I made the journey from Kurseong to Mirik by shared sumo locally called as Syndicate in this region. In Mirik, I stayed at Haamro Ghar Homestay and I highly recommend them if you are planning to visit Mirik. Sumendu Lake is the highlight of this tiny town that is spread around the lake that also boasts of a monastery.

A Journey in Photographs of Two Days in Mirik

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We landed in Istanbul and travelled across Turkey to places like Trabzon, Van, Gaziantep, Izmir, Selçuk, Antalya and traversed across numerous towns and villages in the Turkish countryside. If you are planning a trip to Turkey, here are the links for the posts.

Istanbul : Tips for Backpacking

Trabzon : Travels on the Black Sea Coast

Van : A City of All Day Breakfasts

Gaziantep : UNESCO approved eating!

Photographs and Memories from Travels across Turkey

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We left early from our home and were at the Allain Duhangan Power Project barrier gate after taking the diversion from Prini at about 930 am. There was an entry charge even for local vehicles, and I filled an online form for the same and paid. We also gave a ride to a local who was headed to Sethan. She confirmed that it was a nice and easy day hike to Chikka from the last point till where the vehicles went. We had a heavy breakfast at home and also carried some apples to enjoy on the hike.

Here are a few phone photographs of a stunning day hike from Sethan to Chikka in August :

We would have wanted to spend more time on the hike but the drizzle meant that we started hiking back and got back to the place where the car was parked at about 3 pm. So the time taken to reach Chikka was about 2 hours and we hardly took an hour to return.

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It had been almost three months in Kasar Devi near Almora and since the coldest months of the winter were behind us and spring was fast approaching, we thought why not head to Munsiyari just before the Holi festival holidays! We were in the third week of March and the post-pandemic era of travel meant that the bus service to Munsiyari was not operational and that necessitated finding out details about the shared transport options from Almora to Munsiyari.

I started by asking at the local shared taxi area in Almora and they were clueless about a direct option from Almora to Munsiyari. Someone suggested that we first take a shared taxi from Almora to Bageshwar and then try our luck for another shared taxi from Bageshwar to Thal and then figure another shared taxi from Thal to Munsiyari. Another idea that locals figured was to take the morning bus to Pithoragarh and then find a shared taxi from Pithoragarh to Munsiyari. The trouble with both these options was the probability of spending a night in transit in either Bageshwar or Pithoragarh and while both these places are tourist destinations in their own right, we were in no mood with a break journey.

I reminisced about my grand summer of 2015 in Kumaon, and recollected sketchy details about direct shared sumos that plied between Haldwani to Munsiyari and left from Haldwani at about 6 am. They would cross Almora at about 9-10 am and reach Munsyari in the daylight around 5-6 pm. I was able to find out more details about the shared vehicles from Haldwani to Munsiyari through local contacts in Almora and they confirmed that it was indeed the best way to reach Munsiyari from Almora in one day. My local contact shared the phone number of the daily service and these days a tempo traveller plied on this route.

The charges were fixed at INR 1000 per seat from Haldwani to Munsiyari and after some negotiation, we were able to finalise 2 seats from Almora to Munsiyari at 700 per seat. Since we had booked in advance, we were able to secure excellent front seats. On the day of the journey, we came to the bypass road near Almora and even though the tempo traveller was about 30 minutes late from the estimated time, we were overjoyed to sit in a direct vehicle that would reach Munsiyari before night fell! It was a smooth ride despite multiple tyre punctures; with excellent food stops on the way. As we reached the highest point of Kalamuni top – the scintillating array of Panchachuli peaks with a surreal pink sky welcomed us among the candelabra of jagged white peaks.

We were keen on staying in a homestay in Munsiyari itself for 3-4 days and directly taking the same shared sumo / tempo traveller back to Kasar Devi, Almora. It had been a while since I had tasted the delicious and unique dishes of Johar Valley which is a whole lot different than the usual Kumaoni food available elsewhere. A basic search on the internet revealed that all the homestays in Munsiyari seemed to be located in Sarmoli village and while the initiative was excellent, as always I was looking for a raw and novel experience.

The perfect adage of ‘what you seek is seeking you’ worked when the owner of the tempo traveller had recently started a homestay and on the phone he welcomed us to stay and promised home cooked meals. I was a bit skeptical because there were no pictures shared but the fact that it was a newly built homestay meant that it would have the modern conveniences that we looked forward to since we were already living in a pretty basic setup in Kasar Devi. We reached Munsyari and were dropped close to the bazaar where the homestay was located in a quiet and peaceful lane. The owner Pankaj was soft-spoken and kind and we agreed on a price of INR 1000 including basic home-cooked meals.

The homestay was a new building some 2 minutes walk from the original home of the owners. The room was spic and span with an attached washroom. As night fell, we were asked to come to the original home for dinner. It felt quite cold and our joy knew no bounds when aunty ushered us into the warm confines of their old home. We were seated on the dining table adjoining the kitchen and she served us hot food with chapatis straight from the tawa. The food was yummy and we ate well, thanked her for the same and requested her if it was possible to savour different varieties of local food over our course of stay.

She was happily surprised to have guests who understood how a home-run kitchen works as the first stayers at their homestay. We told her to not get hassled about our food and that we had no untoward demands and would be happy to eat whatever was being cooked for the family if aunty was busy! Since Holi festival was around the corner, aunty told us that she might have to go and attend a few get-togethers and that we should be prepared to eat a meal or two at a local dhaba if she was not around.

Pankaj Bhai told us that someone will bring us tea in the morning at the homestay itself – we filled our water bottles, wished them good night and walked back to the homestay. It was fully dark at this point and the stars shined in their full glory with the Panchachuli mountains providing a great backdrop. We woke up early next morning and went to the roof for a legendary one hour Munsiyari sunrise! It was freezing cold but well worth it to see the sun come from behind the snowy mountain range and the rays scatter in all directions in the blue sky.

Over the course of our stay in Munsiyari; we walked around town and went to the usual places like Nanda Devi Temple, Darkot village, Tribal Heritage Museum, saw the colourful holi festivities of the locals, and explored the local market, but the highlight of the trip was the hike to Khaliya Top. The entire trail beginning from Balati Bend was filled with pink and red rhododendron flowers in full bloom. We had started very early in the morning and the views of Panchachuli peaks were extremely clear in the cloudless sky. It remains an unforgettable memory walking in the forest with the splash of colour everywhere the eyes could see.

As we climbed higher, the views kept getting better and after we crossed the KMVN Guest House – it felt even more surreal while climbing to Zero Point. It was almost a 360 degree view. We savoured some dry fruits with the magical sights around us and even as a rousing wind started blowing, we lie down in the meadow. There was some unmelted snow in some parts as we neared Zero Point. In hindsight, it felt like luck was on our side as clouds started gathering as soon as we started our descent at around 1-130 pm.

The rhododendron delight made me wonder if it would be a good idea to visit Munsiyari for the autumn colours!

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Shashur in the local language literally translates to – ‘in the blue pines’. I would come to know about the adage when I reached there; Shashur Monastery is indeed surrounded by a small forest of blue pine trees and is reachable by a 3 km uphill walk from Keylong – which is preferred by the locals. For folks travelling by car, there is also a 5 km long motorable road to reach Shashur Monastery.

