Treks AmarnathChar Dham, Bhawishya Badri, Kalimath, Kali Sila Kedarnath → Vasuki Taal Indrahara pass : Oct'08 Jamunotri, Gangotri, Goumukh, Tapovan Panch Kedar Tapovan | Sandakphu Saurkundi Sarpass Treks planned for future Adi Kailash |
Bike trips Manali → Leh → Srinagar | Miscellaneous Rafting down TrishuliSnorkeling in Phi Phi Islands |
Oct 14, 2008
Contents
Indrahara Pass diary
Prologue :
"what are you doing with that rope?" mummy is sounding alarmed & looking at me straight from across the hall.
"nothing... just trying out a knot..." i say. she stares at me. "This plastic rope will certainly not take his weight in case he is getting some funny ideas..." I can practically hear her think... she soon turns & walks away...
I been planning for this trek which involves pitching & staying in tents, & some expertise in trying knots would be helpful. In particular i had heard that some patches are extremely narrow. So i had this rope looped around my mid-section as i fumbled with various knot types, promptly forgetting one as i try the other...
Photographs
The seeding :
I had been thinking of doing Adi Kailash for a while. But all discussions showed that i would be needing a tent & kitchen for the last sector in both Adi kailash & Om Parvat section. And it required about 20 days to do it leisurely & properly. Not willing to join KMVN tours, i wanted to do it alone, and time had run out in the process of concretising the idea. With limited time in hand, I fell upon the idea of doing Mcleodganj & Indrahara pass. I was hoping to pass a relaxing week in Mcleoadganj, away from the hustle/bustle of Kolkata puja season.
The beginning :
"aapke niyat thik nahi lag rahi bhai..." Amit is calling on phone, he just saw the Indrahara pass itenirary on my blog & is getting distracted. I had not called him, knowing last trip been a long one and he really must concentrate on his career. But the wanderlust bug has bit him pretty hard, so help him God! He says he can squeeze in possibly. I am thinking, two is better & cheaper than one... especially Himachal Pradesh is quite commercial, not at all as friendly & economical as Uttaranchal.
Trip notes:
I give here the height as per the readings of my altimeter watch. I think it needs to be re-calibrated & is showing around 200m below actual. Yet the reading are good for relative heights study.
"what are you doing with that rope?" mummy is sounding alarmed & looking at me straight from across the hall.
"nothing... just trying out a knot..." i say. she stares at me. "This plastic rope will certainly not take his weight in case he is getting some funny ideas..." I can practically hear her think... she soon turns & walks away...
I been planning for this trek which involves pitching & staying in tents, & some expertise in trying knots would be helpful. In particular i had heard that some patches are extremely narrow. So i had this rope looped around my mid-section as i fumbled with various knot types, promptly forgetting one as i try the other...
Photographs
The seeding :
I had been thinking of doing Adi Kailash for a while. But all discussions showed that i would be needing a tent & kitchen for the last sector in both Adi kailash & Om Parvat section. And it required about 20 days to do it leisurely & properly. Not willing to join KMVN tours, i wanted to do it alone, and time had run out in the process of concretising the idea. With limited time in hand, I fell upon the idea of doing Mcleodganj & Indrahara pass. I was hoping to pass a relaxing week in Mcleoadganj, away from the hustle/bustle of Kolkata puja season.
The beginning :
"aapke niyat thik nahi lag rahi bhai..." Amit is calling on phone, he just saw the Indrahara pass itenirary on my blog & is getting distracted. I had not called him, knowing last trip been a long one and he really must concentrate on his career. But the wanderlust bug has bit him pretty hard, so help him God! He says he can squeeze in possibly. I am thinking, two is better & cheaper than one... especially Himachal Pradesh is quite commercial, not at all as friendly & economical as Uttaranchal.
Trip notes:
I give here the height as per the readings of my altimeter watch. I think it needs to be re-calibrated & is showing around 200m below actual. Yet the reading are good for relative heights study.
| Day | Time | Place | To / Description | Height (Casio) | Distance | Mode |
| 0 | 20:00 | ISBT, Delhi | Dharamsala | 1365m | 511km | Bus |
| 1 | 7:00 | Dharamsala | Mcleodganj | 1655m | 10km | Taxi |
| 7:30 | Mcleodganj | Dharamkot. Met the other group from Orkut who were going with Jango guide. They were supposed to be a big group of 28, but the final count was just 4!! Rajesh says, everyone backed out in the last moment... hummmm.... i wish them all the best... After a futile visit to all the trekking agencies i return back to Mcleodganj. Amit joins me at 1700hrs, his train being 2 hrs late. | 1810m | 2km | Auto | |
| 2 | 8:00 | Mcleodganj | laundry, Bhagsunag temple, Dharamkot, a visit to Regional Mounteering institute & fixing the guide, and a stroll towards Dal lake... to be greeted by a kitten, & dark clouds... | |||
| 3 | 7:30 | Mcleodganj | Dharamkot | Auto | ||
| 8:10 | Dharamkot | Triund. our new guide is Dinesh, he is the cousin of Dilip who was originally to guide us, but sprang Dinesh on us at the last moment. | Trek | |||
| 8:55 | Golu Devi | temple & shop. | 2010m | 2km | Trek | |
| 10:30 | Magic point | mid point... tea... | 3.5km | Trek | ||
| 13:30 | Triund | it is warm & sunny... plenty of people around... many foreigners... Tea 10/-, food 50/- per plate for what u would get at 10/- on the streets of Kolkata! quite sub-standard & expensive... I have eaten much more wholesome food at much much remoter places served with much more care... these people are out to fleece the tourists... We see this tent right next to Lalu's dhaba. "Is this the person from Bombay? slim, boyish?" I ask Lalu dhabawala. "Cinematographer?" he asks. i nod my head in affirmation. "yeah... are you the one he met in the bus? He said you would arrive yesterday!" Lalu queries... Well we lost one day due the guide problems. I ask about his where about. It appears that he went to Lakagot with his camera. He is into Cinematography and came for shooting for all apparent reasons, though, to be frank, we have our doubts :)) See Dhruv... we got your secrets... lol... I had met this guy at ISBT bus-station & we landed up next to each other on the bus seat. We then parted at Dharamsala as he wanted to take some snaps. We met again at Mcleodganj in a couple of hours as i was searching around for a hotel and he was in a hurry to reach Triund. It appears that he walked up alone, somehow took a wrong diversion and ended up in a dense jungled dead-end. He considered pitching his tent there, but then decided to try some more and retraced his steps back. Once on the right path he decided to push ahead, and reached Triund after a 12hr trek with a back-breaking load! He then pitched his tent in the dark, crawled inside... half a bottle of rum was emptied before sleep mercifully took over!! The next day never saw him, he spent it inside that tent, sleeping & recovering... hummm... little did i know that we will ourselves deviate & get lost on the way down!! | 2690m | 3.5km | Trek | |
| 4 | 5:30 | Triund | wakeup... it is a bright morning... | |||
| 10:20 | Start for Snowline cafe | |||||
| 12:10 | Snowline cafe. It is a dhaba really. tea 10/- for small glass, food 70/- per person. The owner is Jay Chand jee. He has a 2-person tent which he hires out for 400/- to 500/-. Somber, he appears to be nice and enterprising person, and gave 5/- discount on biscuits to some Israeli boys and telling them they should consider staying here... "no police... no people... no problems... you can do whatever u want..." i think i saw a glint in his eyes :))) Besides the tent, you can stay at the dhaba also for 100/-, though he said he would let us sleep for free if we stayed with him on the way back. But that has some dire risks if the rumors are right!! It appears that this person is into drinking and is liable to throw u out of his shop/shelter in the middle of the night if his mood so swings after a serious bout of drinking... just what i heard, nothing confirmed... On the way back we did see him drinking... he didn't invite us to stay... | 3015m | 3km | |||
| 16:30 | back from a hike to a ridge above the cafe, and now walking to Lakagot with packed dinner | |||||
| 17:20 | Lakagot. We had heard at snowline cafe that there are plenty of people, at least 9, camping at Lahesh cave. So we decide to camp out at Lakagot. Our guide had revisited Triund to bring back the tent he had left behind... | 3040m | ||||
| 19:00 | great camp fire... one Zen buddhist monk with his 3rd wife & one French couple... the chapatis warmed over the red hot coals are crispy & delicious... where are those days when we had these wood stoves in our homes... i still remember the 1st day when cooking gas entered our home, decades ago... We also prepare some Upma for next morning... | |||||
| 5 | 6:50 | start for Indrahara pass... | ||||
| 7:12 | water point | 3135m | ||||
| 8:00 | Lahesh cave : it can easily accommodate 10-12 people in the dry section. otherwise it is big enough for 20... | 3320m | ||||
| 11:45 | crossed 4000m as per my watch... last hour has seen an interesting discourse & disclosure on Amit's part... hummm... don't worry... it goes to the grave with me... :))) | |||||
| 12:24 | Indrahara pass | mist is rising fast from the wind-ward side and the valley below is engulfed... but the Chamba side is still clear... and a week old snow is scattered around... not much of breeze... | 4120m | |||
| 13:30 | start for Lakagot | |||||
| 18:00 | Lakagot | |||||
| 18:50 | Snowline cafe | We pass by the snowline cafe in dark under our flash lights... the guide exchanges greeting with Jaychandjee... no invitation for us to stay the night... he is deep inside by the fire, in his own private world... | ||||
| 20:00 | Triund | well it was more like a survival night! nothing dramatic though... just darkness & shadows... forest and hints of possible eyes watching us... after reading Jim Corbett's Man-eaters of Kumaon i have got less scared of wild animals... To think of him walking around with a broken gun as a boy! we walked.. and sung... and tried to shoot in night modes... and it was long before the solar panel lights of Triund came into view... Amit bhai head for the dhaba as me & guide do the tent. As we will walk back after meal, Amit would have a fit of shivering as fever hits him... it has been one tiring day... he hits his sleeping bag straight as i settle down and am in two minds about finishing the Agatha Christie book under my headlamp light... Thus, laying in our crampy 4'x6' tent, I heard the following dialogs : 21:00hrs : voices outside our tent. They appear to be a group of 5 boys from Punjab who have driven up for a night out in their car and are now enjoying Triund. Teasing each other : "what! you never ever had a night out?" Two hours passes by. the same group is passing by our tent again... now the voices are sounding a little desperate... 23:30hrs : one voice: "this dhaba wala charged us 500/- for the food! it is robbery!!" another voice: "now think of where to spend the night. i am freezing... no rooms are available, no tents either... " another voice : "let's sit by the fire & the night will pass" another voice : "let's burn a mashal and walk down to Mcleodganj" Well, it is a forested walk and i wonder about the safety of that suggestion. third voice : "hey look, there is a light in that tent. shall we go & check if it is available?" Amit talking to me: "bhai, switch off the light..." i switch off the light and hear the uncertain footsteps... then slowly they fade away in the distance... Next day morning: having tea & snacks at Lalu's dhaba before setting out on the trek. me : " what happened to those 5 boys? they didn't have any place to sleep Lalu (the dhaba wala) : "Well, 7 people were sleeping in this place". He is pointing to the 8'x6' floor space of his shop. Lalu : "somehow i got them a few blankets from the shepherds." he says as if he had done such great social work. I forgot to ask him how much he charged them that, for nothing comes free in this small patch of land!! | ||||
| 6 | 9:00 | Triund | We paid off the guide, and started walking down to Dharamkot. Somewhere in between we took the wrong diversion and landed up in an abandoned village! hummm... it was kinda dicey... we would rather reach some road head in another town perhaps, rather then walk all the way up again... well, luckily this was a shortcut path actually, and the abandoned village was not abandoned at all. Here the monks lived in solitude, no amount of hollering would being them out! As i explored ahead i met a lone guy coming up and he confirmed the way... | |||
| 13:00 | Dharamkot |
Sep 22, 2008
Indrahar pass trek
Following is a trek plan through Indrahar La from Mcleodganj. The trail has stunning view among forest & rhododendrons. Indrahar La provides great view of Pir Pinjal & Greater Himalayan ranges.
Day 1 : local sights, arrange for guide...
Best time : Open between September-November
Accommodation : Simple rest house at Triund. Possible shelter at Shepherd's camp at Laka Got.
