Beas Kund is one of the very few Himalayan treks that leads to impressive views of prominent mountains within just two days of trekking. It welcomes trekkers with the majestic presence of the Pir Panjal and the Dhauladhar ranges. Besides putting up a mesmerizing show of snow-clad peaks, it introduces you to the landscape of high-altitude treks in Himachal Pradesh. The Beas River leads you across a mixed terrain of green meadows, glacial streams, and large boulders to reach its place of birth, the Beas Kund, a glacial lake at 3,700 meters. The trek is generous to introduce you to a variety of features of a high-altitude trek. This is helpful for a beginner to get an experience of all kinds of terrain. In short, the trek makes for a perfect introduction to Himalayan trekking.
This article discusses the difficulty level of the Beas Kund trek, some of the challenges you may face, and the gear and skills you require to cross its mixed grassy and rocky terrain.
Difficulty Level of the Trek:
Beas Kund is a level 2 trek on the Bikat Rating Scale.
About the BRS: The Bikat Rating Scale rates the difficulty level of all treks and expeditions in our portfolio after taking into account their geographical and climatic conditions.
According to this scale, if you are a beginner who is unsure of your fitness level and doesn’t know what to expect on a trek, a trek rated one will be a good place to start.
If you liked your very first trekking experience and are looking to test your limits next, the treks rated 2 or 3 will do the job for you.
A beginner who is sure of their fitness level on the other hand is welcome to skip the first two levels and directly start with one of the treks rated 3.
From 4 onwards, the rules change a little. It is mandatory to have trekking experience at the previous level to participate in the next level.
The Trails of the Beas Kund:
Beas Kund is a beginner-friendly trek. Its easy slopes are perfect for someone who’s starting out their trekking journey in the Himalayas. You get to trek through lush meadows and enjoy the panoramic view of snow-cloaked mountains without much hassle. However, it is not all cakewalk. Like any high-altitude trail, Beas Kund can throw up some challenges as well. For one, it’s hard to keep yourself dry in the incessant rains on the trail. Besides, it can be hard to maintain balance trying to navigate all the large boulders on its trail. But don’t worry, it is only a matter of getting used to the terrain. Now let us look at some of these challenges you may encounter on the Beas Kund trek in a little more detail.
Challenge 1: Acclimatization
As easy as the slopes of the Beas Kund trek may sound, each day’s elevation gain is significant. The first day is a 13-kilometer-long hike from Solang Nala (2,560M) to Bakarthatch base camp (3,270M) with a gain of over 700 meters. This could be a bit much since it is also the first day of the trek. Getting acclimatized with such a sudden height gain can be challenging, especially when you are coming directly from sea level. It is important to pace yourself and not rush to reach the next gorgeous point on the trek. Instead, relax on the soft grass of verdant meadows, sit and observe the glacial landscape and look up to the changing skies; it is important to let your body adjust to the changing climate and altitude.
Acclimatization is important whether you are a beginner or someone with extensive experience in high altitudes. If you are coming from sea level, acclimatization is vital to maintain good health. We have seen experienced trekkers suffering from fatigue, nausea, and headache because they are not acclimatized to the altitude. There is an easy solution to adapt to the thinning air of the altitude quickly. The magic spell is to drink lots of water, layer up as instructed by your trek leader, and walk at your own pace. Also, remember to not skip any meals. These simple but effective strategies can go a long way in ensuring that you enjoy your trekking experience.
Challenge 2: Unpredictable Weather
The best season for the Beas Kund trek is between May and October. This includes the monsoon months of July, August, and September when the skies tend to be excessively moody. The unpredictable weather can be challenging in the absence of preparation or appropriate gear. Sudden torrential showers can leave you drenched and also shivering, as rain at that altitude leads to a drastic dip in temperatures. You can fall sick in the bone-chilling cold if you are not properly layered up. It is crucial to be prepared with waterproof bags and shoes, along with raincoats or ponchos.
Another element of unpredictable weather is white-outs. Whiteouts are when a blanket of misty clouds appears out of nowhere bringing down visibility. Don’t be surprised if you suddenly cannot see the surrounding mountains or even your next-door tent in the event of a white-out. Besides reducing visibility, these clouds can also come pouring down any minute. With the slippery nature of the trail, it is best to sit out these white-outs until the weather clears before pushing on ahead. Also, remember to cover up in proper rain-proof wear and protect yourself from the rain and the dipping temperatures.
It is important to remember that rain in the mountains also makes boulders very slippery; follow your trek leaders’ instructions carefully and be very cautious while walking on wet sections of the trail.
Challenge 3: Moraine Crossing
For beginners, the Beas Kund trek can be a learning experience as it introduces some types of Himalayan terrain like moraines. These sections are usually hard to come across on shorter trails. Moraines are basically a mass of rocks carried down and deposited by the glacier. This essentially means that the moraine fields are basically a sea of rocks and boulders of irregular sizes and sharp edges. Be very cautious while walking on these sections, because injuries are easy to come by in such a terrain. They are also hard to balance while walking and hence require a lot more focus and technique. But with some time and practice, figuring out your way on these tricky boulders can actually be fun!
