DeViL on WheeLs

How to Book HP PWD Rest Houses or FRHs

Dheeraj Sharma — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:30:23 +0000

Progressing on my efforts for DoW’s vision on economic BUT effective traveling in Himalayas, this time I will write down and share below everything I have learned about booking a room or set at PWD Rest Houses and Circuit Houses in Himachal Pradesh as well as Forest Rest Houses (FRH) in Himachal Pradesh. To be very frank, these PWD Rest Houses or FRH, are located at very sublime locations with some great views on offer. These PWD Rest Houses are built to provide convenience to the GOVT. officials traveling for work purpose mostly and can get benefit even for their vacations. However, in Himachal Pradesh, even a private individual is allowed to take a booking for PWD Rest House or Circuit house or any FRH, if there is any availability. The individual can be Himachali or non-Himachali or even foreigner but Himachal natives have to pay less as compared to non-Himachalis including domestic as well as foreign tourists.

Apart from the prime locations, these Rest Houses are real value for money considering the comfort and facilities on offer. The interiors are really fine considering the prices they charge and you look like to be in a good hotel. Though the conditions and facilities are purely dependent upon place and caretaker. Regarding the quality of services and food, they are also by and large dependent upon the caretaker/chowkidar of the rest house. If he cooks good food and good helping chap, then you are in real value for money or else ask him for self service and get some raw food like Maggie, eggs to be cooked yourself. Having said that, most of these rest houses are very much fine to stay and you shall consider unlucky if you do not find good conditions and services of these rest houses …

Sagnam PWD Rest House, Pin Valley… Our night stay…

Sagnam PWD Rest House, Pin Valley… View From it…

Find below the links to download the list of these PWD Rest Houses in Himachal Pradesh, list of FRH in Himachal Pradesh and their updated charges as per the year 2011.

Booking Process – HP PWD Rest Houses OR FRH

These PWD Rest Houses or Circuit Houses can be booked by getting in touch with the respective Booking office mentioned in the list above. You can either get in touch with them over phone or if you are traveling then you can directly go to the office and book there. After checking the availability, the PWD office will issue you back a parchi/slip which you will need to handover to the caretaker/chowkidaar at the rest house. Of course, being an independent individual (not PWD employee or Govt. employee), you will be given last priority.

Getting the booking in PWD Rest Houses over phone is a bit tricky and time consuming at times, so make it about 10-15 days in time before you are going for the trip. If you try to make it early then most likely you will be requested or asked on the phone to come back before a week or so … Also, worth noting is that fact that, the circuit houses in particular are not given the booking easily, so better not rely on them but if nothing is available then try your luck for asking about the availability.

Below I have tried to describe a rough outline on how to make bookings in these PWD Rest Houses, which you can refer as a guide to make a booking for yourself:

You can call up the respective booking office and try to confirm the availability from the concerned person. It is always better to note the name of the person so as to minimize communication gap in future and you talk to same person for future correspondences.
Two things can happen, either he will tell you the availability and ask you to fax/email the booking request on the email ID or Fax Number OR he will not even tell the availability and ask you to send booking request over email/Fax only. In any case, you need to send the booking request over email/fax, so better confirm the fax number of the booking office from the person.
After sending the request over fax or email, in a day or so, call the booking office again and ask if they has received your email or fax and what is the status. DO NOT forget to write your fax number where you want to receive in the letter and request letter shall be addressed to the executive engineer. Continue the follow-up based on the conversation until there is any result: Approval or Rejection. So, it is always better to note the name of the person whom you first had the conversation about your booking, so as to minimize communication gap in every call.
In case if the booking is available, then authorized person (mainly Executive Engineer) of booking office will approve or already have approved your booking and a slip/parchi will be issued for you.
A copy of slip/parchi will be send to the caretaker/chowkidar of the respective Rest House, so that he knows about that you will be coming. Ideally, one copy of this slip/parchi should also be shared with you but you can ask it from the concerned person you are in talks with at the booking office. Either he will be happy to email/fax it back to you OR he will say not needed.
If he says, not needed, well you should be in doubt … Don’t worry politely ask for the contact number of Caretaker/Chowkidar and few days before the trip just call him up to confirm that if he has got the slip/parchi for your booking. Do call him well in advance so that you can effectively communicate with the concerned office regarding any trouble. If Caretaker/chowkidar says YES, then you are almost in for a party !!

Some Caveats & Tips – HP PWD Rest House & FRH

You will be surprised but if there are so many positives for getting the booking for HP PWD Rest House or FRH, some caveats are also attached to it. I have tried to outline below some of the caveats along with some tips which you should be aware about before booking these rest houses.

You shall not rely on food & service at these rest houses. So, it is always better to carry your own raw food like Maggie, eggs, precooked vegetables, breads etc. If some dhabha is available nearby, then no issues at all. With some tip, caretaker most likely will allow you to do self service and cook for yourself. It is quite a fun though and I like it this way only … So, just consider it as good, comfortable, beautifully located option of stay or sleep only.
Most of the local village get-togethers/parties does happen in these rest houses mainly, being the only available and value for money option. Also, being locals they do have priority for it. So, in case you do not have the slip and even if you have confirmed with caretaker, you might end up in a surprise. So, better to have that slip/parchi with you as much feasible as it can be.
In case, there is some VIP or GOVT. Official arrives, you might end up loosing the booking. However, this rarely happens with confirmed bookings (with slips) because most of these rest houses, I stayed in Spiti Valley and Kinnaur Valley had rooms reserved for VIPs and are not offered to tourists/individual in any case. So, in case it is some remote guest house, chances of finding alternative at the last moment are very slim.

Can I stay at PWD Rest House without bookings?

Well, on the contrary, you can of course land up there directly (which I mostly do with my dynamic plans ) and talk to Chowkidar/Caretaker there who might allow you to check-in with some tip or even with slip. This will be the most economical way, a tip won’t cost you much. Sometimes, there is Executive Engineer who is in charge of that rest house present there and has authority to let you in. But, this is only true for night stay types or shorter stay. On a longer stay, you should go prepared with official bookings.

Of course, if someone else lands up there with bookings (slips/parchi) or some VIP comes in, then you will have to vacate the room even in the middle of the night. Many times the caretaker/chowkidar will be reluctant too, to give you rooms because he will be afraid of doing work or providing you with food and all. The bigger the group, the bigger his fear of work … Key is to keep persuading until he agrees or otherwise move to other location.

Having said all that, you can take a chance or risk BUT DO NOT rely on it completely as it might work and might not work too. I slept in car with my family once in Kinnaur relying on this funda but I did not have much daylight left to move around in search of others.

Conclusion

HP PWD Rest Houses or Circuit Houses or FRH are great to stay with fantastic locations, good facilities and comfort considering the value for money etc. However, they do have a little risk associated with them and one must be prepared for Plan B too. The risk can be mitigated through bookings to quite an extent.

Special thanks to all the courteous officials of PWD and locals in Spiti Valley who were more than happy to help providing this information and a reference thread on IndiaMike too linked here (indracal especially).

If you ever happened to be at some of the PWD Rest Houses or Circuit Houses or FRH and have any experience with them or pictures of them, please try and share with us here in the blog comments or in DoW – Himalayan Community & Forums thread linked here.

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Best Time to Travel Ladakh & Zanskar Valley

Dheeraj Sharma — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:30:10 +0000

A lot of people ask me this many a times on the blog to suggest best time to Travel to Leh – Ladakh and I thought it is better to pen it down in an article so that it helps others too and does not repeat on the blog all over again and again.

Well, there are two roads that lead you to Leh Ladakh viz. Srinagar – Leh Highway and Manali – Leh Highway and both of them generally remain closed for more than 6 months from November to April or Mid-May every year because of heavy snowfall on various mountain passes that comes on these adventure roads. So, the only time to travel by road to Leh – Ladakh is from Mid-May to Mid – October types with second half of October being a risky affair to travel and May being the only likely option for Srinagar – Leh Highway as Manali – Leh Highway generally opens by June first week or late May. But, still the question is, “What is the best time to travel in these 5-6 months?”

Those beautiful curves over Srinagar – Kargil Highway…

April to Mid-May

April is the month when tourists or travellers from all parts of the world start to come in to Ladakh. Restaurants start either to open or to setup for the season. So, are the guest houses, camps at Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri lakes starts to setup. By second week of May, generally the Srinagar – Leh Highway opens and influx of tourists starts to get into Ladakh. Supplies flow in along with fresh vegetables and fruits, hence the life come to normalcy.

In late April, all lakes including Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri start to melt and by mid-May they completely melt and starts radiating the ever beautiful blue hues under sunlight. Tourists / Travellers coming in, gets heavy discounts as it is the onset of season and with least tourists around, it is better place to be.

The passes, both Khardung La and Chang La, are under heaps of snow and passing through them is quite an experience in itself. Carrying shades/glares/goggles is highly recommended at this time of the year.

Vehicles Lining Up to Khardung La Pass in Snow…

Mid-May to July

As I said, in May, most likely you will only find Srinagar – Leh to be open, so if you are interested in complete circuit then it is not the right time. In June beginning, Manali road just opens with opening of Rohtang Pass. For the initial 7-10 days the roads are pretty much unstable with common snow slides and intermittent blockages also happens but gradually it settles down. And from Mid of June to July just before the onset of monsoon season, it is a very nice time to travel and indeed a lot of people undertake the road journey to Ladakh at this specific window only.