It was afternoon and clouds had just started gathering in the sky, and since there was a road that led to Shashur Monastery – I was more or less confident (or rather, hopeful) of being able to hitch a ride. I began my day in Keylong and opted to head to Tandi Bridge and Beeling village in the morning after a quick breakfast at one of the eateries in the bazaar.

Also read : Othang Gompa – The Crown Jewel of Pattan Valley, Lahaul

Over the last 2-3 days, one thing had led to another and as I visited one monastery, I was being guided by the locals for exploring other monasteries in Lahaul. I climbed to visit the Yardong / Yordong Monastery in Beeling near the HRTC workshop close to the Tandi bridge but was mildly disappointed when the doors were closed and there was nobody to show me around the cave-sort of monastery. However, I felt a tad unlucky when I met a monk while climbing down who said that he had the key to open the doors.

Read : Othang Gompa – The Crown Jewel of Pattan Valley, Lahaul

Anyhow, I started walking back to Keylong and someone in Beeling village suggested that I take a quick look at the ‘Jabjes‘ in the fields. Jabjes are the holy footsteps of the lama embedded in rock and I was happily surprised to be shown a rock with a clear foot imprint. Since it was the month of July, we were roughly in the middle of the summer in Lahaul Valley and the fields were awash with potato blooms. I enjoyed clicking the surreal landscapes and thanked the gentleman for bringing me to the fields.

After a few minutes of excitement of clicking Lahaul Valley’s rich summer landscapes with Keylong in the background, I decided to resume my walk back to Keylong.

It was around 2 pm in the afternoon and I went to the room to rest for a while and perhaps eat something (can’t really remember). At about 3-30 in the afternoon, I was unsure of what I wanted to do and once I got back to the road I saw the signboard of Shashur Monastery directly in front of me! It seemed to be a cue; since Shashur Monastery was one of the prominent monasteries in Lahaul Valley and there was a motorable road (dirt road) that went all the way to the top. I had decided about visiting it on one of the days when I was in Keylong and not exploring the other monasteries.

I made sure of refilling my water bottle before beginning the hike and asked the passersby for the best directions to reach Shashur monastery. Some locals told me that even though the motorable road would lead me to Shashur Monastery, the distance would be about 5-6 kms while there was a shortcut that would take about 1.5 hours for the 3 km distance on foot.

I was keen on hearing more about the shortcut and they told me that the shortcut would be a sharp ascent and I would keep meeting the road after every few bends. The trail itself was well defined and I was told to find the next shortcut very close to where the previous shortcut had ended.

I started on the path and within a few minutes lost my way because I was unable to find the shortcut. Nevertheless I continued walking on the road till I came across the next shortcut and was able to follow the aforementioned trail. After covering some distance, the path duly came in the midst of blue pine trees.

The shortcuts were quite steep and sometimes had a water canal flowing past and it so happened that I slipped and ended up falling near one of the canals. Thankfully, only my jeans was soiled and the camera had been saved. I felt a little cold with the fall but thankfully Lahaul’s arid air meant that I would be dry in no time. I was hoping to get a ride in one of the cars headed to the monastery since I was always in vicinity of the road but funnily enough no car came and I continued walking along the uphill trail.

Read : Khangsar, Kwaring, Sarang, Kolong – Exploring Lahaul Valley

Like all other things in life, I began to enjoy the hike and the views as I climbed higher; the sun didn’t seem harsh anymore and the yellow roofed Shashur Monastery started peeping from among the blue pines. I crossed an ethereal looking patch of ‘sia’ (or wild roses) that clearly stood out with the tantalising pink blooms.

A sort of storm seemed to be brewing in the distance and the Chandra river (or was it Bhaga!) shined whenever a sliver of sunshine fell on it. The green fields lit up and it presented a sight as bucolic as it could be. I reached Shashur Monastery after walking through a large stretch among the juniper trees and had all but forgotten about my soiled jeans that was dirty but drying rapidly at that time.

There was some sort of construction work going on near the chorten outside the monastery and one of the labours from Bihar indicated to me the entrance to the main monastery and I was glad when a young lama offered to show me around the different structures.

There was a signboard placed right in front of the monastery noting that : Shashur Gompa was founded by Lama Deva Gyatsho of Zanskar in the 17th Century and belongs to the Drukpa Sect. He was a missionary of Nawang Namgyal, who was the king of Bhutan. There was a small gompa here at the same spot before the bigger monastery was established by Deva Gyatso. Deva Gyatso stayed at the monastery till his death.

Shashur Monastery is quite big with a number of rooms and has a number of valuable thangkas with one thangka over fifteen feet in length. There are also well-preserved wall paintings depicting all the 84 mahasiddhas of Buddhism. In the month of July, Cham (masked dances) are performed by the monks in the monastery and the festival is called Tsechu, which is the most popular Cham festival in Lahaul.

The lama was kind and interesting and we ended up chatting and he allowed me to go to the different parts of the monastery and also opened a number of doors that were locked. The weather had started worsening and I was glad when he offered tea. The extra time had enabled me to notice the intricate bells (dorje) and I was able to click a few pictures with the mountains in the background.

The carvings on the door of the monastery are intricate and a nice breeze started blowing as soon as we had finished the tea. I noticed that a number of threatening dark clouds had gathered in the horizon and was hoping that the rain would stay away, at least until I had made it back to Keylong.

One of the doors of Shashur Monastery was incredibly beautiful with a delightful colour pattern along-with Buddhist designs. The lama and I made conversations in the open air balcony that had a vantage view of both sides of the valley. If memory serves me right, the lama was from Bhutan and I was quite surprised to know that it is customary for all serving lamas at Shashur Monastery to be from Bhutan. I was ecstatic when the sun peeked out from among the clouds lending a glorious light to the proceedings. He told me to try and attend the masked dance festival Tsechu at Shashur Monastery someday.

Just when I had thought I would encounter no other visitors, a lady tourist came in a taxi / cab and since there was no harm in asking for a ride back, I did and to my astonishment the car sped with the local Lahauli driver even before I could blink. I had a good laugh about this with the young lama and he said that human beings on earth are not alike and on this note, I took his leave since I would take an hour to make the long trudge back to Keylong.

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Since it was the middle of June and we are well aware of the dicey status of the Udaipur to Killar road that frequently gets stalled due to landslides, we decided that it was best to perhaps head to Keylong and then decide our further course of action. We left from home in Dobhi village at about 615 am and caught a Punjab Road Transport bus and reached Manali bus stand at 640 am. To complicate our already muddled thought process, I spotted the Kullu to Killar (Via Keylong) bus at the bus stand in Manali and asked Jita if we should sit in that one and simply continue with our original plan of heading to Pangi Valley? Jita suggested we should have breakfast first since he was feeling a bit hungry.

Read : Wanderings in Lahaul : Gemur Gompa (Monastery)

Manali mall road was empty at that early hour and when we didn’t find an open dhaba / eatery serving breakfast, we went behind in the by-lanes near the monastery and sat at one of the promising looking dhabas. The whistling of the pressure cooker was signal to take our seats and we asked for an aloo-pyaaz parantha each and ginger masala chai post the paranthas. It was a small eatery and seemed like a pretty popular place with many orders for packed paranthas. The paranthas were delicious and the chai turned out to be excellent as well. We thanked the guy, paid and as we were leaving for the bus stand it started drizzling.

I took my rain jacket out of the backpack and we walked back to the bus stand. We were a bit confused if we should head to Keylong first or directly go to Jahalman but the status of a homestay in Jahalman was not clear and it was decided we are better off staying a night in Keylong and familiarise ourselves with travel like the old days.

