As someone said, ‘A story lives forever when told’ and here is my attempt to capture the story of my first Himalayan expedition to SAR Pass. I have always believed that “Its better to see or experience something once than to hear about it a thousand times…”
Why and how did I decide to register for this event: I have always dreamt of the magnificent snow clad mountains- the Great Himalayas(abode of snow). Himalayan ranges are diverse, spanning over thousands of miles and consists over a hundred mountains and has always been fascinating to me.
Trekking on a snow trail, walk closer to nature that will take you into the heart of the mountains, away from civilization into the midst of nature has always been my dream and am glad it finally came true with this expedition.
It’s been a walk closer to nature with a touch of adventure and will be very special to me.
Last year I missed an opportunity to trek into Himalayas and was in regret and so this year in Jan when I came across this trek I did not waste any time to register for it. Luckily, I have a supportive and encouraging family and I didn’t have to go through any drama that usually people go thru :).
Oh yes, you have to book 6 months in advance for this and the seats are fast filling…
I and my friend Nazneen from Pune booked for 28th May batch.
Preparations and travel plans: This being my first trip to north India, I thought of visiting places that were in my bucket list by taking few more days off. Proud that it was executed as planned and had a great time exploring the culture, people, food and overwhelming beauty that India has.
Reached Delhi on 24th May and our 3 day tour to Delhi, Agra and Amritsar began. Here is the link to my photo album of my trip….
When it comes to preparations…. I had a list of things to carry and started to buy them a month in advance (thanks to Dechathlon being so close to my place). I also knew I had to be physically fit and hence had a regular exercise regime to be followed along with good diet. Also came the Bangalore marathon and decided to go for it to test my endurance. Enjoyed the run and that got me the confidence about my fitness.
Now that I was confident about my physical fitness and bag packed, was ready for the adventure.
3 day acclimatization at the Base camp:
As I reached Kasol on 28th, I felt like being in a world different than ours. Every sight you see, every sound you hear and every breath you take is a delight to the senses. It was a kind of trailer for me to what I would be experiencing in the coming 11 days :).
Reached YHAI base camp at 8.30am, completed the check in forms, submitted the medical certificates, and got our ID cards and tent numbers allotted.
I thought of penning down about each day trek experiences;
If you wish you escape this story, click here to read my view and summary on the overall trek.
28th May: This was the reporting and resting day. Since we had the entire day, we visited Manikaran. Saw the famous hot springs, had veg momos and did some shopping. On our return, we met our batch mates, and tent girls. YHAI has a fixed schedule to be followed in the camps and every night, we had camp fires (with No actual camp fire :)) where a batch would entertain the crowd and then call off for the day.
29th May: Got up early, had tea and got ready for 1 hr exercise at 6.30am. We were asked to run to a ground which was nearby where we did good workout. I found the workouts really useful for long run and something we should follow in our routine exercise. Once we were back from the exercise, we had our acclimatization trek to a nearby mountain. My adventure begins with this day…
Jagadish was the guide for the day and he had asked us to follow the path that was made and he was guiding the rest of our co-trekkers behind us. I was ahead with Rakesh, Hiren and Pranit and at a point where we got 2 paths, we decided to take the path which seemed to be less travelled and also seemed to be a shortcut J. It was just 4 of us ahead and we continued the path and it was after a long hike that we realized that we were climbing the wrong hill. Thanks to the mobile signal availability, we could trace the rest of the group. We then got back to the old path and finally reached the destination… Was a good adventure for us… figuring out and trying a new route, good acclimatization and got to know each other well.
That was the first lesson learnt- When you have a bigger group, you cannot afford to just go ahead and cannot try newer routes by yourself, especially when your guide is not together.
After this experience, everytime Rakesh, Hiren and I would trek/walk together (other trek routes) we would still try out shortcuts and have a laugh about this incident, something we will never forget :D.
Pic: Myself, Hiren and Rakesh.
This was the day we got to know that our group SP28 comprised of 18 girls and 26 boys- total of 44.
Every group has their own slogans, just a means for cheering and encouraging your group.
We had prepared a few for our group;
Chalenge hum sang sang, SP28 hai DABANGG!!!!!
Tapelema shero che, SP28 hero che
5,6,7,8 Smart girls of SP28
Leaders of our group;
Group Leader: Mario
Co-Leader: Parin
Environment Leader: Anuradha
Master of Ceremony: Anuragh
It was our group who had to organize the Campfire tonight and we had a couple of great singing, dance and solo acting performances by our group.
Fire Fire CampFire!!
30th May: 3rd day at the camp and we were supposed to have rock climbing and rappelling but unfortunately it was raining and we could not do it. It was a resting lazy day for us but we had a greater task of preparing your bagpack and get it approved from the leaders about its weight. They had instructed us to not carry more than 4kgs and so all had a tough job of managing to carry all necessary stuffs and not make it weigh more.
If you are confident enough of carrying the luggage, I do not think you should be worrying much about it. It is more of a caution for people who are trekking for first time and not aware about it.
This was our SAR Pass trek route. We were to camp at 6 camps in the coming 7 days and return back to kasol base camp on 8th day.
31st May (Kasol to Grahan): Since the last 2 days, you have been seeing off a batch for their trek and today it was our turn. Our group of 44 trekkers departed for our trek and it was great being greeted, cheered and getting wishes from everyone.
