A new chapter in Indian ecotourism is unfolding along the upper reaches of the country’s holiest river, where a ban on rafting camps and the area’s first upscale wilderness resort are contributing to a greener ethos on the white wat
Under the shadow of Mount Kailash, water from the glacier-fed Mansarovar Lake spills through the ‘Horse’s Mouth’ and begins its descent towards the great holy ‘Father River’ of Asia, the Brahmaputra. Meet the river that has no less than ten regional names.
Victoria Falls was once admired by explorers at a distance, today it is the playground for adventurers and adrenaline seekers. Dangle from 50 metres of elastic bungee cord, raft down the rapids or fly above it with the angels in a microlight. The rush is here.
A “ducky” is best described as a small, two-man inflatable kayak. “Only have a go in it if you’re thirsty for adventure!” advises trip leader Harendra “Gappu” Rawat. “You need to be happy with the idea of taking a few dips!” Thrill-addict that I am, I opted to trade my place in the relative comfort and safety of a big selfbailing raft for a front seat in the unstable ducky as we prepared to run the mighty Chookha, the biggest of the Kali Sarda’s infamous rapids
This is a very rocky one, so I need everyone to keep pa d dli ng t h r o ug h t he rapid. Speed is essential for us to steer and to avoid all the rocks; if it looks bad, then I’ll give you the ‘get down’ command, so just be ready for anything,” yells Rana in an attempt to be heard above the roaring river.
An expedition down the Mahakali can quite aptly be described as ‘a trip right out of The Jungle Book’: perfect weather, warm water, pristine wilderness, no roads, plentiful wildlife and big sandy beach campsites crisscrossed with fresh leopard tracks! I was expecting a fun-filled week dominated by aquatic adventures, yet the Kali surpassed even my wildest expectations.
Slowly, slowly catch the monkey” was the bizarre mantra reverberating through my oxygen-deprived brain as we approached 6,000m. Vikram Hirani, one of our mountain guides, had spoken these wise words as we fastened crampons onto our snow boots and roped up at the foot of Stok Glacier five hours earlier.
Everybody get down!” yelled Vaibhav to his laid-back crew. I looked up to see the raft just ahead of ours get sucked into a big hole where it began to surf on the recirculating water. As the river thundered over a submerged rock, the pourover created a strong backwash that latched onto the 14-foot raft and prevented it from breaking free. The boat gyrated wildly as it surfed the powerful hydraulic. Bow paddler Rohan Guptan was the first to go.
Many of north India’s finest rafting rivers remain largely unvisited: the preserve of adventure-seekers and wilderness-lovers alike. Here’s where to begin your rafting adventure.
As I approached the roaring rapid, I looked down stream and saw Canadian safety kayaker Daveprothero vigorously pumping his fist in the air: it was the signal that the rapid was safe and we could run the meatiest part of the wild water-water just ahead. As I lined up my small boat to hit the guts of the rapid,I watched Captain Rana guide his raft into the white-water mayhem in front of me. One moment the raft was cruising through the big waves, next second it disappeared
The Auden’s Col Trek is the Holy Grail of trekking in the Himalayan region of Garhwal in Uttarakhand, offering the finest multi-terrain challenge you will encounter.
The Auden’s Col is situated on the connecting ridge of Gangotri III (6577 m) and Jogin I (6465 m), small depression between the two mighty massifs – we approach the Col from Rudugaira glacier and descend through the ice falls and the heavily crevassed Khatling glacier. We start our expedition by driving up the Bhagirathi valley right till the end of the road at Gangotri. From here we move south towards the Gangotri range establishing a series of camps.
A perfect mixture of adventure, culture and beauty.
Beautiful landscapes, spot some high altitude wildlife, moderate terrain, beautiful high altitude meadows, wild yaks and a 5150m pass all make this trek a bucket list item.
The Great Lakes of Kashmir trek is set in an almost heavenly arena of high mountain vistas, endless pasturelands, and of course, the great lakes. Arguably the best way to witness the beauty of the Kashmir Himalaya, you will be rewarded with a palette of colours every single day that you walk on this trail. The relaxing terrain, deep blue coloured mountains and lush flower filled meadows make the going extremely pleasant.
The Parang La trail follows the traditional trade route between the people of Spiti, Changthang and Tibet. It begins after the high-altitude meadows of Kibber, breeding ground of the famous Spiti horses and also known to be snow leopard country. A challenging trek for the enthusiastic walker in one of the more spectacular areas of Ladakh,the trail descends the Kibber gorge and then climbs over the Parang la (5600 m).Parang La is the source of the Pare Chu river, the only river that has its source in India, flows into Tibet and enters the country again in Spiti. Trekking across the pass, brings one to an almost incredible change of scenery as we walk towards the Rupshu plains of Changthang, known for the abundance of Kiangs (Tibetan Wild Ass).
On the last two days, we camp on spectacular campsites, one being on the southern edge of the Tso Moriri(4522m), a high-altitude lake 26 Km long and nearly 5 Km wide. This lake is also the breeding ground for the bar-headed geese, black-necked crane and the Brahminy ducks. We also visit one of the Changpa settlements in a bowl, high above Karzog, where they breed pashmina, one of the major trade items in these high passes.
Trek through quaint villages, alpine meadows covered with wildflowers, moraine ridges and glacier basins to get magnificent views of Swargarohini – I, II, III, Bandarpoonch and Blackpeak – all this make for an excellent hike in early spring and the post monsoon.
Meandering through the Govind Vihar sanctuary, Har Ki Dun Valley is rich culturally and a paradise for bird watchers and nature lovers. Mythologically, it is the same trail taken by the Pandavas on their route to Heaven through the domineering massif of Swargarohini.
Trek through quaint villages, alpine meadows covered with wildflowers, moraine ridges and glacier basins to get magnificent views of Swargarohini – I, II, III, Bandarpoonch and Blackpeak – all this make for an excellent hike in early spring and the post monsoon.
Amazing scenery, world class whitewater make this a premier expedition for the white water paddler. We run several rapids ranging from Class III to Class IV+/V, with whitewater sections separated by maybe a hundred yards or less of flat water. It aims to propagate the sheer adrenaline and magic of taking on 40 kms of quality whitewater from Gyunhatti till Tiuni, in what could possibly be, one of the finest whitewater experiences possible. Adrenaline pumping river days are followed by relaxed afternoons, to be spent under leafy alders and taking short hikes into the alpine forests.
Dodital is said to be the birth place of Lord Ganesh, and is also the source of the Assi Ganga, a tributary to the Bhagirathi. It is named after the rare Dodi (Himalayan Trout) that can be found in this lake. A moderate trek which starts from the Bhagirathi valley, goes up to the lake of Dodital (wrapped in perfect wilderness) to the alpine meadows and tops out at Darwa Pass (4150m). Traditionally this trek has been continuously used by the Gujjars, the herdsmen who get their buffalos to the high meadows every summer and occasionally by the pilgrims/sadhus walking between Gangotri and Yamunotri.
Trek through quaint villages, alpine meadows covered with wildflowers, moraine ridges and glacier basins to get magnificent views of Swargarohini – I, II, III, Bandarpoonch and Blackpeak – all this make for an excellent hike in early spring and the post monsoon.
Pangarchulla becomes a beautiful climbing objective in the spring after having accumulated snow over the winter. An easy low peak which gives a good feel of a climb; plodding the crisp morning snow with amazing views of high mountains. This trip offers a challenge and loads of photo opportunities. Just perfect for anyone trying to wet their feet with their first Himalayan Summit.
