Trekking
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Kojagiri Celebration at Fort Rajgad
Awesome weekend trek and kojagiri celebration at Rajgad fort. This time we had trek with friends as well as spouses and kids.
This is the first time, we were taking our kids for the trekking with overnight camping. Hence selected the easier route (than the one we take regularly) to climb i.e. from Pali darwaja. All the 4 kids managed to hike it well without any trouble to their parents.
Kids (Mrunmayee Masurkar - 7 yrs, Atharva Kolhe - 6 yrs, Siddhiksha Nimbalkar - 5 yrs and Shlok Kolhe - 3 yrs) enjoyed the trek, camping in tents, morning fun and food as well.
Dinner menu (Veg sweet corn soup with papad, methi paratha and khichadi) was awesome and we let Viraj and Bhagyashree handle the cooking fortress while we remain in supporting role. Post dinner, kids (except Mru) went to sleep quickly. We played card games for an hour and then enjoyed the badam keshar milk, special menu for Kojagiri Pournima
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Trek To Lohagadh (The Iron Fort)
The only problem with any holiday is that like all good things it eventually comes to an end. All the happiness and sense of peace that was kicking within us throughout our holiday starts fading slowly as we leave back for our homes. BUT when it comes to holidaying among Mountains we always bring back something that stays within us throughout our life. Mountains speak to us, Mountains teach us the highs and lows of life, Mountains show us there are no limits of heights, Mountains give us a chance to touch the clouds, Mountains helps us listen to the music of the winds, Mountains makes us feel so small and at the same time make us feel on top of the world.
Lohagadh The Iron Fort is one of the many hill forts of the Western Ghats of Maharashtra. Situated close to the hill station Lonavala and around 55 kms from Pune, Lohagad rises to an elevation of about 3400ft above sea level. The nearest railway station is Malavali which is around 7kms from the fort and 10kms from Lonavala. The fort walls till date stand tall and the fortification stands strong to its name “The Iron Fort”. I won’t write much about the history of the place for you can anytime Google and check it.
I want to talk about this lovely monsoon trek. This was the longest trek I have done till date. Trekking for about 25kms in this beautiful region was simply an amazing experience. I and my cousin never felt tired trekking such a long distance in one day. The mountains all around gave us the strength; the lovely clouds kept energising us with mild rains, the cool weather throughout the day never made us look back. We started off from Pune boarding the early morning local train to Malavali which is around 55kms and it took us a nice 1hr journey. Getting down at Malavali railway station and looking at mountains covered with mist and clouds was just the beginning and it gave us trailer of what lies ahead. It was 5.45am and time for me to use the Loo.
The station washroom was locked and after giving my train ticket and my ID card the station master gave me the keys to the creepiest washroom I have ever used in my life. The funniest thing is giving my ID card as a security for the creepiest washroom with no lights and the worst fear of my life “Lizards” waiting for me inside.
Huh after all that shit we went to a small hotel outside the station. Having a nice cup of tea outside the station we met two gay couples in that small hotel. Those gays had partied hard the previous night at a gay party which was held at a private farm house in Malavali. They asked us if we too were gays and told us that the party was over. I was like Lolz and told them No and they apologized. It was not at all offensive for me and I continued talking to them more about their party and asked them if they wanted to join us for the trek. They nicely said No as they were tired of partying all night. After all that we bid them bye and started our trek. We had to trek around 7kms from Malavali station to reach the base of the Lohagadh fort. Nature at its best at this time of the year, numerous waterfalls all around and the mountains covered with lovely mist and clouds makes you feel just out of this world. The urge to capture the nature at every step we trekked slow and I clicked some real amazing pics.
The beauty of the mountains covered with clouds, the waterfalls and nature of this region can never be penned down. You just sulk in the beauty and aura of this place and it will stay within you forever. Enjoying this heavenly region we trekked for around 2hrs to reach the base of the fort. After reaching the base we had our breakfast and the sweetest corn we ever had. We started to climb up the fort and it was quite an easy hike at the start but started getting a bit riskier as we climbed high. Because of rains there was water running down the uneven and broken steps and was very slippery. Carefully climbing the slippery path and clicking pics at every awesome point in the way we reached the top of the Iron fort. There was very less visibility at the top for a few minutes due to mist and clouds. Slowly the clouds moved away and the majestic mountain top was clearly visible on all sides. It was an exhilarating feeling on being at the top and exploring each and every corner of the mountain. There was a tomb, a temple and a couple of other structures on the top. The mountain is vast and the walls of the fort stand tall till date. One side of the mountain will lead you to “Vinchukata” which means scorpions tail. It’s a spectacular point and one should not forget to trek this extra 1km stretch. During monsoon the mountain is wonderfully covered with nature’s different shades of greens.
The contrast of the black walls and the greenery looks simply astounding. Spending a good time on the top and exploring every corner of the mountain, losing our way a few times, sitting at peace and quietly listening to the sounds of the wind, looking at the flow of the clouds, I just did not want to leave such a heavenly place. But it was time to bid bye to the majestic Lohagadh Fort and climb down back to the base. There a quite a few good small dhabas at the base. We had our lunch at one of the dhaba, the taste of the food we ordered was very nice and tastiest was missal pav. After having our lunch we had two options either trek back 7kms to Malavali station and take a local train to Lonavala from there or trek all the way to Lonavala which was about 12-15kms from Lohagadh. Looking at the beautiful weather we decided why to go back to Malavali and instead explore more of this region on foot. So we choose the longer path and started trekking towards Lonavala. The dhaba owner told us about Pavana dam which was on our way to Lonavala. Pavana dam is a very pristine clear clean water dam about 6kms from Lohagadh. The Dam is actually visible from the top of Lohagadh and anyone who visits Lohagadh will definitely visit Pavana dam too. We were blessed with drizzling rains and the amazing weather which never made us feel tired. As we were close to Pavana dam we found a village guy who became our friend and gave us lift on his bike to Pavana dam. Pavana dam is barricaded on all sides and tourists are not allowed to venture into the dam but lucky we this local village guy took us into the dam via a route only the locals know. The view of the dam was spectacular and the clear water was inviting us to take a super dip.
We relaxed and took a dip into the wonderful clear water of Pavana dam. We chit chatted with the guy and thanked him and left towards Lonavala which was still close to 8-10kms away. We had no plans of visiting any place in Lonavala but just reach the railway station and catch our train back to Pune. We had enough time left so we walked slow and talked on every random topic. The best was remembering and talking about our ex-girlfriends, cracking jokes on each other and enjoying the trek. We made multiple stops in between had mast masala chai, vada pav, corn, steamed peanuts etc. After walking a good 8kms we finally entered Lonavala and found that the railway station is another 4kms away...LOL. This was the first time we started feeling tired but decided to continue walking and explore the markets of Lonavala and eat whatever tempts us on the way. Finally after around a good 25kms trek for the day we reached Lonavala railway station. It was time to head back to Pune and also time for our legs to curse us and punish us for making them walk so so long.
