“Those who travel to the mountain-tops are half in love with themselves, and half in love with oblivion.” – Robert Macfarlane
The observation goes correct in the case of every mountain lover. If you ask me; I would rather say, mountains have a magic to make people fall in love with them and forget rest of the world by completely losing their soul into the pleasing company of mighty mountains.
Being a traveloholic and a mountain lover what else could be a better way to bid adieu to the passing year 2017 than kissing the first ray of the sun amid lush green mountains and embracing the love of Mother Nature on to an extreme mountain top?
Just an idea was needed and the group was already there, as if waiting for me :D Do you remember the conspiracies of universe … that I was talking about in my previous blog? An adventure group that I joined during my college days was going on a trek to Kafni Glacier. I called the instructors and book my seat.
So, I was all set for a thrilling experience of minus 12 degrees in chilling winters into Himalayas. Trek to Kafni Glacier was on now. I was eagerly waiting for Dec19th to arrive…
Before we move ahead with the story, it is important to make you familiar with the places and faces. So, here is a small detail about the trip –
Travelers:
RJ (that’s me)
Chetan Pandey (Chief Instructor)
Ekta Pant
Mr. Dayal Singh Danu
Mr. Puran Khati
Other team members (Including instructors and fellow trekkers)
Destination : Almora –– Kafni glacier
(Stoppages: Bharadi – Kharkia – Dwali – Dhakuri)
As I believe that every story has a pre or post story. Here, this time also I have a pre story to share with you (I wish to have a post story too… as it was in YJHD;P) he he he… Jokes-apart. So, the story is –
Every good thing comes at a cost. This time, it was my job. I quit my job as an editor with a private firm two weeks prior and came home for the trek. Don’t worry! I will be joining a better place now. Never forget the lesson life teaches you. We were taught in NCC and in Physics and chemistry labs too – Always take calculated risks. So, did I … ;)
Suggestion – Take calculated risks and enjoy life… Keep it simple with zero regrets.
Now, coming back on the trek.
On 18th afternoon I reached home. Bag was already packed with essentials to carry on the trek. Took shower and after having a proper meal I went on a sleepy dive. The comfort of home sweet home and mom’s cooked meal was one of the best gifts of this trip to me.
Delhi to Almora Distance by road – 375Km via NH-9, Time taken – 10+2 hrs (Additional two hours due to fog and traffic Jam)
Train is available till Kathgodam from where; you can take private/public transport. Fare is quite pocket-friendly within 125 – 300 Rs. per person(as if now) from Kathgodam to Almora, varying b/w buses and regular taxies.
Suggestion –
1.Try and reach a day prior to the departure.
2.Prepare a list of items to carry in the trek, don’t carry unnecessary goods. 3.Crosscheck the backpack twice. See the video below for guidance.
4.Have a good nutritious meal.
Take proper sleep before night (its must).
Day 1 – Almora to Kharkia
(19/12/17)
Kharkia is the road head, which is 48 km from National highway 37 (Bharari). This was our destination for day1 of the trek. We left Almora at morning 7 and reached Bharari via Takula-Bageshwar
by 1 o’clock in the afternoon. During this journey, we took a halt in Takula for morning breakfast.
Hot & crispy aloo paratha with pahadi special adrakh wali chai (Ginger Tea) made our morning & filled my friend Ekta and me with double energy to keep our stalk of talks going.
However, this route is a silent less populated road with full of Himalayan views. Right from Binser valley in Almora as you pass through the beautiful Kasar region to the Pindari valley in Bageshwar, the mesmerizing nature won’t let you bore for a single second. So, even if you prefer to keep mum during travel, you can equally enjoy this journey.
After having lunch in Bharari we booked private marshals to reach Kharkia. As it was an unmetalled road, only small vehicles were permitted on it. The marshals dropped us at Kharkia our first checkpoint in three hours from Bharari.
Suggestions:
1.There is no electricity in hinterlands, so better you carry additional power source with you.
2.Forget where you come from, gel with people, you will enjoy their true hospitality (if lucky, you may even get a proposal to become their son/daughter in law :D )
3.Bharari is the last point where you can access ATM and other food and utility stores. The same applies on mobile signals for all other service providers than BSNL.
It’s a 19 Km trek from Kharkia to Dwali. Terrain was quite rough and rocky at places after Khati. Khati (5 km from Kharkia) is the last village in the valley having mass settlement. This is the point where your cell phone with BSNL sim may ring. There is a one in all shop in Khati village, where you can purchase basic utility items in emergency condition. You can have Maggie, Omlate, chocolates, and other edibles or even you can buy Shoe or sleepers etc from this shop. My friend who thought the trek to be a cakewalk bought a pair of sky blue shoe from here. Yeah! They saved her to some extent (better not to depend on these).
