Category Archives: Travel stories

Encounters, adventures, happenings on my travels.

Dodital Hanuman Chatti Trek

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Dodital Hanumanchatti Trek
A moderate trek which starts from the Bhagirathi valley, goes up to the lake of Dodital (wrapped in perfect wilderness) to the alpine meadows and crosses over at Darwa Pass (4150m) to the Yamuna watershed. Traditionally this trek has been continuously used by the Gujjars, the nomadic herdsmen who get their buffalos to the high meadows every summer and occasionally by the pilgrims / sadhus walking between Gangotri and Yamunotri.

Grade : Moderate

Day 1 : Delhi to Camp Kuflon (1550m)
Board Dehradun Shatabdi leaving Delhi at 6:55am. Arrive Hardwar at 11:20am. Transfer to Kuflon, near the road head for Dodital, 11 kms from Uttarkashi in the valley of the Assi Ganga.(5 hr drive) Overnight Kuflon.

Day 2 : Camp Kuflon to Bevra (2400m) 4-5 hrs
Depart for Bevra – the walk is 8 kms (4-5 hrs) of which 2 kms is on the road along the Assiganga stream. Bevra is a camping spot 1.5 kms ahead of Agoda village. A dip in the stream in Bevra is the best way to wash out the first day body aches.

Day 3 : Bevra to Dodital (3310m) 6-7 hrs
Early morning breakfast. Commence trek to Dodital, 16 kms (6-7 hrs) with packed lunch. The walk is gradual. The Rhododendron and Oak trees mainly dot the trek with occasional Seabuck thorn bushes. There is no habitation beyond Bevra except for the Shepherd shelter in Majhi. Dodital at 10,000 ft is a fresh water lake amidst thick jungle. The brown trout in the lake adds to the beauty.

Day 4 : Dodital to Darwa Pass (4150m) to Kanasar (3900m) 4-5 hrs
The walk to Darwa Pass is about 5 kms (2-3 hrs). The entire walk is an uphill climb. It starts with the climb along the feeder to dodital breaking into a thick birch forest opening into the high meadows. The pass at 4150m offers an ampi-theatre view of the Bandarpunch range of peaks. The more adventurous ones can go higher up to climb the Darwa Top and the rest can proceed to camp at Kanasar (3900m) just below the pass. Overnight Camp.

Day 5 : Kanasar to Kandoli (2800m) 6-7 hrs
Long traverse in the meadow with impressive views of the Banderpunch range brings one to the beautiful grazing ground of Seema. After having lunch here we start our descent through the forest to our campsite at Kandoli, having a few summer houses. Overnight Camp.

Day 6 : Kandoli to Hunumanchatti (2400m) to Delhi.
Trek 2 hrs to reach the roadhead at Hanumanchatti. Drive 6 hrs to Dehradun to board the overnight Mussoorie Express to Delhi.
Cost Per Person: Rs 19890/- 

Rs 14000(trek cost)+Rs 5390(travel cost)=Rs 19390+3.09%(service tax)
Cost includes: all travel from Delhi and back to Delhi by road/ rail / air as applicable (by non ac car / 2 or 3 tier ac coach), all arrangements for staying and camping while on the trip, accommodation on twin share basis in tents / rest houses / hotels, all meals, professional guide fee, peak fee, sanctuary fee / royalty / permits where applicable, all trekking arrangements with India’s most experienced guiding team, camp staff, cook etc.

Cost excludes: Railway station / airport transfers in Delhi, any stay and meals in delhi, sleeping bag, items of personal clothing, expenses of personal nature like laundry, phone calls, alcohol, cigarettes, insurance, camera fee and any costs arising out of unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather, landslides, road conditions and any other circumstances beyond our control.

Activity Level
Our expedition trips are designed for energetic and flexible people who have the spirit of adventure and a positive attitude.  Previous experience in the outdoors and camping helps, though is not a must. These trips are participatory in nature, and everyone is expected to pitch in, set up and break down their own tent, clean their own dishes. Look up our trip grading before you sign up.

The Next Step
Ready to go? Email me at pavanemann@gmail.com to book your place and we will guide you through the booking process.

Services provided
In remote regions, we often use local suppliers who provide services that may include vehicles for transportation, equipment, logistical support, hotels, guest houses etc. We do not own or operate these independent services or suppliers. We work with them as they share our commitment to service and quality.

