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Strong will, resolve, commitment, health, fitness, favourable situation and full support from the family is a must to turn your dreams into a reality. If any one of this is a miss then for sure it's guaranteed that dream would remain just a dream, nothing else!

We, a group of friends, scaled 12,500 ft high beautiful Kedarkanta Peak located near Sankri, a hamlet situated at an altitude of 1950 m above sea level in Mori Tehsil, Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand, India. It's part of the Govind Balabh Pant Wildlife Sanctuary and provides a 360 degree view of the Himalayan mountain ranges at the summit! To put it in perspective, it's less than half of Mount Everest whose peak touches a staggering 29,000ft, the highest of all mountains!

Though we did accomplish this life changing feat in the beginning of winter during 7th to 12th of Dec 2023, just the thought of making it happen had creeped our mind dating back by atleast few years at the coffee table in our office. I also had a desktop wallpaper with a tent pitched in the middle of nowhere facing the evening sky, reminding me again and again that the time is not eternal, atleast for us, poor living beings, to act now!

But the "act now" never materialised. Family life and events, responsibilities, professional commitments, you name it all. The time passed by days, months and years. Nothing fell in place among our friends circle. What started as uneasiness in failing to do the Himalayan trek, was finally turning into desperation.

Was trekking in the Himalayas was just a part of bucket list for me? Or did I wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle of routine life? Or was it to enjoy spending time in the mountains just like enjoying somewhere else? Yes, it was all of this but more importantly for me it was an opportunity to have a first hand experience in knowing the place which many of our past seers and saints considered it as the altar for performing Tapas and Sadhana, Moksha being the ultimate goal! I considered it as sacred as a temple, as comforting as the lap of the mother, as divine as the Lord himself! It's the abode of Lord Mahadeva of Kedarnath & Kailash, Lord Vishnu of Badarinaath and the source of holy Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Brahmaputra & many other rivers that nourish entire Northern India.

Come what may, I had firmly resolved to trek in the Himalayas before the end of 2023. The green signal was given by my family and I shortlisted September end slot from well known trekking company - "IndiaHikes". I had spent numerous days reading different trekking trails and experiences from their informative site. They have carved themselves a niche in the trekking community for their well organized guided treks with proper care given towards the trek teams. IndiaHikes also indulges in pre-trek preparations for the ones enrolled via setting fitness goals, guiding on what needs to be packed and how to keep it light.

I wanted to experience it along with my friends so that in the future we can bring these treasured memories back to life as and when we wish and to cherish. So as a last ditch effort, sent out the shortlisted detailed plan to my inner friend circles. As a coincidence, few of my friends were also thinking of the same, but in December as against what I had planned in September. For me it never mattered whether it was September or December, what was more important was trekking with friends which even I had looked for. Finally the time has arrived to witness the divine beauty of the majestic Himalayas!


Embracing the divine!

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Brief itinerary of 8 days went as below:

Day 1 | Bengaluru - Dehradun | Flight
Day 2 | Dehradun - Kotagaon base camp | Drive
Day 3 | Kotagaon - Khujaai campsite | Trek
Day 4 | Khujaai - Bhuja Dhadi | Trek
Day 5 | Bhuja Dhadi - Kedarkantha Summit - Khujaai | Trek
Day 6 | Khujaai - Kotagaon base camp | Trek
Day 7 | Kotagaon - Dehradun - Haridwar | Drive
Day 8 | Haridwar - Rishikesh - Dehradun - Bengaluru | Drive/Flight

The plan and the preparation:

When you decide to go on a trip by car or a bike, road worthiness of the machine takes higher priority over everything else to prevent any breakdowns. One's own physical fitness takes a back seat.

But to successfully and happily trek high altitude mountains the situation demands your own body to be in a good shape if not better. You need to tune your body and soul for endurance, to face uncertainties, harsh weather and to sustain with low oxygen!

