[Rubbertramps]

Wonderful thread. Brought back memories when i did this trek back in 2006. We stayed in the same ashram and reached the glacier at dawn. However we could not make it to Tapovan. If i am not wrong it is above Gangotri glacier and people warned the oxygen levels might be low there. I was ready to take it up, but my group was already drying from the 18 km trek to the glacier. !

[ssambyal1980]

Originally Posted by Rubbertramps

Wonderful thread. Brought back memories when i did this trek back in 2006. We stayed in the same ashram and reached the glacier at dawn. However we could not make it to Tapovan. If i am not wrong it is above Gangotri glacier and people warned the oxygen levels might be low there. I was ready to take it up, but my group was already drying from the 18 km trek to the glacier. !

Thanks. What a coincidence that you too stayed at the same ashram where we stayed. Even we had plans to trek up to Tapovan but were cautioned against doing so as the trek passes above the glacier with deep crevasses all along. Also with the further rise in altitude the chances of getting AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) increases manifold. We came across quite a few trekkers going further up the glacier. Moreover to trek further beyond Gaumukh, it is imperative to have a local guide with you, otherwise the chances of getting strayed are very high.

[ampere]

Brilliant! There are few travelogues on this forum which I think will stand for long for all to read again and again. Going literally to where it all begins is always a thrill.


Not sure if you have read this:

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave...ra-2011-a.html (When I Went Walking To Tibet - Kailash Mansarovar Yatra-2011)

[ssambyal1980]

Originally Posted by ampere

Brilliant! There are few travelogues on this forum which I think will stand for long for all to read again and again. Going literally to where it all begins is always a thrill.
Not sure if you have read this:
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave...ra-2011-a.html (When I Went Walking To Tibet - Kailash Mansarovar Yatra-2011)

Thanks alot for kind words of appreciation. It's been always an honour and pleasure to share travel stories on Team BHP. Thanks for sharing the travelogue link of Tibet Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, this is the one trek which is the dream of every nature lover.

[dr. sen]

Hello,
Heartiest Congratulations for the awesome journey taken by your and your mate on the humble M-800. Excellent write up and photographs. I remember my 1986 and 1991, trips, first on the M-800 and second on Premier Padmini. Both were new vehicles and had clocked fewer than 25k.
I am sure, your mighty M-800, had clocked many times over than that, hence a few questions.

1. Any mechanical or electrical trouble faced in the entire trip. (Though chances are very remote in a M-800; which has been taken care of; which i am sure, you did).
2. Did you carry extra fuel, and if yes , how much of it, as the fuel pumps are not only sparse and few, but very much apart.
3. Your Total Distance traveled and the average fuel consumed in hills and average fuel consumption in plains.
4. How bad or how good are the conditions of the roads. My friends at NDRF tell me, the road has not been built in most of the places, and wherever the roads have been made, the quality is not like the earlier ones; whatever may be the reasons.
5. Did you face any issues with the ground clearance, in non metaled roads, at any places?
6. What about the food and lodging? Since most, hotels, lodges, dhabas along the road, have vanished after the landslides.
7. Lastly, did you visit the service station, any sooner, after your return from the majestic trip.

Once again, Congratulations to you and your mate, for the trip. Thanx in advance for the reply.

regards

[ssambyal1980]

Originally Posted by dr. sen

Hello,
Heartiest Congratulations for the awesome journey taken by your and your mate on the humble M-800. Excellent write up and photographs. I remember my 1986 and 1991, trips, first on the M-800 and second on Premier Padmini. Both were new vehicles and had clocked fewer than 25k.
I am sure, your mighty M-800, had clocked many times over than that, hence a few questions...
...Once again, Congratulations to you and your mate, for the trip. Thanx in advance for the reply.
regards

Thank you sir for the kinds words of appreciation. Good to know that you too had undertaken the trip twice, 25-30 years back in the same region. It's quite courageous on your part to do so as you explored the uncharted territories when there was an absolute lack of infrastructure in the region with virtually no roads.

Sir, I am very glad to reply to your queries and following are the replies in chronological order:

1. Didn't face any mechanical or electrical trouble. As a precautionary measure had got the timing belt replaced before the trip. Apart from that have always followed the usual maintenance and service schedule to get the best from vehicle.

2. Didn't carry extra fuel as a number of fuel pumps have come up on the route. Got the vehicle refuelled thrice during the trip.

3. The total distance covered during the trip was 1009 kms and the total fuel consumed was 60.95 ltrs. Hence the mileage achieved during the trip was 1009/60.95=16.55 km/ltr. The average in the hills was 16 km/ltr and in the plains it was 18 km/ltr. 75% of the total trip distance covered was mountain area and 25% was plain area.

4. Sir, we undertook the trip in June, 2012 when most of the highways in the region were fine. The widespread damage to the road infrastructure took place during June, 2013 flash floods.

