The 32^nd session of the DekhoApnaDesh webinar series of Ministry of Tourism on 13^th June 2020 titled “Trekking in the Himalayas- Magical Experiences” highlighted the potential of tourism in the Indian Himalayan mountain range that offers experiences that are unique and magical.  In the Indian Himalayas, one can see the pristine nature, snow covered thick pine forests and hidden secrets that can enthral and captivate trekkers from all over the World and across age groups and fitness levels.  Exploring the myriad trails, engaging with the friendly local villagers and taking in the wonder of the lakes, rivers, meadows are guaranteed to leave one with experiences of a life time to cherish and plan a trip again. DekhoApnaDesh Webinar Series is an effort of Ministry of Tourism to showcase India’s rich diversity under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme.

The session of the DekhoApnaDesh webinar series on 13^th June, 2020 was moderated by RupinderBrar, Additional Director General, Ministry of Tourism.  The session was presented by Anupam Singh, Co-Founder& Director, SharedReach and  Parag Gupta, Co-founder & Partner, The Bucket list Travel Company. The two presenters virtualised a mesmerising trip to different treks ranging from easy, moderate and difficult ones which are truly magical and breathtaking.

The famous quote by Bill Aitken –“The inescapable logic of desire leaves the mountain traveller no choice but to plan his next expedition to the very peak that may have just rejected vociferously the most singleminded of advances” set the tone of the presentation.

Mr. Anupam Singh shared stories about every rock, peak, pristine natural beauty, amazing spectacular sunset, the colours of fall and the spring. Important treks and tips for trekking were enthusiastically shared by Anupam Singh.

• How to go about for Trekking- Understand the season, choosing a trek, Trek operator/guide
• Preparing for the trek – Fitness, Clothing, gear/equipment
• Be prepared for the unforeseen.
• On the trail, leave only footprints behind
• Survive to tell the tale about flora, fauna, big, small, tiny findings your way, snow
• Acute mountain sickness or altitude sickness
• Listen to guides and no need to take shortcuts
• Family trek is fun and interesting

The presenters shared following famous treks which they called as “Experiences of a lifetime”.

(a)        Kuari Pass (Uttrakhand) – (3800 m/12500 ft) is classified as an easy-        moderate trek. Best time for this trek is from April to mid June and in Spring from mid          September to Early November. The trek starts at 6,900 feet at Dhak and reaches a      maximum altitude of 12,516 ft above Mean Sea Level on the pass crossing day. On             the Kuari Pass trek, you'll be trekking for an average of 4-5 hours every day, except           the pass crossing day which will be 8 hours long.

Delhi to Haridwar by Rail or road.From Haridwar – Joshimath- Gulling top- Tali Forest camp-Kuari pass and back via Khullara top.  Tali Forest Camp-Joshimath via GursonBugyal and Auli.Joshimath- Haridwar.

The majestic and magical experience of HathiGhori Parbat, Dronagiri and Nanda devi peaks can be enjoyed.  One get to see lovely alpine lake on the way, snow covered mountains, golden meadows and an heavenly experience.

(b)        The Brahma Taal (3,855m/12,650 ft) takes one to a frozen alpine lake with a        mythology to match, it is an easy to moderate level of trek. The trek requires 6-7 days            from Kathgodam to be completed. Best time for this trek is from December to             February. The place is easily accessible from Delhi where one has to reach Kathgodam     and then a drive from Kathgodam to Lohajung. The climb starts from BekalTaal, a            frozen alpine lake and camp on the snow. The trails go through a forest and when you      reach Telindi top, behold the enchanting views of the mighty Himalayas. Next day           climb to Brahma Taal, the mystical     lake where it is believed that Lord Brahma     meditated. After a night on the snow, climb to Brahma Taal top, for enjoying the             magnificent views. Next day, descend down            directly to Lohajung and conclude the           trek and depart to Kathgodam.

