12 Lesser known Himalayan destinations to beat the Heat..

Here is a list of few Relatively Offbeat (because we touching 130 Cr. not much has remained as actually offbeat with no tourists) 2-4 days Himalayan destinations from Delhi (in no particular order ;-))

      Tirthan Valley

Tirthan Valley is located right at the edge of The Great Himalayan National Park (Himachal Pradesh), and provide numerous trekking options into the park and not much commercialization. It’s perfect for people seeking for tranquil however it could be a good option for adventure lovers as well. Lush green valley some awesome views of snow covered mountains. Tirthan Valley is known as famous for river crossing, Trout Fishing and Trekking. Jaroli Pass and Serloskar Lake are the few trekking options.

Not much food and accommodation options available here, mostly homestays are available and few hotel/resort options. There are almost no restaurants, to you have to eat at the place you are staying.

550 Kms from Delhi, takes around 13-14 hours to cover the Distance. The HPTDC Bus journey to Aut is an overnight journey from Delhi and from it can be reached via taxi in one hour.

Recommended Duration: 4 Days 

Serolsar Lake @ Tirthan Valley                                                                                                                   PC: The Betthe India

      Munsiyari

A small and pretty tribal village with a daunting view of Snow covered Pachachuli Peak from almost every nook and corner of the village!! You are likely to find a lot of trekking groups as lot of small & long, easy & difficult treks start from here. Don’t forget to pay a visit to Birthi Falls, it is 45-60 mins steep climb to reach the Cascade. When I travelled there was not a single soul on the route or near the falls that magnificent Cascade. The Cool breeze of air, the water mist, the grey cloudy sky gave a feeling of rain though it wasn’t.

You need atleast 4 days to plan a trip to munsiyari, it’s almost 10-12 hours’ drive from Kathgodam. As I told you it is a small tribal village so very limited staying options are available with basic facilities. Do carry some snacks and all not much options available here.

Munsiyari: View from the Hotel Room

      Tosh
      Tosh is a small village at the end of pravati valley in Himachal Pradesh, at a distance of around 540 Kms from Delhi. Beautiful village surrounded by the snow covered peaks from 3 sides with river flowing by the side, it is an ideal destination for having some peaceful, calm or lone time. Lot of foreign back packers come her. Limited continental food options are also available BTW food prices are pretty high, and do carry cash as no ATMs. Try to book a hotel toward the top end of the village as that offers the most spectacular view especially star gazing on a clear, moonless night. Maybe it was my lucky day, but I saw 9 shooting stars in an hour.  It has basic accommodation options, if you are looking for luxury vacation then this definitely is not a place for you. With around 300 - 500 Rs per night. You can go to kheerganga trek it is a 6 hrs uphill trek (one side).
      If you wanna drive it is going to take 14-15 hrs from Delhi. Otherwise one can take the Bus from HPTDC Bus and get down Bhuntar and take a local bus from there to Bharsheni (around 3.5 - 4 hrs) and then 3 km hike to the village.
      Recommended Duration: 4 Days

Tosh Valley                                                                                                                                                              PC:Triphippe

      Binsar
      It houses not so famous and untouched (from maddening Delhi crowd) Wild life Sanctuary. A few Bollywood films like Betab has also been shot here. The zero point in there offers a spectacular view of snow covered peaks such as Kedarnath Peak, Shivling, Trisul and Nanda Devi. Try to go in early morning hours to enjoy uninterrupted (by clouds I meant) scenery.
      Few 3-4 star properties are also available here making a comfortable destination to stay, btw some of it offers beautiful views of peaks from your bedroom. For me having evening tea in your balcony, watching those white peaks turning crimson in sunlight is something and sun being set behind a distant peak is more inviting then the clear morning scenery.
      Binsar Wild life sanctuary is in Uttrakhand, 386 Kms from Delhi, and takes around 10-11 hours to reach here by car. The nearest railway station is kathgodam, from where it takes another 4 hours to reach here, there are lot of taxi available on the station for one way/ two way rides.
      Recommended Duration: 3-4 Days

View of Himalayas from Zero Point @ Binsar    PC: Binsar Tourism

      Khirsu

Small village with untouched nature, surrounded with pine, deodar and rhododendron trees, close panoramic views of himalyan ranges makes it a perfect destination for a lazy quaint holiday away from the daily hustle.

For accommodation there are not much options available in Khirsu, only GMVN Tourist Rest House is an option available. Otherwise some reasonably good accommodations are available in nearby locations such as Puari. Around 350 Kms from Delhi 8-9 hours journey by Car.