About Author:
Fascinated about & trying to Decipher the Enigma of the two most Mysterious things on this Earth - Mountains & Women's...!!!
Entrepreneur, traveler, explorer, artist, foodie, free adviser, storyteller, philosopher(at times) etc etc.
I want to travel, trek, hike, explore, adventure, eat, drink, click, draw, paint, talk, write, make new friends, preach love and humanity, live my dreams and keep repeating all over again & again till I Live. -
Travelogue on Northern lakes of Italy
Coming to the Easter break, I decided that something had to be done with the ten days and spending the entire stretch inside my attic didn’t seem to be a good idea. It was decided to check out the Northern lakes of Italy. There were two of them in the list, Como and Maggiore. The deciding factors were ticket prices and weather forecast.
It was sulky weather everywhere in Italy that weekend. The only hopeful one seemed to be places surrounding Lake Maggiore where weather websites foretold the probability of precipitation to be just 20% which was better compared to 40-60% in Como.
Saturday morning. Turin was drenched in a steady drizzle from the previous day. Fine mist of a rain it was. Cars sped past with headlights peering into the fading misty darkness, a hesitant dawn. With merely an hour or so of sleep the night before, I doubted whether I would stay away during the journey. So we started off, 3 with one trailing behind from Porta Nuova at about 7 in the morning.
At Novara, where we had to change the train, rain displayed no signs of receding. Everything was damp, cold and gloomy. The journey from Novara to Arona was humdrum, with the sights of the northern villages and patches of desolate deciduous woods, which assume a depressing appearance in winter.
I must confess that despite my often declared dislike for the country, south of India still lives somewhere inside me, making me acutely aware of its influence on occasions like these. The train journeys back home, lashing merciless rains that seep in through the imperfect pull down shutters of rail coaches, one glass shutter and one metal shutter, the sight of swaying dark green foliage desperately fighting rain and thunderstorm. A bedlam of sounds from hawking cries of tea, raindrops pelleting train’s roof to the steady rhythm of sound made by metal wheels on metal rail.
A friend had commented long back, “It’s the inherent craving for chaos that lives inside Indians”. The lake started being visible by the time our train reached Arona. Blanketed with a heavy mist and the steady rain, it was just a part of the shore that we could figure out through the blurry windows.
It was not a crowded station. We ventured out braving the rain. Lake stretched before us, mild mist letting only a hazy view of its banks on the other side. There was a friendly girl at the local tourism office near the train station who suggested us to try the place Stressa if we wanted more stay options. Stresa too was on the shores of Lake Maggiore, and was about 20 minutes drive from Arona. She suggested that we take the bus instead of the train, which offered a better view and cost just about €2.5.
Wandering around Arona in the rain to pass time till our bus to Stresa started, froze the last bit of warmth out of me and that’s when I discovered the Italian magic portion that goes by the name of “Café Correto”. It is a normal espresso coffee spiced up with a shot of a grape based pomace brandy called grappa. As far as my taste was concerned, it was an agonizing drink to consume, but the moment it gets inside, you start thanking your stars for having discovered it. Strong coffee kills sleep, perking you up and grappa shoots heat into every cell of the body.
Journey in the bus was fascinating especially with just three of us as passengers. Meandering roads traced the shoreline of Maggiore which was still enveloped by mist. Bus sped past buildings along the shore most of which had piers and a couple of boats tied to them. It dropped us at the ferry point of Stresa. There was a trackless sightseeing train that took people on a city tour which I wanted to try out but had to give in to the group plan to go to the islands first by boat.
As we walked to the boats, a tall guy in a uniform (with a fancy naval cap) approached us and sternly asked us whether we were planning to go to the islands as there was a boat leaving in five minutes. Before we could agree upon it, he hurried off and directed us to follow him which we did, like a bunch of school kids. From a desk placed in a hole in the wall type structure, he tore down three tickets and demanded €60 (€20 each) for two islands. We obediently complied and he set us scuttling off to a boat which we promptly boarded. All this happened in about 5 minutes and by the time we realized that he made jackasses out of us, our boat was already on its way to the islands.
There were many operators and this boat was just one of them. It was not like the last boat to the islands. And cost of the ride was €18 but the guy had impressively managed to beat us off €2 each. I did, however, admire the way he did it. Maybe he had a whole repertoire of strategies from which he picked up one titled “authoritarian” and tried on us. And it worked.
The gloom of this setback was somewhat subdued with sight of our first island. Apparently, these islands, referred together as Borromean Islands, comprises of three small ones and two islets. Among these, we were to visit only Isola dei Pescatoriand Isola Bella as our €20 only covered them.
Isola dei Pescatori, which we stepped on first was a fishing island with a permanent population. It had beautiful narrow cobbled streets albeit being sandwiched by too many stalls selling fancy stuff to tourists. By dusk, we returned to Stresa and having nothing much to do, hunted around for a reasonable Bread and Breakfast place. We finally fixed on one run by an old lady somewhat a bit away from the main road and got out after a much needed nap to roam around the place in the night.
It was here that I saw the moon in its most outrageous size. Huge, yellow and spotted, it resembled a roughly cut lump of cheese illuminated by a dim bulb. But that was really a great night, walking aimlessly though the shores of Maggiorewith that huge yellow moon above, the sprawling lake beside and the snow capped Alps beyond.
About Author:
I am a lawyer by profession who has quit practicing law and presently engaged in teaching. Being a rolling stone, I keep drifting around focusing more on travelling and less on being riveted to any place. I save enough money every year to do a bit of mountaineering in the summer. I am passionate about mountaineering. I do a lot of climbing around Gharwal Himalayas. Love testing hi altitude gear. Last year, I tested a basic 2K Quechua tent high on Gharwal Himalayas in blizzard. I travel a lot. I also do a little bit of mountain biking. I have explored Ketam Mountain Biking Park (Singapore) just a month back. I am also a mechanical gadget freak. I love fixing mechanical things. This includes a long list of things from alarm clocks to cars. I collect outdated gadgets, mechanical and electronic. I read a lot, especially surreal stuff like Murakami.
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Har Ki Dun Trek
Har Ki Dun Valley is a cradle shaped hanging valley in the Garhwal Himalayas. It is surrounded by snow-covered peaks and alpine vegetation. It is connected to Baspa Valley by the Borasu Pass This valley is at an altitude of approx 3500 m above mean sea level and is snow-covered during October to March.
