Valley of Flowers: The Approach

Route covered so far:
Delhi – Haridwar – Rishikesh – Devprayag – Srinagar – Rudraprayag – Karnaprayag – Nandprayag – Chamoli – Pipalkoti – Joshimath – Auli– Govindghat– Ghangaria

Govindghat to Ghangaria:

One kilometer away from Govindghat’s main road, the zigzag mule track begins at Pulna and I notice it has a mark of being 13 kms away from Ghangaria. Journeying from Govindghat to Ghangaria would mean an ascent of 1,220 metres (over 4,000 feet).

It is past 11:30 am. Filled with enthusiasm, I am so enamored with the beauty of the place that, save for a brief stop by at a roadside kiosk to buy a plastic raincoat, I begin the trek right away. The raincoat came of use as it kept drizzling on and off during the rest of the journey. Though it is cool, the looming noon sun beats down on me mercilessly, and makes me wish I had begun the trek early that morning. But then I take solace in the fact that I had a glorious time during my overnight stay at Auli.

I trek relatively easy carrying my backpack for the first two hours during which I ascend about 400 metres or so. At one point, during a steep climb, I suddenly realize that I’ve got to ascend more than 800 metres for the day and then begin to acutely feel the strain of the weight of my backpack. Then I recalled Murphy’s law that backpack strap width decreases with distance hiked. To compound that, I feel its weight miraculously kept increasing. Not just that, as if it is meant to ease my woes, its weight load kept migrating up and down my back as I continue walking. I felt at that time that 80% of its contents could have been left behind at home, but then who knows, the 20% left behind might be just what I need.

Mountain Village

Jokes aside, my backpack weighed about 7 kilograms and on hindsight, had I known that it was nothing but an upward incline all the way, even for that little weight, I’d have taken the help of one of the porters right from Govindghat itself. After trekking for 3-4 kms, I cross the beautiful Bhuyundar village, a cluster of modest houses with the backdrop of misty mountains. I chance upon a porter - who was to charge me only Rs 200 or so to carry it up to Ghangaria - and toss my backpack at him with relief. Thereafter my ascent gets easier and I am comparatively more relaxed to enjoy the rest of the journey.

Pilgrims on animals

For those who are not in the mood for trekking, there's a choice of hiring an animal. For that matter, there are crudely assembled palanquins available for the benefit of the faint hearted (pilgrims mostly, as I believe hikers are tough); and to carry children, also pittoos. Pittoos, porters of mostly Nepali origin, carry kids of the pilgrims in cane-woven baskets on their backs.

A pilgrim being carried on a palanquin

Whether a mule is hired, or a palanquin or a pittoo, one ought to be ready to balance well, because those paths can be treacherous at times. I’d strongly suggest to trek, and enjoy the opportunity to stop at free will to absorb in the splendor and beauty of bountiful nature. It is definitely worthwhile trekking at one’s own pace to soak in the beautiful Himalayan experience.

I come across many pilgrims on their way to or returning from Hemkund Sahib. When compared, trekkers going to or returning from the Valley of Flowers are far and few. The path is, at places, strewn with mule dung. I often hear the pilgrims chanting ‘Waahe Guru’ when able to spare a breath; some of them filling palms of climbers with glucose, toffees, and to those who need it, words of encouragement to egg on. Little do they know that I am one of the few on my way to the Valley of Flowers, not Hemkund, where most seem to be obviously heading. I am quite surprised to see some of these pilgrims undertaking the arduous journey barefeet! But then I often feel the power and strength of religious sentiments is beyond my comprehension.

Brahma Kamal, a rare Himalayan plant
(it was misty when I shot this picture)

I stop often to admire the exotic flora and the many spots of cascading waterfalls from the great heights into the valley before joining the roaring waters of the flowing Lakshman Ganga. The river flows almost parallel to the trek path and gives me company most of the way. The long journey is a bit tiring but beautiful all the way.

River Lakshman Ganga flows

Twice, I take tea-breaks at shacks during the 7 hours trek. I watch pilgrims looking dreamy through the mist plodding along the steep trek path, wearing colorful raincoats. Both times, I choose a spot that has the River Lakshman Ganga running close to the shacks. The effect of the gurgling river has a soothing effect. The marvelous feeling of sipping tea in such surroundings is something that I can’t experience even in 5-star surroundings.

I continue trudging along. Tired towards the end, the journey of the last 2-3 kms only gets more steep but there is no time to rest my weary feet as I am intent on reaching Ghangaria before sunset. Then I come across a helipad area, and a cluster of tents. I know from what I had read online that this is an indication that I have almost reached.

