Food and Traveling: April 2011

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)

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

Maitreya Buddha
106 foot Lord Buddha statue

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.