Tag: Treks

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Adventure Treks

5 amazing monsoon treks in India

Monsoon Treks in India

Now monsoon is something that makes a tricky business. Most treks grow more hostile to trekkers during monsoon – the ones in particular in the Himalayas turn risky because of risks of landslides. That being said, there are treks that are best experienced during monsoons. Today, Ghoomophiro brings you a list of 5 amazing monsoon treks in India:

1. Valley of Flowers

There can be no scruples in our list of 5 amazing monsoon treks in India. Not only Valley of Flowers shows all its Glory in monsoons but it is in fact closed for the rest of the year. A part of Valley of Flowers National Park which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the trek is in Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve.  Hundreds of different kinds of flowers, colorful butterflies, birds, and some wildlife is on offer for your eyes to feast on in this valley.

2. Kashmir Great Lakes Trek, Jammu & Kashmir

Another trek to the beauty of which, monsoon is bust an ornament, Kashmir Great Lakes Trek is second in our list of 5 amazing monsoon treks in India. Your eyes feast on beautiful snow-clad mountain peaks and mesmerizing lakes as you roam on this incredible trek.

3. Hampta Pass trek

Third, in our list of 5 amazing monsoon treks in India is Hampta Pass Trek. The trek acts as a link between Kullu Valley and Lahaul Valley, this incredibly beautiful trail begins at Manali, and offers amazing views of mountains and glaciers.

4. Zanskar Valley Trek

The fourth in our list of 5 amazing treks in North India is the Zanskar Valley Trek of Ladakh which hardly receives any monsoon rains at all. Among sights offered by the trek are Hamlet’s, Kargil, Wildlife, monasteries, mountain passes, etc.

5. Spiti Valley Trek

One of the best treks in our list of 5 amazing monsoon treks in India, Spiti Valley Trek is the best trek for those looking for more challenging treks in monsoons. The beauty of natural scenery it has to offer remains unspoiled by monsoon rains. Feeling takes you on a walk through a Tibetan Hamlet of Changtang, monasteries, Tso Moriri lake and Parang Pass in this long and challenging trek.

And a bonus trek just for you,

Nanda Devi Sanctuary Trek

This challenging trek has stunning natural beauty on offer, especially during monsoons. You can also come across a lot of wild animals on this trek including Arrow, Brown Bear, Himalayan Thar, etc.

Conclusion

Trekking in monsoon is never completely safe. We highly recommend that you keep an eye on the weather and be extra careful especially when around water bodies and near cliffs. Also, ensure you take the necessary precautions that we must always take while going trekking.

Are you considering a trekking expedition this summer? What are your plans for it? Do write to us in comments below. 🙂

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Treks

10 Best Places for Trekking in India

A rising health consciousness and wish for adventure in the people of India have meant that the number of trekkers is increasing by the day. Moreover, travelers are growing wise – they are realizing that it is no longer enough to just look at beautiful sights from the safety of vehicles.

The best way to enjoy the beauty of places is often to walk through them. One gets to enjoy nature’s beautiful works and sights of rare birds or animals. One gets a chance to talk to locals, learn about their culture, to appreciate their art, but above all, the very aesthetic experience of walking in nature is what makes trekking so amazing.

India has some rather amazing treks in the world. And one can easily find treks in all four corners of the country offering different degrees of challenge – from easy to moderate to difficult and as well as at different budgets.
The following are some of most amazing treks of India offering unparalleled beauty and exquisite experience:

1. Chadar

The trekker’s dream, this trek that runs along the Frozen Zanskar River Trek in Ladhak offers a glimpse into the beautiful Ladhaki culture. The ice route in cold climate (best time to see it January or February) is rather difficult and only experienced trekkers should try it.

2. Gangotri Gomukh trek

This trek takes you to Gomukh – the glacier that is a source of the Ganges and one gets the chance to see Nature’s work at its best along the way.

3. Ladakh – Markha Valley trek

Dry mountains, streams, wildlife, small villages with their farms, Buddhist monasteries; Markha Valley trek of Ladhak offers them all.

4. Valley of Flowers

The Uttaranchal valley is as beautiful as its name makes it sound. The countless variety of flowers naturally growing in the region are a delight to eyes and the aroma with which they fill the region is a bliss on its own. Please note that the Valley of Flowers is open only in rainy season.

5. Roopkund trek

The Uttarakhand trek will give you a chance to enjoy the sight of beautiful forests, numerous species of birds and animals and the pristine rivers

6. Dodital trek

This Uttarakhand trek runs along small, beautiful, freshwater lake Dodital. Considered holy, the lake holds a great cultural value and is a beauty to behold.

7. The Hampta Pass trek

Surrounded by grass laden land to snow-covered peaks, you will beauty all around on this Himachal Pradesh trek.

8. Tadiyandamol Peak

Enough from the Himalayas, this trek, located about 275 km from Banglore, offers scenic beauty of the Western Ghats with greenery from Shola forests,

9. Chembra Peak Trek

Located in God’s own land, Kerala, this trek offers you a chance to enjoys the scenic beauty of Western Ghats.

