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Old 19th April 2009, 10:34   #16
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I say the pics are fabulous...........but what you said also strikes a similar chord in me!! Keep travelling!!

Note: Post edited. Use part of quote/s as what you need to high light.

Last edited by Rudra Sen : 20th April 2009 at 16:09.
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Old 20th April 2009, 10:53   #17
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Lordofgondor,

Could you please come up with a small travelogue . The pictures are to die for. A narration of the trip as well as the route you tokk will be appreciated. TSK and others have laid out the route to follow but the road conditions differ from time to time and I would like to benefit from your experience.
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Old 20th April 2009, 11:33   #18
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Thank you all for the appreciation. It's just the views that make such great pics.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Saurabh M View Post
How are things now?

There is also a "designated" sunset view point beyond the TRH, through the forests. Did you go there?
Luckily, things are the same. Yeah we did go there. It's called the Zero Point. Great place to relax and gaze at the mountains after taking a long jungle trek.

Quote:
Originally Posted by godog View Post
What a delight, that set of photographs. I'd have easily mistaken them for a Promotional/Advertisement, if not for the 6th picture
I hope someone at KMVN reads this!

Quote:
Originally Posted by gd1418 View Post
The 6th one is that of the model that KMVN engaged
Thank you thank you! Finally someone who's realized what immense potential I have in store.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi View Post
Lovely! Please tell us how one gets there from New Delhi
Dear Yeti, the route till Almora is:

Delhi-Hapur-Gajraula-Moradabad Bypass-Bazpur-Nainital-Bhowali-Almora-Binsar.

From Almora, there are 2 roads that lead one to Binsar WLS. On getting to the fork, take the road less traveled as it's more adventurous than the conventional one. OT - I don't know why I always end up taking the wrong route. And it's a steep climb once you're past Almora.

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Originally Posted by deky View Post
@ Sam:- When we visited that area our base was in Ranikhet and took a day trip to Binsar (3hrs drive/ 80kms), So I guess if you want to visit Binsar the best route would be Delhi-hapur-Moradabad-Ramnagar-Ranikhet-Binsar.

If there is any other alternat route, Others might throw some light on that.
Though Ranikhet-Binsar route is quite scenic but the road is bad. The route mentioned above is better. Makes Noida-Binsar a ~9 hours drive.

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Originally Posted by meghan View Post
All pics are taken at Binsar.
Amazing sunset pic.

Quote:
Originally Posted by rajneeesh View Post
Lordofgondor,

Could you please come up with a small travelogue . The pictures are to die for. A narration of the trip as well as the route you tokk will be appreciated. TSK and others have laid out the route to follow but the road conditions differ from time to time and I would like to benefit from your experience.
Sure, travelogue in the making now.


Some more pictures (and a lot more to come):

Binsar, the Mighty Himalayas & Life-dsc05751.gif

Binsar, the Mighty Himalayas & Life-dsc05755.gif

Binsar, the Mighty Himalayas & Life-dsc05758.gif

Binsar, the Mighty Himalayas & Life-dsc05764.gif

Binsar, the Mighty Himalayas & Life-dsc05773.gif

Binsar, the Mighty Himalayas & Life-dsc05827.gif

Binsar, the Mighty Himalayas & Life-dsc058461.gif

Binsar, the Mighty Himalayas & Life-dsc05903.gif
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Old 20th April 2009, 13:26   #19
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The Travelogue

Hey fellow, writing a detailed travelogue. Request you to bear with me if I get carried away while composing it!

Well, it all began when the yearning for heading to the mountains became too overpowering for us to overlook. Kept waiting for Good Friday since mid March and kept thinking of which place to go. The top agenda was to find a place which provides good views of snow capped peaks. More so since my trip to Chaukori last winter had been pretty disappointing as clouds had obstructed the views for 3 whole days I was there. Wife suggested Binsar and the more I read about it, the more I liked it. Soon KMVN rest house was booked and the wait for that weekend become agonizing. Some days went by too fast and some too slow!

Friday the 10th arrived, and there I was running with our travel bags towards the car, 4 AM in the morning, with wife in tow with smaller bags. By 4:15 we’re all set for the journey, and had no idea about what wonders were in store for us. Noida-Nainital was a breeze via Hapur-Gajraula-Moradabad bypass-Bazpur, and it took us ~5 hours to get to Nainital. I really like the Tibetan food in there and soon was enjoying a steaming bowl of hot ‘n spicy Thupka. After devouring the food it was time to hit the road again, and the zeal to get to Binsar had reached a feverish pitch. It took us ~3 hours for Nainital-Binsar.

