How to make Himalayan Ice Lolly

Lo and behold the Himalayan Ice Lolly!

Quirks of a frequent Himalayan traveller (one of our clients) trying to initiate the joys of the mountains and trekking to his son and nephew.

Check out this link.

Loved the idea.

HIdden Jewels of the Himalayas - Part 1 "Road trip to Malari & Niti in the Dhauliganga Valley"

Almost everyone whose fond of mountain travel would have heard of Auli and Badrinath in Uttarakhand but Just a couple of hours away, hidden in the remote valleys of Dhauliganga river which meets Alaknanda river at Vishnuprayag are the forgotten border villages of Malari, Bampa, Ghamsali and Niti, surely not to be found on the tourist map of India 

There are various factors which make this area so interesting. Remoteness and the fact that there aren’t too many who have visited this area is one. Adding an intriguing flavor is that China is close by and also trying to get closer by the day. Locals who were witness to the old trade practices between the villages of Tibet and this region contribute with their stories of days gone by. The landscape is unique and ever changing along the 90 kms drive from Joshimath till Niti (3500 mts), the last village on Indian side of the border. One gets to see the typical big mountains and narrow river gorges of Garhwal but what make the terrain special is the cold desert look of Spiti & Ladakh interspersed with the Garhwal scenery. Also the size and fury of the Dhauliganga river comes as a pleasant surprise

There are numerous spots in this valley you would want to just pitch your tents and stay put, one such spectacular location is Reolbaggad.  On the banks of Dhauliganga, this oasis has dense Deodar forest in the background and expansive views of the surrounding mountains and the wide open valley. Even the mighty river goes at an easy pace while crossing this area lending in to the serenity. Trip this side would be half the fun without interacting with the local people who are ever welcoming and in no short supply of time, so find your opportunity and ‘get in’

To get a feel of the area one can do a day trip from and back to Joshimath (which is about 8 hours from Rishikesh). It’s about a 3 hours drive one way but to really enjoy and soak in the energy of the region I would recommend a minimum of one night stay at a spot of your choice. Some villages might be able to accommodate a few in their houses but to be on the safer side I will recommend that one carry tents for the night. There aren’t too many eating places on the route so one should carry some back up food though the few that exist can give any restaurant a run for their money. These couple of very small eating places serve heavenly mutton curry and rice for breakfast, lunch, dinner and mid meals and on some prodding the local brew.

    

There are many more pleasures to be discovered in this region so if you have the explorer spirit in you this is where you should be headed. You can drive, ride, cycle or trek to your heart’s content while in this area….. 

Travelling to Garhwal Himalayas has never been easier

Over the past Year, the Uttarakhand government along with the help from the centre has been quietly revolutionizing the travel options, speed and efficiency to the perptually transport starved, Garhwal region of the Himalayas. Here is what has happened over the past couple of years.

BY ROAD:

What was for a long time a pipe dream, an express highway to Haridwar/Rishikesh/Dehradun, is finally taking shape. The 220 Kms to Haridwar used to take a mind numbing 6-10 hours depending upon your luck, the alignment of the stars, Sugarcane season, Yatra Season, Kavad season, Kumbh season, Summer season and so on. It now takes a respectable 4-6 hours depending upon the time of the day, and is bound to improve when the express way, which is completed till Muzzaffar nagar reaches Dehradun. This will reduce travel times, increase tourist comfort, travel options and break many mental blocks and barriers.

VOLVO SERVICE IS BACK!

The Volvo service ( The generic for deluxe bus travel between citties) was started a few years ago with much fanfare has stopped thanks the heavy toll the buses used to take on the bad roads filled with Sugarcane laden bullock carts and tractors who didn't give a damn about the other vehicles on the road.
Thanks to the improved Highway from Delhi to Dehradun ( work completed till Roorkee) this service is back, much to the relief and comfort of uttarakhandis going back home or tourists heading out to the mountains or places of pilgirmage.
Go to www.upsrtc.com for book bus tickets online. It is a great option for plans made in a hurry and a good alternative to Trains.

BY TRAIN

With the introduction of the super fast New Delhi Dehradun A/C Express a new chapter in comfortable travel to the Uttarakhand has opened. Earlier the only option was the Mussoorie express which must have broken all records for the railways in terms of how to reach from point A to Point B by the longest route possible in the slowest time.

Apart from this, there are several new trains from all parts of the country now, direct to Haridwar & Dehradun making it by far the most well connected rail head into the Himalayas in the country.

BY FLIGHT

Dehradun & Pantnagar have borught in a completely new dimension to travel and access for people, especially from other cities ( than Delhi) to the Mountains. Dehradun with its new airport and 4 flights a day from Delhi and now a direct flight from Mumbai as well has now made it so easy for people to get to this parts that people are making extended weekend plans for either tourism, spiritual or religious visits and so on by completely skipping Delhi which saves them enormous amount of time and money. Recently a few friends of mine joined me for a "bike hike raft" trip in the HImalayas from Singapore and HOngkong. Each left their home early one morning and were sipping chai and hogging on Pakoras with me late afternoon in one of our mountain lodges by just taking a hoping flight to Dehradun. This is truly disruptive.