Details: Grahan- 7700ft, 9kms stretch from kasol.
This route is pretty easy; you walk along the Grahan river side. The views were spectacular as we trekked alongside the riverbank. You walk through the forest which is scenic, come across small bridges with gushing river flowing under it and beautiful red and purple flowers which is treat to your eyes. On our way we also encountered a huge herd of sheep, variety of them…
As we approached Grahan village, we came across village kids asking for toffees, the mango bites we had. Spent time talking to them, shared our toffees as we reached the campsite.
Beautiful Smiles- Photo Credits: Rahul
This village had about 80 houses and all houses there are built using wood and stones and had unique architecture. The campsite is beautiful, a green land surrounded by snowclad Mountains.
We got enough time to roam around the camp that day, took pictures and visit the beautifully wooden carved temple.
This was the camp where we got to bond well with each other and had funtime chatting and taking photographs together.
Parin in the local dress, PC-Srinivasan
1st June(Grahan to Padri):
Detail: 9300ft, 9kms stretch from Grahan
We were told that this route is the easiest but we had a different experience due to the heavy rains that day. The rain god did not show any mercy on us that day and many of them had breakdowns and were on the verge of giving up on the trek.
It was then that I realized that it is the people in your journey who make the experience even more exciting. Its a mix of people, all hailing from different walks of life and adding a new color to the whole expedition, together discovering the treasures of the natural beauty. All of them will have their own perspectives about nature, beauty, etc.
The rain, cold wind and high altitudes all added up to the cold. Our hands got almost numb mid-way and normal climbs seemed much tougher. As we reached the campsite, we all felt the relief.
I believe in this saying…
Talking about our problems is our greatest addiction.
Break the habit and talk about your joys – Rita Schiano
All your worries and problems just start fading away the moment you get connected to the nature, to the majestic mountains around you. That satisfaction, the amazement and the awe that you feel when you set your eyes on those amazing views is truly magical
Padri is one of the most beautiful camps. I guess all our prayers worked and the climate got better by evening.
As the climate got better and we could see some sun, we got our cameras out and tried all fun poses with the snow clad mountains in the background. Had a great funtime here and we all wished for the climate to be in our favour for the coming days.
2nd June(Padri to Min Thatch):
Details: 11200ft, 12kms stretch from Padri
I found this route to be the toughest amongst all not only because it was a 12 kms stretch but because of tough steep trails through forests as we ascending higher in attitude and rocky boulders to be conquered with all the luggage we had.
We all headed slowly taking everyone together and reached Ratapani which was lunch point for us.
The sight of Rahul searching for mobile network here and the joy on his face when he could send a SMS to his fiancé was funny, but cute :).
Initially, Ratapani used to be the Campsite but since it is covered with snow, it becomes difficult to stay and manage and hence it was moved to Min Thatch which is around 1.5kms away.
Though the distance sounds pretty simple to conquer but the steep climbs and rock climbing made it difficult and stressful.
But the transition from plain greenlands to dense forests with some snow patches on the way to the rocky boulder stretch and back to the grasslands surrounded by snow clad sivalik ranges with beautiful landscapes was a treat for all the exhaustion and difficulties.
The journey was tiring, but fascinating.
I and Swapnil left early from Ratapani with the arrow marking being our guide and were the first ones to reach Min Thatch by 4pm. Later that day, I heard that there were rumors of me and Swapnil missing the route…. LOL, how could that happen when our group “Sherpa” was with me, our very own Swapnil. We called him “Iron Man” because we never saw him wearing jackets or any thermals in those extreme cold weather and was always way ahead leading the team when our guides used to take care of rest of the team behind.
He had just completed the Chandrakani trek and was in trek marathon to SAR Pass. At Min Thatch, I was hearing about his trek experiences and learnt about Mountaineering course conducted about HMI and NIM.
This pic was taken when Rahul and Rohan reached the campsite and it turned out to be mystery solving photo for Rohan who realized that his jacket was at Ratapani lunch point and was lucky enough to get it back too :).
Cant forget the Aloo Bondas we got here with Tea, it was like a gift for all the pains taken. Sometimes, you do not realize the importance of things and appreciate things way back home unless you live in such remote areas. I felt the joy a kid would have when he gets a candy ;)
Every new day we had a new mission to accomplish and it would always conclude leaving us amazed by the beautiful gift from nature. Every camp was like a new home with a lot of things to offer.
The sunrise and sunset were to die for, it showed the nature to its best of the colors.
3rd June(Min Thatch to Nagaru):
Details: 12500ft, 8kms stretch from Min Thatch
We were informed by the Camp leader that today’s pathway was narrow and we need to follow the line discipline and no one would overtake others. We kept the slow walkers at the start of the line and we were all walking like ants, following each other. Though I did not find the route that difficult, but yes when you have a big group, you got to have that discipline maintained. As we trekked, we came across snow and had to cross them. It was here that we first encountered our walk on snow. Making foot steps on ice and walking becomes difficult when ice is melting, chances of slipping is high and you need to walk patiently.
The first walk on snow was scary and adventurous, truly fascinating :).
