August 2015 -

Lahaul Spiti – The Enigmatic Valley

The journey to Lahaul and Spiti Valley will take you to the roads less traveled, literally! It is “The Middle Land” between India and Tibet. From wide fields of snow to wide fields of barley, from lush green valley to cold desert with different shades of brown, it has the most breath taking scenery that you would ever see. The legend says that long ago in 8^th century, Padmasambhava, the Indian Monk, established and blessed some of the monasteries in Spiti and ever since they have remained unchanged. Kunzum La – which rises to 15000 feet divides Lahaul and Spiti regions. Lose yourself in the most astonishing valley of the Himalayas, exploring the beautiful moon landscapes, deep blue lakes, golden snow peaks and the most remote villages of India.

Ibn Battuta was a Moroccan explorer, recognized as one of the greatest travelers of all times. He said that traveling leaves you speechless; then turns you into a storyteller. The journey to the valleys of Lahaul and Spiti will be the most adventurous story you will have. Lahaul and Spiti lie exactly between the Mighty Himalayas and Pir Panjal ranges. A trip to this place will give you the most peaceful time of your life when you look at those ranges standing by the banks of the Spiti River. More days you spend in this enchanting place, more interesting things you will discover about the people and the place.

One story from this place fascinates me more than any other I have heard so far. Legend says that many centuries ago Spiti – then a part of Tibet – faced a terrible drought. Rivers had almost dried and people were starving to death. To make the situation better, monks from various monasteries took to solitary meditation in caves in the rocky mountains. One of them was the famed Giu Lama.

India’s 8 must visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Incredible India it is! It is the land of rich culture and heritage which holds a glorious past. The heritage of India will effortlessly turn back the time for you. India has some of its best attractions mentioned as UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. The legacy of India lies not only in its striking monuments but also in its natural beauty. India has its own wonders. Let’s take a look at some of the must visit UNESCO world heritage sites in India.

Kaziranga National Park, Assam
It is the oldest park in Assam along the floodplains of the river Brahmaputra on the north, and Kabri Anglong hills on the south. Declared as a national park in 1974 and a UNESCO world heritage site in 1985, Kaziranga is known for the great one-horned rhinoceros. With the sheer forest, tall elephant grass, rugged reels and shallow pool, it is the best place to experience raw nature. Kaziranga has been a source of inspiration for several books, documentaries and songs; it is altogether a different world on its own. The serenity and unique biodiversity that Kaziranga has in terms of its flora and fauna makes it perfectly suited for wildlife safaris that include Elephant safaris and Jeep safaris.

One horned rhino at the Kaziranga National Park

5 things I learned from my Trekking Experiences

11377216_10152872869650779_8759726111764314548_n

Blue, green and brown were my most used pastel colours all through my childhood not knowing that these colours will forever leave firm imprints on my life. I am a total hill person. I love anything and everything about mountains, clear blue skies, vast green meadows and dense forests. I don’t remember what kick started this love but it’s there now for a while and one thing that I am sure of is that it will last till my legs give away. I often venture out to high altitude terrains to move away from the dust and pollution of city life, sometimes to take a break from repetitive and boring life and mostly to have some private exclusive time with the mountains. Mountains have given more than have taken from me. Here are my five life lessons or the 5 things I learned from my trekking experiences –

1. You can’t succeed if you don’t try. You could only fail if you didn’t try
I have been a reader and traveler since childhood and was automatically drawn towards mountains and their beauty. Often times reading several adventure series and travel books made me wonder if I could also embark on such journeys! What would it be like treading difficult paths like these amazing men did? I used to underestimate myself thinking I can never scale such heights till I made up my mind one day to give it a shot and there hasn’t been any stopping since then.

At Tumling - From my first trek to Sandakphu and Phalut — At Tumling – From my first trek to Sandakphu and Phalut

10 Most Picturesque Himalayan Treks

Travelling is a pleasure, when you want to spend some time with yourself away from the city life inhaling the fresh mountain air while hiking in the woods, walking through fragrant orchards, lazing around and feeling the warmth of the sun.

But if your idea of travel involves some adventure and taking the off-beat track, then a trek is all you need.

If you want to explore Himachal beyond Shimla and Manali and move beyond Dehradun and Mussoorie, see Ladakh beyond Leh and Sikkim beyond Gangtok, then stretch your leg muscles and get ready to venture into these 10 beautiful picturesque Himalayan treks across India. What could be more stress- busting and soothing than experiencing these breathtaking views?

As Ruskin Bond has said, “The adventure is not in arriving, it is in the “On the way” experience. You are not choosing what you shall see in the world but giving the world an even chance to see you.” So pack your bags and embark on these 10 most picturesque Himalayan treks across India.

Chadar Trek: Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir

One of the most challenging treks as it involves walking on the ice-sheet of Zanskar River. Chadar trek is not only a miscellany of adventure, but also melody of emotions. You will be awestruck when you see the frozen river, icy caves, unusual campsites, frozen waterfall and changing of the colour of the ice bed of Chadar. The trek became famous when pictures of Buddhist monks walking barefoot on the frozen river in -30 degree temperature went viral.

Parang La Trek: Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir