[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by amitwlele

That is sad. So they check your Visa before you enter the Disco?

Haha,
by not allowing the pilgrims to disco, they just show how much biased they are toward us.
lagata hai woh hamse bahot darate hai!!
[ it seems that they are fearful about us].

[Revy]

Deky,
Is there so much presence of "Chinese authority" in Thaklakotso that they even monitor who gets in disco's ??!! After the uprising before Beijing Olympics, looks they Chinese are tightening security more. Of course Indians will get special treatment !

[deky]

Originally Posted by amitwlele

Foodie in me could not resist asking - What are the Tibetan delicacies? Mainly chicken??

That is sad. So they check your Visa before you enter the Disco?

Actually chicken is the most expensive of the meats available in Tibet, they eat everything else and so did I. Apart from the Momo's and the various noodle preparations there were chunks of meats put on wooden skewers and grilled and served with a very tasty marination. I enjoyed that the most

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

Haha,
by not allowing the pilgrims to disco, they just show how much biased they are toward us.
lagata hai woh hamse bahot darate hai!!
[ it seems that they are fearful about us].

Originally Posted by Revy

Deky,
Is there so much presence of "Chinese authority" in Thaklakotso that they even monitor who gets in disco's ??!! After the uprising before Beijing Olympics, looks they Chinese are tightening security more. Of course Indians will get special treatment !

As I had mentioned in my previous travelogue that Chinese have lots of Tibetan spies all around. They dont want us Indians to mingle with the locals without their knowledge. While we were in Tibet we always had this feeling of "us being noticed" . Maybe when we had gone to the disco, someone must have informed the authorities that some yatris have come here and with in no time the authorities got our guide and we were asked to leave the place. Taklakot is a small town and everything is within walking distance, and with cell connectivity the news travels very fast. Also yatris can be identified from locals or traders very easily, we dont speak a word of Chinese or tibetan!!

Luckily we were only taken back to the hotel and not in a lock-up!!



CONTD

DAY24: TAKLAKOT TO GUNJI (Via Lipulekh pass)


Distance : 46 kms (19 kms by Bus, 27 kms by foot)
Time Taken: 10 hours

Today was our last day in Tibet, in a few hours time we would be back in India. Not that we had any complaints about being in Tibet but the excitement and the thought of getting back to our own country and stepping on our own land was overpowering.

We left our hotel in Taklakot at 0530 hrs (China Time) and our first stop was at the immigration. Where we had to get our hand baggage checked and also collect the big bag that we deposited the previous night. From there we proceeded to Lipulekh by bus. Since it is only 19 kms it did not take us much long to reach the base of the pass. 3 kms before the pass the yatris had to transfer to smaller jeeps which would take them 2 kms ahead and then the last 1 km had to be walked.

I was lucky that I did not get a place in any of the jeeps. Lucky in the sense that now I would get a horse to ride on and that meant that I could take the horse right uptill the Lipulekh pass. This was my only time on the trip that I was on a horse. So while the yatris huffed and puffed the last 1 km, I simply came up on the horse back. The last 1 km was made especially difficult because here there were no porters and even the hand bags had to be carried by oneself. Well I did offer my horse to the elder yatris but by the time I reached them they were already up.

The next batch from India was already waiting for us to cross over. Luckily for them today was not even half as bad as what we faced while crossing over to Tibet. The sun was almost out and it was a dry and not so windy a day. After doing the hugs and the customary chanting of Om Namah Shivayah” with the next group we crossed over to The Indian Side, and believe me it was an amazing feeling. The feeling you get when you cross over to your own country on foot is a feeling that you have to experience it yourself to believe it, can be expressed in words.

It was actually a chaos at the border, the next batch luggage was crossing over from India side to China, our luggage was coming from China side to India, porters were waiting for their yatris, some porters were bidding their yatirs good bye’s , smuggling of alcohol and cigarettes happening openly and what not, but who cared, I was home!!

But being a part of the luggage committee, I had to wait at the pass till all our luggage was transferred to India. The luggage was coming on mule’s so the progress was slow and steady. Luckily the entire luggage arrived and after counting the luggage and handing it over to the contractors I was ready to move forward.

I was the last one to leave Lipulekh, but I did not mind, in the excitement of being home I started the sprint to Nabhidhang our next stop. I was actually running, and I did the 9 kms to Nabhidhang in just under 2 hrs. Needless to say I was amongst the first ones to reach.

After breakfast it was time to move forward to Kalapani. Kalapani was another 9 kms. Again the journey was smooth and was covered quickly. At Kalapani we had a bigger stop due to Lunch and also as we had to complete the Indian immigration formalities.