We had our lunch on a mountain cliff where we got a clearer view of the sivalik ranges and seeing your destination getting closer was motivating.
Photo Credits: Rahul Jiwane
Post lunch, the trek got much steeper and we were amidst snow as we reached Nagaru. We were on a snow land, just play, rollover, slide over snow and have your gala time. It was like we were in heaven and the view was magnificent. This was the first site where we got network and all could talk to their dear ones.
We had time till 7pm and so decided to do some photoshoots, slide on the snow, play around with snow. We were all here for this, so why miss any opportunity. I loved the slide I tried here on foot with Rakesh who had mastered the slide on foot. We stopped only when we got warnings from guides there for being crazy and not maintaining discipline. There had been incident previously when a young boy slipped off and went straight down the mountain L and hence we were restricted to play around post which all came down to the tents and waited for sun to set behind the mountains.
We all aspired and had wished to see some Himalayan birds, but sadly we always came across only eagles and crows. Rahul was running around trying to capture the flying bird and after lot of efforts, he finally captured it in his camera, Kudos to him!
Srinivasan, religiously was capturing the landscapes and our various groups photos…
Gujju Boys group- PC: Srinivasan
There were a lot of high points for me at Nagaru, but the one that was breathtaking was the beauty of starry sky in a snowy camp site. It was awe-inspiring moment for me to see the pollution free sky full of stars…
It was time to sleep early since we had to be ready by 4am next day for our trek to SAR Pass.
4th June(Nagaru to SAR Pass and then to Beskari):
Details: SAR Pass- 13800ft and then Beskari-11000ft, a total of 14kms stretch from Nagaru.
Finally the day we had all dreamt of had arouse and we were all excited for it. We left the camp by 4.15am and we had to follow the guides strictly since the climbs are steep and you are walking on snow. 1 Slip could be fatal and so you got to be disciplined.
Don’t worry you will get your time to play around and have fun-time later as you reach the top, but it is necessary you take everyone with you and walk at their pace.
We reached SAR Pass by 8am, it was beautiful on the pass, and the views from there were tremendous. We could see the sivalik ranges to its best. There was snow everywhere and we had good time at the pass, enjoying tea at such an altitude, which you could think of only in dreams :P
Then very soon came our first slide which wasn’t that steep, but since I used my rain poncho, it gave acceleration to my slide and I had my first scary, funny, crazy slide. I did not topple but was turned over, got into different slide path but finally reached down ;). I could feel snow on my face while sliding and was super high after that :P. I could not wait for my next slide, but for that to happen; we had to walk a really long and steep mountain under the scorching sunlight. Can you imagine experiencing cold and the heat at the same time… This walk was almost like never ending and strenuous, but once you reached the peak, a feeling of accomplishment sweeps through your body that you can conquer anything you want if you have the will to do it.
The slide from this peak was steeper and thrilling. I went for the slide and in no time was at the bottom, it was magical, felt the snow on my face, mouth and by now was confident and wanted to do many more slides :). I and Rahul went on together talking, finding slopes for slides, trying all possible tricks to slide down, falling down and having laughs about it… Oh I cant forget it and wish to relive it again. I could see aunty enjoying herself to her best sliding through the snow and not feeling any scared. I am sure this was a highlight for all of us in the entire trek.
At lunch point, we all shared our snacks, had maggi and spoke of our slide experiences. We easily had about 5-6 slides by now and were all wet. When we thought we were done with slides, there we got few more slides on way to Biskari, was a kind of bonus for me since I had wished for few more :D
Rohan and I chatted about our work, places and IT cultures as we descended down to Biskari Camp site. It was after reaching Biskari that we realized that our faces were tanned and mine was the horrible of all I guess, thanks to the UV rays exposure at SAR Pass, but did not worry much about it :)
By now, many were injured due to the slides and fed of staying the tents and wanted to escape away ;). So, 10 of them decided to leave for Kasol base camp directly and skip Bhandak Thatch.
At Biskari, we had good time talking about the entire trek, experiences we had and played cards in the tent. Guys got so engrossed into the game that they came late for dinner and missed the lovely Gulab Jamuns served ;)
I wanted to go to Bhandak Thatch since I had heard so much about this place and when you getting to see Switzerland without visa then why not ;) :P, just kidding…
5th June(Beskari to Bhandak Thatch):
Details: 8000ft, 12kms from Beskari
This route was the simplest of all since it was descend throughout except for last 20 mins where you have to climb to reach Bhandak.
The route was through the forest full of huge pine trees, water falls on way and climb down through a narrow rock patch using rope. Aunty was slow during descend and so we took it slow and enjoyed the nature before we said goodbye to it forever. Abhijeet, Pranit, Rahul, Rohan and I started off asking puzzles, riddles and shared jokes on our way to Bhandak. It was an entertaining journey…
After reaching Bhandak which is also called Mini Switzerland, the view was beautiful but I could not resist myself from climbing more up to get the spectacular view.
I and Rahul along with his camera decided to go up and click the beautiful red, golden leaves tree on the top which looked awe from bottom. As usual I am bound to some trouble always… as we reached the top, the guide asked us to come down since it was restricted area and was not safe as bears can come in and attack you.