We’re on the road to Almora, not very far from the town and that was when I had to apply the brakes in a hurry. No no, everything was fine, just that there were a few snow capped peaks in front of my eyes! I didn’t want to drink (in the view) and drive, so decided to take a break for a few minutes to enjoy & take in the view. The closer we’re getting to Almora, more of the Great Himalayan range was coming into view. The town came and went by, and a local pointed a road going uphill as the route to Binsar on asking. Then came a fork and I instinctively took a left. We decided to check with a local if we’re on the right way and he told us that the road to Binsar is the other one, though this one would also lead us to it. It turned out to the less used one with some bad stretches & steep inclines. And we’re on the wrong side of the mountain blocking the views of the peaks. Then came the check post for entering into Binsar. Binsar is a wild life sanctuary and entry is restricted till 6PM (maybe earlier). One requires registering the vehicle and its occupants with the forest officials at the post. I was asked about the number of people with me, where I’d come from, my car’s registration number, how many days would I be there in Binsar and asked to pay Rs. 130. Got back a receipt which serves as your ticket into the place. One needs to pay only once for the time period mentioned while getting it. You can move in and out of Binsar WLS multiple times (but you won’t) using the single receipt.
Anyways, our journey continued into the Jungle on a thin road, which wasn’t enough to let 2 cars pass side by side at most of the places. We did run into a couple of cars coming from opposite direction, but luckily both times on a turn. The condition of the road was good mostly with a few bad patches of potholes and muddy track.

Suddenly there came a sharp incline, which led us to the KMVN rest house. It is build pretty high on the mountain; we’re just 40 odd metres below the mountain top. We checked in, got the luggage to our room, and appreciated the room for some time. It was pretty rustic and dark. Rustic look we loved and darkness was taken care of by opening the curtains. And what a view we had from the window. Chaukhamba looked like a stone’s throw away, and clouds were just starting lift from Trishul. But I knew that the real view was from the terrace, of the rest house, about which I had read and heard such good things. Had a couple of pegs of good ol’ Old Monk for the chill, yeah it was kinda chilly even at 2PM with sun shining, picked up the camera bag, and rushed to the terrace accompanied by wifey. There’re already lotta people there amazed by the view that was there. A 350Km stretch of snow clad Upper Himalayas was clearly visible with so many peaks. I stared naming the peaks to my wife and later came to know that I had done quite well; I’d been wrong about 2-3 only! While returning to the room, we’re met by Mr. Khan (working for the rest house), and he politely told us that he’s overheard us and kindly pointed out my mistakes. I’d termed Nanda Devi & Nanga Ghunti as Trishul and had no clue where the real Trishul was. But he rectified my mistakes and now we knew which peak was which. He also suggested taking a trek, through the forest, to the Zero Point which provides great views of Sunset and the peaks. For people who have more of time at hand, there are plenty of longer treks. The details can be obtained at the reception of the rest house.

While checking in, the manager told us to keep a few things in mind, which were:
1. You only get 2 buckets of hot water per room per morning.
2. The timings for breakfast, lunch & dinner are fixed. And believe me, it was like following a time table for the meals. But the food was pretty good. We’d some amazing Rajma, Daal & Egg curry during our stay. Since the place is run by a small staff, there is no room service. Also that you can’t order anything unless it’s “Snack Time” on the time table, which was 4PM – 7:30PM. Also since it’s a WLS, no non-veg (other than eggs) food is prepared.
3. The charge for accommodation includes daily breakfast and dinner, but you gotta pay extra for lunch which was Rs. 170 + taxes.

Whenever you go there, make sure to pack all required provisions with you as it’s cut off from any kind of market. We did find a small shop close to a temple though and had yummy masala noodles and omelet in it. There were also some day to day provisions (wafers, kurkure, biscuits, etc.) available there. We also bought a bottle of Rhododendron concentrate from there.

Binsar, the Mighty Himalayas & Life-dsc05637.gif

If you’re looking for a getaway from the daily rush of cities, amazing views of snow capped peaks, long walks in the forest, not a long travel time from Delhi, Binsar is the place to go!
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Old 20th April 2009, 14:25   #20
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Thanks for refreshing my day

Hey,

The pictures are too good and so is the write up about Binsar. For some time, I was planning on Pithoragarh and around. But I think now I should re-plan for Binsar. The visuals are indeed inviting, not to mention the thought of thupka!!

Pithoragarh is also the same route, right? Except that I don't turn towards Naini Tal but go further ahead. Do guide me in case you know.
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Old 20th April 2009, 15:16   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by travelwriter View Post
Hey,

The pictures are too good and so is the write up about Binsar. For some time, I was planning on Pithoragarh and around. But I think now I should re-plan for Binsar. The visuals are indeed inviting, not to mention the thought of thupka!!

Pithoragarh is also the same route, right? Except that I don't turn towards Naini Tal but go further ahead. Do guide me in case you know.
Thanks mate! Yeah you're right in saying that Pithoragarh is also on the same route, but wrong if you don't turn towards Nainital. If you go further ahead, you'd reach Haldwani and take the longer way. You reach Almora via Nainital-Bhowali and from there take the road to Munsiyari. Pithoragarh lies a couple of hours from Almora (Chaukori was 3-4 hours).
In terms of views, Binsar provides a longer view of the upper himalayan range, but from a distance. If you go to places like Chaukori or Munsiyari, you'd get a closer look at the peaks, but only some of them. So it's kinda tradeoff between longer / closer views.