It is perfect time for those who want to enjoy snow around the road and drive through the snow walls of Rohtang Pass / Rani nalla and sometime Baralacha La too … However, keep in mind that Snow starts to melt which means, ferocious water crossings and rivers are pretty common in this period. Later you will reach at a water crossing in the day, slim are the chances to cross it. So, plan to leave early in the day and reach early in the day on destination.

Water crossings or Nallas over Manali – Leh Highway…

That is Zing Zing Bar Nalla at Manali – Leh Highway…

August to Mid-September

In this period Monsoons are on full flurry and rivers, water crossings go ferocious at times when rains are running around. Landslides are common too in this period. However, there is a catch, that the region beyond Zozi La Pass towards Leh from Srinagar side and beyond Baralacha La pass towards Leh from Manali side, being rain shadow region do not get much affected by rains. But, definitely you will be facing the monsoon music up to Baralacha La pass from Manali side and Zozila Pass from Srinagar side. Of course, as happening for last 2-3 years Rohtang Pass most likely to be a nightmare in this period.

Even the rain shadow region definition is changing now and we have started getting rains in Ladakh too or at least over cast conditions with slight drizzle every now and then. So, be ready for surprises even in rain shadow region of Ladakh though not much or major unless it changes drastically in coming years.

Nightmarish roads of Rohtang Pass…

Mid-September to Mid-October

Personally, this is my favourite season to Travel to Ladakh with burning colors all over in full glory. Post monsoon, the region becomes devoid of water and moisture too and chill starts to set in with intermittent snowfall. But, the colours of fall/autumn are almost burning with beauty all over the Srinagar – Leh, Manali – Leh roads and of course Ladakh. The road conditions also improve a bit in comparison to the rest of the season, in fact the best roads of the season since the maintenance works also settles by that time.

Even the water crossings are timid in flow with less water in them and are easy to pass by. The rivers are turned aqua blue again giving an entirely different aura to the regions. Your body is at max exposure of UV rays and due to lack of moisture, it become difficult to acclimatize as well. But, beauty on offer is worth anything

Also, it is time when some camps have closed, packed up and some still run. There are occasional snowfall as well which might close the road for a day or two temporarily. And also, Raid-De-Himalayas rally also happen in this window which also disturbs you as traveler to some extent. I will suggest that you DO read: 5 Reasons to Avoid Manali – Leh Highway in October

Even Artist Would Feel Envy There Colors near Drass

Mid-October to Mid-November

This is the period when cold has settled into Tran Himalayas completely with sub-zero temperatures at almost all places above 14000 feet especially over Manali – Leh highway and high altitude lakes. The colors though are still beautiful in the region, tourists have almost gone away and only few brave ones remain.

Most of the guest houses, hotels and restaurants are closed by this time along with camps at lakes which are up by last week of September. Dhabhas and camps at Manali – Leh Highway are also deserted and locals go away to their homes to get ready for the hibernation in cold winters.

Though both Manali – Leh and Srinagar – Leh remain open unofficially, it is highly not recommended to travel over them especially Manali – Leh with such cold conditions, with least shelter available and black ice on roads that makes driving very risky affair. Black ice is quite common in this period, in fact it starts to appear in October starting as well at some of the places though does not last longer in early stages or winter season.

Also DO read: 5 Reasons to Avoid Manali – Leh Highway in October

Aqua Colored Zanskar River…

Mid-November to March

This period is the coldest period in Ladakh where January is the coldest month of all seasons and Ladakh is cut-off from rest of the world by road. Only few brave and bold tourists are around even though the roads to Nubra Valley and Pangong Tso Lake over Khardung La Pass and Chang La Pass respectively are kept open all round the year barring few days of heavy snowfall. Mid-January to Mid-March is also the time when many adventure tourists come to Leh – Ladakh to walk over frozen Zanskar River from Padum in Zanskar Valley to Leh, popularly known as Chadar Trek.

In this period, you are on the mercy of extreme cold. Snowfall as well is pretty common and mingled with high altitude terrain, it makes life difficult to survive and acclimatize as well. Key is to take rest, ample of rest in the initial days. Then, gradually start over reaching other high altitude places. The food options are very limited and most of the restaurants lives are deserted as their cook are out to their homes.

From November to December / Mid-January types, if the sun is shining the colors in the Lakes such as Pangong Tso or Tso Moriri are breathtaking but the options of stay near them are none or limited just to Home Stays in nearing villages which very basic facilities to brave the extreme cold.

After Mid-January, both Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri along with other high altitude lakes start to freeze and become solid as earth as you can literally drive your car over it, leave alone walking over it … These lakes remain frozen almost up to May first week type. So, those looking forward to see the magical changing colors of these lakes with sunlight in the day, shall refrain themselves from making a trip to Ladakh from Mid-January to early May, that is almost for 5 months.

Yet Another Time We Stuck… Towards Khardung La Pass…

Conclusion

Are you still confused?? Don’t worry … I will suggest if you want to see heaps of snow and have full adventure in place then you must execute your road trip to Ladakh starting June first/second week up to mid of July types.

However, if you are more interested in nature’s lovely colours pallet and may be you are very much into photography then late season is the time, you do not really want to miss out on i.e. mid-September up to first week of October when colours are oozing out vividly all over Ladakh!!

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Kinnaur Valley Travel Guide | Kalpa, Sangla & Chitkul

Dheeraj Sharma — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 16:30:33 +0000

Kinnaur Valley – Kalpa, Sangla Valley, Chitkul

Continuing on towards laying the foundation of comprehensive Travel Guide for Spiti Valley and as discussed in the last article Hindustan Tibet Highway, first let’s cover the lower Kinnaur Valley in depth before going further towards upper Kinnaur Valley and Spiti Valley. The lower part of Kinnaur Valley is also very much visited by many people during summer time due to ease of accessibility from Shimla/Delhi/Chandigarh and less crowd or offbeat location. By lower Kinnaur, I mean that I will be covering Kalpa, Sangla Valley and Chitkul in this travel guide and may be upper parts like Nako, Chango, Ropa, Hangrang can be covered in time to come, if required.

Kinnaur Valley is one of the 12 districts in Himachal Pradesh which is known for its apples & orchards, beautiful small hamlets, beautiful meadows surrounded with thick dense woods and not to forget the ever adventurous roads. One of the road to Sangla Valley was also got popularly featured by the name Ledge in Discovery Channel as Deadliest Roads in the World … This adds just the right charm of adventure in the trip. In winters, the presence of snow makes it just a jaw-dropping experience to be in Kinnaur Valley where the major attractions is the breathtaking view of Kinner Kailash, a mountain sacred to Hindus, close to the Tibetan border. The beautiful meadows in Sangla or Baspa Valley and Chitkul which is considered the last village in India where one can reach from Kinnaur side, are also covered commonly on a trip to this part of Himalayas.

Marvelous View of Kinner Kailash in Kinnaur Valley…

Location

Kinnaur Valley is located in the Northeast corner of Himachal Pradesh about 235 KMs from state capital, Shimla.

Altitude

Kinnaur Valley has a mountainous area, ranging in altitude from 2,320 Mtrs to 6,816 Mtrs (7,610 ft to 22,362 ft) where Kalpa is located at an altitude of 2,960 Mtrs (9,710 ft) and Sangla Valley is located at an altitude of 2,696 Mtrs (8,900 ft). Chitkul is the highest in the lot at an altitude of about 3,450 Mtrs (11,320 ft).

Season for Traveling to Kinnaur Valley

You can visit this beautiful valley throughout major part of the year but in winters things get very tough and heavy snowfall makes it inaccessible sometimes too. But, apart from peak winters Kinnaur Valley including Kalpa and Sangla Valley can be visited rest of the year without much fuss. It is important to note that monsoon is not the right time to be in Kinnaur Valley due to common landslides and worse roads, so in any case avoid monsoons. My favorite time is Autumn or Fall when monsoon just resides away and you might still see some apple orchards loaded with apples with clear skies in the background. Also, Chitkul becomes inaccessible at the time of peak winters, so please avoid going there in late winters without knowing the weather conditions. One snowfall can trap you for months in Chitkul … In case you are going in Apple Season, that is around Late July or August in Kinnaur Valley then be ready for massive mess of trucks traffic too along with rains.

How to Reach Kinnaur Valley

Below is the most general route to Kinnaur Valley from Delhi that most people usually follow. You can reach Kinnaur on the second day with overnight halt at Narkanda or anywhere far from Shimla or Chail. The route to Kinnaur Valley from Delhi along with distance between the subsequent places is as follows:

Delhi – Shimla (360 KMs) – Narkanda (420 KMs) – Rampur (488 KMs) – Karcham (566 KMs) – Reckong Peo (587 KMs) – Kalpa (595 KMs)

Road from Karcham bifurcates towards Sangla Valley and Chitkul as: Karcham (566 KMs) – Sangla (582 KMs) – Rakcham (596 KMs) – Chitkul (610 KMs)

Making its way… through the mountains…

Preferred Vehicles

The higher ground clearance vehicles are preferable and 4×4 ones not required. However, quite a few people do it in hatchbacks and sedans as well which depends upon your skills to drive and road conditions at the time of travel.