10. The Sandakphu trek

The beautiful West Bengal Trek lets you test your trekking skills while enjoying the spectacular beauty of Darjeeling.

Besides providing a chance to escape into nature, trekking is a character building activity – providing both psychological and physical exercise. It should be a bucket list item.

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Adventure Himalayas Treks

Valley of flowers, Bhyundra village, Ghangaria, Uttarakhand.

A long drive from Rishikesh to Govind Ghat marked the beginning of our journey towards Valley of flowers. Like its name suggests, this is supposed to be a heavenly trek with marvelous views and since the flowers bloom during monsoon, that is the best time to visit.

After reaching Govind Ghat, we started feeling good about our journey here. Unlike the rest of Rishikesh, Govindghat is scarcely populated and most of the people here are travelers. The weather was perfect and we had the view of the mountains as the real trek began. The trek is done in two parts and as we walked to Ghangaria, 13 long kilometres till we reached, we saw the nearby views and it gave us the strength to keep walking. The trek itself is moderate and not too difficult even for beginners. There are facilities for food and accommodation and a great view waited for us as we walked a little outside the business area. A couple hundred meters away from the market was an open lush green area. That showed a clear path that bifurcated to Hemkund Sahib and Valley of Flowers. The path to Hemkund Sahib (for those who wish to cover both treks) would take another extra day to cover since it was 6 kilometers away.

We stayed the night before moving on to the Valley of flowers the next day. That trek was about 5 km long. Since there is only one road and no chances of getting lost, we avoided getting a guide.  Our trek to Valley of flowers started early in the morning so we reached there by 3:30 pm while also looking at the flowers on the way and clicking pictures. The ascending trek was a bit tiresome and we huffed and puffed till we finally reached the place. We went to a spot that was opposite the Valley of flowers and it had many flowers and a beautiful fall. Surrounded by such natural beauty, it felt incredible. The valley of flowers itself has many rare floral species and it is blessed by nature with such beauty and richness. We saw orchids, poppies, daisies and some other exotic flowers. Those views were better captured in a camera than described using words but one has to experience it first hand to understand the feeling.

The trek to valley of flowers was brimming with rare sights and the simple pleasure of greenery around and fresh air is what every trekker desires. The valley is enchanting and once you are there, you do not want to leave but we had to go back by six since no one is allowed in the valley past that time. The trek back was easy as we descended.

What you need to know before going on a trek to Valley of flowers is to be prepared. Since the valley is located at a high altitude, take medicine with you. This trek isn’t too hard and many families and even kids easily are up to the challenge. Mules are available to reach Ghangaria but we preferred walking. It is a point about preference. But if you are visiting the valley of flowers, be a responsible traveller. Do NOT throw away garbage around and pollute such a beautiful place that is still untouched by the hands of men.

Though Valley of flowers is a UNESCO heritage site and a national reserve, there aren’t many wild species that we came across, just a few bees on the flowers and a rodent here and there. What was special though, was the views and the colorful flowers.

Here’s an itinerary for our day to day trek

Day 1  Drive from Rishikesh to Govind Ghat. Night stay at Govind Ghat

Day 2 Govindghat to Ghangaria, walk those 13km or ride a mule. Stay at Ghangaria for the night and rest before moving on the next day.

Day 3 Ghangaria to Valley of flowers. 5 km long trek. And return before 6pm.

Day 4 Back to Govind Ghat. Unless you wish to go to Hemkund Saheb (we didn’t) in which case, it is a 6 km trek. And you can come back on the same day.

Day 5 Way back home.

Reach out to us at ghoomophirosisters@gmail.com for any trek related queries

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Travel Tips Travel Trends

2017 brings long weekends for travel enthusiasts. Here’s how you should plan them

2017 is already here. It is always advisable to plan to travel long before for the upcoming extended weekends.  Here are we, to make the job a teeny bit easier for you.

Republic day weekend

A drool-worthy 4 day weekend is here starting from 26th January-29th Jan. The ideal place we have managed to find over that period of time would be skiing on the slopes of Auli, which turns out to be a sort of winter heaven in the month of January.

Mahashivratri Weekend

During the Shivratri weekend, which would begin on 24th February and extend until 26th February, you must head to Goa. The Goa carnival would be awaiting you. It was started by the Portuguese in 1500’s and celebrated with wild enthusiasm and energy even today. You may opt to stay at cidade de goa for the ease of enjoying the carnival.

The snow-clad highs of Gulmarg in Kashmir would also welcome you as the beautiful white snow does a fine job of justifying why it is called as the Heaven on Earth.

Holi Weekend

On 11th, 12th, and 13th March, Holi weekend would be here. So immerse yourself in the festive colors and head to Vrindavan. The town and the places surrounding it are known to celebrate the festival with a wildness that is rare to see anywhere else in the country.