Khirsu PC: thegirlandhercamera

         Kausani

I must say the journey was as beautiful as the detination the lush green farming fields, river flowing by it side, huge green mountains at the backdrop and that downing Sun seems like you are in SHIRE the Hobbitland of LOTR.

There are few good staying options, 3 star properties in Kausani almost all of them offer Kausani’s famous the 180   panaromic veiw of snow capped mountains. There is also water fall having icy cold water, accesible with 3 Kms easy trek.

It is around 380 Kms from Delhi, 10 hrs journey by car. If you wanna use public transport, nearest railway station is kathgodam, from where it takes another 4 hours to reach here, there are lot of taxi available on the station for one way/ two way rides.

On the way to Kausani                                                                                                                                  PC:Allseasons.com

          Mukhteshwar

Jim Corbett, the famous Hunter came here for shooting a Tiger and got mesmerized by its beauty. It has dense forest on one side and open Mountain View on the other. Watching Sunset while sitting on the cliff of Chauli ki Jali is something one ca cherish for years. A religious reason to visit might be the 350 year old Shiva Temple on the highest point of the town.

This is just a 7 hour drive from Delhi, easily doable on a weekend. Can be considered as calmer alternative against Nainital as is on the same altitude and same distance from Delhi. Lot of staying options available here suiting everybody’s pockets.

Sunset View from Chauli ki Jali                                                                                                                          PC: eUttranchal

      Sarahan

A small city/village en-circled with snow covered mountain range peeping through every corner of the city and having  “Bhimakali Temple” (which is also a “Shakti peeth”) right at the center. Do attend the evening aatri at the temple, believe me the way people do arti here is an experience in itself. It starts with the chants of the priest and ends with the joyful sounds of various musical instruments.

Few hotels with basic amenities are available here, HPTDC hotel is also there, stay arrangements are also available at the temple Dharamshala. Google map says it is 503 Kms away and takes 11.42 hours and they are right if you drive non-stop, it took 14-15 hours for us to reach.

Bhimakali Temple @ Sarahan                                                                                                                     PC:Incrdible Hills

7Kangojodi

Perefect option for a quick weekend break, not much planning required just pick your car keys and drive but yes, book for accommodation before-hand as the only option here is Camp Roxx. There is a small 7 kms thick pine forest go give you that aloof feeling (Not suggested for peak summers as the place is on low altitude, but perfect for monsoons) You won’t even get rare traffic sound here, did I mention that getting mobile signal is also little difficult here. 6 Hours drive from Delhi, nearest town is Nahan.

      Tehri

The major attraction here is emerald water of the Tehri Lake, having sky rising mountains at its backdrop coupled with cool breeze create a perfect base for one peaceful holiday. BTW the lake is an artificial lake created due to the Tehri Dam, one can spend some nice walking time here. One can do a small (5 km) trek from Sursingdhar which offer a bird’s eye view of the lake and pumps your lungs with unpolluted air. Waking up early to watch the beautiful Sun-rise is something you are not going to regret. Stay options are available at Sursingdhar.

It is around 300 Kms from Delhi takes 6-7 hours to reach there via car, alternatively one can take a train to Haridwar or travel via bus to reach. As Tehri is a well-established town, accessibility via public transport is also good.

View near Tehri Dam

      Bharmour

Bharmour is an ancient settlement, surrounded by the lush green mountains also the capital of Chamba for last 400 years. Majorly people go there for the treks in surrounding hills but if you are not willing to trek then also the city in itself is serene and the route also offers some breath-taking views. Manimahesh is one of the famous temples (out of many others) here.

It is little more distant from the other destinations mentioned here, but worth the effort of all the extra kms. Around 670 kms from Delhi, 14-15 hrs drive. Better alternative is to take a train till Pathankot and take a taxi from there, it will take around 5 hrs to reach from there.

Bharmour                                                                                                                                                              PC: Tripadvisor

      Jwarna

If you want to have a camping experience than this is the place to consider. Perfect way of spending a monsoon weekend away from the noisy Delhi traffic (not suggested in May or June as its not on high altitude). Feel the mountain breeze, soak the gentle warmth of sunlight, walk an unbeaten path and smile to the lovely villagers. There is just one or two camp site on the right edge of the mountain, the direction sign here is not good so you have to carefully look for arrows.

Around 330 kms from 6-7 hours drive from Delhi. Only stay options are campsites, and no restaurant.

