YHAI Valley of flowers...
It’s my forth expedition with YHAI...I booked for 8th august
batch and this time Sudhir who was with in Goa cycling expedition is with me.
Later Aditya Gupta and Nitesh both from Delhi booked. We booked train from
Panvel to Haridwar on 6th August. Also booked return flight from Dehradun to
Pune with one extra day buffer so as to explore the places like Haridwar
Dehradun n massoorie.
Daily news hitting regarding heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand
which was really scary and there was big question whether to go or not? I was
in contact with YHAI to get more information about risk involved in this trek.
The customer care informed that trek is safe and will be continued. Also I got
mail from VOF coordinator Mr. Tiwari that arrangement is safe...My family
members also not in favor to go for trek. Specially my wife ,she left with only
work surf the Uttarakhand news channel and update news to me telling how
dangerous it is to go...Lekin ek bar meine .....
Finally the day come to start the journey. I packed my
rucksack with essential things and documents. Sudhir came to Pune station from
Aurangabad and we both boarded Pragati express for Panvel. The train arrived
Panvel at 10:30am. Our train Dehradun express 22659 was at 13:40pm. It was on
time. It was long journey of 30hours to reach Haridwar.
The train reached Haridwar at 7pm on 7th Aug. Sudhir had
been to Haridwar earlier so he knew about hotels and dormitories. We checked in
to Baba Kamli dormitory .The room rent was Rs.300per day with 4 beds and hot
water arrangement. The room was very clean and well maintained. We got fresh
and went to Har ki Podi or Ganga Ghat. Lots of devotees gathered there for
holly bath. We returned to market and took food A thali just Rs.80 including
4roti, dal rice one sabji papad etc. The test was very good.
Later went to our room for nap as I was so tired by the
train journey.
Day 1:8 August 2016 Reporting to Rishikesh base camp.
I wake up early morning around 5am as it was rush on road
due to Shravan Somwar. We went to go Ganga
ghat, Bharat mata mandir, and Saptrishi ashram and then back to room as the
check out time was 9:am. After check out we went to Mansa mata mandir and did
some shopping after having lunch. Then we raveled to Rishikesh by auto rickshaw.
It was one hour journey. Our base camp ( Sindhi Dormitory) was very close to
Triveni ghat.
We collected our id card. There was orientation program by
Fiend Director Mr. Gopal Khanna who informed about do's and don’ts about trek.
After orientation we went to triveni ghat for Ganga Arti. It was nice experience
there. I collected my rucksack and filled it with necessary things. Dinner was
served with roti, dal rice, patta gobi. I dropped my extra luggage in clock room. Tomorrow
we have to leave at 4:30am due to long journey to Joshimath.
Day 2:9 August 2016:Rishikesh to Joshimath.
Wake up call given at 3:30am. It slept only for 3 hrs. Tea
was ready. I took bath and packed the lunch paratha and chana sabji. Breakfast
will be served on route.
We boarded the bus at 4:45 am and the journey started at
5:am. The route was through hills and Ganga river was flowing along side. After
some many of us faced omitting sensation due to zig zag route. But overall
route was very good. Bus stopped for breakfast- bread butter jam, fruity and
glucose biscuits. At Devprayag there was conjugation of river Mandaki and
Bhagirathi thereafter known as Ganga river.
At 1pm bus stopped at roadside hotel for lunch. There were
few landslides on route which turned into traffic jam and delayed our journey.
After 13 hrs of journey we finally reached Joshi Math. Stay
arrangement was done in Hotel Brahma Kamal. It was good. Visited Kalpvriksh,
Shankaracharya temple, Nrusinha Saraswati temple.
Tomorrow we will head toward next camp site Ghangaria appx.
10000ft height.
Day 3 Joshimath to Ghangaria:
After having breakfast and packed lunch bus started at 7:pm.
Today we have reach Govind ghat by bus and thereafter trek to Ghangaria. The
bus stopped 2km before Joshimath due land slide. After wait of half hour we
decided to walk till Govind ghat but later established contact with Badrinath
camp leader and he sent bus for us. Finally we reached Govind ghat by 9am. Few
of use hired porter to carry luggage till Ghangaria. I decided to carry my
luggage. Trek started at 9:30am. The route was good but increased to Appx. 16km
due to in-between landslide. Sudhir and Aditya were with me. Later I realized
this is very hard trek. Aditya went ahead and reached Ghangaria at5:30pm. I and
Sudhir reached at 7pm. It was really very tough and longest trek around 9.5 hrs
I ever did.
The stay was arranged in Hotel Nanda Lokpal. It was very
good hotel. We were 6 persons in one room. There was orientation program where
an army official informed us about do's and don’ts and risks involved. I was totally
exhausted and after having dinner I went to sleep. Tomorrow we have go
for
valley of flowers.
