Tag: Hiking
Spiti Valley’s Icy Embrace: Climbers Tale of 3 Frozen Waterfalls
Once I reached the top, there was a small rock surrounded by dry grass. Snow had sloughed off the surface due to the steepness and sunshine. I was in a meditative state as I was all alone at that point without any noise except the faint soothing sound of the river flowing much below me…
Beauty And Hardships Of Living in Kinnaur & Spiti Valley During Wintertime
I arrived at a hotel in Narkanda following the one of the most challenging journeys of my life in recent years. It was a nice hotel, and the owner and staff were friendly and very kind. I visited this part of India before the pandemic (in 2019) and things have changed quite dramatically in less…
Temso – A High Altitude Sacred Lake in Kinnaur
Temso (also spelled as Tem Tso) is a sacred glacier fed lake located high (4979 meters) above Lippa and Labrang villages of Kinnaur. Each year, on 20 bhado, a flower festival — called Fluiach/Ukhayang/Minthko — is celebrated by the villagers of Lippa, Labarang, Kanam and Ropa valley at the shores of this Lake. The Tibetan…
Top Photo Spots on Spiti Valley (Circuit) Road Trip
Wrapping up my series on the best photo spots from my trip to the Kinnaur and Spiti valley of Himachal Pradesh! Escaping the daily grind, we started on a week-long adventure in the majestic Greater and Trans Himalayan mountains of Himachal Pradesh. The first day was a treat for my taste buds as we indulged…
Tso Moriri – Hiking Shores of Ladakh’s Azure Lake
Sitting alone in silence on a mound overlooking the staggering blue waters of Tso Moriri, while the cold mountain winds froze my face in the searing afternoon heat of high altitude, it felt like life came full circle. Five years before this moment, I was standing at that very same spot where the jeep track…
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…
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…