My first memory of Jahalman (Jahalma) is seeing the signboard on the Reckong Peo – Jahalman bus and wondering where exactly was this fascinating sounding place! Later when I would see the bus regularly in Kullu – Lahaul region, I would come to know that Jahalma (also Jhalma) is an important town in Pattan Valley, Lahaul. It is the gateway to the famous Kugti Pass trek from Bharmour to Lahaul as the starting (or ending) point of the trekking trail that starts near Rashil village.

I had a photograph of the timetable of the buses from Kullu – Manali to Keylong and was quite confident that there was a Keylong bound bus every 30 minutes or so. It turned out that some of the buses mentioned in the timetable are non-existent! We waited at the bus stand amid the thick diesel fumes and I kept wearing my mask to avoid any breathing trouble. So, after the Kullu to Killar bus left Manali bus stand at 7 am, the next bus that came was the Haridwar to Keylong bus that turned out to be so jam packed with the migrant Nepali workers and there was not even standing space. The conductor clearly told everyone not to get into the bus and we had to return dejected at our current circumstance!

I kept hoping there was a local bus in the early morning hours but that was not to be and all we did was get wet in the rain and hopelessly wait for a Keylong bound bus! The Haridwar – Keylong bus left the bus stand at about 830 am and now we were determined to somehow get a seat / standing space in the next bus. The drizzle was getting stronger and we had mixed emotions about letting the Keylong-Killar bus go. We kept hovering around the entrance of the bus stand to keep a keen eye on the buses coming so that we could grab the seats!

In the meanwhile, there seemed to be a long queue of people heading to Keylong and a few enterprising taxi guys were asking folks for a shared ride at INR 400 per seat. I proposed one extra smart taxi guy the usual bus fare and he scoffed at my offer! There were a few guys looking for Leh bound travellers as well for a seat in the Sumo / Minibus Traveller.

After some time, sense prevailed and we stood on the other side of the bus stand where the fumes were much lesser and we were able to see the incoming buses without getting wet in the rain. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity a bus to Keylong duly arrived at the Manali bus stand and we ran and somehow pestered the conductor to let us in. He informed us at the outset that there were no seats in the bus and given our 2-3 hours of waiting, we were pretty content with getting standing space and somehow getting to Keylong.

We hauled our bags in front and ended up standing for the entire duration of our journey, only getting a seat in Tandi (hardly 8 kms before Keylong). We requested the bus guys to let us off on the highway (or Old Bus Stand in Keylong) to avoid us the long uphill walk from the New Bus Stand. The scenery on the road after Solang Valley was pristine with the recent rain and clouds occupied centrestage.

We were quite flexible with our thought process and just wanted to take it easy in Keylong. At the outset, since it was about 1230 pm – the first task was to find a cheap place to stay. The weather was sunny and the blue sky was interspersed with clouds. As I spoke to some of my acquaintances who ran guesthouses on the main road, we were told that cheap rooms are a thing of the past and that 1000 Rupees is the minimum we would have to pay for a double room.

Since it was the tourist season for Ladakh, most of the rooms were full and one of my known person in Keylong indicated to me to quickly finalise a room as once the tourists started coming in it would become difficult to even get a room! I went to check a homestay and that turned out to be so spic-and-span that we felt it was easier to just stay at a normal guesthouse. It was decided that we would most probably leave for Killar in the early morning bus from Keylong.

Also read : Wanderings in Lahaul : Trilokinath Temple

We finalised a room for 1000 Rs. and immediately stepped out since it was a long time since we had the early morning breakfast. It was rusty decision making when we ended up ordering chowmein that turned out to be quite passable at one erstwhile good Angmo Dhaba! Nevertheless, we were keen on having a stroll in Keylong and see how much the town had changed with the Atal Tunnel. We descended onto the Mall Road of Keylong from one of the staircases and were frankly surprised with the level of frantic construction activity going on in Keylong Bazaar. There were loads of vegetable shops selling a wide variety of vegetables and some even had fresh strawberries from Sissu/Gondhla. There were a few fancy looking cafés and a new branch of HDFC Bank in Keylong town!

We loitered around for a good part of almost 2 hours and after enjoying the food at The Climber’s Café walked back to our room; and it turned out just in the nick of time as it started raining as soon as we got back. The temperature dropped instantly and it became quite cold. After it kept drizzling for an hour or so, we checked the weather updates again and deduced that it was better to call a local from Killar and get hands-on information. I called a guest house owner in Killar and he said that it had rained all day and that we should defer our plan by at least 2 days. We were quite stunned by the information and suggestion and decided to let go of the Pangi Valley plan for the time being and just head to Jahalman.

We stepped out for dinner at about 7 pm and saw that the rooms in Keylong were all sold out and one of the restaurants even refused to serve us dinner and said that the rush means that they are only serving food to in-house guests. Ultimately we ended up eating food at the restaurant of the guest house we were staying in and decided to call it an early night. It was very cold and we woke up to a sunny morning and immaculate blue skies with fresh snow on the mountaintops.

The views were epic prompting us to click a few pictures with our dslr cameras and after a quick breakfast we rushed to the bus stand. I called the HRTC officer in Keylong and he asked us to come to the bus stand itself. Upon reaching the bus stand, we were overjoyed to see the Shimla to Killar – Sural bus and quickly put our bags inside.

The HRTC officer informed us that there have been multiple landslides on the road to Pangi Valley between Udaipur and Killar near Thirot and that the previous day’s HRTC bus between Kullu to Killar was stuck at a very peculiar spot for the last 14-16 hours. The bus was stuck on a stretch and was able to neither move forward nor back since both the sides were closed due to a landslide. Thankfully, no damage was done and the passengers were safe. However, the HRTC officer said that the Shimla – Sural bus was supposed to leave from Keylong much earlier but had been waiting for the Kullu to Killar bus to reach so that all the passengers could be transferred to one bus till Udaipur and then depending on the status of the road, the final decision will be taken.

In the meanwhile, I also got fascinated with a JKSRTC bus stationed at the bus stand and saw a few backpackers triumphantly holding the tickets in their hands. I briefly toyed with the idea of heading to Ladakh but the supposed tourist rush quickly nipped the thought in the bud. We kept our bags in the Shimla to Sural bus bound for Udaipur and I chanced upon talking to local ladies of Pangi Valley (Pangwals) who belonged to different villages scattered around Pangi Valley.

Anyhow, the bus was jam packed and we had to step out when the seats that we had occupied turned out to be booked online and those gentlemen had made their way inside! Thankfully, another bus to Udaipur was supposed to depart in another 30 minutes. There were plenty of empty seats in the bus and after more time wasting at the HRTC workshop in Tandi we eventually made it to Jahalman village at around noon.

The scenery of Pattan Valley was as beautiful as ever with stunning green fields dominating the landscape while the Chenab (Chandrabhaga) river kept flowing serenely. As soon as we stepped out of the bus at the Jahalman bus stop, we spotted a signboard for a homestay. In keeping with the general style of the current travel, I was adamant that there might be a homestay at a better location and we kept walking ahead of the village until we reached no man’s land! Someone informed us that there are only two homestays and a Forest Rest House in the village and both of them are close to where the bus dropped us! So, we walked back and eventually reached the homestay after a short walk from the main road.

