Sunday, June 11, 2006
A journey to another world
The call of snow peaked Himalayas always make me forget everything. Last month I was forced to respond and took a group of boys for adventure tour to Manali, Solang Nala and Beas Kund. The total tour was for 10 days from Hyderabad. As usual it was an out of the world experience for all of us. Let me take you also.
I will start our journey from New Delhi, because that will give convenient tips to any of you wish to make his/her own trip. Manali is 565 kms from Delhi. The convenient way of reaching Manali is via Delhi. Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corpn. runs regular Tourist (AC/ Non-AC) buses from Delhi. The bus starts from HPTDC office at Janpath around 5-30 P.M. Advance booking is necessary.
After a not so descriptive journey, we reached Manali at 10-30 A.M. next day.
Manali is a famous tourist spot in Himachal Pradesh. Manali derives its name from sage Manu (of Manu Smriti fame). It seems at the time of great deluge when the world was submerged under water, Manu came here on a boat bringing the essential trees etc. for a new world.
Manali is a beautiful place from where you can see the snowcapped mountains of Himalayas. The river Beas flows through this place. A visit to Hadimba temple is a must. It seems Bhima, the second of the five Pandavas, killed the demon Hadimb and married his sister Hadimba. The specialty of the temple I found in its roof, which is a four-tiered pagoda shaped. There is a Tibetan Monastery with beautiful thanka paintings. A visit to Vasisht Kund will take you to a natural sulphur spring. During late May, day temperature is reasonably high, but nights are cool. In peak tourist season the place is full of tourists. Old Manali has kept its charm. Walk down the bank of river Beas is wonderful.
Day one of our trekking started from Manali to Solang (8134 ft.). The picturesque trek through villages. Old Manali, Goshl and Barua village took us to Solang. Solang is famous for day out for the tourists. There is slope for paragliding. Most of the tourists enjoy the beauty of Solang. We halted at Solang for the day. To acclimatize the boys we took them for a high altitude trek to Shivling. Here the waterfall continuously falls on a Shivling. There was practice of River crossing across Beas river. The night temperature is very low here. This is the last village we will cross in this trek. From tomorrow we have to stay in tent.
Next morning we trekked to Dhundi (9200 ft) and camped there. Now really we are in the lap of Mother Nature. My mastery of English language is not enough to describe the beauty of the Himalayas. The vegetation is slowly changing. Only shrubs and small trees in place of tall trees here. Whatever way you look at, the great vast Himalayas is around you. A visit to this kind place makes us realize how small we are in this vastness.
The day again spent in acclimatizing playing some volleyball etc.
Next morning we started for Bakarthach (10800 ft.) after a 4 kms trek. Now we are in the land of Ice and snow. Trekking on Snow is new experience for all the boys. From Bakarthach we went to Beas Kund (12,500 ft.), the source of river Beas. The trek was tough. But after reaching there all the boys were very happy. The joy of achievement could be seen in their eyes. The toll of high altitude effect (it changes your personality), and the physical strain of trekking, could be seen in their body language. I remembered my younger days. During every trip to the Himalayas, the physical strain used to be so high that we would swore that no more trip for us. But by the time we used to return back to plain and during train journey from Delhi to Hometown, we used to start planning for the next trip. That is the love for the Himalayas.
From Manali one can go to Rohtang Pass which is open only during end of June to September October. One can go to Lahul and Spiti area which is desert in mountains. One can also go to Leh via Rohtang Pass. There can be lot of small trekking tours organized from Manali. Anyone who does not have the strength of high altitude trekking can go to Manali for a beautiful holiday. One can make a trip to Kullu and Manali. Dussera festival of Kullu is very famous.
I will start our journey from New Delhi, because that will give convenient tips to any of you wish to make his/her own trip. Manali is 565 kms from Delhi. The convenient way of reaching Manali is via Delhi. Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corpn. runs regular Tourist (AC/ Non-AC) buses from Delhi. The bus starts from HPTDC office at Janpath around 5-30 P.M. Advance booking is necessary.
After a not so descriptive journey, we reached Manali at 10-30 A.M. next day.
Manali is a famous tourist spot in Himachal Pradesh. Manali derives its name from sage Manu (of Manu Smriti fame). It seems at the time of great deluge when the world was submerged under water, Manu came here on a boat bringing the essential trees etc. for a new world.
Manali is a beautiful place from where you can see the snowcapped mountains of Himalayas. The river Beas flows through this place. A visit to Hadimba temple is a must. It seems Bhima, the second of the five Pandavas, killed the demon Hadimb and married his sister Hadimba. The specialty of the temple I found in its roof, which is a four-tiered pagoda shaped. There is a Tibetan Monastery with beautiful thanka paintings. A visit to Vasisht Kund will take you to a natural sulphur spring. During late May, day temperature is reasonably high, but nights are cool. In peak tourist season the place is full of tourists. Old Manali has kept its charm. Walk down the bank of river Beas is wonderful.
Day one of our trekking started from Manali to Solang (8134 ft.). The picturesque trek through villages. Old Manali, Goshl and Barua village took us to Solang. Solang is famous for day out for the tourists. There is slope for paragliding. Most of the tourists enjoy the beauty of Solang. We halted at Solang for the day. To acclimatize the boys we took them for a high altitude trek to Shivling. Here the waterfall continuously falls on a Shivling. There was practice of River crossing across Beas river. The night temperature is very low here. This is the last village we will cross in this trek. From tomorrow we have to stay in tent.
Next morning we trekked to Dhundi (9200 ft) and camped there. Now really we are in the lap of Mother Nature. My mastery of English language is not enough to describe the beauty of the Himalayas. The vegetation is slowly changing. Only shrubs and small trees in place of tall trees here. Whatever way you look at, the great vast Himalayas is around you. A visit to this kind place makes us realize how small we are in this vastness.
The day again spent in acclimatizing playing some volleyball etc.
Next morning we started for Bakarthach (10800 ft.) after a 4 kms trek. Now we are in the land of Ice and snow. Trekking on Snow is new experience for all the boys. From Bakarthach we went to Beas Kund (12,500 ft.), the source of river Beas. The trek was tough. But after reaching there all the boys were very happy. The joy of achievement could be seen in their eyes. The toll of high altitude effect (it changes your personality), and the physical strain of trekking, could be seen in their body language. I remembered my younger days. During every trip to the Himalayas, the physical strain used to be so high that we would swore that no more trip for us. But by the time we used to return back to plain and during train journey from Delhi to Hometown, we used to start planning for the next trip. That is the love for the Himalayas.
From Manali one can go to Rohtang Pass which is open only during end of June to September October. One can go to Lahul and Spiti area which is desert in mountains. One can also go to Leh via Rohtang Pass. There can be lot of small trekking tours organized from Manali. Anyone who does not have the strength of high altitude trekking can go to Manali for a beautiful holiday. One can make a trip to Kullu and Manali. Dussera festival of Kullu is very famous.
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