Is it possible to cover the entire span of the Himalayas from Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh as one unbroken journey by road? Yes, it is. And I am setting out to show how it can be done, starting January 29, 2010. And I will drive for approximately 120 days.

Billed to be a trip never done before (certainly not in recorded memory), the journey will stretch from the western border of the Indian Himalayas in Kashmir to the eastern end in Arunachal Pradesh. It will also go through Ladakh, Lahaul Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, West Bengal, Assam, Nagaland and Manipur.

The journey has been made possible with sponsorships from TripAdvisor.in and Yatra.com.

It is the ultimate driving challenge, one full of adventure, excitement and fun. Why am I doing this trip? To show it can be done. To record all the wonderful sights and sounds along the way. To meet the various peoples and develop a greater understanding of their lives, their society and their cultures. As in my earlier travels, I also hope to get closer to our natural world so I can respect its beauty and fragility more. By sharing my experiences and stories with the rest of the world, I hope they too learn from the ways of those in the mountain. And start caring for the environment as it may not be same forever.

To a great extent, it will be an expedition into the unknown. I am not going with any fixed itinerary, only a tentative one. The idea is keep taking and following tips from locals and those in the know about these regions. This is the surest way of unearthing gems for a travel writer. Following guide books may give a greater sense of security, but not knowing where the following night will be spent is another thing.

The journey will take place in two phases. The first leg, starting January 29, will go from Nepal to Arunachal Pradesh and last 8-10 weeks. The second leg will go from Kashmir to Uttarakhand, ending where the first started. This will start in May for 6-8 weeks. It is being done this way keeping weather conditions in mind. The higher passes of Ladakh and Lahaul Spiti are open only from May – September approximately. This is also a time when the eastern Himalayas get too wet. In theory, one can do the whole stretch in the summers at one go. But then one would also miss out the spring flowers of Sikkim and Bhutan. Hence such an itinerary.

I will be posting updates with photographs en-route whenever connectivity allows on TripAdvisor.in, Yatra.com’s Fan Page on Facebook, on Kunzum.com and Twitter (@ajayjain and @kunzum). At the end of the trip, I will also be bringing out a pictorial travelogue.

The Tentative Route

Phase I:

NEPAL: Mahendranagar (Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve), Khaptad National Park, Bardiya National Park, Lumbini, Pokhara, Jomsom, Chitwan National Park, Kathmandu, Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve
INDIA: Darjeeling, Guwahati, Itanagar, Ziro, Daiporjo, Alang, Namdapha Wildlife Sanctuary, Dibrugarh, Mon, Jorhat, Mokokchung, Kohima, Kaziranga, Shillong, Gangtok, Nathu La, Yumthang
BHUTAN: Thimpu, Paro

Phase II

INDIA: Rudrapur, Bhimtal, Karnaprayag, Rudraprayag, Rishikesh, Barkot, Mori, Sarahan, Sangla, Kalpa, Lahaul Spiti, Jispa, Leh, Tso Moriri, Pangong Tso, Siachen, Nubra, Alchi, Kargil, Zanskar, Srinagar, Uri, Jammu

Watch this space for live updates!

Half way between Kullu and Manali, adventurers get an adrenaline rush by jumping from a 2000M  cliff to enjoy Paragliding. Those who dare are rewarded with a birds eye view of the most incredible scenery – snow capped mountains, the river Beas in the Kullu valley, the villages of Sarsei and Chakri and the neighboring pine forests. Beginners needn’t worry – tandem jumps with experienced jumpers are available.

Is it Shoja or Sojha? Both spellings are used but let us use Sojha as marked on a milestone. Let the Government have the final word.

Like the Banjara property at Sangla, I have visited their property in Sojha twice: August 2007 and recently in May 2009. The main difference between then and now: the apple trees in the gardens were blooming with the red colour of the fruit waiting to be harvested, so was a bed a sunflowers each the size of a big man’s palm. Go back in August and you will see the apples, but they might not grow the sunflowers again.

Want to read my piece on Sojha? Click here.

This is how my experience was when I stayed on the two occasions:

• The Location: Perfect, Banjara style. The most challenging part are the 133 steps leading down to the property from the road where you leave your car. If you go up and down these thrice a day, you can eat all you can and not worry about gaining weight. The property overlooks thickly forested peaks and valleys all around with some fields tended by local farmers. There is no better sight than to sit in the balconies and watch the rain turn the landscape rich green.
• The Accommodation: You have double rooms and suites in the old wing called the Retreat and five deluxe rooms in the new wing called the Cottage.
• The Cottage Rooms: Rooms with the perfect view of the valley around. Each has covered verandahs to sit around in, read books, drink tea and enjoy the views around including the setting sun. The rooms are quite big, with king beds and sofas. The room and the bath flooring are all wooden. The baths are well made with constant running water and geysers to give you hot water when you need. When making a booking, ask for rooms on the top floor. Their verandahs are totally private and you don’t hear the sound of people walking around above you.
• The Retreat: Slightly less plush than the new wing but charming anyway. You have rooms on two levels with a covered verandah running all along. The dining area is in this wing, as is a small library to borrow books from.
• Food: These guys seriously need to do something about the food. Their room rates always includes all three meals, unlimited tea and coffee and cooked snacks with evening tea. And each meal is better and more elaborate than the previous one. It is not heavy, cooked home style, and yet the fare is multi-cuisine. You get Indian, Chinese, Italian and Continental – not all together but by rotation – and it is amazing how their cooks can put such variation together in this wilderness. If you are out on a day hike, they will pack a meal to feed an Army. And all the food is hygienic, wholesome, well presented and tasty. They finally figured they need to cut down on the evening snack as some guests complained of being overfed, but it would invariably be met with howls of protest from at least some guests (including me) who wait all day for their dose of bondas, cutlets, French fries and pakodas.
• Electricity: Generators kick in when power snaps so you need not worry on this count.
• Water: Never does a disappearing act. But it is a matter of concern for the management though. They have had to lay out a water pipe a few miles long to get water to the camp but they are always nervous of it running out.
• Housekeeping: The best investment Banjara makes is in their washing machines. The bedsheets, duvets, pillows and towels always give that crisp, clean and fresh feel when the weather is cold and wet. Rooms are maintained well, and always feel clean. The staff never flinches if you ask for any additional service. They are thoughtful enough to leave a hot water bottle under the duvet every night to keep you extra warm.
• Activities: This is where the Banjara touch comes in. Having been set up by travel and adventure enthusiasts themselves, guests are never short of planned activities. These include guides taking you for hikes through forests, mountains and local villages, or mountain climbing or driving to different attractions. You can join groups already going or have them plan something exclusive for you. Their guides are full of information and anecdotes to make the experiences even more engaging. You can expect a bonfire in the evening at the camp, which is an opportunity to make friends over bar-be-cue snacks and drinks. They always have books, magazines and indoor games handy for guests.
• Tariff: Rs. 4,400 for Retreat, Rs. 6,000 for Cottage. Rates are for a room for two  including meals and taxes.