I now only hope the decade old air strips at Gauchar ( nearly Rudraprayag) and Naini Saini ( near Pithoragarh) are opened up soon to make this truly remarkable landacape accesible to all to enjoy.

Ony request, please take your pet bottles and chips packets back with you!!

Why I love the mountains? (Popular tourist destinations not included)

Do you really need to read the blog to know why i love the mnountains ?!

Other than the most obvious things like pleasant weather and attractive landscapes there are a few more things that I have started to observe and relish while in the mountains. Some of them might not be reason enough to make you pack and hit the road but definitely add a pleasant flavor to the trip 
 
 

Wooden Village homes near Mori in Uttarakhand

1.       The mountain way of life. If one were to observe closely, there are several typical things that one comes across in the mountains that are worth cherishing. For me top of the chart are village children walking to school together, mostly in colorful uniform, creating an orchestra of children gibberish and enjoying life in all its glory. Similarly a bunch of village ladies cutting grass on slopes where people like us will need ropes and loads of equipment to go to and if it’s your lucky day you might even catch one of them humming a tune. Village shops are also a good spot to generally get into a meaningless discussion and experience the pleasure of conversation. So if one is on a look out one will surely catch many such interesting facets of mountain life  
 
 

Enjoying the Calm amidst Deodhars, Streams and peaks around

2.  Sense of calmness. With very few distractions and options for one to consider, brain has to do very little processing. People around one are also experiencing the same and this creates an overall relaxing environment. Life becomes comparatively simpler and the contrast is thoroughly enjoyable. No wonder reading a book and listening to music is also more enjoyable in the mountains
  
    
   
    

A spring in their step and a song on their lips!!

Day Dreamin is not limted to mountain folk alone!!

3. Hyperactive senses. Though my brain processing speed goes down my senses start working overtime. I smell more and something as repetitive and taken for granted as breathing becomes enjoyable with superior quality of air. I start noticing & seeing many more things than I normally do. Spotting a tiny little bird hidden inside a non descript bush in a jungle evokes the same kind of emotions as probably Sachin Tendulkar feeling on hitting his 100’th ton.  I am also able to distinguish between different sounds and take in lots of them together. Sound literally travels a distance in the mountains. What you think is coming from next door might be coming from the next village. Commonly heard sounds are cows making the sound that they do, chirping of birds, children shouting, odd vehicle passing by and people talking loudly on mobiles trying to make up for poor networks with high decibel level. Last but not the least food which anyways and any place tastes good, tastes a notch better in the hills. Locally grown wild vegetables with names which can only pronounced by locals create wonders when served on the plate 
   
 

Lost in thoughts while being lost in the Mountains

   
4.      Walking and day dreaming pleasures. Mountains giveone the freedom to walk endlessly and simultaneously talk to oneself and also day dream. Whenever I walk happiness generally surrounds me (maybe due to secretion of ‘happiness’ hormones as one exerts). With no fear of traffic, comfortable weather and calm mind one is encouraged to talk more to one self and build as many castles in the air as one wants to… the feeling is completely unmatched!
    
 
 
 
      

 

Wild Flowers carpet the meadows in the summmer in the Himalayas

   5.  Everything wild. Nothing is manicured or customized. Grass, flowers, bushes and trees grow wherever they want and take whatever shape they want. Even the people inhabiting the land are quite wild in their own way. It’s good to see things the way the creator wanted them to be. Seeing apples and other fruits without polish and stickers hanging from branches is very pleasing.   
 
   
 6.       Feeling of openness. It’s very rare these days to find one alone with no one and no activity in sight outside of a building. I am not the thinker variety and hate being alone. Having said that I will admit that I do like these ‘magic moments’ in the mountains when I hog the landscape just by me. This feeling of watching the ‘show’ with no one or just a few for company is quite interesting    
 
 
 
 
TO ENJOY MOUNTAINS AT LEISURE AND IN TOTALITY. AVOID PACKAGES WHICH IN 5 DAYS/ 4 NIGHTS TAKE ONE TO 6 DESTINATIONS

New Connection from Mumbai - Dehradun direct

Mumbaikars wanting to hit the Himalayas this Summer?

Good News! Jet airways has launched a direct service from Mumbai - Dehradun with a stop at Delhi; but no changing planes or luggage. Its a  3.30 minutes flight. At Rs. 6000 or so, one way its a stay!

For people interested in doing trips to Uttarakhand from Mumbai; there couldn’t be better news, especially, for people wanting to fly to Delhi and then travel to Dehradun independently. Such a huge time saving and cost as well. Jet has launched this flight with a stop in Delhi but no flight change or transit.