Campsite @ Jwarna                                                                                                                                    PC: WhisperingPines

Mandawa: A Hidden Gem on Old Silk Route

Mandawa is a small town in Shekhawati Region of Rajasthan which used to lie on the old silk route. It used to be a hub for rich merchants trading through the silk route and spice route. The Shekhawati Region is known as "open art gallery" of the fascinating havelis that have lavishly painted walls, Mandawa itself has 125 havelis with walls having frescos dating back to 18^th century. Many of the havelis are not maintained so it is advised to hire a guide to get inside the most beautiful and protected ones.

The town is located at a 5 hours driving distance from Delhi so it is easily doable over a weekend and if you have some time you can pay a visit to few more beautiful towns (such as Nawalgarh, Churu, Sikar, Dundlod) in Shekhawati 1-2 hours away from Mandawa each having its own share of beautifully built forts and havelis.

Our plan was confined to Mandawa and Nawalgarh with the luxurious stay at Sara Vilas Palace. Beautiful resort built in the rhythm aligning with the rest of the town. After soaking in the medieval environment of the resort we headed to explore the town and immediately took a guide for the day Rs. 300 (I didn’t negotiate with him so one might get one for a lesser fee)

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We started-off with the Jhunjhunwala Haveli, this haveli has a room painted with 3.5 kg of real gold, natural colors, and Belgium glass.

By the way Mandawa has witnessed various Bollywood movies (such as Bajrangi Bhaijan, PK, Love aaj kal) being shot in its rugged streets. You can actually relate to those scenes if you have seen the respective films.

We visited few more Havelis showcasing the love of art people had 250 years back. In the end our guide took us to Radhika Haveli which has been artistically restored and has been converted into a hotel, which is also a very good stay option right in the heart of the city. Did I tell you that, they serve the world’s best Daal Baati churma, it’s just that you need to inform them 30mins in advance.

Our last halt was Chattris where we had a mesmerizing view of Sunset with a cup of tea.

Next day it was time to pay a visit to Nawalgarh after lot of upselling I could convince our group to go there but it’s good that we went there as the haveli’s there are in better conditions specially Anandi Lal Podar Haveli has breathtaking interiors, this has also been converted to a museum. It was built in the 1920s and is the only haveli in the whole Shekhawati, which has been restored by its owner.

After this we had a heartening Rajasthani lunch and bade our interim Goodbye to Shekhawati with definite plans to visit rest of the Shekhawati this year itself.

Beautifully Painted Haveli Corner 

Alley @ a Haveli

Top view of Podar Haveli

Door Carvings

Wooden Artwork showcasing Rajasthani Handicrafts

The famous katputli dance of Rajasthan

Radhika Haveli

Sunset Captured at Mandawa

Beautiful Sunset near the shooting point of Bajrangi Bhaijan

Inside the Podar Haveli

Enternace to the Cafe at Chattris

Beautiful Gate at Podar Haveli Published on Indian Airlines Cover Page

Paintings with Real Gold @ Jhunjhunwala Haveli

Experiencing Mars on our very own land!

Just to give you a background, the red sand and barren rock landscape of Wadi Rum is very similar to Mars Land, huge red sand desert with tall barren deshaped rocks with almost zero vegetation creating a extraordinary Space like experience. Many Hollywood movies showcasing Mars has been shot here..

Red Sand Dune @ Wadi Rum

It was so confusing to make the bookings for Wadi Rum, I wanted it to be safe as I was supposed to stay in the middle of vast desert. Luckily one of my colleague from client site referred me to a camp owner and it turned out to be a clean and safe campsite.

Entry to Desert

As soon as you enter the Wadi the vastness and the abstract desert hits you, challenging you to go further deep inside it. Wide red sand fields having huge sandstone and granite mountain offers great opportunities for hiking. Narrow canyons and fissures cut deep into the mountains and many conceal ancient rock drawings etched by the peoples of the desert over Milena.

Nabatean Encryption
& the hike through canyon and rocks, below..

I took an option for half day desert (3 hrs) safari which included visit to Nabatean Temple, Lawrence Spring, Sand Dunes, Little Bridge, Um Fourth Rock Bridge, Lawrence House & Khazali Canyon. The most of part of Lawrence of Arabia was filmed here.  There are options for camel ride and longer desert safari also, covering few more desert attractions/ rock formations lasting upto 6 hours. And if you want then hot air balloon ride @ 180 per head is also available to enjoy the skyline of the desert.

Um Forth Rock Bridge

The day ended while sipping Bedouin tea on top of a hillock while the sun was slowly setting behind the vast red sand dunes and tinting every inch of sky in deep “Amber”. There was no sound apart from the blowing wind after some time that also resembles silence. That’s when the calm desert evening hits your soul and the red hot day converts into a chilly winter evening.  

