[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by adc

So finally Zanksar and Kashmir it is that had been decided today, we have 24 hours before we leave and not like last time when we had 12 hours for packing up for the Ladakh travel. .

All the best, but hurry up. pensi la is one of the first passes to close after heavy snowfall.

[adc]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

adc on the move again! Do call as you pass through my parts of the country this time, will you please?

Absolutely. Most probably will be crossing Delhi and then stopping. Sunday early morning we should be in Delhi or crossing Delhi

Originally Posted by VeluM

Looking forward to the travelogue, adc. Amazed by what you manage with a 2wd Safari.

Originally Posted by HappyWheels

ADC: have a safe and pleasant travel; do keep us posted when possible.

Thanks a lot for the wishes and good words. Will definitely try to keep posted.

Originally Posted by tsk1979

All the best, but hurry up. pensi la is one of the first passes to close after heavy snowfall.

Thanks again. Pensi la does have me worried but so also like the Sach Pass, Sinthan Top and some pass called "rajdhani pass" [!!]-- must be misspelt, dont have time more to research as we leave today night for Asansol, where my cousin sister stays - it also helps in like going forward 250 km - rather than starting from Calcutta itself on Saturday morning.

Overnight at Asansol and then from there as much as possible beyond Delhi.


Kolkata - Delhi - Khajjiar - Sach PAss - Killar - Kisthwar - Anantnag - Srinagar - Kargil - Zanksar


We have planned like this route but have absolutely no idea about the conditions. HArsh would be going through Sach Pass also in a few days' time after us. One of his friends did this route sometime back and it is doable but was very narrow in some sections and very desolate it must be!


Lets see what happens, if any info that Sach Pass is closed do post something over here - will then divert towards Bhaderwah or drop the Chamba route totally.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by adc

Kolkata - Delhi - Khajjiar - Sach PAss - Killar - Kisthwar - Anantnag - Srinagar - Kargil - Zanksar
.

Delhi to Chamba is 12 hours(esp early morning).
Chamba-Killer-Sach pass can take 14 hours, as road is truly horrible.
Are you planning to cross sach and then take a detour to kashmir?
I think for kashmir, you have to turn off somewhere before sach pass.

[adc]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Delhi to Chamba is 12 hours(esp early morning).
Chamba-Killer-Sach pass can take 14 hours, as road is truly horrible.
Are you planning to cross sach and then take a detour to kashmir?
I think for kashmir, you have to turn off somewhere before sach pass.

Sach PAss - Killar - Kisthwar - Anantnag - Srinagar


For going from Killar, we have to cross Sach PAss. Instead of going towards Keylong, for Kashmir we turn towards Kisthwar.


We will be around Delhi in early morning Sunday after around may be 22-24 hours from Calcutta. Will halt somewhere after Delhi and rest and sleep whole day and again in the night start from Delhi towards Chamba.

Do we go through Chandigarh or take some diversion before that. Would this be fastest route.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by adc

Sach PAss - Killar - Kisthwar - Anantnag - Srinagar


For going from Killar, we have to cross Sach PAss. Instead of going towards Keylong, for Kashmir we turn towards Kisthwar.


We will be around Delhi in early morning Sunday after around may be 22-24 hours from Calcutta. Will halt somewhere after Delhi and rest and sleep whole day and again in the night start from Delhi towards Chamba.

Do we go through Chandigarh or take some diversion before that. Would this be fastest route.

You will be hitting chamba from taking the road near pathankot
In that case the best and fastest route is
Delhi-Ambala-Banur-Rupnagar-Towards Balachaur - Hoshiarpur - Dasua(Pathankot highway)



New Delhi, Delhi, India to Chamba Bypass, Himachal Pradesh, India - Google Maps

As for the rest of the route

Its chamba-Killer-Sach Pass and then you hit keylong kishtawar route

[rrsteer]

Originally Posted by adc

Kolkata - Delhi - Khajjiar - Sach PAss - Killar - Kisthwar - Anantnag - Srinagar - Kargil - Zanksar

My best wishes for the tour!
But isn't this route : Chamba - Kashmir, infected with militants and dangerous?

Any which way best wishes again.

[Thar4x4]

Originally Posted by adc

Kolkata - Delhi - Khajjiar - Sach PAss - Killar - Kisthwar - Anantnag - Srinagar - Kargil - Zanksar


We have planned like this route but have absolutely no idea about the conditions. HArsh would be going through Sach Pass also in a few days' time after us. One of his friends did this route sometime back and it is doable but was very narrow in some sections and very desolate it must be!