The final word? Sojha is a heaven tucked away in a quiet corner and yet not too far from civilization for a quick trip too. And Banjara is the place to stay while you are there.

Contact Information
1A, Hauz Khas Village,
New Delhi-110 016
India

Tel:
Kavita: +91 99103 45220
Office Telefax:     +91 11 2685 5152

Web: http://banjaracamps.com

Disclosure: I became a fan of Banjara Camps properties before I became personal friends with the owners and some of their team members. So anything I write in praise is genuine, and  precedes any reasons for positively biased reporting (not that I allow that to come into my writing).

Beds in the Cottage room

The bath in the Cottage room

The verandah in the Cottage room overlooking the valley

The dining area in the corridor of the Retreat

Meals laid out buffet style

Outside view of the Cottage

An exterior view of the Retreat

I stayed at Banjara Camps’ Sangla property two years ago and visited the same recently. Did anything change during this period? Yes, they have come up with their 12 room Retreat which is not tented accommodation but a built up structure. There was a flash flood that took away some of the land – including the original bonfire area – as the Baspa river changed course. You can see signs of trees being swept away on some of the slopes in the valley as the tributaries of the Baspa also decided to take a different path than normal. These minor changes apart, the Sangla Valley remains as beautiful as ever and the Banjara Camp the ideal place to enjoy it.

Rajesh Ojha and Captain Ajay Sud, the folks behind Banjara, created a new category of accommodation in the country when they set up the Sangla property in 1994. It is comfortable yet gives a feel of the rough, is luxurious without your needing to sell your car to stay here. And located far from the madding crowd where few would know exist – and want to go to once they hear of it.

This is how my experience was when I stayed there in June 2007 and then again in May 2009:

• The Location: Perfect. About eight kilometers (five miles) from Sangla town, it is located along the Baspa river. You get to the camp after a two kilometer descent from the highway to bring you level with the adjacent Batseri village. Once there, you are like in a bowl surrounded by wooded peaks all around with apple trees on the property itself. These are in full bloom in August and September; you never know the apple you buy back home might have come from Sangla. The river can be reached by walking a few steps down except when it is in full flow; the sound of the water acts as a lullaby all night long.
• The Accommodation: 12 rooms in the Retreat (their built up cottage) and another 15 or so luxury tents, each en-suite.
• The Retreat Rooms: In mint condition with 2009 being their inaugural here. Wooden floors, balconies to sit and enjoy your tea, comfy chairs to lounge and beds with 8” thick mattresses. There is a loft with a single mattress for an extended family to stay or if you just want a cozy, quiet corner to yourself. The baths are tiled, clean, with hot water geysers and running water throughout.
• The Tents: Comfortable beds, with chairs to sit around. Each tent has its own little verandah type area to sit around or to dry one’s shoes and clothes after some adventure. They all have their own baths with an innovative LPG gas fired geyser to give you running hot water whenever you want.
• Food: These guys seriously need to do something about the food. Their room rates always includes all three meals, unlimited tea and coffee and cooked snacks with evening tea. And each meal is better and more elaborate than the previous one. It is not heavy, cooked home style, and yet the fare is multi-cuisine. You get Indian, Chinese, Italian and Continental – not all together but by rotation – and it is amazing how their cooks can put such variation together in this wilderness. If you are out on a day hike, they will pack a meal to feed an Army. And all the food is hygienic, wholesome, well presented and tasty. They finally figured they need to cut down on the evening snack as some guests complained of being overfed, but it would invariably be met with howls of protest from at least some guests (including me) who wait all day for their dose of bondas, cutlets, French fries and pakodas.
• Electricity: Generators kick in when power snaps so you need not worry on this count.
• Water: Never does a disappearing act. If the water in the river were not freezing or too fast depending on the time of the year, who will want the showers? A jump in the river would have been better.
• Housekeeping: The best investment Banjara makes is in their washing machines. The bedsheets, duvets, pillows and towels always give that crisp, clean and fresh feel when the weather is cold and wet. Rooms are maintained well, and always feel clean. The staff never flinches if you ask for any additional service. They are thoughtful enough to leave a hot water bottle under the duvet every night to keep you extra warm.
• Activities: This is where the Banjara touch comes in. Having been set up by travel and adventure enthusiasts themselves, guests are never short of planned activities. These include guides taking you for hikes through forests, mountains and local villages, or river crossings or mountain climbing or driving to different attractions. You can join groups already going or have them plan something exclusive for you. You will usually have Rajesh or Ajay for company who never miss out on adding that personal touch. They, and their guides, are full of information and anecdotes to make the experiences even more engaging. You can expect a bonfire in the evening at the camp, which is an opportunity to make friends over bar-be-cue snacks and drinks. They always have books, magazines and indoor games handy for guests.
• Tariff: Rs. 5,500 for tents, Rs. 6,000 – 6,500 for rooms in Retreat. Rates are for a room for two  including meals and taxes.

The final word? Banjara is the number you should call if you want to visit a heavenly location, stay in comfort at an affordable price while you are there and have experiences you will be telling your grandchildren about.

