The Renegades of Jilling
(Originally published in The Indian Express Sunday Magazine, 21st May 2017) “What if you two drive off a cliff and die? All business is now…
Himalayas
Triund Through Snow
Rarely do we repeat a trek, because we prefer to cover new places as much as possible. But when it is a place where seasons…
Hike to Goshal – Losing Ways and a Happy Ending
The friendly hotel owner suggested we take a rickshaw to Old Manali. We insisted on walking the 3-odd kilometres from new Manali (model town). Most…
Stay: Hotel Iceland @Solang Valley
As we got out of the bus in Manali, the October chill enveloped us. It was pleasant. But not for long. We travelled further up…
So What if the Water Pipe Leaks
At Keylong Mall Street, a kid enjoying playing with the water jet that leaks out of pipe line. On our way from Sarchu to Rohtang,…
Chill Out at Sarchu
A popular camping site, Sarchu lies at the border of Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh and belongs to HP. It is also the preferred…
Make Your Own Road – More (Moray) Plains
Ladakh and the Himalayas never cease to excite and surprise us. Bidding adieu to the Tso Moriri wetlands and its lovely cranes and bar-headed geese,…
If Pangong Is a Dream, Tso Moriri Is Ecstacy
Elated after the rafting on the Indus, sad to leave Leh, but with vibrant anticipation of what lies ahead, we set out for further journey…
River Rafting @ Indus
We woke up on day five of our Himalayan safari brimming with excitement. Rafting on the Indus was the highlight of the day. Sadly, our…
Pangong Lake
The descent from Chang La reveals a stark landscape that brings awe and fear. Snow-clad mountains again turn dry and arid. The sandy river bed…
Chang La
Though we were on the lap of the mighty Himalayas for four days, snow was beyond our reach. We had longingly watched the glaciers from…
Himalayan Safari Tales # 9 – Kaal Hotel & Shanti Stupa
Tucked away from the bustling Leh town, Kaal hotel played host to us for two days. Well-appointed rooms with a touch of traditional charm, very…
Himalayan Safari Tales # 8 – Alchi Gompa
The narrow cemented path and the unremarkable mud houses did not impress us. We were at Alchi Monastery, our first monastery visit, and we expected…
Himalayan Safari Tales # 7 – Of Religion & Beliefs
After Nimu and Magnetic Hill, a few miles before reaching Leh is the famous Pathar Saheb Gurudwara. Maintained by Indian Army, this Gurudwara is a…
Himalayan Safari Tales # 6 – Defying Gravity or Optical Illusion?
Two days into the arid cold desert with clear blue skies, dry mountains with snow-capped peaks, deep valleys and gorges, roaring rivers… Ladakh has got…
Himalayan Safari Tales #5 – Uley Ethnic Resort, Uleytokpo
Kargil is normally the night halt for most travelers from Srinagar to Leh. We, however, had other plans. Our plan was to travel past Kargil…
Himalayan Safari Tales #4 – Srinagar to Kargil
Most often during our travel experiences, taxi drivers turn good travel companions. Giving the local flavour to the many stories behind the places or simply…
Himalayan Safari Tales #3 – Srinagar: The Bazaar and the Conversations
“A few centuries before the Christ, the Athenians developed ‘agora’ as a place of palaver, long parley or conversation, which doubled as a location for…
Himalayan Safari Tales #2 – Srinagar: The Calmness That Belies All
For a valley city whose name symbolizes wealth and abundance, peace certainly was in not in abundance. Decades of strife, uncertainty, and violence perhaps has…
Himalayan Safari Tales #1 – Srinagar: The Day After the Curfew
Srinagar was waking up after intermittent curfew days. The roads were so crowded and jammed that it took more than an hour from the airport…