As the sound of distant blasting and pneumatic drills faded, replaced by the reassuring gurgle of the fast-flowing river, Sanjay said simply, ‘Now we are on our own.’ Our expedition through western Ladakh, along one of India’s most spectacular yet unheralded rivers, was about to enter the Grand Canyon of the Zanskar.
Tackling huge rapids in the Siang and being spectator to nature’s ferocious ways while rafting down the stretch from Tuting to Pasighat in Arunachal gave Stephen Cunliffe a chance to embrace the challenges of India’s premier white water descent
It all started in a seedy backstreet pub off Rusholme’s ‘curry mile’ where a selction of Manchester’s most degenerate old-time paddlers were gathered to plot their next big trip. It was decided that nothing less than the mighty Brahmaputra, in the extreme northeast of India would do
Popularly referred to as the national river of India, the Ganges takes its name from the Gangotri Glacier where it originates in the western Himalaya. Draining a staggering 1,000,000 km2 basin, the Ganges is unquestionably the largestriver on the Indian subcontinent. Beginning in Uttarakhand asthe Bhagirathi River, it joins the Alaknanda River near the town of Deoprayag to form the Ganges before embarking on a 2510 km eastward journey until it finally empties into the Bay of Bengal inside Bangladesh.
Awoke at 6 am to a grey morning. It had rained continuously through the night and everything was drenched. As I struggled into a freezing cold wetsuit and pulled on a sopping wet spray jacket, I yearned for the sunny weather we had taken for granted at the start of our adventure.
An expedition down the Kali-Sarda 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, but it was the beauty of the wilderness experience that took me completely by surprise.
The scenery on the Grand Canyon of the Zanskar rivals that of any river canyon in the world.. As the sound of distant blasting and pneumatic drills faded, replaced by the reassuring gurgle of the fast-flowing river, Sanjay said simply, “Now we are on our own.”
“It is is a very rocky one, so I need everyone to keep paddling through the rapid,” yells Sanjay in an attempt to be heard above the roaring river. “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.”
As the sound of distant blasting and pneumatic drills faded, replaced by the reassuring gurgle of the fast-flowing river, Sanjay said simply, ‘Now we are on our own.’ Our expedition through western Ladakh
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.