Contact Information
1A, Hauz Khas Village,
New Delhi-110 016
India

Tel:
Kavita: +91 99103 45220
Office Telefax:     +91 11 2685 5152

Web: http://banjaracamps.com

Disclosure: I became a fan of Banjara Camps properties before I became personal friends with the owners and some of their team members. So anything I write in praise is genuine, and  precedes any reasons for positively biased reporting (not that I allow that to come into my writing).

CLICK ON ANY OF THE IMAGES FOR A LARGER VIEW

Comfortable seating in the new Retreat rooms

Steps going to the loft in the Retreat room

Beds in the Retreat Room

The balcony in the Retreat rooms

Anyone for a game of basketball?

The Tents

The Baspa river flowing along the camp. Notice the hammock to relax in.

The Retreat from the outside

The dining area in the Retreat

The table they wanted is the one next to the ground sitting. Click on image for a larger view.

Soon after I checked in to my camp at Sarchu (located at the border of Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh) a strange incident took place: a group of people came to the camp in a small truck and asked the manager for Rs. 2,500. He said he was not authorized to do so and they should contact the owner.

The owner does not stay at the camp. And there is no way of contacting him from Sarchu. There are absolute no telephone links of any sort in this desolate high altitude cold desert. And who were these people? They had come from the Gram Panchayat (the local village Government) to collect an arbitrary, unofficial tax from the camp. Seeing the manager adamant in not paying up, they then made a weird sounding request to take the table I was having coffee on. Now why would they want that? So they don’t go back empty handed? When the manager refused again, the villagers left with no collections to show. When I asked the manager why they wanted the table, he had absolute no idea and could only laugh at the absurdity of the demand. He added that these villagers keep dropping in like this and he has perfected the art of shooing them away.

A word about the table: It is a low rise (maybe 18 inches), beautifully carved table with Bhutanese and Buddhist motifs. I wanted to buy one of these while in Leh in the following days but the idea of carrying it an already overloaded car did not seem a good idea. Next time.

I chatted up an old lady sitting by the side of the road outside my hotel in the early morning hours in Jispa, a town in Himachal Pradesh on the way to Ladakh. She was busy knitting, with as calm and happy an expression as one could have in the beautiful setting of this town.

She was waiting to go to work – on a road building project of the Government. Probably a part of rural employment guarantee program introduced by the Congress led coalition in power in New Delhi at the time. One wondered how much of a contribution her ageing body would make. But she did make for a fine conversationalist, telling me a thing or two about life in Jispa.

While some villagers get to work as daily wage labour, like the old lady herself, the main occupation was agriculture in the summer months. The principal crop in Jispa is potatoes, sold mostly in the mandi or wholesale market, and peas which are sold locally. In the extremely harsh winters, when temperatures fall many degrees below zero, locals keep themselves busy knitting apparel and weaving carpets – but only for their own use, not to sell.

Surprisingly, all the children in the area go to school according to her. And teachers come too. She may not have been exaggerating. From the activity I saw in the school, it seemed to be running very efficiently. Mind you, this is a big deal in India where teachers are often absent leading to students staying away, aggravating the illiteracy problem even further. The school operates from 10 in the morning till four in the afternoon. And maintains its schedules in the winters too except when excessive snow makes movement impossible.

She was fine with having her photos taken. Before cheerfully going off with six young lady companions to build the road travellers like me drive on.

Jispa is usually promoted by travel operators as a necessary halt on the way to Ladakh when coming from Manali. Not only are the subsequent distances to Leh and Tso Moriri too much to cover on the same day, but also to enable travellers get acclimatised to the high altitudes of the region. Jispa is located at a height of 10,890 feet above sea level in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh.

[Click here to get driving instructions to reach Jispa from Delhi or Manali]

To be fair to this town, or village, it could well be a destination in itself. When you sleep at night, and all you hear is the Bhaga river along which this village is located, you will know the reason why. But for an occasional vehicle passing by, including some oil tankers at three in the night, Jispa is as quiet as you can hope an inhabited place in India to be. With views as beautiful as you can wish them to be.

[Click on any image for a larger view]

You have not only the river, originating from the Baralachala Pass a few hours drive further on, but the surrounding peaks covered with mist and clouds creating a postcard picture look. Step out early morning for a walk with a drizzle on your face, and soak in the rich greenery around, and wonder why few recommend Jispa for a holiday. You could spend days here, walking along the river or picnicking at spots of your choosing within a few hours driving around. You can also visit the Jispa Rural Museum housing reminders of the history and way of life of the residents of the Tod Valley of the Lahaul district (where Jispa is located), and also buy handicrafts made by local women; I missed seeing it as it was closed. The only place to stay in the modest, yet sporting a large structure, Hotel Ibex (also known as Hotel Jispa).

Locals using roadside tap to wash utensils and to brush their teeth

A stroll in the village can be full of sights in itself. Despite the abundance of water in the river along their houses, many residents still need to depend on a tap on the road for washing utensils, filling water in containers and to even brush their teeth. Early morning sees workers on the way to earn their daily wages at Government road construction sites, including an old woman I chatted up. You have a bus picking passengers with a sign inside prohibiting passengers on seats one to three not to sleep, lest it becomes contagious and the driver gets drowsy himself.

And then you have a karyana (grocery) store run by an ‘ex-man’ Karam Singh – methinks it should have been ex-serviceman; this region is full of those retired from the armed forces. What made for a highly encouraging view was that of the local school. It seemed more active than one would expect it to be; the old woman I spoke to confirmed all children go to school regularly and teachers do so too. It is a big achievement in India where education for most is in a sorry state of affairs. Under the Government’s Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (universal education for all) program, a board highlighted the targets: by 2003 all children had to be in school, and by 2010 all of them should have completed their education till at least the eighth grade. Jispa looked like on course to achieve these milestones.

As common all over Ladakh, Jispa too has some Buddhist chortens (stupas) conveying the usual sense of serenity. As do the Buddhist flags fluttering all over. And then there are the Ladakhi style steps cut on a log of tree that promise to be a stairway to heaven if you can climb these without support.

Make Jispa a destination, not a halting point, the next time you are in these parts. For that heavenly experience.