Option 2 : Can make a 3 day trip to Laka got & back to Mcleodganj if time is a constraint.
| Day | Place | To | Height | Distance | Mode |
| 0 | Delhi | Mcleodganj | 1770m | 511 km | bus |
Day 1 : local sights, arrange for guide...
| 2 | Mcleodganj | Triund | 2900m | 10 km | trek |
| 3 | Triund | Laka Got | 3350m | short | walk |
| Laka Got | Lahesh Cave | 3590m | 9 km | trek |
| 4 | Lahesh Cave | Indrahar Pass | 4300m | ||
| Indrahar Pass | Chatru Parao | 12km | trek |
| 5 | Chatru Parao | Kuarsi | 2747m | 15 km | trek |
| 6 | Kuarsi | Machetar | 1795m | trek | |
| Machetar | Chamba | 16km | bus |
Best time : Open between September-November
Accommodation : Simple rest house at Triund. Possible shelter at Shepherd's camp at Laka Got.
Option 2 : Can make a 3 day trip to Laka got & back to Mcleodganj if time is a constraint.
Sep 20, 2008
Adi kailash yatra
Following is a trek plan for the proposed Adi Kailash yatra. The info has been compiled from various sources including :
http://www.kmyatra.org/adi-kailash.htm
Orkut discussion thread 1
Orkut discussion thread 2
Day 2 : Extra day at Darchula for permits etc...
have to climb steep chhiyalekh top...
bit difficult...
“From Gunji, walk along the banks of the river Kuti, to reach Nabi, which has a temple and almost hidden spring in the beautiful mountain standing behind the village. In many places, the river Kuti is completely covered by snow. 11 Km ahead is the PWD hut at Nampha from where the view is as breathtaking as it is Kashmir and the Swiss Alps.”
Difficult, lots of up/down...
“walk 14 Km, first to the left of Kuti and then to the right, to reach Jonglingkang (4572m). The river Kuti and its bridge will probably be under a thick blanket of snow. Jonglingkang is called Chhota Kailas (6191m) while its small but beautiful lake is called Parvati Tal. The reflection of the peak in the really fascinating”
Advises:
http://www.kmyatra.org/adi-kailash.htm
Orkut discussion thread 1
Orkut discussion thread 2
| Day | Place | To | Height | Distance | Mode |
| 0 | Delhi | Haldwani/Kathgodam | train | ||
| 1 | Haldwani | Dharchula | bus |
Day 2 : Extra day at Darchula for permits etc...
| 3 | Dharchula | Tawaghat-> Khatiya-Bagar / Gorbadhar / Magnti Nala | Jeep | ||
| Malpa | 2018m | trek | |||
| 4 | Malpa | Budhi | 2740m | 8 Km | trek |
| 5 | Budhi | Garbyang -> Gunji | 3500m | 17 Km | trek |
have to climb steep chhiyalekh top...
| 6 | Gunji | Kalapani->Navidang | 4246m | 16 Km | trek |
| 7 | Navidang | Kalapani | 3600m | 8 Km | trek |
| 8 | Kalapani | Gunji | 3500m | 8 Km | trek |
| 9 | Extra day... | ||||
| 10 | Gungi | Kutti | 19 Km | trek |
bit difficult...
“From Gunji, walk along the banks of the river Kuti, to reach Nabi, which has a temple and almost hidden spring in the beautiful mountain standing behind the village. In many places, the river Kuti is completely covered by snow. 11 Km ahead is the PWD hut at Nampha from where the view is as breathtaking as it is Kashmir and the Swiss Alps.”
| 11 | Kutti | Nampha (PWD hut)/ Jonglingkong | 4572m | 14 Km | trek |
Difficult, lots of up/down...
“walk 14 Km, first to the left of Kuti and then to the right, to reach Jonglingkang (4572m). The river Kuti and its bridge will probably be under a thick blanket of snow. Jonglingkang is called Chhota Kailas (6191m) while its small but beautiful lake is called Parvati Tal. The reflection of the peak in the really fascinating”
| 12 | Jongling kong | Kutti | 14 Km | trek | |
| 13 | Kutti | Gunji | 3500m | 19 Km | trek |
| 14 | Gungi | Budhi | 2740m | 17 Km | trek |
| 15 | Budhi | Mangti-> Dharchula (700m)-> Didihat | 1850m | 34 Km | bus |
| 16 | Nainital | 1938m | 267 Km | bus |
| 17 | Extra day... | ||||
| 18 | Extra day... |
Advises:
- "The best period is Mid Sept to Mid Oct and late May to June.
- Narayan Ashram is fully road-linked from the Panch-chuli east side, but the road is landslide-prone in September . Route : Dharchula->Tawaghat->Sobla->(right bifurcation between Khet & Sobla villages)->Pangu->Sosa->Narayan Swami Aahram : Total 61km.
- Inner-line permit for Adi Kailash & Om Parvat is a must - keep one working day for that purpose at Dharchula. Take photos and identity cards with photocopies to the SDM office."
- Joligkong & Navidang : possible shelter with ITBP camp
- Kalapani : one PWD rest house
- "Reach Haldwani in the morning, may be 5.30am. Catch a Pithoragarh share jeep at the station compound. It goes via Almora (90km). Total distance about 208km- total time about 7-8 hrs.
- Catch Pithoragarh to Dharchula share jeep - it takes about 4 hrs. Distance about 91km.
- On return journey from Dharchula, jeeps for Pithoragarh are more frequent than jeeps for Didihat."
Jul 5, 2008
The bike trip diary : Manali, Leh, Srinagar & around : May/June'08
Ver. 02 : will be updating here a little bit at a time over this week...
Here is the travel diary of the bike trip me & Amit finished this month between May-June'08. It was an extraordinary experience. Photographs
Reporting to YHAI base camp at Kasol for Sarpass'08 trek. Group SP-24 : Day 7 to Day 14.
Here is the travel diary of the bike trip me & Amit finished this month between May-June'08. It was an extraordinary experience. Photographs
| Day | Time | Place | Altitude (Casio) | To / Remarks | Bike Km |
| Day 0 | 20:00 | Howrah | Train to Banaras | ||
| Day 1 | 11:00 | Banaras | Checked in at Hotel | ||
| 15:00 | Temp : 35 degrees. Visited various temples | ||||
| 18:00 | Boat ride with Hajaari Majhi alias Kallu. Ganga Aarti darshan. |
| Day 2 | 04:50 | Wake up | |||
| 06:00 | Kashi vishwanath Darshan | ||||
| 09:10 | Train to Lucknow | ||||
| 16:00 | Lucknow |
| Day 3 | 05:00 | Wakeup | |||
| 06:40 | Chandrika devi darshan | ||||
| 09:00 | back to town | ||||
| 20:00 | Railway station. Packing bike off to Chandigarh for 1000/- . The concerned person is not around, and we need to drain off all the petrol. Bike's mile meter is showing 15447kms. | 15447 | |||
| 22:30 | Sweaty & tired... but finally on board the same train... |
| Day 4 | 11:00 | Chandigarh | 415m | 1 hr late, but there finally. Getting the bike, loading our 40Kgs of luggage & off we go. But the bike sputters off. No petrol u see! Get 325ml for 30/- from a mechanic, but it is so impure the bike makes all kinds of noise. Amit is getting tense. This is just the beginning and bike already problematic, he is thinking... He just wants to escape Chandigarh, but in a while petrol dries off again, this time very close to petrol pump. I get 5ltrs in a can... and off we go. Now no problems, bike is back to its cool self. | |
| 13:15 | Ropar / Roopnagar | 355m | Lunch somewhere near Ropar, the trip is on!! but Amit's hiking pole is lost somewhere... We went back a few kilometers to search, but in vain... he will be missing it all through the trip & sing songs of longing... :D | ||
| 14:15 | Off on the road again... | ||||
| 17:00 | Tea... | ||||
| 21:15 | Dinner... | ||||
| 22:30 | Mandi | 775m | it is late... We had decided not to drive in the night, and yet the road has been good & we were advised to go ahead and halt the night at Mandi. |
| Day 5 | 10:30 | Had a nice sleep. Got up late. Check out & head for Riwalsar. | |||
| 12:00 | Riwalsar | 1315m | Checked in at K.D. Gompha | ||
| 13:00 | Temperature : 27.5 degrees |
| Day 6 | 07:00 | Tea/pratha & an army haircut! | |||
| 09:15 | off to Mandi | ||||
| 10:02 | Mandi | 775m | Breakfast & petrol tank top up | 15696 | |
| 11:10 | Off on the road again... to bhuntur... | 15720 | |||
| 14:43 | Bhuntur | 1100m | Tea... | 15783 | |
| 16:00 | Kasol | 1515m | Parked bike @20/- per day for 9 days. |
Reporting to YHAI base camp at Kasol for Sarpass'08 trek. Group SP-24 : Day 7 to Day 14.
| Day 15 | 06:00 | Kullu | rest day... |
| Day 16 | 07:00 | Kullu | Wakeup.. packup... | ||
| 10:30 | Checkout | ||||
| 11:00 | breakfast | ||||
| 11:25 | On the way to Bijli Mahadev | ||||
| 12:15 | Dharat | Trek starts at Dharat. Distance to cover 2km+ | |||
| 14:15 | Bijli Mahadev | 2380m | well, a tiring climb.. no one would be believe we just completed Sarpass!! | ||
| 14:50 | returning back... | ||||
| 15:30 | Dharat | pick up our bike... | |||
| 16:30 | Kullu | lunch... | |||
| 18:00 | kinda late to start for Manali... but the road is good... | ||||
| 19:45 | Manali | it is too crowded for our comforts! Peak tourist season... we decide to move to Vashist | |||
| 20:30 | Vashist | Checked into hotel... |
| Day 17 | 08:00 | hot bath at sulphur spring. | |||
| 11:30 | To Manali for sight seeing... tank topup | 15958 | |||
| 18:00 | Bike servicing at Vashist |
| Day 18 | 08:00 | D-day! kinda late... checked out & start bike to find a broken Kick spring!! aahhhh... | |||
| 09:30 | mechanic takes his own sweet time waking up! Repair is done... and then the bike kind of slide while turning & the font brake lever is broken!!! ummmm... wo bhi change hua... so we finally get to start at 9:30am... in between we have our tea & biscuits... | ||||
| 11:10 | Mirhi Dam | 3165m | breakfast at last! | ||
| Rohtang La | 3850m | ||||
| Koksar | 3075m | ||||
| Sisu | 2965m | ||||
| 17:00 | Gondhla | 3160m | Got the broken carrier of the bike welded. Tea... | ||
| 17:50 | start out again. No more welding shop before Leh | ||||
| 18:15 | Tandi | 2855m | Tank topup... heard that the working hours here are erratic! | 16074 | |
| 18:40 | Keylong | 3050m | night halt... |
| Day 19 | Keylong | Another rest day... | 16084 |
| Day 20 | 07:30 | start for Sarchu | |||
| 08:40 | Jispa | 3160m | |||
| 08:55 | Darch | 3230m | breakfast... | 16112 | |
| 11:50 | ZingZing Bar | 3900m | start of ZingZing bar... | 16139 | |
| 12:43 | Baracha La | 4695m | 16160 | ||
| 13:00 | Bharatpur | 4510m | maggie... | 16166 | |
| KillingSalai | 4400m | 16179 | |||
| 15:00 | Sarchu | 4145m | Lunch & rest. Night halt. | 16193 |
| Day 21 | 07:30 | Start out for Leh... | |||
| 09:35 | Nakee La | 4720m | 16239 | ||
| 09:55 | Risky Nala | Tea break at Risky nala alias Whisky Nala alias Brandy nala. We did not know, but this place is prone to flash floods.. and many a vehicles have been washed away!! | 16244 | ||
| 10:30 | LachulungLa | 4850m | 16251 | ||
| 12:00 | Pang | 4290m | 16275 | ||
| 15:35 | Tanglang La | 5150m | Sri Krishna temple | 16341 | |
| 17:30 | Rhumtse | 4070m | |||
| Upshe | 3385m | a late lunch... | 16404 | ||
| 20:15 | Leh | 3430m | finally some stability! Our home for the next 4 days... | 16455 |
Jun 30, 2008
Sarpass' 08 : SP24
Here is a log of Sarpass trek with YHAI. Reporting May24, 08. Photographs
Day 7 : Got up really early today, thought we would be moving by 5am considering today's was the longest stretch and weather over passes is so unpredictable after 3pm. But it is 6am by the time we start walking up the green slopes. The sun is bright & shiny, and it had been a good peaceful night. The temperature inside the tent recorded a comfortable 9 degrees and the sleeping bags have been good enough. The guide points out the route we are to take, and it passes through the deep lap of virgin white...