Lets see what happens, if any info that Sach Pass is closed do post something over here - will then divert towards Bhaderwah or drop the Chamba route totally.

Wow! gr8, waiting for nice travel log.

All the Best to your trip, drive safe.

Thanks,
Vishal.

[BlackPearl]

Have a safe trip ADC..

[anujmishra]

Our best wishes for this again Ladakh trip. People are thriving for a single visit to Ladakh and you are doing it almost every year. Hope I can make it soon.

[SS-Traveller]

adc drove up from Kolkata to reach Murthal yesterday morning, and left Murthal yesterday around 8 pm to drive to Chamba, expecting to reach there this morning.

He faced severe traffic jams on the NH2 before Durgapur, while on his way out of Kolkata, and took 9 hours to reach Asansol.

[SS-Traveller]

Spoke to adc this morning. He was somewhere near Kupwara, and hopes to get into Srinagar tonight or tomorrow. From Srinagar he would start the return journey to Kolkata around Thursday. Heavy rainfall in his area, but thankfully he hasn't been held up by yesterday's snowfall above Sonamarg.

[adc]

Originally Posted by adc

So finally Zanksar and Kashmir it is that had been decided today, we have 24 hours before we leave and not like last time when we had 12 hours for packing up for the Ladakh travel.

And so, in summary, from tomorrow will begin the grand celebration travel for all of the 4 years of fantastic ownership of the first 2.2 Safari - the one and only Tata Safari 2.2 LX VTT-TMT.

And thus ended the travel on October 30, 2011, Sunday late night. And what a trip it was of Himachal [Khajjiar and Killar], Zanskar and interior Kashmir.

I normally dont grade trips as any travel is good travel for us, to go away from grind. But then once in a while an exception does come up. This was the only trip ever done when we did not even come across one tourist or traveller in the places we ventured to and in one place they said this was the first time in 18 years people have like from far.

And when we say this has been the best trip date, even edging out the LAdakh trip, though we travelled to some places like Demochok and Koyoul where few have gone, this was the trip of a lifetime.


With so many days away, I am in a crisis mode with work situation and do hope to start writing the travelogue soon - a travel story of so many experiences.

All stereotyped ideas about places and people will go out the window, and may be we are the only travellers out here in this country, who still have not seen the usual touristy places like Gulmarg and Pahalgam but have gone to lolab, bangus, gurez, doodthpathri and similar places.

Again lot to write, have posted some initial VTT pictures over at Safari pictures thread.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...lease-176.html


A lot of thanks to all the good wishes have been there as we left, to SStraveller for all the good talk and the updates out here, to Harsh and Tanveer as we talked about a recalcitrant clutch pedal, to Kshil from indiamike about staying tips in Zanskar and to all my friends out here and quite a few out offline who called up intermittently as shared experiences with them.

As said, many a thing to write, a places and people to describe.

[adc]

Originally Posted by adc

So finally Zanksar and Kashmir it is that had been decided today, we have 24 hours before we leave and not like last time when we had 12 hours for packing up for the Ladakh travel.

And so, in summary, from tomorrow will begin the grand celebration travel for all of the 4 years of fantastic ownership of the first 2.2 Safari - the one and only Tata Safari 2.2 LX VTT-TMT.

And thus ended the travel on October 30, 2011, Sunday late night. And what a trip it was of Himachal [Khajjiar and Killar], Zanskar and interior Kashmir.

I normally dont grade trips as any travel is good travel for us, to go away from grind. But then once in a while an exception does come up. This was the only trip ever done when we did not even come across one tourist or traveller in the places we ventured to and in one place they said this was the first time in 18 years people have like from far.


And when we say this has been the best trip date, even edging out the LAdakh trip [ http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...-oct-10-a.html ] , though we travelled to some places like Demochok and Koyoul where few have gone, this was the trip of a lifetime.

It may be hard to believe but this trip even outdid the Ladakh one that we did!


With so many days away, I am in a crisis mode with work situation and do hope to start writing the travelogue soon - a travel story of so many experiences.

All stereotyped ideas about places and people will go out the window, and may be we are the only travellers out here in this country, who still have not seen the usual touristy places like Gulmarg and Pahalgam but have gone to lolab, bangus, gurez, doodthpathri and similar places.

Again lot to write, have posted some initial VTT pictures over at Safari pictures thread.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...lease-176.html


A lot of thanks to all the good wishes have been there as we left, to SStraveller for all the good talk and the updates out here, to Harsh and Tanveer as we talked about a recalcitrant clutch pedal, to Kshil from indiamike about staying tips in Zanskar and to all my friends out here and quite a few out offline who called up intermittently as we shared bits of experiences with them on travel.

