Treks
Hampta · Bhrigu · Kheerganga · Triund · Beas Kund · Pin-Parvati
From four-hour walks to twelve-day high passes. Local guides, fair pay, no over-grouping.
Enquire for free
🏔 Based in Kullu·Since 2017·11 homestay families
@wanderingsayatravelsfollow the journeySaroj's Himachal,
not the one in the brochures.
Born and raised in Bhuntar. We've been in this valley all our lives, and we take you to the homestays you call by first name, the trails the buses skip, the festivals only the villages know.Tell us your dates, Saroj replies on WhatsApp within 4 hours.
Free cancellation up to 14 days· ≤6 travellers per group· Verified homestays
The eight things we do
Treks. Snow.
Lakes. Rivers. Stars.
Pick what calls you. We'll match it to a route, a season, a homestay, a dish.
Snowfall
Solang · Rohtang · Atal Tunnel · Sissu
We watch the forecast obsessively. When the first big fall comes, we move.
Enquire for free
Mountain lakes
Chandratal · Prashar · Dashir · Bhrigu
Quiet lakes high in the mountains. We carry hot tea up. You will not say a word for ten minutes.
Enquire for free
Rivers
Beas · Parvati · Tirthan · Spiti
Rafting, fly-fishing for trout, riverside dinners, glacier-melt dips.
Enquire for free
Wildlife
GHNP · monal · ibex · snow leopard (Spiti, Feb)
Patient days. Real guides. No baiting. The Himalayas reveal themselves only to the quiet.
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Pahari food
Sidu · Madra · Babru · Dham · Aktori
Steamed wheat breads, yogurt-rich curries, slow festival feasts on leaf platters.
Enquire for free
Culture
Kullu Dussehra · weavers · temples · village deities
Travel with us during festival week and you'll see a Himachal that doesn't perform for you. It just lives.
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After dark
Stargazing · bonfire stories · Manikaran hot springs
Skies so clear you can read by the Milky Way. Stories around a fire. Sulphur springs at midnight.
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Curated journeys
Three journeys.
One way to travel.
Tap a card to step into the journey hour-by-hour. Or message Saroj, she'll shape one around your dates and pace.
Seasons opening, in order
Saroj replies on WhatsApp within 4 hours.
This seasonMay → mid-Jun
High Meadows & Rhododendron
Year's first treks above 3,000 m, while the pink is still in bloom.
Why this window
The rhododendron fades by mid-June. After that, the high meadows green over and the window closes for the year.
Small group, up to 6 travellers · homestay nights
Ask about datesWhatsApp Saroj
☀️Next windowJul → Aug
Spiti Crossing
Rain-shadow run while the rest of the Himalaya is under monsoon.
Why this window
Spiti sits behind the main range, so the monsoon barely reaches it. The road over Kunzum is only fully open in these two months.
High-altitude · two small groups, up to 6 each
Ask about this windowWhatsApp Saroj
🍎Our signatureSept → late Oct
The Apple Harvest
Pick alongside the families who raised these orchards. Kullu Dussehra coincides.
Why this window
Harvest is dictated by the orchards, not the calendar. Once the apples are off the trees, the trip is over for the year.
Family homestays · UNESCO-recognised Dussehra
Ask about the harvestWhatsApp Saroj
Every journey: free cancellation up to 14 days before, and a full refund if a cloudburst or road closure ends the trip. The Saroj Promise.
Don't see your trip?
We build journeys around your dates, pace and people. Tell us what you're after - we'll send you a draft within a day.
Build your own →
A 2-minute WhatsApp chat with Saroj.
❄ Free planning toolWill it snow when you visit?
Will it snow when you visit?
See for yourself.
Pick a place. We show only the months that matter, when it snows, when it's comfortable, when to skip. Based on ten years of regional data.
Roads today
Last checked 11 May 2026 · by Tashi (our Manali driver)
- Manali–Leh via Atal TunnelOpen
Atal Tunnel clear. Sissu, Keylong, Jispa accessible. Fuel at Tandi sangam, last petrol pump for 365 km.
