3-Day Sethan Village Snow Tour from Manali: Backcountry Hiking

A traditional wooden lodge at 9,200 feet becomes your base for hiking into backcountry snow.

This 3-day tour takes you from Manali to Sethan Village, the last settlement in Hampta Valley, where you stay in a traditional Himalayan lodge and hike toward Hampta Pass and Lassi Thatch with an experienced guide. The lodge sits at 9,200 feet with views of the Dhauladhar Range, and each room has a bukhari (tandoor) for warmth. Pickup from Manali, all meals, permits, and a lead guide plus assistant guide are included. Children from age 6 are welcome.

The experience

What does a winter stay in a remote Himalayan village actually look like? Sethan sits at the end of Hampta Valley, far enough from roads that the quiet is complete, but close enough to Manali that you reach it in a morning drive. The Wilderness Lodge is a four-room traditional wooden cottage where each room has its own bukhari (a wood-burning stove that heats the space), and a toilet. There's no pretense of resort comfort, but the beds are warm and the kitchen produces freshly cooked meals three times a day. The real draw is what you do from there: photography hikes that climb toward Hampta Pass and Lassi Thatch, with the snow-capped Dhauladhars filling the view.

Your guide is a local who knows the terrain and speaks English or Hindi. The itinerary builds around what the season allows: backcountry snow hiking in winter, which means you're moving through landscape most visitors never see. Panduropa, a paddy field at almost 10,000 feet, sits on the route. The name carries the story of the Pandavas, the legendary brothers from the Mahabharata. Photography is woven through the days, not as a separate activity but as the reason to stop and look. Permits for wildlife and environmental access are handled before you arrive.

The three days run from brunch on day one through breakfast on day three, so you're not racing a clock. Children from age six travel on this tour, and the pace suits mixed fitness levels. The lodge itself is the experience (sleeping in a room heated by a tandoor, eating meals cooked on-site, watching the Dhauladhars from the balcony) as much as the hikes that radiate out from it.

What’s included

• Pickup from Manali (bus stand, hotel, or your location).
• experienced lead guide and assistant local guide, both speaking English or Hindi.
• two nights in the Wilderness Lodge with heated rooms.
• all meals from day-one brunch through day-three breakfast.
• wildlife and environmental permits.

Before you book

Days and timesWednesday to SundayLast departure this season: 31 Oct

AgesAdult (18 to 60 years) · Senior (61 to 75 years) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (6 to 12 years) · Under 6: can't be booked

GroupUp to 9

Live guideEnglish and Hindi

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomeNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by YoloO.Life

Is this one for you?This tour is shared and guide-led, so you're moving as a small group with an experienced local who knows the terrain and the stories. Choose it if you want the structure and knowledge of a guide without the pace of a rushed itinerary. The three days are built around what the season and the landscape allow, not around hitting a checklist.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Hindi.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (6 to 12 years). Children under 6 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's the altitude like at Sethan Village, and will I feel it?

Sethan sits at 9,200 feet, high enough that some travelers notice the thinner air, but the lodge is your base. You're not climbing higher to sleep. The hikes toward Hampta Pass and Lassi Thatch gain elevation during the day, then you return to the lodge. The operator notes the tour suits all fitness levels.

What kind of heating does the lodge have, and will I be warm at night?

Each room has a bukhari, a traditional tandoor-style wood-burning stove that heats the space. The rooms are described as cosy and warm. The lodge is built as a traditional Himalayan cottage designed for winter use.

Are meals included, and what kind of food is served?

All meals are included from brunch on day one through breakfast on day three. That's brunch, dinner, breakfast, lunch, and another breakfast. The kitchen cooks fresh meals on-site. The operator describes them as nutritious and freshly cooked, drawing on local ingredients and style.

What's Panduropa, and why does the itinerary include it?

Panduropa is a paddy field at almost 10,000 feet that sits on the hiking route. The name refers to the Pandavas, the legendary brothers from Hindu epic the Mahabharata, so it carries both landscape and story.