Neelkanth is famous for its mythological tales. The legend says that is the place where Mahadev consumed the poison, which turned his throat blue and the very event led the place to have its name. Now, even if you are not into this sort of thing, we promise, you won’t regret having this trip with us. 

Ritik Rai is a Product Manager based out of Bangalore and has a profound love for travel and adventure. He happened to be in Manali for work purposes and managed to take time out for little adventurous trips on the weekends. 

This is one of a few excerpts from his long and amazing experience!

Day 1
18^th Sept 2021, 9:00 A.M. 

Ritik and his friends along with 2 other locals, left Manali in a taxi for Naingarh. 

Naingarh is, however, a small village, having little more than 10 houses, it is a very quiet and peaceful place. It may not come as a surprise that the village only has one shop which also doubles as Dhaba since there are not many residing anyways. It is situated at the banks of the Chandrabhaga river. And the trek for Neelkanth starts from here.

Not to mention, this trek is no ordinary trek. Its terrain remains uncharted and beauty unexplored. Himachal may be the Hubspot for thrillseekers and trekkers, but this trek is also considered a holy trek. It is situated at 17,500 ft above sea level and has a small lake with crystal clear water, which is also said to have healing properties and a Mahadev Temple. 

Ritik and his friends reached Naingarh at noon and after taking some rest started their trek towards the top at 1 pm. It took them about 7-8 hours to make it to the first base camp, Alias. He suggests starting the trek early if you wish to reach the utmost top. After covering half of the journey, they however called it a night. The site is a huge open field which makes it a perfect place to enjoy nature. There is nothing more comforting than spending a night alongside a bonfire, under the sheet of stars. 

Day 2
19^th Sept 2021 7:00 A.M.

Starting the morning early, they resumed their trek and after crossing many rough terrains, they finally reached the foot of the peak, where lies the Neelkanth lake. The blue water of the lake is an absolute sight to behold. Surrounded by countless snow-capped mountains, and cotton-like clouds, it is a breathtaking view. 

After having spent some time in the lap of nature, Ritik and his friends started their way back to the base camp and from there to Naingarh. They managed to reach the starting point by 7 pm. They boarded the taxi for Manali and left the same day. 

One thing to keep in mind, however bizarre it may be, is that females are not allowed on this trek by locals of the area, the reason remains unknown as to why. They can trek till the first base camp, but after that, it is restricted. 

Being situated at quite a high altitude, the nights often get too cold. Remember to wear your warmest clothes. The campsite does have one room with a mattress and cooking utensils, but Ritik suggests that it’s better if you carry your own stuff. And within that, a water bottle is a must. The water supply is a little far away from the campsite. And you would not want to wander alone after dark in the mountains. Having said that, do carry your tents and sleeping bags and start the trek early. 

So this was the beautiful experience of Ritik to Neelkanth. For more such authentic travel stories and detailed itineraries follow us on our page @indichalk.

For more videos and photos, check out Ritik’s Instagram page @ritik.rai_.