Approaching Ghangaria

Finally after 6 pm, I am glad to reach Ghangaria. Being a base for hikers and pilgrims going to either Valley of Flowers or Hemkund, I find the place is crowded for mountain dwelling standards. I intend to stay at the GMVN accommodation, though fully aware of an unsuccessful attempt at making an advance reservation with them. Their website stating booking can be made only 3 days in advance was also of little help as I had left on my journey by then. As I head towards the GMVN quarters, I notice a major part of their building gutted by fire. Upon inquiries, I learn that their remaining wing is fully booked as their dormitory was destroyed by fire. I sincerely hope it is not a case of arson at this great height in the Himalayas!

The sun having set now, I scout around and fortunately find a damp-walled but tidy lodge with clean attached bathroom and promptly check into it. It is getting dark, and the mist enveloping the area gives me little idea initially of how actually the place looks like.

In the twilight, at one point, I watch the fog clearing up and voila..I see before me just a few feet away from the lodge a huge mountain side, like a tall wall looming right in front of me. I feel it real close like a spectacular wallpaper on my PC monitor but this is real and beautiful nature! It is an exhilarating experience spending time in the midst of these towering peaks some of which are at a height of more than 20,000 feet above sea level.

Ghangaria from a height

I cover up well to protect from the freezing weather to go out for some early dinner in anticipation of having an early night in Ghangaria. I am just one night away from the day that was to dawn when I would be in the Valley of Flowers finally. With pleasant thoughts of anticipation of that day, I fall asleep.

“Towards the end, the mountains have appeared nearby,
yet not close enough not to be in awe of them.”

To be continued…

Previous Related Posts:

• Valley of Flowers: Introduction
• Valley of Flowers: Reaching Govindghat

Valley of Flowers: Reaching Govindghat

Following my Introductory Post, I shall continue to write hereinafter some more posts on the details of my journey to the Valley of Flowers.

Map borrowed and modified

Route covered so far:
Delhi – Haridwar – Rishikesh – Devprayag – Srinagar – Rudraprayag – Karnaprayag – Nandprayag – Chamoli – Pipalkoti – Joshimath – Auli– Govindghat

I take a night train from Delhi to Haridwar. Haridwar early morning is enigmatic. Then I embark on an almost 300 kms journey up the mountains that includes a morning stroll and a tuk-tuk ride to Rishikesh and a long bus journey of almost 6 hours via Devprayag and Srinagar to Rudraprayag for an overnight stay in the Government-run GMVN hotel.

The next day, in a ‘sharing taxi’ the rest of the journey from Rudraprayag through scenic Himalayan landscape keeps me spellbound through Karnaprayag and Nandprayag - at the confluences of the beautiful mountain rivers. The tributaries of the Ganges River gives company most of the journey. Reaching Chamoli, and overcoming the landslide episode, I reach Joshimath and have the choice to continue up to Govindghat. But something within me opts to stopover at Auli.

Locals chatting up - a long range shot from moving cable car

That has been a good decision I must say for the awesome experience in Auli from the time I ascend to the place in a cable car till I return through the same ropeway next morning.

Auli at 5:35 am

The trekking day begins on a beautiful morning from Auli. The Nanda Devi National Park is about 20 kms away from Joshimath, from where the trek to the Park can begin. A ‘sharing jeep’ that squeezed in about 10 people from Joshimath covers a distance of 21 kms to Govindghat. At each turning I feel like pulling out my camera and shooting photographs. But give up on the thought of doing so from the moving vehicle and then simply begin to enjoy the passing mountain scenery and the cool breeze.

Reaching Govindghat

I reach Govindghat and sit down to have some maggi noodles and tea as I am soon to commence the first leg of my journey to the Valley of Flowers by foot. From the window of the tiny roadside restaurant I can see the mesmerizing views of the majestic mountain and it is surprising to see quite a few people in this small mountain town.

Govindghat

I can see most of them are pilgrims who are either: going to or returning from the Hemkund Sahib, holy to the Sikh religion; or on their way to or from Badrinath, holy for Hindus. So Govindghat is an important junction for pilgrims of Hindu and Sikh religion. A minor road branches off as the roadhead towards Ghangaria, so it is an important point also for nature loving travellers like me heading to the Valley of Flowers.

Finishing tea, I walk the one kilometre stretch ambling through shops selling souvenirs, trekking gear, colourful warm clothing and a lot of fancy items to catch the eyes of tourists. I pass through the bridge under which the Alaknanda flows churning its waters into white foam.