But, am glad we went up, because the view was amazing. Lush green grassland surrounded by snowclad mountains and horses grazing around….. it was amazing J
So, 34 of us took a group photo together for one last time. Srinivasan was generous enough of taking different group pics, individual pics for all.
The thought of leaving this place and going back to our routine life was saddening. Saying good bye to the mountains and all the friends I met during the trek was painful.
Day ended with playing dumb charades and antakshari at Campfire, the last campfire of our trek.
Uncle with our dear "Sheru".
We missed Sheru here, he had ditched us and I guess escaped back to Kasol base camp from Biskari only.
.
6th June(Bhandak Thatch to Barshani):
Details: 6600 ft, 10kms stretch from Bhandak Thatch
It was completely a descend route and aunty knowing this had left half an hr earlier with uncle and Srinivasan. I decided to take it slow as we descended so that I could spent more time with the nature,
With the beautiful mountains and absorb as much as i could before i left this place. Decided to be the sweeper (person who stays back last in the group) and was at the last :).
Mid way, we met Uncle, aunty and Dhiraj, Abhi, Pranit, Rahul and I continued our walk together as we continued with our puzzles, GK questions, jokes and singing songs. Every time, we met the local people, we would ask them time to reach the base and they would say just half an hr left and that half an hour never came :P, the route seemed to be never ending.
As we saw the Wooden houses, it was a relief that we had reached Barshani village and planned for our lunch menu :D. But sadly, the journey didn’t end there, we had to reach the bus stand which was another hour journey in the scorching sunlight… :(
The second part of our walk was less pleasant and energy-sucking :(.
Finally reached the bus stand and took the 1.30pm bus back to Kasol. Took bath in nice cold water at the camp and that was when I saw my sun-burnt face, specially my nose badly tanned. But, nothing in front of the heavenly experience I had in the Himalayas. It will take sometime for my skin to get back to normal, but this time spent in the mountains, memories I have will stay forever :).
Had great time collecting certificates from the Camp leaders amidst all cheers from co-trekkers that day in the Camp fire :D.
We all exchanged our contact details and it was time to pack bags for tomorrow’s departure.
7th June: Departing was sad… we took some pics together and I left for Manali with Srinivasan. At Manali, visited the famous Hadimba temple, did shopping and left for Delhi. The return via bus refreshed all my memories and eyes filled with tears for leaving this wonderful place.
My overall experience:
Learnings from Nature and my experience:
I am speechless and there are honestly no words to describe the beauty of the Himalayan Mountains.
I feel privileged and proud that I have lived and experienced the Himalayan heaven.
The mountains have taught me so much about life, I feel enlightened, happier and content with myself.
Lessons about myself, my strengths and weaknesses, learnt how to appreciate what I’ve got and how to be more humble. Don’t get discouraged by the pains/hardships you experience and never give up. Face the problems with brave heart and mind and learn to adapt to the new reality of demanding physical and mental challenges and to the conditions.
I made it and I am proud of myself. I am proud that I could see and experience a different blissful world which is slowly fading away due to our modernization.
Sometimes it is more important as to how you enjoy the journey rather worry about reaching the destination. Just enjoy each moment as it comes and you will get to explore a better "You" in yourself.
Trekking not only needs good physical fitness but an equally mental acceptance and willingness to conquer what you intended to, face any consequences that may come bravely and experience the "Getting High" feeling which you would cherish for lifetime.
A special mention about Patil family; It was my pleasure to know Mr and Mrs personally and Dhiraj during this journey. They have done a lot for local treks in Maharashtra and had started their preparations for this trek months before knowing the toughness of this trek.
I got to learn a lot from them; Being together always and supporting each other in every step taken, Enjoying the journey and take things +vely even in adverse situations. Rather than complaining about things you should always focus and talk about good things around. Enjoy the moments and have a jolly and happy atmosphere around. I think we as youngsters have got to learn a lot from them and they were truly inspiring couple for us.
Tent girls: Anuradha, Sayali, Jaee, Parin, Priyanka, Priya, Nazz, Kalpana Aunty and Myself :);
It was a mix of all kind of people. Miss all those nights spent talking about our problems and realizing that everyone is going through the same was a relief. Ignoring the negative thoughts that came in and trying to keep ourselves positive. Going for the nature calls mid-night together and supporting each other was great.
Getting panicked on seeing spider, scorpio, snails, rats etc in our tents was fun.
Cheers to you all lovely ladies!
YHAI experience: It was my first experience with YHAI and must appreciate their effort to make it a success and help us accomplish our dream of conquering SAR Pass. Arranging for good food, guides and camp sites at such high altitudes in such low expenses is credible. Hats off to the volunteers who contribute their time and offer helping hands for this event to become a success.
This trek has left me wanting for more... though this 1 wish is off my bucket list, there are a couple more that have got added in the list with the hope to accomplish them too :D.
I am wondering what the next expedition will be like and what surprises will the Himalayas have in store for me this time..
Hot soup Time
I am missing all those wonderful places visited, the lovely people I met in this journey and whenever those memories flash in front of my eyes it puts a smile on my face :).
Photo Courtesy: Srinivasan, Rahul Pranit, Dhiraj.