CHECKLIST FOR ESSENTIAL PERSONAL ITEMS FOR TREK:

01. Warm Sleeping Bag till 0’C (you could hire one @ Rs 100/- per day)
02. Woolens/thermal underwear
03. Wind/rain proof jacket
04. Good hiking/trekking shoes ; spare sandals
05. Socks – cotton+woolen / gloves
06. Water Bottle – at least 1 Lit.
07. Flash Light and spare batteries – important
08. Sun Shade/Hat with Brim/woolen hat/gloves
09. Sunglasses
10. Sunscreen/Sun block SPF 50 and more
11. Vaseline/Lip Salve
12. Insect Repellent (if you are prone to bites)
13. Personal Toiletries – towels/soap etc.
14. Rucksack/duffel bag to carry your baggage
15. Kari mat / Thermarest (optional)
16. Small daypack to carry camera, packed lunch, water bottle and wind/rain jacket on a walk.
17. Long trousers / long shirts / T-shirts etc.
18. Thermal underwear for cold days
19. Shorts / swimsuits for those warm days and a possible swim
20. Personal medication, if any
21. Your favourite Poison packed in plastic bottles.

Note:  Please keep your personal items to a minimum (besides the essentials) so that your bag (No hard shells please) is light and easy to carry. An extra daypack is a must to carry your camera, packed lunch and water bottle.

This is very important – please read very carefully – it will help you immensely in readying for the trek.

What to expect :
Temperatures & climate : Temperatures on the trip will vary from 20-30 degrees or to minimum 0-5 degrees Celsius. Its best to be prepared for lower temperatures due to wind chill or the weather turning bad.   The days are hot and the nights refreshingly cool.   You should be ready for inclement weather in any case as storms build up rather quickly at altitude.
What to carry: Keep it light – although what you carry with you is a very personal decision. Some of our guests love to travel as light as possible while others are only happy when they have countless bits of equipment for every possible occurrence, most of which will never be used.    The list we sent out covers all essentials that you must carry.
What you are expected to carry during the day on the trail is a  day pack – to carry things that you will need throughout the day, such as your camera, extra film rolls, water bottle, packed lunch, sweets, rehydration powders, waterproofs, toilet paper, a fleece or a jumper. It may be also advisable to carry a small flashlight in your daypack, just in case.
Good footwear is very important – most trails in the Indian Himalayas are pretty rough and steep so a good pair of shoes is important.   Socks, both for walking and a pair of warm ones for keeping feet warm inside the tent at night, is a good bet. Its important to bring a broken in shoe than a brand new one which could cause severe blisters.
Clothes: A good base layer which could be a thermal top (polypropylene), with a T-shirt on top will keep you warm and dry. Mid layers provide insulation so anything that is warm will do e.g. a medium thickness woolen jumper or a mid-weight fleece top, along with another lightweight fleece top will suffice. If you really feel the cold, substitute the thinner layer with a down jacket. The outer layer is the final layer between you and the elements and must be capable of keeping out the wind, rain and snow. Any good waterproof, windproof jacket would do the job. Leg wear in the form of thermal long johns are invaluable. Cotton trousers or long skirts (long skirts for ladies also double as a `port-a-loo’) worn over this layer can keep you very comfortable. A good sun hat is very essential. Sunglasses which offer 100% UV protection are necessary to combat strong daylight.
A good quality sleeping bag ensures a good nights sleep after a long day outdoors. Do not compromise on your sleeping bag – err on the side of carrying a warmer bag,  than carrying a light one which may give you many sleepless nights.
Carry any and all personal medication that you may need, and its an absolute must to let us know  well in advance should you be suffering from any particular ailment.
How to carry: Its best to carry your belongings in a large, tough duffel bag or a big rucksack.   A bum / waist bag is handy to have your camera, film rolls, flashlights (handy when visiting monasteries / temples) and a guidebook, when you are sightseeing.   Pack similar things such as clothes, washing things, camping equipment etc. in separate stuff sacks or polythene bags so they are easier to pull out and add to the waterproofing in your bag.  Your main bag should be a tough one as it will be on mule back, not the best place to be for a fragile backpack.
Altitude considerations:
Travel to any part of  the Indian Himalayas deserves a little more respect than many other high altitude destinations because the most of the regions lie over 2600 meters (8500 ft). People in good health should not get alarmed by this but if you have a medical condition such as high blood pressure, heart or lung disease, you must take the advise of a doctor who has experience with the effects of altitude. We do not take heart or lung patients, or pregnant mothers on such trips.
Any kind of exercise which gets you fitter before this trip is advisable, as it will enable you to enjoy the region more.
A day on a trek begins with breakfast at 7 am by which time; you are expected to vacate your tent so packing can begin. Your   help with setting up and packing up of tents is always welcome. We aim to usually be on the trail by 8:30 am and reach our camp for the day by 2-3pm, if not earlier. Long days on the trail   may mean an earlier start and a 8-10 hour walking day. Lunch is usually had on the walk, and you’d get into camp for a welcome cup of tea. Remember to carry your favorite poison – there is no local produce to bank on.
You will sleep inside tents. Karri mats are provided for you to sleep on and are placed under your sleeping bag.   If you have your personal karrimat, please carry it along.
Our entire crew will consist of guide and cooking staff (alongwith mules and mule men), which would prepare the days meals for the days that we are camping out.  Menus vary from Indian fare to Chinese, pasta, cold cuts, sandwiches, eggs etc.. We will provide you safe drinking water throughout the trek – it will either be bottled or boiled with a  dash of iodine.
The entire crew moves together in a totally self-contained manner like a tight knit unit. All food, water and shelter, is carried on the trek which is why we need to use discretion while packing – see the update above on packing.
It will help for you all to carry some easy to access medicine on the trip, for headaches, diarrhea, constipation, and some re-hydration powders like Electral etc. It’s also a good idea to have a roll of toilet paper accessible should you need to go.