As said, many a thing to write, a places and people to describe.

[adc]

Safari VTT-TMT at 4 years and 4 months / 80,000 km - the 10 most memorable moments!!

As we go into another fresh year of travel and with no updates for sometime now on the onwership front, thought of recalling back the best 10 moments in all the travel that we have done with our one and only Safari VTT-TMT. Every time we have just gone out with a just a place name and immense belief in this Safari and till now it has never failed us - It has brought us back safely to home each and every time from the worst and trickiest of the situations. It has been with us in each and every travel, other than the Valley of Flowers journey.

The Safari VTT-TMT is now 4 years and 4 months old and some 80,000 km young and still it has many a rough and tough travel to make as it goes into another year of ownership.

Journeys for the 2012 year start with in the next couple of days - though for the first time, I embark on a solo travel [first time leaving son and wife at home] - a stupendous travel and trek journey covering over 10 days. I ride my Bullet [never had the option of riding any other bike other than a Royal Enfield since class 8] with one my good friend, Javed, who is a member of Eastern Bulls - around 30+ I gather would be riding Royal Enfields from Kolkata to Delhi. Would be able to attend one day of the Royal Mania meet on the 28th as the next day a flight takes me to the ultimate cold trek at plunging temperatures for the next 7 days.

And this is about time before I leave then to recollect the 10 most memorable moments of the our travel with the only and only Safari VTT-TMT LX 2wd - the first VTT on team-bhp.



So at No. 10:

The Safari VTT-TMT was bought the day it was released in Kolkata on Oct 15, 2007 and by Oct 16, 2011 it was going out for a 2500 km for the North Bengal forests. The run-in was done on NH34 itself. Son was 2-1/2 years old and thus began our journeys for the years to come.







No. 9. The unparalleled travel to a very unknown Sunabeda forests. But what made it all most memorable was the journey to the source of River Jonk and the white sand and the swim in blue turquoise waterfall in the middle of the forest. Any other place, such a location would have become a millionaire resorts backyard. But then this is located deep in Maoist areas, would love to travel to this place again.


At Sunabeda FRH, few go there even at better times.


The journey to the source of River Jonk and the "Secret Beach"






and the secret beach





No. 8: The stupendous Kinnaur-Spiti-Jalori pass loop travel done in 2008 as VTT-TMT completed 1 year of onwership, particularly the travel to Ropa Valley via Giabong, a place less frequented still now as most people do not take the turn and head off to the transist town called Nako.


Towards Giabong and Ropa Valley



Towards Kunzum Pass from Kaza






No. 7: The unplanned ride to the North Sikkim in April 2009, on 1.5 years of ownership and the way we just about beat a snow hail storm at the most remote location of Chopta valley at a heioght of 16,000 feet. A journey that took us from altitude of 20 feet of Kolkata to 18,000 feet of Gurudongmar and then back again to 0 feet [i.e. sea level] of Tajpur sea beach!


Towards Gurudongmar





Towards Chopta Valley, North Sikkim. We were already late afte spending much time at Gurudongmar and late afternoon we went into Chopta valley, even army posts were deserted as it gets very desolate, windy and as we slipped with a 2wd drive 2 tonne vehicle, little did we realize that a snow storm was fast approaching.

Mysterious, haunted looking CHOPTA VALLEY, known for its bone chilling winds - YouTube

Let me quote what I wrote in that travelogue
"We are around 45 minutes now in Chopta Valley. Again both stop and watch that frozen waterfall, but then suddenly the light hail starts to fall.

I look back and see a sight thats still etched in my mind. A front of fog with hazy black mountain background is just about 100 mtrs or so behind. It was amazing but sinister. Jump quickly inside, full wipers, and 60 kph on that narrow trail over rocks.

It was dash of a lifetime and came at that intersection and what a relief as we reached Thangu - cant explain enough!!! The headache quite bad for wife and me moderate - Aftereffects of AMS was on full swing. Just one photo of the approaching ice storm and then all hands on the steering."


At the at 0 feet, Tajpur sea beach






No. 6: Travel to see the few remaining wild buffaloes, the State animal of Chhattisgarh.


Lost in the forest at night.


The wild buffalo [Von Bhaisa] a.k.a. Bubalus bubalis arnee, around just 9 remain around over here and more so having one female in that micro number. "There is much more to India’s wildlife than the widely-talked-about flagship species like the tiger, the rhino or the elephant. While conservation efforts dedicated to these flagships trickles down benefits to other species that share their habitat, certain species require more than just these indirect interventions for survival."