The weather felt perfect with a nice breeze blowing and the sun was largely hidden by the clouds. The lady at the homestay quoted us INR 600 for a room; it was a basic room with a common bathroom and I thanked her and asked her to quote us a price including the meals. Since she asked for a reasonable INR 1000 for both of us including meals and breakfast the next day, there was no need to bargain and we put our bags inside.

The morning parantha at Nalwa Restaurant had long been digested and I requested her if she could make a quick lunch for us since we were quite hungry. She casually remarked that we can finish the lunch and then head to Othang Gompa that was hardly an hour’s walk from the homestay and rushed to make rajma chawal for lunch for the entire family.

In the true essence of being in a homestay, I made sure of telling her to just cook something that she would anyway make for lunch for the family. Me and Jita were quite overjoyed at finding a reasonably priced homestay and the mention of a hike to Othang Gompa got us interested. We went out for a stroll and I came across the stunning location of the Forest Rest House that seemed to be in urgent need of repair. Once on the road, there was a small crowd gathered at the Beer & Wine Shop and upon asking, someone pointed to us the Yellow roofed structure of the Othang Gompa located on a hillock at a much higher elevation from Jahalman. We ended up walking back to our homestay since lunch would be ready.

Lunch was served at about 1 pm and after a hearty meal, the lady led us to the start of the trail through the fields and told us that the path is pretty straightforward and that we have to reach a yellow roofed building that will be visible after a bit of climbing. She also asked us to remember to take the same path back to get back to the homestay in the evening.

We were feeling quite lazy after a super heavy lunch but the incredible scenery on offer was a happy surprise. When the Pangi Valley plan did not materialise, we had started thinking maybe this will turn out to be a failed trip but it seemed like our luck had turned a corner and the troubles would lead to something good.

We were walking through a water canal fed by the snowmelt and being directed to one of the fields. Almost all the valleys of Lahaul grow a variety of exotic vegetables during the short summer season and the chief reason for the high yield of broccoli, iceberg, lettuce, leafy etc. is the ample water supply through the channels. There was a variety of wildflowers surrounding the path, white, yellow, pink, blue and different shades of other colours of flora was delightful. We stopped every few steps to admire the view in front of us and had our first glimpse of the wild rose – Sia (on this trip). There is an unsaid pleasure in revelling in nature’s delights and after 15 odd minutes of the lazy trundle, we had ascended to a path that was clearly visible. The weather was still cloudy and we were thankful that it wasn’t sunny!

Even though the lady had said that it is not more than an hour’s walk, we were quite certain that we would take at least 2 hours to make the climb all the way to Othang Gompa / Monastery. We crossed a nice grove filled with wild roses – sia and looked back to marvel at the stunning green fields of Pattan Valley with the Chandrabhaga river flowing calmly. It was an unrelenting ascent and quite stiff in some sections. We were passing through a juniper forest and the nice fragrance added to the feeling of exuberance that only the vast skies of high altitude regions give.

After about an hour or so, as we made a long climb – we came across a dirt road and quickly understood that there is also a motorable (sort of!) road to Othang Gompa. At this point the yellow roof of the monastery was clearly visible and the short-cut walking path became even more uphill.

The views kept getting better as we climbed higher and the sun also shone through the clouds. Thankfully, I had carried my hat that protected me from the full blast of the sunshine. We were huffing and puffing and were grateful to have carried water with us since it had become quite hot. We were having a gala time clicking the landscapes with the blooming wild roses reminding ourselves of the glorious days of travel in the pre-pandemic era.

On one of the climbs, I saw a car zoom on the road and before I could scamper to get to the road – it was gone. We met a shepherd who told us that it was the Lama Ji’s car that had just whizzed by and that we just missed it by a whisker. We were concerned with the opening of the monastery and now it was more or less guaranteed that the Lama Ji will be there to open the monastery doors.

At this point, the climb became almost vertical and we crossed an old mud chorten with a newly built white chorten near it. To our massive surprise, we saw a few homes just before we reached the monastery. Apparently, there are a total of some 8 houses that comprise Othang village. All the houses in Othang village seemed to be quite sizeable and had cow sheds and fields surrounding the houses. There were a number of colourful wildflowers growing near the houses and for a while the numerous paths had us confused but ultimately we ended up asking a few locals working in the fields who guided us on the right trail.

A few fields were being sown with green peas for the family home consumption. The view from this village located on a much higher altitude than the road in Pattan Valley was stunning with snowy peaks clearly visible on multiple sides and the fields below us felt like a green chess board! On the way back, I even remarked to one of the locals to convert one of the homes to a homestay since it was clearly one of the prettiest hamlets of Pattan Valley in Lahaul.

After one final turn, we were in front of the yellow roofed Othang Gompa that had a green field in front of the monastery. The windows looked very pretty with the bold coloured patterns that are a hallmark of most Buddhist monasteries. Othang Gompa is a monastery of the Gelugpa sect (Yellow hat sect) and the yellow roof signified the same. Othang Gompa is also the among the very few monasteries left in Pattan Valley and perhaps the most widely regarded as well. A tall prayer flag (Darchog) fluttered in the courtyard of the monastery and the view from the top was quite epic. Lama ji was quickly spotted and he was clad in a red goncha. Here, we saw an old building and Lama ji said that one part was the old gompa and the adjacent building was the monks’ residence.

He showed us the insides of both the old and new monasteries and said that Othang Gompa was originally built in the 15th Century. The yellow building was recently built about 5-10 odd years ago and Lama ji said that the work was completed under his supervision. The old monastery had old statues of Bodhisattvas and also housed sacred Buddhist texts and manuscripts. He was very kind and even let me light a butter lamp when I offered to pray. Lama Ji belonged to Tungri village in Zanskar but had been living at Othang Gompa since the 1970s.

Check : Khangsar, Kwaring, Sarang, Kolong – Exploring Lahaul Valley

He said that there is another Lama from Ralakung who lives at Othang Gompa and he is in charge of the kitchen etc. So, even though he was keen to offer us tea – the Ralakung lama ji had gone to a village somewhere nearby to perform some duties. Earlier Kee Gompa was in charge of Othang Monastery, now the same is done through Karsha Gompa and that perhaps explains the monks from Zanskar at Othang Gompa.

It was a very interesting and fun conversation with Lama Ji about Zanskar, Pattan Valley and life in general and he even invited us to spend the night at the monastery itself. I asked him if the monastery offers services like a guest house but he replied that there are plenty of rooms and a big hall and some mattresses are kept so it should be a comfortable night’s sleep! He said that the lama from Ralakung made excellent food and that we would love spending the night at the monastery.

We were quite interested in the same but told him that the homestay guys will make dinner for us and that we have already booked a room at the homestay. We thanked him for the offer and I exchanged numbers with Lama ji to meet someday in Manali for a meal at Chopsticks! (Oh, in case you didn’t know when the tourists are gone from Manali, red robed lamas at Chopsticks is a regular sight!)

At that instant, we heard the sounds of a bus crossing the road behind the monastery and it simply continued on the road that climbed ahead. I asked Lama ji and he nonchalantly remarked that there is a daily evening bus to the next village. Me and Jita wondered if knowing this piece of information might have made us more laid-back and try to catch the bus rather than hiking all the way up from Jahalman!

Sometimes, it is best to not know otherwise the mind gets confused with multiple thoughts and ultimately you end up achieving nothing. We were triumphant at having come via the trekking trail to Othang Gompa. Lama ji told us that via road the distance from Othang Monastery to Jahalman was 13 kms while we would hardly take about 45 minutes via the downward sloping hiking trail.