The last leg of our journey today was Gunji, which was another 9 kms from Kalapani. . At Gunji we would be resting for the night. After doing all the formalities and a small Puja at Kalapani temple we started our walk back towards Gunji. Since we had traversed this area only a few days back we knew what to accept, hence the anticipation levels were less but the natural sights were as beautiful as ever.

At Gunji we had a lovely dinner and slept!!!

Pics from Day 24

Our bus journey from Taklakot to Lipulekh


The weather was actually good, the sun was out


The point where we had to leave the bus and go up on jeeps, I was on a horse


Some ytaris had to walk up the last 1 km, but I had a horse


About to reach the pass



Even though it was bright, but it was still cold


I, amongst all the confusion at the pass


Our luggage from China


Bye Bye Lipulekh


INDIA finally!!!! Notice the lamp posts that the ITBP has put up


ITBP personnel were very swift. immediately converged on a yatri when it seemed he needed help. But it was just a false alarm. The yatri was just resting.


The temple at Nabhidhang at sight


After Nabhidhang we walked towards Kalapani


And we reached Kalapani soon


road works in between Kalapani to Gunji



End of Day 24

[deky]

Since the return journey was on the same track as the onward jouney, I shall just post photos of the same

Day 25- Gunji To Budhi

The morning at Gunji was one of the best in terms of weather


View of Annapurna range in Nepal



The walk back to Budhi Camp


An old wooden bridge, joining India and Nepal.


Since we were the first ones, we took a wrong turn and ended up at the base of the mountain instead of going around it. So we had to climb over this steep mountain to reach Chialekh


Taking a break once we reached the top


Meadows of Chialekh


Gorges formed over the years


As the meadows end, we still have a steep descend to reach Gunji


Gunji camp is far away down by the river


Finally reached Budhi Camp


Our accommodation at Budhi


DAY 26- Budhi To Gala

With the monsoons at its peak, the streams were overflowing. Here Honey is finding a way to cross it.


One of the many waterfalls en-route


This was the most treacherous part of the whole trek, slippery tracks and a raging Kali below.


Posing???


This is how things are transported between places!!!


The force of Raging Kali


A wooden bridge on Nepal side


The path made out of carving the mountains


One push from a pony here and you fall straight in Kali.


Finally reached the 4444 steps climb to reach Gala


Cloudy evening at Gala Camp


End Of Day26

[WDM007]

Please continue the thread !
I hope it is not yet finished.

[deky]

Apologies for the delay. I had run out of bandwidth hence could not upload photographs and the last part of the travelogue

Day 27: Gala To Dharchula

If you remember when we started our trek from Dharchula we had stopped at Sirkha for the night and then proceeded to Gala. But now we decided not to stop at Sirkha but proceed forward straight to Dharchula. This way we could have reached Delhi a day early.

Starting our Trek. Today will be the last day for us walking


Passing villages and curious onlookers


After Sirkha, where we had our lunch this was the last bit of climb that we had to do. On the other side was all downhill from where we would be transferred to Dharchula in jeeps


The point where yatris have to bid good bye's to their pony and pony men and have to traverse the rest of the distance by foot or with help of the porters


But it was not that far. The cluster of houses seen at the end of the mountain is where the road starts. Jeeps would be waiting for us there


Jeeps in sight


Aesthetically kept houses


Finally in the jeeps. Lots of waterfalls due to the incessant rains


Also due to rain and landslide the road to Dharchula was blocked. So we had to cross this landslide on foot and take other set of jeeps waiting on the other side


We reached our hotel in Dharchula by 1700 hrs. At Dharchula there is a bridge that connects India to Nepal. The bridge closes at 1800 hrs so we just had enough time to cross the bridge over to Nepal. Just ate a few tasteless samosa's and had a hopeless tea and came back to India to enjoy our own Chaat and Tikki's.

By the evening we were back in our hotels as it had started to rain heavily. Our luggage had yet not arrived and our luggage would determine if we leave tomorrow or not. Finally luggage came at 0100 hrs and we opened and packed and re packed our luggage all over again.

We only slept for a few hours as tomorrows journey from Dharchula to Jageshwar would be a long one, so we had to start early


Day 28: Dharchula to Jageshwar

It was an 0600 hrs start from Dharchula. We were back in small buses and the group was divided in two buses. The roads were horrible even at their best so you can imagine how would they be like at their worst. The problem was the continuous rain, the continuous debris falling from the mountains and the narrow hilly roads.