Locals walking in the drizzle with their cow

Another resident walking in the drizzle

Workers off to earn their daily wages in the morning

A sign in the local school with targets written in Hindi

Few places would lay out the red carpet as Shoja would, as you drive on a 38 kilometer long path lined with apple orchards from Aut to your destination. What awaits is a place that can certainly be regarded as one of those tucked away wonders travellers may miss out on till someone tells them about it.

Off the highway leading to Kullu in Himachal Pradesh, Shoja can be as quiet and picturesque as a writer or artist may wish for, or as adventure filled as any adrenalin overdosed visitor may want it to be. A part of the Great Himalayan National Park, it is just the setting to take walks in the woods and be very close to all the diversity nature has to offer.

If the drive from Aut sets a buoyant mood for your holiday, your hosts at Banjara Retreats provide the cherry, or apple, on the top. Unless you are fine with roughing it out in Government rest houses, Banjara is your only option to stay at Shoja. A mid-budget property, the retreat deserves full credit for the setting they provide. Designed to be in sync with its natural surroundings, with its wooden structure and eco-friendliness, it offers the perfect views of the valleys and peaks around. With its own sunflower bed – the flowers being of a size and colour you only see in pictures – and apple trees, it will take a lot of tugging to get you to move away from here once you are all settled in. The management spoils you even further with very comfortable accommodation and sumptuous meals.

But once you do decide to explore what lies beyond this property, the best way to warm up may be by taking an hour’s hike to a nearby waterfall, again hidden away unless someone guides you to it. The trail branches out from the road leading to Jalori pass -  it is an easy walk, although you still need to watch your footing and some steep edges. Do mind the palm sized mushrooms growing in the middle of the path – if you have a good macro lens, they make for lovely pictures. Once at the waterfall, you can get yourself wet if the chilly water is your idea of fun, and lay out a picnic followed by a siesta.

If you are keen on a road hike, take the five kilometer uphill one from the retreat to Jalori Pass, enjoy a few cups of tea with Glucose biscuits or even a light meal at the dhabas there and head back on foot or in a passing bus. You can also drive up to this pass, park your car and hike to Raghupur Fort. A flat trail, with some steep stretches, through forests of oaks an rhododendrons takes you to a high point on the way offering an almost 360 degree view of the Himalayas, Dhauladhar and Kinnaur ranges.

The history of the fort is not known for sure, but locals believe an erstwhile king of Mandi got it constructed as either a safe house in case of attacks by enemies or as a getaway for his pleasures. Whatever the reasons, and despite scarcity of water, the location could not get better. Ask the sheep and goats – a photo opportunity themselves – who love to graze at the meadows of the fort.

Another trail – six kilometers long – from the Jalori pass takes you the Serolsar Lake. It makes up for its small size with crystal clarity; locals believe you will never find a leaf in this lake despite being surrounded by trees. You will also find a temple close by – never a surprise in Himachal Pradesh known as DevBhoomi, or Land of the Gods. Enterprising locals also set up tea shops here in the summer months, while the Gujjar community also come calling with their buffaloes and cows.

Once you have discovered Shoja, there are only a few other places you will like when planning a short getaway.

Getting There
Shoja is a 522 km, 10-12 hour drive from Delhi. After Ambala, take the NH22 to Zirakpur, and then the NH21 to Aut via Chandigarh, Kurali, Roopnagar, Kiratpur, Swarghat and Mandi. At Aut, 29 kms short of Kullu, turn right. After crossing the Beas, drive through Larji and Banjar to reach Shoja. Aut-Sojha is 38 kms.

You can also go via Simla crossing Narkanda, Kingal and Jalori Pass but this may take longer.

Where to Stay
The only option is the Banjara Retreats property (011-26855152, banjaracamps.com). Click here to read the review. It has very well kept ten double rooms and two family suites. Tariffs range from Rs. 4,400-6,000 for doubles, inclusive of all meals. The more adventurous can seek out the Forest Rest House or the PWD Rest House nearby for low budget, basic accommodation.

I have done some long drives in the course of my travels, but I broke some personal records when I drove from Jispa to New Delhi for 18 hours covering 750 kilometers (470 miles) on my return journey from Ladakh. I took only two half hour stops for lunch and dinner, besides a couple of pitstops.

To put it in perspective, about 400 kms of this drive was in mountainous conditions; these included stretches you would not call roads by any standards. Add to it delays due to landslides and heavy trucks traffic, this was not a bad run at all. Why am I telling you this? I am telling everyone. Hey, come on, I can be forgiven a bit of immodesty.

Jispa is located 90 kms beyond Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh. When I started in the morning from Jispa, no one gave me even an outside chance of making it to Delhi on the same day. Having had a good night’s sleep the previous night, I kept telling myself silently that I can possibly make it provided there are no significant traffic delays. The other challenge was I had been driving for three continuous days before this coming from Zanskar to Jispa with night halts at Kargil and Leh on the way. The body was battered in some ways with the terrain mostly exceptionally bad; but the thought of reaching my own bed ASAP after 23 days of road travel was tempting.

Eventually, I did it. How? Here goes a bit of the progress report:

7:17 am – Left Jispa
7:55 am – Crossed Keylong
10:03 am – Reached Rohtang Pass. A bit of trouble started here: Till nearly Manali from here, the clouds had come low making visibility very poor. Rain and mud from the slushy road made the windscreen dirty, and running out of water for the vipers did not make my job any easier; local drivers playing daredevil behind the wheel, without headlights on and often with mobiles stuck between their shoulder and ear, only added to the danger. I got delayed for about half an hour each at intervals due to landslides.
12:30 pm – Crossed Manali. Not bad so far, despite the slow traffic. My odometer stopped working, not for the first time on this trip, which spoiled my log. Hence no distances given here, only time.
1:55 pm – Reached Apple Valley Resort in Kulu for a lunch break.
2:27 pm – Left after a quick lunch. The good thing is the road quality was nearly perfect from here onwards till Delhi.
3:45 pm – Crossed Mandi. There was challenge I had to overcome from here to Kiratpur: The road was full of trucks and it was not easy overtaking hundreds on them, one at a time, on these narrow roads especially with an equal number coming from the opposite direction.
5:15 pm – Bilaspur. Suddenly I was getting optimistic about making it to Delhi the same night. Fingers crossed.
6:30 pm – Swarghat
6:50 pm – Kiratpur
7:30 pm – Roopnagar (formerly Ropar). I had a decision to make: Either I stop at Chandigarh for the night, or keep going. Once I crossed Chandigarh – about half an hour away – there would be no place to spend the night. Let’s go home!! Took a Red Bull down to give me wings.
9:30 pm – Reached Ambala, stopped at Sagar Ratna for dinner. I got delayed by 20 minutes due to a detour. But I was lucky a policeman told me about a bad traffic jam on a road I was supposed to take. If I gone in, I would have been stuck for hours.
10:00 pm – Left Ambala. Delhi is 200 km away.
10:55 pm – Karnal
11:30 pm – Panipat
12:30 am – Delhi border.
1:17 am – Home

Not bad, eh? Would I recommend you attempt this too? Sure. Remember, you will be driving through mostly inhabited areas, so you can always break the journey when it gets tough to continue. Tell me if you try this.

I had to make a bit of a sacrifice though: I did not stop even when I had an opportunity to click some good pics on the way. Every minute mattered.

I have just come back from Ladakh (in the Indian Himalayas) which I would describe as the trip of a lifetime. I was on the road for 23 days, and personally drove over 4,000 kms (about 2,500 miles) during this period. Yes, the best way to enjoy this region is to drive yourself. A rugged vehicle is a pre-requisite though.

In the coming days and weeks, I will be sharing stories, experiences and pictures of my trip on this blog. Do watch out for the same. In the meantime, to give you an idea where all I went, this was itinerary: (The figure before each location is the day number. Example: 3 indicates day 3).

1: Delhi – Kullu
2: Kullu – Manali
3: Manali – Jispa
4: Jispa – Sarchu
5: Sarchu – Leh
6-13: Stayed in Leh and did day excursions to neighbouring villages and towns
14: Leh – Nubra Valley
15: Day trip to Siachen Glacier, a sensitive military zone because of the conflict with Pakistan over it.
16: Nubra Valley – Alchi
17: Alchi – Kargil
18: Kargil – Padum in Zanskar Valley
19: Padum
20: Padum – Kargil
21: Kargil – Leh via Likir Monastery
22: Leh – Jispa
23: Jispa – Delhi (an 18-hour, 750 km journey in one day!!!)

These two towns are located in the north Indian Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh, and are popular for being home to the Dalai Lama and his Tibetan Government in exile.

This video will take you through some of the images of the place.

If you enjoyed reading the post on the trek to Triund from Mcleodganj in the Indian Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh, (click here if you missed it), then you can enjoy the video below to experience it visually for yourself.

The following is a kind of a log when you trek to Triund. This the experience of someone like me, who drives all over for his travel writings but rarely treks, so the more seasoned trekkers may keep some smart remarks to themselves:

Some related posts before you continue:

• Triund: Beyond the seventh heaven

Going Up

Mcleodganj to Galu Devi Temple: Took a taxi for Rs. 250 ($ 6) from Mcleodganj Galu Devi Temple just ahead of Dharamkot, reducing the total trek from 9 km to 7 km, reducing estimated time from 9 to 7 hours
11:20 am: Started trek
12:15 pm: Break at a shack claiming to be the oldest one on this route, operating since 1984. Owned by Joginder Singh, who said the house behind the shack is 100 years old and built by his grandfather. Ordered soft drinks and tea with some snacks.
12:35 pm: Started again
1:15 pm: Took a break at another shack owned by Dilawar for some more juice and munchies.
1:35 pm: Started again
2:10 pm: Reached Triund

Going Down

11:55 am: Started
12:20 pm: Crossed Dilawar’s shack but did not stop. Just waved to him.
12:50 pm: Stopped at a shack next to Joginder’s. Ordered soft drinks but these turned out to be beyond expiry date. Moved to Joginder’s shack instead.
1:10 pm: Started again
2:00 pm: Reached Galu Devi Temple and took a break at the shack there.
2:20 pm: Started walk to Dharamkot, reached in 20 minutes. Took a 3-wheeled auto rickshaw and reached Mcleodganj by 3:00 pm

Triund happens suddenly. One moment you are puffing up a steep, rocky path with only a mountain wall to your left and a forested valley to the right to be seen. And then, with one last step where the path takes a sharp turn, you are upon a green meadow at 2842.26 metres (9326 ft) above sea level, surrounded by snow capped peaks of the Dhauladhar range, all seemingly an arm’s length away.

And when you step into Triund, there is no option but to pause. Partly to catch your breath, and mostly to absorb what is clearly a breathtaking sight. If there is a seventh heaven, you can be sure you have left even that behind. The feeling is one of being on top of the world, surrounded by a ranges even higher than where you stand.

Some related posts before you continue:

• Trek from Mcleodganj to Triund: A Log

The only way to reach Triund is after a 9-kilometer, 4-hour trek from Mcleodganj (home to the Dalai Lama, situated in the north Indian Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh) or a 7-km one from Galu Devi Temple in Dharamkot (which you can reach by road and save yourself an hour of trekking). There is an option of going on horseback, but I did not see anyone exercising this option while I was there. A plan to connect Triund by cable car was launched with the usual political fanfare a few years ago, but that was the last one heard of it. Locals are only too glad for it; you would not want to go to Triund for reasons mentioned here once the picknickers take over.

What do you once you are in Triund? Some, like an American woman named Megan I met, come up to Triund, have a chai, and head back. Most stay over for at least one or more nights. The more hardy venture beyond, weather and snow levels permitting. Triund is a gateway to a much longer trek beyond the Indrahar pass on the Dhauladhar range.