There is also a temple in Khati Village and a water source in its premises. Fill your water bottle as it would be a 14 km trek to Dwali from here. You will pass through dense forest of Pindari valley.
With us, the route was open for the first time after the natural calamity held in 2012. So, we had to put some extra efforts at places to find the route. Thankfully we had instructors and a local guide Mr. Dayal S. Danu with us.
Though the route was bit difficult but, it has as nothing to do with the intensity of nature to make you fall in love with it's beauty. The craggy trails did not seem much harsh as the view around was stealing our eyes and attention. The mild golden sunshine was giving us warmth by penetrating the sky touching deodar trees. A number of water springs were there on the way to slake our thirst and please the eyes.
We reached Dwali by 4:00 PM enjoying the trek and covering the up-down terrain with wooden bridges over fires Kafni River. We gained approx 1500feet height by the end of the day. Our stay was in KMVN guest houses there. The only guest house (other than PWD) offering its services to travelers in such challenging circumstances.
Oh! How can I forget to tell you about a wonderful personality I met on the way today... Swami Dharmanand. Don’t worry! He is not like other self proclaimed Saints. He is a treasure of knowledge and innovative ideas. I had an interview kind of session with him for more than one hour inside his cave, where he offered us Tea and Parley-G biscuits. He had so much of knowledge and experience to share, it made me curious and the journalist inside overshadowed the trekker for sometime. I was keen to know more and more about him and his work. He claimed to have been working for rural development of nearby villages and also with IITs and other prestigious institutions of the country. He told me about the projects and ideas he drafted while answering one of my questions. I was literally aghast and pleased at the same time to meet him. Say it loud,
Pindari wale Baba ki… Jai ho!!
Once more… “Pindari wale Baba ki… Jai ho!!” :D
DO MEET HIM IF YOU ARE IN PINDARI VALLEY.
PART TWO .............. COMING SOON.
Get a ping for all my future posts. Type your mail ID in the follow box below... :)
The observation goes correct in the case of every mountain lover. If you ask me; I would rather say, mountains have a magic to make people fall in love with them and forget rest of the world by completely losing their soul into the pleasing company of mighty mountains.
Being a traveloholic and a mountain lover what else could be a better way to bid adieu to the passing year 2017 than kissing the first ray of the sun amid lush green mountains and embracing the love of Mother Nature on to an extreme mountain top?
Just an idea was needed and the group was already there, as if waiting for me :D Do you remember the conspiracies of universe … that I was talking about in my previous blog? An adventure group that I joined during my college days was going on a trek to Kafni Glacier. I called the instructors and book my seat.
So, I was all set for a thrilling experience of minus 12 degrees in chilling winters into Himalayas. Trek to Kafni Glacier was on now. I was eagerly waiting for Dec19th to arrive…
Before we move ahead with the story, it is important to make you familiar with the places and faces. So, here is a small detail about the trip –
Travelers:
RJ (that’s me)
Chetan Pandey (Chief Instructor)
Ekta Pant
Mr. Dayal Singh Danu
Mr. Puran Khati
Other team members (Including instructors and fellow trekkers)
Destination : Almora –– Kafni glacier
(Stoppages: Bharadi – Kharkia – Dwali – Dhakuri)
As I believe that every story has a pre or post story. Here, this time also I have a pre story to share with you (I wish to have a post story too… as it was in YJHD;P) he he he… Jokes-apart. So, the story is –
Every good thing comes at a cost. This time, it was my job. I quit my job as an editor with a private firm two weeks prior and came home for the trek. Don’t worry! I will be joining a better place now. Never forget the lesson life teaches you. We were taught in NCC and in Physics and chemistry labs too – Always take calculated risks. So, did I … ;)
Suggestion – Take calculated risks and enjoy life… Keep it simple with zero regrets.
Now, coming back on the trek.
On 18th afternoon I reached home. Bag was already packed with essentials to carry on the trek. Took shower and after having a proper meal I went on a sleepy dive. The comfort of home sweet home and mom’s cooked meal was one of the best gifts of this trip to me.
Delhi to Almora Distance by road – 375Km via NH-9, Time taken – 10+2 hrs (Additional two hours due to fog and traffic Jam)
Train is available till Kathgodam from where; you can take private/public transport. Fare is quite pocket-friendly within 125 – 300 Rs. per person(as if now) from Kathgodam to Almora, varying b/w buses and regular taxies.
Suggestion –
1.Try and reach a day prior to the departure.
2.Prepare a list of items to carry in the trek, don’t carry unnecessary goods. 3.Crosscheck the backpack twice. See the video below for guidance.
4.Have a good nutritious meal.
Take proper sleep before night (its must).
