Holy Amarnath Cave Trek

It was last week of July 2011. Started trek from Pahalgham and finished in Baltal. I decided to walk entire root of yatra and Lord Shiv give me the strength to do the same.

Itinerary

Day 1: Srinagar to Pahalgam base camp
Day 2: Pahalgham - Chandanwari – Sheshnag
Day 3: Sheshnag Base Camp to Holy Cave Base
Day 4: Holly Cave to Baltal Base Camp
Day 5&6: Baltal and Sonamarg Trek



Day1: Pahalgam base camp

Srinagar to Pahalgam is 2 to 3 hrs journey. One can get shared jeeps from TRC (Tourist Reception Center, Srinagar). From Pahalgam base camp you will not permitted to yatra after 4 pm. So if reach in evening like me, then better to say in one of the camps and rest for the next day.

Not to mention, the security at the base camp is very strict but I saw yatris do cooperate with army jawans very well. You will get free food at Bhandaras. They are amazing; many verities of dishes are available.

Toilets and bathrooms inside camps are surprisingly clean, thanks to Kashmiri people but they do chare for it (it’s really funny, free food but charges for loo). Hot water supply is also easily available.

Ponies are available at Pahalgam for nearby spots.

I have obtained the permits, but nobody ask me the same while yatra.

Day2 : Pahalgham - Chandanwari – Sheshnag

In the morning around 7am, when yatra starts you will find number of jeeps and mini busses waiting outside the camp. They will drop you to Chandanwari. Actual yatra will start from Chandanwari.

Pony and Pithus are available right from Chandanwari.

Here onwards the root is amazingly beautiful. One side you will have snow covered mountain and deep valley on other side.

I found Pissu top very hard to trek as it’s a straight climb for couple of kilometers. After that it’s mostly descending.

It was 4 pm when I reach the Sheshnag Lake, what a beauty! Glacier is melting down in one side of lake. Though I got caught in rain in between, I can’t stop my self from quick dig into the lake. Not to mention it was freezing.

Base camp of Sheshnag is equally clean and well managed.




Day3: Sheshnag Base Camp to Holy Cave Base

From here I stared yatra early morning, though we have stopped by army personal due to bad weather. It was little bit of showering in the way for couple of hours but there onwards we had a sunny day though temperature is very low.

Cave is like 10 to 12 km from here but the walk was not too hard.

And it was 3 o’clock in noon when I had my first view of Holy Cave. You can spot Cave from few kilometers away. I was amazed like everybody and excited too. From here right to the cave, all pilgrims are singing Bhajans and dancing in the name of Shiv.

Pleanty of tents and shops are available at the cave base camp. They provide good accommodation and hot water for bath. I took a bath in the ice-cold water of Amarnath Stream.



Inside The Holly Amarnath Cave:

Shivling was 3.5 ft tall at the time I visited the cave. Though it was crowded, you won’t need to rush for the Shivling darshan. The fact that the mouth of the cave is wide open and cave is big enough to accommodate 100s of people, unlike the Vaishno Devi Cave.

It feels really grate when you witnessing the Holy Shivling. The coldness and atmosphere inside the cave is magical. I spend good couple of hours in the cave; there is no rush at all.

As I decided to have a night stay at the cave base camp itself, I was able to attain the evening Arti at 7 o’clock.



Day4: Holly Cave to Baltal Base Camp

This rout is rocky, narrow and extremely dangerous. We had a little bit of rain showers on the way, which make it even worse. It was so slippery, I was even horses felling down through to it.

Day 5&6: Baltal and Sonamarg Trek

From Baltal, Sonamarg very closer and you will find plenty of jeeps and busses in the rout. They will drop you at Sonamarg in 3 hrs only.

Sonmarg itself is a beautiful place. I did the Thajiwas glacier trek; glacier is very near by for the road. Ponies can drop you up to the glacier.

Sattal (Seven lakes)- Dharali

Haridwar – Uttarkashi – Harsil - Dharali - Gangnani (Uttarakhand)

Did this trek in Mid of March 2011.

Initially decided to do Dodital trek in Uttarkashi, but due to heavy snow in Dodital area I end up doing Sat Tal at Dharali. There are seven natural lakes known as Sattal, 3 km uphill from Dharali.
Trip was amazing, snow trekking experience was out of the world.

Itinerary
Day 1: Mumbai to Haridwar
Day 2: Haridwar to Uttarkashi
Day 3: Uttarkashi sight seen
Day 4: Uttarkashi to Dharali
Day 5: Dharali – Sattal Trek
Day 6: Dharali to Harshil
Day 7: Gangnani Hot water spring
Day 8: Towards the return trip


Uttarkashi to Gangotri road map

 There are plenty of super fast trains from Delhi to Haridwar. Good frequency of government buses goes between Haridwar to Uttarkashi. I catch the first bus 5:30 early in the morning, it took 6 to 7 hours to reach Uttarkashi. In summer season buses goes upto Gangotri.

Haridwar's Har Ki Podi (Ganga Ghat), getting ready for Ganga arti

Street shop at Har Ki Podi

There are few shops in Uttarkashi who provide trekking instrument as well as guides and porters. I visited trekking museum at Nehru institute of mountaineering couple of kilometer from Uttarkashi.


At this season of the year buses are not functioning yet, so I took a early morning Jeep goes up to Dharali. Dharali is very small place, the huts and schools are empty as villagers went to other places as winter season. Luckily only one guest house was working there, owned by a Arjun Singh. Later he was my guide for Sattal trek.


Town of Dharali



Distant view of town across a river



Radha Krishna temple in Dharali, 500 meters uphill



Bridge connects the 2 sides of the town, And it’s me



Villagers

Sattal can easily done in one day and without guide. But I found it very useful having guide with me, as there was almost 7 feet of snow at the top and few lakes out of seven lakes are completely hidden under snow.


