loving daughter of Moon God and Bhaga, the bright son of Sun God. Both madly in love but as destiny would have it, their parents did not approve of their alliance. They decided to elope from Baralacha La, the Pass where they met for the first time. Somehow, they could not meet there but met someplace else where they performed a celestial wedding. You can see the effervescent Chandrabhaga River at that spot which stands testimony to their heavenly alliance. The lakes Suraj Tal and Chandratal individually created by them still reverberate with the mystery of their romance.

The celebrated lake of Chandra Taal also finds its mention in Hindu mythology. It is widely believed that the chariot of Lord Indra (the revered God of Rain) took Yudhishthir to his heavenly abode at this very location.

History has it that a shepherd from Hansa Village in Spiti valley fell in love with a mermaid residing in the glacial lake. Their love blossomed under the icy waters of the angelic lake. Mythology believes that even today shepherds halt here to look for their long-lost friend.

How to reach Chandratal Lake

The Chandra Taal lake can be reached either by road or air. You can decide on the one that best suits your adventurous needs.

By Road

The on-road route has two options. You can either drive to the lake or take a public transport bus to reach your destination.

- - Car/ SUV Drive or Bike

Did you know that it was possible to cover the entire route to this heavenly place by road! If you are a driving expert or an avid biker, this on-road experience is bound to rock you out of your wits! Whooping bends, tricky terrains, hair-raising loops, and some precarious water crossings test the limit of even the best of the drivers. It is one of the very tough routes to traverse by car, SUV or bike, so one has to be extremely cautious and well-prepared for the notorious terrain.

- - By Bus

Again, there are two options to reach the lake by bus, depending upon your trekking route ahead. The Chandratal Lake trek can either be undertaken via the Delhi-Manali route or the Simla-Kinnaur-Spiti Valley route. The total distance between Delhi & Chandratal is 680 km, and between Manali & Chandratal is 140 km