Suggested Itinerary for Kinnaur Valley

Generally, I recommend 7 day itinerary for Kinnaur Valley so that one can enjoy the drive on the way as well as enjoy their stay in Kinnaur Valley comfortably, refer: 7 Day Kinnaur Valley Itinerary | Kalpa – Sangla – Sarahan

Feel free to discuss your custom itineraries in DoW Himalayan Travel Community at the link: Itinerary Advice | Lahaul, Spiti & Kinnaur Valley

Accommodation Options at Kinnaur Valley

There are many accommodation options available at Kalpa as well as Sangla Valley which are good enough to cater to the varied needs of budgets among people. There are economic guest houses which are cheap enough to keep your money saved and there are other luxury properties as well which provide the comfort and facilities if you are looking forward to them.

Apart from private accommodation options, you can go ahead and vouch for many PWD Rest Houses in Kinnaur Valley which are though comfortable and economic but may not suit needs of every family may be. Also, you require bookings for them and sometimes in case of some VIP visit they may try to push you though not in rights. So, in general Quite Recommended!! and in case you are OK with average comfort conditions.

Places to visit in Kinnaur Valley

You can plan a trip to Kinnaur Valley where you can try and explore the following places in or around Kalpa and Sangla Valley.

Attraction In-Around Sangla Valley

Sangla Valley: About 120 odd KMs before the Indo-Tibet border, lies one of the most beautiful and romantic valleys in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh, Sangla Valley or otherwise also known as Baspa Valley which houses a major village by the name Sangla. Sangla is about 16 KMs diversion towards right from Karcham which is at Hindustan Tibet Highway going towards Kaza from Shimla. Sangla Valley is surrounded by thick forest slopes and offers lovely views of the high mountains surrounding it. Recently, various beautiful meadows in this valley (such as Rakcham meadow) have become very popular among shooting various film scenes and advertisements too.

Chitkul Village: About 28 KMs away from Sangla Valley at an altitude of 3450 Mtrs and on the banks of Baspa river there lies the last inhabited place in India before Indo-Tibet border named Chitkul. The magical beauty which this village offers is unmatched and incomparable. Chitkul remains closed in winters and is extremely famous for its potatoes in the whole world which are extremely costly as well … You can read more about Chitkul at the Wikipedia link here.
Kamru Fort: About 2-3 KMs away from Sangla Valley, there is a famous 1000 year old Kamru Fort considered to be one of the oldest forts in Himachal Pradesh. Do check out when you are in Sangla Valley.
Misc. Trails & Meadows around Sangla: There are loads of trails in these apple orchards which can be hiked around while your stay in Sangla Valley. There are some lovely meadows too (one near Rakcham village as I remember) as well which can be visited or spent time to bask in the lap of pristine mother nature.

You can also for for an easy 3-4 Hrs hike to the Glacier point if you are interested for some snow play.

Batseri village to Sangla Village walk of about 12 KMs through dense Cedar forests is also quite famous among people who love being midst nature and actually feel it. There is a Trout Fishery Farm on the other side of Baspa River near Sangla Village too which is nice to visit and can be covered in this walk itself. What better having a trout for yourself and later barbecue it over camp fire in the evening !!

Hindustan Tibet Road near Reckong Peo Cut-off…

A Surprising Snowfall in Kinnaur Valley…

Attraction In-Around Kalpa

Kalpa: Kalpa is one of the best place to see sunset and sunrise in Himalayas over Kinner Kailash range. Kalpa is about 8 KMs from Reckong Peo, district headquarters of Kinnaur Valley which in turn is about 7 KMs diversion from a place called Powari on Hindustan Tibet Highway. The place is just majestic and the views of Kinner Kailash range from almost any of the hotel at Kalpa would just make your jaws drop at any day. I never thought that it would be that beautiful what I witnessed after reaching this lovely place. We were extremely lucky to witness such fantastic weather at such awesomely beautiful location in Kinnaur Valley. Read more about Kalpa here.

Roghi Village: It is about 6-7 KMs from Kalpa and is known for its traditional lifestyle of Himachal surrounded by apple orchards. Very nice place to have a short hike or walk across village from Kalpa. You will almost feel you are in time machine and somewhere in past, if you really spend some time here in this village. They villagers have a great knowledge of the place, its flora and fauna and you can get quite a decent knowledge in the village from them in case you are interested to know about Kinnaur Valley and this region
Kothi Village: Just 3 km from Recong Peo, this village has a Chanadika Devi temple which has an unusual architectural style and fine sculpture set amidst a picturesque mountains backdrop.

Clouds floating in Kalpa – Kinnaur Valley…

Clouds floating in Kalpa…

Medical Facilities in Kinnaur Valley

In case you need any kind of medical assistance, there is a one district hospital at Reckong Peo, being the headquarters of Kinnaur Valley. There is a local hospital at Sangla village too being the biggest village in Baspa Valley.

Food Joints near Kinnaur Valley

Most of the time you will be eating out in Hotels or Camps or Guest Houses or Home stays you will be staying. However, there are dhabhas or eating joints on the way to Kalpa or Sangla from Shimla which you can use for in between meals.

Phone Signals at Kinnaur Valley

Most of the connections work in Kalpa as well as Sangla Valley with best being Airtel. However, as you go ahead towards remote parts of Kinnaur like Nako, Puh, Chitkul etc. then best option will be to carry an MTNL/BSNL prepaid/postpaid connections which always has maximum coverage in Himachal Pradesh. Vodafone did have issues with some connectivity at times.

Petrol Pumps near Kinnaur Valley

About 10 KMs from Kalpa, you can find the nearest petrol pump at Reckong Peo. There is one more fuel pump at Powari which is on Hindustan – Tibet Highway when you move from Reckong Peo back towards Shimla which is about 30 KMs from Sangla Valley. I am not sure if it is still functional though on my recent trip to Spiti Valley in first week of May 2013, Powari fuel pump was not functional. There has been one fuel pump which is fairly new that I saw at Tapri.

Best thing is to top up your fuel tank at Narkanda which is fair in terms of quality as well OR the last petrol pump in Rampur that comes on the right side while going from Shimla side.

ATMs near Kinnaur Valley

There is an ATM as far as I know in Sangla Valley. Otherwise, you may find one for sure at Reckong Peo about 8 KMs away from Kalpa and 38 KMs away from Sangla

Conclusion

Kinnaur Valley is one of such secluded and untouched places in Himachal Pradesh which people must go over and enjoy raw nature. It is a perfect place for family vacation with lovely views all around and yes, a part of adventure too with rough roads. It is one of those places where journey is itself a destination.

Please feel free to post any queries or doubts you might have in planning your trip to Kinnaur Valley either in the comments section or more preferable Itinerary Advice | Lahaul, Spiti & Kinnaur Valley section of DoW – Himalayan Travel Community. If you have been to Kinnaur Valley, kindly share your thoughts and other information you might feel will be worth sharing with other fellow travelers and prove helpful to them as comments or in DoW – HTC community.

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Nubra Valley Ladakh | Sightseeing and Travel Guide

Dheeraj Sharma — Mon, 27 May 2013 12:30:44 +0000

Nubra Valley – Ladakh

Nubra Valley is one of the MUST VISIT places in Ladakh especially if you are visiting for the first time. Nubra Valley is among the sub-districts in Ladakh, located in North East side having Diskit Village as the its main headquarters. Diskit is situated about 120 odd KMs from Leh town which is the main capital of Ladakh district. The Shyok river, a tributary of Indus river, meets the Nubra or Siachen river to form a large valley that separates the Ladakh and Karakorum Ranges. The ultra wide landscapes, humongous mountain faces, lovely trails, wide variety of colors and musical Shyok river flowing midst the valley will take your breath away at first sight. Since, it is near to the Line of Actual Control, one need to get Inner Line Permit to visit Nubra Valley. You can get more details on Inner Line Permits here: Inner Line Permits for Leh – Ladakh

The major attraction of a trip to Nubra Valley is going over the so called or hyped, highest motorable road, Khardung La Pass. Being at lower altitude than Leh at an average altitude of 10000 Feet or 3048 Mtrs, Nubra Valley is an ideal place to fit into the acclimatization schedule of your Ladakh trip once you reach Leh. Climbing to very high altitude of Khardung La from Leh and then sleeping at low altitude of Nubra Valley DOES HELP tremendously in acclimatization. Thus, apart from the magnificent vistas on offer, Nubra Valley has a hidden advantage with respect to acclimatization as well which will eventually help your trip be more successful. No wonder, if you are missing on this part of Ladakh on your trip, you are almost missing out on the heart of the Ladakh trip.

The India Gate – But In Ladakh Near Khardung La Pass …

The Beautiful Landscape of Nubra Valley…

A Gateway to Heaven — Nubra Valley???

Location

Diskit, the main headquarters in Nubra Valley is located about 120 KMs from Leh town of Ladakh district.

Altitude

Nubra Valley has an average altitude of about 10000 Feet or 3048 Mtrs.

Season for Traveling to Nubra Valley – Ladakh

In January to March, Nubra Valley remains mostly in cold conditions with very few options to stay open to welcome guests. In April types, some guest houses starts to open up but food does remain an issue at many places. You have to rely on home stay options and home cooked food only. You can see apricot flowers blooming all over Nubra Valley in April. Then comes May, June, July and August which is the peak tourist season and you can find mostly all accommodation options open with full staff and support.