Challenge 4: Distance Covered Each Day
Although the entire Beas Kund trail is not a very long journey, since it is a short trek, we cover long distances each day. This can be especially challenging if you are not used to walking long miles on foot. The distances are divided into 13, 6, and 13 kilometers across the three days of the trek. The long 13-kilometer stretch between Solang Nala and the Bakarthatch camp can be very strenuous, with the upward incline and the weight of rucksacks making it harder still.
Getting on a workout regime one month in advance could be helpful to build your stamina for the trek. Building your endurance can make it easier to enjoy the majestic mountains and gorgeous scenery on the Beas Kund trek without having to worry about physical exhaustion.
Gear Required
While we will be providing some technical equipment needed for the trek (tents, sleeping bags), there is some basic gear you will need from your end to get through your hike comfortably.
Some of the things you will need are:
1) A sturdy, lightweight backpack: A good backpack that sits comfortably on your back without putting too much pressure on it can be the deciding factor between making it to the Beas Kund or not. Good, however, is not a synonym for expensive.
One of our founders, Pankaj, purchased a non-branded pack for INR 1100 in 2010 and the pack continues to work just fine for him even today. In the article linked below, he shares some helpful tips on what to look for when choosing a trekking backpack.
How to choose your backpack
2) Comfortable trekking shoes: Happy feet equal a happy trek. Conventional sports shoes don’t suit trekking trails. We recommend wearing high-ankle shoes with sturdy soles. These not only provide better support but also reduce the possibility of injuries while hiking. Especially for the Beas Kund trek, it is better to use waterproof trekking shoes to face unpredictable weather. In case, you need help with a list of deciding factors that make for good trekking shoes, please refer to the article below.
How to choose a good pair of hiking shoes
3) Right Clothing: Any high-altitude trek requires specific kinds of clothing. It should be warm but lightweight. It should also be such that it is easily packaged. On high-altitude treks like the Beas Kund, we usually employ the layering method where you put on multiple layers of clothing instead of one very heavy, thick jacket. This is for two reasons:
- The weather in the Himalayan regions is unpredictable and changes very quickly. Layering gives you the freedom to adapt to that accordingly so that you are not left feeling too hot or too cold.
- These are easy to carry and are packing-friendly.
4) Right Sunglasses: When you know you are going to be in and around snow or in any high-altitude location where the sun is harsh, you might want to carry a good pair of sunglasses. A lack of these could prove to be fatal. The article below can help you pick out just the right pair.
How to pick high-altitude UV protection glasses?
Skills Required for Beas Kund
Bikat Adventures is primarily an adventure learning organization. This means our key objective is not just to help trekkers complete their treks but also to ensure they pick up some valuable lessons and skills in trekking along the way.
To achieve this, we have created learning modules and paired them to different levels on the Bikat Rating Scale.
These modules are taught real-time on the trails by our trek leaders.
The following are some skills that are likely to come in handy on a trek like Beas Kund.
While you will have all the assistance you need on the trek from our capable trek leaders and guides, we suggest browsing through the articles below to get an idea of what is involved.
1) Ascending and Descending on Trails
Although the Beas Kund trail does not have tricky snow or ice slopes, you will need to ascend and descend steep rocky ridges while trekking. A set of simple techniques can help you navigate rocky landscapes with considerable ease while also reducing the chances of injuries and stress to specific body parts. The guide linked below shares some useful tips on how to ascend and descend on trails.
Ascending and Descending on Trails
2) Packing Your Rucksack
Given how unpredictable the weather gets on the Beas Kund trail, you are likely to keep changing your layering frequently along the way. Also, due to the vast difference in day temperature and that at night, you most probably will spend a lot of time packing and re-packing your sack.
Accessing your stuff can get a bit messy and confusing during this process.
A sack packed right can facilitate your trekking while incorrect packing can make even an easy trail seem difficult. Worry not, we are here to help. The article linked below shares some useful guidelines you can follow to pack efficiently.
3) How to Pitch a Tent
Our trek leaders will be guiding you on how to pitch a tent during the trek. Nevertheless, we are linking the article below for anyone who might be interested in reading about it.
4) Layering Basics
Layering appropriately to protect you from the cold is essential. The article linked below will give you a fair idea of the winter layers you will need and guide you on how to layer up at campsites and while hiking.
5) Understanding Equipment
The Beas Kund trek does not involve much technicality, and lets you enjoy the landscape with ease. But it is useful to learn how to use trekking poles while crossing glacial streams or moraine boulders. The article below will acquaint you to this and help you understand how to use trekking poles as well as how they can facilitate your journey.
We hope this article answers all the questions you may have about Beas Kund. In case you need further assistance/information with something, please feel free to reach out to us. We are only a phone call away.
