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….. 