View of Govindghat from a height

The rest of my plan for the day is to ascend a distance of 14 kms from Govindghat to Ghangaria to reach before sunset, and after a night’s rest to trek further right into the Valley of Flowers early next morning.

To be continued...

How to Reach Govindghat:

By Air: The nearest airport is the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun at a distance of approximately 270 kms.
By Rail: Rishikesh is the nearest Railway Station to Joshimath, which is at a distance of 250 kms connecting to all the major cities of India.
By Road: Govindghat can be reached via Joshimath which is well connected by surface network with Dehradun, Haridwar, Rishikesh and Nainital.

Valley of Flowers: Introduction

No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars or
sailed an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway
for the human spirit. - Helen Keller

1931.
July. Frank Smythe, a mountaineer, botanist, explorer, photographer, author, romantic and much else that he is, is returning from Kamet Peak expedition with his group. They lose their way and accidentally discover an enchanting valley in full bloom.

1937.
Overwhelmed by what he had seen six years back, Frank Smythe returns to the Valley and explores it extensively together with R. L. Holdsworth, another botanist.

1938.
Smythe writes a book and titles it “Valley of Flowers”. The Valley gets christened with the name. The book is published and the world comes to know of this natural wonder of about 90 sq km situated at a height of 3,342 m - 3,658 m (10 to 12,000 feet), with one of its peaks towering up to 6,675 m (21,899 feet) above main sea level.

1982.
The Valley of Flowers is declared a national park. Many restrictions are clamped on tourists. Camping is not allowed in the Valley. Collecting plants from the Valley is banned. Grazing of animals in the Valley is banned to protect some of the rare species of plants. (That there is a controversy on the latter decision is another matter.)

1988.
The Valley of Flowers is inscribed to be on the list of World Heritage Site.

2005.
The Valley of Flowers, one of the seven natural sites, is added to the list of the UNESCO’s World Heritage Site.
I read on BBC's In Pictures website about the Valley of Flowers getting the status of world heritage site. The more I read about the Valley of Flowers, the more fascinated I get. That day, I decide to visit the Valley someday for an up close and personal experience of the natural wonder.

2008.
Online, I outline plans with fellow travelers to meet up in Delhi and spend two weeks in Garhwal, trekking right up to the Valley of Flowers. The time that I choose is July end as July-August is supposedly the best time when the Valley blooms in full abundance while through most of the year it sleeps in a thick blanket of snow.

To be continued…

SWF: Auli Pastures

Enjoy views and skies from all around the world at SkyWatchFriday.

Trip to Garhwal
July-Aug 2008

I shot these photographs at daybreak in
Auli, Uttarakhand, India

This weekend is comparatively not as busy, and I have made up my mind to give some attention to my blog. I intend to continue writing more on my Garhwal trip, in particular, on my hike to the Valley of Flowers.

I’ve already posted some photographs shot during my trek to the Valley of Flowers in a previous post. I have lots more to share. Those interested, stay tuned. To those who would like to have a peek at my previous posts on Garhwal, here’s a list of those:

• Garhwal: Gorson-Auli
• Garhwal: Joshimath
  
• Garhwal: Chamoli
  
• Garhwal: Rudraprayag
  
• Garhwal: Rishikesh
• Garhwal: Haridwar
• A Journey to Garhwal

This post would probably serve as a prelude to what is to follow, at least, as far as my trek to the Valley of Flowers is concerned. Here's a map of the route that I took to reach the Valley:

Map borrowed from Google

Himalayan Saga

Enjoy views and skies from all around the world at SkyWatchFriday. Here are some of my pictures of skies from different parts of India:

Auli

The Himalayan range is home to the world’s highest peaks, and that includes over 100 mountains exceeding 7,200 meters (23,622 feet) in height.

Mt. Neelkanth from Badrinath

The main Himalayan range runs from the Indus river valley to the Brahmaputra river valley forming an arc 2,400 km long.

Ladakh Landscape

Some of the world’s major rivers (Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra) originate from the Himalayas. Around these river basins live more than a billion people, and so the Himalayas have profoundly shaped the culture of South Asia. Some of the peaks are sacred in Hinduism and Buddhism.