Hat trick weekend

From April 13th to 16th, it’s 4 days long holiday time and during that period of time, the Phuket biking week is taking place. So, the bikers know where to head to and for others as well, Phuket is one place that demands to be visited at least once. There is no perfect time for doing so. Mapro Strawberry festival at Mahabaleshwar could also be a good stop.

Eid Weekend

From 23rd June to 26th June, the country will be celebrating Eid, so head to Hyderabad or Lucknow to truly enjoy the festival of Ramadan. The Mughlai food served at that place during the festival is just crazy.

A brief trip to Ladakh could also be a great option for little more adventurous ones.

The August Holiday

From 12th to 20th August, the country will celebrate one of the longest holidays sprees in years. Take a trek to Har Ki Dun, known as the place where the Pandavas made their ascent to heaven after living long and eventful lives. The valley dates back 3000 years and offers a lot to savor.

Diwali Weekend

Starting from 14th to 22nd October, a 9 day holiday awaits you. During the Diwali weekend, most of you would prefer to stay at home with their family. But just in case you wanted an outing, the mesmerizing Kangra Valley awaits you with open arms.

And then there is Pushkar, and being a Hindu Pilgrimage, the Diwali celebrations here are off the charts.

Id-e-Milad Weekend

The next year, Id-e-Milad will be observed on 1st Dec. It’s a gazetted holiday and will be followed by a weekend.

This is the time when the ten days long Hornbill Festival gets underway in Nagaland. The festival is celebrated with enthusiasm and zeal by the locals there. This festival should be on your must-visit list especially if music captures your senses. The peak of the winter season is the time when bird sanctuaries in mainlands are home to thousands of rare and beautiful migratory birds. Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur is a great place for bird watching.

Christmas

The Christmas holiday begins from December 23rd which happens to be Saturday and extends till December 25th, Monday, when Christmas Eve is observed.

During your Christmas vacation, you can plan an ultimate beach vacation at Lakshadweep. Whereas Kalpeni Island represents an ideal setting for scuba diving, Minicoy Island is ideal for activities such as canoeing.

What better way to end the year than with a trip to the most happening spot in India during December. Goa is the place known for beach parties, the Christmas celebrations, and adventure sports that the stunning beaches at cidade de goa have to offer.

So, plan your #ghoomophiro weekends nicely and have fun, for 2017 is full of those nasty extended holidays.

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Adventure Asia Himalayas Spiritual Hubs Treks

Everything you would like to know about Tiger’s Nest Monastery

Mythological Importance:

The Tiger’s Nest is another name of Paro Taktsang or Taktsang Palphug Monastery. It is a sacred temple of the Buddhists that was built in 1692 in Bhutan, around the Taktsang Senge Samdup Cave. It is believed that Guru Padmasambhava had meditated in these caves for three years, three months, three weeks, three days and three hours in the 8th century. Today, Paro Taktsang is famous for the 13 ‘tiger lair’ caves in which he had meditated.

A temple which is devoted to Padmasambhava (also known as the Temple of the Guru with Eight Names) is a classic structure built around the cave by Tenzin Rabgye in 1692. Therefore, it is Bhutan’s cultural icon.

According to legends, Guru Padmasambhava came here from Tibet, on a tigress’ back from Khenpajong.

There is also an alternative story by another legend that stated that the former wife of the emperor Yesh Tsogyal willingly became the disciple of Guru Padmasambhava. She transformed into a tigress and carried him on her back. Consequently, the place came to be known as the ‘Tigers Nest’.

It is also believed that Tenzin Rabgye, the builder of the monastery in 1692, was the reincarnation of the Guru Padmasambhava.

How to reach the Tiger Nest Monastery?

The Monastery is 10 km to the north of Paro in Bhutan, at an elevation of about 10,000 ft. You can reach the Tiger’s Nest by walking or on horseback. It is a quite challenging trek, you gain merit with every step but the view of the Paro Valley from the monastery is worth the endeavor. The trek starts from the valley floor which is at about 7000 ft and it takes about 2-3 hours (on an average) to complete the hike. It starts with slow climbs into serene pine forests where you will find water- powered pray wheels and flags. It is said these are for trekkers to be bestowed upon with power and stamina to complete the forthcoming journey. From here onwards, the climb becomes steep, arduous and steady up to a ridge. Horse- ride is only allowed till the second viewpoint due to some accidents that took place in the past.Once you reach the monastery you will find the atmosphere to have become mystical; you will find a deep sense of calmness and peace. Also, you should seek blessings from the monks. It is the true feeling of being a pilgrim!

Travel Notes:

  • Wear hiking shoes and it is better to wear thick socks as you have to remove your shoes at the entry.
  • Bring your hiking poles. If you forget, you can buy a wooden walking stick at the parking lot.
  • Bring your rain gear as the weather is unpredictable.
  • The hike should be done at the end of your trip to give you more time to acclimatize to the altitude.
  • Walk at a steady pace and avoid walking fast and resting too much.
  • It is recommended to start the hike early in the morning.

So get set and go to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery in Bhutan if you want to have an adventurous cum religious trip!

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