The Tosh is a feeder valley of the popular Parvati Valley which leads to the Pin Parvati Pass. The Tosh Nallah meets the Parbati river at Pulga coming from the North. The Tosh valley is initially narrow but as you progress higher the valley starts to open up and you cross several beautiful meadows. At the head of the valley is the Tosh Glacier surrounded by some well known peaks: Papasura (6451m) & White Sail (6446m). The animal pass trek is a relatively unknown pass that connects the Tosh valley to the Malana Glacier. The trek was quite forgotten until we re-discovered in 2004.
We start the trip in Manikaran - a town sacred to both Hindus and Sikhs and known for its hot water springs. We trek from Barshaini along the Tosh river to reach either Animal Pass or Tosh Glacier and the snout of the river.
The valley near Barshaini is narrow, though it opens up to expansive meadows as one gains altitude. The thick pine forests of the lowlands give way to mixed high altitude forest, rhododendron bushes and alpine meadows to reach the Tosh glacier. The Tosh Glacier is surrounded by some well-known 6000m + peaks: Papasura, White Sail, Devachan, Angduri and Pinnacle being the most popular.
Pack:
Backpack 40 - 50 Lt with rain cover - Goes on the horse/porter
Day Pack 15 - 20 lt with rain cover- to carry your camera, water bottle, trail layers, trail food etc.
Footwear:
-Trekking Shoes: Please do not wear sports shoes as on most treks, as we go higher it gets harder to use sports shoes.
Socks:
2 -3 pairs of trekking socks.
2 pairs of woolen socks - ideal to sleep in and best to use when in camp. We do not recommend them while trekking
Clothing:
Pants: 3 pairs (including the ones you wear) - Ideal are the quick dry trekking pants. Alternatively, track pants are also comfortable to trek in.
T-shirts 3 pairs (including the ones you are wearing) - Preferably quick dry, full sleeve t-shirts You can also choose to get T-shirts with collars, they offer extra protection for the neck from sunburns.
Fleece Jacket
Rain & Wind Protection
Down filled / Hollow fiber fill insulated Jacket
Thermal liners - 1 pair upper and lower (optional).
Accessories:
Warm Cap
Gloves
Sun Cap
Sunglasses with UV protection.
Other recommended necessities:
Toiletries - sunscreen SPF 40+, moisturiser, lip balm, soap, toilet paper.
Repair Kit (needle and thread).
Headlamp/ Torch.
Camera.
Water Bottle- Ideally keep two bottles 1 liter each.
Trekking Pole - Optional.
Plastic Packing covers. (Please pack all your gear in waterproof plastic bags so that your clothes etc do not get wet while on horses or porters. Also, carry extra plastic bags in case you need to pack wet clothes.)