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| pic: Vivek Negi |
Day 1, 12th Aug
It's not about the destination. It's about the journey to get there. This was the line that was flashing in my mind while I walked long trails and climbed steep mountains during a week long trip to Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Saheb.
The journey started from Dehradun to Joshimath, a nine hour long bus ride with a group of fun-loving people organised by Baaronmasa. Throughout the ride the bus movedalong the river. We meet four out of five Prayags, confluences. The fifth confluence is ten km north of Joshimath at Vishnuprayag.
It's not about the destination. It's about the journey to get there. This was the line that was flashing in my mind while I walked long trails and climbed steep mountains during a week long trip to Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Saheb.
The journey started from Dehradun to Joshimath, a nine hour long bus ride with a group of fun-loving people organised by Baaronmasa. Throughout the ride the bus movedalong the river. We meet four out of five Prayags, confluences. The fifth confluence is ten km north of Joshimath at Vishnuprayag.
The confluence at Devprayag is amazing. Even though you are sleeping through the journey, you must wake up and have a look.
Joshimath is a lovely little town. Street food and a few tourist attractions can be explored to keep one busy for the evening. Hotel Auli-D offered us a comfortable stay. Next morning we drove to Govindghat which was 20 km away and took us less than an hour. The names of the places which were just the words in the itinerary were taking shapes. As a habit I don't google before any trip to retain the surprise element, as I am always with reliable people who would never leave me in a jungle where bears roam around.
Govindghat to Ghagaria is 13 km walk. A long walk indeed, but later I knew that this was easiest of all the treks in the trip.We walked along the Laxman (Ganga) River. There were many small and huge waterfalls on the other side of the rivers. There were food and snacks stalls at some distance throughout. They sold boiled Channa with onion, chilli and lemon, Pahari cucumber, which was juicier than the one we get in plains and neembu-pani. I can't imagine eating all this back at home from roadside stalls, but there was something in the fresh, clean and dustless surrounding that I couldn't resist.
Took the signboard too seriously and followed it till the end and it surely didn’t disappoint me.
We were asked to be with at least one member of the group.So in case of emergency one is not alone. The person is called Buddy.
After walking 13 km for around 7 hours we reached Ghagaria. Colourful tents at the campsites can be seen from the distance, giving the relief that we are almost there. As we reached the hotel Holiday and had tea and pakoras we got a feeling that our stay is going to be comfortable and friendly.
Day 3 Valley of Flowers
Ghagaria is the starting point for Valley as well as Hemkund Saheb.
As you think it’s boring, something interesting comes up.
And then the Valley!
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| Pic: Ashish Kundalia |
I chose to go to Joan Margret Leggy’s grave. She had discovered the Valley of Flowers in 1885.She died here in the valley while visiting it for the fifth time. The other way lead to a riverbed.
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence commeth my help. -Joan Margret Legge.
It is advisable that where ever you are in the valley you should should start walking back as soon as the clock strikes 2, then only one can reach Ghagaria in time. We were lucky to have clear sky. Rains would have made the walk difficult.
Who would not envy him. What a place of work!
A picture speaks a thousand word, then how many would a video speak? An amazing video by Ashwin, a fellow trekker.
http://tinyurl.com/y99fs9va
Day 4: Hemkund Saheb
To be contd...
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