Manali Track

Home | Up | Manali Track | Hiking

Himachal-Manali trekking organized by WWF, Pune

Report by Amrapali Zaveri

It was an 11 day camp to the North and it was truly remarkable. I have tried to explain all the events in detail but let me tell you words are not enough to describe the beauty of the Northern Himalayas – you have got to be there to feel it!

16th May, 2003:

5:35 was the train to Delhi from Pune Station. Sapna and I were getting geared up for it since the past 10 days. We climbed Parvati many times and one day we even went to Sinhagad to climb it. Finally the day had come and we went to the station by 5:00. Sapna's dad came to drop us both there. Everyone had already arrived with their families to see us off. We proceeded to the platform and took our seats in our respective compartments. While going we all were in different compartments which was not a very good thing although we kept moving through the entire train and meeting everyone who were in the other compartments. The journey to Delhi was not very pleasant I must say because it was terribly hot and there were loads of people piling upon us trying to get a seat. In my compartment there were only 5 of us girls and the sixth seat belonged to a lady who had her mother-in-law and two kids on one berth. It was rather congested. But we did get some sleep.

17th May, 2003:

The next day in the train was also very horrible I must say because of the weather and the so many people trying to occupy every little inch of our seats. The 4 hours in the afternoon were difficult to spend because of the scorching heat but at last it was all over. We reached Delhi at 9:30 at night instead of 8:30! But we did reach. We all assembled on the platform where Danita from WWF was ready to welcome us and take us to the bus. We gathered our entire luggage and walked quite a distance with our heavy bags before we reached the bus. All the bags were loaded onto the bus and then we proceeded to the WWF Office in Delhi where we were to have our dinner. The time spent at the office was rather refreshing because we got good food along with cool, fresh water. At 11 we left Delhi and started another long journey to Manali. Everyone was rather tired so went off to sleep.

18th May,2003:

Of course the journey to Manali was another milestone in this camp. The night was very bumpy and not everyone got a good sleep because of the bumps that kept us off our seats almost the entire night. Although when we woke up in the morning we were half way up the mountain and the scenery around us was rather beautiful. We stopped at a restaurant to brush our teeth and had parathas for breakfast at 10. After that we went on with the journey except for a two hour break where we had to stop again because the rear two tyres had punctured. The traveling after that was smooth, rather round because we went up the mountain in a circular manner ( I mean the circular ghats). All around we could see lovely tall mountains and down below we could see the river flowing. It was rather picturesque. Towards the end of our journey we could even get a glimpse of snow-capped mountains which did relieve us of all the pain and the tiredness of the traveling. We reached Day Star School, where we were to stay, at 5 in the evening and we were very very tired. We also had to carry our entire luggage up five storey to top it all. We were greeted by the principal and the cook there who were waiting for us since 3 in the afternoon. We were served our lunch coz it was ready. After that we all needed a bath but the water was ice-cold. Since none of us had had a bath since the past two days we all had to do with the water we were provided. Some smart people went to Vashishta Hot Water Spring, a common bath place, situated just 15 minutes away from where we were staying. After the personal ablutions, at 8, we had a session with Prof. Sudhakar who was accompanying us. He told us about a lot of things like the flora and fauna in Himachal along with the map of the trek we were going to undertake. Soon after that we had dinner and everyone went off to sleep.

19th May, 2003:

We woke up at 6, had breakfast at 7 and at 7:30 we left the school and went to the river where we were to do river-crossing. We were filled in jeeps and taken to the place where we were to do it. There were two experts who were accompanying us. They briefed us about the safety measures after which we crossed the river by holding on to a rope tied to us by a harness. Crossing the river was easy but the only thing was that the water was ice-cold so all our toes became numb and for some half hour you could not feel them. After crossing it twice we proceeded for a little trek up to Jogini Waterfalls which is very famous there. It was an easy trek and I reached there pretty fast while the others struggled to come up. It was a beautiful fall and we could even go behind it. Some of the people went under it and got completely wet while others admired its beauty from far. After spending enough time there, we trekked down and went to Hidamba temp. Outside the temple there were horns of the ibex, blue sheep, chiri antelope. We saw yaks and rabbits outside and some of us took pictures with them for which we were charged. Then we all walked down and reached Vashishta Hot Water Spring where some people stopped for a bath there while some of us walked back to the school. That evening we had another session wherein the guides who were going to accompany us for the trek were present and Sudhakar Sir gave us instructions as to what was necessary to carry and about the details of the trek. We were to trek between Kais and Kanawar Sanctuary. It was a five day trek. First day we were to start from Prini and go up to Hamta, next day from Hamta to Jabri, then from Jabri to Jabri Nala, then to Sarotu and then back to Prini. We were to live in tents all these days. We were to carry two bags... One little bag-pack which we were to carry during the trek and the second bag which would be carried by mules up to the place where we were to camp each day. After the session and after dinner, we all sat to pack. Sapna and I put all our clothes in one big bag and all the necessary material in the small bag-pack. Everyone slept early because we had a long day the next day.