This is an ideal place to be with nature, to come closer to yourself and to seek Shanti like a girl from Switzerland I got to talk to, discovered. Those who come to these parts of the world to be high on charas seem to be getting a different kind of a pleasure too. If you are one of those who can live without a shower for a long time, this is the where you can plan to lose yourself at. The only reminder of the world left below are some branded foods and supplies being sold at the three shacks set up by enterprising locals, and the music and advertisments playing on the Radio Mirchi FM channel humming constantly from a radio set in the biggest of the shacks owned by Sunil Kumar. Apparently, these are the only signals to reach here; mobiles don’t work.

No need for an agenda here. Enjoy the warm sun in the day, and sit around a bonfire in the evening. Read a book, or write one – it is an ideal setting too feel inspired. There are enough fellow travellers from all over the world – US, Argentina, Israel, Bulgaria and Italy to name just some I met people from – to make friends with, share stories and having low decibel fun. Meditate, do yoga, practice your music – Triund is the place where man and nature can form a bond often not possible in most parts of the world.

Some tips when at Triund

* Accommodation: There are four rooms in a bricks and mortar forest rest house, as well as some in a private guest house. Very basic, with unclean bedding (what do they wash it with?) and no running water. The forest rest house needs to be booked at Mcleodganj itself, and may or may not be available to non government employees. If no one checks in till evening, the caretaker can give you the room for Rs. 80. ($ 2) Lighting is through a CFL bulb powered by a solar panel. Alternately, you can huddle up in one of the shacks (Sunil Kumar’s assistant says they charge Rs. 100 per person), or caves naturally created in the surrounding mountains. (No, you will not be intruding into any house of the three bears, so you can feel safe. This is the testimony of many who go for this temporary housing.) You can pitch a tent too or just put on the layers and sleep in the open in your sleeping bag.
* Clothing: I went late April 2008, and there was no need for any warm clothing during the day. But a hat can help for protection against the sun. But the moment the sun goes down, it is a different proposition altogether. Depending on your constitution, you will need some serious woolens.
* Food and Beverages: Before reaching Mcleodganj, we were made to believe there would be no food and water at Triund. It was suggested we carry ample volumes of mineral water, as well as raw food which the forest guest house caretaker could cook. But no need. The three shacks will sell you hot food on order, biscuits, chocolates, packaged snacks, water, aerated drinks and even beer. But these come at a premium of 50-100 percent on the marked price. Why? Supplies come up on horseback, who take Rs. 300-350 ($7-9) for each trip up and cannot carry too much anyway. But it still does not work out very expensive, with a healthy portion of rice costing about Rs. 40 and chai Rs. 15, as some examples.
* Water: Drink mineral water, or go down to a spring (an hour going and coming back) to get some clean water. The forest rest house caretaker provided us with a jug of water for washing up, but that is just about all the water you can get in Triund.
* Washrooms: When nature calls, no keys to a washroom will be sent. You know what this means.
* Supplies: Get your soaps, toilet rolls, cigarettes and even books from the shacks. Carry your own dope though if you need the high.

If you are looking to stay in a warm, friendly family run place, the Kunga Guest House located in the Himalayan town of Mcleodganj (where the Dalai Lama runs the Tibetan Government in exile) may be tough to beat. Especially after Hollywood stars too have endorsed it.

It is owned by the head of security to the Dalai Lama, and run by his son Nick Tenzing (ably supported by his wife) – all Tibetans. The guest house is unpretentious, very clean and fresh, suprisingly very modestly priced and makes you feel wanted with genuinely warm smiles all around. And it has hosted the likes of Richard Gere and Pierce Brosnan in the past.

I stayed here during a trip to this town in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, would recommend this to anyone who is happy is settings other than plush hotels. Here’s a review:

* Tariffs: Start smiling. These range from Rs. 175 – 600 ($ 4.50 – 15) per night for a double room. The variation is based on room location, amenities and on whether the bath is shared or en-suite.
* The Rooms: The air feels fresh, it looks well scrubbed and the sheets and quilts look very clean and inviting. If you think these should sound as standard features, check out typical hotels in the mountains that tend to be musty due to the climate and rarely give a clean feeling – and they charge 2-5 times of what Kunga does. Some rooms have fans, some don’t. Ditto for television sets. My Rs. 600 room had the former, as well as storage cupboards, sofas, table and a double bed. Nick claims every room is scrubbed clean and sheets changed after every guest leaves – even if stayed just a few hours.
* The Bath: Very basic, but functional and hygienic with a hot water geyser. You are not provided with towels, toilet rolls and soaps though. But you can buy some supplies from the reception, or shops around the guest house.
* Number of rooms: 9 in the main building, 6 in an annexe below the restaurant terrace on the ground level (buildings in the mountains tend to have a few floors above and below the ground level) and a few extra rooms in nearby buildings.
* Meals: They run an excellent vegetarian restaurant within the premises named Nick’s Italian Kitchen (that serves Chinese dishes too without classifying them as so, to be politically correct I guess) open from around 7:00 am – 9:00 pm. The food is tasty, fresh, wholesome and nothing seems to be over Rs. 90 ($ 2.25). A rich American breakfast of a big plate of hash browns, two eggs, two toast, butter, jam and a tea or coffee costs just Rs. 75. Beat that. They also make an excellent banana cake (I did not try other flavours but they looked as good) and freshly brewed coffee.
* Who runs it: Nick’s extended family including a few cousins and nephews. They all stay in this building only. It was set up around 1995. And they are all hands on: Nick’s wife was seen tying mops, his cousins would be cleaning rooms and Nick himself claims to get his hands dirty when need be.
* Connectivity: No telephones or internet; but in Mcleodganj you are never more than a few metres away from a high speed internet café or a public telephone call booth.
* Reservations: They don’t take advance reservations, as they do not believe in asking guests to vacate a room (if they decide to extend their trip). In fact, they didn’t even ask me how many days I wanted the room for: I can check out any day before noon. And then the room is made available to walk-ins. Nick says it is also tough to keep track as people make reservations and then don’t turn up. They believe in keeping business simple. They are also selective about giving out rooms; when I was checking in, a travel agent was told they were full up but we got the rooms. The owners do not seem to be the snooty type; they probably seem to prefer the quiet sort of guests.
* Contact: Kunga Guest House, Bhagsunag Road, Mcleodganj, District Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, India. Tel: +91.1892.221180 / 221569, +91.98160 21180, Email: tenzin_dhonyo@yahoo.co.in.