Here is the link to my SAR Pass album
Entire group at SAR Pass- PC: Srinivasan
Slogans we said during our treks:
Jai Shivaji, jai bhavani
Ganapati bappa morya
Would like to conclude with this inspiring quote;
“Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience.” - Paulo Coelho
Why and how did I decide to register for this event: I have always dreamt of the magnificent snow clad mountains- the Great Himalayas(abode of snow). Himalayan ranges are diverse, spanning over thousands of miles and consists over a hundred mountains and has always been fascinating to me.
Trekking on a snow trail, walk closer to nature that will take you into the heart of the mountains, away from civilization into the midst of nature has always been my dream and am glad it finally came true with this expedition.
It’s been a walk closer to nature with a touch of adventure and will be very special to me.
Last year I missed an opportunity to trek into Himalayas and was in regret and so this year in Jan when I came across this trek I did not waste any time to register for it. Luckily, I have a supportive and encouraging family and I didn’t have to go through any drama that usually people go thru :).
Oh yes, you have to book 6 months in advance for this and the seats are fast filling…
I and my friend Nazneen from Pune booked for 28th May batch.
Preparations and travel plans: This being my first trip to north India, I thought of visiting places that were in my bucket list by taking few more days off. Proud that it was executed as planned and had a great time exploring the culture, people, food and overwhelming beauty that India has.
Reached Delhi on 24th May and our 3 day tour to Delhi, Agra and Amritsar began. Here is the link to my photo album of my trip….
When it comes to preparations…. I had a list of things to carry and started to buy them a month in advance (thanks to Dechathlon being so close to my place). I also knew I had to be physically fit and hence had a regular exercise regime to be followed along with good diet. Also came the Bangalore marathon and decided to go for it to test my endurance. Enjoyed the run and that got me the confidence about my fitness.
Now that I was confident about my physical fitness and bag packed, was ready for the adventure.
3 day acclimatization at the Base camp:
As I reached Kasol on 28th, I felt like being in a world different than ours. Every sight you see, every sound you hear and every breath you take is a delight to the senses. It was a kind of trailer for me to what I would be experiencing in the coming 11 days :).
Reached YHAI base camp at 8.30am, completed the check in forms, submitted the medical certificates, and got our ID cards and tent numbers allotted.
I thought of penning down about each day trek experiences;
If you wish you escape this story, click here to read my view and summary on the overall trek.
28th May: This was the reporting and resting day. Since we had the entire day, we visited Manikaran. Saw the famous hot springs, had veg momos and did some shopping. On our return, we met our batch mates, and tent girls. YHAI has a fixed schedule to be followed in the camps and every night, we had camp fires (with No actual camp fire :)) where a batch would entertain the crowd and then call off for the day.
29th May: Got up early, had tea and got ready for 1 hr exercise at 6.30am. We were asked to run to a ground which was nearby where we did good workout. I found the workouts really useful for long run and something we should follow in our routine exercise. Once we were back from the exercise, we had our acclimatization trek to a nearby mountain. My adventure begins with this day…
Jagadish was the guide for the day and he had asked us to follow the path that was made and he was guiding the rest of our co-trekkers behind us. I was ahead with Rakesh, Hiren and Pranit and at a point where we got 2 paths, we decided to take the path which seemed to be less travelled and also seemed to be a shortcut J. It was just 4 of us ahead and we continued the path and it was after a long hike that we realized that we were climbing the wrong hill. Thanks to the mobile signal availability, we could trace the rest of the group. We then got back to the old path and finally reached the destination… Was a good adventure for us… figuring out and trying a new route, good acclimatization and got to know each other well.
That was the first lesson learnt- When you have a bigger group, you cannot afford to just go ahead and cannot try newer routes by yourself, especially when your guide is not together.
After this experience, everytime Rakesh, Hiren and I would trek/walk together (other trek routes) we would still try out shortcuts and have a laugh about this incident, something we will never forget :D.
Pic: Myself, Hiren and Rakesh.
This was the day we got to know that our group SP28 comprised of 18 girls and 26 boys- total of 44.
Every group has their own slogans, just a means for cheering and encouraging your group.
We had prepared a few for our group;
Chalenge hum sang sang, SP28 hai DABANGG!!!!!
Tapelema shero che, SP28 hero che
5,6,7,8 Smart girls of SP28
Leaders of our group;
Group Leader: Mario
Co-Leader: Parin
Environment Leader: Anuradha
Master of Ceremony: Anuragh
It was our group who had to organize the Campfire tonight and we had a couple of great singing, dance and solo acting performances by our group.
Fire Fire CampFire!!
30th May: 3rd day at the camp and we were supposed to have rock climbing and rappelling but unfortunately it was raining and we could not do it. It was a resting lazy day for us but we had a greater task of preparing your bagpack and get it approved from the leaders about its weight. They had instructed us to not carry more than 4kgs and so all had a tough job of managing to carry all necessary stuffs and not make it weigh more.
If you are confident enough of carrying the luggage, I do not think you should be worrying much about it. It is more of a caution for people who are trekking for first time and not aware about it.
This was our SAR Pass trek route. We were to camp at 6 camps in the coming 7 days and return back to kasol base camp on 8th day.
31st May (Kasol to Grahan): Since the last 2 days, you have been seeing off a batch for their trek and today it was our turn. Our group of 44 trekkers departed for our trek and it was great being greeted, cheered and getting wishes from everyone.