The other day I had caught Romy bhai bragging on the phone in his Lucknow style "we are standing on the mountain, and the mountain is below our very feets!". I think he is trying to impress someone as usual. uuuummmm... one has to be nuts to take panga with the mountains. I mean, u do that from the safety of your home na... Today perhaps is going to be the day of his enlightenment...
Slowly we reach the snow-line and rest for a while, catching the view. Amit bhai has mild headache, i think it is more due to cold & early morning walk then anything else. Sunieta has the same problem.
The first steps in the snow is always so much fun. Tejas has even made an ice-creme cone out of it, poured fruity over it and eaten! But it is a vast expanse out there, i heard a full day's walk... slowly we watch them disappear over the horizon. We 4 are keeping the tail end - Amit bhai, Romy bhai, Sunieta & me. The weather has been clear, except for a few patches of clouds, nothing too dense to strike fear in the heart. And barometer has been holding steady all through the night so at lease till mid-day things look cheery.
I have that moment frozen in my mind. Lost in those undulations of the hills, whiteness all around...the enveloping sky... like a soft cocoon... like being in the cozy lap of mother nature, peaceful, not a thought in mind... just absorbing... eyes wide open...
then came the mother of all slides... i reasoned with the guide knowing no reason will work... the only comfort is that the channel is deep cut and if i can just keep myself pressed deep enough i could avoid possible spill, roll & multiple somersaults... i have realized that my fear comes from the sense of loss of control, and yet i do enjoy once i am in the thick of it.
So after futile convincing, without further ado, i let myself go. And it was more than any roller coaster i ever rode in my life! (there been only two times in fact. One time i got on it thinking it was a toy train. And before i realized, it had taken 3 twists & 3 loops!! I still have the photo, teeth clutched & a frozen wide grin... The second was more routine kind. It was a rusty affair, and speed looked safe enough...)
Well, that guide had really pinned me down, so i was more like a log going down hill at god knows what speed. It was kind of a blur at one time as i find myself forced against the left edge of the shallow channel (the channel made from numerous people having slided down that slope) and i know where Romy bhai had made the mistake and landed face down, all dazed... he didn't move for quite sometime. and he remained dazed for the rest of the trip that day:))) kind of a zombie... resigned... sad... knowing this day will perhaps never end... wondering if he will ever see his son again... his trumpet lay ignored that night...
there... Sunieta comes down in style... and Amit bhai... all perfect landings... Tejas comes down shooting video... Gaurav is sliding way beyond, some body please stop him... Saudamini is looking positively thrilled...
well that was quick & it was over before one knew it... but people are gathering down below... another slide? crazy... but now that we are into it... kya karne ka hai... I knew what was in store when i opted for this trek after dilly-dallying for a year. no, it is the tea point, we have our tea... most of the group has departed.. and guide walks away telling us four to hurry up...
uuummmm... at tea i had thought the worse was over. In a way it was over in that slide is what i feared most. but then what remained was a pretty long long walk over vast expense of snow-field. But then it was enjoyable. great views... the path was clear & been walked on for days... hence less dangerous in that respect. And yet at places it was slippery from the snow being stamped repeatedly into slippery ice. So i slipped at one place, the weight driving the hiking pole deep in to ground & anchoring me... The guide rushes in, throwing his ice-axe at me to help myself extricate out. but i got a good anchor, and manage to stamp myself out, in reckless mood i joke with the guide saying how far can i slide, knowing fully well it is a steep slide & there can be a semi frozen lake below... ready to swallow & be unperturbed yet...
So i ask the guide how come people manage this trek on a routine basis. About 2000 people having done this trek through YHAI this year. Not being an easy trek, i mean. And YHAI treks u know, anybody will join. The field director was saying that once they had a newly married honeymooning couple reporting, having thought that this was a holiday package!! They had quite begged to be released.. hehehe...
And out came the reply that sometimes the whole group breaks down on those icy slopes & cry... uummmm... no wonder i have seen such brave smiles...
Till now the going has been good. but then it got cloudy, foggy and snowing.. it was a mild snow... as long as the wind remains down things are cool... fresh snow is good to walk on, and it would not rain here to make things slippery. I see worry cross many a face as people start putting seriously effort into their walk. Things are no longer as rosy & everyone is scrambling for safety, and yet u can't scramble on those slippery foot-holds...
Another slide... a minor one... waiting for the guide to bring me my bag stuck on the slide in-between.
For a moment i see desperation fly through Saudamini's eyes... and then she is over it.. fear is such a thing, let is fly away and u r better off... cling on to it and u can be raving mad...
And we walk down and reach the tea shop, soaking wet... the ice still filling every nook & corner of our bags... Amit bhai & Romy bhai joins us... Romy bhai goes for the omelette, nothing like hot food to bring cheer back into one's life!
After a quick tea, soaking wet & loosing body heat fast, we press ahead... and as we cross the shallow waters, the strong breeze & snow is finally upon us, lashing us from the behind, almost horizontally. And soon i can feel my feet below the knees going numb... but we walk on, absorbing it all... knowing safety is just around the corner... knowing we are going miss it once it is over.
| Day | Time | Place | Altitude (Casio) | To / Remarks |
| Day 2 | 08:30 | Kasol | 1515m | Acclimatization walk to 1725m |
| 13:30 | Back to base camp for lunch | |||
| 16:30 | -18:30 | Bag inspection/deposit | ||
| 19:30 | Dinner & camp fire |
| Day 3 | 08:30 | Checking out of base camp... | ||
| 09:00 | Caught the bus to Barsani (1915m) via Manikaran (1675m) | |||
| 11:15 | Shila Gao | 2005m | Tea... | |
| 13:00 | 2190m | Lunch stop... | ||
| 13:30 | off again... | |||
| 14:30 | Guna Paani | 2245m | ||
| 15:00 | welcome drink | |||
| 15:30 | raining... some hail stones too.. |
| Day 4 | 09:00 | heading for Faul Paani | ||
| 2335m | Lunch stop... | |||
| 15:30 | Faul Paani | 2550m | ||
| 19:00 | Dinner... it started raining, & things are getting messy & slippery... |
| Day 5 | 08:30 | Start for Zirmi | ||
| 12:00 | 2720m | Lunch stop... | ||
| 14:30 | Zirmi | 2950m | ||
| 16:47 | Pressure : 705mb | |||
| 20:00 | Great camp fire... |
| Day 6 | 09:00 | Start for Tila Lotni | ||
| 12:00 | 3375m | Lunch stop... | ||
| 15:30 | Tila Lotni | 3670m | ||
| 16:45 | Atmospheric pressure : 647mb | |||
| 21:20 | Atmospheric pressure : 647mb. Rock steady!! we have a great camp fire & a calm uneventful night. I had heard many a horror stories about this camp site! |
| Day 7 | 06:00 | Start for Sarpass | ||
| 10:13 | Sarpass | 4000m | Traversing Sarpass... I recorded the highest altitude here at exactly 4000m according to my Casio PRG50 watch. Pressure : 618mb | |
| 16:30 | Biskeri | 3245m | Flowers & green!! and just an hour back we were passing through ice cold rain & hail and I had lost sensation in my feet! | |
| 19:45 | Atmospheric pressure : 680mb |
Day 7 : Got up really early today, thought we would be moving by 5am considering today's was the longest stretch and weather over passes is so unpredictable after 3pm. But it is 6am by the time we start walking up the green slopes. The sun is bright & shiny, and it had been a good peaceful night. The temperature inside the tent recorded a comfortable 9 degrees and the sleeping bags have been good enough. The guide points out the route we are to take, and it passes through the deep lap of virgin white...
The other day I had caught Romy bhai bragging on the phone in his Lucknow style "we are standing on the mountain, and the mountain is below our very feets!". I think he is trying to impress someone as usual. uuuummmm... one has to be nuts to take panga with the mountains. I mean, u do that from the safety of your home na... Today perhaps is going to be the day of his enlightenment...
Slowly we reach the snow-line and rest for a while, catching the view. Amit bhai has mild headache, i think it is more due to cold & early morning walk then anything else. Sunieta has the same problem.
The first steps in the snow is always so much fun. Tejas has even made an ice-creme cone out of it, poured fruity over it and eaten! But it is a vast expanse out there, i heard a full day's walk... slowly we watch them disappear over the horizon. We 4 are keeping the tail end - Amit bhai, Romy bhai, Sunieta & me. The weather has been clear, except for a few patches of clouds, nothing too dense to strike fear in the heart. And barometer has been holding steady all through the night so at lease till mid-day things look cheery.
I have that moment frozen in my mind. Lost in those undulations of the hills, whiteness all around...the enveloping sky... like a soft cocoon... like being in the cozy lap of mother nature, peaceful, not a thought in mind... just absorbing... eyes wide open...
then came the mother of all slides... i reasoned with the guide knowing no reason will work... the only comfort is that the channel is deep cut and if i can just keep myself pressed deep enough i could avoid possible spill, roll & multiple somersaults... i have realized that my fear comes from the sense of loss of control, and yet i do enjoy once i am in the thick of it.
So after futile convincing, without further ado, i let myself go. And it was more than any roller coaster i ever rode in my life! (there been only two times in fact. One time i got on it thinking it was a toy train. And before i realized, it had taken 3 twists & 3 loops!! I still have the photo, teeth clutched & a frozen wide grin... The second was more routine kind. It was a rusty affair, and speed looked safe enough...)
Well, that guide had really pinned me down, so i was more like a log going down hill at god knows what speed. It was kind of a blur at one time as i find myself forced against the left edge of the shallow channel (the channel made from numerous people having slided down that slope) and i know where Romy bhai had made the mistake and landed face down, all dazed... he didn't move for quite sometime. and he remained dazed for the rest of the trip that day:))) kind of a zombie... resigned... sad... knowing this day will perhaps never end... wondering if he will ever see his son again... his trumpet lay ignored that night...
there... Sunieta comes down in style... and Amit bhai... all perfect landings... Tejas comes down shooting video... Gaurav is sliding way beyond, some body please stop him... Saudamini is looking positively thrilled...
well that was quick & it was over before one knew it... but people are gathering down below... another slide? crazy... but now that we are into it... kya karne ka hai... I knew what was in store when i opted for this trek after dilly-dallying for a year. no, it is the tea point, we have our tea... most of the group has departed.. and guide walks away telling us four to hurry up...
uuummmm... at tea i had thought the worse was over. In a way it was over in that slide is what i feared most. but then what remained was a pretty long long walk over vast expense of snow-field. But then it was enjoyable. great views... the path was clear & been walked on for days... hence less dangerous in that respect. And yet at places it was slippery from the snow being stamped repeatedly into slippery ice. So i slipped at one place, the weight driving the hiking pole deep in to ground & anchoring me... The guide rushes in, throwing his ice-axe at me to help myself extricate out. but i got a good anchor, and manage to stamp myself out, in reckless mood i joke with the guide saying how far can i slide, knowing fully well it is a steep slide & there can be a semi frozen lake below... ready to swallow & be unperturbed yet...
So i ask the guide how come people manage this trek on a routine basis. About 2000 people having done this trek through YHAI this year. Not being an easy trek, i mean. And YHAI treks u know, anybody will join. The field director was saying that once they had a newly married honeymooning couple reporting, having thought that this was a holiday package!! They had quite begged to be released.. hehehe...
And out came the reply that sometimes the whole group breaks down on those icy slopes & cry... uummmm... no wonder i have seen such brave smiles...
Till now the going has been good. but then it got cloudy, foggy and snowing.. it was a mild snow... as long as the wind remains down things are cool... fresh snow is good to walk on, and it would not rain here to make things slippery. I see worry cross many a face as people start putting seriously effort into their walk. Things are no longer as rosy & everyone is scrambling for safety, and yet u can't scramble on those slippery foot-holds...
Another slide... a minor one... waiting for the guide to bring me my bag stuck on the slide in-between.
For a moment i see desperation fly through Saudamini's eyes... and then she is over it.. fear is such a thing, let is fly away and u r better off... cling on to it and u can be raving mad...
And we walk down and reach the tea shop, soaking wet... the ice still filling every nook & corner of our bags... Amit bhai & Romy bhai joins us... Romy bhai goes for the omelette, nothing like hot food to bring cheer back into one's life!