When you have organizations like Banjara Camps and Retreats to give you a choice of options to stay at, you can forget everything else and just think of the comforts and fun awaiting you.

Click here to read the review.

Once upon a time, there was a small Himalayan village located 3,050 metres above sea level. In the Lahaul-Spiti valley, mostly a cold desert region. Populated by only a few ‘souls’, their homes being caves found on a mountain face of the village. Living at close quarters were some Lamas practicing their faith in what is the oldest continually functioning Buddhist establishment in India. Going back to as far back as 996 A.D.

And all of them have been living happily thereafter. In a time capsule, with their society and culture virtually untouched, before development came knocking on the caves. But the village of Tabo continues on its date with its own karma in the midst of cafes claiming to serve the world’s highest cappuccino or food with positive vibration!

Click here to see the full set of photos taken at Tabo.

Located on what is referred to as the Buddhist circuit, Tabo is located on one side of the Great Himalaya range separating India and Tibet. The central attraction is the ten centuries old Tabo Gompa, or monastery, with distinct modern and ancient compounds. The adjoining helipad does little to take away anything from this structure.

Patronised by the ancient Tibetan royal dynasty of Purang-Guge, the Gompa at Tabo was one of the 108 constructed between the tenth to twelfth centuries AD, when the second diffusion of Buddhism was supposed to have taken place. These were spread across the Lahaul-Spiti valley, Kinnaur region and Ladakh, all a part of present day India, as well as what is now Western Tibet. This involved heavy financial investments, its justification going beyond religious considerations; these monasteries were established along the trade routes of the time to secure lives and possessions. Traders would use these to make night halts as bandits would usually attack in the dark.

Situated in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, the quickest one can get to Tabo from the plains is after a two-day drive. Or longer if one happens to be on a motorcycle or a bicycle as some adventure-seeking tourists, especially from the west, choose to. Unless, of course, you can hitch an unlikely ride with a government or army helicopter on one of their sorties. A piece of advice: the beauty of Tabo lies no less in the journey as in the destination. Take the road like most do, coming from the town of Manali, some 150 miles away. There is an alternate approach from the state capital Simla, but the former is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Its description can be a feature subject in itself.

A town of Buddhists, advertising its identity with religious flags fluttering atop all houses and other structures, accommodation options are modest at best in Tabo. At the upper end is Banjara Retreats with its 70-dollar clean, smart rooms including all meals and hot showers, going down to the very basic of guest houses. The monastery offers rooms at an average of 5-8 dollars a night. A government guest house can take walk-ins, with instant eviction should someone come in with a reservation from a higher office. If one can strike up a rapport, or get a personal reference, a spare bed in a local house can be an option too. The enterprising just camp in the caves. Yes, they do. And even leave their beddings behind when off on a trek, and make fires to stay warm and cook. Who says the cavemen in this village went out forty years back?

The caves are actually a part of the village, located on a mountain face across the road from the man-made structures. Some of these were, and still are, used as places of worship for Buddhists and are under the protection of the archaeological department. The nostalgic ones have even put up doors on a few caves, marking it as their territory as these were homes to their forefathers till as recently as 30-40 years back. Fortunately, there are no known cases of rival claims to these caves informed the manager of my hotel.

The town itself is an island of peace, literally. Other than the passing of an odd vehicle on the state highway on which the town is located, the highest decibels was being emanated from a cow, a species half evolved into a yak and living next to my hotel, who could not stop mooing all day. Or a pack dogs who took it upon themselves to perform a gig with their all-night barking.

The only other loud creatures were a group of tourists from a neighbouring state, all of three generations of a family. And of all the places, they chose the temples within the ancient monastery to make themselves heard loud and clear as resident Lama Sonam took them around!

To use the term loosely, Sonam is a guide Lama taking any tourists around the monastery – as others like him at other monasteries in the valley – without being judgmental in who they show around. Answering all questions patiently, Sonam says he is one of the 45 Lamas living in the monastery; of these, 30 are very young ones. With the exception of the head Lama who is from Tibet, all others are from within the state itself. Tibetan Lamas are mostly to be found in the larger monasteries in the southern part of India.

A wall divides the modern and ancient compounds of the monastery, the latter called Chos-hkhor as signposted at the entrance. This part houses nine temples built between the 10th and the 17th centuries. The main temple, or the gtsug-lag-khang, has served as a true custodian, in every sense of the word, of the history, culture and art of its time. The abundance of primary documents and diligent preservation efforts have ensured the paintings, sculptures, inscriptions and wall texts have stayed largely intact over the centuries.

Within the monastery complex is a stall selling trinkets, reminding me of a similar one I visited at the Ki monastery near Kaza, another town 30 miles from Tabo on the way to Manali. Only this vendor looked a little less trustworthy than the one at Ki. He did not take long to confirm my fears. The headgear of what was claimed to be an ancient armour was being quoted at $1,200 dollars. I wonder how the seller would have reacted if I tried bargaining, starting at fifty dollars! A yak bell I picked up at Ki for just under four dollars was going for 12. And the quality and designs certainly did not match up either. It’s true, no sour grapes here.

Step out of the monastery, and one is spoilt for choice when it comes to cafes. Not necessarily for their offerings, but definitely for their seductive ways. The Third Eye Café promises ‘the world meets here.’ At least its cuisines do; menu covers Indian, Italian, Israeli, Chinese and Continental fares. The Café Kunzom Top, with both open and indoor seating, offered all this and local Spitian dishes too. While I did not try what they claimed was the world’s highest cappuccino and espresso, my partner did commend the herbal tea made patiently over 20 minutes.