Come September and early October, the tourists starts to reside as cold starts to set in and accommodation starts to pack up too. According to me, this is by far the best time to visit Nubra Valley to see full glory of burning colors of Ladakh with clouds hovering like candies in the blue sky. The colors are purely magical at this time of the year and with less number of tourist comparatively, you get better deals at hotels and you enjoy more. After second week of October up to December, mostly all the accommodation options packs up except the small guest houses or home stays and some hotels. However, the situation of accommodation options in Nubra Valley in winters as well is not that bad as compared to Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri lakes, where only few home stays run with very basic facilities.

Light and Shadows Play in Nubra Valley…

Blooming Beautifully… The Apricot Flowers…

How to Reach Nubra Valley – Ladakh

Route from Leh to Nubra Valley

Below is the most general route to Nubra Valley from Leh that most people usually follow. You can reach in about 5 – 6 Hrs depending upon the number of break you take in between and of course at Khardung La. Do try to ensure you do not stay more than 15 minutes at Khardung La as you will start to get hit with AMS because body cannot cope up with that high altitude, so quickly in the trip, for that long. Anyways, the route to Nubra Valley from Leh along with distance between the subsequent places is as follows:

Leh – Khardung La Pass (40 KMs) – Khardung Village (34 KMs) – Khalsar (23 KMs) – Diskit (19 KMs) = 116 KMs

You can cover Diskit & Hunder on the first day to Nubra Valley from Leh irrespective of the fact where you are staying between these two places. Then, you can plan to cover Sumur & Panamik while you are returning from Nubra Valley. So, if you are one of those who prefer relaxing vacation and do not want to rush through places then, I will suggest make a three day trip to Nubra Valley. Of course, I assume your body has been acclimatized properly by staying for couple of nights in Leh before attempting to climb Khardung La pass and come over to Nubra Valley. If you are short on time then you can just make a two day trip covering Diskit, Hunder, Sumur and Panamik on the flow of travel to and from Leh.

Do not forget to refill petrol/diesel at Leh petrol pump as there used to be a fuel pump at Diskit but never seen that in working conditions. So, better tank up at Leh only before making a dash out to Nubra Valley.

A Lovely Trail at Hunder…

The High Alitiude Camel Safari…

Preferred Vehicles

The higher ground clearance vehicles are preferable and 4×4 ones generally not required. However, quite a few people do it in hatchbacks and sedans as well which depends upon your skills to drive and road conditions at the time of travel.

Suggested Itinerary for Nubra Valley – Ladakh

Generally, at least one night stay is preferable to truly witness the mesmerizing beauty of Nubra Valley. Of course, one night stay will help you ride the Bacterian Camels over Sand Dunes of Hunder around sunrise and sunset (ie cooler conditions) that increase the charm of your vacation to further extent. Most people, generally do:

Day 1 | Leh – Khardung La – Diskit – Hunder

Head for Nubra Valley and stay overnight at Hunder / Diskit
On the way enjoy a cup of soup at Highest Motorable Pass (as claimed) Khardung La
Diskit has monasteries with tallest lord Buddha statue and Hunder has sand dunes and bacterian camel safari

Day 2 | Hunder / Diskit – Sumur – Panamik – Sumur – Khardung La – Leh

Sumur has a Samstanling monastery to check out nearby
Panamik has hot water springs and a sacred Yarab Tso lake
Overnight at Leh

You can add a day to your schedule for a trip to Nubra Valley and go ahead to visit Turtuk, about 95 KMs from Diskit. Turtuk has been opened recently in 2010 for domestic tourists and in 2013 for foreign tourists. It is an amazing place, quite different from the rest of the landscape in Nubra Valley and have a different affinity of culture too.

You can also check the most common and very well balanced itinerary for whole Leh – Ladakh region covering all major tourist destination including Srinagar – Leh Highway and Manali – Leh Highway, at the below link: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh

Beautiful Deskit Village in Nubra Valley

106 Feet Tall Lord Buddha at Deskit – Nubra Valley

Accommodation Options at Nubra Valley – Ladakh

For a comprehensive list of accommodation options or hotels or camps in Nubra Valley, check the link here: Good Hotels or Accommodation in Nubra Valley – Ladakh

Places to visit in Nubra Valley – Ladakh

You can visit following places in Nubra Valley and may be I will try to explain them in detail in some other article just to maintain the brevity of this article.

Diskit: Diskit has a monastery which is largest and oldest Buddhist monastery in Nubra Valley and houses a 106 feet tall Maitrey Buddha statue. There is Lachung Temple as well which is quite close to monastery.
Hunder: Hunder is famous for its sand dunes and double humped bacterian camel safari.
Sumur: Somewhere between Sumur and Kyagar, you can visit Samstanling monastery.
Panamik: It has hot water springs and a sacred Yarab Tso lake nearby the entrance of the village.
Turtuk: Recently opened for tourists in 2010, Turtuk offers a much different landscape and cultural orientation than rest of the Nubra Valley. You can see apricot trees loaded around the entire village with views closer to Karakorum range. If you have time, a MUST VISIT place in Nubra Valley.

First View… Yarab Tso Lake near Panamik in Nubra Valley

Medical Facilities in Nubra Valley – Ladakh

Diskit Village which is the headquarters of Nubra Valley has a hospital where you will be able to get basic medical aid and treatment.

Food Joints near Nubra Valley – Ladakh

Most of the time you will be eating out in Hotels or Camps or Guest Houses or Home stays you will be staying. However, there are dhabhas or eating joints at Khalsar and Khardung villages where people generally stop for lunch while on the way to or from Leh.

Phone Signals at Nubra Valley – Ladakh

BSNL Postpaid Connection does work like a charm in most parts of Nubra Valley with some loss of signal at few places though.

Petrol Pumps near Nubra Valley – Ladakh

ATMs near Nubra Valley – Ladakh

You will not find any ATMs in Nubra Valley and hence, it is always better to carry cash from Leh (the only place where you find ATM in Ladakh) itself.

Conclusion

It is a great place to visit and I am sure if you visit Ladakh, this one surely is not the place you would like to exclude from your plan. I hope the above information will be useful for your upcoming Leh – Ladakh trip.

Please feel free to post any queries or doubts you might have in planning your trip to Nubra Valley place in the comments section below. If you have been to Nubra Valley, kindly share your thoughts and other information you might feel will be worth sharing with other fellow travelers and prove helpful to them.

The post Nubra Valley Ladakh | Sightseeing and Travel Guide appeared first on DeViL on WheeLs.

Delhi – Kinnaur – Spiti Valley Road Conditions 2013

Dheeraj Sharma — Sat, 18 May 2013 07:15:53 +0000

I am just back from an OK OK road trip of Spiti Valley or to be precise more of Hindustan – Tibet Highway or commonly known NH-22 (National Highway – 22) which concluded with 14 Hr struggle with HRTC buses but definitely an experience to relish. The highway runs through some of the beautiful places well known as Shimla, Narkanda, Kufri, Kinnaur, Tabo etc. Though the experience was fine and enriching as being off season I was able to get insights of local life more closely and was able to spend more time with them. However, I wanted to reach Kunzum which I could not due to snow clearance operations still far away from the Kunzum Pass top. I went ahead upto Takcha, yak grazing grounds but from there Kunzum was still 12 KMs odd and it takes real effort to trek such distance with less acclimatized body. The other disappointment was not being able to reach Komik, Hikkim, Langza which was the main attraction of the trip. The car just could not got any traction in deep slush present on the roads. We tried everything sand, stones, pushes, back-forth etc. BUT LUCK WAS AWAY SOMEWHERE on this trip, perhaps the reason that I was not with my wheels …

Delhi – Kinnaur – Spiti Valley Road Conditions

Well, one article is short to explain the entire experience, so travel tale will follow soon but I can share the present road conditions for all those who are planning a trip to Spiti Valley in 2013 and for others, it may also act as reference of entire route between Delhi and Kaza, Spiti Valley. A detailed trip report/trip log and Travel Guide will soon follow up.

Some updates on Delhi – Kinnaur – Spiti Valley Road Conditions:

Delhi – Kalka By Pass – Shimla = Good + Excellent
Shimla – Theog – Narkanda = Good
Narkanda – Rampur – Jeori = Good
Jeori – Bhawanagar = Average
Bhawanagar – Tapri – Powari = Poor + Very Poor
Powari – Jangi = Very Poor + Poor
Jangi – Spillow = Good
Spillow – Dubling = Poor
Dubling – Khab diversion = Good + Very Poor
Khab diversion – Nako – Geyu diversion = Good + Excellent
Geyu Diversion – Tabo = Poor + Average + Good
Tabo – Attargoo = Poor + Average
Attargoo – Kaza = Good
Kaza = Good
Kaza – Losar = Good + Average
Losar – Takcha Ground – Kunzum Pass = Average
Hikkim – Komik – Langza = Poor + Average + Very Poor

Delhi – Kinnaur – Spiti Valley Road Conditions

I hope it will be useful for someone who is planning a trip in near future. Please feel free to ask any queries/doubts you have and I would be happy to revert back.