The valley is around 25 km from Taluka. The trek to the valley starts from Taluka village and passes through Gangaad, Osala, and Seema. It is a 2-day trek usually done in two stages. First stage is from Taluka to Seema/Osla, and second stage is from Seema/Osla to Har Ki Dun. Return route is the same. It is also possible to complete return journey in a single day, however it can physically demanding. There is a shop and a small restaurant at Taluka, where trekkers can buy eatables like biscuits and wafers etc.
Authors Take:
Har ki Dun also refereed as Tons valley by British who discovered its route back in the 19th century was my first Himalayan Trek. It is a popular Beginners trek for the Himalayan trekkers. The valley of Har-Ki-Dun falls in the Western Garwal Himalayas bordering Himachal Pradesh. The trek is a wonder in itself with lust greenery, ice caped legendry peaks, vibrancy of colors all around with flowers blooming and serenity of the mind, glancing at the views, snowy mountains, peaks, dense forest, waterfalls, bugyals (high altitude meadows), wildlife and rare Himalayan birds.
You can view the majestic peaks of Swargarohni, Bandarpoonch and Kala Nag from a close range. For ages, the land has been known for temples and shrines with sacred mythological attachments, Duryodhna, the eldest of Kaurvas, is worshipped here, This trek route is virtually a paradise for the botanists, bird watchers, photographers, nature lovers, foot loose trekkers and anyone interested in exploring and learning in an unconventional way, in short, the more you trek in this area, the more curious you get to know more which has not yet been written and only found in tales and lories.
A single route trek, you go up and come down from the same trail and an all year round trek too…U can hop on for an adventure anytime of the year …Summers or winters always open for you to visit. The purpose of the trek is to expose the great adventure and to rough out the rigors of plodding through snow with a sense of love for nature and outdoor recreational activity. So trek, explore, learn and excite others who listen to your pep talk.
I have learned a lot on this journey of Himalayan Trek…there is still lots to learn & explore in life….These following lines by Edmond Hillary which he wrote after failing twice (looking at Mt. Everest.) inspires me:
“I’ll come again & conquer you… because, as a mountain you cannot grow… But as a Human I can…”
Thank you Mountains for teaching the best lessons of life…be bold, be thoughtful yet beautiful….!!
About Author:
Hi I am Shila Kunji, Architect by profession. I am passionate about Traveling, photography, gardening, reading. I love doing it. I am very passionate about trekking too… I am a life member of youth hostel association of India & I most go trekking with them.
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Jungle Safari Experience - Jim Corbett National Park
My family took a short trip to Jim Corbett national park between 12th November and 15th November this year. It was a very pleasant experience and we had a really good time relaxing in midst of nature. We stayed at a very comfortable and luxury resort called “the golden tusk”. It is situated in midst of the Jim Corbett national park and the jungle safari starts just 15minutes away from the resort, convenience coupled with luxury.
The resort has very comfortable suites/rooms which are beautifully spread in the resort's main compound dominated by a huge garden that has some rare plants, vegetable gardens, swings and a simply adorable swimming pool with the view of mountain. The resort itself offers a good amount of activities to keep one busy or entertained.
The swimming pool area is very well maintained and there is separate pool for kids and also a Jacuzzi. So our morning started with swimming and some water games followed by a refreshing breakfast. The menu for all the three meals was quite extensive.
The buffet system is well organised and the waiters serve you on table as well. After a stomach full of breakfast we played some indoor games like table tennis, carom and chess. The games room is very well equipped with options for kids as well as youngsters and old age people. We also played badminton, the court is big and they have enough equipment. They have a small activity zone which includes a burma bridge for kids, a rappling wall and few other adventure installations for kids.
As our resort was just 15 mins away from jungle safari spot, the resort organised a jeep for us and we spent couple of hours inside jungle full of wild animals. Make sure you take a prior permit for jungle safari. On our way back we enjoyed some local samosas with tea. The resort was beautifully lit during night and they organized bonfire and musical chair for the guests.
Jim corbett is a very prime location, Nainital is 2-3 hours drive away and can be covered in one day. We did so the next day and it also went smooth and joyous. The following night the resort organised music show and tam-bola for the guests, we made most of these group activities and spent some memorable time with each other.
One of the most interesting things about living in middle of the jungle is that we get to hear all kinds of noises of the wild animals especially in the night time. The howling of jackals are one of the constant sounds in the night sky and gave a very interesting elements to the nature stay.
Overall it is a must have trip for anyone especially for people living in Delhi NCR, it is one of the best week end get aways. A family trip can bring a lot of love and affections among themselves. And it is one such family trip which every family should take.
About Author: I am a media professional I am passionate about travelling and exploring various untouched places.
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Amazing Andaman Trip
The holiday to Andaman & Nicobar Islands is a one in a lifetime experience. Andaman & Nicobar is full of amazing nature’s beauty and stunning marine life. I am eager to share my experience and thoughts about this lovely place. My experience may help others plan a better trip and help them to change their view to look at Andaman island as "Kaala-Pani"
Few details about Andaman Islands:
Andaman Islands are a group of islands in the Bay of Bengal and a Union Territory of India. There are total 572 islands but Inhabited Islands are 38. The name of the island has always been 'Andaman' and might represent Handuman, the Malay form of Hanuman. Capital of Andaman Island is Port Blair.
The history of the British in the Andaman and Nicobar islands began in 1788. British Government thought of establishing a penal settlement here. In March 1858, the first penal settlement was established, with 200 prisoners, mostly rebels of the Indian freedom fighters. Initially the convicts were kept in a jail at Viper Island. The foundation of the infamous Cellular Jail was laid in 1896. The building was completed in 1906. Place soon known as Kaala Pani because of Cellular Jail. This place becomes a favorite tourist place after 2000. Veer Savarkar International airport is the only airport in Andaman.
Our journey began on 14th February 2012 with a lot of enthusiasm.
Day 0 (14th– 15thFeb 2012): Pune – Chennai – Port Blair Flight
We started from Pune to Chennai by Spice Jet Airways at 11 PM. My friends (Anannya, Aditya and Vrishali) dropped us on airport. It was the first flight journey for my wife, Renuka and she was absolutely thrilled in anticipation of an exotic experience unfolding. After an hour journey to Chennai, we stayed at the airport about 3-4 hours and then boarded an Indian Airlines flight to Port Blair at 6 AM. Flight duration was of 2 hrs. After nice breakfast and movie, we witnessed some beautiful scattered islands. This view is never to be missed.