Details: Grahan- 7700ft, 9kms stretch from kasol.
This route is pretty easy; you walk along the Grahan river side. The views were spectacular as we trekked alongside the riverbank. You walk through the forest which is scenic, come across small bridges with gushing river flowing under it and beautiful red and purple flowers which is treat to your eyes. On our way we also encountered a huge herd of sheep, variety of them…
As we approached Grahan village, we came across village kids asking for toffees, the mango bites we had. Spent time talking to them, shared our toffees as we reached the campsite.
Beautiful Smiles- Photo Credits: Rahul
This village had about 80 houses and all houses there are built using wood and stones and had unique architecture. The campsite is beautiful, a green land surrounded by snowclad Mountains.
We got enough time to roam around the camp that day, took pictures and visit the beautifully wooden carved temple.This was the camp where we got to bond well with each other and had funtime chatting and taking photographs together.
Parin in the local dress, PC-Srinivasan
1st June(Grahan to Padri):
Detail: 9300ft, 9kms stretch from Grahan
We were told that this route is the easiest but we had a different experience due to the heavy rains that day. The rain god did not show any mercy on us that day and many of them had breakdowns and were on the verge of giving up on the trek.
It was then that I realized that it is the people in your journey who make the experience even more exciting. Its a mix of people, all hailing from different walks of life and adding a new color to the whole expedition, together discovering the treasures of the natural beauty. All of them will have their own perspectives about nature, beauty, etc.
The rain, cold wind and high altitudes all added up to the cold. Our hands got almost numb mid-way and normal climbs seemed much tougher. As we reached the campsite, we all felt the relief.
I believe in this saying…
Talking about our problems is our greatest addiction.
Break the habit and talk about your joys – Rita Schiano
All your worries and problems just start fading away the moment you get connected to the nature, to the majestic mountains around you. That satisfaction, the amazement and the awe that you feel when you set your eyes on those amazing views is truly magical
Padri is one of the most beautiful camps. I guess all our prayers worked and the climate got better by evening.
As the climate got better and we could see some sun, we got our cameras out and tried all fun poses with the snow clad mountains in the background. Had a great funtime here and we all wished for the climate to be in our favour for the coming days.
2nd June(Padri to Min Thatch):
Details: 11200ft, 12kms stretch from Padri
I found this route to be the toughest amongst all not only because it was a 12 kms stretch but because of tough steep trails through forests as we ascending higher in attitude and rocky boulders to be conquered with all the luggage we had.
We all headed slowly taking everyone together and reached Ratapani which was lunch point for us.
The sight of Rahul searching for mobile network here and the joy on his face when he could send a SMS to his fiancé was funny, but cute :).
Initially, Ratapani used to be the Campsite but since it is covered with snow, it becomes difficult to stay and manage and hence it was moved to Min Thatch which is around 1.5kms away.
Though the distance sounds pretty simple to conquer but the steep climbs and rock climbing made it difficult and stressful.
But the transition from plain greenlands to dense forests with some snow patches on the way to the rocky boulder stretch and back to the grasslands surrounded by snow clad sivalik ranges with beautiful landscapes was a treat for all the exhaustion and difficulties.
The journey was tiring, but fascinating.
I and Swapnil left early from Ratapani with the arrow marking being our guide and were the first ones to reach Min Thatch by 4pm. Later that day, I heard that there were rumors of me and Swapnil missing the route…. LOL, how could that happen when our group “Sherpa” was with me, our very own Swapnil. We called him “Iron Man” because we never saw him wearing jackets or any thermals in those extreme cold weather and was always way ahead leading the team when our guides used to take care of rest of the team behind.
He had just completed the Chandrakani trek and was in trek marathon to SAR Pass. At Min Thatch, I was hearing about his trek experiences and learnt about Mountaineering course conducted about HMI and NIM.
This pic was taken when Rahul and Rohan reached the campsite and it turned out to be mystery solving photo for Rohan who realized that his jacket was at Ratapani lunch point and was lucky enough to get it back too :).
Cant forget the Aloo Bondas we got here with Tea, it was like a gift for all the pains taken. Sometimes, you do not realize the importance of things and appreciate things way back home unless you live in such remote areas. I felt the joy a kid would have when he gets a candy ;)
Every new day we had a new mission to accomplish and it would always conclude leaving us amazed by the beautiful gift from nature. Every camp was like a new home with a lot of things to offer.
The sunrise and sunset were to die for, it showed the nature to its best of the colors.
3rd June(Min Thatch to Nagaru):
Details: 12500ft, 8kms stretch from Min Thatch
We were informed by the Camp leader that today’s pathway was narrow and we need to follow the line discipline and no one would overtake others. We kept the slow walkers at the start of the line and we were all walking like ants, following each other. Though I did not find the route that difficult, but yes when you have a big group, you got to have that discipline maintained. As we trekked, we came across snow and had to cross them. It was here that we first encountered our walk on snow. Making foot steps on ice and walking becomes difficult when ice is melting, chances of slipping is high and you need to walk patiently.
The first walk on snow was scary and adventurous, truly fascinating :).
We had our lunch on a mountain cliff where we got a clearer view of the sivalik ranges and seeing your destination getting closer was motivating.