Booking our 6 days slot Kedarkantha Trek with IndiaHikes(IH) proved to be a great decision. The trekking itself is for 4 days and 2 days makes up for travel to and fro from basecamp, Kotagaon and Dehradun. And additional 2 days you need to count to reach Dehradun and back to Bengaluru. So in total it was 8 days of schedule. There was clear instructions to follow specific exercises. Especially to run and cover atleast 5 kms under 30 mins was the minimum criteria, 3-4 times a week and the screenshot of this accomplishment had to be uploaded to their portal before they would agree to consider you as part of the bigger trek team. Though there was no way for them to verify if the data shared were genuine, the training plan adviced to us helped a lot to gain confidence and get trek-ready. IndiaHikes also has exhaustive information on their portal like ways to prepare physically, light backpacking, food options and many others that you name it. Though the difficulty level was Easy Moderate, we realised during our trek how the genuine preparation literally paid off! The level Easy Moderate actually has to be understood from the point of view of a healthy and strong person, for the unprepared it is Difficult! On top of it one should be mentally and physically prepared to be out in the open away from the comfort of four walls, neither room heater nor warm bed. One should have trust in their own self, mind you, you will be out in the Himalayas!

Their belief in Green Trails is what impressed me a lot - reusable water bottles, steel lunch boxes to get the hot healthy food served at camps, plastic garbage collection pouch for use on the trails, no tissues or wet wipes, hot vegetarian meals from local sources, strict no to maggies and saw dust for cleaning up after poop! Everything was carefully identified to keep the trails green and clean. A big shout out for this great and sustainable initiative! Only if other trekking companies followed this, would keep our mountains devoid of all types of pollution. IH even provides trekking gears for rent at a nominal fees to keep the trekking expenses light on the pocket - trek pole, steel lunch boxes, padded jackets, trek shoes and many more. One needs to book them in advance well before the start of the trek, not at the base camp.

With preparations of two months coming to an end with our fitness approved by IH, now it was the show time!

The base camp for Kedarkantha trek is a small hamlet by name Kotagaon, roughly 200 kms away from the state capital Dehradun of Uttarakhand. Direct flight was booked from Bengaluru to Dehradun on 6th of Dec and a Tempo Traveller was arranged by IH the next day to take us to the base camp.


Golden rays of dawn kissing the peaks - View from Kotagaon Base Camp!

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Day 1 | 6th Dec, 2023 | Direct flight from Bengaluru to Dehradun | Altitude loss: 3,020 ft to 2,300 ft

We had booked a direct flight from Bengaluru to Dehradun via Indigo airlines that would take 3 hours and costing approx 8200/- INR. The flight was on time and we landed at the time of dusk. The city sits in the valley surrounded by mountains and forests. Interestingly Dehradun is on a lower altitude vis a vis Bengaluru which we were never aware of! The booking for a night stay was done at Nomads, opp to Grand Legacy Hotel. It's a cheaper option with hostel kind of setup with multiple bunkers for sleep in different rooms and lockers for keeping items safe with hot water facility for shower. It's most sought after amongst trekkers community and even recommended by IH. Rooms and rest rooms were clean without food option but one can find many outside. The weather here matches that of our Namma Bengaluru.

Had our dinner outside that included hot and spicy parathas and kulhad chai to end our day one.

The flight details



We @ Bengaluru Airport ready to join the rest with BIG !!



Fast forward into the future!(The same We expanding to 6 @ campsite, with 2 more joining from DD)



The flight



Dehradun, part of UDAAN!



Dehradun Airport with Localisation!



Nomads House, Bunkstay Hotel and Cafe

Location:https://maps.app.goo.gl/EA7sL4AX1uB2pNNw9


Route that we would be taking tomorrow



IndiaHikes Kotagaon base camp, zoom in and you can see the revered Char Dhams just around

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Day 2 | 7th Dec, 2023 | Dehradun to IndiaHikes base camp, Kotagaon | Road | 200 Kms - 10-11hrs | Altitude gain: 2,300 ft to 6,455 ft/1967 mts

This would be the day of our last bath as we set to hit the roads of Himalayas and trek in the mountains, the next would be after a gap of 4 days. Even the post poop clean-up has to managed with dry tissue papers, not with water!

The josh was high & we woke up early, had tea outside, got ready and were at the pickup point by 6:30 am to join along with other amazing trekkers, taking the count of the trek team to 25. This would be the gang to live with for the next 6 days, as we had thought and it included an Yeti too! We started soon after with ever increasing altitude.

The route to the base camp passes through scenic Mussoorie, Kempty Falls, Naugaon, Purola with holy river Yamuna accompanying all along. Stopped at Kempty Falls area for breakfast by 9 am, but had move ahead without visiting the falls due to time constraints. Instead spent some time at river Yamuna further up and indulged in some photo shoot. After a heavy and tasty lunch on the way around 2 pm finally reached IndiaHikes base camp, Kotagaon by 5:30 pm.