And so surprised were the forest officials on seeing us that they did not even charge anything for the FRH rent. They reasoned -Since the last tourist came here some 3 years ago, they were equally overjoyed in seeing us there, particularly that we had travelled 1000 km to see the wild buffalo. At Taurenga FRH, almost no tourists travel there as the journey and stay is in the middle of Naxalite liberated areas.

At Taurenga FRH, Udanti WLS, Chhattisgarh



contd....

[adc]

Safari VTT-TMT at 4 years and 4 months / 80,000 km - the 10 most memorable moments!!



The top 5 now



AT No. 5. The journey in search of one of the most primitive tribes of India, the Bonda and the travel to interior Dantewada in October 2009, on completion of 2 years of fabulous onwership of VTT-TMT

Post monsoon rains and we had some tense moments as we almost slided into the rice fields in interior Dantewada.


On towards Onkadelli and Gupteshwar, remote Orissa/Chhattisgarh border areas



The Bondas come down walking from remote mountains to Onkadelli for the weekly market. They trade their local brewed liquor for everything else.


And I still remember the most beautiful of them all!






No. 4: The travel to the amazing remote forest, Valmiki Tiger Reserve, at the North Bihar - Nepal border, and which also included a visit to a nearest village of Nepal via a train journey having a ticket value of Rs 2 and crossing of a river and thena return trek through the core hearing chilling tiger calls.


Of course as in almost all travels, had a lot of drama in many sections, though not stuck, while going to interior forest and while returning back it was this where went in momentarily, particularly like the way the VTT-TMT slided through theway it was wanted while going through logs lying on both sides. Son wanted to see how the rear tyre moves in a 2wd vehicle and was very securely held, and again asked when we get a 4wd!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EubRdtJhpFs&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

And at no. 4 also speaking of this VTT, immense trust in it has helped us get out of some other memorable situations like


a. Torrential rain due to side effect of cyclonic storm Aila had left the gate entrance at Kuldiha, Orissa, a mud trap for a 2wd. After a lot of sliding, precariously close to the forest iron gate and the trench by the side, Safari VTT somehow was maneuvered to the grassy patch at the other side.


Kuldiha road is totally uphill from this gate, and quite a few anxious moments were encountered. All in all, though a very fantastic experience, a forest journey and stay during torrential rain is absolutely different -- normally the forests are closed in the monsoons. All the gutters and overflowing water on the forest track and the sliding and experiencing the wilderness was an experience by itself.

KULDIHA MUD STUCK SLIDE - YouTube

b. Along the River Jayanti -> Indo-Bhutan border, 900 km from home

Differential touching boulder rocks and slipping river bed, made this journey one of the memorable challenging rides. Never did the VTT-TMT complained or excused itself out as being just a 2wd!












No. 3: And at no. 3 is the Amazing Exotic Western Arunachal-Tawang, Dirang, Bumla/Lumla, Zemithang, Eagle Nest Sanctuary , and Nameri[Assam] drive in end Dec 2009.


Along the very less known Eagle Nest Sanctuary trail, Western Arunachal







Near Sela Pass



Towards Bum La, Indo-China border



Everyone paused over here and while talking to the Army Gypsy driver [a Sikh soldier], he presumed I was having a Safari 4wd. Well thats a 2-tonne 2wd, and he said to wait for a couple of hours or so [it was approx 9 am around that time], asthis ice will melt somewhat and the hard packed nature will go. And warned me of a even badder stretch out there in front which will not be possible without 4wd, plus there is no camp out there for jawans to help push if stuck - well then letme cross this first.


Finally we have made to Bum La, what a feeling it was, cant describe, still remember the drive. Safari VTT LX 2.2 2wd sharing parking with the Gypsies - none gave it a chance with that conditions - a proud moment for the Safari - truly The Magnificent Tourer.




As we entered Siliguri, late night, around 2 am, it was fog I like never seen. Hardly can see beyond even a feet. Was thinking of stopping when instead of going to the shoulder of the road, I go into the trench beside the road. The road hadturned at that exact point I thought would park and such was the fog that even from the driver seat it was impossible to see.


Suddenly we felt going down the slope of the road and the Safari rested like this. With some maneuvering and seeing the area around with a torch, the only hope was if I could take it up by back gear. Did that 5-6 times, to make a track and with a the VTT engine redlining, we made it to the top. It was a huge relief and great escape.


Safari VTT-TMT lying 4 feet below the road, down in the ditch. VTT-TMT torque and BFG A/T took us out. VTT-TMT again proving its mettle and bringing us back to the safety our homes time and again.