- Manali–Kaza via Kunzum LaOpen · caution
Kunzum La (4,551 m) opened mid-May. River crossings active past Batal, go with a driver only, no self-drive.
- Rohtang PassOpen
Permit from Manali RTO required (₹500). Snow walls 8–10 ft both sides. Closed beyond 5 pm.
- Shimla–Kalka toy trainOperating
5 daily services. 102 tunnels, 988 bridges, ~5.5 hours of slow descent. Book HRTC seats in advance.
- Kasol–Kheerganga trailClear
Barshaini gate open. 12 km trek, 4–5 hours up. Camping currently permitted.
- Sach Pass (Pangi)Closed
Opens around 15 June each year. Pangi accessible only via Kishtwar (J&K) side until then.
3,650 m
Spiti
Roads open mid-June to October. Snow leopard tracking in deep winter (fly into Kaza). Coldest desert you'll ever love.
Months that matter
- JunRoads just opened❄ 5% · 5° / 20°
- JulChandratal at its best8° / 22°
- AugClear skies, monasteries open7° / 21°
- SepQuieter, gold light❄ 5% · 4° / 18°
- JanSnow leopard tracking❄ 95% · −20° / −5°
- FebColdest, Kaza by air only❄ 95% · −18° / −3°
Based on regional climate averages, not a forecast. Saroj will confirm what to expect for your specific dates over WhatsApp.
The journey · day by day
Spiti Circuit · 9 days, hour by hour
The map
Manali · Old Manali to Goodbye, gently
Hour by hour, from first light to the last star.
9
Days
33
Moments
9
Places
≤ 6
Group
Plan your dates with Saroj
Spiti Circuit
Manali → Kaza → Chandratal → Shimla. Monasteries, lakes, the world's highest post office.
Days
9
Nights
8
Group
≤ 6
Pace
Considered
Included
- Private vehicle + driver
- All homestays / camps
- Daily breakfast + dinner
- Local guide on trek days
- Inner-line permits
- A welcome pack, hand-drawn map, language card, pressed leaf bookmark
Not included
- Flights to Bhuntar / Chandigarh
- Lunch
- Personal extras
Pricing changes with the season. Saroj will WhatsApp you a fair quote within 4 hours.
Enquire for a quoteWhat our travellers say
The Himachal you remember
is the one you trust.
"We were nervous about driving in Spiti, but Tashi made us feel safe from day one. Saroj checked in twice during the trip. The Komic monastery breakfast we'll never forget."
Anjali & Rohan Sharma
Delhi NCR · Spiti Circuit · September 2025
"I've done a lot of Himachal trips with bigger operators. This was the first that felt like staying with family. Mahendra's orchard, Dolma's kitchen, these aren't on any app."
Vikram Mehta
Mumbai · Kullu Roots · October 2025
"Saroj rebuilt our whole itinerary when our flights got delayed. No drama, no extra charge. The kids still talk about the snowball fight at Solang."
The Iyer family
Bangalore · First Snow · December 2024
"Solo female traveller, was anxious. Saroj's homestay host Tara treated me like her own. I read three books in five days and forgot what my phone was for."
Priya Krishnan
Chennai · Tirthan & Great Himalayan NP · May 2025
A note from the founder
Saroj ThakurBhuntar · Kullu
I was born in Bhuntar.I studied tourismso I could take you home.
My whole life has been in this valley. I did hotel management and tourism because I wanted to learn how to host people the way Pahari families already do, properly, slowly, without fuss. I started Wandering Saya Travels in 2017 with one Innova and a notebook of homestay friends. Today we are eight drivers and eleven homestay families. We will not put you on a bus. We will not pretend a place is yours when it is not.
Localfirst.
Slowalways.
Mountainsdecide.
Pahari kitchens, slow festivals
The food is half the
reason you're here.