(c)      The HarkiDoon Valley (3,566m/11,700 ft) located at the Valley of Gods, in Garhwal        region of Uttarakhand. It is a moderate level of trek and requires about 6 days from Dehradun. Best time for this trek is from April to June and September to December.    From Dehradun, drive to Sankri, then onwards to Taluka, via Mussoorie. From Taluka         the real trek begins uptoSeema village and then from Seema climb up to HarkiDoon            with an overnight stay at HarkiDoon. En-route one will witness the Swargrohini-I             (6,525 m/20,512 ft) regarded as the Gateway to Heaven and is associated with the   mythological tales of Mahabharata. The next day, one can directly descend to Seema,        via the hanging village of Osla. The village has historical temple wherein Duryodhana  is being worshipped.

(d)       The Fotoksar (4,100 m/16,000 ft) is a picturesque village in Ladakh. It is the part of         the Lingshed- Padum trek (also known as The Great Zanskar trek)- not accessible for        about 6 months every year due to heavy snows and avalanches. It is a moderate level             of trek and requires 9-10 days from Delhi. The best time to visit is from June to            October. There are options for homestays which would help in gaining local           experience and supporting the local economy. From Delhi one can take flight to fly in             at Leh (3,500 m/11,500 ft). It is advisable to acclimatize in Leh to prevent Acute       Mountain Sickness (AMS). From Leh, drive to Lamayuru-Kargil road and reach the       Wanla Village. After an overnight stay at the village, next day proceed towards Yapola river and stay at Hanupatta village before climbing upto the SiSir La Pass at 4,890 m/        16,000. Next day descending to the Fotoksar village, hanging off the edge of the cliff.

(e)        The Roopkhund(4,785m/15,700 ft) is another popular trek of Garhwal region,      Uttarakhand. The level of difficulty lies from moderate to difficult and requires about             6 days from Kathgodam to Roopkhund trek. Best time to do this trek is from         December to February. A drive from Kathgodam to Lohajung. Trekking through            Lohajung pass, crossing the Bedniriver and overnight stay at Didana village. The next       day a steep climb to Ali Bugyal (12,500ft), the largest meadow in Asia. With an           overnight stay at BedniBugyal, next day proceed to an amazing camp site next to        glacier Bhaguwasa (14,100ft). Next day start an early morning trek uptoRoopkund            Lake. Visit to the lake side and return to the camp by lunch time. The next day descent     to Lohajung. The mystery of skeletons lying in the Roopkund trek is that about these             are the skeletons of about 500 people who were crossing Roopkund caught in a lethal hailstorm around the 820 AD. This fact has also been confirmed by the scientists after         inspecting the bones and dating the carbon within them.

RupinderBrar, ADG Tourism stated that the trekking and experiencing the Himalayas are on the Bucket List of many people, across all age groups and fitness level and therefore as soon as COVID-19 is subdued one could plan to experience and explore them thus peeking into the thrill of adventure, wonderful flora & fauna and the awe of the mysteries that the “Abode of Snow” hides.

The moderator informed that trekkers to identify the tracks of their choice. For most of the destinations there are local guides and also one can contact any tour operator who is a member of ATOAI, i.e. Adventure Tour Operators Association of India

As a responsible trekker, we have to abide by certain basic guidelines:

• Do not litter. Nothing other than your footprints should be left behind
• Keep the trek clean
• Do not disturb the animals and birds
• Don’t create any noise
• Privacy of the locals must be respected
• Respect the local customs and their place

The DekhoApnaDesh Webinars are conducted in association with National e-Governance Division (NeGD) created by the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY).

The sessions of webinars are now available on are now available on the https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbzIbBmMvtvH7d6Zo_ZEHDA/featured and also on all social media handles of Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. 

The next episode of the webinar scheduled on, 19 ^th June 2020 at 11.00 am, is Topic: YOGA & WELLNESS - An Offering for Challenging Times!

**************

NB /AKJ/OA