After a quick tea, soaking wet & loosing body heat fast, we press ahead... and as we cross the shallow waters, the strong breeze & snow is finally upon us, lashing us from the behind, almost horizontally. And soon i can feel my feet below the knees going numb... but we walk on, absorbing it all... knowing safety is just around the corner... knowing we are going miss it once it is over.
| Day 8 | 09:20 | Start for Bandak Thatch | ||
| 15:30 | Bandak Thatch | 2865m | nice meadows... great location... ideal for relaxing & unwinding... long walks... |
| Day 9 | 08:00 | Start for base camp | ||
| 13:30 | Manikaran | 1675m | A hot refreshing bath... & hot jalebis... | |
| 18:00 | Start for Kullu | |||
| 20:00 | Kullu | 1210m | Pressure : 876mb |
Jun 27, 2008
Valley of flowers - trek plan as done in mid Aug'07
Best season is monsoons when maximum blooming occurs. But monsoons is synonymous with landslides in Himalayas, which can quite destroy any travel plans. The delay can last anywhere from 2 hrs to 2 days!
Note : Due to rains, sometimes the gates at Joshimath can get delayed. Due to this we had proceeded to Badrinath first, and then once the weather cleared we came to VOF. But catching an early morning bus from Badrinath for short distances is difficult as they prefer long distance customers. We waited from 6am to 9am then paid double fare to a shared jeep to reach Gobindghat by 10.30am.
Here are some photographs from the trip including map of VOF : Photographs
Buses start early in the morning if one wants to proceed directly to Badrinath first. Or catch a 9am bus to Joshimath. Check the timings at TGMOC (Tel no.01334-265008). One can also catch a shared jeep from Rishikesh for Joshimath or else to Srinagar & switch there.
The Gurudwara at Gobindghat provides free cloak room facility. The trek is a bit strenuous at stretches, but i did do it in about 4-5hrs with a light day bag, having unloaded my heavier backpack on to my companion's pony...
Start early so u may explore further in the valley. Nothing strenuous, quite an easy walk. Some ice/glacier bridges at earlier portion of the route possibly. Nothing is available inside the valley, so better to carry a picnic pack.
This is a pilgrim route. Ponies are available. This section is a bit strenuous, 5000 feet climb in 6km. Shops at regular intervals on the way. Watch the bunches of Brahmakamals & the delicate blue poppies besides boulders. There are no sleeping arrangements at Hemkund and one is advised to leave by 2PM to make it back to Ghangharia by nightfall.) Many people take a dip here in the lake.Have khidri & tea at Gurudwara langar.
Make note of the Joshimath gate timings so u know what time the buses will be passing though Gobindghat section. The walk from the Gobindghat market area to the main road is a bit longish, may be 1km.
Day 7 : Badrinath darshan & sight seeing... (Vashundhara falls 5km + 5km trek)
Catch an early morning bus, say 5.30am, reach by evening...
Note : Due to rains, sometimes the gates at Joshimath can get delayed. Due to this we had proceeded to Badrinath first, and then once the weather cleared we came to VOF. But catching an early morning bus from Badrinath for short distances is difficult as they prefer long distance customers. We waited from 6am to 9am then paid double fare to a shared jeep to reach Gobindghat by 10.30am.
Here are some photographs from the trip including map of VOF : Photographs
| Day | Place | To | Height | Distance | Mode |
| Day 1 | Haridwar/Rishikesh | ||||
| Day 2 | Rishikesh/Haridwar | Joshimath | 1874m | 253km+ 35km | Bus |
Buses start early in the morning if one wants to proceed directly to Badrinath first. Or catch a 9am bus to Joshimath. Check the timings at TGMOC (Tel no.01334-265008). One can also catch a shared jeep from Rishikesh for Joshimath or else to Srinagar & switch there.
| Day 3 | Joshimath | Gobindghat | 1828m | 22 Km | Bus |
| Gobindghat | Ghangaria (Gobinddham) | 3050m | 13 Km | Trek |
The Gurudwara at Gobindghat provides free cloak room facility. The trek is a bit strenuous at stretches, but i did do it in about 4-5hrs with a light day bag, having unloaded my heavier backpack on to my companion's pony...
| Day 4 | Ghangaria | Valley of flowers | 3850m- 3962m | 4km + | Trek |
| Valley of flowers | Ghangaria | 4km + | Trek |
Start early so u may explore further in the valley. Nothing strenuous, quite an easy walk. Some ice/glacier bridges at earlier portion of the route possibly. Nothing is available inside the valley, so better to carry a picnic pack.
| Day 5 | Ghangaria | Hemkund sahib | 4329m | 6km | Trek |
| Hemkund sahib | Ghangaria | 6km | Trek |
This is a pilgrim route. Ponies are available. This section is a bit strenuous, 5000 feet climb in 6km. Shops at regular intervals on the way. Watch the bunches of Brahmakamals & the delicate blue poppies besides boulders. There are no sleeping arrangements at Hemkund and one is advised to leave by 2PM to make it back to Ghangharia by nightfall.) Many people take a dip here in the lake.Have khidri & tea at Gurudwara langar.
| Day 6 | Ghangharia | Gobindghat | 13km | Trek | |
| Gobindghat | Badrinath | Bus |
Make note of the Joshimath gate timings so u know what time the buses will be passing though Gobindghat section. The walk from the Gobindghat market area to the main road is a bit longish, may be 1km.
Day 7 : Badrinath darshan & sight seeing... (Vashundhara falls 5km + 5km trek)
| Day 8 | Badrinath | Haridwar/Rishikesh | Bus |
Catch an early morning bus, say 5.30am, reach by evening...
May 17, 2008
Proposed trip plan for June 08 : Part 3 : Amarnathjee
May be we can do Amarnathjee also? i wonder... this will be my third time planning... Here is the modified plan:
Food : At Domail, 2 kms from Baltal, free langar(community Kitchen) facility is available. The trek from here is very steep and therefore needs caution and care. Some tea-stalls are available at Brarimarg and Sangam top.
Provisions : Essential rations are available at fair price rates from the specially established Govt. Depots at Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtami, Numerous wayside tea-shops and small restaurants are set up by private parties. Firewood or gas can be obtained at Chandanwari, Sheshnag (Wawajan), Panchtami and near the Cave.
Accommodation : Good tented accommodation with allied facilities are set-up during the Yatra period by the J&K TDC as well as private parties. These are provided on the basis of payment of rates fixed by the State authorities. Facilities for booking of such accommodation will be available at the base camps.
Chandanbari route, though more beautiful, will require more days :
| Day | From | To | Height | Distance | Time |
| 29 | Kargil | Drass | 62 Km | ||
| Drass | Zoji La ( timings...) | - | |||
| Zojilla Pass | Sonamarg | 56 Km | |||
| 30 | Sonamarg | Baltal | 15 Km | ||
| Baltal | Domail | 2 Km | trek | ||
| Domail | Barari Marg | 5 Km | trek | ||
| Barari Marg | Sangam | 4 Km | trek | ||
| Sangam | Amarnathjee Cave | 3880m | 3 Km | trek | |
| Amarnathjee Cave | Possible to spend night somewhere near ? | ||||
| 31 | .... | Baltal | 14 Km | trek | |
| Baltal | Sonamarg | 15 Km | |||
| 32 | Sonamarg | Srinagar | 84 Km | ||
| 33 | Srinagar | ...sight seeing... |
| 34 | Srinagar | Udhampur | 172 Km | NH1a | |
| Udhampur | Pathankot (Punjab) | 139 Km | |||
| 35 | Pathankot | Ambala (Haryana) | 281 Km | ||
| 36 | Ambala | Muradabad | 300 Km | ||
| 37 | Muradabad | Lucknow | 350 Km |
Food : At Domail, 2 kms from Baltal, free langar(community Kitchen) facility is available. The trek from here is very steep and therefore needs caution and care. Some tea-stalls are available at Brarimarg and Sangam top.
Provisions : Essential rations are available at fair price rates from the specially established Govt. Depots at Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtami, Numerous wayside tea-shops and small restaurants are set up by private parties. Firewood or gas can be obtained at Chandanwari, Sheshnag (Wawajan), Panchtami and near the Cave.
Accommodation : Good tented accommodation with allied facilities are set-up during the Yatra period by the J&K TDC as well as private parties. These are provided on the basis of payment of rates fixed by the State authorities. Facilities for booking of such accommodation will be available at the base camps.
Chandanbari route, though more beautiful, will require more days :
| 30 | Srinagar | Khanabal-> Pahalgao | 94km:3hrs | ||
| 31 | Pahalgam | Chandanbari | 2895m | 16km | bus/jeep |
| Chandanbari | Pisu Rising | 3377m | 2km | trek | |
| Pisu Rising | Seshnag | 3352m | 10km | trek | |
| 32 | Seshnag | Mahagunus | 4276m | 4.6km | trek |
| Mahagunus | Vayujan | trek | |||
| Vayujan | Panchtarani | 3657m | 8km | trek | |
| 33 | Panchtarini | Amarnath Cave 3880m | 6.4km trek | trek | |
| Amarnath Cave | Panchtarini | 6.4km trek | trek | ||
| 34 | Panchtarini | Baltal | 14km / trek | trek | |
| 35 | Baltal | Pahalgam | |||
| 36 | Pahalgam | Srinagar | 94km / 3 hrs |
Apr 10, 2008
Anatomy of a Head Lamp
This blog post has been shifted to another location at http://sk-technical.blogspot.com/2008/04/anatomy-of-headlamp.html
Apr 7, 2008
Proposed trip plan for June 08 : Part 2 : Bike trip to Manali-Leh-Srinagar
Information & tips on Manali-Leh-Srinagar route compiled from various sources including the following internet sites:
Leh Official site : http://leh.nic.in/
Road condition description : http://www.bikenomads.com/wiki/index.php/Leh#Road_status_2
Other links:
http://www.bikenomads.com/wiki/index.php/Leh
http://www.indiamike.com/india/ladakh-and-zanskar-f31/all-about-ladakh-t4912/6/
http://jayansr.blogspot.com/2007/05/riding-to-leh-this-summer.html
http://www3.utsidan.se/corax-e/routes/zmanleh.htm
http://www.outtheresomewhere.net/?page_id=90
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g297625-s5/Leh:India:Dining.Scene.html
http://www.bcmtouring.com/travel-guides/ladakh-travel-guide/manali-leh-travel-guide.html
Route : Manali - Rothang Pass - Keylong – Jispa - Darcha - Sarchu - Pang - Rumtse - Upshi - Karu – Leh : 475km
Day 18 Manali -> Kylong (115Km / 6Hrs) : Leave morning. Mirhi is a good place to have a breakfast of Aaloo parathas. The landscape changes once you cross Rohtang Pass. The road then drops to Gramphu and then splits, one going to Leh, the other going to Spiti Valley. Khosar has a few dhabas. Opposite Sissu look for a spectacular hanging waterfall. At Gondla see the ruins of a 7-storey 'thakur' fort dating back to 1700's. At Tandi, the road forks with one along Chenab river going towards Udaipur & Trilokinath temple 35km away. Kylong town is the capital of Lahul and Spiti. Visit Khardong Gompa.
Day 19 Kylong to Serchu (109Km) : Leave Keylong in the morning. Darch is a permanent settlement and is the start point for the trek to Padum in Zanskar. Dhabas offer basic food. Deepaktal is a nice place to camp & explore around. From Patseo it is a long winding climb up to Baralacha La and then a short descent down to Bharatpur City. Scenery changes dramatically as one crosses the Great Himalayan Range into the arid regions of Ladakh. Campsite at Serchu, situated on the banks of River Bhaga. It is cold & miserable at Sarchu.
Note : Tent camps at Sarchu are expensive, Bharatpur 30km from Sarchu for cheaper tents. Try 'Kathmandu Cafe'
Day 20 Serchu to Leh (251Km/9hrs) : Leave early morning, through Nakee La & Lachlang La through 20Km of Gator Loops (road coiling up the mountain). From the pass swoop down to Pang for lunch, then passing through Moore plains (biggest and highest Plateau on Earth stretching 40 Kms), Taglang La (2nd highest motorable road & 2nd highest temple in the world), reaching Upshi along a spectacular ravine. From here the dusty but well paved road follows the Indus river, passing villages. Reach Leh by evening.
Day 21 Leh : After breakfast, visit nine-storey Leh Palace and Shanti Stupa. Lunch & rest.
Leh Notes : carry a torch, warm clothes & sleeping bag.
“German Bakeries : best place to get some nice bread that´ll stay fresh at least two days, for the trek or bus.”
