‘There is no bus on the Chamba – Bhaderwah road after Langera. How will you go after that?’; remarked the HRTC guy on the phone. Even the daily bus from Pathankot to Langera had come as a pleasant surprise, and had made me feel confident about travelling on this hitherto forbidden route! While I knew it…
Category: Road Trips
Stunning Beauty of Umngot River in Dawki & Shnongpdeng
It was already 3 in the afternoon. The days end early in the north-east. Not one vehicle stopped for what seemed like an eternity. Then a cab slowly came to a halt; I ran toward the driver. I asked him ‘Dawki’; he didn’t understand it. Turned out that he knew neither hindi or english; but…
Wanderings in Lahaul : Trilokinath Temple
It was turning out to be an epic trip of sorts. On this sojourn, I had entered Pangi Valley across Saach Pass and after exploring this forbidden region had reached Udaipur in Pattan Valley (Lahaul). In more unforgettable adventures, I had totally fallen for Miyar Valley and after missing the only bus of the day;…
Khangsar, Kwaring, Sarang, Kolong – Exploring Lahaul Valley
Yonten asks, ‘Shubham; Lahaul chalega?’, and I take no time to nod my head and say yes! It is already chilly in Manali as we are in the middle of November. I have long suspected that while the Rohtang Pass officially closes on October 15th, it is kept open for much longer for the locals…
A Monsoon Getaway – Roadtrip from Pune to Amboli
I should have been posting this from Mizoram. Instead, prolonged recovery from a minor surgery means I am in Jaipur and spending much needed time at home! In the meanwhile, I remembered to put out this story here which was originally published in Mint Lounge. The experience of this drive is from 2010 when we…
Danish Delight in India – Tranquebar (Tharangambadi)
I franctically tried to explain to the conductor and driver that we had come past the turn of Tharangambadi and that it was better that they drop me on the highway itself. I told them I will hitch a ride with some local and get to Tharangambadi (local Tamil name for Tranquebar). Even with the…
Meandering Lanes of Kasauli : Top Weekend Choice from Delhi & Chandigarh
Noooo… Why do you want to go to Kasauli? It is too crowded, they said. It was July and yours truly needed a quick getaway after a roadtrip to Ladakh. I was in Delhi and was fiddling with various destinations for a relaxed weekend trip. Kasauli was identified as the destination to spend a few…
Offbeat Places Around Dharamshala – McLeodganj : Part 2
In the first post on Offbeat Places Around Dharamshala, I noticed that the list was getting bigger and hence decided to break it into two parts. Here’s part 2 of Offbeat Places around Dharamsala War Memorial in Kangra The war memorial in Kangra is located around 7 kms from Dharamshala and it is locally known…
Offbeat Places Around Dharamshala – McLeodganj
Over the years, Dharamshala & McLeodganj have steadily become a most favoured destination for travellers and backpackers. The popular places and hikes around McLeodganj are known to be super crowded during the summer season. On various visits to this region for work and explorations in Kangra Valley; here is a list of offbeat places and…
A Jeep Safari in Sariska Tiger Reserve
It was a fine January afternoon and I was lazing around in the swimming pool, without a care in the world. I was staying close to the entrance gate of the Sariska Tiger Reserve, mildly surprised that a place in such close proximity to both Delhi & Jaipur was bereft of tourists! I was in…
Chamba, Himachal Pradesh : Experiences & Places to Visit
We had changed buses at Chamba bus stand on our way to Khajjiar because the road to Dalhousie was snowed out. Chamba seemed like a crowded place, but then all important bus stations are full of people. I had faint memories of Chamba, having explored it almost two decades ago on a roadtrip with my…
Attending a Kumaoni Wedding in Kumaon
After a monumental day that began in Kasar Devi, with not-so-pleasant visits to Nainital & Haldwani that somehow ended in Bageshwar, things could only get better from here. After all, when you are down in the dumps the only way is up! And I was going to get lucky in the end; there was a…