We spotted a few bright blue lupines growing in the monastery compound and were quite astounded with the beauty. It was about 5 pm when we decided to start our walk back to the homestay in Jahalman. After initially trying to take the hiking trail, we decided to enjoy the walk on the dirt road for a few kilometres before rejoining the hiking trail somewhere along the way. That way, we would be able to savour the stunning views that were visible now that we were at a vantage point in Pattan Valley. We were able to clearly see the beautiful villages of Jobrang, Rapay and Rashil alongwith few other villages the names of which I have forgotten. Finally, we took leave of Lama ji and started our return on foot via the road only.

I was excited to see if the bus would make the return journey so that we would be able to see a different side of Pattan Valley at close quarters. As if on cue, the sun came out and made the proceedings quite hot. I had to pull my hat out once again and just when I thought it was time to put the dslr camera in, a nice frame came into the picture with the sun shining on the pink wild roses with the Othang Gompa flanked by snowy peaks in the background.

Read : Wanderings in Lahaul : Kardang Monastery

After walking for about 2-3 kms on the road, we came to one of the hairpin bends where the walking trail joined the dirt road and now opted to take the hiking trail and get back to the homestay. If we had followed the road, we would have ended up in a totally different area much farther than Jahalma.

The heavy lunch was nicely digested with the excursion. It was a very satisfactory and easy walk back and took more than an hour as we were at a relaxed pace. I remarked to Jita that for the first time in more than a year (or two) I had actually seen a place where I had not been earlier and hence felt very elated at clicking photographs with the dslr camera. With that ecstatic feeling in the heart, when we approached Jahalman village near the homestay I was already planning our next exploration in Pattan Valley.

There were a few locals working in the fields and one of them remarked that the cherries of Pattan Valley were almost ripe and if we had come a week later, we would have been able to savour those!

I am well aware of the joys of cherries and strawberries of Lahaul and asked them if those would be available in the market in Manali / Kullu?! There was another chance encounter with a contractor who was in charge of procurement of exotic vegetables from this region in the summer and he seemed pretty miserable at his plight when he had to wear a jacket in the Lahauli summer as the weather changed at the drop of a hat!

At the homestay, we thanked the lady for suggesting the Othang Monastery hike and for not telling us about the bus! She mentioned that there is a curry of the local buckwheat leaves (Kathu ke patte) for dinner alongwith chapati.

We were also looking forward to tasting the local brew that she made from barley grains. She claimed to be an expert at the brew since her husband was in the habit of regular consumption! It was an eventful evening with an excellent dinner and a glass of the local brew. The night was cold and the mobile batteries would be dead since there was no electricity in Jahalman. It was a comfortable and warm room with wooden flooring. Maybe the locals forgot to inform us – but when we returned to Kullu someone asked us about visiting Hidimba Temple in Jahalman and all we could do was show blank faces!

This small prelude calls for a longer and more detailed exploration of Pattan Valley in Lahaul.

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What was once a village with more than 2000 souls, in the present day there are only 12 homes occupied by families while the other dwellings around them crumble. Saur village (a 400 year old habitation) sometimes resembles a ghost village with the majority of the old houses unoccupied amid overgrowth of greenery; the unexpected sight of these vibrant painted homes is a welcome surprise.

Saur is set in a valley riddled with streams amidst pine and chir forests and is surrounded by mountains. Since the village is a bit off the main road, the blissful sounds of birdsong and the rustling of pines is interrupted very rarely by a moving vehicle.

These frescoes here were painted under the Wise Wall Project and are an astonishing and valuable collection of folk tales, village anecdotes and community knowledge.

Every mural painted on the houses of Saur village is unique; but none more so than the tiger mural; which is spread across five houses. In fact, I was only able to spot it when I saw the houses from a considerable distance. To hear the folk tale behind the classic mural, the best way is to hear it from one of the villagers itself.

The festivities of the bride’s wedding family are depicted poignantly in these paintings. Weddings in Garhwal are a boisterous affair and are attended by the entire village dressed in their finery.

I was a bit disheartened to notice that a majority of the houses of the village were unoccupied and roofs of a few homes had started caving in with the vagaries of nature.

It is possible to experience the true joys of village life in Saur as one of the original inhabitants of the village has restored an old house and converted it into a homestay / heritage stay. The restoration has been done keeping in mind the traditional construction methods and aesthetics so that the house has a charming and rustic feel, with all the modern comforts.

Good to Know

If you are thinking of making a trip to Saur; the distance from Delhi to Saur Village – 315 Kms and the distance from Dehradun to Saur Village – 100 Kms.

Did you know / ever heard of this mountain village, Saur?

P.S : I was in Saur on assignment.

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Here’s a compilation of some spring photographs from Nainital : The locals said these were peach blossoms but the larger internet world thinks they are smarter and announced that they were cherry blossoms. After all cherry blossoms are more exotic and romantic and sell better and I went with the half-lie too. So here’s presenting peach (err cherry blossoms) of Nainital. Shall I just call them pink blossoms? (Cunning laughter!)

Today morning I realised it was 31 May and that would mean the month of May passing by without a new post on the blog. The numerous ones in progress would take time. This post didn’t take much time but definitely rekindled nice memories of carefree travel when we hitchhiked and took a bus ride during Covid times and actually ate at a super crowded dhaba like the old days!

Hope this post makes you happy too! Would love to hear in the comments.

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Anyhow, we start the journey and our tentative goal for the day is to reach Govindghat. Our plan is to trek to the Valley of Flowers and possibly also to trek to Hemkund Sahib in the 3-4 days time that we have. As soon as we near the highway to Badrinath, a drizzle ensues and it feels like the forest is bathed in a shade of green. The full force of the monsoon is upon us on the Dehradun to Rishikesh forest road. The ongoing rain makes the proceedings feel like a dream; the sky is full of dark clouds and the shining green forest looks serene and inviting.

Also read : Travel Guide to Chopta, Chandrashila Trek

We are very hungry but since there is a lot of distance to cover and it is not very practical to stop for breakfast in the rain, we keep going. The drizzle slows down to a pitter-patter of raindrops and we push ourselves to get out from the traffic situation and continue ahead on the highway to Badrinath. We are finally able to stop at 10 am for breakfast at a cluster of dhabas and enjoy fresh aloo paranthas and chai. It is a nice place to stop and has become a favourite breakfast place ever since because the paranthas are crisp and the service is quick. We opt for a crowded place (these were the pre-covid times!) because we all know popular eateries are crowded for a reason.

It is a very quick stop and we stretch our legs and resume our journey in the car. Depending on the time of our reaching, we discuss probable places of stay after Joshimath. The only requirement is that it should be a nice and comfortable place since we have already had an overnight journey from Delhi to Dehradun and a rest should be good. Govindghat is preferred since it is the diversion point for Ghangaria (the base for the trek to Valley of Flowers). From Govindghat, a road branches off towards Pulna village, from where the trekking trail to Ghangaria begins.

The road is in ok shape and the traffic is non-existent since we are earlier than the other city folks who are travelling during the long weekend. We cover good distance once the rain finally relents after breakfast. The weather is nice though and we make a lunch stop at a roadside dhaba at 130 pm. Badrish Bhojnalaya has a view of the green valley from its terrace and the sitting space is in a breezy setting. There was a little traffic while crossing the Srinagar-Chamoli stretch. The dhaba guy makes fresh food and since we are the only customers at the moment, we take a moment to chat up with him. He feeds us well and we resume our journey.