Every itinerary includes one Pahari kitchen visit, one festival day if the calendar agrees, and one quiet meal you'll think about for years.
Kullu Dussehra · October
A festival where 200 village deities walk into town.
A phrase a day, in Pahari
- Kya haal aa?How are you?
- Bada changaVery beautiful
- Chha pee leHave some tea
- MeherbaniThank you
Kullvi dressBhuntar · Kullu
Who you travel with
Born in these villages.
Cook in their own kitchens.
Walk these trails for work.
01
Drivers
· PahariPahari, born in the valley. They drive the way the road asks, slowly, with the weather, never against it.
02
Hosts
· Of these housesHomestay families we have worked with for years. You stay in their rooms, eat at their table, hear about the goats.
03
Guides
· Of these trailsFrom the village, not a website. They know the trails the way you know your own street.
04
Kitchen
· Of these tablesPahari mothers and grandmothers. Siddu, trout, chha gosht, what was on the family table last night, not a menu.
05
Office
· In BhuntarSmall on purpose. You will hear back the same day, in plain words, usually after the drivers come down from the road.
Team Wandering Saya
Bhuntar · Kullu Valley
9
Years in the valley
Our weather promise, full refund if a cloudburst or road closure ends your trip.
₹0
Cancellation fees
Free cancellation up to 14 days before. No questions asked.
11
Homestay families
Verified homestays, local guides, fair pay. A share of every booking funds a Himachal cause.
≤6
Travellers per group
Curated journeys for small groups. No bus tours.
How it works
Three steps. No forms.
We don't sell packages off a shelf. Saroj builds each itinerary by hand, you talk to a person, not a chatbot.
Step 01
Tell Saroj your dates
Message on WhatsApp with your rough dates, group size and what you're after. No form, no signup.
Step 02
Get a hand-crafted itinerary
Within 4 hours Saroj sends back a tailored day-by-day plan and a fair quote. Tweak it as much as you want.
Step 03
Pay 25% to confirm
Balance on arrival in cash, UPI or bank transfer. Free cancellation up to 14 days before. The Saroj Promise covers the rest.
Common questions
Asked us before.
Answered honestly.
- How do I book a trip?
- Message Saroj on WhatsApp at +91 85809-46251 with your rough dates and group size. She sends back a tailored itinerary and a fair quote within 4 hours. No form, no signup.
- How does payment work?
- 25% advance to confirm dates and reserve homestays. Balance is paid on arrival in cash, UPI, or bank transfer, whichever you prefer.
- What if I need to cancel?
- Free cancellation up to 14 days before departure. And if a cloudburst or road closure ends your trip mid-way, we refund what hasn't been used, every rupee. We call it the Saroj Promise.
- Are the drivers and guides safe?
- All eight of our drivers have been working in Himachal for at least seven years. They're our cousins, neighbours, friends. We don't outsource. Trek guides are licensed by Himachal Tourism.
- What about food restrictions, kids, or older travellers?
- We've hosted vegetarian, Jain, vegan, gluten-free and allergy-sensitive travellers. Tell Saroj on WhatsApp and she'll talk to the kitchens. Kids 5 and up are very welcome; for younger or older travellers we'll talk through altitude and pace.
- Can I travel solo?
- Yes. About 30% of our travellers come solo. Saroj will match you with the right homestays and route. For solo female travellers, we have specific routes and host families we prefer.
- What's actually included?
- Private vehicle and driver, all homestay/camp stays, daily breakfast and dinner, local guides on trek days, inner-line permits where needed, and a small welcome pack (hand-drawn map, language card, pressed leaf bookmark). Not included: flights, lunch on the road, personal extras.
Still have a question? Just ask Saroj on WhatsApp →
Plan your journey
Five gentle questions.
Saroj will WhatsApp within 4 hours.
Step 1
Who
Step 2
When
Step 3
What
Step 4
How
Step 5
Confirm
We'll keep this between us.