Sar Pass Trek

The Sar Pass Trek climbs to a snow saddle of about 4,220 metres above the Parvati valley in Himachal Pradesh, taking its name from a small frozen lake, or sar, that lies near the crossing. It is one of the most popular introductory Himalayan treks, run in large numbers each spring.

Its appeal is a genuine snow adventure on a forgiving gradient, capped by a long, exhilarating glissade down snowfields on the descent from the pass. The trail rises from pine woods through the meadows of Grahan and the open camps of Min Thach and Nagaru, with Parvati-valley peaks all around.

On the trail the trek runs about four to five days, typically from Kasol via Grahan, with an early, cold summit-day push over snow to the pass before the sliding descent. Graded easy to moderate, it welcomes fit beginners, though the high camp at Nagaru is cold and exposed and the snow slope needs care in poor visibility.

Practical notes: the trek is camping-based and usually done with an organised group that arranges the forest entry formalities from Kasol. May to June is the classic season, when firm snow lingers at the pass for the glissade, with a shorter autumn window in September to October; monsoon and deep winter close the route.