Switzerland Tourism, Switzerland Photos, Switzerland

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Hanle Village | The Hidden Gems of Ladakh

Dheeraj Sharma — Fri, 03 May 2013 18:35:12 +0000

Hanle Village, Changthang Valley – Ladakh

Hanle in Changthang region of Ladakh is one of the most beautiful, enchanting, calm and soul loosing places in India. Hanle has a lovely Hanle Monastery offering some great aerial views of whole village that is a home of about 1000 people. The views from the top of monastery are just breath-taking. Hanle also houses an Indian Astronomical Observatory which is the world’s highest observatory in the world at a staggering height of 4500 Mtrs. The Hanle Observatory is operated by Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru and has currently the currently the second highest optical telescope in the world, about 2.01 meters (6.5 feet) diameter.

Hanle Village… An Aerial View…

Hanle Village… The Backdrop View…

Beautiful Colors of Hanle Monastery…

Hanle Observatory @ 4500 Mtrs… Highest in the World…

Hanle Village… Another Aerial View…

Hanle is about 150 KMs from Mahe and the road runs through Nyoma and then Loma, where you need to pass the bridge on right that takes you to Hanle further 50 KMs ahead of Loma. Hats off to BRO, that they have created such smooth roads in the cold desert at such high altitude and harsh conditions. As you move towards Hanle, the size of the mountains starts to decrease and you start witnessing a series of small mountains clustered together giving a feeling of a different world altogether. The journey to Nyoma – Loma and up to Hanle is extremely nice with beautiful vistas all around you and in fact it is one of those journeys which I can go ever and ever again… I had never been to such a beautiful place ever. Roads could look like freshly laid but with caution, do not cruise as there are inverted bumps left on the roads so that the water passes through them. Such bumps can damage your vehicle, so be careful with the drive …

Pristine… The Cold Desert – Changthang…

Leading all the way to Hanle from Nyoma…

Reflections at Loma…

Kiangs… The Tibetan Wild Asses…

A Kiang… Perfectly Posing…

Magical… Roads of Changthang…

Hanle is very near to the Line of Actual Control, so one need to get Inner Line Permit to visit it. You can get more details on Inner Line Permits at the link: Inner Line Permits for Leh – Ladakh

The place is actually very scenic and feels out of the world. However, in actual reality the place is extremely harsh and difficult to survive especially in winters. There is only one cemented accommodation available around the lake and the facilities like electricity, medical aid, hot running water, western toilets etc. are rare to find. The lack of oxygen makes survival difficult if your body is not properly acclimatized to its high altitude. Hence, one need to plan his/her journey extremely carefully to make it acute mountain sickness free vacation.

A Beautiful Morning at Hanle…

Pastures of Hanle…

Handsome Horse at Hanle…

Handsome Horse at Hanle… Another one…

Location

Hanle is located about 275 KMs from Leh town of Ladakh district.

Altitude

Hanle village is one of the high altitudes villages in Ladakh at a staggering altitude close to 4300 Meters (not sure about actual)…

Season for Traveling to Hanle – Ladakh

In December to March, Hanle remains mostly frozen, extremely cold conditions with only options to stay as homestays that may not be as convenient option for you. In April types, it starts to get a bit warm and one can afford to sleep even in home stays, I did the same … Then, May to September it is a very pleasant season to visit Hanle and a lot of tourist visit this place now. Come October and November, the tourists starts to reside completely as cold starts to set in again and you start to again feel a bit uncomfortable at Homestays but it is still manageable.

The Light Play on the way to Hanle…

How to Reach Hanle – Ladakh

Route from Leh to Hanle

This is the general route to Hanle that most people take to visit this ever beautiful place in Ladakh. You can reach in about 9 – 10 Hrs depending upon the number of break you take in between. The route along with distance between the subsequent places is as follows:

Leh – Karu (36 KMs) – Upshi (13 KMs) – Kumdok (19 KMs) – Kere (53 KMs) – Chumathang (34 KMs) – Mahe (22 KMs) – Nyoma (25 KMs) – Loma (22 KMs) – Hanle(51 KMs) = 275 KMs

You can cover Thicksey, Hemis and Shey monasteries while going through this route, if you haven’t covered them earlier while going to Pangong Tso. This route provides the best road conditions among all other routes. So, if you are one of those who prefer relaxing vacation and do not want to rush through places then, I will suggest make a 3 day trip to Hanle via this route from Leh. Of course, I assume your body has been acclimatized properly by staying for couple of nights in Leh and spending a night or two in Nubra Valley as well before attempting to sleep in cold desert of Changthang at Hanle. If you are short on time then you can also exit towards Manali via Manali – Leh Highway via Hanle and then to Tso Moriri via this route only but you need to ensure you have enough fuel to cover about 850 KMs without any fuel pump.

Route from Pangong Tso Lake to Hanle

There exist a direct route between Hanle / Tso Moriri and Pangong Tso as well and in most general cases, you will always be doing it from direct route of Pangong Tso to Hanle because you can exit Ladakh from Tso Moriri towards Manali – Leh Highway after visiting Hanle and Tso Moriri without coming back towards Leh. Secondly, both Hanle and Tso Moriri is higher than Pangong Tso so as per acclimatization schedule you should stay near Pangong Tso before spending night at Hanle and Tso Moriri. However, all depends subject to the approval of permits for this route via Chusul. Foreigners anyhow are not at all allowed to go beyond Man – Merak Villages as permits are not issued to them for this route.

Spangmik (Pangong Tso) – Man (9 KMs) – Merak (12 KMs)– Khaltse (4 KMs) – Chusul (24 KMs) – Tsaga La (33 KMs) – Tsaga Village (20 KMs) – Loma (23 KMs) – Hanle(51 KMs) = 176 KMs

Route from Hanle to Tso Moriri

After visiting Hanle, you can opt to go towards Tso Moriri from where either you can go to Ladakh or you can exit towards Manali via Manali Leh Highway. There exist two routes to reach Tso Moriri from Hanle, one via Mahe bridge and other via Chumur. Below is the route which you can follow to reach Tso Moriri from Hanle via Mahe bridge:

Hanle – Loma (51 KMs) – Nyoma (22 KMs) – Mahe (25 KMs) – Sumdo (10 KMs) – Tso Moriri / Korzok (53 KMs) = 161 KMs

The other route goes via Chumur whose permits are hard to come by but if you are able to get them then nothing gets better and adventurous on your Ladakh journey. Below is the route which you can follow to reach Tso Moriri from Hanle via Chummur village:

Hanle – Salsal La (62 KMs) – Charchagan La (23 KMs) – Tso Moriri / Korzok (60 KMs) = 145 KMs

You need to make sure you carry fuel for about 700 – 800 KMs because you will be covering Leh – Pangong Tso – Nyoma – Loma – Hanle – Tso Moriri – Leh without any other petrol pump. And if you want to exit Ladakh through Manali – Leh Highway from Tso Moriri then also carry petrol/diesel for about 900 – 1000 KMs as the next petrol pump will be available at Tandi. Otherwise, you need to come back to Karu or Upshi, refill and move back again towards Manali – Leh Highway.

A Lovely Y-Fork at Hanle…

Preferred Vehicles

The higher ground clearance vehicles are preferable and 4×4 ones would definitely be helpful especially between Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri via Man – Merak – Chusul – Nyoma (Changthang) route AND Tso Moriri to Hanle via Chumur. However, for general route via Chumathang or Mahe bridge, quite a few people do it in hatchbacks and sedans as well which depends upon your skills to drive and road conditions at the time of travel.

Suggested Itinerary for Hanle – Ladakh

Generally, at least two night stay is preferable to truly witness the mesmerizing beauty and vistas at Hanle including the night sky watch. Of course, one night stay will also help you watch a star studded night sky, an opportunity to capture some galaxy in your camera. Generally I prefer like:

Day 1 | Leh – Upshi – Chumathang – Nyoma – Loma – Hanle

Cover Landscapes eroute
Overnight at Hanle

Day 2 | Hanle

Cover Hanle Monastery and Hanle Observatory
A leisure walks in the pasture lands of Hanle
Overnight at Hanle

Day 3 | Hanle – Tso Moriri via Mahe OR Chumur (if permits allowed)

Cover Korzok Monastery
Overnight at Tso Moriri

Day 4 | Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Debring – Taglang La – Rumste – Upshi – Karu – Leh

Cover Tso Kar Lake and Taglang La (some part of Manali – Leh Highway)
Overnight at Leh

Accommodation Options at Hanle – Ladakh

There is Hanle observatory guest house which is the only decent accommodation available at Hanle. For booking you have to write to the Director, Indian Institute of Astrophysics at Bangalore. If he agrees for the booking and approve your request then you can stay there but no alterations in the date would be entertained and hence, you will have to reach the same day when it was booked.

Other options of stay at Hanle are homestays:

The homestay is at village Khaldo very very close to observatory. One is near the start of the village and has a landline phone. Ask people about homestay which has phone. The rooms are decent but the prices are hay-way as the owner is greedy types. There is one more homestay at the end of this village just before pasture land starts which is run by a lady named Padmadeskit Homestay (ask for this name). We stayed at this only and found it OK to stay. Do not expect too much out of a homestay. This one is more loyal to tourists as other one charge too much if he sees more tourists.