Flight Information:

Flight: 9W307

Operated By: Jet Airways

Departure: Mumbai (BOM) - Delhi (DEL)

Terminal: TERMINAL 1 DOMESTIC (Mumbai) - TERMINAL 3 (Delhi)

Date: Wed 30 May 12 – Wed 30 may 12

Time: 11:15-13:55

Arrival: Delhi (DEL) - Dehradun (DED)

Terminal: TERMINAL 3

Date: Wed 30 May 12 - Wed 30 May 12

Time: 13:15 - 14:40

Meal: Snack/Lunch

Stops: 0

Duration: 02h 00m - 00h 45m

Aircraft Type: Boeing 737

Kites and Langurs

Srikanth Ramani shares with us a mini photo essay of Kites and black-faced langurs from one of his trips with us.

 

Nalin's Blog: Adventure – A Much Misunderstood Concept In India

 Nalin Khanduri, Founder GIO

I love the mountains and the outdoors. I’ve been going on wilderness trips for over 20 years now, and yet, I simply can’t get enough of it. This passion for adventure and the outdoors, the mountains and nature, propelled me to start Great Indian Outdoors (GIO), an adventure/outdoors company in 2000, which is now one of the leading ‘adventure tourism’ companies in India. My posts in this blog are mostly about how my life, my passion and my work are so closely connected.

A good example of how partial knowledge of something is more damaging than no knowledge is the much misunderstood concept of ‘Adventure’ in India. Basis few documentaries earlier on Doordarshan channel and more recently on Discovery and National Geographic channel and a few books extolling some great achievements of the human race, majority in India think of adventure as something which takes one to near death or confirmed death experiences. It is considered to be something meant for freaks and firangs. Lots also subscribe to the belief that one needs to be born as more than a man. Nothing can be farther from truth. Meet me once and you’ll know. Also contributing to this wrong notion is the very people who indulge in it, including me. I have found an uncanny habit in the Indian adventurers/travelers of big talk, exaggerating their experiences. Add to it good story telling skills of an average Indian, you have wrong information spreading like plague. In other parts of the globe you will find most people giving true and detailed account of their experiences, which is mostly documented and helps others, plan their own adventures

The statement, ‘I run an adventure company’ sounded really cool to me about 12 years ago when I started my company, but these days quite a few times I underplay my association with adventure. I say I run an Outdoor company or that I run a travel company because of the fear of being misunderstood and also for the fear of losing business. Many a school and parents get panic attacks the minute they hear of someone suggesting an ‘adventure program’ for their children; it’s a different matter you label the same program as ‘outdoor learning program’ they will lap it up. 

Due to insufficient information there is an enigma around adventure and people who indulge in it. I get tons of attention and interesting reactions when people get to know of my association with the ‘A’ thing. Some think I am a dare devil and some as being the ‘Different’ type. There are lots who thought of me as a nursery drop out and were quite amused to know am an engineer/MBA variety. Am sure quite a few also think of me as being frivolous and incapable of earning my livelihood without getting into something as drastic as adventure and also as someone whose been encouraged by his parents to intentionally to go near high mountains, deep gorges and fast rivers due to my inability to show excellence in any other regular field.

 

Like any other concept, adventure am sure has different meanings to different people. TO ME ADVENTURE IS ANYTHING OUT OF THE REGULAR. You don’t just jump off planes & bridges or check out shark teeth from close proximity or climb up to heights at which planes fly to taste adventure. As per my understanding, a trip to Bombay for a villager from the mountains is an adventure, for an American tourist roaming the lanes of ‘Purani Delhi’ is an adventure, for city bred children staying with villagers is an adventure. Nowhere is death hanging over one’s neck, maybe to an extent with the villager in Bombay!  As by me, a group of experienced mountaineers climbing a Himalayan peak and bunch of amateur city kids heading to the Sahyadris (beautiful mountain range in Maharashtra) represent the same spirit and zeal for adventure. I attribute this wrong notion about adventure to ACT vs SPIRIT and DOING vs FEELING phenomenon. Let me explain. I am fairly convinced that adventure for whatever reasons is wrongly perceived by majority in terms of doing an act; something very physical in nature and not as something you feel and enjoy. Adventure in reality does not necessarily need to be dangerous and difficult. It is about trying something new and enjoying the feeling and celebrating the spirit, which acts as the catalyst in making one try new things. Adventure connotes SPIRIT and not the act. One of the things in my list of ‘top 10 all time adventures’ has to be the salsa dance classes that I attended once. 

  

Adventure when it becomes a habit, is a beautiful way to Learn and Live. It creates excitement, which keeps your mind and body alive and young. One develops a great respect for discipline. It inculcates initiative and hones planning skills like nothing else. You learn to respect others, to be humble and to enjoy camaraderie. Most importantly it forces one to do a fair evaluation of one’s abilities at all times, which becomes a stepping stone for developing various skills. To put it briefly, it’s a beautiful way to ‘GROW’. In my case, I feel it has added a beautiful dimension to my personality. I have tried many new things, met lots of new people, learnt a lot from varied experiences, got to know myself better and most importantly had TONS OF FUN. Adventure according to me is a 3 lettered word, FUN. Just like any other fun thing you should know how and how much of it is good for you.