20th May, 2003:

We woke up early, had breakfast after our personal ablutions and by jeeps we went to Prini from where we were to start our trek. We were given packed lunch which we were to eat later on during the day. The first day trek was rather tiring and more like rock climbing because it was steep and long too. One 11 year old kid started crying and most of the elder people who were not very fit could not do it all at one time and took a lot of breaks. Even I found it a little tough but it was worth it because once we were up there the scenery was rather beautiful. Everywhere around there were tall deodar trees and there was a blue-throated barbet who kept calling continuously. The sun was shining brightly above our heads and the wind was blowing through our hair. We even came across a little spring where we all freshened up. We trekked for about five hours and then we reached a little tea house where we took a two hour break. We had our lunch there and slept for an hour. After that there was not much of climbing, it was just a long never-ending meadow that we had to walk on and at the end of it we reached our camping site which was just a clearing where we could pitch our tents. This place was Setu which was about 8000 ft above sea-level with the Hamta river flowing few feet below us. The guides and the helpers had already reached there before us and had pitched the tents. We were allotted our tents and laid our sleeping bags, got into our warm clothes and came and sat near the fire. It got dark by about 6 or 7 and it started getting cold too. We did some star-gazing at night while we were served lovely dinner starting from tomato soup to a proper dinner of rice, parathas, paneer sabzi and followed by desert of custard fruits and after that we were given coffee. We were all in or tents by 10 and were asleep in our sleeping bags.

21^stmay, 2003:

Next day we left Setu and trekked up to Madi which was 12000 ft. It was a 6 km walk and it took us nearly 5-6 hours with a lunch break in between. This trek was steep more like rock-climbing but as we went further and further it started getting cloudy and the wind started blowing harder. It was started to get cold – kind of indication that we were approaching the snow regions. The place where we stopped for lunch was beautiful. All around there were towering mountains in the front and behind there were all snow-capped mountains. It even started raining a bit and on the snow-capped mountains it was snowing – it looked very pretty. We reached Madi and pitched our tents there. We were to stay at Madi for two nights because the guides said it would not be possible to go any further because of the snow. That evening, Sapna, Anuj and me went up the mountain where we could see a little snow and we were the first three people to go and see snow out of all the people at camp. It was a steep climb but it was worth it. Of course the snow was dirty but it was snow after all and my first time to see it ! We spent half an hour there and came down. After that we had a little session with Sudhakar Sir – he had told us to make a song on the bio-diversity of India. We were divided into 4 groups. So we all presented what we had done and after that had dinner besides the camp fire. That night we had Chinese for dinner. We started with clear soup, followed with noodles and rice and custard fruit for desert. Then we were given coffee a little later. A few of us sat next to the fire while the other retired into their tents. We put potatoes in the fire and had them – it smelled of coal but it tasted good. We sang a few songs and enjoyed the warmth of the fire and went off to sleep.

22^nd May, 2003:

This day we were going to go to the glacier. Some of the people did not come because of some reason. We were all to go the snow line and after that climb the glacier if we could. It was a 10 km journey. Some of them waited at the snow line while some 10 of us went further ahead. But we actually could not go right up to the glacier. The distance that we could see with our eyes was rather deceptive because the more we walked closer towards it, the more and more farther it used to go. After that it started raining so the guides told us to go back. We had lunch in a cave because it was raining and walked back. We all really wanted to see snow so the guides made us cross the river (over a bridge of course) and there we met the others who were already in the snow. This was the best part of the trip. We all went crazy seeing snow for the first time. We tried and walked up till whatever part we could and came sliding down – it was great fun. We threw snow balls at each other. We spent almost an hour there and then walked back to the camp site. The walk back was long because we had taken a detour. We could not feel our hands of toes because they were so cold and it was slightly drizzling along with the wind blowing in our ears. It was all the more beautiful when we saw the rainbow. We could actually see where it started and where it ended! We came back to the camp site and rested for a while until it started raining heavily when we had to go into our tents. But sooner or later everyone got hungry. The cook had made a little place covered by a fly sheet where we could go and have food which we did. That night we had mushroom soup for dinner with rice and mixed vegetables. Desert consisted of Jelly! It was yummy since it was hot when it was raining inside. We could not even sit near the camp fire because it was raining so much so we all went in our tents and slept. That night the temperature dropped to 2 or 3 degrees!

23^rd May, 2003:

Next day we were to get back down. We started late because it took the guides a lot of time to pack up everything. The trek down was pretty fast. We walked down for like two hours and came to another clearing where we were to camp. We could have gone down to Prini that day itself but since we had started late the guides said that we would reach down by the time it would get dark which would not be very safe so we had to camp there for another night. That day we helped them pitch the tents but it started raining again so we all sat in our tents for a while. They served us hot cabbage bhajis with tea in the tent which was great. After a while the rain did stop so few of us went for a stroll around the place to feel one with nature! That night also it started raining again. My tent mates and I had dinner in our tents only. We had rice, mixed vegetables, chapatti and brinjal for dinner that evening and halwa for desert! We went to sleep after that.

