Detailed Trekking Guide: Aadi Himani Chamunda from Jia Village

Written by Rahi on April 13, 2024 | Reading Time: 6 - 10 mins

Notes:

• There are two paths for this Himani Chamunda Trek - one is from Jadrangal Village and the other is from Jia Village. This blog is for the path from Jia Village.

• This blog is based on a one-day trek and reflects our walking speed, which was good enough.

• It is focused on a one-day trek, so there is no information provided for a two-day trek, but still you will find necessary details.

• Some new developments may have occurred after the date of writing this blog.

Location:

The Aadi Himani Chamunda Temple, situated around 3000 meters (around 10,000 ft) above sea level, is perched on a hilltop in the northeastern part of the Kangra District in Himachal Pradesh, near the existing Shri Chamunda Devi Mandir. Starting point near Jia Village is around 20 Kms (30-40 mins) from Dharamshala and around 18 Kms (30 mins) from Palampur town.

Purpose:

As a regular trekker and organizing treks as the owner of an adventure firm in Dharamshala since 2014, I recently (13 Apr 2024) completed the Aadi Himani Chamunda Trek from Jia Village with my friend Vivek Siddharth. I was motivated to write this blog because when we decided to do this trek, we couldn't find precise details on the path to take, the availability of water points, the level of difficulty, the possibility of completing it in a day, the need to carry our own food, the presence of local shops along the way, and other queries. So, I decided to write thing blog with precise details to help those who want to know all these details while they are planning this trek solo or with a group. If you find any need for correction, please contact me.

History:

The Aadi Himani Chamunda Temple is more than 700 years old, as mentioned at Wikipedia - “The temple stands close to the ruins of the palace of Raja Chandar Bhan Chand Katoch (d. 1660), and is of least the same age, if not for older.”

Seasons for Aadi Himani Chamunda Trek:

This trek is generally covered with snow during winter from October/November to February/March, so the ideal months for visiting the Adi Chamunda Himani Temple are March/April to September/October.

Important Points to Keep in Mind:

1. Carry your own water bottle, as there is no water at the Main Temple of Aadi Himani Chamunda.

2. Start the trek early, around 6 am, to return by 5 or 6 pm and enjoy the view without rushing or exhausting yourself.

3. Carry your own food, as you might not find what you want in the shops, and they may be closed due to some reason, particularly at the beginning and end of the season.

4. Be careful not to hurt yourself, especially your feet and legs. Avoid putting your foot on loose rocks or being careless while walking.

5. Ensure your toenails are trimmed, as your weight will push your foot against the shoe wall during the descent, which can be painful if your nails are overgrown.

6. Mobile networks are not much available during the trek but surprisingly there was JIO 5G network available behind the temple area towards mountains side!

• Light and loose clothes

• Long sleeve t-shirt for sun protection

• Loose pants

• Hat/Cap

• Good shoes with grip

• Sunglasses

• Water bottle

• Good trekking shoes

• Personal and necessary medicines (fever, painkiller, band-aid, loose-motion, muscle pain relief, etc.)

• Food (packed home food or light utensils for cooking)

• Paper napkins/toilet roll

• A small bag for waste disposal

• Light raincoat

• Power bank

• Torch

• Rucksack

Facilities:

• Water Points

• 1st at the beginning, near starting point

  • 2nd between starting point and the first shop (The shop is 2.30 - 3 hrs away from starting point)

  • 3rd at the first small local shop (Called “Tapri” in local language)

  • Then there is no water at the Main Temple of Aadi Himani Chamunda, though there is another small shop around 30 mins before the Main Temple of Aadi Himani Chamunda where you might get mineral water bottle but the costly one.

• Resting point at the first small local shop (Tapri).

• Tent and Sleeping bags are not available on the way or at Main Temple of Aadi Himani Chamunda, so you must carry them if you are planning to stay overnight. Contact us if you want us to organize this trek for you.

This trek can be difficult for beginners, but it is doable with proper planning. Start early to avoid rushing and plan for a longer trekking time.

At the starting point, on the board it is mentioned 9 kms but according to the Google Fit app it shows 11.8 Kms (16,800 steps one way). So, it could be between 9 – 12 Kms.

Though this distance and steps can be accurate for everyone because It depends on the path you choose shortcuts or path made by walking.

The initial path is cemented, which is recommended for beginners. After that, it becomes a stepped path made of rocks. You can take shortcuts and avoid this cemented path, but it will surely exhaust your energy.

Duration:

To be honest, it's difficult to pinpoint the exact duration of a trek from point A to point B. Several factors come into play, such as your walking pace, group size, and overall stamina. However, based on my experience, both as a seasoned trekker and accompanying a friend on their first challenging trek, here's a rough estimate:

It took us approximately 5 hrs and 30 mins to trek from the starting point to the Main Temple of Aadi Himani Chamunda. This includes a 60-minute break for lunch at a small shop (Tapri) along the way, as well as a few short breaks to catch our breath.

The return journey from the Main Temple to the starting point took us around 3 hrs and 30 mins, with a 30-minute tea break at a small shop.

So, in total, I would estimate that the trek would take a minimum of 4 hours for experienced trekkers and up to 6 hours for beginners. However, these times can vary depending on each individual.

Starting Point:

Start Point Location - https://maps.app.goo.gl/t15jxXzeazUHK8N16

Our Journey with Kms and Duration:

Our journey schedule, as recorded by Google Fit Mobile App -

Ascending:

06:30 am – Started the trek from Parking Area (Elevation 1446 mtr)

06:00 – 06:45 am – Parking to 1st Water Point (1 km - 15 mins)

06:45 – 07:42 am – 1st Water Point to 2nd Water Point (Approx. 3 kms - 57 mins)

07:48 am – Cemented path ended here after (1 hr and 15 mins of walk)

07:48 – 09:21 am – Cemented path to First small local shop (Tapri) (8 Kms – 3 hrs, Elevation 2285 mtr)

09:21 – 10:09 am – Lunch and Rest at the Shop (48 mins)

10:09 – 10:16 am – Shop to the gate of “First Glimpse of the Temple” (0.5 Km – 5 mins)

10:16 – 11:34 am – From gate to Second Small Shop (2.5 Km – 1 hr 18 mins)

11:34 – 11:50 am – Stopped at shop for water break (16 mins)

11:50 – 12:00 pm – Second shop to Main Temple (0.8 Km – 10 mins, Elevation 2790 mtr)

Total hours of Journey = 5 hrs 41 mins

Total distance = 12 Kms

Total elevation gained = 1400 mtr

At temple:

12:00 – 01:00 pm – Stayed at Main Temple of Aadi Himani Chamunda for an hour

Descending:

01:00 – 02:04 pm – From main temple to first small local shop (3.6 kms – 1 hr)

02:04 – 02:37 pm – Tea break and rested at the shop

02:37 – 04:28 pm – Shop to Starting point - Parking (7.5 kms – 1 hr 51 mins)

Total hours of Journey = 3hr 24mins

Total distance = 11.1 Kms

Please note: When you check on Google Map it shows 2 hrs 41 mins and 4.8 kms which is not accurate.

Conclusion:

I hope this guide provides you with all the necessary details for your one-day trek to Adi Himani Chamunda Temple from Jia Village.

Wish you a safe and enjoyable journey! And share you experience with details of new development so that I can update the necessary details here with your name.