Although the lure of becoming the first official tourist to explore the other side of Nubra Valley was immense, murky skies had necessitated that I take a logical decision and go back to Leh. We were only allowed till Ensa Gompa earlier on the Panamik and Sumur side, the district administration in Diskit informed me that…
Tag: Backpacking
Wanderings in Lahaul : Kardang Monastery
Most travellers just pass through Lahaul as an overnight stop at either Keylong or Jispa on their journey on the famous Manali – Leh highway. I had done so too, on my first trip on this magical road. Over the years I have kept returning and explored Lahaul in bits and pieces; it is too huge…
Lessons of Life at Pangong in Winter
I had woken up breathless in the middle of the night. And then I saw out of the window, the lake shined in glorious moonlight. I dare not go out to pee, we had all been advised by the gentle homestay owners to stay indoors and clear of the cold, at least till the morning…
Waltzing to Happiness on a Houseboat in Srinagar
I had spent the night gazing at the framed views of Nun-Kun peaks from a little village in Suru Valley called Parkachik. While hitchhiking in a truck from Padum to Rangdum, the lunch break had enabled me to speak to a lady from New Zealand who promptly offered me a seat in the cab that she was…
Solo travelling to the last frontier of Sach Pass
July has the distinction of being one of my favourite months. Even when I worked in the family business, the arrival of rains in July signalled that I could head out for long solo sojourns. In the last week of June, I randomly booked tickets from Jaipur to Pathankot in Pooja Express. I was hoping to…
A Comprehensive Guide to Kinnaur
Kinner Kailash (6050m), the abode of Lord Shiva is in Kinnaur ‘Kinner Kailash Parikrama’ begins here. The natives of this place, ‘Kinners’ are believed to be halfway between men and God. They can be distinguished by their very pretty green Kinnauri topi (hat.) Kinnaur valley was a part of the erstwhile Bushahr State which had its headquarters at…
Top Ten Spiti Experiences
If you are the sort that doesn’t ‘do’ destinations but believes in leaving a piece of you behind in every place you visit – then let me take you on a journey of life-changing experiences in the high altitude wonderland of Spiti Valley. 1. Drink chhang (local barley beer) in a mug in the remote village of…
The fairytale of Gushaini & GHNP
Cold, blustery winds blow as the bus drops me outside Aut tunnel on the Delhi-Manali highway. I haven’t envisaged May to be this cold. It is the unearthly hour of 6 in the morning and the HRTC Volvo is right on time after leaving Delhi ISBT at 7 last evening. The only souls around are two construction…
Doing the unthinkable – Solo Trekking to Zanskar
My Lahauli friends chide me for being too upbeat about trekking to Zanskar, all by myself. ‘Even we locals don’t go alone’, they say. The trek path begins from Darcha on the Manali-Leh route, just an hour’s drive away from the district headquarters of Keylong. Cloudy weather has caused the atm machine to not work for…
Tranquility in the hippie land of Kasol
While coming back from Malana, I was given a small preview when I hitched a ride to Kasol. Curiously I asked him if he kept any charas with him? And out came a black soap, I was stunned. Read : Winds of Change in Malana This was the land of Bob Marley and free love, I had…
Why Triund could be the perfect first Himalayan trek?
My sister had been dreaming of going on a ‘Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani’ kind of trek ever since the movie came out. I tried pepping her up for a solo trip to anywhere and gave her the usual tips for solo travel in India. In between someone who came home had this epic statement to make…
Walking into the past along the frozen Indus in Ladakh
I had read passing references about the Brokpa community, most of them were rumours of German women coming in search of pure Aryan men. The people living in ‘four Aryan villages’ had remained culturally secluded and were different from the rest of the Ladakhis. Huff Post interviewed me about this, here. Read : Into Unknown Ladakh I…