Sunset veiw - Though I didnt capture it nicely

Khalid, our tour organiser, took us to the camp (basic Bedouin Camp) in his rugged Arabic decorated SUV, where I got served with special vegetarian dinner whereas others enjoyed some non-vegetarian version. After that I sat beside the Bonfire for long time gazing at the star studded night, enjoying small talks with fellow travellers and listening a local artist playing OUD and singing local Jordanian/English/Hindi songs.

Tea Time Inside the camp

Next day it was time for the city of Aqaba, to take a dip in the Mediterranean Sea. Booked a glass bottom boat ride along with snorkeling through the sea. Tried my hands at snorkeling in the middle of the sea without even knowing swimming. BTW this was my 3rd death defying act in Jordan trip, the first & second were at Wadi Mujib. One being when I slipped from the rock while climbing against the water falls, the only saving grace was the rope which I was holding with my only two hands. The other when some-one accidentally pushed into the rocky/high current water stream, and I panicked, this time I would have definitely died  if it was not for my guide who pulled me out of the stream like and put me on a nearby rock like a vegetable!

View from Glass Bottom Boat

10 mins into the sea and Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Jordan all were almost at an equal distant, I was excited like a kid after seeing so many international borders at once.

Floating in the Dead Sea.. One more check on my bucket list!

Dead Sea, Wadi Mujib & Bethany beyond Jordan:

Not Clicked or Witnessed by me, just googled by me.. ;-)

My plan was to visit Dead Sea and Wadi Mujib so we left early from our hotel in Amman. As both these places would have required 3-4 hours each.

To my dismay, right near the dead sea, my taxi driver told that Wadi Mujib is closed due to the heavy rains in the preceding week. Had to change my plan, and decided to visit Bethany beyond Jordan, the Baptism Site of Jesus Christ. The only option is to take a guided one hour tour (@ 12.00 JD). The last point of the tour is the 10-15 feet wide river stream dividing Israel and Jordan. On the other side of the river (i.e Israel) lot of people were taking bath in the holy water. 

Me @ Jordan River, in Jordan and people behind me are in Israel. International Waters you see.. ;-)

After this one hour walk in scorching heat it was time to have an experience that was on my bucket list since long, weightless floating in the Dead Sea. 

Fact1: The mud of dead sea has medicinal healing powers and is used in all kind of body products from mud packs/soaps to moisturizers. 

The huge salt water lake having Jordan and Israel on either side of the shore. If you walk 3 feet inside the water the upthrust of water will pull your legs and make your body float with no efforts, one can actually read a book while floating. 

Fact 3: The lake is having a water salinity of 34.2% making it impossible for any living creature or plants to survive in its water and that is also the reason for huge water up-thrust forcing your body to float instead of sinking. 

Fact 2: Did I tell you that the surface and shores of the Dead Sea are 423 metres below sea level, making it Earth’s lowest elevation on land. 

The Private Beach of  Hotel @ The Dead Sea, Land till this board was covered under water until some years back!

At dead sea either you can go to Amman beach with an entry fees of 15 JD which is a public beach changing room and bathrooms are also available here. Or you can book a day entry to the private beaches of the 4-5 star resorts (costing around 45-55 JD which includes pool access, bathroom/changing room access, and some food options), I took the later at Dead Sea Spa resort. Spent my time floating on the dead sea while covering myself in the mud.

Guessed it right, that's me covered in mud, effortlessly floating in the Dead Sea

If you drive further ahead you can trek down to one of the cleanest shores, having beautiful salt crystal formations. If you want to save money and experience the cleanest waters you can float there also. It is small but little tedious trek down to the lake.

Salt Formations at the Dead Sea, Oh yes 100% witnessed by me for long time.  but no camera taken while trekking down so PC: Google

Fact 3: The Dead Sea is drying up at an alarming rate, if we don't take Global Warming issue seriously this little natural wonder will be vanished in few years. 

While returning my driver took me to one of the many souvenir shops on this route. The options in these shops are pretty good (especially mosaics) but high on cost side but you should definitely pay a visit so that you can figure out what you should look for, in Down Town Amman ;-).

Wadi Mujib: Some clicks by unknown but good photographers, and trust me its much more fun then it looks!

I had to go again on next weekend to have once in a lifetime experience at Wadi Mujib, this time I checked in advance whether its open or not. The entrance fees to Wadi mujib is 15 JD per head, and it is suggested to take a guide along with you which might cost another 40 JD. Few places in the trek are really tricky and having guide along side is really advantageous. Wear shoes which has good grip and survive in water. It is 2-3 hrs trail depending on your fitness level 100% in water. It is a must do if you love adventure, trek against the flow of a cliff is an experience to remember.