We were warmly welcomed with high tea and beautiful mountain ranges all around with Sun sliding behind creating the perfect effect.
The trek team in itself was very vibrant comprising of trekkers from different geographical locations - Mumbai, West Bengal, Tamilnadu, Punjab, Karnataka with various backgrounds - students, doctors, air force, businessman and we software professionals. We were given a Briefing session from the trek lead Shubhankar and guides Kanhaiya ji and DK with a list of Do's and Don'ts plus self introduction of each one us, the trekkers. There were clear instructions and a behavioral boundary was drawn. It was also clearly conveyed to each one of us to inform them immediately in case of any uneasiness related to one's own health. IH has a policy of allowing the trekkers to again participate in the same trek free of cost backed by their Trek Again Philosophy coined by it's founder Arjun Majumdar! So for any health or safety reasons if one has to turn back, there was always a second chance to climb it back at the time of their own choice.

It was time to collect the gears that we had booked and make sure they are perfect fit for next 4 days. The weather was chillingly cold and the thermals proved to be useful. We were served with hot and healthy dinner that pushed us to doze off immediately.


Early morning high tea, can't wait for the Sun to turn up



Get, set, go!



Scenic terrace farming on the hill slopes



Maa Yamuna accompanying us all along



Pine forest range



Yamuna



Small villages nestled between the mountains



Pristine Yamuna waters



Stone duck with a beak formation, quenching it's thirst



Gushing Himalayan stream from the top with a small adjoining temple



Iron bridge crossing



Inside the iron bridge



Panoramic view from breakfast point, Kempty Falls



The Himalayas Metamorphic Rock, specifically Gneiss



The boys



Deliciously hot lunch tossed with a beautiful background!



Forest cover



Miniscule Sumo making its way through Gigantic Himalayas



Sky canvassed with different spectrum of the light



Shades of green at the banks of Yamuna



Development or Destruction? Hydro Power Project



Pine with a Shine



Road to our dreams



Fire in the mountains



IndiaHikes base camp, Kotagaon at 6455 ft, base for Bali pass, Har Ki Dun - Rulnsara Tal, Kedarkantha & Phulara Ridge treks



Mount Swargarohini as seen from the base camp



Strategically located dining area



Ready for the Briefing session



Chai pe Charcha

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Day 3 | 8th Dec, 2023 | IndiaHikes base camp, Kotagaon to Khujaai campsite | Trek | 5.3 Kms - 5 hrs | Altitude gain: 6,400 ft to 9,460 ft

With onset of winter, it was still dark when we woke up around 6 am with temperature hovering around 5 degree celcius. Freshened up and went out for photoshoot. Hot herbal tea was already prepared which we gulped happily. Filled up our tummies with hot phulkas for the breakfast by 7:30 am and were ready with all trekking gears for the day 1 briefing from our guide Kanhaiya ji by 8:30 am. One could offload additional one baggage at extra cost which will be available only at the upcoming campsite, which IH did not recommend, but we did! By 9 am we headed to our first campsite Khujaai.

The trek starts from Kotgaon base camp into the village and just a kilometre of walk on the road leads you out into the wilderness with a small suspension bridge with beautiful views of the valley and water falls. We entered into a small clearing and that meadow was our first rest stop. We were told by the guide Shubhankar to lie down on the meadows with our eyes closed and mouth shut. He asked us to feel our presence right now right there in the lap of Himalayas! And wow! That was pure bliss! It was utter silent and we could feel the chill of cold winds and birds chirping. The experience was amazing and one of its kind that cannot be expressed in any words! This moment totally recharged our mind, soothed our soul & turned out to be a unique take away. Pleased with the nature's top class healing powers that rarely we get to experience, we moved forward.

Further trail leads into the dense forest predominantly of oak trees. We enjoyed every bit of it listening to the sound of the wind, chirping birds and the rustling of leaves. After some hours of trek we reached Mohlani meadows. This is a huge clearing and opens up on one side to the grand views of the hills and surrounded by tall pine trees on other sides. There is a small Matrishakti Mandir in the vicinity and a water source. We replenished our water supplies and had hot maggies and tea at the one and only stall.