Simply Amazing
Costs:
Pune-Chennai-Pune – INR 4500/- per person
Chennai-Port Blair-Chennai – INR 10,000/- per person
Megapode Nest Resort - INR 4250/- per room per night (Bamboo cottage, Half Board)
Day 1 (15th Feb 2012): In Port Blair
We were welcomed by my friend from Andaman, Nawaz Hashmi, with a lovely flower bouquet. We moved to our hotel, “Megapode Resort”, also known as Megapode Nest Resort. A royal luxury Bamboo cottage was booked for us. Open Sea view from your balcony makes you feel fresh. After taking rest for a while, we planned to visit Corbyn’s Cove Beach. There is nothing special as such on this beach but the clam water and lovely view of the beach made us spend about an hour on beach. Road to this beach is very beautiful. You can see Ross island on the way.
Megapode Nest Resort - Bamboo Cottage
Corbyn’s Cove Beach
After visiting the beach, we decided to visit the cellular Jail. Wow!!! What a place to visit in Andaman. It takes you back in to the past of Indian history and talks a load about torturous British. We should know the value of our freedom. You need at least 2-3 hours to see the entire jail. It was a very proud moment for me to enter in the Veer savarkar’s cell. I remember the quotes of veer Savarkar when he was in cell as
“मला जर त्यांची भाषा समजली तर मी त्यांना देशभक्तीची गाणी शिकवीन. पुढं ती गाणी ते आपल्या मुलाबाळांना शिकवतील. स्वतंत्र भारताचे नागरिक जेव्हा माझ्या कोठडीला भेट द्यायला येतील तेव्हा हे बुलबुल पक्षी त्यांना देशभक्तीची गाणी ऐकवतील ”.
Light and sound show at the jail premises in evening was stunning. I was choked after hearing history of the Jail. That’s when I got to know why people call this jail as “Kaala-Pani”
Cellular Jail from Top
During my jail visit I saw some people making fun of this place. People were taking pictures in cell or in Phasi Ghar. There were acting as they are prisoner in this jail. I think we should respect this place. Quote by Ganesh Savarkar about jail is telling you everything.
“यह तीर्थ महारथियों का है, मात कहो इसे काला पानी, तुम सुनो, यहाँ की धरती के कण - कण से गाथा बलिदानी”
Cellular Jail Wing No 7
Entry fee: INR 20/-
Camera fee: INR 25/- and Video camera fee: INR 100/-
Day 2 (16th Feb 2012): Ross Island and Chidiya Tapu
Sun rose early and we were surprised by the weather condition. Average sun rise timing in Andaman is 5 AM and sunset by 5 PM. After a delicious breakfast from resort, we went to the Ross Island jetty. It’s a 10 min boat ride from jetty to the Island. This Island is the erstwhile capital of Port Blair during the British regime, and it presently houses the ruins of old buildings. It is well maintained by navy and local people. There are ruins building on islands and very interesting shapes made by tree + roots + ruin building. It’s Heaven for photographer and best to click black and white photos. To see the complete island you need to walk a lot so better to carry water and some snacks. There is a small beach which is completely destroyed by 2004 tsunami and you can see that. We spent nearly 3 hours on island and took the same boat to return to jetty
Ross Island
Me and Renu at Ross Island
Boat ride: INR 60/- Per person (Jetty – Ross Island – Jetty)
Entry fee on Island: INR 20/- Per person + camera charges (INR 20/-)
We had our lunch at Annapurna restaurant which is best vegetarian restaurant in Port Blair. Punjabi food cost us around INR 400/- along with ice cream. We roamed in port Blair by hired car. We found Port Blair city very clean and all the people here follow rules. In the evening we decided to take a road trip by bike so we asked our friend Hashmi for bike. He offered his own and that too without any cost. Our destination on bike was Chidiya Tapu.
Chidiya Tapu Island
it is around 25 – 28 km from Port Blair city. The road cuts through a dense forest and sometimes along a classic seaside. This place is famous for a variety of birds but you cannot expect to see them from the beach. You need to explore forest area. Forest is quite dense so it’s better to go inside with a local guide or a local person. Beach is very beautiful and calm and it tempts you for swimming. Do not miss classic view of sunset and keep your camera ready to capture it.After memorable sun set we came back to our resort for lovely candle light dinner which was a must for our honeymoon.
Lunch at Annapurna restaurant: INR 400 /- for both (Panjabi Food + Ice cream)
Auto (Megapode Resort to PB Market): INR 25/-
Auto (PB Market to Megapode Resort): INR 35/-
Day 3 (17th Feb 2012): Jolly Bouy Island
Early morning, we left the resort without breakfast as we wanted to see an aerial view of the Veer Savarkar Airport. Our driver Basir took us on a hilltop. From there, we were able to see the complete airport. We spent half an hour and saw the landing of an air India flight and the takeoff of kingfisher airline.
Port Blair Airport view from Nearby Hill
our today’s destination was Jolly Bouy Island. You will have to take a boat ride from Wandoor to reach the island. Wandoor jetty is 30 km away from Port Blair city. We got tickets for 9 AM boat. Boat’s name was Silver wind. By the same boat, you have to come back to Wandoor. That boat waits for us nearby the island for around 3 hrs. Jolly Bouy Island is in the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park and has a nice beach to offer a spectacular breath taking underwater view of corals and marine life. This is the best beach I ever visited in India for corals and marine life.
Jolly Bouy Island - Crystal Clear Water
Jolly Bouy Island- A must visit place in PB
They offer you free snorkeling OR bottom glass boat ride. If you like it then you can pay extra INR for a longer ride. We did free snorkeling which was just a trailer of marine life. We liked it so much, that we paid extra INR per person and took a 20-25 min extra ride. This experience was simply amazing. I could see the underwater coral, fishes moving around my legs, different types of fishes like crown, large parrot, zebra, star fish, sea angelfish etc. and also 2 octopuses. My wife and I were so happy that we did snorkeling twice. Those who are scared of snorkeling they enjoy glass boat ride. By the way, for snorkeling, swimming is not a pre-requisite. But if you can swim, snorkeling guide takes you for long ride. We enjoyed our long and deep snorkeling rides.
Food stalls are not available on this island as it comes under marine national park. It is plastic free zone. Do not miss this island.
Boat Ride: INR 550/- per head (it includes 1 snorkeling or glass boat ride)
Snorkeling: INR 200/- to INR 500/- (we did INR 500/- per head and as we did twice we got discount of INR 250/-per head on last ride)
Water bottle: INR 5/- Rent and INR 100/- deposit (they provide non plastic water bags)
After spending quality time here, we were tired, tanned and dehydrated. We went back to Port Blair for lunch, and then rested till it was dark outside. In the evening we visited at anthropology museum. Best way to know the past and current state of tribal communities. We did some local market shopping in port Blair. There is “Sagarika” shop where you can buy shell items, Jute based items and Handicraft. This is a government owned shop. There are other local shops also nearby Sagarika. I found these other shops reasonable as compare to Sagarika. After a lot of shopping (thanks to my wife), we came back to hotel for Dinner. Now our luggage count became 5 from 4 due to shopping. We had to sleep early as next morning we had ship for Havelock Island.