It was nice to be back in civilization


Monsoon magic


De-briefing at ITBP Camp


Continuous land slides en-route made sure that we covered a distance of 300 kms in 16 hrs


En-route we stopped at Patal Bhuwaneshawar for lunch


This place is also known as Cave Temple and the caves run under the ground for quite a distance. Unfortunately no photography is allowed inside the Cave


By the time we reached Jageshwar it was 0100 hrs. The road was treacherous and horrible and narrow. To top it the mist was making the road disappear. It was one of the most harrowing journey's I have ever taken in the hills

Day 29: Jageshwar to Delhi

Some people got up early to catch the morning Arti at the Jageshwar temple. I just got up in time to catch the bus. These long bus journey's was making me feel even more tired than the trek itself. By now I wanted my home and my bed!!

Early morning at Jageshwar


Jageshwar Temple



The last bit of mountains before we hit the plains


Crossing Bhimtal en-route


No more hills, reaching Kathgodam


We had lunch at Kathgodam. A small felicitation ceremony was also carried out by KMVN and our certificates and some souvenirs were distributed.

From here the journey to Delhi was in a comfortable Volvo bus. We reached Gujrati Samaj in Delhi and I decided to spend the night with my cousin. It was an emotional farewell to the fellow yatris but then it had to be done.

I was back to where I had started exactly a month back but hopefully now a better human being and more at peace with myself.

The End!!

[selfdrive]

Rocking account of your journey deky!
It is heartwarming to read your log, it felt like we were transported into travelling with you.

Just curious to know if you there is any facility for any showers at all during this trip. Also how are the toilets etc managed? I am sure a lot of us would like to take some time off our dreary lives and do this trip at least once. I am definitely one of them

Hats off to your endurance, patience and all the hard work that I am sure would have gone into attempting and completing this trip. Also kudos to your family for supporting your absence for this duration.

[deky]

This log would be incomplete without mentioning the people/ agencies that make this trip happen. Each agency acts as a very vital cog in smoothly conducting each group for the yatra

MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (MoEA)

This yatra is known as the KMY by MoEA, because this is the central agency that conducts this yatra in accordance with the Chinese side These are the following things done by them

- Application forms
- Computerised draw of yatris and placing them in batches
- all relevant reading material and paperwork for the yatra
- Liasioning with the various agencies involved in yatra. Including while in China
- Final authority in case of some mishaps or if any decision has to be taken.


KUMAON MANDAL VIKAS NIGAM (KMVN)

KMVN is solely in charge of operations on the India side. Some of the jobs they do are

- Logistics and accommodation for yatris as soon as they reach Delhi and till they are in India
- Securing VISA for the Yatris
- Foreign exchange for the yatris
- Getting various paper work done for the yatris
- arranging for simple yet nutritious food through out the trip at their KMVN guest houses whilst in India.
- Keeping a tab on the group and providing relevant information to the near and dear ones via email.
- Setting up satellite telephone link at camps at higher reaches.
- Providing medical staff on the trek
- providing security to the yatra for a while.
- Organising Pony and porters

INDO-TIBETAN BORDER POLICE (ITBP)

Some times we take the actions of our para-military forces for granted. What we do not realise is that they do these jobs just out of humanity and not out of compulsion. Their genuinely happy faces while helping us speaks volumes!!! ITBP helped us immensely through out our journey.

- Conducting medical checks and giving final green signal
- Armed escort when crossing the disputed region of Gunji and above
- Radio communication with guides on the Chinese side
- refreshments en-route
- medical escorts on high altitude
- Helping yatris cross difficult terrain
- Help in crossing at Lipulekh and keeping the yatri's spirits high at difficult times

VARIOUS NGO'S

In Delhi various NGO's + Delhi Govt gives a lot of freebies to the yatri's. These small yet significant things come in as handy all during the trip.

I would like to extend my thanks to all the above agencies and to all the other people who have helped us selflessly in successfully completing this trip.

[heman_369]

Deky,

This is one piece of most briliiant writing. This is like an encyclopedia about Kailash Manasarovar yatra. One wouldnt require anything else if one reads this travelogue. I would be indebted to you for the wonderful photos. Thanks for letting us live your experience.

[deky]

As most of you are aware KMY can be done via the MoEA where most of the time is spent trekking in India and also can be done through private operators where you enter into Tibet from Nepal border and most of the time is spent traversing the Tibetan plateau on Land Cruiser's.

Lots of you have asked me which one is better or which one did I enjoy more. As I have done both and in pretty quick succession I will be able to answer that question now.