“Gezmo-german bakery on Fort rd is a good place to eat and to carry a packed lunch from them is a good idea. On your way to Pangong or Khadungla there are no places to eat, if your lucky you might find the tea stall open at the army camp where they serve some hot Maggie!”
“German Bakery - ironically run by a Sardar! Located in Leh Bazar. Baked products, - croissants, breads are quite good. When you're going on full day or overnight trips to other places, drop in to the bakery in the morning and pack up stuff for lunch. The yak cheese and bread roll are a great combination to munch at one of the numerous check points you encounter.”
“Web wallahs : lots of other internet places in Leh. These two places also had Photoshop,on their computers, and made CD´s from the camera.
Tashi´s Diner : great budget place, one of the few that stay open in the winter. Web wallah upstairs.
Dzomsa : Laundry services, safe pressure boiled water (BYO bottle), apricot juice (Mmmm... chuli chu), dried fruits for the trail and more.”
Day 22-23 Leh <-> Pangong Lake (150km/5-6 hrs one way) : Early morning B/F and leave for Pangong Tso through Changla Pass. This is third highest motorable road in the world. Pangong Lake is the highest salt water Lake in the world, 130Km long, and is shared by India & China. Enjoy the beauty of lake, blue & green in color with dun mountains in the backdrop capped with snow. Permit is only upto Spangmik 7km along south-western shore, do care to visit it for the view. No facilities here. Better to return back the same day or try accommodation at Tangtse. Back to Leh by same route.
Note : No petrol pumps on the way so get your tank filled up to cover 300+km
Day 24 Leh -> Khardung-la -> Khalsar -> Deskit -> Hunder : A trip to Nubra Valley which starts from Khalsar. Nubra means green, and it is also known as the valley of flowers. A permit is required, 20/- per day of stay per person, and it allows visit only up to Hudur & Panamik.
After breakfast drive to Nubra Valley via Khardung La (Highest Motorable road in the world, 18,380 ft) reach Hundur by afternoon, rest of the day free for exploring Deskit & Hundur Villages or one can leave for two hump camel safari in sand dunes at Hundur Village. Night stay at Hundur.
Note : One way traffic across Khardung La
morning traffic : Khardung La -> Nubra
afternoon traffic : Nubra -> Khardung La
Distances in Nubra Valley:
Diskit -> Hudur : 7Km (west side)
Diskit -> Sumur -> 38Km/1.5hrs (east side)
Sumur -> Chamshen : 6Km/30 minutes
Chamsen -> Panamik : 14Km/30 minutes . Hot springs at Panamik are believed to cure rheumatism and other ailments.
“one day, we made an hour long trip on the backs of bactrian camels (god, did they stink!) which took us from hundur to diskit and back after a visit to the impossibly-situated monastery (diskit gompa) perched on the top of a hill. the climb was well worth the effort - the views across the valley to where the shyok and siachen rivers meet were stunning. the journey past the glacier-fed indus on one side and the high Himalayas on the other was a memorable one.”
Day 25 Nubra Valley -> Leh : After breakfast proceed for Deskit Monastery and Drive back to Leh by same Route by crossing Khardungla Pass.
Day 26 Leh -> Alchi : Morning after breakfast leave for Alchi after Lunch Leave for Alchi Village. Visit to Alchi Gompa. And evening full at leisure in exploring the village of Alchi. “Magnetic hill (7km from nimmu towards leh, look out for mandir on left, works only for iron bikes!”
Day 27 Alchi ->Lamayuru->Kargil : After Breakfast leave for Lamayuru (Oldest Monastery on Central Ladakh Region) enroute where you can view a spectacular view Mountain Ranges and Moon landscape & Giant Maitreya Buddha on a way To Kargil at Mulbekh. Reach Kargil by evening.
Day 28 Kargil -> Srinagar (202Km) : Leave early in Morning for Srinagar by crossing Drass (2nd Coldest Inhabitant Place on earth), Zojila Pass, Where you have a Spectacular View of Kargil War Famous Peaks (Tiger, Tololing and Other Peaks), Sonamarg (Know as The Meadow of Gold), reach Srinagar by afternoon.
Notes :
1. Zoji La : Restrictions on traffic movement. Closed between 4pm to 4am, and fully closed once a week for maintenance. One way system for buses, Leh to Srinagar buses must cross the army post on top by 5am, so need to start by 1am from Kargil. If unlucky, you will be riding in the opposite direction to the trucks! Bad road for 20km on either side.
2. Leh -> Srinagar : 434km (NH1) : A total of 48 km is unaccounted for in the above distance chart between Leh to Srinagar.
3. Petrol pumps only at Khalsi & Kargil. No Petrol in Zanskar & Nubra valley.
Day 29 Srinagar :
Day 30 Srinagar -> Pathakot (311Km)
Day 31 Pathankot -> Ambala (281Km)
Leh Official site : http://leh.nic.in/
Road condition description : http://www.bikenomads.com/wiki/index.php/Leh#Road_status_2
Other links:
http://www.bikenomads.com/wiki/index.php/Leh
http://www.indiamike.com/india/ladakh-and-zanskar-f31/all-about-ladakh-t4912/6/
http://jayansr.blogspot.com/2007/05/riding-to-leh-this-summer.html
http://www3.utsidan.se/corax-e/routes/zmanleh.htm
http://www.outtheresomewhere.net/?page_id=90
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g297625-s5/Leh:India:Dining.Scene.html
http://www.bcmtouring.com/travel-guides/ladakh-travel-guide/manali-leh-travel-guide.html
| Day | From | To | Height | Distance | Time |
| 17 | Extra day... | ||||
| 18 | Manali | Mirhi (breakfast here...) | |||
| Mirhi | Rohtang pass | 3987m | 51 Km | ||
| Rohtang pass | Gramphu | 14 Km | |||
| Gramphu | Khosar | 5 Km | |||
| Khosar | Sissu | 16 Km | |||
| Sissu | Tandi (last fuel point) | 18 Km | |||
| Tandi | Kylong | 3350m | 11 Km |
| Total : | 115 Km |
| 19 | Kylong | Jispa | 25 Km | ||
| Jispa | Darcha | 7 Km | |||
| Darcha | Deepak Tal (lake) | 11 Km | |||
| Deepak Tal | Patseo | 3 Km | |||
| Patseo | Baralacha La | 4880m | 27 Km | ||
| Baralacha La | Serchu | 4253m | 36 Km |
| Total : | 109 Km |
| 20 | Serchu | Nakee La | 4903m | 43 Km | |
| Nakee La | Lachlang la | 5065m | 11 Km | ||
| Lachlang la | Pang | 4500m | 25 Km | ||
| Pang | Moore Start | 4752m | 7 Km | ||
| Moore plains | Moore plains end | 4660m | 40 Km | ||
| Moore plains | Taglang La | 5360m | 17 Km | ||
| Taglang La | Rumtse | 30 Km | |||
| Rumtse | Miru | 15 Km | |||
| Miru | Upshi | 3432m | 15 Km | ||
| Upshi | Karu | 14 Km | |||
| Karu | Thiksey | 18 Km | |||
| Thiksey | Choglamsar | 10 Km | |||
| Choglamsar | Leh | 3505m | 6 Km |
| Total : | 251 Km |
| 21 | Leh | ...sight seeing... | |||
| 22 | Leh | Chang La | 5288m | ||
| Chang La | Pangong Lake | 4419m | 150 Km | 9hrs | |
| Pangong Lake | Spangmik | ||||
| 23 | Pangong Lake | Leh | 150 Km |
| 24 | Leh | Khardung La | 5602m | 37 Km | |
| Khardung La | Khalsar | 3018m | |||
| Khalsar | Diskit | 3144m | |||
| Diskit | Hunder | 7 Km | |||
| 25 | Hunder | Leh | 3245m | 5-6hr | |
| 26 | Leh | ...extra day... |
| 27 | Leh | Nimu | 35 km | ||
| Nimu | Alchi | 10 Km | |||
| 28 | Alchi | Saspol | 10 Km | ||
| Saspol | Khalsi -> Lamayuru | 44 Km | |||
| Lamayuru | Mulbekh | 53 Km | |||
| Mulbekh | Kargil | 32 km |
| Total : | 184 Km |
| 29 | Kargil | Drass | 62 Km | ||
| Drass | Zoji La ( timings...) | - | |||
| Zojilla Pass | Sonamarg | 56 Km | |||
| Sonamarg | Srinagar | 84 Km |
| Total : | 202 Km |
| 30 | Srinagar | ...sight seeing... | |||
| 31 | Srinagar | Udhampur | 172 Km | NH1a | |
| Udhampur | Pathankot (Punjab) | 139 Km |
Route : Manali - Rothang Pass - Keylong – Jispa - Darcha - Sarchu - Pang - Rumtse - Upshi - Karu – Leh : 475km
Day 18 Manali -> Kylong (115Km / 6Hrs) : Leave morning. Mirhi is a good place to have a breakfast of Aaloo parathas. The landscape changes once you cross Rohtang Pass. The road then drops to Gramphu and then splits, one going to Leh, the other going to Spiti Valley. Khosar has a few dhabas. Opposite Sissu look for a spectacular hanging waterfall. At Gondla see the ruins of a 7-storey 'thakur' fort dating back to 1700's. At Tandi, the road forks with one along Chenab river going towards Udaipur & Trilokinath temple 35km away. Kylong town is the capital of Lahul and Spiti. Visit Khardong Gompa.
Day 19 Kylong to Serchu (109Km) : Leave Keylong in the morning. Darch is a permanent settlement and is the start point for the trek to Padum in Zanskar. Dhabas offer basic food. Deepaktal is a nice place to camp & explore around. From Patseo it is a long winding climb up to Baralacha La and then a short descent down to Bharatpur City. Scenery changes dramatically as one crosses the Great Himalayan Range into the arid regions of Ladakh. Campsite at Serchu, situated on the banks of River Bhaga. It is cold & miserable at Sarchu.
Note : Tent camps at Sarchu are expensive, Bharatpur 30km from Sarchu for cheaper tents. Try 'Kathmandu Cafe'
Day 20 Serchu to Leh (251Km/9hrs) : Leave early morning, through Nakee La & Lachlang La through 20Km of Gator Loops (road coiling up the mountain). From the pass swoop down to Pang for lunch, then passing through Moore plains (biggest and highest Plateau on Earth stretching 40 Kms), Taglang La (2nd highest motorable road & 2nd highest temple in the world), reaching Upshi along a spectacular ravine. From here the dusty but well paved road follows the Indus river, passing villages. Reach Leh by evening.
Day 21 Leh : After breakfast, visit nine-storey Leh Palace and Shanti Stupa. Lunch & rest.
Leh Notes : carry a torch, warm clothes & sleeping bag.
“German Bakeries : best place to get some nice bread that´ll stay fresh at least two days, for the trek or bus.”
“Gezmo-german bakery on Fort rd is a good place to eat and to carry a packed lunch from them is a good idea. On your way to Pangong or Khadungla there are no places to eat, if your lucky you might find the tea stall open at the army camp where they serve some hot Maggie!”
“German Bakery - ironically run by a Sardar! Located in Leh Bazar. Baked products, - croissants, breads are quite good. When you're going on full day or overnight trips to other places, drop in to the bakery in the morning and pack up stuff for lunch. The yak cheese and bread roll are a great combination to munch at one of the numerous check points you encounter.”
“Web wallahs : lots of other internet places in Leh. These two places also had Photoshop,on their computers, and made CD´s from the camera.
Tashi´s Diner : great budget place, one of the few that stay open in the winter. Web wallah upstairs.
Dzomsa : Laundry services, safe pressure boiled water (BYO bottle), apricot juice (Mmmm... chuli chu), dried fruits for the trail and more.”
Day 22-23 Leh <-> Pangong Lake (150km/5-6 hrs one way) : Early morning B/F and leave for Pangong Tso through Changla Pass. This is third highest motorable road in the world. Pangong Lake is the highest salt water Lake in the world, 130Km long, and is shared by India & China. Enjoy the beauty of lake, blue & green in color with dun mountains in the backdrop capped with snow. Permit is only upto Spangmik 7km along south-western shore, do care to visit it for the view. No facilities here. Better to return back the same day or try accommodation at Tangtse. Back to Leh by same route.
Note : No petrol pumps on the way so get your tank filled up to cover 300+km
Day 24 Leh -> Khardung-la -> Khalsar -> Deskit -> Hunder : A trip to Nubra Valley which starts from Khalsar. Nubra means green, and it is also known as the valley of flowers. A permit is required, 20/- per day of stay per person, and it allows visit only up to Hudur & Panamik.