24^th May, 2003:

We woke up early that morning and after a good breakfast we had a little ceremony wherein we thanked Beliram (the main guide) and his team members who had really made life easy for us up there. They helped all of us a lot and were great. We had a group photo session after which we started trekking down. It took us almost 2 hours to get down to Prini. Philip and Jonah took only 27 minutes to get down because they came running down the mountain. We reached down and waited for the jeeps.

It was only 12 noon that time. Ten of us from the entire group thought of going to Rhotang Pass since we were here. We all climbed into one jeep and went there. On the way we stopped at a place where we had to rent proper clothes, boots and gloves for the weather up there. The uncle and aunty had to get a long fur coat. Uncle looked like a bear. We were famished so we all had lunch at a restaurant on the way and then we went up. We reached up in 3 hours. There was a lot of traffic coming down because those people had gone up there early morning. There were only 3 jeeps going up. The road up there was beautiful because there was snow everywhere and it was white. It was snowing evening – there were little snow-flakes falling on the wind-shield and it looked very cute. The place where we stopped there was skiing. Noah, Jonah and Siana did it. Uncle and Aunty went to see some temple. The others and me just walked around on snow, felt the snow on our face, ate the snow and made a snow-man (actually woman!) It was great fun. There were hardly any people so we nearly had the place to ourselves. We had tea and coffee at a stall there and then came back to Day Star School by 6. We made everyone else jealous because none of them had seen fresh white snow! We then had a good hot water bath after nearly 6 days and then we went out for dinner by 10. We came back and had a good sleep on soft beds and in cozy blankets (very important!)

25^th May, 2003:

We were to leave Manali and go to Kullu for white water rafting. We were all packed, had breakfast, thanked the cook and the principal of the school, loaded our luggage in the bus and in about one and a half hours time we reached Kullu. We all registered for white water rafting. It was an optional thing so some of the people went back to the bus and went ahead where we would meet them. 24 of us were divided into three boats. There were four people in the front and three behind with the person who was rowing in the middle. Two people in the front were to also row so we all took turns. It was a 14 km ride and it was excitingly amazing! There used to be times where there were rapids and there were times where it was just cool waters. The guy used to give very crisp instructions to us when we were supposed to row forward or row backward or stop. It was beautiful and yes not to forget the water was ice cold so it used to hurt whenever it used to splash on our face and go down our back! But it was worth it. I really would not mind traveling through the river to Pune rather than in Jhelum!! But of course it had to end. We were all wet by the time we were out. We met the others who were waiting for us; we changed and had lunch at 5. After that we were just to travel. We left that place by 6 to get back to Delhi because our train was the next day at 10:45 am. The journey back was not as bad as it was while coming. We were all very tired so we all were mainly sleeping. We just stopped at 10 at night at a place where we packed some food but we were not that hungry.

26^th May, 2003:

Next day morning we reached Delhi station by 8:30. We went to the plat-form and waited for our train. We did our personal ablutions on the station itself. The train came, we boarded it. This time we were all in the same compartment and we had extra seats too. We all sat together and played. The night we slept well. It was not that hot too.

27^th May, 2003:

We were all a bit sad because it was all over so fast. We spent the last few hours together, took each others numbers, promised to keep in touch and by 2:30 we reached Pune station.

Well, it is over but I am still camp-sick. I feel like going back to the mountains again, staying in the tents, having the lovely food and walking through the mountains again. Everyone should do it. The glacier we went to has receded by 5-6 km because of global warming and nobody is doing anything about it. We all need to be aware of all these facts and try to do whatever little we can. We even saw a living fossil there – it is a tree called Gingko Biloba. It came into existence years ago and now very few are left. It is extinct and nobody knows about it. It has a lot of medicinal uses too. We saw the plant. Earlier there was a board on it saying that is a living fossil but now the board has gone. It is all because of us. We even saw a section of a branch of a Deodar tree which was born in 1858. That has been preserved till now.

The flora there consisted of mainly tall Deodar trees, maple trees, horse chestnut trees, Juniper trees which marked the tree line at the higher altitudes and even Silver Birch trees with their barks as thin as paper. During the entire trip I saw birds like Himalayan vultures, Golden Eagle, Buzzard, Himalayan Woodpecker, Monal Pheasant (the state bird of Himachal), Blue-throated barbet and its call, parakeets and jungle crows (loads of them). I even saw a small hare and there were many lizards called the Himalayan Agamas.

Every bit of the trip was truly great and I remember each and every moment clearly – I so wish to go there again and you should too.