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES INDIA

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OUTDOOR ADVENTURES INDIA

I grew up with a family that roamed, we were constantly on the move, we sailed, hiked, camped, drove across the country on holidays. School in the foothills of the Himalayas created a love of nature and continued the outdoor experience.

When rafting first started in India (1985/86) there were a handful of young men who decided to train to be river guides, I went rafting, met them and became the sole woman to join the fledgling adventure industry. We all created the first adventure outfits in India.

Himalayan River Runners, Mercury Himalayan Explorations, Outdoor Adventures India, Snow Leopard Adventures. A few years later, Aquaterra Adventures.

Our businesses grew because we loved what we did, the sports, the environment and we were professionals. We formed the associations required to regulate all aspects: safety guidelines, environmental guidelines and we created an adventure fraternity that introduced our wilderness areas to the world.

First descents and first ascents. The first ever international white water championship, we few represented the country. Opened new areas and new rivers: Spiti, Zanskar, Kali, Tons, Brahmaputra and the so far hidden Himalayan valleys.

It was a wonderful adventure that I have lived. At Outdoor Adventures or OAI as it was called, Ajay and I led every trip personally and that was our USP. Our camp on the banks of the Ganga was our home, I lived in a tent for months at a time, our guests became friends and returned to do almost every trip we ran.

Why did we stop? Because we did not want to dilute the product we had created, we did not enjoy, or have the continued energy or enthusiasm to lead every trip.

There was a whole other world to discover too, and it was time to do more.

I still promote all the trips that we ran in collaboration with the associates we made, they are conducted by younger, more enthusiastic people with the same level of professionalism. Occassionally, I do still accompany a trip to add my stories.

I think Ajay is finally doing something with the wonderful photographs he takes.

PAVANE MANN

A wandering urge and a keen sense of adventure involved her in the  outdoors since the early age of 7. Sailing, snorkelling and diving  along the coast of India, the Andaman and Lakshwadeep Islands. Studying at The Welham Girls School, Dehra Dun, with  nature loving teachers led to camping, trekking, bird watching and   an interest in natural habitats and wild life. She has trekked  extensively over the high Himalayas gathering experience and    knowledge that extends to almost all aspects of the region-  geographical, natural and cultural. Pavane has been  associated with rafting since its conception in India and has run almost all Indian and some overseas rivers.

AJAY MAIRA
A natural outdoorsman, he has been trekking and camping since he was 8. Educated at the Lawrence School, Sanawar. Ajay represented India as a member of the first Indian White Water Rafting team that took part in the World Cup Rafting Competition in Switzerland (1987). He ranks among the top few professional rafting people in our country. Those responsible for exploratory first descents, opening new rivers to the sport – Spiti, Upper Teesta, Brahmaputra. Instructing, training and setting out guidelines that make white water rafting in India comparable to the best in the world. He also skied,  did mountaineering expeditions and numerous treks.