Medical Facilities near Hanle – Ladakh

The nearest basic medical health center may be available at Korzok Village though I am not that sure about it. You can get basic first aid including Oxygen doses at some of the tents/camps, I guess.

Food Joints near Hanle – Ladakh

Being a remote place, you will either be eating in the home stay or at Hanle observatory guest house in which you might be staying overnight if you get the bookings.

Phone Signals at Hanle – Ladakh

You will not find any mobile signals at Hanle Village but there is one and ONLY one satellite public phone installed at a house in Khaldo Village near Hanle. The home with a phone also offers homestay accommodation

Petrol Pumps near Hanle – Ladakh

Nearest Petrol Pump is at Karu (about 240 KMs) from Hanle and comes on the way to Hanle from Leh via Chumathang / Mahe Bridge. I will suggest that you top-up the fuel from Leh / Karu itself and then drive/ride up to Hanle.

ATMs near Hanle – Ladakh

You will not find any ATMs near Hanle and hence, it is always better to carry cash from Leh (the only place where you find ATM in Ladakh) itself.

Conclusion

It is one of the most beautiful places in the whole Trans Himalayas, I will say, to visit. Hence, if it is your may be second or third visit to Ladakh and you are keen of finding some secluded place with a different feeling and aura then this one surely is not the place you would like to exclude from your plan. I hope the above information will be useful for your upcoming Leh – Ladakh trip.

Please feel free to post any queries or doubts you might have in planning your trip to Leh – Ladakh or Hanle, in the comments section below. If you have been to Hanle before, kindly share your thoughts and other information you might feel will be worth sharing with other fellow travelers and will prove helpful to them.

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Leh Ladakh Taxi Rates 2013 – 14

Dheeraj Sharma — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 18:35:04 +0000

Finally, just before the start of the Ladakh season 2013-14 I have been able to manage to get hold of the latest Leh Ladakh Taxi Rates 2013 – 14 from leh taxi union. Guess, there is a slight increase in prices but not that much as compared to last year 2012 where the prices were almost increased by 22%. This year the prices are hiked in a range of about 8-10% which is reasonably acceptable. Also, like it started with last year onward, taxi union has separated the rates on the basis of model and make of the taxi. The have grouped the taxis as -

Innova and Xylo (highest price tag)
Scorpio, Tavera, Sumo Grande, Qualis, Safari and Winger (middle price tag)
Eeco, Omni Van, Sumo old (lowest price tag)

Below you can find the entire rate list of leh taxi union for sightseeing purposes within Ladakh and to Manali and Srinagar as well for the year 2013 – 2014.

Click on images to download large pictures

Page 1 | Covering mostly all Important Routes in Ladakh

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Some Good Taxi Drivers in Leh – Ladakh

Rigzin – 09622954779, 9469472772 (he know me personally and being more of a friend, he might help arrange some alternative in case he is busy or booked already in the season)
Manzoor – 09622973951 | Very nice person, recommended by readers below as well
Chamba – 09906999808 (Nice person, tried by couple of readers below with positive feedback)
Naseer – 09906229203 and 09469293183
Dorjey – 09419372742, 09622969317
Dorjay Anbchuk – 09419308051
Tashi – 09469630613, 09906994647, 09419342238
Tsewang – 09622993372
Tsewang (not same as above) – 09419853528
Sonam – 09419371012
Abbas – 09622998367
Abbas (not same as above) – 09622971759, 09469271786

Conclusion

I hope the above Leh – Ladakh taxi rate list for 2013 – 14 will be useful for your upcoming Leh – Ldakh trip in year 2013 like the article of Leh Ladakh Taxi Rates 2012 – 13 proved. Feel free to get in touch for any queries or doubts you may have in terms of planning your trip to Leh – Ladakh …

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12 Days, 12 Lakes & 12 High Mountain Passes – DoW Ladakh 2013

Dheeraj Sharma — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:30:31 +0000

Yes buddy, you did read it Right & Loud –
“12 Days, 12 Lakes & 12 High Mountain Passes”…

The Prologue

I know your mind may think “so much to see in such less time, how come?” but your heart may echo “a 12 day adrenaline pumping adventure over roof of the world”… Your mind again thinks “is it possible at all?” and your heart again echoes “what if there is a slightest chance for it to be possible”…

Here, at DoW, I always follow my heart as a traveller and see what luck & mother nature has planned for the success of any of my tour including this Epic Adventure Tour to Ladakh!! So, coming fall or autumn in September 2013, are you ready:

to spin over the barren landscape,
to unwind through the lush green meadows,
to fly with the wind at some of the highest mountain passes,
to get lost in one of the remotest yet magical places in Himalayas,
to walk over the sand dunes of cold desert,
to witness the burning colours in their most beautiful form,
to witness the beauty of Moon Land and Moon Lake,
to witness some of the largest lakes change their blue hues several times a day,
to witness the chill on few of the most isolated stretches,
to experience a journey, beyond limits,
and to explore THE unexplored !!

Are You Ready for DoW Ladakh Adventure? If yes, then get going and read on… If not, then also get going and read on and who knows you are there right amongst the group

One last thing before I dive into details, for Leh – Ladakh, I never believe in LifeMeinEkBaar RATHER I believe LifeMeinBaarBaar …

Are you ready for the drive??

DoW Ladakh Adventure 2013 – Tour Plan

Well, after so many request from the readers/lovers of DoW blog, finally I am planning for an adventure trip to the place I love most, “Ladakh”, for all those who follow DoW blog and find the information present here useful enough for their trips to Himalayas. You can find all the details for this Ladakh tour below including the eligibility which seeing the nature, difficulty, season and distance to travel would mainly be HIGH ENDURANCE and POSITIVE ATTITUDE…

Here is the complete tour plan for this WILD, ON THE ROAD LADAKH ADVENTURE which can be experienced LifeMeinBaarBaar …

Day 1 (21-09-2013) | Srinagar – Sonamarg – Zozi La – Drass – Kargil

Fly early morning to Srinagar or reach on any previous day (Loose End)
Enjoy the vistas en-route especially the lush green Minamarg Meadows
Have late drunch meal at Drass if you are a vegetarian as sometimes it gets difficult to find veg. food at Kargil
Overnight at Kargil
About 8-9 Hrs drive, depending upon the traffic movement at Zozila and breaks in between

Day 2 (22-09-2013) | Kargil – Lamayuru – Leh

Hit the roads by 6.30 AM
Cover Mulbekh Maitrey, Lamayuru Moanstery, Lunar Landscapes or Moonland and Fotu La Pass
On the way to Leh you can also see Gurudwara Pather Sahib, Magnetic Hills, Confluence at Nimmu
Overnight at Leh
About 9-10 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks in between

Day 3 (23-09-2013) | Leh Local Sightseeing + Inner Line Permits

Visit Shanti Stupa, Leh Palace, Main Market
Arrange for Inner Line Permits for Leh – Ladakh
Overnight at Leh

Day 4 (24-09-2013) | Leh – Khardung La – Diskit – Hunder

Hit the roads by 8.30 AM
Head for Nubra Valley and stay overnight at Hunder / Diskit
On the way enjoy a cup of soup at Highest Motorable Pass (as claimed) Khardung La
Diskit has monasteries with tallest lord Buddha statue
Hunder has sand dunes and double humped bacterian camel safari
About 5-6 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks in between and at Khardung La

Day 5 (25-09-2013) | Hunder / Diskit – Sumur – Panamik – Sumur – Khardung La – Leh

Hit the roads by 7.30 AM
Check out Panamik hot water springs
Overnight at Leh
About 7-8 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks in between

Day 6 (26-09-2013) | Leh – Chang La Pass – Pangong Tso Lake – Leh / Rumtse / Upshi

Hit the roads by 6.30 AM
Dash for a day trip to Pangong Tso to experience the blue hues
Overnight at Leh / Rumtse / Upshi
About 10-11 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks in between

Day 7 (27-09-2013) | Leh / Rumtse / Upshi – Tso Moriri via Chumathang

Hit the roads by 7.00 AM
Cover Korzok Monastery and Hot springs at Chumathang
Overnight at Korzok or Tso Moriri
About 7-8 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks

Day 8 (28-09-2013) | Tso Moriri Rest Day – Explore Something Unexplored

Hit the roads by 7.30 AM
Explore Something Unexplored or Rest before the next long day
Overnight at Korzok or Tso Moriri
About 4-5 Hrs drive

Day 9 (29-09-2013) | Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Sarchu – Baralacha La – Jispa

Hit the roads by 6.00 AM
Try to start early in the day so that you reach Sarchu where the accommodation options are better than Pang
On the way cover Suraj Tal, Deepak Tal lakes and Nakee La, Lachulung La
Overnight at Jispa
About 12-13 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks

Day 10 (30-09-2013) | Jispa – Kunzum Pass – Losar

Hit the roads by 7.00 AM
Dash for the most roughest terrains that starts from Gramphu to Losar over Kunzum Pass
Overnight at Losar
About 10-11 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks in between

Day 11 (01-10-2013) | Losar – Kunzum Pass – Chandratal Lake – Rohtang Pass – Manali

Hit the roads by 7.00 AM
Visit the Moon lake that is Chandratal Lake on the way back to Manali (Loose End)
Overnight at Manali
About 9-10 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks in between and of course the mess at Rohtang Pass

Day 12 (02-10-2013) | Manali – Delhi

Hit the roads by 10.00 AM
Cruise yourself towards Sweet Home
About 12-13 Hrs of easy drive on the foothills of Himalayas

Counting on the Numbers?