After breakfast drive to Nubra Valley via Khardung La (Highest Motorable road in the world, 18,380 ft) reach Hundur by afternoon, rest of the day free for exploring Deskit & Hundur Villages or one can leave for two hump camel safari in sand dunes at Hundur Village. Night stay at Hundur.
Note : One way traffic across Khardung La
morning traffic : Khardung La -> Nubra
afternoon traffic : Nubra -> Khardung La
Distances in Nubra Valley:
Diskit -> Hudur : 7Km (west side)
Diskit -> Sumur -> 38Km/1.5hrs (east side)
Sumur -> Chamshen : 6Km/30 minutes
Chamsen -> Panamik : 14Km/30 minutes . Hot springs at Panamik are believed to cure rheumatism and other ailments.
“one day, we made an hour long trip on the backs of bactrian camels (god, did they stink!) which took us from hundur to diskit and back after a visit to the impossibly-situated monastery (diskit gompa) perched on the top of a hill. the climb was well worth the effort - the views across the valley to where the shyok and siachen rivers meet were stunning. the journey past the glacier-fed indus on one side and the high Himalayas on the other was a memorable one.”
Day 25 Nubra Valley -> Leh : After breakfast proceed for Deskit Monastery and Drive back to Leh by same Route by crossing Khardungla Pass.
Day 26 Leh -> Alchi : Morning after breakfast leave for Alchi after Lunch Leave for Alchi Village. Visit to Alchi Gompa. And evening full at leisure in exploring the village of Alchi. “Magnetic hill (7km from nimmu towards leh, look out for mandir on left, works only for iron bikes!”
Day 27 Alchi ->Lamayuru->Kargil : After Breakfast leave for Lamayuru (Oldest Monastery on Central Ladakh Region) enroute where you can view a spectacular view Mountain Ranges and Moon landscape & Giant Maitreya Buddha on a way To Kargil at Mulbekh. Reach Kargil by evening.
Day 28 Kargil -> Srinagar (202Km) : Leave early in Morning for Srinagar by crossing Drass (2nd Coldest Inhabitant Place on earth), Zojila Pass, Where you have a Spectacular View of Kargil War Famous Peaks (Tiger, Tololing and Other Peaks), Sonamarg (Know as The Meadow of Gold), reach Srinagar by afternoon.
Notes :
1. Zoji La : Restrictions on traffic movement. Closed between 4pm to 4am, and fully closed once a week for maintenance. One way system for buses, Leh to Srinagar buses must cross the army post on top by 5am, so need to start by 1am from Kargil. If unlucky, you will be riding in the opposite direction to the trucks! Bad road for 20km on either side.
2. Leh -> Srinagar : 434km (NH1) : A total of 48 km is unaccounted for in the above distance chart between Leh to Srinagar.
3. Petrol pumps only at Khalsi & Kargil. No Petrol in Zanskar & Nubra valley.
Day 29 Srinagar :
Day 30 Srinagar -> Pathakot (311Km)
Day 31 Pathankot -> Ambala (281Km)
Poposed trip plan for June'08 : Part 1 : Sarpass
First leg of the bike trip. Ride to Kasol and trek to Sarpass before beginning the journey to Leh.
| Day | From | To | Height | Distance | Time |
| 0 | CCU | Lucknow | Train | |||
| 1 | Lucknow | Muradabad | 350 Km | NH24 | ||
| 2 | Muradabad | Chandigarh | 350 Km | |||
| 3 | Chandigarh | Kulu | 1220m | 200 Km | NH21 | |
| 4 | Extra day... | Join YHAI Surpass trek | ||||
| 5 | Kulu | Kasol | 42 Km | |||
| 6 | Kasol | Guna Pani | 2438m | 5 Km | 5 Hrs | |
| 7 | Guna Pani | Fuaal Pani | 2896m | 6 Km | 6 Hrs | |
| 8 | Fuaal Pani | Zrimi Thach | 3353m | 7 Km | 7 Hrs | |
| 9 | Zrimi Thach | Tila Lotni | 3810m | 6 Km | 6 Hrs | |
| 10 | Tila Lotni | Sarpas-> Biskeri Thach | 4206m 3353m | 9 Km | 7 Hrs | |
| 11 | Biskeri Thach | Bhadak Thatch | 2438m | 10 Km | 6 Hrs | |
| 12 | Bhadak Thatch | Kasol | Road head-> Manikaran :1737m->Kasol | |||
| 13 | Kasol | kulu | 1220m | 42 Km | YHAI camp break. | |
| 14 | Extra day... | Bijli Mahadev Temple | ||||
| 15 | Extra day... | |||||
| 16 | Kulu | Manali | 2050m | 32 km | Sight seeing |
Kasol : An open glade by the banks of the river Paravti. Clean white sand separates the lush green grass from the waters. A good spot for trout. Himachal Tourism has a Tourist Hut here.
Manali :
Hadimba Temple : Hadimba or Dhungiri temple in Manali is one of the most important temples in the region. This four-story wooden temple is located in the middle of a forest called the Dhungiri Van Vihar. Winding paths through forests and glades of whispering Deodars form the setting for the majestic wooden temple of Hidimba Devi in Manali. The motorable road is shaded by Chestnuts, Chinars and tall deciduous Deodars. This forested backdrop enthrall one’s spirit and refresh one’s mind all along the uphill path.
Vashist Springs (1,982m) : At about half an hour’s brisk walking distance from town, there are sulfur springs-gush, hot and medicinal - emerging out of the mountains at Vashisht. Here, in a bath complex with a restaurant and a beautiful view, couples can soak in the privacy of their own sunken bath, warming all kinds of ailments out of their systems.
Jagatsukh (6-kms) : It is one of the biggest villages in Kullu district. About 6-km from Manali, Jagatsukh is famous for its Shiva temple that is built in "shikhara" style and nearby is the old and interesting Devi Sharvati temple.
Arjun Gufa (5-kms) : On the left bank of the Beas, 5-km from Manali near the village of Prini, is the 'Arjun Gufa' or the cave of Arjuna. In here Arjuna practiced austerities to get Pashupata Ashtra or weapon from Lord Indra.
Beas Kund : Further ahead is the Beas Kund. The tiny roundish igloo like stone hut shelters the Beas Kund, the very source of the holy river Beas. Water flows at the source of the river like a spring, so clear and icy cold that it almost numbs the fingers. All around is the rocky terrain with very little vegetation. A few mules graze around while all and sundry try to brave the wind on a clear sunny day.
Rohtang Pass : There is a beautiful Dasohar Lake left of the Pass. The Pass, which provides the only access to the Lahaul Valley, is open from June to November each year. Snowfall is, however, unpredictable and blizzards can close the Pass even during this period. Here one sees the majesty of the mountains at its height and splendor A few km away from the pass is the Sonapani glacier and, slightly to the left are the twin peaks of Gaypan-jagged pyramid of rock, snow streaked and snow crowned.
Nov 8, 2007
Tapovan - part 2, Kalimath, 4-Dham:Gangotri-Jamunotri-Kedarnath-Badrnath, Vasundhara falls, Bhavishya Badri
Trip to Tapovan & 4-Dhams undertaken between Oct 10, 2007 and Oct 29, 2007.
| Day | From | To | Time | PHOTOGRAPHS | Mode |
| 1 | Rishikesh | Uttarkashi | 10 hrs | Oct 10, 07 : Started 8.30am reached early evening | Bus |
| 2 | Uttarkashi | * | Night stay |
* Halt for the day... recovering from a bad cold... Sky is blue... yet there has been snow fall just a couple of days back... waiting for the lungs to clear... wondering if the weather will suddenly turn bad and Tapovan will go out of reach again...
Spent the day visiting Nichiketa taal. Some acclimatization... for return journey from Chawrangee khal (height 2310m) to Uttarkashi found no buses/jeeps after 3.30pm... a helpful person gave me ride on his bike... an interesting personality... we exchanged phone numbers, and promised to do a trek together...
| 3 | Uttarkashi | Gangotri | 4 hrs | Clear day... Started around noon and reached early evening | Jeep |
| 4 | Gangotri | Bhojwasa | 7 hrs | Clear day... no signs of clouds or snow... Started at around 8 am at a slow pace and reached around 3pm after a few stops here & there and lunch at Chirbasha... lots of guides around it seems, the only question is whether u can trust them! | Trek |
| 5 | Bhojwasa | Goumukh -> Tapovan | 5 + 4km : 3hrs | * | Trek |
* : Bright & sunny! Shall i spend the night at Tapovan at -10C, that is the question... Last year i had backed out at the last lap on seeing the condition of the route. But since then much water has flown under the bridge... i have walked hundreds of kilometers, on all kinds of surfaces... yet the doubt remains. Anyway i decide to play safe and lighten my backpack by leaving the sleeping bag behind.
Started at around 8am and reached tapovan at around 11am! Wow!! that was easy... there appears to be 2 trek path almost parallel to each other in that last climb of 200mtrs. If the guide wants to scare u and earn extra tips he will take u through the scary slope where the danger of a slip & fall is very real...
I have my first sugar tea there, in a year... I bow to Him for his mercy...
After much soul searching i decided to spend the night at Tapovan. The guide was very helpful, he assured me of getting sufficient blankets/quilts from Matajee... Matajee said there was still time to retreat and go back to Bhojwasa!
So we crept inside the shelter by 6pm... dinner comprised of khidri & the pumkin vegetable that i had helped peel & chopped in the afternoon... it was a moonlight night and surely there will be lots of shooting stars out there in the sky... but frankly i was not up to it. Survival was foremost in the mind pushing away all other thoughts! we spend the night inside that shelter with temperature at -6C... the temperature outside recorded around -10C at 6am in the morning.. with all the clothes i was wearing, i needed to keep twisting & turning to keep the blood flowing! I think i managed to sleep for a couple of hours...
| 7 | Gangotri | Uttarkashi | Met another interesting person... didn't even realize when the 4 hours passed... sometimes when he spoke i could almost hear myself talking... it was kind of a weird feeling... set me thinking... we part at Uttarkashi after tea/snacks... | Jeep | |
| 8 | Uttarkashi | Lazing around... | |||
| 9 | Uttarkashi | Barkot | * | Bus |
* : "Aap fauji ho?" The girl sitting next to me asks.
"nah... why u think so?" i ask her.
She points at my back pack.
"So u think i am a fauji just because i have army shoes & have a backpack?" I tease her.
"personality bhi to faujio se hai..." she laughs
Her friend has fled away with a Nepali guy. "pasand apni apni" she laughs...
She is from Uttarkashi but is still loyal to Barkot where she had lived earlier... so she won't cast a vote in favor of one and against the other when i asked her which town she liked better!
"dekha... maini kaha tha na hamara barkot pura sahar hai" she admonishes me as we enter the town... i agree grudgingly... it has a university too...
"aap se mil ke aachcha laga" i tell her as we part.
"thank you..." she says shyly and she blends away in the crowd, taking a small part of my heart away with her... i wonder how much of it is still left, pumping blood in my body... I been scattering it like this for over three decades now!
| Barkot | Hanumanchatti | Jeep | |||
| Hanuman chatti | Janaki chatti | Jeep |
| 10 | Janaki Chatti | Jamunotri -> Damini-> Janaki Chatti | 5km + 3km + 8km? | I met this guy on the way up... said he was from Har-ki-doon and had been through most trails around here as a porter. Well, soon we were discussing whether to do a day trek to Sapt Rishi kund or Damini... So i ended up seeing Damini... and before that is the last camping site coming down from Bali pass... good view... nice locale... | Trek |
| Janaki Chatti | Barkot | 50 km? | Jeep | ||
| 11 | Barkot | Srinagar | Bus | ||
| 12 | Srinagar | Gauri Kund | A dip in the kund... not so warm in the evening... | Bus | |
| 13 | Gaurikund | Kedarnath | 13 km | * | Trek |
* : Started out early with another hot dip in the piping hot waters of Gauri kund... And tea... aalo paratha mid-ways at Rambara... reaching Kedarnath around 2pm... I could easily have a darshan & return back, people were hiring ponies to do the journey & escape from the cold! Yet... after spending a night at -10C i am not so worried abt -2C... offering puja here is always so pacifying to the mind & soul... the place had a different attire this time... a virgin white scattered all around... Looked beautiful... i decide to buy another monkey cap...
| 14 | Kedarnath | Gauri Kund | 13 km | Wanted to take another dip in the hot kund... but need to move ahead... | Trek |
| Gaurikund | Sonprayag | Bus | |||
| Sonprayag | Triyugi Narayan | 12 km: 30 min | The evening aarti at the temple is worth visiting... full of devotion and care... the locale is serene & peaceful... afternoon u will find only one way jeeps.. if you wanna return back the same evening u will need to reserve one... or trek back... | Jeep | |
| 15 | Triyugi Narayan | Sonprayag | 5km / 2.5 hrs | A 6' wide village road through forest & villages... the last stretch of perhaps 1km is on metalled road, the shortcut trail this last 1km was overgrown with thorny bushes... perhaps there is another way... | Trek |
| Sonprayag | Guptkashi | Jeep | |||
| Gupkashi | Kalimath | 12km: 30min | Jeep | ||
| Kalimath | Kali Silla | 5km : 2 hrs | Steep uphill... 6' wide path, but washed away at one or two places. Started late at 1pm not realising it is really 5km steep climb! Reaching around 3.15pm | Trek | |
| Kali Silla | Kali Math | 5km : 1.5hrs | * | Trek |
* : Started at 3.45 after milk at the shop a little down on the way. two local boys walk down with me, i think they r happy for the company in the forested path... for that matter, even i am... the trail is kind of lonely & densely forested at places... the younger one keeps asking me if i was not scared walking up alone... and brags how he is going to blind the tiger if one attacks them :) they leave me midways as their village arrives... hereon the path is more open & clear...
