Surviving Hampta Pass Trek: Rain, Raging Rivers, and the Quest for Jwara

If you thought our whirlwind journey from Delhi and the hilarious misadventures of exploring Manali were intense. Brace yourselves—because the actual trek had not even begun yet.

(If you haven’t read how we barely survived our first day in Manali, check out Hampta Pass Trek: The Misadventures of Manali Before the Mountains Began before diving into this part!)

Once the chaos of town settled, it was finally time to step onto the trail. What followed over the next two days was a mix of ethereal mountain magic, a bone-rattling jeep ride, and one of the wettest, coldest stream crossings of my life.

Here is how Days 2 and 3 played out on the Hampta Pass trek.

Day 2: Surreal Views, Rollercoaster Drives, and Heaven at Jobra

Waking up early after a long, exhausting first day in Manali isn’t usually easy. But the mountain town had a massive surprise waiting for us. Standing on the opposite side of town, we looked out to see Manali floating literally inside a sea of low-hanging clouds. It was surreal, serene, and the ultimate reminder of why we traded our city lives for the Himalayas.

When I insisted on going through with the Hampta Pass trek following the recent floods in Himachal, many advised against it. But standing here, taking in a view like this, my faith is restored: the raw beauty of these mountains remains undiminished, even alongside the quiet risks they carry. 🏔️✨

As tempting as it was to stare at the view all morning, we had a reporting deadline. We quickly freshened up, checked out of our OYO room. Then took the short five-minute walk to Hotel Kalinga to meet our trek batch with Indiahikes.

There we met our trek leader, Aditya—a Mumbai-born Malayalee with a knack for keeping things organized and moving efficiently. Our batch was an eclectic mix of 18 trekkers hailing from across the country:

8 from Chennai
4 from Pune
2 from Mumbai
3 from Bengaluru (including my friend Hussain and our tent mate Samarth, whom we had briefly bumped into during our Manali antics)

Once document verification and introductions were wrapped up, we devoured a quick lunch before piling into jeeps bound for the Jobra Hydel Project site.

The Drive That Shook Up Our Lunch

Calling the drive to Jobra a “ride” is a massive understatement—it was a total rollercoaster.

The half-finished, half-tarmac road wound up the valley through a series of sharp hairpin bends. The jeep tossed us around like ragdolls from one side of the vehicle to the other. It single-handedly attempting to churn up and digest the lunch we had just eaten. By the time the wheels finally came to a halt at the road end, I couldn’t wait to jump out and rely on my own two feet.

Entering the Jobra Campsite

The walk from the drop-off point to the Jobra campsite took roughly 45 to 50 minutes. It guided us through a dense forest filled with pine and maple trees bordered by lush green grass. But nothing prepared us for the moment we stepped out of the tree line into the main campsite.

If heaven had a physical location, Indiahikes pitched their tents right in the middle of it. Tents were scattered across a vibrant green valley, flanked by a roaring freshwater stream and enclosed by towering mountain walls. It was a 360-degree feast for the eyes.

As darkness settled over the valley, Aditya did the mandatory health checks with his oximeter, followed by a hearty warm dinner prepared by the camp staff. Crawling into our sleeping bags that night, we knew the real test would begin the next morning.

Day 3: From Jobra to Jwara (Or, The Art of Hiking Drenched)

A Morning Worth “Mountaingasm”

If Jobra looked ethereal at dusk, the morning view was on another level entirely.

Thick, heavy clouds settled low into the belly of the valley, almost touching the grass, while the icy stream glided softly alongside our tents. It looked like a landscape straight out of a childhood drawing. If there is ever a word created for pure scenic perfection, it’s mountaingasm—and Jobra in the morning was the textbook definition of it.

First official camp stop: Jobra. 📍 If you had to define paradise, wouldn't it look something like this? 👇💚 — First official camp stop: Jobra. 📍

If you had to define paradise, wouldn’t it look something like this? 💚

We lingered over breakfast, savoring the stillness. In fact, we were so mesmerized that nobody actually wanted to lace up their boots and leave for Jwara.

Seeing our laid-back mood, Aditya had to step in and forcefully kick our butts into gear. Mountain weather is notoriously unpredictable, and delaying our start was asking for trouble.

Rain, Poncho Problems, and Mini-Waterfalls

Aditya’s warning turned out to be prophetic.

Don't you think this scene is almost similar to the picture we drew of hills during our school days? — *Don’t you think this scene is almost similar to the picture we drew of hills during our school days?*

Barely 30 minutes into the hike toward Jwara, a light drizzle started. Within moments, it escalated into a relentless downpour.

Out came the oversized poncho I had bought over a year ago in Lohajung right before my Roopkund trek. It was only now on the trail that I realized I had bought a size way too long for me. The lower hem kept dragging on the muddy ground and catching under my boots, making every step an annoying, awkward struggle.

The weather played a mind game with us all morning:

The rain would stop.
I would take off the hot, sticky poncho.
The sky would open up again with double the force, soaking us instantly.

After repeating this frustrating dance four or five times, I finally gave up on the poncho entirely and decided to trudge forward in just my windcheater.

*The beautiful views which you can encounter enroute to Jobra campsite during the Hampta Pass trek!*

To add to the adventure, the trail routed us straight under a mini-waterfall, ensuring that whatever tiny patch of dry clothing we had left was completely wiped out.

The Ice-Cold River Crossing

Just when we thought we couldn’t possibly get any wetter, the ultimate challenge of the day appeared: a deep, swift stream crossing powered by waist-deep, ice-cold glacial melt.

This was easily the toughest and most nerve-wracking part of the day. Crossing required a military level of coordination:

My unlaced boots were tied together and draped precariously over my neck.
My heavy main backpack and camera bag were strapped to my back.
We had to lock arms tightly with one another to form a sturdy human chain so no one would be swept away by the current.

With my hands locked in the chain, I had zero capability to adjust my gear or catch anything if it slipped into the churning water. Step by agonizing step, we pushed through the freezing current.

This is the kind of views which we live for when we trek through Hampta Pass! — *This is the kind of views which we live for!*

By the time we dragged ourselves onto the opposite bank, our feet were completely numb, feeling like dead blocks of ice.

Refuge at Jwara

Fortunately, the trail took mercy on us. The Jwara campsite was only a short 10-to-15-minute walk from the river crossing.

We stumbled into camp shivering, but the incredible Indiahikes staff immediately handed us hot cups of tea and served a warm lunch to pump heat back into our chilled bones.

Later in the afternoon, once we had thawed out, Aditya took us on a short acclimatization walk to help our bodies adjust to the jump in altitude, followed by the routine evening health pulse-checks.

As the sun dipped behind the ridges, the wettest, wildest hiking day of my life drew to a close. Exhausted, soaked to the bone, but thoroughly thrilled, we devoured our dinner and collapsed into our tents to rest up for what lay ahead on the trail.

To be continued…

Surviving Hampta Pass Trek: Rain, Raging Rivers, and the Quest for Jwara