Essentials to carry for a winter trek
Day 1 – Almora to Kharkia
(19/12/17)
Kharkia is the road head, which is 48 km from National highway 37 (Bharari). This was our destination for day1 of the trek. We left Almora at morning 7 and reached Bharari via Takula-Bageshwar
 |
| Crispy Aloo paratha |
Hot & crispy aloo paratha with pahadi special adrakh wali chai (Ginger Tea) made our morning & filled my friend Ekta and me with double energy to keep our stalk of talks going.
After having lunch in Bharari we booked private marshals to reach Kharkia. As it was an unmetalled road, only small vehicles were permitted on it. The marshals dropped us at Kharkia our first checkpoint in three hours from Bharari.
Kharkia
The path was full of bouncy rides but the enthusiasm inside was at pinnacle and the beautiful nature around was cleverly diverging our attention from it. Our stay here was supposed to be at KMVN resort but, due to some reasons we had to take home stay with the local people. I found it quite interesting as it was giving me the complete feel of being a mountaingirl.
Delhi to Kharkia Travel Video
Suggestions:
1.There is no electricity in hinterlands, so better you carry additional power source with you.
2.Forget where you come from, gel with people, you will enjoy their true hospitality (if lucky, you may even get a proposal to become their son/daughter in law :D )
3.Bharari is the last point where you can access ATM and other food and utility stores. The same applies on mobile signals for all other service providers than BSNL.
Day 2: Kharkia to Dwali Village –
(20/12/17)It’s a 19 Km trek from Kharkia to Dwali. Terrain was quite rough and rocky at places after Khati. Khati (5 km from Kharkia) is the last village in the valley having mass settlement. This is the point where your cell phone with BSNL sim may ring. There is a one in all shop in Khati village, where you can purchase basic utility items in emergency condition. You can have Maggie, Omlate, chocolates, and other edibles or even you can buy Shoe or sleepers etc from this shop. My friend who thought the trek to be a cakewalk bought a pair of sky blue shoe from here. Yeah! They saved her to some extent (better not to depend on these).
 |
| Beautiful Khati Village |
There is also a temple in Khati Village and a water source in its premises. Fill your water bottle as it would be a 14 km trek to Dwali from here. You will pass through dense forest of Pindari valley.
With us, the route was open for the first time after the natural calamity held in 2012. So, we had to put some extra efforts at places to find the route. Thankfully we had instructors and a local guide Mr. Dayal S. Danu with us.
 |
| On the way to Dwali |
Kharkia to Dwali trekking Video
We reached Dwali by 4:00 PM enjoying the trek and covering the up-down terrain with wooden bridges over fires Kafni River. We gained approx 1500feet height by the end of the day. Our stay was in KMVN guest houses there. The only guest house (other than PWD) offering its services to travelers in such challenging circumstances.
Oh! How can I forget to tell you about a wonderful personality I met on the way today... Swami Dharmanand. Don’t worry! He is not like other self proclaimed Saints. He is a treasure of knowledge and innovative ideas. I had an interview kind of session with him for more than one hour inside his cave, where he offered us Tea and Parley-G biscuits. He had so much of knowledge and experience to share, it made me curious and the journalist inside overshadowed the trekker for sometime. I was keen to know more and more about him and his work. He claimed to have been working for rural development of nearby villages and also with IITs and other prestigious institutions of the country. He told me about the projects and ideas he drafted while answering one of my questions. I was literally aghast and pleased at the same time to meet him. Say it loud,
Pindari wale Baba ki… Jai ho!!
Once more… “Pindari wale Baba ki… Jai ho!!” :D
DO MEET HIM IF YOU ARE IN PINDARI VALLEY.
 |
| Pindari wale baba ji (left to me) |
Next day was highly important as we had to complete a 28 km trek back and forth to the Kafni Glacier. (Super excited to reach Zero Point). As we gain approximate 4000 feet height during this trek, for this, you need to cheat your mind a little bit. I will expose this trick in the second part of the story and will also take you to the Mini Switzerland and a hidden treasure in the lap of Himalayas in Pinder valley.Stay there...
PART TWO .............. COMING SOON.
Get a ping for all my future posts. Type your mail ID in the follow box below... :)
Wow. This is an extremely informative one .
ReplyDeleteThanks dear 🙂
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThanks
ReplyDeleteAwesome..the way u described the whole track is amazing..willing to go there for 1s..after reading ur block..keep updating us about all such beautiful places..
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot dear 🙂...yeah it was no less than heaven... Must visit
DeleteYayyyy adventurous lady...
ReplyDeleteWaiting for part 2.
Thanks dear... Yeah! Little busy nowadays... Will publish soon :)
DeleteThank you for your post, I look for such article along time, today i find it finally. this post give me lots of advise it is very useful for me. Annapurna Base Camp Trek
ReplyDelete