We are finally in the outskirts of Joshimath at about 430-5 pm. There is still plenty of daylight left so we decide to continue till Govindghat and try and find a nice place to stay. The distance from Joshimath to Govindghat is hardly 20 kms and the road is in perfect shape so we hardly take 15 minutes. Since it is a long weekend and there are limited options to stay in Govindghat, most of the stays have been booked by online trek operators. Our idea of taking a chance by reaching early works; after looking around we eventually settle for a nice, clean and comfortable place to stay for the night. The owner confirms that except our 2 rooms, all the other rooms are booked by trekking operators like Indiahikes and GIO for trekking groups that will reach sooner or later in the evening.

We have to coax him a little before he says yes to our offer of 600 Rupees per room. It is still daylight and we are wandering around in Govindghat and the sound of bells is a nice welcome! The donkeys and horses sport bells around their necks and it is a mellifluous sound. The car is parked in a wide parking space on the road itself; we intend to keep the car in Govindghat and take the shared sumo to Pulna village next morning. A small conversation with one of the locals ensures that he confirms our seats on the first sumo that leaves from Govindghat at around 630 am. Pulna village is hardly 7-8 kms from Govindghat and is reached after crossing a bridge across the Alaknanda river.

There are many options to eat in Govindghat and we choose one of the dhabas for an early dinner. Once the daylight ends; cars, sumos and travellers begin arriving in Govindghat. We know it will be dusty and crowded once everyone reaches and steps out for food, so we ask the dhaba guy to recommend what to eat and relish the food with gusto since it is empty as of now! The dhaba food is expensive and he almost charges restaurant rates; I instantly compare it to Himachal Pradesh where thalis would be charged for 60-70 per person. In Uttarakhand, prices are almost always higher which is a little detrimental to the state’s backpacking culture.

I spot 2 shops located alongside the road selling a variety of horse bells; they look like cheap imitations of copper bells from Switzerland. The prices are reasonable but the quality itself is not very polished and I end up not buying even one bell. We have eaten a lot and walk around for a bit and indulge in an ice cream each after dinner. Sometimes, we must appreciate urbanisation and it remains one of the very few times I do it too! The ice cream is a refreshing memory and we notice that the trekking groups have arrived as well. As we are climbing the stairs of the hotel that we are staying at – someone announces that all the rooms in Govindghat are full and that now people coming in would have to go back to Joshimath.

A nice breeze is blowing in Govindghat. There is a conveniently fixed sofa set in the balcony and we sit and observe the vehicles and quietly thank ourselves for having reached Govindghat early. We also know in our minds that we will follow this pattern for our next days too. After all it is no fun to mill about in the crowds and makes more sense to trek in the midst of nature. I go and reconfirm the shared sumo with the helpful owner/manager of our hotel and he tells us to be ready at 630 am!

We are overjoyed and go to sleep at 9 pm. I later learn that there are also a few homestays that have recently opened in Pulna village. The weather is clear in Govindghat and we hope for clear weather from the next day onwards to enable it to be a successful trek to the Valley of Flowers. We are deep in slumber and wake up at 6 am. The dhaba guy nearby makes excellent tea and we have it just in time before the sumo appears. It is crammed with 10+ people and we pay Rs. 50 each. Our backpacks are loaded on the carrier and off we go!

Govindghat to Pulna

Earlier, the Valley of Flowers trek used to start from Govindghat itself when there was no motorable road across the bridge. It is an overcast day and our only hope is that it shouldn’t rain today because it will spoil the fun of trekking otherwise. There are a new nice homestays and hotels located at vantage points across the river on the way to Pulna village. The road is manageable and we reach the last roadhead in Pulna in no time. The shared sumo stops at the end of the road where there are a lot of ponies gathered. It seems like a chaotic place and has many basic shops selling tea, snacks and other basic necessities like a wooden stick for the trek.

Porters and guides offer their services for the Valley of Flowers trek and some try to coax us to hire ponies or horses for the trek till Ghangaria. This is the same path that also leads to Hemkund Sahib (Gurudwara set by a holy lake and pilgrimage for the Sikhs). The hiking route for Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib bifurcates after the village of Ghangaria. Therefore, Ghangaria makes for an excellent base camp for exploring both the Valley of Flowers and Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib Ji Yatra. Pulna is located at an altitude of approx. 1500m and Ghangaria is perched at 2800m.

Pulna to Ghangaria Trek

The trekking trail from Pulna to Ghangaria is well defined and has a properly laid out path too. It starts drizzling as soon as we start the trek at 730 am. The horse hiring rates vary quite widely : from 300-400 Rupees to 800-1000 Rupees. We thank the pony guys for asking us and continue the hike. They tell us most of the pilgrims to Hemkund Sahib hire the services of a pony to make it easier. After an initial ascent, the trail passes through a lush green oasis surrounded by trees and we love the positive and pristine environment that we are in. The distance from Pulna to Ghangaria is 10 Kms.

I have always maintained that the real beauty of nature is only in places where the road doesn’t reach and it reinforces my belief in the same. The trek is accompanied by a melodious sound of bells tinkling of the ponies and horses who are stationed for prospective customers. Initially, there is a dominant smell of horse shit due to the concentration of horses or ponies on the trek. The trail is properly constructed in stone (mainly as it lies on the Hemkund Sahib Trek Route). After some time of level walking, it becomes an uphill climb.

After an hour or so, the drizzle finally stops and we reach a place called Jungle Chatti. There are a number of dhabas/eateries/shelters here – it looks like a sizeable hamlet. In the far distance, mist rises from the dense forests. It is progressing as a cloudy day and there is no sign of the sun. Now we notice the impact of the long weekend and realise that there is a huge crowd of trekkers and pilgrims coming behind us on horses and ponies. It starts raining again at about 10 am. Thankfully, we have carried rain covers and ponchos. We keep walking and cross a dense canopy of trees, it turns out to be a lovely section of the walk.

There is a bridge across the river and we cross it to get to the other side; and another bridge appears. The landscapes are even more beautiful on the other side of the river. There is mist everywhere as the hills open up and the expanse of the landscape widens. Some work is going on in the mountains with regards to construction of a road. The sun comes out for a bit and the weather instantly becomes very humid.

We have ascended quite a bit but the air feels little hot when the breeze doesn’t blow. On the climb, the backpack starts feeling heavier! We cross a few small streams and now the weather changes quickly. It is around noon when the mist and clouds gather and a cool breeze starts blowing! Thank God we had not removed our jackets and now we clutch to them to provide the much needed warmth! There’s a popular saying that ‘Bombay ka fashion aur pahadon ka mausam kabhi bhi badal sakta hai.’ I am reminded of this statement!

It is surprising to come across concrete toilets on the way; and they have taps with running water! I make a slow clap to the administration for this excellent idea and to actually make it work. On crowded treks, men can pee anywhere but it becomes a challenge for women to find secluded spots. There are many signboards in Punjabi language greeting the pilgrims bound for Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib. Another cluster of dhabas duly makes an appearance; we decide to ask for a round of chai and biscuits.

Since we had started quite early, we gather that we have already covered 2/3 of the distance to Ghangaria. Someone tells us that we have trekked about 8 kms and that Ghangaria is only 2 kms from the dhaba point. We are overjoyed with this piece of information. It is decided to push ourselves a bit and try and reach Ghangaria early to enable us the best chance of staying in nicely located rooms. We are certain that as the day progresses it is going to be the same situation as Govindghat. Most of the accommodation would get booked by the evening and the remaining rooms would be the bad ones and even they would jack up the prices!