Uphill from the Sattal there is area where villagers will be farming in summer season, but for now it was completely covered with snow.

Snow trekking was really fun if you know the basics technique. My guide was very good at teaching the snow trekking skills.

My guide Arjun Singh, finding way to the top

Dense forest before we reach the Sattal



Pugmarks of tiger on the snow



footprints in the snow

One lake out of seven others (SatTal)

Solo Trip To Leh - Ladakh



Srinagar – Leh ladakh (Nubra valley – Pangong Tso) - Manali (Vashisht hot water springs)

Did this trip in June of 2010. Sorry for the delay in posting.

Bike tour to Leh is a dream for any biker, so as mine.There is lot of material on this topics is available on net, but I would like to share this for those who are planning to do it solo.

What so ever the reason for it The Solo trip has its own advantages- you have all right to make changes in plan at last movement!

Itinerary (From 14June 2010 to 30 June 2010)

Day 1-2 : Mumbai to Delhi to Jammu

Day 2-3 : Jammu to Srinagar to Leh

Day 3 : Leh city Sightseeing, getting permits, renting bike

Day 4-5 : Nubra valley

Day 6 : Leh Palace and prepare for next ride

Day 7-9 : Pangong Tso

Day 10-11 : Leh to Manali

Day 12 : Vashisht Hot Water Springs

Day 13-14 : Manali to Delhi to Mumbai

Jammu to Srinagar to Leh


Bus finding the way



My plan was to get a shared Jip from Jammu to Srinagar and then from Srinagar to Leh. But fortunately there is a bus going to Leh directly from Jammu. You can get it from Jammu bus stand. Though it won’t go every day and there is no fixed time of departure, I decided to go for it because it is going to drop me in Leh in 35 hours in 750 Rs. Condition of bus is little better than worst and sits are not at all comfortable for this much long journey in roads of Himalaya, locals call it JALEBEE roads. In between we halt at Srinagar for nap.

Bus drops me in leh at 3 O’clock at night! Somehow I manage to find the Lodge with the help of local friend, whom I mate in the journey. In morning he only helped me to get the nice hotel on Fort Road.

In night of Leh Two thing are to be worry about, one is cold and other is street dongs!

Srinagar - Kargil highway

You will see such security in all
the way from Srinagar to Kargil

Srinagar - Kargil highway

Snow coverd mountain

Leh city Sightseeing, getting permits, renting bike

Leh city map

In Leh percentage of Oxygen in air is less, so you can’t be so active doing your daily stuff, that’s the first thing I learned after I fall in hotels bathroom floor.

To visit the Nubra vally and few such areas you need to get the permits from Leh collector office. I put this thing top priority in to-do list. Collector office is next to the football ground and finding it won’t be a tough task as Leh itself is not so big place. To get permits there is form available which you supposed to fill and submit along with the photocopy of your ID proof, you can also outsource this to some agent.

There are many varieties of bikes available for rent. After visiting few shops for renting a bike I decided to go with Bajaj Enticer 200cc for Rs 500 per day. One should at least have 200cc bike for such roads.

There are plenty of options for food in Leh. I found them cheaper and much better compare to other tourist places. You can test meet Kabab on road near to masjid.

Thing surprise me in very first day is there are more foreign tourist on road then Desi.

Traditional dress Ladakhi people

Distance view of Leh palace from
football ground

Ladakhi people

A typical Ladakhi house,
still from Leh palace

 

Cute street dog

Beautiful Nubra Valley



Sunlight coming on a cloud of sand.



Two days are good enough to do Nubra valley. Don’t rush in the way, as you are going to witness lots of wonders.

I went till Diskit village of Nubra valley. To reach till there you need to cross Khardung La (La stands for pass or peak), Words Highest Motorable pass (18380 ft) . I spend couple of hours at Khardung La; you can get tea and Maggie from restaurant own by army.

After an hour drive from Khardung La, there is a frozen lake and 6 feet idol of Buddha in a valley, few meters below from the road.

There is a government guest house as well as other few hotels at Diskit, no need for prior booking. Double hump camel ride, Diskit monastery, 106 foot Lord Buddha statue is major attraction here.

There are hot water spring at Panamik, 60km from Diskit. But could not able to make it this time.

Getting ready for first day ride

Diskit Monastery

Just couple of hourse drive from Leh,
and you are top of the world



Way to Khardung Pass



Still from Nubra

Still from Nubra





Maitreya Buddha
106 foot Lord Buddha statue



Still from Nubra

Still from Nubra

Still from Nubra

Pangong Tso

Pangong Tso (Tso stands for Lake) is gigantic lake; one can spend a whole day exploring its beauty. I did round trip to it in 2 days. As I said earlier don’t rush in way as you will be witnessing beautiful valley and Himalayan peaks on the way. Take as much breaks and keep collecting experience from other riders you encounter in the way, for solo rider it is very important.

There is government guest house just before Pangong Tso, no need for prior reservation. However there are few hotels at the bank of lake also.

Water of lake was freezing, but I couldn’t stop myself from digging into it, nice experience. Hot tea and Maggie works as a medicine after that.

There I mate an Australian traveler who believes that there is a direct road from Nubra vally to Pangong Tso, but it’s not open for tourist.

On the way to Pangong Tso



Still from Pangong Tso



Still

Frozen river, On the way to Pangong Tso

Wild yak





Still from Pangong Tso

Picture speak for itself

Gods eye

Vashisht Hot Water Springs

After spending frizzing nights and wild bike rides in Ladhak, natural hot water tub is magical experience. It works as natural therapy.

From Manali, Vashisht Temple and Hot Water Springs are on walking distance (3 km).