Heaven on earth. This is the only term to describe the Himalayas and its impeccable beauty. To be up close to these gorgeous mountains, in the very lap of pure, unadulterated nature is a blessing. To be able to witness those views from the top is an award which you get for your hard work to reach there. Such were my feelings on my first ever mountain trek – the Kuari Pass Trek.
Auspicious Beginnings
The pre-trek part of the trip saw us – my husband and myself – traveling from Mumbai to the holy city of Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. Our hotel was right beside the river – the Holy Ganges – and just 2 doors away from the Laxmanjhula. Breakfast was hot kachoris and sabji, with tea on the balcony with a view of the Ganga and the Laxmanjhula bridge. Could there have been a better start to a trip?
After breakfast, we went for a walk by the river, over the bridge and onto the other side towards the Ramjhula. A pleasant walk with some window shopping or actually, 1 piece of shopping – I bought a woollen hat. That hat turned out to be my savior on the trek.
The walk left us famished and we had lunch at this cute café. Evening saw us meeting up with our con-conspirators i.e. our co-trekkers. We reacquainted ourselves – food, adda and laughter – and discussed the final minutiae of our trek.
Raring To Go
Early next morning – 5:45AM!! – we 4 trekkers started from Rishikesh by car for Joshimath which would be our main starting point of trek as well as the place for collection of supplies. With stops for tea and lunch, we reached Joshimath at about 6PM to icy cold weather. Temperatures were down to 9°C!
Joshimath is a bustling town in Uttarakhand which serves as the starting point for many a trek or trip to the upper Himalayas, including pilgrimages. In itself, it is a pretty town with its mountainous backdrop and religious afflictions as several temples of fame are located here.
We took a walk about town, imbibing the cold and compensating by having hot tea and biscuits! We met our guide for the trek who gave us instructions, timings and some tips. After organizing our trekking bags for the next day, we turned in early that night.
Trek starts - The Initial Ascent
Next morning, though the 3rd day of our trip, was our 1st day of trek. Excited, we were ready and raring to go at 9.30AM. We were to travel a short distance by car to Dhak, point zero of our trek. Before that, we made a stop to collect all supplies which were to last all of us for the next 3 days. Ration, fuel, water, utensils, stoves, sleeping bags, tents.
Our trek was organized by Himalaya Trekkers, a small but experienced group who took care of all our trekking needs from point to point (Joshimath to Joshimath).
Day 1
At 10:30AM, we officially started our trek from Dhak (~ 6100ft).
We dismounted the car and strapped on our bags while our equipment – that we had picked up earlier – was loaded on to 2 mules who would carry it to the day’s campsite. The four of us plus our two guides – second one joined us at Dhak – took off walking on a small trail through the village of Dhak.
As we climbed, the mountain vista slowly opened up below us and enjoyed the lovely sights. After about an hour, we stopped for a rest and to refill our water bottles in tiny village of Tugasi (~7000ft). This would be our last encounter with villages or residents – after this it would be the mountains and us, nature embracing us.
Lunch was a packed one – roti, sabji, a fruit, a chocolate bar and juice – sitting on a rocky outcrop on a trail to higher altitude. A drink of water and we set off again. We were able to gradually see and recognize peaks in the distance. The feeling that we were closer to them was something never felt before. The final leg of that day’s trekking ended at our campsite – Gulling, at an altitude of 9000ft. We had walked for 3 hours that day and covered a distance of about 7kms.
We were greeted by an astoundingly beautiful campsite on the edge of the mountain with a view to die for. Dronagiri, Nanda Devi, and Hathi Ghoda peaks were right in front of us – an unimpeded view against a sparklingly clear sky!
Camping
Our campsite was already set-up by our camping crew helpers; 2 tents for the 4 of us, one loo tent, one kitchen tent. The kitchen tent was our saviour for these 3 days, only place warm enough to thaw us down a little in the freezing cold weather. It also served us king’s feasts for every meal. That evening it was piping hot coffee and pakodas!
We then had a small trekking lesson just before that – our guide showed us how to put on shoe protectors and spikes for snow trekking. Then, we were given instructions on camping rules –
- Do not waste water (no brushing, just a quick mouth wash)
- How to use the loo tent (hole’s been dug, do your thing and the use the shovel to cover it with dirt)
- How to use your sleeping bags (pack them up the next day)
- Collect your trash so they can be disposed off properly.
I am doing my bit towards conservation of nature by raising awareness through this post via Blogchatter’s Cause A Chatter campaign.
Before sunset, we did a bit of exploring around the mountainside, taking in the clean, fresh air and the wonderful ambience that surrounded us and then watched the sun go down in between those gorgeous peaks.
Dinner was hot food – rotis, daal, sabji, sweets – in the warm tent. We chitchatted and walked about the small campsite in the moonlight but in the end the cold got us – it was impossible to just stand in that cold. We retired early as we had a very very early start the next day. Our final ascent to the peak.
Day 1 Summary:
From/To: Dhak to Gulling
Distance: 6-7 kms.
Altitude: 6100ft. to 9000ft.
Walking Time: 3 hours
Peaks: Dronagiri, Nanda Devi, Hathi Ghoda
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Wow that Poori Sabzi looks so good! I’m not so much of a trek person, but the elaborate details you’ve provided makes me want to try it! Loved the pictures, on to your next post about this 🙂
Thank you! Glad you liked it.
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