After an hour or so you come across a small wooden bridge across gushing Himalayan stream. With a snowfall a week back it had turned out into a heaven by itself. Suddenly we were surrounded from all sides with snow. It was the first memorable moment for us. Crossed the bridge and started ascending. In about 30 minutes the trail took us to the Khujaai campsite by 4 pm. The campsite was already set up facing valley ahead with snow capped steep mountains towards its back. This would be our first ever camping experience and yes, it was in the Himalayas!

The Khujaai campsite is a huge clearing in the middle of dense forest where we would be spending the rest of the day. Exploring around showed up a cattle space and shepherds hut but in ruins. There is also a space at the edge with a lot of boulders where one can sit and enjoy the view of the mountain ranges. Much before when we had finally booked the slots for the trek, I had also noticed that our trek timeline would be during the approach towards New Moon day with little scope for any light to intervene to witness amazing view of the star lit Milkyway Galaxy. The only worry I had was about weather that could have played spoil sport. But, we were awesomely lucky! The whole view of our own crisp and clear galaxy was up above us in the night sky!

It's astonishing that we earthlings including our solar system and this huge Milkyway galaxy that houses many such solar systems within itself is as minute as a particle of dust in the vastness of the Universe that's ever changing and ever expanding right from the start of Big Bang. There is also a much accepted theory that it is not just one Universe out there but there are multiple, many, each with its own Big Bang. They are out there since Billions of Trillions of years. Compared to this the life span of us, humans, is just for a period as equal as the time we see a falling star, one blink and we are gone. But still we live like immortals full of ego and selfishness with utter care for the people and environment around us. At the end we achieve nothing other than a worldly fortune for the remaining around us. Exception to this are seers and saints who come to the lap of Himalayas and dedicate themselves to the upliftment of own self to find the true meaning of life, ultimately guiding the rest of us to take the path of the righteous. Many have seen such accomplished souls who appear rarely to the outside world with most of their time devoted to Tapas and Sadhana. Today I could truly sense the reason they head to the heights!

We were instructed to wear thermals soon after we reached campsite in the absence of higher physical activities that had kept us warm till now and had negated the need of it during the trek. We had Paani Pooris for evening snacks at this high altitude accompanied by an indoor game in the kitchen tent - One Fish, Jumped into the water, Splash! For most of us it was new and we loved it thoroughly. It played a crucial role in binding all of us together. Real life stories from the mountains by our guide Kanhaiya ji kept us engaged. After a hot dinner and brief chit chat with other trekkers, we headed to our designated tents shared between two. Each one of us were given a pair of sleeping bags to be used one inside the other followed by a linen layer with our body inside the inner most linen layer. We had zip it in once we were inside with slight opening to breathe in and out! Our situation at this point can be imagined just like the way you see the tightly wrapped mummies of Giza, Egypt but just enough to preserve our living body till the dawn. This would be repeated every night at each campsite before we take off for the day and we could hardly sleep with ever dipping mercury level which touched as low as -5 degree celsius! Even then we heard a voice that kept asking to the inmates of each tent : "How are you guys, immediately report any uneasiness, we will be available in Kitchen tent" and it was our guide Shubhankar! We truly appreciated his professionalism in making sure each and every one in the trek team was sound and good! This day we even encountered much awaited dry toilets and successfully won the day!


Early rays of our star comforting Mt. Swargarohini



Rays painting the mountain in multiple shades



Nearby stetch of mountains



Picturesque village of Kotagaon



All faces this way!



Briefing before the beginning



All set!



Initial trek passing through the under construction temple



Beautiful view of slope cultivation



Trail through the forests of Govind Balabh Pant Wildlife Sanctuary



Up is the only way



Regular trekkers, fully loaded, helping us!



Uff...! Short break



Up and up!



Lets relax



Guide Shubhankar on a big boulder instructing us to lay low with sun rays adding special effects



Recharging, for life!



Mountain ranges in the middle



Abandoned wooden temple



Chai & Snacks adda! If we could come here everyday!!



Original mountain mineral water, to be refilled in our bottles.



Big mountain mushroom attached to the trunk of the tree



Down to earth!



Sun, Snow & Oaks playing hide and seek. Beautiful!



Trail passing through the snow and into the woods



Me, leaving behind a magical wonderland with a wooden bridge!