One last night in Spain

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Just spoke to Anjali while sitting sipping beer and listening to great old time music being played in the plaza under the floodlit Walls of the Alhambra … With a moon shining down. What does one do with so much overload?

Just figuring that I think romance is a soul thing, not necessarily a sharing thing. This night was so full of romance, it was soul searing and utterly beautiful, but you know what came to mind? I could not think of wanting to, actually, share it with anyone. Because it was so perfect to me, it may not be so for another and that would so take away from it.

I sat watching people walking up and down, across from me the plaza was full, the fountain sparkled, and beyond the river was a forested hill crowned with the food lit castle. There was a man with a guitar, another with a harmonica and one with a violin, they played besame mucho, the lambada and so many other remembered oldies. I sat there with a grin and a Jerez amontillado. Finally decided – ok enough already, let’s go home and sleep, so started walking away, just before I was to leave the plaza turned one last time and what do I see but the moon behind me shining on this whole vista, so I just sat on the parapet and soaked it all in some more, the breeze, the sound of the water, the music and the magic of the night.

I truly sat there thinking: who is the one person that I have known in my life that I could/would have  wanted to share this with. Honestly, not a one who would have enriched this more than it was. Yes for sure one of you, my old langotias or my girls would have shared it and savoured, but as in, would someone to be with have made this more, no.

Ladies, my bestest friends in the world, I missed you, a trip like this around one of these countries begs to be done with us. 

Alhambra

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> Federico Garcia Lorca’s stories danced by Eva Yerbabuena :a flamenco ballet in the gardens of the Generalife, under a full moon! No pictures allowed, but picture it! >
> Preceded by dinner on the banks of the river under the Walls of the Alhambra. >
> It is now 00.30 hrs, I have just walked home on a cloud, through throngs of people still out partying in the streets. >
> Sitting on the terrace, this amazingly lit Alhambra in the foreground, with the city lights a twinkling backdrop. >
> Cold beer and moonlight. The most romantic evenings are best spent alone. Can you imagine if something were to ruin this…. A petty squabble or one feeling sleepy and the other bereft… Ufff. >
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>> Sent from my Iphone

Granada

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Fields of sunflowers and groves of olives all the way from Sevilla to Granada. I have arrived in the middle of the siesta, a truly serious matter here in Spain. everything, but everything is shut till about 6 in the evening.

It seems like an amazing city, just this minute I think I have made a mistake in the place I chose to stay. It’s marvellous, up at the top of the Albaicin area and the whole city spreads out below, it’s rooms in the caves, so rather fantastic, but it is a walk to anywhere. However, I shall wait and see. My room is charming, the bathroom seems adequate, the owner is warm and friendly. At the most I will lose some weight walking up and down the hills!

Ok, found a bus to the Alhambra, got a ticket for a show tomorrow night, should be good, found my way to the Plaza Nueva and found a little hotel right here which I have booked for my last night. Found the perfect bar, la gran taverna, great tapas and they speak English!

The walk back up to the Albaicin house was so not fun and I was hugely fed up with myself and the lady of the house. Who, by the way, spent half the afternoon telling me the story of her life. What is it that makes people think I will be sympathetic to listening to their woes? She has two almost grown children, a husband who she has left because he was a no good, irresponsible, violent man. She has bought this house at the end of the last street at the top of the Albaicin area of the caves. She has done a rather good job of putting it together, but is totally unprofessional about the services. Woe and stress, and I am honestly sympathetic, but really I do not want the woes of the world.

Maybe I just expect too much, no where seems to give the kind of service I think is normal or rather the kind that we do provide at home. Anyhow all that it led to was a badly slept night trying to figure if I should just up and find another place or make a noise and ask for a refund?

However the morning was lovely, met this very nice Czech girl also staying where I am. Went walking down into the little streets out onto the lovely terrace of the cathedral, with amazing views over the city. As always there is music in every square and markets and just the usual charming Spanish lifestyle. So everything feeling a whole heap better. The area is really quite lovely and the walk not as much as it seemed last night, so shall stay and see how it all develops.

This is one city that gives you tapas free with drinks so you end up eating a meal while paying for drinks. I like it.

La Plaza Nueva

Views from my controversial living establishment!


music in the plaza.

Sent from my Iphone