5. During the trip didn't face any issues as far as ground clearance is concerned, moreover with a ground clearance of 170mm, Maruti 800 is a confidence inspiring car. Nonetheless the unmetalled and damaged sections do call in for a cautious maneuvering of the vehicle.

6. Sir as we undertook the trip a year before the flash floods of 2013, we didn't face any problem regarding boarding and lodging.

7. The Maruti-800 performed really well during the trip and completed the trip without any trouble. There was absolutely no mechanical issue post the trip. The car performed so well that after our this very trip to Yamunotri & Gangotri in June 2012, we went to the second trip of Kedarnath & Badrinath in the same car after four months in October 2012. Will be sharing the travelogue of that trip also on this forum.

Sir, I sincerely hope that I have replied satisfactorily to all your queries. It is always nice to get connected with like minded motoring and travel enthusiasts like you through Team BHP. Hope to hear more from you through this forum.

Best Regards.

[dr. sen]

"The Maruti-800 performed really well during the trip and completed the trip without any trouble. There was absolutely no mechanical issue post the trip. The car performed so well that after our this very trip to Yamunotri & Gangotri in June 2012, we went to the second trip of Kedarnath & Badrinath in the same car after four months in October 2012. Will be sharing the travelogue of that trip also on this forum. "


What a coincidence, the 9 pm. news showed the heavy destruction in upper regions of Uttranchal Region, due to heavy rains. This has been the case since 2013 on wards, every monsoon, year after year. You were indeed lucky to do both the trips well before the tragedy struck.

In my humble opinion, and from the specific inputs from my friends in NDRF, the Garhwal Region, is in deep troubles for coming years, mainly due to the heavy deforestation, extreme exploitation of the river banks and the state highways. According to their opinion, it will take another 5 -6 years to complete the Highway to Gaurikund, what to talk about other areas. Cut and Fill will not work any more, for the highways, due to extreme loads, which are being carried by the trucks, nowadays. This method of cutting and filling, is good for low traffic and low to medium loads. While broadening the roads, the agencies have taken the softer and quicker approach, (heavy traffic and public pressure, were equally responsible), of filling and broadening the roads, instead of cutting, which is normally done in hills. (But i am told by my Expert friends, that our Himalayas contain both mud and rock, hence any typical solution, which is applicable in west, is not applicable here. Ours is more like, hills and mountains of the South American Continent. Well i will not delve any deeper into these complex and debatable subject, since i am not an expert on these.)

Whatever travelogue i have read in the forum, are mostly from the kumaon region, and hardly any from the upper garhwal region. Maybe the best season will be post dussehra or diwali, and before the Winter rain. I have been following the rain pattern in whole of the country. Gone are the days of casual rainfalls or normal monsoon, where rain use to pour for days, but at a predictable way. Now flash Rain and flood is the norms. That too out of a blue. Whether in Mumbai, chennai, kolkata or Srinagar. In a area of say 80-50 sqkm region, some area will receive 20 mm rain, where as a few km. away, it might cross 500 -800 mm ( in a couple of hour only, not in the whole day) and will choke the drains and flood the area, in no time. Try imagine that in a hilly region. The volume of water is bound to bring huge deluge with it, i have no doubt about it. And no amount of planning can solve this. We will have to move away from the river to make our roads.

Coming back to your travelogue, nice to know your M-800, never gave you any trouble. Whats the odo reading, if you can inform us. And also, we all would be interested to know about the food and lodging, as they are as important as the trip itself (in my opinion). My stupid reading style, made me ignore the dates. Usually i glance at the travelogue post dates, and assume, it might be a month or earlier. Hats off to you, for being able to keep all the material in ready to serve and eat condition. Looking forward for the other, 5 starred travelogue (kedarnath write up). Thanx in advance.

regards

[ssambyal1980]

Originally Posted by dr. sen

What a coincidence, the 9 pm. news showed the heavy destruction in upper regions of Uttranchal Region, due to heavy rains. This has been the case since 2013 on wards, every monsoon, year after year. You were indeed lucky to do both the trips well before the tragedy struck...

Nice to know your M-800, never gave you any trouble. What's the odo reading, if you can inform us. And also, we all would be interested to know about the food and lodging, as they are as important as the trip itself (in my opinion). Hats off to you, for being able to keep all the material in ready to serve and eat condition. Looking forward for the other, 5 starred travelogue (kedarnath write up). Thanx in advance.
regards

Thanks again sir for a detailed insight into the problem of ecological imbalance which has become the bane of a developing nation like ours. You are absolutely right that ruthless exploitation of natural resources over the years has resulted in the mess in which we find ourselves. In case of hilly areas, the unscientific cutting of hill sides for the construction of roads is to be blamed for recurring problem of landslides year after year during the monsoons. To add to that deforestation has made the hill slopes weak to hold the soil, resulting in flash floods after every heavy downpour. The state of Uttarakhand is the most vulnerable due to its topography.