Descending from Dzongri-La

I’ve seen a part of the Himalayan range from different states of India: Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Sikkim, Jammu & Kashmir, and Uttarakhand. That includes:

• from the distant hills of Kalimpong and Darjeeling;
• from the hill stations of Shimla and from Manali to the heights of Rohtang-La pass that connects the Kulu Valley with the Lahaul and Spiti valley, to the Keylong Valley towards Darcha, Zingzingbar passing through the Baralacha Pass;
• to continue towards Sarchu, Pang, Upshi while passing through the high altitude passes of Lachalung-La and Tanglang-La enroute Leh, Ladakh;
• from the high altitude pass of Chang-La on the way to Pangong Lake near the borders of China;

Khardung-La

• from the so-called highest motorable road at Khardung-La on the way to Nubra Valley, Sumur, Panamik, Diskit and Hundar of the Ladakh region;
• from the mountain towns of Jorethang and Yuksom, towards the base of Mt. Kanchenjunga;
• from the trans-Himalayan hill stations of Nainital, Noukuchiatal, Sattal and Bhimtal of the Kumaon region;
  
• from the Garhwali regions of Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts and additionally, up and close and personal from Badrinath and Mana.

Sumur, Nubra Valley

Every trip has been sublime. Each bit of the travel has been stimulating. Travelling to the Himalayan region is something that I look forward to.

Valley of Flowers

The region’s topography, biodiversity, culture, scenic beauty and especially the mountains, valleys, lakes, glaciers, rivers fill me with admiration and awe for the majestic Himalayas.

Mana Village

What part of the region have you been to and what effect does the Himalayas have on you?

Flowers of the Valley

Valley of Flowers
Height: 3500 m - 6700 m
Garhwal, Uttarakhand
India
July-August 2008

Egypt, the Land of Ancient Wonders

Camel and horse riding, smoking sheesha (hubble-bubble) and cigarettes, pubbing and discothequing, shopping and sunbathing is what most tourists do in Egypt. I did not engage in any of those activities, yet I had a marvellous time.

What did I do? Oh, Egypt has lots to offer and the mystery of the land kept me busy and fascinated. To name a few: its ancient history, gods and religion, churches and mosques, palaces and museums, kings and queens, cults and tombs, the hieroglyphs adorning the monuments, music and sports, art and architecture etc.

Making two trips to explore one of the ancient seven wonders of the world, the Pyramids of Giza, and an early morning ride on a hot-air balloon in Luxor for aerial viewing of the populated River Nile delta plains as well as the arid deserts and mountains were interesting highlights of the trip.

Other memorable highlights of my trip:

• Cruising on the Nile River in Cairo, and then exploring the Sphinx, and other pyramids of the Giza necropolis;

• Visiting the other pyramids of Dashour and Saqqara and to the ancient city of Memphis near Cairo;

• Sauntering along the beaches of Alexandria and Lighthouse near the Montaza Palace;
  

• Walking along the Nile and at the High Dam in Aswan, and learning about Nubian culture and mingling with the locals;

• Boating to the Nile River island of Agilika to explore the ancient temple complex of Philae;

• Journeying prior to dawn through previously arranged police-escorted convoy to the twin temples of Abu Simbel at the borders with the Sudan;

• Visiting the Karnak Temple, the Colossi of Memnon, the Luxor Temple of the ancient city of Thebes, the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, and also the Valleys of Kings and Queens to have a closer look at some of the many tombs of Luxor;

• Relaxing in the touristy Naama Bay of the city of Sharm-El-Sheikh on the coastal tip of the Red Sea and Mount Sinai; and
  

• Travelling through the Sinai peninsula towards the city to seek the Mount Sinai and the St. Catherine Monastery.
  

Mostly up and about for almost 16 hours a day, those times have sometimes been pretty hectic with much to cover in the little time I had apportioned and it was finally in a Red Sea resort at Namaa Bay that I eventually slackened my pace. With a few hours of sleep each night, and enjoying good health throughout in spite of cold winds and temperature dipping as low as 4 deg C along the Sinai mountains, I managed to reach all those places and had a better experience than anticipated. That felt really good.

Here’s a glimpse of Egypt through my eyes:

A flowering tree on a street, Cairo

The Great Pyramid of Khufu, Giza Necropolis

River Nile Sunset, Aswan

A part of the Luxor Temple, Luxor

At a Red Sea Resort, Sharm-El-Sheikh

Montaza Palace, Alexandria

St. Catherine Monastery at the foot of Mt. Sinai

Nefertari's Temple carved out of the mountainside, Abu Simbel

~~~

It feels good to be back in the blogworld. I wish my friends and readers a very Happy Holi. Enjoy the festival of colours and the freshness of the spring season.