Imagine a chilly evening, a beautiful sunset and its reflection on a beautiful lake. A picturesque location, Kareri Lake seems like a place which has been picked straight out of a Hollywood movie. Also known as Kumarwah Lake, this is a shallow, freshwater lake that is situated to the south of the Dhauladhar range, about 9 kilometres to the northwest of Dharamshala, in the Kangra District of Himachal Pradesh. One of the best offbeat locations, here's all you need to know about how to reach Kareri.

PIcture - Unsplash

Location:

Located at an altitude of 2,934 meters above sea level, the Kareri Lake is also a popular trekking destination in the Dhauladhar range other than being a major sightseeing attraction. Frequented mostly by the Gujjars and Gaddis who reside in the nearby villages because of the extensive pasturelands that the Kareri Lake houses, the lake also boasts beautiful clusters of dense conifers and different kinds of colourful perennial flowers.

This high-altitude lake receives its water from snowmelt from the Dhauladhar range, and the pure water from the Kareri Lake then drains away as the Nyund stream. Given that the lake's water supply is provided by melting snow and that it is rather shallow, the water's visibility is very high, and the lake bed is generally visible.

Picture - Unsplash

Kareri Lake Trek :

While a majority of the backpackers who visit Himachal Pradesh are seen flocking to Triund or Indrahar Pass circuit, a short trek to the Kareri Lake makes for a more luxurious and quieter experience. The lake appears to be especially appealing during the winter months of December to March when it is frozen and an air of tranquillity envelopes it. A trip to Kareri Lake is thus definitely not worth a miss, especially for nature lovers.

Picture - Unsplash

How to reach Kareri :   

In order to reach Kareri Lake, you will first have to reach Dharamshala or Mcleodganj, then go to Kareri Village and finally trek up to the lake. The journey hence will have to be broken down into three parts.

By train - 

Pathankot is the nearest railway station, about 90 kilometres from Dharamshala. This is a major railway station and is very well connected to the rest of the country by several trains. All the trains to Jammu halt here so you can either look for a direct train to Pathankot or anyone going to Jammu when you're looking for how to reach Kareri.

By flight -  

Dharamshala has its own airport, known as Gaggal Airport. It is about 15 kilometres out of Dharamshala and has connecting flights from Delhi only. If Gaggal is not a convenient option, then you can look for a flight to Chandigarh and travel to Dharamshala from there. From both Gaggal and Chandigarh, you can easily get a taxi from the airport itself to get a drop at Dharamshala or Mcleodganj. If you are doing this, then you can also stay at Mcleodganj or travel to Kareri village.

By bus - 

Both Dharamshala and McleodGanj are among the top tourist destinations in all of Himachal. HRTC operates several buses from all nearby cities for Dharamshala, both ordinary and Deluxe. If you are coming from Delhi, you can get a bus easily from ISBT Kashmere Gate. An overnight bus will be a better option because then you can sleep through the journey. Direct buses to McleodGanj are also easily available which will be better than boarding one for Dharamshala.

Weather in Kareri

The best time to visit Kareri Lake is April to July and October to November. But one of the good aspects of Kareri Lake is that it stays accessible throughout the year. That is perfect to explore Kareri every month. It is also contemplated among the adequate winter treks in Himachal. So now that you know how to reach Kareri back your bags and plan your trip right away!