There’s a furry dog at the dhaba, so we just sit back, rest and catch our breath and relax for a while. It has been a continuous uphill walk and we are understandably tired. As we are about to load our backpacks, it starts pouring down and we are in a fix now! What to do? We wait for 5 minutes and when the rainfall doesn’t stop, we put on the ponchos and decide to just continue on the trail. We are drenched, the rain is in full flow and yet we continue walking and perspire underneath the ponchos and rain jacket!

It is an uphill climb and the feet and lower part of the body get wet because the poncho drains out water on the hiking pants! I start feeling a bit cold and think to myself that maybe the hiking pant wasn’t such a great idea after all. Maybe I would have been better served with my usual hiking shorts. The rain finally stops after 30 odd minutes and we heave a collective sigh of relief. The final ascent to Ghangaria starts – its about 1 km away and the time is 1 pm.

We are in the midst of lush greenery and the climb is excruciating. The misty forest and melody of the river flowing provides welcome company. There are many campsites located in the greens to our left and seem nicely done. A signboard indicates that Ghangaria Helipad is also nearby. It is an idyllic scene; there are horses grazing in the greenery and waterfalls are flowing from the misty mountains. Most people have opened their umbrellas and are hiking. The big campsites have 20 tents each and if the weather wasn’t very chilly, we might have actually tried staying at one of them!

The left side of the trail is fenced and we finally enter Ghangaria at about 115 pm. There are more campsites on the way – Camp Resort, Blue Poppy Camps, Ghangaria Camps. Thankfully the rain has now reduced to a trickle and that should aid us in making a sensible decision with regards to finding a nice homestay/guest house or hotel in Ghangaria. After all we will be staying here for 2-3 nights and it is always better to return to a comfortable place with a good view. Walking does not feel like a strenuous activity anymore now that we are in Ghangaria. We have made pretty good time on the trek from Pulna to Ghangaria and even with breaks have reached in around 5 hours!

I see very shabby looking guest houses on the way to the Forest Rest House in Ghangaria. There is also a Museum near the Forest Rest House which I am keen to visit later. There is a signboard on the Museum wall about an Informative documentary show with much knowledge about the Valley of Flowers. The Forest Rest House in Ghangaria is located at a picturesque location. I am pretty certain that the rest house is booked and don’t even try asking the status or checking the rooms.

Since the hotels and guest houses in Ghangaria are expecting a crowd of trekkers in the evening, they don’t seem to bother with the cleanliness. We move around and walk for a bit with a singular goal of quickly finding a guest house and agreeing on the price. In hardly 5 minutes, we are able to find a huge room with 2 double beds on the top floor of a guest house. There are 2 double beds and it is a huge room with an open balcony that has a nice view of the misty mountains with the clouds floating by.

We agree a price of INR 1000 for the room that comes with an attached bathroom and confirm that we will stay for either 2 days or 3 days. Clouds gather in the far distance and it starts pouring again. We congratulate each other on reaching Ghangaria in good time and to be able to enjoy the rain from the relative comfort of the balcony with a glass of chai in hand. We are quite exhausted after the efforts of the day but are hungry too and it seems waiting for the rain to stop is the best idea before we head out for lunch.

At about 3 pm, the rain stops and we step out for a walk after resting for a while. All of us are quite hungry but I am more interested in eating a proper lunch of roti, dal, vegetable and rice rather than making do with snacks etc. At the Gurudwara, black dal is being served with roti and 2 of us eat and feel satiated with the great food. We thank the Gurudwara guys and clean the plates as is the norm. There are many sweet shops in Ghangaria and one of them is making fresh samosas.

The weather has turned cold with the recent rain and tempts us with eating a samosa. Some locals remark that in the monsoon months of July and August, it rains almost everyday in Ghangaria. Therefore one has to get really lucky to get clear weather in Ghangaria and the Valley of Flowers in the monsoon! We give in to temptation and get some freshly fried samosas packed. We sit in the balcony of our guest house and ask for chai to be had with the piping hot samosas.

I remember about the Valley of Flowers documentary at the Forest Rest House (FRH) building and go for a walk in the evening. It is a sort of a museum in a separate building near the FRH in Ghangaria and has excellent information about the history, heritage and flowers in the Valley of Flowers. I see a number of trekkers reaching Ghangaria at this time and news spreads that there are no more rooms in Ghangaria. I am curious and someone tells me that now 4-5 people will adjust in a room to make sure everyone has a roof to stay above their heads.

I am relieved with the knowledge that our plan of reaching early has worked well. The documentary is quite informative and I go back to the guest house. We eat an early dinner in the restaurant downstairs and the food turns out to be excellent. We decide to head to the Valley of Flowers the next day. The Valley of Flowers is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and no one is allowed to stay there overnight. Hence one has to go and come back the same day. The staying place is only Ghangaria so the only way to explore Valley of Flowers is by day treks and hikes from Ghangaria itself and returning to the guest house/hotel in Ghangaria before dark.

Ghangaria to Valley of Flowers Trek

In the morning, we wake up at 6 am and after a hearty breakfast of aloo paranthas and tea, we leave for the Valley of Flowers. The restaurant guy recommends us to get food packed for lunch and we get some paranthas packed as well. The previous 2 days are a great cue to begin early and we are at the entrance gate of the Valley of Flowers at 754 am. It has been raining since morning and since time is at a premium we keep walking in our ponchos. The Valley of Flowers entry gate is located at a distance of around 1.5-2 kms from Ghangaria and is a proper uphill climb.

Just before reaching the entry gate, the route bifurcates for Hemkund Sahib. Both the routes are well laid out and well marked and there is no possibility of losing one’s way here. There is already a sizeable queue outside the Valley of Flowers entry gate and we stand in the queue as well. We pay the fee (INR 100 or 200) per person and when the tickets are issued all the individual details are properly filled and it is the trekker’s duty to ensure that they inform the gate officer while exiting. It becomes a huge headache if by any chance someone ends up staying back in Valley of Flowers after dark, as it is prohibited by law.

The Valley of Flowers entry gate opens at 7 am and closes at 12 noon. That means one cannot enter the Valley of Flowers once the clock is past noon. A few minutes after crossing the entry gate with the tickets in hand, we continue on the path in the drizzle. The stone trail disappears for a bit but we keep walking. As we walk ahead, we notice that the crowd at the entry gate keeps swelling. In the rain, the soil has created a lot of slush on the path. After we walk and march ahead of the crowds, the stone trail reappears and we are in the midst of lush greenery.

From this point, it is around 3 more kilometres to the Valley of Flowers. The weather is cloudy and foggy and at about 9 am – flowers start appearing. The greenery is unbelievable and dense fog rises from the low mountains. We finally enter the Valley of Flowers at about 10 am and flowers and ferns of different colours start appearing. It is raining continuously though and the landscape is simply stunning – exactly how they show Valley of Flowers in the photographs. I instantly think if the weather was clear, I would be able to click much better pictures from the dslr.

