[laluks]

Day 2 : 21st September 2015
Gauchar - Badrinath

It was just another 38Kms to Badrinath


We waited for everyone to arrive from Joshimath


Road etched on the mountain looked amazing


We were at a height of 1524m


The road ahead to Badrinath


We found an officer's mess


We were happy to get some snacks and tea






The weather was very pleasant


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[laluks]

Day 2 : 21st September 2015
Gauchar - Badrinath

We continued on our journey to Badrinath


We crossed Alakananda River


Badrinath is another 35Kms


Roads were good


Roads were bad


We reached Govindghat


Roads looked adventurous




Indeed it was


We crossed Alakananda River again, this time by Balaram memorial bridge.



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[laluks]

Day 2 : 21st September 2015
Gauchar - Badrinath

Roads were adventerous






The videography setup. Gopro controlled by Mobiles


Mighty mountains show up




Fortuner navigating the turf














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[laluks]

Day 2 : 21st September 2015
Gauchar - Badrinath

Mighty mountains


Some glaciers


Alakananda River


We reach Badrinath


Just another 1 KM


Mana is still ahead


We have to drive into Badrinath via the Bus station


Mana another 1 Km


And there we are


Mana Village, the last village on the Indian Border


But this visit is not for this, it is for something beyond, far beyond



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[laluks]

Day 2 : 21st September 2015
Gauchar - Badrinath

Some pictures for the glory






Neelkant peak watched the fun


We reached back Badrinath


Clouds and sun playing hide and seek


Badrinath - A fish eye view


We offered our prayers at Badrinath and became a part of the evening Arti






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[laluks]

Day 2 : 21st September 2015
Gauchar - Badrinath

Temple switched on some lights


Badrinath Temple with lights on


Having rung the bell multiple times, we decided to head back to the room booked for us for the night


We crossed Alakananda River


We reached our hotel and got a room allotted for us. After a hot water bath and some relaxation we had a great dinner of soups, rotis, biriyanis, noodles, etc... After dinner we all reached back to our rooms. But we decided to head back to the temple in the night.

Badrinath temple by 22:00 hours


One picture for the records.


By 23:00 hours we called it a day and headed back to our rooms. During the walk back we made some plans to do a trek to Vasudhara falls in Mana Village. We decided to start early by 06:00AM so as to be back by 11:00AM and start our journey to the next post.

[laluks]

The route map for the day


The GPS log for the day 02 drive
Mana Pass Day 02.kml

[laluks]

A video of the drive a little after Joshimath to Mana. Its unabridged video of over 1 hour. This will give you a feel of the route conditions till Mana village with altitudes marked in the video itself. Enjoy

Drive to Mana Village, the last village on the Indian Border

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV2yZe9eaxo

[wanderernomad]

The roads seem to be better now a days. I remember my Royal Enfield trip to Mana and Vasudhara in 2001 and at that time, Mana welcome gate was not there. The road abruptly ended onto a few sandbags and a small walkaway leading into the village. Got caught in a downpour while returning from Vasudhara and had one of the coldest nights that we would spend on that biking/camping trip.. Infact, on our return there was a massive landslide on the water body just out of Badrinath as you head back down to Govindghat. The one that you encounter after you leave the Badrinath 1 km way mark. But one hell of a drive and very enjoyable, especially the mountain face etched road leading upto Joshimath.

[ant_vas]

Sirji, your post brings back wonderful memories from my trip in july this year.

There is this place called as The Himalayan adobe near the officers mess, were the photos taken from the roof top of this place? I stayed at this place when i visited valley of flowers in the last week of July. It was not as bright that time as it is in these pictures. Attaching few pictures from my trip

The moment I was near this fellow, it secreted venom on the air and it fell on my body. It was like an instant pin prick followed by a numbness and it continued to pain like an ant bite. In moments red blister and rashes formed all around the skin where the venom fell. I was shocked, I felt like crying. It was painful.

I wanted to capture the video of it spraying venom, but the bright sunlight did not let the camera capture the same at any angle. I was curious about this guy!