Wide angle view of our tents at Khujaii camp site. Next day we will trek up above the mountain seen in the backdrops



Alpenglow, in its glory, in the evening



The moment we had been craving for years, finally has arrived!



A tent and a Starlit sky! Dream? No, we lived our dreams!

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Day 4 | 9th Dec, 2023 | Khujaai campsite to Bhoja Dhadi campsite | Trek | 3 Kms - 3.5 hrs | Altitude gain: 9,460 ft to 10,700 ft

With very short distance to cover for the day, to keep our body acclimatized, it was a day of leisure. We heard some funny incident that had happened during the previous night. Couple of outwardly strong looking friends cum trek mates suddenly started feeling phobic due to being restricted within the tight sleeping bags under small tents. They reported extreme uneasiness and ran to the relatively wider kitchen tents where guides and trek leads were positioned to spend rest of the night. Upon hearing this, rest of us were left with disbelief on how such outgoing guys ended up fleeing their tents in the mid of the night to take up refugee in kitchen tents! We laughed and pulled their legs to extremity .

With a cup of hot herbal tea we spent some quality time in peace on the boulders at the vicinity facing moutain ranges with cold breeze brushing our faces as the sun started coming out behind the hills. IH had organised few fun games to beat the time and create the bond between the trekkers till hot food gets cooked in the kitchen tents. These games proved worthy, turning the feeling among us as strangers into a family of friends. It was enjoying and cherishing! Hot rotis and sabji were ready to fill up our hungry tummies and we wasted no time to gulp them down to the fullest. Got ready by 11 am for the next destination "Bhoja Dhadi" campsite and support staff dismantled all the tents. We had one single break in the middle and reached the campsite by 3 pm and finished our healthy hot lunch.

This was the newly setup campsite by IH and the advantage of it was the whole trek trail was pristine pure with fresh layer of snow in multiple stretches. The campsite sits on a slight slope directly facing the mountain ranges without any obstacles! It was, yes, beautiful evening that we were going to witness. Before we hit the tents to take off for the day after sumptuous dinner, instructions were given to everyone to get ready by 4 am next day for the ultimate summit climb! In the night we once again witnessed the glory of the Milkyway with the view much better than the previous day! It was awe inspiring! The freezing mountain winds dashing our tents made sure our sleep even for this day was just verbatim, but we were charged up for the big day tomorrow!


Moon before the dawn!



Close up! After morning games



Portrait



The place where our tents stood, all packed up



Up north



Himalayan slopes with fresh layer of untouched snow!



One step at a time!



Who is the best actor here?!



Retrospection of the trail behind



Snowcapped peaks



In the middle



Forest and its admirers



Time for a break



Play area, amid nature



Gold class recliners



Up we go



A place away from all hustle and bustle



Tips and tricks to tackle



Breathe



Bunch of bush!



Our guide, Kanhaiyya ji



For some its trek, for few its stomach!



Pure



First glimpse of our next campsite, Bhoja Dhadi. Soon we will be climbing the mountain behind, before the next dawn.



Inside out



Dusk and Den



Colorful evening



Snow, shelter & stars!



Picture perfect!



Our galaxy, Milkyway!

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Summit Day 5 | 10th Dec, 2023 | Bhoja Dhadi campsite to Khujaai campsite via Kedarkantha Summit | Trek | 9 Kms - 7-8 hrs | Altitude gain/Loss: 10,700 ft to 9,460 ft via 12,500 ft

This was going to be the toughest and equally rewarding day that we all waited. This was the day of summit climb! In short, we climbed up to the peak of Kedarkanta touching an altitude of 12,500 ft, descended back to Bhoja Dhadi campsite, had lunch and descended again down to previous day's campsite, Khujaai.

We started around 5 am when it was still pitch dark armed with headlamps and spikes. This initial section of the climb was steep and we all went really slow and careful. Half an hour into the climb one of the trekker started getting dizziness and severe headache with vomiting sensation. Upon on spot inspection by the trek lead it was found that oxygen level was much below normal, below 80! Everyday before going to our tents, each one of us was inspected with Oxy meter and at the heights of Himalayas a reading around 85 was considered normal. But since in this case as it was much below, the trekker was taken down back to the campsite with some staff to accompany. With certain medications and rest she was all fine as we learnt later. It could have happened to anyone irrespective of being either fit or not. But being really fit would definitely help. She was the only trekker who couldn't make it to the top, but with IH's Trek Again Philosophy it was rest assured that she could trek again free of cost for the same trail!