Photo Credits: Rahul Jiwane
Post lunch, the trek got much steeper and we were amidst snow as we reached Nagaru. We were on a snow land, just play, rollover, slide over snow and have your gala time. It was like we were in heaven and the view was magnificent. This was the first site where we got network and all could talk to their dear ones.
We had time till 7pm and so decided to do some photoshoots, slide on the snow, play around with snow. We were all here for this, so why miss any opportunity. I loved the slide I tried here on foot with Rakesh who had mastered the slide on foot. We stopped only when we got warnings from guides there for being crazy and not maintaining discipline. There had been incident previously when a young boy slipped off and went straight down the mountain L and hence we were restricted to play around post which all came down to the tents and waited for sun to set behind the mountains.
We all aspired and had wished to see some Himalayan birds, but sadly we always came across only eagles and crows. Rahul was running around trying to capture the flying bird and after lot of efforts, he finally captured it in his camera, Kudos to him!
Srinivasan, religiously was capturing the landscapes and our various groups photos…
Gujju Boys group- PC: Srinivasan
There were a lot of high points for me at Nagaru, but the one that was breathtaking was the beauty of starry sky in a snowy camp site. It was awe-inspiring moment for me to see the pollution free sky full of stars…
It was time to sleep early since we had to be ready by 4am next day for our trek to SAR Pass.
4th June(Nagaru to SAR Pass and then to Beskari):
Details: SAR Pass- 13800ft and then Beskari-11000ft, a total of 14kms stretch from Nagaru.
Finally the day we had all dreamt of had arouse and we were all excited for it. We left the camp by 4.15am and we had to follow the guides strictly since the climbs are steep and you are walking on snow. 1 Slip could be fatal and so you got to be disciplined.
Don’t worry you will get your time to play around and have fun-time later as you reach the top, but it is necessary you take everyone with you and walk at their pace.
We reached SAR Pass by 8am, it was beautiful on the pass, and the views from there were tremendous. We could see the sivalik ranges to its best. There was snow everywhere and we had good time at the pass, enjoying tea at such an altitude, which you could think of only in dreams :P
Then very soon came our first slide which wasn’t that steep, but since I used my rain poncho, it gave acceleration to my slide and I had my first scary, funny, crazy slide. I did not topple but was turned over, got into different slide path but finally reached down ;). I could feel snow on my face while sliding and was super high after that :P. I could not wait for my next slide, but for that to happen; we had to walk a really long and steep mountain under the scorching sunlight. Can you imagine experiencing cold and the heat at the same time… This walk was almost like never ending and strenuous, but once you reached the peak, a feeling of accomplishment sweeps through your body that you can conquer anything you want if you have the will to do it.The slide from this peak was steeper and thrilling. I went for the slide and in no time was at the bottom, it was magical, felt the snow on my face, mouth and by now was confident and wanted to do many more slides :). I and Rahul went on together talking, finding slopes for slides, trying all possible tricks to slide down, falling down and having laughs about it… Oh I cant forget it and wish to relive it again. I could see aunty enjoying herself to her best sliding through the snow and not feeling any scared. I am sure this was a highlight for all of us in the entire trek.
At lunch point, we all shared our snacks, had maggi and spoke of our slide experiences. We easily had about 5-6 slides by now and were all wet. When we thought we were done with slides, there we got few more slides on way to Biskari, was a kind of bonus for me since I had wished for few more :D
Rohan and I chatted about our work, places and IT cultures as we descended down to Biskari Camp site. It was after reaching Biskari that we realized that our faces were tanned and mine was the horrible of all I guess, thanks to the UV rays exposure at SAR Pass, but did not worry much about it :)
By now, many were injured due to the slides and fed of staying the tents and wanted to escape away ;). So, 10 of them decided to leave for Kasol base camp directly and skip Bhandak Thatch.
At Biskari, we had good time talking about the entire trek, experiences we had and played cards in the tent. Guys got so engrossed into the game that they came late for dinner and missed the lovely Gulab Jamuns served ;)
I wanted to go to Bhandak Thatch since I had heard so much about this place and when you getting to see Switzerland without visa then why not ;) :P, just kidding…
5th June(Beskari to Bhandak Thatch):
Details: 8000ft, 12kms from Beskari
This route was the simplest of all since it was descend throughout except for last 20 mins where you have to climb to reach Bhandak.
The route was through the forest full of huge pine trees, water falls on way and climb down through a narrow rock patch using rope. Aunty was slow during descend and so we took it slow and enjoyed the nature before we said goodbye to it forever. Abhijeet, Pranit, Rahul, Rohan and I started off asking puzzles, riddles and shared jokes on our way to Bhandak. It was an entertaining journey…
After reaching Bhandak which is also called Mini Switzerland, the view was beautiful but I could not resist myself from climbing more up to get the spectacular view.
I and Rahul along with his camera decided to go up and click the beautiful red, golden leaves tree on the top which looked awe from bottom. As usual I am bound to some trouble always… as we reached the top, the guide asked us to come down since it was restricted area and was not safe as bears can come in and attack you.But, am glad we went up, because the view was amazing. Lush green grassland surrounded by snowclad mountains and horses grazing around….. it was amazing J
So, 34 of us took a group photo together for one last time. Srinivasan was generous enough of taking different group pics, individual pics for all.
