Kareri lake trek

[shan khan]

The Kareri Lake, or the Kareri Dal as the locals pronounce it, is perched at a height of about 3300 metres. It is located approximately 9 km away from Dharamshala, in the Kangra district of the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh. The temperature at Kareri Lake varies with the seasons. It can go up to 43 degrees during the days in the summer season, while the temperature in the winters hits the negatives. Spring is the best time to take this trek, especially if you wish to see the flora and fauna of the area in full bloom. It is best to avoid the trek during the monsoon season as the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, where the lake is located, receives the highest amount of rainfall in the state. The route to the Kareri Lake can get slippery and dangerous in the monsoonal weather and can lead to accidents. 

A trek to Kareri Lake takes its participants in the path of nature’s best - the dense forests consisting of huge pine and oak trees, the green moss covering the boulders around which the streams meander their way, and the spurts of wildflowers shooting out here and there. The lake itself offers to the takers a stunning view of the Dhauladhars, reflected in its surface. The flora during the trek changes with gain in height. It starts with forests of pine and broadleaf, and slowly transitions into grasslands, with patches of deodars and pine. You will also come across small waterfalls and a bubbling stream, which follows you along most of the way. If we were to map the gradient of the trek, it would become apparent that while the trek starts with a slow, gentle incline, it gets steeper, as you progress further the trek gets steeper in paths, however, a lot of the steep parts have steps cut into the rocks for convenience. The total distance covered during the trek is 27 km - one side - and the duration of the trek is short at 3 days. Therefore, the Kareri Lake trek is considered to be a relatively easy one, great for first-timers.