The final push to the summit took a staggering 4.5 hours burning a whooping 1,350 calories to just cover a distance of 1.3 Kms with a total ascent of 619 mts!! This would just give you a idea of the difficult terrain one should win to reach the final peak to witness the amazing 360 degree view of Kedarkanta range! It was worth the effort that we had put right from the day we booked our trek till we accomplished this feat. The whole of the summit was left exclusively to our team, with no other one at the top. The panoramic views from the summit left everyone speechless. It was beautiful, pure and divine!

We spent almost an hour at the summit and started descending down with everyone getting a chance for snow slide that was arranged! Stopped over in the middle for a short Maggie break at the stall setup bit down from the peak. One of us started experiencing severe headache and as we reached the campsite down for lunch by noon it was the same case with most of us. Unbearable headache! It was the effect of low oxygen level at the peak. Medicines were given to the needy. But as planned we had to descended down to Khujaai campsite before sun set. We proceeded down without rest with our capability for endurance put for test and reached the campsite Khujaai by 5:30 pm at the time of which we all felt better with our headache slowly disappearing. We had an interesting trekker who was one among very few to reach the summit, climbing the heights was never a problem for him. But it was dead opposite when he started descending down! He was literally so afraid climbing down from the peaks that he was at the tail end throughout till we reached the base camp next day which he did manage with support from rest of the trekkers! Climacophobia! Nevertheless he did receive every possible moral and physical support from the team.

Hot pakodas awaited our arrival! Shortly after, we finished our dinner and called it a big satisfying day. The sleep this night was deep, for the first time!


The initial steep climb



No place for darkness if light remains resilient



Mountain ranges towards our side



Serenity all over



Summit is beyond the top in front



Determined, just like ants



We are near and the path is clear



One for the Lord Ganesha, Scenic, No?!!



Season's first snow covering the peaks



Nothing but just bliss, to sit back and immerse



Finally, the summit is all ours!



Lord Kedarkanta himself at the Peak at his true place! Small shrine for Mahadeva.



Sea of mountain peaks!



One click for the Wild sparrow



Another view



Accomplished souls wandering around



Becoming one, with the Cosmos



Hurray! We did it!



My milestone!



Enablers - With Lead Shubhankar, guides DK & Kanhaiya ji



Moment to behold with a post card in everyone's hand to pen down our emotions



Some rest during descent



He accompanied and led us all along, just like the one who led Pandavas at the end of Mahabharata!



The slide that we all enjoyed!



Few tents serving hot beverages and maggies for the trekkers descending down from the summit



And the one



One of my favourite click!



Vegetation starts showing its presence again



Discipline is all it demands



One last stay in the tents in the lap of Himalayas, at Khujaai!

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Day 6 | 11th Dec, 2023 | Khujaai campsite to Kotagaon base camp | Trek | 5.3 Kms - 4-5 hrs | Altitude Loss: 9,460 ft to 6,400 ft

There was a sense of accomplishment when woke up early in the morning. The mind and the atmosphere had settled down. With successful summit climb the previous day there was no room for anxiety nor even any urgency to reach the base camp. Took a mug of hot herbal tea and sat still, facing the vast mountain ranges with Sun yet to show his presence. Without effort one can easily feel the peace in the air that will surely uplift the mood, encourage spirituality and show path to eternal enlightenment! Time will stop and thoughts disappear when you face such majestic creation infront of the eyes. The experience would remain etched forever in our memories that would act as a catalyst to take up any such future ventures in any terrain. The soul was ready for the next adventure physically and spiritually!

Morning Vibes



Glorious



After effects of sub zero temperatures



Water source



Painting in the sky



Listen to the winds



Crowded tents showing of the bond that this trek generated



Chris alias Yethi, Krishh and a true Bro. A gem of a person in his 20s with maturity level surpassing those of 50s!



One last on the mountains!



And one solo for me!



With a local shepherd



.. and his herd!



Pan India game!



And the player..



The trophy!! Distributed to each one of us during Debriefing that would remain as a prized possession.



Smile tells it all. Us at the end as friends, not just trekkers! Late night chill out at a local Kotagaon Cafe!