Let’s look at the numbers game now:

Lakes Covered: Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri, Tso Kar, Surajtal, Deepak Tal, Chandratal. These are just 6 in number, so what about other 6?
Passes Covered: Zoji La, Fotu La, Khardung La, Chang La, Lachulung La, Nakee La, Baralacha La, Kunzum La, Rohtang La. Again these are 9 in number, so what about other 3?

Well, let’s wait and keep something for the live adventure and let us Explore the Unexplored to know the missing lakes and passes on the trip itself. It may be a surprise for you and for veterans may be not. But, I almost guarantee that at least One Missing High Mountain Pass and Two Missing Lakes must be surprise for everyone, if not complete missing count

Eligibility

You can easily see that the above Ladakh tour plan has about 95-105 Hrs of drive time in 12 days which makes an average of 8-9 Hrs of drive time per day that is the time you will be on the road itself almost every day. This tells that the difficulty level of the trip will be somewhere in between Moderate and Tough. Hence, for being apt traveller for this tour:

You must be adventurous enough to take up this heavy duty road trip
You must have high levels of endurance and low levels of fatigue
You must have a positive outlook towards adventure & should always respect the time to hit the roads
It’s Ladakh, a place where Mountain rules… So, you must always be ready for the surprises or change in plans
If required, you must be ready to stay at moderate Guest Houses or Homestays especially when away from big towns
I feel families should not pay attention to this tour as it might be little difficult to handle. We will plan something special for families or easy going travellers too in the time to come.

The Loose Ends

In order to have a varied flexibility, I have kept two Loose ends, head and the tail. So, in case you have more number of days at your end and would be driving/riding all the way from Delhi to Delhi then you might opt for either of the Loose ends mentioned below to explore more, especially the Spiti Valley and Kinnaur Valley ride.

Loose Head

Interested travellers can join the group at Srinagar on 21-09-2013 even if if they would like to drive/ride from Delhi or fly to Srinagar before as given below:

Day 19-09-2013 | Delhi – Jammu/Patnitop
Day 20-09-2013 | Jammu/Patnitop – Srinagar OR Fly to Srinagar from home town

Loose Tail

Interested travellers can also leave the group at Losar on 01-10-2013, if if they would like to drive/ride towards Spiti Valley and Kinnaur Valley and reach Delhi via Shimla route as given below:

Day 01-10-2013 | Losar – Kunzum Pass – Chandratal – Losar – Ki – Kibber – Kaza
Day 02-10-2013 | Kaza – Langza – Hikkim – Comic – Kaza
Day 03-10-2013 | Kaza – Pin Valley – Dhankar – Tabo
Day 04-10-2013 | Tabo – Nako – Kalpa
Day 05-10-2013 | Kalpa – Sangla – Chitkul – Sangla
Day 06-10-2013 | Sangla – Rampur – Narkanda / Matiana
Day 07-10-2013 | Narkanda / Matiana – Shimla / Chail – Chandigarh – Delhi

If required, all necessary arrangements can be referenced for accommodation as well as commute in Spiti Valley as well as Kinnaur Valley via Hindustan – Tibet Highway.

Are you interested?

In case, you feel the RUSH in the blood, want to feel the ADVENTURE at its best, want to feel CLOSER to the nature, want to get OUT of the comfort zone, want to be a part of a journey where there is no destination rather JOURNEY itself is the DESTINATION then… Then don’t wait to shoot me an email at “admin@devilonwheels.com” or leave a Comment OR check the Facebook Event to join this DoW Ladakh Adventure – LifeMeinBaarBaar.

We can talk over phone and discuss if it really suits / meets the expectations from both ends and get going from there…

Confirmations

We will use Google Docs Spreadsheet to track the confirmed people (or almost confirmed with strong intent) going on this saga adventure and here is the link to it: Confirmed People – DoW Ladakh Tour 2013 . In case, you find your name is missing, feel free to get in touch with me over phone or email.

Disclaimer

Guys, future is unpredictable and funny most of the time… So, in any WORST of the cases of any EXTREMELY CRITICAL personal exigency or official outage, I might not be able to join the trip. However, be assured that I will try my level best to explain the whole plan, places, all suitable arrangements and anything required to make this trip a successful one for all those who register for it. Also, please don’t kick me in case you do not find the hidden lakes and passes interesting as compared to big shots

Future of DoW Tours?

As I said, future is funny!! But, based on the results as well as learning from this tour, definitely there will be more Open Tours planned for the readers of the DoW blog, some short ones considering families, easy going travelers and some adventurous ones too. Most likely, there will be one for Spiti Valley next year for sure after you see the glimpses of Spiti around Chandratal and Kunzum Pass on this trip.!!

Conclusion

Looking forward to hear from you all. Based on the inputs on the feedback and getting in touch with almost all of you interested in it, personally, we will finalize the group and make the necessary arrangements whatever requested or required.

The post 12 Days, 12 Lakes & 12 High Mountain Passes – DoW Ladakh 2013 appeared first on DeViL on WheeLs.

Grand Shangrila, Kalpa – Kinnaur Valley | Hotel Review

Dheeraj Sharma — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 04:30:43 +0000

Kalpa located in Kinnaur Valley of Himachal Pradesh, at an altitude of 2960 Mtrs and about 265 KMs from Shimla, is one of the best place to see sunset and sunrise in Himalayas over Kinner Kailash range. Kalpa is about 8 KMs from Reckong Peo, district headquartes of Kinnaur Valley which in turn is about 7 KMs diversion from a place called Powari on Hindustan Tibet Highway. The place is just majestic and the views of Kinner Kailash range from almost any of the hotel at Kalpa would just make your jaws drop at any day. I never thought that it would be that beautiful what I witnessed after reaching this lovely place. We were extremely lucky to witness such fantastic weather at such awesomely beautiful location in Kinnaur Valley. Read more about Kalpa here.

You can visit Kalpa throughout major part of the year but in winters things get very tough and heavy snowfall makes it inaccessible sometimes too. But, apart from peak winters Kalpa can be visited rest of the year without much fuss. It is important to note that monsoon is not the right time to be in Kinnaur Valley, so in any case avoid monsoons. My favorite time is Autumn or Fall when monsoon just resides away and you see apple orchards loaded with apples all around with clear skies in the background or in Spring too.

Accommodation at Kalpa

There are many accommodation options available at Kalpa and most of these options caters to budgets of all kinds but but only few of them are upto the great comfort standards. Luckily, I had chance to stay at two of them and today I will write my review about “Hotel, Grand Shangrila” run by Mr. Prithvi Negi. Well, the rooams are quite comfortable + spacious and gives you a good nice feel of the place. The rooms have been designated floor wise in terms of comfort with Standard rooms being on ground floor and super deluxe ones on top floor. The pricing also varies depedning upon the view you are interested into, like rooms with views of Kinner Kailash range have higher price tag as compared to rooms with rear views of Apple Orchards. There is a Tibetan Souvenir shop as well which will lure you towards some artifacts if you have some affinity for tibetan culture and a tibetan style cafe as well by the name “Cafe Little Tibet” from where you can enjoy some lovely views of Kinner Kailash range while enjoying the gups shups over tea and tibetan snacks. For the book lovers, the hotel houses a library as well controlled by a person named Indrajit and the library has decent collection of books about Tibetan culture, Hinduism, Buddhism, HH The Dalai Lama, Himalayas and Wildlife etc.

Complete Review of Apple Orchard Farm & Camping, Sangla Valley

Pictures

Let’s start with pictures as I do with most of the reviews…

Price and Bookings

Following is the standard tariff rate of Grand Shangrila, Kalpa:

View	Super Deluxe	Deluxe	Semi Deluxe	Standard
There will be additional 10% service tax
Front View	Rs. 3,500	Rs. 3,000	Rs. 2,500	NA
Side View	Rs. 3,200	Rs. 2,800	Rs. 2,300	Rs. 1,800
Rear View	Rs. 3,000	Rs. 2,300	Rs. 2,000	Rs. 1,500

Grand Shangrila, Kalpa provides SPECIAL DISCOUNTED RATES to all the readers/followers of the DoW blog through our Destination Specialist. In order to avail the discounts, you can use the online booking form at the link: Book Here

Parking

Parking is available near the hotel itself and has ample of space where you can park the car safely.

Phone / Internet Facility

Most of the connections work in Kalpa best being Airtel but as you go ahead towards remote parts of Kinnaur then best option will be to carry an Airtel or MTNL/BSNL prepaid/postpaid connections which always has maximum coverage in Himachal Pradesh. Vodafone did have issues with some connectivity at times.

ATM

IF you run out of cash then there is an ATM as far as I know in Reckong Peo, which is about 8 KMs from Kalpa.

Petrol Pump

Medical Assistance

In case you need any kind of medical assistance, there is a one district hospital at Reckong Peo village, being the headquarters of Kinnaur Valley.