Pink and red flowers spread out across the landscape. There were many guides at the entrance of Valley of Flowers ticket gate. I didn’t bother to ask their fees but once inside the Valley of Flowers, there are many routes and since I haven’t done any prior research we are a bit lost. I wonder if the services of a professional guide might have been better as he is likely to be fully aware of the flora and fauna of the Valley of Flowers. The first 2 weeks of August are said to be the best time for exploring the Valley of Flowers since a majority of flowers bloom during this time. I think that it would be amazing to know the names of all the flowers on view if we had hired a professional guide.

We choose to take the trail to Leggy grave. At the outset we cross a cute bridge over a small water crossing, the water level with the non-stop rain has come really close to the bridge. Very few people are headed this way and most crowd near the Valley of Flowers entrance and since almost all of them have come through trekking operators – they wait for everyone in the group making the group a slow moving lot. It is a crowd of ponchos everywhere amidst the majestic scenery of the mist-filled greenery.

It is only about 1030 am and we remember the packed lunch of aloo paranthas that we have and remember to find a nice spot for a memorable lunch. The scenery becomes even more prettier as we keep walking ahead of the crowds. The earth is carpeted by pink flowers. In the lush greenery, every inch of bare ground has become a paradise of green. When the rainfall stops momentarily, it becomes even more prettier to look at once the visibility improves.

I have no motivation to click photographs from the dslr due to the rain and low light conditions and I only use my phone camera. I spot a colourful umbrella with one of the trekkers and it makes for a great prop for the photographs! There are multiple waterfalls flowing from the nearby hillocks; it is a surreal sight. Purple, red and pink flowers are just among the few dazzling variety of colours and the eyes are in for a feast. There are many makeshift bridges over gushing and swollen mountain streams. Even though the sight is stunningly beautiful, we are all tired of the rain and constantly trekking in the downpour.

Leggy grave is written as 700m away and another diversion for Tipra Kharak is at a distance of 3 kms. Our original plan is to spend as much time as possible inside the Valley of Flowers since we are only required to return by 4-5 pm. The tiredness is already upon us and we are very hungry; it is a relief to gobble down the dry fruits that one of us has carried. At about 11 am we reach Joan Margaret Leggy’s grave and there is a stone here from 1939. She was an explorer.

It continues raining and we find a nice sitting space and peaceful area to just relax for a while; but the rain has other plans and gets heavier so we end up scrambling to find some shade. After wandering around for 10 odd minutes, we decide to walk in another direction towards Tipra Kharak. In reality we are just too tired and amble for 2 mins, admire the scenery and decide to turn back. On the way back, we come across a huge cave-like rock. A number of people have gathered beneath it as it is a nice place to sit and enjoy the packed lunch.

It is past noon and we eat a relaxed lunch. We resume walking at a leisurely pace at 1-130 pm and our feet lead us on the return path and the only thing on our minds is to get back to the comfortable staying place. I click a few photographs with the colourful umbrella whenever I encounter those trekkers in front of us. Originally, we had kept in mind the possibility of going to Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib the next day – but now we give up the idea. We were excited to sight Bhramkamal on the Hemkund Sahib route but it will happen another time. The time is 230 pm and we reach the park gate at 3 pm.

It is mandatory to get the exit formalities done at the gate. Thankfully, it is devoid of people. I can only imagine the crowd that gathers here in the evening when the timing of 5 pm closure nears. We cross the diversion for Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib on the way to Ghangaria and a fleeting thought crosses our minds. Maybe we do really want to trek to Hemkund Sahib the next day. We take a poll and it is a common outcome that all of us are exhausted with trekking continuously in the rain, in the wet clothes that show no sign of drying.

We reach Ghangaria at 4 pm and since we haven’t really carried extra clothes with us; the wet clothes make the proceedings feel even colder. We get samosas and pakoras packed to eat with chai in the balcony as a celebratory snack. After a nice dinner, it is decided to get going early next morning and explore the possibility of going to Auli and staying there. We sleep like babies and pack hurriedly in the morning; keeping the wet clothes aside.

After a quick round of chai and biscuits, we settle the bill and start our return trek at 630 am from Ghangaria. It is a downhill hike and even though our legs, calf muscles and knees are paining we don’t take a break on the return hike. It only takes 2 hours and 30 minutes for us to reach Pulna and we are lucky to get a shared sumo as soon as we reach! We reach Govindghat and have a quick breakfast, thank the owner-manager at the guest house/hotel where we stayed and start the drive to Joshimath.

We take the bifurcation to Auli; check out some staying places and give up the idea of Auli. It is just too expensive; the basic places all cost upwards of 2000 INR per room. I have an idea; the Forest Rest House (FRH) in Joshimath is located in a nice area and it can be booked through District Forest Office (DFO) Joshimath. Since we have a car, it is possible to do this and we head straight to the DFO’s office in Joshimath. We are asked to wait for a while and submit an application for the stay for 2 rooms in FRH Joshimath.

The permission is granted for INR 1000 per room and we are overjoyed! The Forest Rest House in Joshimath is located away from the main town and has delightful rooms, a cosy sit out surrounded by flowers with a view of the mountains. The caretaker has clearly indicated that he can give us tea and that we will have to figure our plans for lunch/snacks/dinner elsewhere. We chill for some time and rest. Once the hunger pangs set in, we head out to one Dream Himalaya Resort Guest House property that we have seen on the way to the FRH.

It is about 5 pm and we have decided to have snacks and finish the evening with an early dinner. There is a gorgeous sitting space in the outdoors and chairs have been laid out with a table. The guest house seems like a nice property and the rooms are old but look comfortable. The manager says the cheapest rooms are priced from 1600 INR onwards. Earlier the Forest Rest House rooms were available for INR 500 per room but now the officer showed us a circular where the prices have increased to INR 1000 per room.

The Forest Rest House and this Resort are located at a walking distance from each other and the views are truly magnificent. We are ecstatic on sitting outside and enjoying the cool breeze and sunny feels. It is a welcome delight to be away from the rain for some time. There are roses blooming and other flowers too in different colours; purple, red, yellow etc. We eat pakoras and ask for chai in the evening and love the setting so much that we decide to just stay back at the Dream Mountain place for dinner.

The staff recommends simple veggies and dall, chapatis and rice for a meal at 7 pm. It seems like we are compensating for the crazy quick Valley of Flowers trek. Even though we are a little disappointed that we have not been able to go to Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib, we celebrate with gusto! At dinner time, we are seated inside in the grand old hall that is made in the heritage style. The dining setting is impeccable and we eat nicely. Thank the owner and staff profusely for a wonderful evening!

We head back to the Forest Rest House, our bellies content and for a change it isn’t raining! We sit in the open and gaze at the sight of the moon and the glistening peaks. The caretaker is summoned and we ask for an early chai next morning. The plan is to leave early and reach Dehradun. The date is 15th August and it is highly probable that traffic on the road will increase as the day progresses.

We enjoy our morning tea and hit the road at 730 am. The weather is stunning and there are clouds floating around in the greenery. School kids celebrate the 15th August Independence Day ceremony and traffic is non-existent till lunch time! We cover the distance quickly since the weather is just perfect for a road trip. We stop for a late breakfast and reach our friends’ home in Dehradun in the evening.

There’s no place like home. The weather is excellent in Dehradun and we witness a gorgeous sunset from the balcony. We order dinner from Kalsang and relax and have wine! The next day or two turn out to be an eating festival and we end up gaining 2 kilos each.

Ever heard of anyone going to trek to the Valley of Flowers and gaining 2 kilos? Maybe I will return someday and have a different story to tell! For better or for worse!

Thanks for reading.

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