The thought of leaving this place and going back to our routine life was saddening. Saying good bye to the mountains and all the friends I met during the trek was painful.
Day ended with playing dumb charades and antakshari at Campfire, the last campfire of our trek.
Uncle with our dear "Sheru".
We missed Sheru here, he had ditched us and I guess escaped back to Kasol base camp from Biskari only.
.6th June(Bhandak Thatch to Barshani):
Details: 6600 ft, 10kms stretch from Bhandak Thatch
It was completely a descend route and aunty knowing this had left half an hr earlier with uncle and Srinivasan. I decided to take it slow as we descended so that I could spent more time with the nature,
With the beautiful mountains and absorb as much as i could before i left this place. Decided to be the sweeper (person who stays back last in the group) and was at the last :).
Mid way, we met Uncle, aunty and Dhiraj, Abhi, Pranit, Rahul and I continued our walk together as we continued with our puzzles, GK questions, jokes and singing songs. Every time, we met the local people, we would ask them time to reach the base and they would say just half an hr left and that half an hour never came :P, the route seemed to be never ending.
As we saw the Wooden houses, it was a relief that we had reached Barshani village and planned for our lunch menu :D. But sadly, the journey didn’t end there, we had to reach the bus stand which was another hour journey in the scorching sunlight… :(
The second part of our walk was less pleasant and energy-sucking :(.
Finally reached the bus stand and took the 1.30pm bus back to Kasol. Took bath in nice cold water at the camp and that was when I saw my sun-burnt face, specially my nose badly tanned. But, nothing in front of the heavenly experience I had in the Himalayas. It will take sometime for my skin to get back to normal, but this time spent in the mountains, memories I have will stay forever :).
Had great time collecting certificates from the Camp leaders amidst all cheers from co-trekkers that day in the Camp fire :D.
We all exchanged our contact details and it was time to pack bags for tomorrow’s departure.
7th June: Departing was sad… we took some pics together and I left for Manali with Srinivasan. At Manali, visited the famous Hadimba temple, did shopping and left for Delhi. The return via bus refreshed all my memories and eyes filled with tears for leaving this wonderful place.
My overall experience:
Learnings from Nature and my experience:
I am speechless and there are honestly no words to describe the beauty of the Himalayan Mountains.
I feel privileged and proud that I have lived and experienced the Himalayan heaven.
The mountains have taught me so much about life, I feel enlightened, happier and content with myself.
Lessons about myself, my strengths and weaknesses, learnt how to appreciate what I’ve got and how to be more humble. Don’t get discouraged by the pains/hardships you experience and never give up. Face the problems with brave heart and mind and learn to adapt to the new reality of demanding physical and mental challenges and to the conditions.
I made it and I am proud of myself. I am proud that I could see and experience a different blissful world which is slowly fading away due to our modernization.
Sometimes it is more important as to how you enjoy the journey rather worry about reaching the destination. Just enjoy each moment as it comes and you will get to explore a better "You" in yourself.
Trekking not only needs good physical fitness but an equally mental acceptance and willingness to conquer what you intended to, face any consequences that may come bravely and experience the "Getting High" feeling which you would cherish for lifetime.
A special mention about Patil family; It was my pleasure to know Mr and Mrs personally and Dhiraj during this journey. They have done a lot for local treks in Maharashtra and had started their preparations for this trek months before knowing the toughness of this trek.
I got to learn a lot from them; Being together always and supporting each other in every step taken, Enjoying the journey and take things +vely even in adverse situations. Rather than complaining about things you should always focus and talk about good things around. Enjoy the moments and have a jolly and happy atmosphere around. I think we as youngsters have got to learn a lot from them and they were truly inspiring couple for us.
Tent girls: Anuradha, Sayali, Jaee, Parin, Priyanka, Priya, Nazz, Kalpana Aunty and Myself :);
It was a mix of all kind of people. Miss all those nights spent talking about our problems and realizing that everyone is going through the same was a relief. Ignoring the negative thoughts that came in and trying to keep ourselves positive. Going for the nature calls mid-night together and supporting each other was great.
Getting panicked on seeing spider, scorpio, snails, rats etc in our tents was fun.
Cheers to you all lovely ladies!
YHAI experience: It was my first experience with YHAI and must appreciate their effort to make it a success and help us accomplish our dream of conquering SAR Pass. Arranging for good food, guides and camp sites at such high altitudes in such low expenses is credible. Hats off to the volunteers who contribute their time and offer helping hands for this event to become a success.
This trek has left me wanting for more... though this 1 wish is off my bucket list, there are a couple more that have got added in the list with the hope to accomplish them too :D.
I am wondering what the next expedition will be like and what surprises will the Himalayas have in store for me this time..
Hot soup Time
I am missing all those wonderful places visited, the lovely people I met in this journey and whenever those memories flash in front of my eyes it puts a smile on my face :).
Photo Courtesy: Srinivasan, Rahul Pranit, Dhiraj.
Here is the link to my SAR Pass album
Entire group at SAR Pass- PC: Srinivasan
Slogans we said during our treks:
Jai Shivaji, jai bhavani
Ganapati bappa morya
Would like to conclude with this inspiring quote;
“Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience.” - Paulo Coelho
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