Day 4 (18th Feb 2012): Havelock Island + Radhanagar Beach
We checked out early morning from the resort and kept the extra luggage in the resort’s luggage room. The Hotel was very near to Phoenix Bay Jetty (port). Our ship named Bambooka was waiting for us. It was our first voyage on a ship. Once the ship got sailing in the sea, we went on the deck. Guess what, it seems the world has no boundaries. View of open sea was refreshing. After an hour, my wife requested a crew member to show us the Captain’s cabin. We got to know that the ship’s captain is from Pune/Nasik. He was so happy to meet us, that we spend entire journey in the captain’s cabin. We told us how to sail the ship. We had snacks with the entire crew members. Captain gave us his contact no and invited us to meet him when he will be back on leave in Pune. After a royal 2 hour journey, we reached Havelock.
Ship ticket: INR 250/- per person (Port Blair to Havelock island only. 38km from port Blair Jetty)
SeaShell Resort Havelock: INR 4500/- per room per night (Andaman Chalet, Half board plan)
Sea Shell Resort - Lovely resort at Havelock Island. Havelock Island is very small in size with a very little population. Havelock Island provides idyllic resort in the lap of virgin beach and an unpolluted environment. Our driver was waiting for us on jetty. We moved into the sea shell resort which is approx. 2-3 km away from the jetty. Sea shell resort’s property is completely surrounded by tall coconut trees and green garden. Night bar is in the middle of the premise. Our private cottage was close to the beach. Beach is not at all good for swimming but you can relax on the wooden benches. We took rest in resort till 2.30 PM and then we headed towards a very romantic and famous Radhanagar Beach.
We at Radhanagar Beach - Perfect place for Honeymoon
Radhanagar Beach is one of the largest beaches in India; it is lonely, very clean, silver sand and breathtakingly beautiful. It has been ranked Asia’s 2nd most beautiful beach. Local people say soon it will be on rank 1. It was very difficult to stop ourselves from entering in the blue water. We did photography sessions. A sweet European lady came to us and took our photos (we didn’t request her to click, but she felt like taking our snaps. Thanks if you are reading this blog!). After spending a long time, we witnessed very romantic sunset from the beach. A perfect place for Honeymoon!!!
As we were very tried, we preferred to stay in the resort.
Coconut water: INR 35/- (Due to famous spot everything is costly outside Radhanagar beach)
Mineral water: INR 20 to 25/- per lit.
All most all items on Havelock are bit costly. Reason is simple as it is a small island away from Port Blair.
Day 5 (19th Feb 2012): our first Scuba Diving + Fishing game
We were waiting for this day since a long time. At 7.30 in the morning we left our resort and reached at Go Dive India center. It is paddy certified diving school. We took 1 day basic diving course. After wearing the wet suit, we left the diving area by boat for our training section. We both were too excited about our 1st dive. Instructor explained us how to dive and the do’s and don’ts. We had training for worst condition under water. As we were getting trained in the 6 – 8 ft. water, we were eager to go for our Dive. A Photographer which we hired to dive was covering us to take some good pictures. After 25 -30 min training we decided to enter in the fabulous underwater world.
Me, Renu and Diver during our Scuba Dive
Fish-fish and lots of fishes and Corals too!!!
Shark during our dive!!!
When I entered in the deep blue sea, my heartbeat increased their pace. It took us a few minutes to relax in the water. Me, Renuka and our Instructor were trying to focus on tasks which he explained us. After few minutes we were mentally ready to go deep. Scuba gives us the chance to unveil the mysteries and the wonders of the environment which covers the majority of our planet. We really tried hard not to panic as we and our instructor went deeper and deeper underwater. It was really a great experience, seeing the beauty of sea wildlife because of the presence of many varieties of reef fish, corals. It was totally a different world. It is so quiet out there. We were inside the water for about an hour. When we came back I got to the real meaning of the shayari from Movie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
पिघले नीलम सा बहता ये समां,नीली नीली सी खामोशियाँ ,
न कहीं है ज़मीन न कहीं आसमान,सरसराती हुई टहनियां पट्टियां,
कह रहीं है बस एक तुम हो यहाँ, बस मैं हूँ ,
मेरी सांसें हैं और मेरी धडकनें,ऐसी गहराइयाँ, ऐसी तन्हैयाँ,
और मैं … सिर्फ मैं.
अपने होने पर मुझको यकीन आ गया !
Before and after our First Dive
Our day, till this point was mind-blowing and we decide to enjoy on full throttle. We booked a private boat for fishing game. Thanks to my friend Hashmi again, who arranged this from port Blair on a single call. Me, Renuka and 3 local Fisherman went in for fishing. We learned their local method. 3 hours on the boat, very quiet and away from land…..lovely experience. We were able to catch 7 medium - large size fish. I was the winner as I got 3 fish among 7. Sunset from our private boat was just perfect. After sun set it was dark. The return journey was again full of thrill and adventure.
Fishing Game with our catch
In dinner, I ate 2 fish (kokkari fish and kushari fish: Local names) which was served by sea shell resort chef. We celebrated our first dive with some drinks and fish. Today we tried few things first time in our life like scuba diving, Fishing game and drinks. It was a perfect day of our Honeymoon.
Catch of the Day!!!
Scuba diving: INR 4500/- per person per dive (45-60min dive) with photographer. (INR 1000/- extra for extra Dive)
Fishing game: INR 3500/- for both in private boat + Fish.
Lunch at B3 restaurant: INR 450/- for both.
Coconut water on jetty: INR 15/- per snap.
Day 6 (20th Feb 2012): Kala Pathar Beach + Port Blair
We decided that we will just roam around and explore the whole island. We rented a bike to roam on the island. We read about Kaala Pathar beach from internet so we decide to visit that place. It was a long drive and road quality is not good at all. The road was very lonely and we hardly saw any bike or person on the way. We could see the sea along the road. Finally we reached the beach. It is a small beach but very beautiful and an untouched one. There were 3 couples on this beach. It is very clean and has crystal clear water. Good place for couple’s photo session. Tripod is needed as you won’t get any one to take your snaps or you have to wait for someone to pass by. Luckily we had our tripod along with us. I don't know why people coming to Havelock miss this place.