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Day 7 | 12th Dec, 2023 | IndiaHikes base camp, Kotagaon to Haridwar via Dehradun| Road | 250 Kms - 10-11hrs | Altitude loss: 6,400 ft to 1,030 ft

Me and a friend had decided that we would utilise almost 24 hours at our disposal on reaching Dehradun to the fullest to include Holy Haridwar and Rishikesh before we board our flight to Bengaluru. Haridwar is just around 59 Kms from Dehradun, an hour plus journey via Govt bus. Reached Haridwar in the evening, took bath and rushed towards the ghats that would be the altar for Ganga Aarti.

We experienced mighty Ganga for the first time in our life and witnessed the vibes of evening aarti at the banks.

Enroute to Dehradun



One last breakfast with the team on the heights. The parathas here were top class and can beat the taste & quality from any part of the country!



One more pit stop



The path ahead



The bus that took us to Haridwar. Fare was Rs 120/- one way.



Maa Ganga Aarti. Were just on time & were blessed!



Ritual to lit and float a lamp



We 2!



Sringeri Matt @ Haridwar ghats



Ganga Mandir



Main entrace - Ganga Dwar, Har Ki Paudi



From other side of the Ganga Dwar



One more



Sri Sathyanarayan Mandir



Ganga Mandir from front



Har ki Pauri: The Sacred Ghat of Haridwar. Har ki Pauri is a Sanskrit term that means “the footsteps of the Lord”



Entrance to the bridge to cross over to other side of the bank



Maa Ganga


Street side shop



Variety of snacks & chats nearby to satisfy our taste buds!















Spent some peaceful quality time at the ghats before we called it a day!

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Concluding Day 8 | 13th Dec, 2023 | Haridwar - Rishikesh - Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun - Bengaluru International Airport | Road/Flight | ~2000 Kms

The much awaited dip into the Holiest of rivers, Maa Ganga, was done at the very first sight of morning light. The force with which the river gushes down with freezingly cold water from the Himalayan mountains is next to none. It is at Haridwar that Maa Ganga enters plains for the very first time enriching whole life of the North India.

Visited Manasa Devi and Chandi Maa temples along with Rishikesh on this final day. Regrouped again with rest of the friends at the Jolly Grant Airport for the takeoff to Namma Bengaluru after amazing experiences from all the days to be cherished forever, together!


Rays of sun touching the holy river!



A must! Wish of a million.



View from our hotel, just at the banks of ghats


And the hotel



Towards Manasa Devi Temple



Rope way / Udaan Katola!



At her feet.



One more ropeway at the other bank towards Chandi Maa Temple



Chandi Maa



Panoramic view of Haridwar from Chandi Maa Temple



Vikram, that we hired from Haridwar to cover Rishikesh and drop off to Dehradun Airport



Ram Jhoola @ Rishikesh across river Ganga



Ganga Darshan Ghat



Containers on sale to carry back the holy water



Ganga Mandir at the Ghats



Entrance to Neelakantha Mahadev Mandir



Krishna's Chariot



Streets of Rishikesh







And the street food



Closer look



Divine street paintings









Lakshman Jhoola



Towards DD airport, goes through forest



Breakdown in the middle, but were back on roads in no time. Thanks to quick repair by the Driver bhai



Turbines On, to fly us back!

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[sreekanth1987]

Mesmerizing - probably the only word in my vocab that can come closest to how it feels reading your travelogue. You sure did "live the dream". Pic that shows sky filled with stars and your tent-house looks like its straight from the fairy tale ! I have been to Rishikesh on work once a year ago and we managed to stay in a tent-house on banks of river for a night, but looks like I did miss the most. Wonderful pictures

[red_hot_punto]

Originally Posted by sreekanth1987

Mesmerizing - probably the only word in my vocab that can come closest to how it feels reading your travelogue. You sure did "live the dream". Pic that shows sky filled with stars and your tent-house looks like its straight from the fairy tale ! I have been to Rishikesh on work once a year ago and we managed to stay in a tent-house on banks of river for a night, but looks like I did miss the most. Wonderful pictures

Thank you
I should say the timing was just right as it was nearing new moon. It was amazing to watch clear sky lit up with dazzling stars along with Milkyway!

[GhostRider28]

Thanks for sharing. It is great to see that sustainable hiking is catching up with the people and how India hikes is supporting.

[abg]

Absolutely fantastic! Thank you for sharing this with the community. I am sure, this will inspire many of us. Brilliant photography as well.