Hope this helps in your decision making.
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Old 20th April 2009, 15:56   #22
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More pictures

The Naini Lake

Binsar, the Mighty Himalayas & Life-dsc055951.gif

Our first glimpse of the mighty mountains

Binsar, the Mighty Himalayas & Life-dsc056121.gif

The KMVN TRH

Binsar, the Mighty Himalayas & Life-dsc05654.gif

The Promotional/Advertisement shootout

Binsar, the Mighty Himalayas & Life-dsc05663.gif

Run to the mountains

Binsar, the Mighty Himalayas & Life-dsc05666.gif

Chaukhamba @ sunset

Binsar, the Mighty Himalayas & Life-dsc05724.gif

Glowing Twin peaks

Binsar, the Mighty Himalayas & Life-dsc05729.gif

Trishul @ sunset

Binsar, the Mighty Himalayas & Life-dsc05730.gif

The budding wildlife photographer

Binsar, the Mighty Himalayas & Life-dsc05742.gif

Flora, fauna and the peaks

Binsar, the Mighty Himalayas & Life-dsc05833.gif
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Old 20th April 2009, 17:48   #23
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Wow - you sure were lucky - was in Binsar at around the same time last year - & saw absolutely no view because of the haze!
I think the KMVN place is the same one I stayed at as well - with the lovely terrace & no electricity - right?
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Old 20th April 2009, 18:24   #24
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LoG, I somehow missed this gem for 3 days!

What superb pics!
They refreshed memories of a trip made a decade ago. Must go again!
Nice to know that almost nothing has changed in all these years, except the tariff!
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Old 20th April 2009, 20:29   #25
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Pic are too good. Color combination is really beautiful. Your snaps speak about the beauty of the place.
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Old 21st April 2009, 10:37   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by amip View Post
Wow - you sure were lucky - was in Binsar at around the same time last year - & saw absolutely no view because of the haze!
I think the KMVN place is the same one I stayed at as well - with the lovely terrace & no electricity - right?
Absolutely!

Yeah man, luck always plays a factor for these kinda views. Fortunately, it had rained a day before we got there, hence the haze had lifted.

Quote:
Originally Posted by anupmathur View Post
LoG, I somehow missed this gem for 3 days!

What superb pics!
They refreshed memories of a trip made a decade ago. Must go again!
Nice to know that almost nothing has changed in all these years, except the tariff!
Yes sir, I too fell in love with the place instantaneously. And I'd love to see Binsar going a decade back in time!

Quote:
Originally Posted by udaygk77 View Post
Pic are too good. Color combination is really beautiful. Your snaps speak about the beauty of the place.
Thank you, thank you (thundering applause)! But seriously, it's one captivating place man.
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Old 21st April 2009, 11:20   #27
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@LOG any idea if they allow you to camp on your own in that forest? Whats the wildlife about? The longer treks have night halts and in case they ahve do you require any permits or it is compulsorily got to be an organised one by KMVN? I apologise for so many queries.
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Old 21st April 2009, 11:37   #28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wanderernomad View Post
...any idea if they allow you to camp on your own in that forest? Whats the wildlife about? The longer treks have night halts and in case they ahve do you require any permits or it is compulsorily got to be an organised one by KMVN? I apologise for so many queries.
Wanderer, I don't think camping is allowed in that reserve forest.
There used to some wildlife earlier; leopards, we were told, apart from some other harmless creatures.
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Old 21st April 2009, 12:10   #29
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wanderernomad View Post
@LOG any idea if they allow you to camp on your own in that forest? Whats the wildlife about? The longer treks have night halts and in case they ahve do you require any permits or it is compulsorily got to be an organised one by KMVN? I apologise for so many queries.
It's perfectly alright WN. To answer your queries, no they don't allow camping. I read it on a board at the check post. How they enforce it, I don't know. But frankly, I won't go camping in a forest which has Leopards & Panthers. Curious & stealthy carnivorous cats, no man eaters but...
Other wildlife is mostly different species of deers, very few bears and loads of species of birds.
Didn't read any regulations regarding longer treks, but then I didn't inquire about them in detail. So I guess I am in no position to answer this question of yours.

@Anupji: The govt. is taking one real good initiative these days. They are well compensating the villagers for any loss of their livestock on account of the predators. The guide told us that due to that, the villagers don't go about hunting for these animals. We also saw 2 leopard caves, but he asked us not to linger around!

Last edited by lordofgondor : 21st April 2009 at 12:15.
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Old 21st April 2009, 13:03   #30
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Enforcing is done primarily by forest rangers/guards. So its out of my preview right now but the TRH looks like a good proposition. Even Leopards are harmless but Panthers are a different story all together.
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