Kaala Pathar beach
We returned to the resort to check out and had our lunch again on B3 restaurant. At 3 PM we boarded our ship Bambooka. After few minutes, a Vice Capt. came into the passenger compartment and took us to the cabin. Capt. Deshpande was aware that we were in the ship. (We told them about our return journey 2 days back). Other passenger were surprised that why were we taken out from compartment. But we were aware about real the reason. Ha ha ha… Again we got a royal treatment in the ship. After photo session with ship’s crew, we return to the Megapode Resort. Thanks Capt. Deshpande and his team for such a royal treatment. We are still in touch with each other and soon we are going to visit them in Pune.
This was our last evening in Port Blair so we went for shopping again for hour. Tonight Dinner was planned by my friend Hashmi in five-star fortune bay restaurant. That was a treat from my friend. We received a beautiful wedding gift from him. He made our honeymoon trip special by doing such a great arrangement in Andaman. We cannot forget this trip. When we returned to our hotel, we were sad. Next morning we were supposed to leave such a beautiful place. That night we decided to celebrate our first wedding anniversary in Andaman again. We will really miss this place.
Bike Rent: INR 250/- + INR 100/- Petrol.
Lunch at B3 restaurant: INR 320/-
Ship ticket: INR 250/- per person(Havelock to Port Blair)
Day 7 (21st Feb 2012): Port Blair to Chennai
We check out from hotel at 7.30 AM to catch our Indian airline flight at 8.50 AM. Basir dropped us on airport in the morning. We were not happy to check-in to the flight, but it was not possible to extend our stay in Andaman. We got a window seat and we said Goodbye to Andaman.
Bye Bye Andaman - Will miss U!!!
After 2 hours Flight, we landed at Chennai airport. We had our bookings done in the New Woodland hotel. Our next flight was on 22nd Feb so we got 1 day in Chennai for rest. We did some shopping in the evening.
Fast track taxi: INR 300/- (Airport to New Woodland Hotel)
Lunch in hotel: INR 350/- for Chinese food.
Dinner at Murugan idli: INR 160/- for both
Auto from T Nagar to New Woodland hotel: INR 100/-
New Woodland hotel: INR 1945/- for Std. A/C Room per night.
Day 8 (22nd Feb 2012): Pune
By early morning Spice Jet flight we reached at our sweet home.
Some pointers for Andaman trip:
Carry Sun cream, mosquito repellent for Havelock (only required if you are travelling through the forest or near Radhanagar beach after sun set)
Basic medical kit ( there are shops in Port Blair but you have to go to the main market)
Sunglass and Cap.
Camera and Tripod (you need tripod in Havelock)
There is lot of ATM in Port Blair and 2 ATMs (Axis and SBI) in Havelock so no need to carry cash.
Must visit Places which we miss due to lack of Time:
Baratang: Visit to the famous Lime stone caves and you can see Jarwa tribal people. Day trip begins early in the morning and ends after sun set.
Ross & Smith twin Islands: Though these are commonly referred to as twin islands, they are actually a single island separated by a sandy stretch which makes it appear like two separate islands.
Chatham saw mill: This Saw Mill is one of the biggest and oldest in Asia
Elephanta beach in Havelock: Water sports, Snorkeling and scuba Diving site.
In our next year visit, we are going to cover these places. Actually there are many more places which are hidden from us in Andaman. Let’s see how much we can cover in our next trip. I hope you liked my travel blog and you are planning to visit this place.
I will try to upload more and more travel blogs. Thanks for reading this Travel Blog.
About Author:
I am a self employed entrepreneur with a spring manufacturing factory and I am passionate about water sports
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Kumara Parvatha trek from Somverpet
Kumara Parvatha is a spiritual abode. It is said that all stones at the top of the mountain are six faced. Though, I leave to you to check that out, to my knowledge this surely is the safest haven for young trekkers in Karnataka, a place which attracts people of all ages and diverse background. There are many different ways to conquer this mountain. You may choose relatively easy or a painstakingly difficult trekking option. Whatever be the choice, fun is guaranteed.
You have option to make it a one day or a double day trek. The trail directions that are marked by the forest department diminish the chance to get lost. You do not need a GPS or a Guide even if it is your first time. I was planning to take the Bidalli to Kukke Subramanya trek route. The trek starts from the Bidalli bus stop. A steep ascent in the tar road through a picturesque village lands you straight to the Bidalli forest camp. I got an auspicious start by visiting the Mallikarjun temple, with a history of a thousand year old idol and an 800 year old White Champa tree.
Further way up a muddy road took me to the scenic Bidalli forest camp situated at the foothill of a huge mountain range and on the banks of the sparkling mountain stream. Here I was asked to fill a form with my name, contact no and address details along with a fee of INR 200. After enquiring a bit about the wild life in the region I moved on to enter into the shades of the dense forest. A low flowing stream with a hanging bridge greeted me there, an ideal place to replenish your water reserve.
I started walking slowly amidst beautiful dense forest. The path we took was gradually rising through the cool shades of the forest. Here on, I could sense the weight of my backpack. At a close proximity I could hear a rustle in the dry leaves occasionally pointing me to snakes slithering away. There was quite a good variety of trees as I walked along. Some of them even had a symbol on it marked by the forest department with their scientific names. I was frequently greeted by other trekkers coming down the path and others who were overtaking me due to my slow paced walk. I was really surprised by the diversity of the people who were attracted to this peak. I took occasional stops to drink water. As you ascend you get dehydrated very fast, so carry good amount of living liquid with you.
As the path was a continuous raising one I started feeling the weight of myself and my backpack on my hamstrings. At times I was bit afraid that I might have a muscle pull. I then came to a bypass point which had a short cut on the right hand side that leads to the other side of the mountain, an alternate route for trekkers who want to finish their trek in a single day option. I continued my way to the peak via this road now. The path then came to a halt as we confronted by a towering vertical stretch of rock. It was a tricky one to ascend. During the ascent I realized that my heart was pounding so loudly that I could hear the heart beat now. After all the hard work, when I reached the peak, I was in for a breathtaking view of the ever stretching mountains and beautiful puffy white clouds. I could not but kept staring at the landscape for a while as if I am looking at a beautifully clad lady spreading her charm on earth.
As I surged ahead, the Second vertical slope was much bigger one making the previous rock look like a dwarf. I did a slow crisscross ascend since I did not want to go up straight and strain my already aching upper thighs. At this point I could see the adjacent second peak of the mountain and could hear sound of some trekkers shouting from the cliff very clearly. I could not stop turning back frequently to see a wonderful yet elusive landscape.
As journey went on, we are now in front of a small vertical rock slope which upon crossing led me to the three way junction point with two towering man-made rock plies with numerous marking made by the forest department indicating the three diversions, the top one which leads to the peak, the one on the right leads to Girigadde forest camp/nearby water source and the third one is the way I came from leading further to the Pushpagiri forest camp. I first went to the water source with my team and filled our water bottles then came back to the junction point and started our way up towards the peak, another gruesome ascent.