Personal Experience

Rooms at the hotel are very decent, comfortable and spacious although I felt them a bit priced but if you take the complete context including comfort and hospitality then they are completely value for money, incase you are comfortable with such a budget. I am not sure if the hotel provides you with room heater. So, if you are one of those who finds too much cold in mountains then better ask for extra quilts/blankets at least surely in winters.!!

Quality of food was good and flavored North Indian style like we are used to here but tea/coffee I would say again was just at the satisfactory level, at least for us. May be the difference in the milk used!! They serve their own locally made organic apple, pear and grape fruit juices which tasted really delicious, something not to be missed. So, do try them if you are hitting this hotel. The dining area is downstairs at ground floor and is really spacious for the number of people hotel can accommodate. Mr. Negi knows many a things about Kalpa and he can guide you through the place all along your stay over in Kinnaur Valley.

Well for booze lovers, Liquor shop is at Reckong Peo. You can get the cigarettes for yourself as well from Reckong Peo itself. There are no shops nearby the hotel and hotel doesn’t provide this stuff. Hospitality we received from the staff was good too and they were ready to serve anything provided we let them know in time.

Attraction In-Around Hotel

Roghi Village: It is about 6-7 KMs from Kalpa and is known for its traditional lifestyle of Himachal surrounded by apple orchards. Very nice place to have a short hike or walk across village from Kalpa. They villagers have a great knowledge of the place, its flora and fauna and you can get quite a decent knowledge in the village from them in case you are interested to know about Kinnaur Valley and this region
Kothi Village: Just 3 km from Recong Peo, this village has a Chanadika Devi temple which has an unusual architectural style and fine sculpture set amidst a picturesque mountains backdrop.
Sangla Valley: About 120 odd KMs before the Indo-Tibet border and 55 KMs from Kalpa, lies one of the most beautiful and romantic valleys in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh, Sangla Valley or otherwise also known as Baspa Valley which houses a major village by the name Sangla. Sangla is about 12 KMs diversion towards right from Karcham which is at Hindustan Tibet Highway going towards Kaza from Shimla. Sangla Valley is surrounded by thick forest slopes and offers lovely views of the high mountains surrounding it. Recently, various beautiful meadows in this valley (such as Rakcham meadow) have become very popular among shooting various film scenes and advertisements too.
Chitkul Village: About 28 KMs away from Sangla Valley at an altitude of 3450 Mtrs and on the banks of Baspa river there lies the last inhabited place in India before Indo-Tibet border named Chitkul. The magical beauty which this village offers is unmatched and incomparable. Chitkul remains closed in winters and is extremely famous for its potatoes in the whole world which are extremely costly as well … You can read more about Chitkul at the Wikipedia link here.
Kamru Fort: About 2-3 KMs away from Sangla Valley, there is a famous 1000 year old Kamru Fort considered to be one of the oldest forts in Himachal Pradesh. Do check out when you are in Sangla Valley.

Conclusion

Very much recommended!! If you are looking to spend some quality, comfortable and peaceful time with your loved ones or yourself midst Himalayas in Kinnaur Valley then definitely Grand Shangrila in Kalpa is one of the finest places to stay in Kalpa. The feel around the hotel, the views, the warm hospitality of Mr. Prithvi Negi ji and leisure time with your loved ones in evenings at Cafe Little Tibet will take almost your soul away… In case you have also stayed here, then please feel free to share the reviews with us too!!

Thailand, Thailand Tourism, MakeMyTrip

The post Grand Shangrila, Kalpa – Kinnaur Valley | Hotel Review appeared first on DeViL on WheeLs.

Chandratal Lake | Cheapest Ways To Travel There

Dheeraj Sharma — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 07:30:51 +0000

Chandratal Lake, also called “Moon Lake” in Spiti Valley is one of the most enchanting lakes in Himalayas and yeah, one of my top 5 favourites lakes in Himalayas too. A lot of adventure lovers tread a long, treacherous and yet adventurous path over Rohtang Pass every year to see this wonderful offering from nature. As soon as the season begins by opening up of Rohtang Pass and road to Spiti Valley from Manali in June, the pathway to Chandratal Lake gets great attention by Himalayan lovers from all parts of the world. In fact, majority of the people visit Spiti Valley first to see Chandratal Lake and then they ever get lost in the beauty offered by Spiti Valley itself … Chandratal Lake is also quite famous for its majestic reflections of surrounding Himalayan peaks in its deep blue waters, which once you witness, will never forget in you entire life. Well, it is only this adventure of Chandratal Lake that changed my life and made me fall in deep love with Himalayas in 2009.

Chandratal Lake, The Moon Lake… Photo Credits: Tanveer Singh

Having said all that, the biggest question is how do you reach Chandratal Lake? You can find most of the answers on making a successful trip to Chandratal Lake in my Travel Guide to Chandratal Lake but still you have any, feel free to leave a comment or mail me.

However, I recently came up with a comment from one of the reader (linked here) who was quoted a pounding “INR 23000” for the drop to Spiti and I was like … Even when I went almost 4 years back, I think we paid about 9-10K for 2 days trip just upto Battal. This is a big setback for the travellers on budget travel to Chandratal Lake. Hence, I will try to enlist some tips which you can follow to make a trip to Chandratal Lake in cheapest manner as possible.

Two Cheapest Way To Travel to Chandratal Lake

There are two HRTC buses which runs between Manali and Kaza every morning, as soon as road to Spiti Valley via Manali get open in the season, mostly in June. These buses run from Kullu to Kaza via Manali and it reaches Manali around 4.45 AM and leaves at 5.00 AM. Ticket to Kaza will cost you only about INR 250 approximately per person. Now, you have two options. First option, a bit tricky and inconvenient one, is to:

Get down at Battal on the way to Kaza which is just before the ascend to Kunzum Pass. Before getting down, do make sure that you tie up with Conductor of the bus to pick you next morning from the same place. May be pay a little tip for the same
Tie up with some PWD/GREF workers who might be going towards Chandratal Lake and get a hike from them in their jeep or dozer. You can find them at Battal Dhabha, most likely.
You can pay or offer them a mere INR 100-150 as a tip for the lift.
Of course, you can trek as well to Chandratal Lake from Battal and be back by evening. However, it depends upon if you are properly acclimatized to undertake this high altitude trek.
Visit Chandratal Lake and come back to Battal Dhabha for overnight stay that will cost you about 100 – 150 per person. Meals would also be very cheap there.
Next Morning, same bus which reached last night to Kaza will be going back to Manali. Since, you have prior arrangements with the conductor, so he might keep the seat or space vacant for you. It takes about 3.5 Hrs to reach Battal from Kaza. So, if bus starts from Kaza at 5 AM then it will reach Battal at about 8 AM. Get back to Manali on the same bus.
Total Approximate Cost: 500 (Bus) + 300 (Food + Accommodation) + Rs 200 (Tip for Lift) = INR 1000 per person
Do note down, using this option you are at a mercy of a lift or hitchhike to Chandratal Lake from PWD/GREF workers or at worst a trek to Chandratal Lake from Battal and back on your own. So, play with this option if you are really game for it

Your second option, much convenient one, is to:

Get down at Losar after crossing Kunzum Pass on the way to Kaza which is about 57 KMs before Kaza. Before getting down, do make sure that you tie up with Conductor of the bus to pick you next morning from the same place. May be pay a little tip for the same
Tie up with some local there in Losar village who rent their own bikes for a trip to Chandratal Lake at a mere cost of about INR 600 – 700 (fuel extra).
Make a day trip to Chandratal Lake on bike over Kunzum Pass and come back to Losar. Return bike and stay overnight at Losar.
You can stay with Nomads Cottage (Costs about Rs 1500-1800 with meals), they can help you get a bike on rent as well OR PWD Rest House if you have bookings (costs about Rs 700-800 with meals) OR some homestay at Losar village (costs about Rs 500-600 with meals). You can also read my full review of Nomad Cottage at: The Nomad Cottage in Losar, Spiti Valley | Hotel Review
Next Morning, same bus which reached last night to Kaza will be going back to Manali. Since, you have prior arrangements with the conductor, so he may keep the seat or space vacant for you. It takes about 2 Hrs to reach Losar from Kaza. So, if bus starts from Kaza at 5 AM then it will reach Losar at about 7 AM. Get back to Manali on the same bus.
Total Approximate Cost: 500 (Bus) + 600 (Food + Accommodation) + Rs 900 (Bike Rent + Fuel) = INR 2000 per person

Other Tips on Excursion to Chandratal Lake

If you want to really make it convenient then you can also get a taxi from Losar village for full day excursion to Chandratal Lake for Rs 1800 – 2000 as well.
There is a (rarely taken) virgin trek to Chandratal Lake that starts from the yak grazing grounds of Takcha, just ahead of Losar. So, in case you are in for some trek, you can take some local from the losar village and experience this virgin trek to this beautiful lake.

Conclusion

Hence, you can see that even if you go with the convinient option you will be saving a lot of money with respect to a dedicated taxi from Manali to Chandratal Lake for two days trip. You can save this money to have a comfortable stay either at Manali or Losar or save it for yourself … I hope I am able to suggest or present some of the ideas/ways which can help you make a trip to this heavenly, Chandratal Lake, in most cheapest possible way. If you have ever visited this lake or have any suggestions which might help others fellow travellers too then please feel free to leave a comment below and share them with us too.

AP Tourism, Medical Tourism in India, MakeMyTrip

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