Back home after a frantic search found this guy to be the Indian Stinging Nettle

On the way to ghangaria, we stopped our mules to adjust the luggage on one of the mules. I tried to feed some grass to the other mule and was bit by this plant! It was like being bitten by 100's of scorpions at a time! very painful and had rashes all over my hand! But it settled back to normal in few hours time.

[laluks]

Originally Posted by wanderernomad

The roads seem to be better now a days. I remember my Royal Enfield trip to Mana and Vasudhara in 2001 and at that time, Mana welcome gate was not there. The road abruptly ended onto a few sandbags and a small walkaway leading into the village. Got caught in a downpour while returning from Vasudhara and had one of the coldest nights that we would spend on that biking/camping trip.. Infact, on our return there was a massive landslide on the water body just out of Badrinath as you head back down to Govindghat. The one that you encounter after you leave the Badrinath 1 km way mark. But one hell of a drive and very enjoyable, especially the mountain face etched road leading upto Joshimath.

In 2001, I can imagine. It would have been one hell of an adventure

Originally Posted by ant_vas

Sirji, your post brings back wonderful memories from my trip in july this year.

On the way to ghangaria, we stopped our mules to adjust the luggage on one of the mules. I tried to feed some grass to the other mule and was bit by this plant! It was like being bitten by 100's of scorpions at a time! very painful and had rashes all over my hand! But it settled back to normal in few hours time.

Thanks for those beautiful pictures.
Why don't you pen down your story of your visit to valley of flowers? Nice colorful pictures would add to the fun.

That plant is now in the beware list of items in UK for me now

[laluks]

Day 3 : 22nd September 2015
Mana Village

Woke up early, again had a hot bath and got ready for the trek to Vasudhara falls at Mana Village. Got out of the room and I could see others already stretching themselves in the cold for a hot tea. On seeing my setup many inquired as to where I am headed to. When I told my ideas of the trek everyone wanted to join in. While I waited for them to get ready the rising sun was doing magic on Neelkant Peak

Morning rays on Neelkant Peak


In no time we reached Mana Village


The scheme of events and location


UK Chardham scheme


Mana Village's altitude


Villagers were growing greens


I love this picture, looking ahead


Direction


Distances, Vasudhara falls is 5Kms ahead. Considering that this 5Kms is at high altitudes, some of the team mates called it off and settled at the last tea shop on the Indian border


Game of shadows



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[laluks]

Day 3 : 22nd September 2015
Mana Village

Saraswati River, the mystical river that is believed to be flowing underground and joins Ganges at the Sangam in Allahabad. At Mana you can see the river gushing through the mountains and falling into a deep pit. From here it becomes hidden and is believed to join at Sangam.

Saraswati river gushing in to the pit


But in reality Saraswati river flows ahead and joins Alakananda river at Keshav Prayag a few 100 meters from here.


Bhim Pul

Legend says : On their way to heaven, Pandavas crossed Saraswati river and moved ahead. But Draupadi refused to jump between the banks of the river and hence Bhim picked up this stone and put across the river like a bridge for Draupadi to cross. From the day this stone is known as Bridge made by Bhim or Bhim Pul

We started our trek from Bhim Pul on wards to Vasudhara falls

We found a type of berry


Was scared to taste it though


These fellows blocked our way.

There is a stone path all the way till the falls. It was more difficult due to this stone path. I would have preferred the possibility of trekking on mud trials than stone ones.

Game of shadows


The trail - initial phase


Mountains and glaciers


Snow capped mountains show up





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[laluks]

Day 3 : 22nd September 2015
Mana Village

What a nice bushy grass


Felt like lying on them and going to sleep


I turn back to see our young man heading towards us. For him high altitudes are his playground.


Mighty mountains







Our Young man goes forward encouraging us to follow




The terrain changes now



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[laluks]

Day 3 : 22nd September 2015
Mana Village

The trek took us through the beautiful wilderness of Mana Valley












Do you see a face?


Wilderness


Pointed mountains


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