Pushing myself now... can feel the strain on the knee... but must reach kalimath by 5pm... before it gets dark...
| 16 | Kalimath | Guptkashi | Started out at around 8am... | Jeep | |
| Gupkashi | Rudraprayag | Bus | |||
| Rudra prayag | Joshimath | Met two interesting people... our paths will crisscross for the next whole week & beyond perhaps... | Bus | ||
| Joshimath | Badrinath | Reached late evening... darshan after a dip in the hot water kund... | Bus | ||
| 17 | Badrinath | Mana | 3km | Another dip in the hot water kund, darshan & then breakfast. Afterwards we kinda strolled towards Mana... and then it was too late.. all the jeeps coming from Badrinath side were full... so we walked all the way... | Walk... |
| Mana | Vashun-dhara Falls | 5km + 5km | Trek | ||
| Mana | Badrinath | 3km | We got a nice chauffeured car for 30 bucks! | Jeep | |
| 18 | Badrinath | Charan-paduka | 1 km +1km | Great view... I wish i had gone that side in the moonlight night and took the snap of Neel Kanth... but then i was not carrying a stand either... | Trek |
| Badrinath | Joshimath | * | Jeep |
* : Difficult to get a conveyance at 9am... better to catch a bus before 6am.
I enquire a policeman for the way to Bhawishya badri which i planned to visit next morning. He checks with his sub-ordinates...
"Where u from?" the constable staring at me, speaking in broken english.
"Kolkata" i say.
"no no... u are not from Kolkata." he informs me.
"how can u say that? Kolkata is a big city and not everyone looks alike..." I am kind of upset.
"no no... u r not from Kolkata" he informs me again.
"well, i am not going to prove it to you even though i can do that in just a couple of minutes. next u will say i am not even an indian!!" i tell him.
the senior interrupts and instructs him to give me the direction. which he proudly gives me in his broken english again... i bow & thank them both and walk on, wondering... even simplicity can be a problem sometimes...
| 19 | Joshimath | Tapovan & 4km beyond | 13 km + 4km | Well travelled road, but difficult to get a conveyance in the morning on a holiday. The head for the trek to Bhavishya badri is another 4km further down. | |
| Tapovan | Bhavishya Badri | 5km:2hr + (5+2) : 2hrs | 6' wide trail. starting at 11 am. On the way up the path looked deserted & forested, a snake crossed my path and sent me searching for a stick to browse my path before stepping on anything! on the way down it was all concrete steps... there are two trek routes down from the village midways... the concrete steps are harsh on the knees, but more habited... reached down by 3.15pm, don't want to walk another 13km down to Joshimath from Tapovan! That way i will make it to town after 8pm... | Trek | |
| Tapovan | Joshimath | 2km + 13 km | Jeep | ||
| 20 | Joshimath | Haridwar | Oct 29, 07 | Bus |
May 14, 2007
Panch Kedar (19 June, 07 - 1 July,07)
Following is the trek plan for the Panch Kedar undertaken mid-June to mid-july. Actual trip abandoned mid-ways before Kedarnath due to health conditions of the group and mosquito ("mora") bites.
Trip Photographs
Trip Itinerary :
Abandoned sector :
Trip Notes :
Day 1 : Rishikesh -> Joshimath : Bus at 7 am, reaching around dusk
Day 2 : Joshimath -> Helong ->Urgam<->Kalpeshwar: Joshimath to Helong is a short 13km or 45 minute bus drive. A motley group of shops and houses mark Helong, the road head to Kalpeshwar. Start early at 7am.
Day 3 : Urgam -> Dumuk : Dumuk : comes from the sound which was produced when bhagwan shankar smashed his locks on the ground. There is a rest house with food & lodging.
Day 4 : Dumuk -> Panar : One can also spend the night at shelter here which is open during Yatra Times (sometime in may till Diwali may be) and hot food is available
Day 5 : Panar -> Rudranath : The shrine is the location of the ‘mukh’ or face of Shiva. The temple provides splendid views of Hathi Parvat, Nanda Devi, Trishul and other peaks.
Day 6 : Rudranah -> Anushya devi -> Mandal: Start after Breakfast at the dhaba at Rudranath around 7am . Breakfast can also be had a little ahead on the route where a shepherd has made a temperory shelter.
Anushaya devi : Bhagwan Datt's (Brahma/vishnu/Mahesh) mother. Basic lodges accomodation / food. Atri Muni's cave, curtained behind a waterfall, comes before one reached Anishya devi.
Instead of staying at Anushya devi, it is better to climb down to Mandal and stay at “Bhagat Bist's hotel directly opposite the archway claiming Anushaya Maata mandir marg” which is much cleaner, cheaper & with friendly service.
Day 7 : Mandal -> Chopta : conveyance frequency kind of workable, a bus at around 11am or 12pm
Chopta -> Tungnath :Shiva's arms. Weather quite cold. Good accomodation. Can stay at Kalikamli wala Ashram which also serves hot food.
Day 8 : Tungnath ->Chandrashilla->Tungnath->Chopta->Okimath: Start early for viewing the sunrise, may be 4am. At Okimath, stay at GMVN or some guest houses near Bus Station.
Day 9: Ukimath->Mansuna->Jagashu->Raoli->Uniana->Ransi->Gaundhar->Bantoli: A bus at around 11am (reconfirm the timings!) goes to Uniana besides the normal shared taxies. Some delivery jeeps also ply on this route from Mansuna. But overall the frequencies are not so good. So need to check & plan ahead. Stay at Bantoli, about ½ km after confluence of rivers near Unyan, good rooms .
Day 10 : Bantoli (1800m) ->Khatara(2100m)-> Nanu(2350m)-> Makhouma->Kun chatti (2780m) ->Madhyamaheshwar(3120m) : Start morning, reach evening. Naval of Bhagwan Shankar : Slight height. Attend night puja, morning puja. The shrine is 30km from Guptkashi and is approached by a trek through the famous Sidha Peeth of Kalimath. Unparalleled scenic beauty and incredible landscapes distinguish the distance from Kalimath to Madhmaheshwar. Chaukhamba, Kedarnath and Neelkanth are visible enroute. (The route to Kalimath diverts at Uniana).
Day 11 : Madhyamaheshwar <-> Buda Madhyamaheshwar
Madhyamaheswar -> Bantoli : Can proceed to Uniana the same day if group is fit. The single bus leaves for Uniana at around mid-day. In the evening one may need to book a jeep.
Day 12 : Bantoli -> Ukhimath : The trip abandoned from here on due to health conditions of the group and mosquito ("mora") bites . Returned back to Okhimath and the rested at Rishikesh. better to carry some insect repellent cream/ointment while trekking.
Trip log: coming up....
Trip Photographs
Trip Itinerary :
Abandoned sector :
| 13 | Guptkashi | Gauri Kund | Bus | ||
| Gauri Kund | Kedarnath | 3584m | 14km:7hrs | trek | |
| 14 | Kedarnath | Gaurikund | 14km:7hrs | trek | |
| Gauri Kund | Guptakashi | 33km | Bus | ||
| 15 | Guptkashi | Haridwar | 182km | Bus |
Trip Notes :
Day 1 : Rishikesh -> Joshimath : Bus at 7 am, reaching around dusk
Day 2 : Joshimath -> Helong ->Urgam<->Kalpeshwar: Joshimath to Helong is a short 13km or 45 minute bus drive. A motley group of shops and houses mark Helong, the road head to Kalpeshwar. Start early at 7am.
Day 3 : Urgam -> Dumuk : Dumuk : comes from the sound which was produced when bhagwan shankar smashed his locks on the ground. There is a rest house with food & lodging.
Day 4 : Dumuk -> Panar : One can also spend the night at shelter here which is open during Yatra Times (sometime in may till Diwali may be) and hot food is available
Day 5 : Panar -> Rudranath : The shrine is the location of the ‘mukh’ or face of Shiva. The temple provides splendid views of Hathi Parvat, Nanda Devi, Trishul and other peaks.
Day 6 : Rudranah -> Anushya devi -> Mandal: Start after Breakfast at the dhaba at Rudranath around 7am . Breakfast can also be had a little ahead on the route where a shepherd has made a temperory shelter.
Anushaya devi : Bhagwan Datt's (Brahma/vishnu/Mahesh) mother. Basic lodges accomodation / food. Atri Muni's cave, curtained behind a waterfall, comes before one reached Anishya devi.
Instead of staying at Anushya devi, it is better to climb down to Mandal and stay at “Bhagat Bist's hotel directly opposite the archway claiming Anushaya Maata mandir marg” which is much cleaner, cheaper & with friendly service.
Day 7 : Mandal -> Chopta : conveyance frequency kind of workable, a bus at around 11am or 12pm
Chopta -> Tungnath :Shiva's arms. Weather quite cold. Good accomodation. Can stay at Kalikamli wala Ashram which also serves hot food.
Day 8 : Tungnath ->Chandrashilla->Tungnath->Chopta->Okimath: Start early for viewing the sunrise, may be 4am. At Okimath, stay at GMVN or some guest houses near Bus Station.
Day 9: Ukimath->Mansuna->Jagashu->Raoli->Uniana->Ransi->Gaundhar->Bantoli: A bus at around 11am (reconfirm the timings!) goes to Uniana besides the normal shared taxies. Some delivery jeeps also ply on this route from Mansuna. But overall the frequencies are not so good. So need to check & plan ahead. Stay at Bantoli, about ½ km after confluence of rivers near Unyan, good rooms .
Day 10 : Bantoli (1800m) ->Khatara(2100m)-> Nanu(2350m)-> Makhouma->Kun chatti (2780m) ->Madhyamaheshwar(3120m) : Start morning, reach evening. Naval of Bhagwan Shankar : Slight height. Attend night puja, morning puja. The shrine is 30km from Guptkashi and is approached by a trek through the famous Sidha Peeth of Kalimath. Unparalleled scenic beauty and incredible landscapes distinguish the distance from Kalimath to Madhmaheshwar. Chaukhamba, Kedarnath and Neelkanth are visible enroute. (The route to Kalimath diverts at Uniana).
Day 11 : Madhyamaheshwar <-> Buda Madhyamaheshwar
Madhyamaheswar -> Bantoli : Can proceed to Uniana the same day if group is fit. The single bus leaves for Uniana at around mid-day. In the evening one may need to book a jeep.
Day 12 : Bantoli -> Ukhimath : The trip abandoned from here on due to health conditions of the group and mosquito ("mora") bites . Returned back to Okhimath and the rested at Rishikesh. better to carry some insect repellent cream/ointment while trekking.
Trip log: coming up....
Jan 3, 2007
Goumukh/Tapovan- Part 1 (02 Nov - 12 Nov'06)
It was beginning of November when I started again for the Himalayas. The news from all sources confirmed a blizzard line condition & snowfall with sub-zero temperatures. My original plan to visit Goumukh / Tapovan had got delayed by one month and winter seemed to have progressed fast in the mountains.Under the circumstances, may be I could manage two of the five 'Panch Kedars', or may be go up to Chopta, Chandrashilla most certainly being out of bounds.