No. 2: At at no. 2 is the self-drive expedition travel of Chandratal Lake and Ladakh and the cold desert Changthang in "off-season" October 2010 and this most being memorable both for the drive along Pangong towards Hanle and also for the very less travelled senstive area of Koyoul, Fukche and Demchok, Indo-Tibet border. Some VTT-TMT moments from that travel:

But then just as we crossed the Nyoma BRO camp, we had a flat, as described before. As I again went about the fully tiresome process of changing a Safari tyre with the stock equipment, the local labourers came up and lend me a hand.



These people from all different states were looking forward to their return journey back to their wives and children as they left to be earn some living here. It was humanity at its best and they all obliged for a photo for us to keep them framed and we remember their selflessness every time. All places that we have travelled, we have met the real common people everywhere and have got the best of support from them, here it was no exception.







On towards Fukche/Koyoul. These extreme ends of the Changthang area is memerizing. Ladakh travel is not complete without a travel in this land.


On towards Demchok, Indo-China border and quoting from that travelogue -- "But his other instructions were clear - you people are going all alone on this 35 km track, keep to the right, there are two tricky water crossings, move along the telephone posts as much as possible, do not stray to the left, that is Chinese territory and you even can get caught. If possible, do not stop during the journey and only generic pictures of this senstive Indian border post."


The 2wd drive loaded Safari rear wheels dug deep and somehow got some traction to put itself through, getting stuck over at 15k feet isn't good and that too with the complete journey left




Some part of the Fukche to Demchok goes through a high altitude, flat dry desert plateau. In just like that salt plains that we see on the TV where speed tests are done, and I picked up some triple digits speeds just for fun! It was amazingly flat.


When you combine the parched lands of Little Rann of Kutch and the bare mountains of Changthang, Ladakh, one gets this!



And here as in Bum la, Arunachal, LAC, Safari VTT-TMT stands the maximum that one can go, on the Indo-China LAC at Demochok. The left side beyong that small nullah is Tibet [China]. If this had not been a very sensitive border area, Lake Manasarovar can approached here very quickly rather than the circuitous route via Nepal.








No. 1: At finally at No. 1 is Self-Drive Exploratory Expedition Travel -> Incredible Zanskar + Absolutely Unknown & Enchanting Kashmir-."off-season" October 2011 ///a.k.a./// Safari VTT-TMT 2.2 LX 4-year Grand Ownership Travelogue

So can a Ladakh-Changthang travel be ever trumped. Never believed we could till the last October 2011 journey, a travel celebrating 4 years of intense ownership of the only and only Safari VTT-TMT.


But then this journey it did. A travel that brought us to places where few pictures exist even from local sources, where places of night places of night stay is still not defined, passed crossed very less heard of, and among others a route that we took to enter the Kashmir Valley, not through Jammu or via Leh but through Sach Pass in the off-season of October and then to Kisthwar to Srinagar, but not before a remote valley called Warwarn where we got the first snowfall of that trip.




The one and only Safari VTT-TMT as it journeys proudly and without a fuss at Gurez, interior Bandipora, Kashmir






The no-error track - just enough wide for the Safari on the Killar to Kisthwar route.



A short video of the journey from Killar to Kishtwar along the most uncommon route towards Kashmir valley. It is no error part of the track! A mistake and you would fall down a gorge deep enough to make a call back home, of course if mobile signal would have been available in those parts. A host of "kaichis" or switchbacks and a 6-mt turning radius takes the Safari to end of the track.

Tight fit [Chap rasta] - Killar, Himachal to Kisthwar, J&K.wmv - YouTube

At Lolab Valley, Kashmir, late Oct 2011


Though no VTT-TMT pictures as it was trek to the Bangus Indo-Pak LOC.


At Barafwala Post, near LOC, Indo-Pak border


Zanksar was also travelled in the month of Oct in just about time before the pass closes, superbly chilling and cold in that month.





As I leave for a the Bullet ride and cold river trek of Zanskar on Wednesday, so also ends my recollection of the best 10 moments with Safari VTT-TMT in these 4+ years and 80,000 km of ownership.


I don't sentimental with machines, but this Safari VTT stays with us as it is considered a member of the family. It has brought us back each and every time home through varied moments and has given us that oppurtunity to travel and see many a far off places. Selling it right now would in fact help me get my dream vehicle, a 4 wheel drive one - as whatever one might say, a 2wd drive is only that much and it never replaces a 4wd. But then it is a family member now, Safari stays with us forever, it is not and wil not be for sale - it has many a more journeys to make to some of the remotest corners of India.

The one and only Safari LX 2.2 2wd VTT-TMT - a member of "the family"




End