Not feeling the need for any alternative to Red Bull, I skipped the Zion Café claiming to be a ‘Full Power Restaurant’ serving ‘all types of food and positive vibration.’ And how did they conjure up such magic potions? Tough to say, as a sign outside their kitchen ‘respectfully’ requested guests to stay out. I did try out a chocolate cake and black coffee at the German Bakery, a namesake of the more famous one at Manali. When I asked the owner Raju, a native of Nepal but settled in Manali, if his bakery was linked to the more popular one, I was not surprised when he claimed it to be owned by his cousins. I would take that with a pinch of coffee, as one gets related to one another rather conveniently in these parts. Add another pinch to that as my snack left much to be desired. Will try Raju’s ‘cousins’ next time.

Tabo is ideally suited to those wishing to ruminate all day like the next-door chooru cow, as it is called, or seeking some high adrenalin adventure. The village is a gateway to treks taking you through mountainscapes emulated by only a few other locations in the world. Mountain biking, mobike trips, white-water rafting, rappling, mountain climbing are possible around Tabo – on your own steam or assisted through specialist agencies. I took the middle path, limiting my excursions to exploring the town and the fields. A day should be enough to get a good look and feel of the town; you may extend your trip depending on how many layers of its history and art you want to explore.

Closer linkages to the rest of the world and governmental intervention has had some positive effects on the local economy. For one, it is striking to see Tabo as a green oasis in what is otherwise a brown, rocky and dusty cold desert region. Being in the rain shadow belt, the full bodied Spiti river running along this town and through the rest of the valley has not been of much value over the centuries. Reason? Level ground being much higher than the river, there was no way to bring this water into the irrigation system until now, and that too in a limited manner. The monastery has been pro-active too, although more out of necessity. The Lamas have resorted to planting their own apple orchards for supplementing their income, adding to the greening of the place. Times have changed since the kings of Purang-Guge provided for the needs of these monasteries.

Besides apples, the other cash crop of the region is a variety of peas, positioned amongst the premium varieties. According to manager of my hotel, almost every home in the village has at least one government employee providing the much-needed financial support. Besides, the government is quite charitable in this region with aid and grants from time to time, for political reasons of course.

If you hang around long enough in Tabo, you may see the present Dalai Lama, 14th in the lineage, coming to spend the rest of his years in retirement in this town. Or that is what some tourist guides will have you believe. Sonam and some of the other Lamas and locals I spoke to have not heard of any such plans though. Whatever the Dalai Lama’s travel plans may be, make sure you have yours in place. With Tabo featuring at the top.

Getting to Tabo
The only means to get to Tabo is by road. Coming from the plains via the city of Chandigarh, one could come via Simla, the capital of Himachal Pradesh, or Manali. The latter is recommended any day, and I can vouch for it. The drive up to Manali is on a smooth national highway, but get ready for some excitement after that. The 150 miles from Manali to Tabo takes you through Rohtang Pass, and then the even higher Kunzum La, or pass, located at 4551 metres above sea level. (That’s almost as high as Mont Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps at 4810 metres!!). Much of the journey is on what would barely pass as a road, with glacial diversions sending the car on the dry parts of the beds of the Chandra-Bhaga river. This, and the Spiti river later on the route, will keep you company through much of the journey. The landscape gets progressively browner from the evergreen Manali, but no less beautiful and majestic. It’s Vancouver, the Grand Canyon, the Alps and more all thrown into one. A full description of this journey can be a travelogue in itself.

The drive can take around 12 hours, so early departure from Manali is advised. But trust me on my word: you will not have enough even in this long drive, and will only end up desiring for more. I drove, but tourists from outside the country may prefer hiring a SUV cab with an experienced driver. Do be prepared for a bumpy ride though.

You may want to break journey for a day or two at Kaza, 30 miles before Tabo. Kaza is also the last point to re-fuel for nearly 120 miles in either direction.

Being close to the Tibetan borders, foreigners require interline permits issued at check-posts on the way. This can take from a few minutes to even a day. Food options are limited on this route, so a packed canteen is advised.

Accommodation in Tabo
No Ritz-Carlton here, but you do not have to rough it out either with the options available. May and June are the toughest to get rooms due to school holidays. Try these:

• Banjara Retreats: Relatively top-of-the-line, serving excellent food. Rooms are basic, but clean with bed-linen giving a fresh feeling. Hot showers in the bath. A group of American School students were staying at another guest house while I was there, but chose to have their meals here instead. Rooms are about US$ 70 a night, all meals included. Call +91.11.26861397/26855152, banjara@vsnl.com, www.banjaracamps.com
• Tabo Monastery: Has rooms, starting at four dollars a night, meals extra. Contact: Tabo Ancient Monastery, Village & P.O. TABO, District Lahaul & Spiti, Himachal Pradesh 172113, India. Tel: +91.1906.223333/ 223315 Fax: +91.1906.223403
• Government Guest House: Usually reserved for government officials and their families, including their distant kin and kith, rooms can be given to tourists if vacant. To make sure you sleep the complete night, pick up a confirmed booking voucher from their office at Kaza on the way if coming from Manali. They may still give you the room, but reserve the right to ask you to leave if someone comes with a confirmed booking. No telephonic or web bookings. Rates vary from four to ten dollars, meals extra.
• The Caves: Yours for the taking, cannot confirm if safe to leave your belongings unattended when out. Stay clear of caves marked as personal territory. Anyway, there are enough vacant ones going around.
• Myriad guest houses, best booked when you are there after checking quality. If your mode of transport allows, pack in some bed sheets and towels if you care for that clean feeling.

When to go
May to October is best. Most places to stay are closed from November to February due to heavy snow when access to Tabo is virtually impossible. Will need to provision for delays if going in July and August as the monsoons (rainy season) can cause road blockages and slow traffic on the way. Tabo itself, like the rest of the Spiti valley, gets very little rain though.

Staying connected
The town had only one working pay phone, which would end up being an impatient wait when some American School girls would chat endlessly with their parents and boyfriends. But then again, you don’t go to Tabo with hurry on your mind. An internet café exists, only to be out of order for a couple of months. Mobiles do not work, except maybe the state run BSNL ones. A tour operator was seen with a satellite phone, unlikely to be a feasible option for most.

Hey, you have travelled to nearly the top of planet to have an another-world experience. Do not worry about contacting Earthlings left behind.