I had decided to go to Uttarkashi and check the conditions there. At least i would be able to pick some small treks, may be visit Nechiketa taal, or Dodi taal. And I wanted to visit NMI and check out their basic course in mountaineering. And the temptation of visiting Vishwanath Temple was quite strong. I had missed it during my last trip. And there is a huge "Trishul" in front of the temple, sunk in the ground, whose base can't be traced. And yet one can shake it with the pressure of the tiny finger!!
With these thoughts in my mind i slung the rucksack over my back, clutched the hand bag and stepped on to the train to Haridwar.
And then i saw a trekking group getting into my compartment. It was a pleasant surprise to know that they too were aiming for Goumukh/Tapovan. So i was not the only desperate person around!! They had missed the best season due to office leave problems. Here began my loose association with that group, which would see us sleeping together, eating together for the next 7 days.
The train reached Haridwar late and all the buses to Uttarkashi had departed. So we stayed together at Haridwar and I showed them around. I have been to Haridwar a couple of times earlier and i have walked practically all its streets. I like Haridwar for its choice of food, the hustle & bustle in the market, the varieties of people and yet you feel peaceful here, no rush.. kind of relaxed & tranquil...
After lunch we took the bus tickets. No direct buses were going to Gangotri in this time of the
year, we booked the seats to Uttarkashi. That evening we saw the evening Aarti of Gangajee and then hiked to Mansha devi temple.We retire early after dinner as we need to catch the bus early in the morning. I have got two aaloo parathas packed for the bus journey. During traveling i always try to pack some food where ever possible, one needs to be maintain sufficient energy levels...
So we found Dharali. The hotel was warm & cozy, the rooms had wooden walls, floors & ceilings. After some searching the cook was located and he cooked rice & vegetable for us. Served hot it tasted delicious.Being a stranger with this group, I had decided to go for a single room and landed up in a room of concrete & plaster by the river side. It was mid-night when i wake up to find myself cold & freezing. Since i had a sleeping bag, i had given away my quilts to the driver. And now at this unholy hour of the night i was suddenly worried whether the new sleeping bag would suffice or whether i was going to freeze to death!! Anyways, i find something to cover myself some more and soon i am asleep... The lesson learnt was never to sleep alone in freezing temperatures, more people means more warmth...
We wake up early in the morning and watch the sun rise as tea is brewed in the kitchen. It appears that "Ram Teri Ganga Maili ho gayee" (the movie with Mandakini in the controversial bathing scene...) was shot here. we go to see that temple. It is by the river and is sinking because of a loose ground.
Every night the water rises inside the temple courtyard, and then recedes in the morning taking all the offerings & flowers away, leaving the temple clean.
Every night the water rises inside the temple courtyard, and then recedes in the morning taking all the offerings & flowers away, leaving the temple clean.After tea/biscuits (no biscuits for me as i am given up sugar for a year, i dig into my stock of cashews) we start off to Gangotri and reach there early.
The aashram is spacious but few people around. No food also. We repack our rucksacks with the essentials, leaving behind extra stuff in a locked room. We leave by 10am in the morning for Bhojwasa. Gangotri is already 3140 meters and we are heading for 3792 meters at Bhojwasa with almost no acclimatization...Couple of us lead the way, stopping by the closed Gangotri Temple to offer prayers. As we wait for the rest of the group, we see them higher up in the hills, apparently they have found another way... We catch the steep flight of stairs by Temple's side...and reach them soon...
After a couple of hours of trekking we are just making 2km/hr with numerous stops for rest & photo sessions. We got to cover a total 14 km. At this pace we will reach Bhojwasa by night, and I am afraid that when the sun goes down it is going to be very cold.
Once we reach the first deserted tea-stalls I decide to push the pace and in a while i am all alone. The sun is bright and the trail is clear along the long valley. At places I can see herds of Deers grazing with the dominant male staring at me bleary eyed. I must say that these were a pretty healthy bunch, you don't see such types in the Zoo...
Trekking solo has its risks... At one place i am definitely uncomfortable and break a stick from the pine shrub to defend myself, just in case :))
These are just deers, on some routes the possibilities of bears & lions is also there. May be i should get myself a good folding knife, not that it is going to be any good... still... at least better than bare hands & nails to defend oneself...
I reached Chirbasa by 1.45pm. The trail came & disappeared in this square clearing with metal skeletons of deserted tea shops. This place is quite wooded. One concrete shed is there is the center. I have my snacks and look around for the trail going to Bhojwasa.
These are just deers, on some routes the possibilities of bears & lions is also there. May be i should get myself a good folding knife, not that it is going to be any good... still... at least better than bare hands & nails to defend oneself...
I find it hidden behind a outcrop of rock. I am not at all sure... but there are many foot-prints, they are my only guide... i wonder... yet it is no point waiting for the rest of the group, i might wait & wait and they may not appear also... (it appears that by this time three of the boys had given up and were walking back to Gangotri and one boy was running up & down ferrying the message between the two separating groups!)
The last couple of kilometers to Bhojwasa is landslide prone & kind of tricky. At places the 12 inch wide trail was overrun by landslides, and one misstep would
see u down a few hundred meters... kind of crazy to be alone under such circumstances. I realize what it means when they say making your way through... And then at one place the narrow trail is broken, a chunk had just broken away and u see the abyss below... one side u have the mountain, the other side a sheer drop and in front a hole and an outcrop of rock blocking your way. hmmmmmm... kind of tricky. I takeoff my backpack & swing it, and it lands safely on the other... it could as easily have rolled over the edge... Then i gently jump across. The soil holds... and i am home free...After more than an hour's trek, I finally cross the bend and am glad to see the tiny settlement of Bhojwasa as the sun prepares to slide behind the mountains. There are two guys sitting there waving their hand to me and shouting something.
I am dead tired carrying my 10kg backpack across 14 km and every meter counts. I wonder if there is a broken bridge somewhere in between which won't let me take the easy path down & across. Anyway, it will be worse if i go down & then have to climb back again. So i take the long detour.They have got a log fir burning, and i take their permission to share the heat. As i sit on the burning log i feel a bit guilty, feeling as if i am sitting on a burning body. I wonder about my conscious, someday it might freeze me to death! One guy brings me hot tea and i share my sweets with them. It appears that they belong to some Government Department office there (a fiber cabin with a couple of rooms and a toilet). One of them also doubles as guide. We been desperately looking for a guide but had not found one in Gangotri. He said he will take us to Tapovan in the morning & bring us back by evening.
On checking with them I found them happy & satisfied and told me that view at Tapovan was quite fabulous... I take my leave and head for the Lal Baba Aashram and take a room for myself and rest of the group, conditionally on their arrival of course.In the dark (no electricity, the aashram has a single solar rechargeable lantern) I open my sleeping back and slid in pulling the aashram supplied quilt over. I miss my torch which I had modified to use white LED just before i embarked on this trip, but on checking at Gangotri i found it was not working anymore. In a while the shivering stops and i am warm & cozy... The rest of the group arrived after an hour or more. I hadn't checked my watch what time i arrived, the rest of the group arrived around 5pm. And they were tired to the bone and cold. One by one they all crept under the blankets & lay still for a long time...
Dinner was a torturous affair at 7pm with nobody willing to get out of the warmth.
We had a simple hot meal in the aashram kitchen over some small talk. Next day we had a 5km+4km trek to Goumukh & Tapovan, and i was worried. The groups energy level was pretty low and the lack of acclimatisation had made its contribution.I really wanted to go and told them that i would go alone if necessary. Rarely does one get such chance & lovely clear weather. After some discussion & popping painkillers everybody decides to try for Goumukh at least. There after people not feeling well could return back and the rest free to carry on to Tapovan.
just melted from the glacier near by... some ice still floating and some sticking to its banks...the breeze was steady and cold, having just kissed the icy peaks & carrying the chill in its womb... the sky was a clear blue... We could see the glacier in a hazy distance and a little further Tapovan beckoned...Anyway, after breakfast & tea we set out at 8am in the morning, after the frost on the track having melted. We walked slowly to Goumukh and prayed at the small open temple there.
And we moved on, nobody remembered to return back from here, the issue never arose. Soon we are trekking on the glacier but it look like solid rock. Lots of debris, dust & rocks are strewn across and ice is hidden at most places. Yet it is very much a glacier and u can see the rock solid ice jutting out at several places.
One person who visited this place earlier had commented that he could hear Mother Ganges flowing below, but i didn't even get a hint.
Soon we are across and the going gets tricky. We are walking on a a loose crumbling mountain. One mis-step and one would find one's head banging across rocks on the way down. After a while the guide declares that we have now reached the last & most treacherous stretch (last 150 meters climb). Here he tells us how a foreigner slipped and fell to death.I think he was scaring us! He suggests we return back as the group was not fit to attempt a climb to Tapovan and return back the same day. If a few of us are willing to climb then we will need to spend the night at Tapovan. what to say... time is such a flirty thing... drag your feet and suddenly it is too late... the lack of acclimatisation had finally started showing on some very ashen faces...
And before we vote, we find that a few members of the group has turned tail and started walking back!! The possibility of getting lost in this place without a guide is just about a certainty and the consequences unthinkable.
We decide to take a rest, have snacks, click some photographs and walk back...
At Goumukh the guide left us to return at our easy pace. Here on the trail is very clear and doesn't need a guide. Some more photography session...Well, anyone wanting hot lunch had better scramble to the aashram before 2.30 which was the deadline for lunch at aashram. Pretty soon the whole group had disappeared behind the hills and only us two seniors(meaning in 30's! rest of the group was early 20's) walking at a slow pace. When we reach aashram it was well past 3 pm and a delicious 'khidri' was ready to be served...
The next day we returned back to Gangotri Dandi Aashram to find the three deserters extremely well kept & looked after!! They had managed to get kerosene & made 'khidri'. But then Aashram's Swamijee had returned followed by a flock of devotees and a truck load of food stuff and sweats. And finding these three kids in his aashram, he had pampered them with lots of sweets & food stuffs...
"what a shame...not just nose... i lost my neck..." rues a boy, feeling ashamed for abandoning the trek midways and seeing us back with wondrous experience & sights.
We collect our stuffs. The driver has also arrived as promised. We start at 2pm and have a nice hot bath mid-ways at Gangnani hot water spring. After a nice lunch there we set out again & reach Uttarkashi as darkness sets in.
Sep 29, 2006
Trip plan for Jamunotri - Gangotri - Goumukh - Tapovan :
| Sector | Depart | Distance | Arrive | Time |
| Height | Mode |
| Dehradun-> Mussoorie |
| 32 km |
| 1 hrs |
|
| Bus |
| Mussoorie-> Ranachatti |
| 125 km |
| 8 hrs | 1st Night |
| Bus |
| Ranachatti ->Hanumanchatti |
| 8 km |
| --- |
|
| Jeep |
| Hanumanchatti->Yamunotri |
| 6 km |
| 3 hrs |
| 3225m | trek |
| Yamunotri->JanakiChatti |
|
|
| 2 hr | 2nd Night |
| trek |
| Janaki Chatti -> Rana Chatti |
| 6 km |
| 1.5hr |
|
| trek |
| Rana Chatti -> Uttar Kashi |
| 100 km |
| 4 hr | 3rd Night | 1150 m | Bus |
| Sector | Depart | Distance | Arrive | Time |
| Height | Mode |
| earliest | 43 km |
| - | Hot spring |
| bus | |
| Gangnani -> Gangotri |
| 57 km |
| 5 hr | 4th Night | 3140 m | bus |
| Gangotri -> Chirbasa | 5 am | 8/9 km |
| 3/4 hr |
| 3606 m | trek |
| Chirbasa -> Bhojwasa |
| 6 km |
| 1/2 hr | 5th Night | 3792 m | trek |
| Bhojwasa -> Goumukh |
| 4 km |
| 2/3 hr |
| 3892 m | trek |
| Goumukh -> Tapovan |
| 5 km |
| 3 hr | 6th Night | 4463 m | trek |
| Tapovan -> Gangotri | earliest |
|
|
| 7th Night | 3606 m | trek |
| Gangotri -> Uttarkashi |
| 100 Km |
| 5 hr | 8th Night | 1150 m | bus |
| Uttar Kashi -> Haridwar |
| 200 km |
|
| 9th Night |
| bus |
| Uttar Kashi -> Rishikesh |
| 155 km |
|
|
|
| bus |
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