I finally reached the peak which had a larger flat area idle for campers to lay their tent. There was also a temple for lord Siva made by piled rocks. Numerous paths lead through the bushes surrounding the area taking me to the edge of the cliff from which I could see the entire mountain range in a panoramic view. I sat there for a few hours watching this breathtaking view, made even more beautiful by the large passing clouds throwing its shadows on the mountain range giving me a moving canvass to stare at.
The sunset and sunrise of Kumara Parvatha are a well known attraction which lay as a gift by nature to all trekkers who make it to the peak. I then helped my team in starting a small fire to prepare hot masala tea, which I had along with them gazing at the amazing sun set with its orange hues creating a wonderful silhouette of the adjacent mountain peak.
We then took out the traps and pitched a amazing tent. Then after collecting some firewood the preparation for dinner started. After dinner we converted the dinner fire to a bigger camp fire, sitting around talking around till we started feeling drowsy. The night passed with a peaceful sleep due to my extreme tiredness. The next day journeys started after a quick breakfast, packing and cleaning. Our team took proper care in clearing up the fireplace and collecting all out plastic waste to dispose it later in a safe place. The second day path from the peak to Kukke Subramanaya was completely a downhill journey. It starts with a steep climb down to a small stream, which was the water source. This is very close to the peak so if you need water as said this is the place to find it. After a short walk through the dense forest I came out to a completely different terrain of grasslands. This is really astonishing how one complete slope of this mountain is made up of thick dense forest and the other is complete grassland.
In no time we reached the second adjacent peak here my team spent time in enjoying the gorgeous view of the entire mountain range that lay ahead. The golden morning sun was casting beautiful shadows on the peaks. I saw a lot of other trekkers starting their morning journey and was moving along the trail path. I could see the entire trail path ahead of me making me not believe that it was the path I am going to cover by today for it stretched till my eyes could see. I was happy that now my upper thigh would not be taking the toll due to the downhill journey, but I knew now it was time for my knees to take up the load. As I walked all my four sides were razed with beautiful landscapes making me frequently stop and give a gaze around and feel a fraction of inner peace. Soon I could see the 'Kallu Mandapa' another spiritual ancient structure hinting a long forgotten story . Near it was a small pool flowing down as a stream complete with a shady outgrowth. I rested with my fellow trekkers here for a while enjoying the shade for the trees. Further walk took me to a set of concrete chairs erected by the forest department for trekkers to sit and enjoy the beauty around them.
Sitting here I could see the peak from where I had come down, it was unbelievable that I had walked all the way from there. The next stop was at the Girigadde forest camp.
Were I filled my water bottles and interacted with the forest guards on the count of trekkers they had for the day. The famous 'Batter Manna' was close to the forest camp. The location of it was very scenic. This place is as famous as the mountain itself to the trekkers for it is the only place in this range where you can get food and shelter. Hard core trekkers avoid this place for it is too much a luxury for them, but for others it is like a boon. Here simple food tastes better than any other you would have had.
My walk continued to take me through the hot sun till the trail headed back to the dense forest. I found myself again in the shady cool atmosphere of the forest. After a long walk I started hearing the sound of hens hinting I was close to civilization now. I started seeing buildings and there it was the gate of the trek.
Coming out of it I saw a tar road and the inset of a village. I rested there for a while and a short walk took me to the Kukke Subramanaya village.
Journey Information: To journey: Bus can be booked from Bangalore to Somverpet through KSRTC. Bus reaches Somverpet at around 5 am. You get bus to Bidalli from there at 7.20 am. After getting down at Bidalli bus stop proceed by walk on to Pushpagiri / Bidalli forest camp. From Journey: Bus can be booked at from Subramanya town to Bangalore through KSRTC. Bus are avaliable at 9 and 9.30 pm. The bus stop is very close to the town and once you reach the town you can go to the bus stop which is in walking distance. After the trek a good bath, an awesome meal and visit to the temple will while your time. The small alley with the 'ANUGRAHA LODGE' is the way in and out of the trek route from the temple street of Kukke Subramanaya'. This in in walk-able distance from the Subramanya bus stop.
Trek: 2 day trek, water source is available at the start of the trek at Pushpagiri / Bidalli forest camp, then at the junction near top of the peak and near the 'Kallu Mandapa'.
Fitness: As your upper thigh, knees and shoulder takes a lot of burden my suggestion is at least a week of cardio training before the trek.
About Author: Profession: IT Architect
Passionate: Am passionate about trekking, fitness and photography.
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A sojourne in the mighty Moore plains
Crossing Moore plains on foot was attempted in early expeditions, however, now-a-days; nobody does that because the highway passes through the plains. I also trekked that plain by chance. My original plan was to trek the Darcha-lamayaru trek but could not do that because the shingo la was closed since I went for the trek quite early in the season. Actually, I had no option other than going for the trek in late May. I had some prior commitments in June.
When I reached dacha, I had two options, either I go back to Chandigarh or go for the Moore plains. Actually everyone who has travelled on the Manali Leh highway knows the highway but very few people knew about it in the good old days. The localites of Ladakh used to cross that plain on foot. City folks will never find any tour operator offering a trek in that part of Ladakh. I came to know about that 2-3 years back from a "gaddi " (shepherd). I met him during my Pin Parvati trek, he was an old guy. He told me about his journey.
At that juncture, in darcha, I decided to go ahead for the Moore plains. At that time of the month reconstruction work was going on the highway and was not officially open. So there were very few vehicles on the road. I reached Moore plains by covering half of my journey on foot and half of journey by hitchhiking from the border road organization trucks. Well that was a boring part of the journey so I am not going to waste my energy on writing about it.
The Moore plains start from Pang. One has to ascend a steep mountain from Pang to reach the plains. It is a straight 60-70 degree gradient climb. I did not take any pictures during that ascent. It was really a tough climb because during the whole climb I was regularly slipping as the soil on the mountain was loose due to lack of vegetation. I wish I had a GoPro camera at that time because the view from that place was spectacular, I was able to see a river bed, the Moore plains and the snow covered peaks of Ladakh in one frame.
The Moore plains are one of the most beautiful places that I have seen in my life, it is a 40km stretch of land with no human element, no vegetation and no water except it is flanked by snow covered mountains on both sides. The plains is dead flat and would be a perfect place for some off-road driving with a SUV. Now here comes the real adventure of my journey. I started my journey early in the morning and I was at the starting point of the plains at 8 A.M.