Day 4 11 August Valley of flowers
Trek started at 7am. During the travel also there were
different types of flowers along the route and I had zero knowledge about
flowers in this valley. I started to take picture of every flower came across
the route. We have clear instructions to start back at 12:30pm wherever we are
due to bad weather and risk of landslide. There are many types of flowers in
this valley. It took around two hours to reach the valley. I took lots of
picture and at 12pm decided to return to camp. Rain started till this time and
all area was covered with fog/clouds. Nothing was visible after few feet
distance. I reached hotel at 2:30pm. I was feeling sick due to yesterday's excursion
and some temperature. Soup was served at 6pm it was corn soup and had good
test. Tomorrow was Hemkund sahib trek quite tonight and the climb was more than
4000feet.
Day 5 12 Aug Hemkund sahib.
I got ready at 6:30 am we three decided to hire pony. We
hired it for Rs. 450 for onside only. By 8:30am we reached on top of 15000feet.
But I didn’t fill lack of oxygen as it was happened at Ratapani in Sar pass trek.
Whether was good and clean. Langer was open serving khichadi and tea. I took
khichadi. I and Aditya decided to take bath in Hemkund. The water was very
chill. When I put my legs there it was freezing and loose sense in few second.
I managed to take on deep and ran out of water. After few minutes I took
another deep. After bath took darshan of 10Th Guru Govind singhji and later of
Laxman temple. At 10:30am started to descend by feet as we have to see the Brahma
kamal. We found it at some places of the route. It was very nice to see but
some including me have doubt where this is Brahma kamal or Nagfani flower.
Returned to hotel at 1:30pm. Packed out luggage as tomorrow we have trek for
Govind ghat and thereafter to Badrinath by bus.
I was feeling weak due to lose motion and avoided dinner.
Day 6: 13 Aug: Ghangaria to Badrinath
In morning all get ready to descend to Govind ghat. I have
to finalize pony as I was feeling weak. But last moment I changed my plan and
decided to trek down and take pony in case.
Today no luggage as we hired porter to carry it. Started at
6:45am. Reached Govind ghat by 10:30am only.
Bus was ready to take us to Badrinath. It started when all
members came. There was landslide on the way to Badrinath. Police informed it
will take time. So we had been offered two options. Cross the slide by walk and
then reach Badrinath or return Joshimath and try again tomorrow for Badrinath. It’s
horrible situation. Lot of discussion was going on. We decided to go with bus.
After some time BRO arranged to clear the way and now we
will be going to Badrinath. The cleared road has space where only one vehicle
can pass. All were really praying for safe travel. Finally the bus cleared the
slide area and we reached Badrinath Youth Hostel at 3:45pm. Camp leader
conducted orientation and informed us possible things to do. After orientation
we went to Bandrinath temple for darshan. Took bath in Tapta kund and spend
some time in temple after darshan of Badrinath. At 7:30pm dinner was served-
mix veg. Dal rice roti papad.
Tomorrow morning we will explore Mana village so called India's
last village from china border. Also decided trek for Vasudhara waterfall 7km
from Mana village.
Day 7: Mana village and Vasudhara waterfall.
Reached village at 8:30am and decided to trek for Vasudhara
water fall. Enroot saw Origin of Saraswati river. Reached near waterfall at 11:30am.
The water was falling from more than 100ft distance and the surrounding was
very windy. The water was falling on projected rock surface creating water
shower with so much speed and it was not possible to go closer to it. At 12noon
started return trek. We had a company of local police officer who introduced
us different plants and their use. Also shared information about situation in
winter.
We reached Mana village at 1:40pm. Visited Ganesh Gufa
(cave) and Maharshi Vyas Gufa (cave) and back to Hostel at 4:15pm. Enjoyed tea
with pakoda with members of 10aug batch.
Day 8: 15 Aug Badrinath to Rishikesh.
So today our return journey started after flag hoisting
ceremony tree plantation at Youth hostel Badrinath. The sky was clear and no
chances of rain today. Bus started at 7:30 am and it stopped at Hanuman chatti
after news of land slide ahead. We got another chance to participate in Flag
hoisting ceremony held at Hanuman chatti Police station.
Around 9:30am the bus reached near landslide area. This was
the same area where we stopped for more than 2 hrs while going to Badrinath.
The machines were on its work and it took more than 2 hrs to clear the road and
bus started at 12:15 am. So we travelled only 18km in last 5 hrs. Thank god we didn’t
come across further landslide till Rishikesh where we reached at 10pm.
Most of the participants left immediately after dinner to go
home. Only few members stayed there including me. My flight was on 17th from
Dehradun.
Tomorrow I will checkout and planned to go Dehradun and Mussoorie.
I submitted the rucksack and collected my participation
certificate.
18 the Aug 2016: Rishikesh- Dehradun-Mussoorie
I and Sudhir checked out base camp after breakfast and travelled
to Dehradun and then to Mussoorie by bus. Searched for hotel and got one good
quality hotel. Dropped our luggage there and visited the Kempti fall and mall road.
19th Aug 2016: Mussorie- Pune
Checked out the hotel at 9:00am and reached Dehradun. Here
hired on auto and visited to Tipkeshwar mahadev Temple and Forest Research institute.
The auto dropped us to Dehradun bus stand. We took our lunch in nearby hotel
and then went to Dehradun airport to catch our flight at 6:35 pm. Reached Pune
at 11:15pm.
This is end of the expedition.
