Category: Blog
Backpacking & hiking in Spiti (Tabo, Dhankar & Lhalung)
“Spiti valley backpacking & hiking (Tabo, Dhankar and Lhalung) ‘You mean to say we are walking between villages in Spiti?’, I asked, making a puzzling face. ‘Yes, as much as we can’, Arpita replied with conviction in her voice.” I debated between waiting for hitching a ride, but considering that it was already past 4…
Dangerous Trek Routes in India (Cases of Avoidable Accidents & Deaths)
I made a lot of mistakes and tempted fate when I started chasing my passion for the mountains. Fortunately, I am still alive to tell the tale. However, one of my close friends is not. He succumbed to his injuries while chasing his passion. All we are left with now is deep regret and a…
Unexplored Kinnaur – Rusklang village of Ropa Valley
Kinnaur in northeast Himachal, surrounded by Tibet in the east, is the least explored and the second least populous district, after Lahaul & Spiti, in Himachal Pradesh, India. The old Hindustan-Tibet road, the ancient Silk Route, passes through Kinnaur along the banks of Sutlej River. Kinnaur Kailash is a peak (6500 meters) in Kinnaur, considered…
Delightful Charang Village of Kinnaur
After trekking for what seemed like most part of the day from Thangi & Lambar, we reached Charang – a delightful little village. I had no clue what lay ahead of us – the Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama (otherwise known as Charang-La pass)! Charang, last village on Indo-Tibet border One of the most challenging, once in a lifetime adventures I’ve had…
I Stayed in Key Monastery for 3 Days (and Savoured Tsampa)
This is how things unfolded in Spiti Valley, —quietly, unexpectedly. On the morning of 22 September 2018, I woke early and looked out of the guesthouse window in Kaza. The bright grey landscape that had stretched endlessly the previous day was now transformed. Overnight, it had disappeared beneath a white blanket of sleet and snow.…
Khimloga (Khimlay) Pass Recce From Chitkul Side
Khimloga or Khimlay pass; it is no longer used by the Shepherds and traders. It is an old trade route between Lewari (Uttarakhand) and Chitkul in the Baspa Valley or Sangla Valley. We enquired with the locals about this pass, but no one seemed to have crossed it. One of the locals said that earlier…
Auden’s Col : Rabbit is calling; 3-pass Trek
Trek team: Raacho Trekkers Day Zero: Gangotri June 4,2022 The thing about the Auden’s Col 3 passes expedition is that it is something that you can’t just put in a bucket; it needs a cauldron.😀 For four to five years I was harboring a desire to try my feet, both feet at it; when Navtej…
First trek report of Lamkhaga pass (from Chitkul side)
The drive from Sangla to Chitkul is over a paved road that is maintained regularly. The only valley that had etched an image vividly in the mind so far was the Harsil valley. But, as I followed the meandering course of the Baspa upstream, along the highway in that Jeep, I became aware that I…
Charang Monastery: The Oldest Temple in Kinnaur
My first ever trek was to Kedarnath in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand, a small town in the Garhwal Himalayas flanked by snow-covered peaks, famous for its Shiva temple. Almost a decade later, when I got the opportunity to do the Kinner Kailash Parikrama trek, I was thrilled! After traveling in public transport, bikes, and cars, what I enjoy…
Auden’s Col: #1 Trek Expedition in India
Last 25 days I have been to the most exotic yet most secluded corners of Indian Himalayas. I have hiked and climbed one of the most challenging and dangerous regions during this expedition. I was extremely lucky to witness some incredible landscapes and was lucky to see it’s fascinating yet unique wildlife. Auden’s Col Expedition…