The most difficult part while walking in the plains was the combined factor of the sun and wind. I faced the type of wind that one would face while riding a bike on a January night in Chandigarh at 40-50 km/hr and the sun one would face in bright cloudless May afternoon. The stretch of land was 40 Kilometers and completely devoid of water. I carried around 3 liters of water with me but that also did not prove to be sufficient. I trekked my last 10 Kilometers without a single drop of essential living liquid. I trekked incessantly for 12 hours as I could not erect my tent in the plains.
Eventually I reached a place that was quite appropriate for the camping, but I was completely drained by that time. I had sunburns and most importantly I was at height around 4500 meters, I was near the taglangla pass. I was not able to sleep that night because of the high altitude breathlessness and mind bursting painful headache. Next day I crossed the pass and reached Rumste. I was lucky that I got some BRO(Border Roads organization) trucks at the pass. I stayed in Rumste for a day then went back to Chandigarh via Leh -Srinagar route.
About Author:
Profession: Student of Engineering,
I am passionate about adventure sports, specially trekking, rafting, and traveling. I can give anything for trekking to an untouched and unexplored pristine terrain of Himalayas.
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An impromptu expedition
On a beautiful Saturday morning, during breakfast, a group of 5 close friends spontaneously came up with a plan of going to some adventurous place and making their weekend memorable. With some exciting and sensible inputs, we decided upon going to Coorg, the Scotland of India as they call it. In no time, we packed our bags and boarded the next bus to Coorg.
The journey was spectacular. Five hours flew in a blink. We reached the destination and checked in to a beautiful home stay recommended by some localites. After a quick freshening up, we decided upon hiring a jeep and going for a local city tour. Starting with Jog Falls, we went to some very scenic places like Raja's Garden, Raja's fort and also the famous Omkareshwara Temple. Having a hectic next day planned, we returned early to our home stay and after playing a few fun games, we decided to get some sleep.
The sun rose early for us and we were all ready by 7 A.M. We headed off to Dubare where we planned for River Rafting and visiting an elephant Camp. Upon reaching the place, we were disappointed to see the location as it was beneath our expectations, never the less, we went ahead to see the elephant camp. It was intriguing to see so many elephants of different size variant gathered in one area! After spending some time with the baby elephants, we decided to visit a panoramic deer forest named Nisragadhama,
On the way to the forest, we happened to notice a board which read ‘White Water River Rafting'. Instantly filled with enthusiasm, everybody got down the bus and went to check out the potentially adventurous sport. A 6km long stretch of rafting with considerably high rapids caught our attention and we were ready to rock the ride. After the didactic instructions on how to raft, we started off to an energy filled journey. Shouting and screaming all along, we also experienced uncalled toppling and surfing. It was as though we had lived a Tsunami.
Exhausted from the rafting, we wanted to get to the nearest bus stop but even after a long wait we were greeted by no autos or buses. With no option left, to add on to the adventure, we took a lift from a Chicken Truck driver. All of us hopped in to the back of the truck and it actually felt like we were shooting a scene from a movie. Not far away, we noticed a huge track made in the middle of the shrubs. We immediately got down exploring what it was and to our surprise it turned out to be Quad Biking. In no life we would have missed this adventure and despite being low on cash, everybody decided to give it a shot. On a 2.5km long road of ups and downs and obstacles and blockages and what not, biking at a super fast speed was the closest I got to death. It was more fun than fear and it was totally worth it.
Short on time, we rushed back to our home stay as we had to get back to our hostels by the same night. With an extreme time crunch, we were fortunate enough to catch the last bus back home. The non-stop adrenaline rush finally got some dormant time as everybody laid in the comfortable seats only to open their eyes directly at the home stop.
About Author:
Profession: Student of Engineering,
I am passionate about adventure and sports! I love any kind of adventure especially the ones which involve a cornucopia of risk. Impromptu trips are my favorite, because when something is unplanned, you have no expectations and when you have no expectations, there is no possibility of failing them. I love playing sports like Cricket, Tennis, Badminton and Squash! I'm also very passionate about social service. I love going to orphanages and old age homes and spending time with them! On the cultural side, painting and dancing interest me a lot!
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Hampta Pass – Just right for first time trekkers
Hampta Pass is a beginners delight in every possible way, be it easy accessibility, mystical pine forest, mesmerizing meadows, adrenaline pumping river crossings and a high altitude mountain pass. It is named after the Hampta village situated in there; shepherds and villagers used the pass to enter in Lahaul Spiti valley of Himachal. This has been traditionally the alternate route between Lahaul and Kullu Valley before the road was built over Rohtang Pass.
Day1: The trail for the trek began once we crossed the hydel power project buildings. We started walking through the magical pine forest. After some time, with a mild gradient we ascended a wooden bridge to cross a beautiful sparkling fresh water stream. It was a beautiful location for photography. We had a Photography / Lunch break on the banks of the stream. We could not wait to grab the opportunity to capture the beauty of the location in our camera. We walked further along the banks of the river for about couple hours to reach Chikka (Camp site). The location of the camp site was right at the middle of a riverbed of two streams flowing along side. We could hear the burble of stream the whole night. I would like to introduce our team here. We are independent small group of people from different parts of the country; began as strangers and befriended by end of the trek. Day2: The weather was pleasantly cold since it was summer (June end). Moreover, we got acclimatized during the base camp too. After a nice nap in the lap of Mother Nature, we began to ascend to our next destination Balu Ka Gera (Balu ka Gera means heap of sand) which is about 4-5 hours gradual ascent from Chikka. We played dump charades and had good fun; almost everyone was known to each other on this day. Day3: I must confess that this is the D(difficult)-day since our ascent to Hampta Pass (4100m) in extreme climatic conditions. The day started with rain and cold breeze and then started snowing. The entire day’s ascent continued under the snow. It was a daunting task for us to make our way through. Some of the members got terribly exhausted. We are thankful to our trek lead and the porters for their support to help us cross the snow laden pass. The ascent was getting harder and more difficult since it was getting steeper and slippery due to snow fall. After descending for an hour, the humongous snow laden valley appeared in front us. We were all awestruck by the sight and realized that our snow sliding dream will come true here. The day was full of twists and turns☺ and finally came to an end. We reached our camp site named Shiagoru which is in spiti valley.
Day 4: The fourth day was a great Himalayan blessing. Almighty was kind. There was no drizzle and the sky was bright and clear. We moved towards Chatru. We had to cross the Chandra River. This river starts from the high altitude lake called "Chandrataal".
Day 5 [End of Trek]: This was the last day of our journey towards the crescent lake chandrataal also called Moon Lake. This is one of the motorable lakes in the Himachal region.
About Author: Author is an engineer by profession and a hardcore traveler. Being an outdoor person, his hobbies are trekking, Photography, Playing games and reading books. Apart from this, he does spent some time for social causes like Tree plantation, Cleanup activities etc.
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