I dont know which one did I enjoy more as both have been pretty fulfilling but yes, I can tell you the major differences in both the trips and then you guys can decide which one suits you more

Duration
Nepal route is much shorter, it only takes about 17-18 days Ex-Delhi whereas via MEA it takes 30 days from Delhi to delhi

Accommodation
Since Nepal route is done by pvt operators in accordance with Tibetan tour guides I think they try to save a much as they can on accommodation. And since the MoEA route is mostly in India and logistics is organised by KMVN in India the accommodation is much better. Even in Tibet the accommodation was much better via MoEA

Food
On Nepal side the food was very good since it was managed by Nepali Sherpas. The service was also excellent as the sherpas expected a good tip in return ( Nothing wrong till service was good and it was). Via the MoEA the food was only good whilst in India. In Tibet it could have been better

Medical
Via Nepal side there is no medical, basically they just want your money and not bothered about if you live or die in Tibet. But via MEA the medical is very strict, because the govt does care for you

The Journey
Via Nepal the journey itself is not that tiring because except the actual Kailash parikrama the rest of the journey is by jeeps. On MEA side most of the journey is by foot or by pony and that itself can be very tiring

Acclimatisation
Via Nepal you acclimatise as much as you can as you travel in jeeps, so its actually not proper. 28 of us entered Tibet but only 5 could complete the parikrama. But on the other hand on MEA side you slowly walk up to the altitude and take time to reach there so the acclimatisation process is much better hence 41 of us entered Tibet and 40 completed the parikrama

Cost
MEA is a bit cheaper than the Nepal route, and also some government give subsidy to those who travel by this route. Delhi, Gujrat and now Rajasthan Govt for sure gives money, you will have to check with your repective govt's if they have any scheme like this.

[//M]

Wonderful travelogue deky. I had a great time reading and admiring each pic. The roads on the Tibetan side are amazing. Each pic looks straight out of a movie.

Rating it a well-deserved 5-stars !!

[DriveTrain]

A superb and delightful photologue , you had us all hooked. Hope to do this myself some day.

[Chevy_lover]

Excellent travelogue, Deky! Truly inspiring! Though I am not a big fan of trekking, I got an urge to try to do it after reading your log! How much was your total weight loss after the trip?

I am rating this travelogue of yours a well deserved 5 stars!

[harimakesh]

Deky,

I just want to be in these places soon to enjoy the nature.

Great photography. What camera configuration you have used? Can you share the camera + kit details.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

[deky]

Originally Posted by selfdrive

Rocking account of your journey deky!
It is heartwarming to read your log, it felt like we were transported into travelling with you.

Just curious to know if you there is any facility for any showers at all during this trip. Also how are the toilets etc managed? I am sure a lot of us would like to take some time off our dreary lives and do this trip at least once. I am definitely one of them

Hats off to your endurance, patience and all the hard work that I am sure would have gone into attempting and completing this trip. Also kudos to your family for supporting your absence for this duration.

Thank you for your kind words. Yes a special thanks to my family as well, specially to my wife who along with her job and our kid also managed to handle my business for the duration of 30 days while I was away.

Showers cubicles are available at all the camps after Dharchula, you will also be provided hot water if you request for it at the camps.

In Taklakot Tibet the hotel has geysers in the room so showers is not an issue, the only issue in Tibet could be the open toilets while doing the parikrama.

Originally Posted by //M

Wonderful travelogue deky. I had a great time reading and admiring each pic. The roads on the Tibetan side are amazing. Each pic looks straight out of a movie.

Rating it a well-deserved 5-stars !!

Thank you. Yes you are right, in Tibet either there are beautiful roads or absolutely no roads.

Originally Posted by heman_369

Deky,

This is one piece of most briliiant writing. This is like an encyclopedia about Kailash Manasarovar yatra. One wouldnt require anything else if one reads this travelogue. I would be indebted to you for the wonderful photos. Thanks for letting us live your experience.

Thank you for the appreciation!!

Originally Posted by DriveTrain

A superb and delightful photologue , you had us all hooked. Hope to do this myself some day.

Well I hope sooner or later you will do it!!!

Originally Posted by Chevy_lover

Excellent travelogue, Deky! Truly inspiring! Though I am not a big fan of trekking, I got an urge to try to do it after reading your log! How much was your total weight loss after the trip?

I am rating this travelogue of yours a well deserved 5 stars!

Thank you. About weight loss I was already a few kg's underweight when I took this trip. So I am glad I did not loose any weight at all. Infact on high altitude I use to feel more hungry than usual. maybe that was because of the amount of walking we used to do!!

Plus every one in our group had high calory food packed from home, so it was actually hard for me to loose weight!!

Originally Posted by harimakesh

Deky,

I just want to be in these places soon to enjoy the nature.

Great photography. What camera configuration you have used? Can you share the camera + kit details.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Thank you. I used a Sony A 200 DSLR with kit lens and at some places used a 75-300 zoom!!

Regards