Coming back to the Maruti-800 discussion, the car has so far clocked 1,48,000 kms. As far as food and lodging is concerned there is no problem nowadays, as due to rapid increase in tourism since last ten years many decent hotels, lodges and homestays have come up, along with decent road side eateries dishing out quality food. Sir would also like to bring to your kind notice that as promised I have posted the travelogue of Kedarnath-Badrinath trip in the forum. Do checkout.

Best Regards

[dinesh6481]

Simple and to the point narration. Very well put together. The temperature on a normal sunny day in mountains of Uttarakhand is very warm and after trekking the requirement of any warm clothing is hardly felt. However the body also cools down very fast and one must carry the jacket handy to be worn during long break. That's why you would have seen most of the Trekkers tie their jacket to their waist. Moreover unlike J&K and Himachal the Glaciers are at much lower altitudes in Uttarakhand. As far as the muddy water and ice is concerned, the glaciers are thousand years old and are in constant state of motion. The top of glacier is subjected to various landslides too. So when the glacier opens up at snout it's like a bottle neck and all the debris simply get dumped in a small opening. If I am not mistaken it's called moraine(the rocky part over the ice near snout). One query I would like to ask. Did you get your reservation at Bhojbasa beforehand or you simply walked in and the tents were available?

[ssambyal1980]

Originally Posted by dinesh6481

Simple and to the point narration. Very well put together. One query I would like to ask. Did you get your reservation at Bhojbasa beforehand or you simply walked in and the tents were available?

Thanks for reading the travelogue and for a useful insight in to the geographical study of glaciers. No we didn't have any reservation beforehand as there cannot be one in case of tented accommodations provided by volunteers of the social organizations. Well that was the scenario when we went in June, 2012 and a lot has changed in the state after the heavy torrential rains and the accompanying flash floods of 2013 which caused great upheaval.

[ultimatechamp]

Fantastic and inspiring. Loved the write up

[ssambyal1980]

Originally Posted by ultimatechamp

Fantastic and inspiring. Loved the write up

Thanks for the kind words of appreciation.

[vharihar]

Originally Posted by ssambyal1980

Day 7: 17th June, 2012 Gangotri to Rishikesh: 270 kms (Driving)

Started off for the day at 0830 Hrs and reached the town of Uttarkashi by 1330 Hrs.

...

We started for the day's journey at 0930 Hrs. After crossing Dehradun and Herbertpur, stopped enroute for lunch at Asan Barrage, the very place where we had stopped for breakfast on day one of the trip. After crossing Paonta Sahib, by passed Nahan and entered plains near Narayangarh. Finally reached the base at 1600 Hrs. That was the end of an adventurous trip to two of the four Dhams of Uttarakhand.

Excellent writeup, thanks!

How good is the road from Uttarkashi to Haridwar/Rishikesh?

I will be put up in Uttarkashi in October 2019. For my return, I need to reach Haridwar on a Saturday evening sometime in that month (and will stay in a Haridwar hotel overnight and catch a Sunday 6 am train from Haridwar). What's a cost effective and safe way to travel from Uttarkashi to Haridwar, so as to reach Haridwar latest by Saturday 8 pm?

Or should I travel to Rishikesh and then go by cab from there?

In either case, if I were to book a bus, which is better? Pvt buses or govt buses?

Asking bcoz it's a mountainous/treacherous travel, and I know for a fact that govt bus svcs are better than pvt in some states (eg. Karnataka) while its the reverse in some other states.

[ssambyal1980]

Originally Posted by vharihar

Excellent writeup, thanks!

How good is the road from Uttarkashi to Haridwar/Rishikesh?

I will be put up in Uttarkashi in October 2019. For my return, I need to reach Haridwar on a Saturday evening sometime in that month (and will stay in a Haridwar hotel overnight and catch a Sunday 6 am train from Haridwar). What's a cost effective and safe way to travel from Uttarkashi to Haridwar, so as to reach Haridwar latest by Saturday 8 pm?

Or should I travel to Rishikesh and then go by cab from there?

In either case, if I were to book a bus, which is better? Pvt buses or govt buses?

Asking bcoz it's a mountainous/treacherous travel, and I know for a fact that govt bus svcs are better than pvt in some states (eg. Karnataka) while its the reverse in some other states.

First of all thank you for going through the travelogue and for your kind words of appreciation. I undertook this trip in June 2012 and at that time the road conditions from Uttarkashi to Rishikesh was quite satisfactory which have definitely improved by now considering the fact that the central government is very keen to improve the road connectivity to the Char Dhams. In an ambitious project the NHAI is carrying out a major overhaul of all the national and state highways connecting the char dhams in order to make the roads all weather. Regarding your travel plans from Uttarkashi to Haridwar I would suggest you to travel by state road transport corporation buses as they are safer and reliable.