The Best Destinations to Trek in Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand has been the recently formed state of union of India and has been carved out from the state of Uttar Pradesh. The north Indian state is enriched with its life size mountains and snow cladding peaks of the Himalayas. Also the state assumes significance due to its flora and fauna. Uttarakhand trekking is famous for its various treks and forms a visual delight for both professional and novice trekkers.

Milam Glacier Trekking

The Uttarakhand tourist department has customized trekking packages for all and sundry based on ones expertise. Trekkers have a wide range of option from a host of trekking sites such as glaciers and rough mountain climbs. Milam Glacier, Pindari Glacier, Sunderdhunga glacier and lord corzon pass are some of the hot favorite trekking destinations of the adventure tourists.

Roopkund Trek

Most of these trekking sites are accessible from the New Delhi, Capital of India. Munsari forms the base of trek towards the Rlam, Namik, Milam and Poting Glaciers and Munsiari is on the arterial water body of Gauriganga which emerges from the Milam Glacier system of the eastern flanks of the NandaDevi Sanctuary, fed by the Kalabaland Glacier and the Panchichullu from further east.

Another important trekking marvel which lies in the state of Uttarakhand is the Pindari Glacier. It is one of the most easily accessible of all the Himalayan Glaciers and a perfect ground for first time adventurers. The pristine beauty of the glacier mesmerizes the soul and showcases a breathtaking experience. The Pindari Glacier lies between the Nanda Devi and Nandakot Peaks and has an altitude of 3627 meters. The length of the Glacier is about 5 Kms with a snout of about 6 meters. The Pindari River emerges from the Pindari Glacier and the area offers a perfect platform for the trekkers to perform their feat.

Milam

Kauri pass or Curzon’s trail is another favorite trekking passes for the professional trekkers. Lord Curzon went up to the Kwari-pass in 1905 and hence the trek is named after him as “Corzon Trail” A lot of European and American travelers inhabit the place every now and then and gauge their trekking skills with the vicinity of nature. A star attraction to the travelers, the kauri pass offers a majestic view of the Nanda Devi, Kamet, Dronagiri and Hathi-Ghodi Parvat. The pass is situated at a height of 4265 meters above the sea level and is considered a challenge by most of the trekkers due to its rough trails which passes through forest of oak, conifer and bamboo trees. Also one can have a chance meeting with a leopard or a Himalayan black bear while on this trail.

During Trekking a Spot

For travelers on a spiritual odyssey, the trek from Kedarnath to vasukital is a right place to be in. The goat track offers a panoramic view of Chaukamba peaks along with mesmerizing Vasuki Lake in all its pristine beauty. The water is crystal clear and this is accustomed with floating blocks of glistering ice. The see through properties of water enchants the visitor with its natural aura and one can see the rectangular slabs of rock beneath the silently gushing water. During winters the Vasuki Lake takes a silent precedence and completely shades itself with the white snow.

White River Rafting in Rishikesh

Rishikesh is a small town situation near the foothills of the Himalayas and has been much talked about due to its mystic value and adventure sports. As the popular saying in Rishikesh, the sun does not shine on you but rather it shines inside you. Rishikesh is considered as the rafting capital of India and it offers the rafting enthusiasts a plethora of avenues to test their rafting skills. The place assumes significance due to its natural design with Rishikesh camping which suits both professional and first-time rafters.

River Rafting in Rishikesh can be an unforgettable experience for the adrenaline crazy. Every year thousands of tourists flock the world capital of yoga to treat themselves with the yogic insights as well as dwell in the lap of nature. Over the years rafting has become a very popular sport for white water rafting along with host of other adventure sports. Gushing water from the Ganges is a sporty delight for the first timers and one can test their endurance by battling out the ferocity of the downstream water. Punching and muddling through the madness, most of the rafters feel enriched with renowned love for life and take back unforgettable memories to cherish for rest of their lives.

Rafting in Rishikesh as assumed a professional sport and every year thousands of tourist flock to take part of this mesmerising experience. White water rafting has different levels of difficulty and depending upon your training and capabilities; it has been formulated into different modules. While there is a professional rafting challenge waiting for the do or the die ones, small training are also imparted to the new born rafters. The basic stretch starts from Brahmpuri which is 9 kilometres upstream from Rishikesh and has mostly mild rapids. It just takes two hour of your day to go through the trip down from Brahmpuri to Rishikesh.One can also do cliff jumping and body surfing during this stretch. Along with river rafting bungee jumping in Rishikesh can be enjoyed as well.

The complete stretch has been demarcated according to various levels of difficulties and ones professional capabilities. The Standard stretch starts from Shivpuri, 16 kilometres upstream from Rishikesh and has some famous Grade IV rapids like Roller Coaster & Golf Course. For the first timers, there is an artificially designed “recovery Pool” or still waters and this stretch lasts about 3 hours and is ideal for first-timers seeking adventure.

For the serious rafters, Rishikesh offers a challenging rafting experience. The stretch which starts from Marine Drive, 25 Kms upstream from Rishikesh is captivating and offer a plethora of challenging tasks such as cliff jumping points and high end rapids like cash flow, “Three blind mice” etc. This stretch takes about 4 hours and can be termed as the challenge of a lifetime.

If you are a rafting professional, the advanced stretch from “Kaudiyala” is the place. This stretch is the advanced stretch and has few of the greatest rapids termed as “The Wall”. The Wall is a Grade V rapid and most of the rafts get flipped in this rapid. It takes around 7 hours to complete this 36 kilometres long stretch.

The best time to visit Rishikesh for rafting is from September to November and from March to May. So next time you plan a visit to be a part of this splendid experience, hold your boots tight and be prepared for the experience of a lifetime!

An Infatuation with Thrill at Rishikesh

River Rafting in Rishikesh

Named appropriately after Lord Vishnu’s one of the innumerable names, Rishikesh (Hrishikesh) has always done justice to its meaning. As the word Hrishikesh denotes Lord of the senses, the whole city brings one’s senses alive when it comes to appreciating the mysticism and natural charisma of the place. After winning the great altitude, as you pan your eyes from the red flags strewn all over this beautiful town to the blushing sun at the horizon, a surge of energy automatically flows into your veins. This is because you have always known the color red as the symbol of positive energy. Probably, this is why you will find red in the highest arc of a rainbow and it is the first color to disappear from your vision as the night approaches. But, the red lost during twilight is soon replaced by a spread of yellow as soon as the ‘Ganga Aarti’ begins at the Triveni Ghat. At this moment the concrete stairs, Vedic hymns, countless oil lamps and clinking bells outline a world oblivious to the usual commotion in this small town just 138 miles away from Delhi.
However, the geography of Rishikesh is what makes the place an incredible destination. Blessed with untamed rivers originating from some of the high altitude Himalayan glaciers, serene jungles around verdant hillocks and the some of the toughest pilgrimage roots, Rishikesh is a perfect holiday destination and a trip to Rishikesh is unquestionably incomplete without a fling with one’s adventurous streaks. For instance, a taste of Rishikesh rafting in the gushing white waters of the mighty Ganges flowing past the immaculate green cover is an adventure seeker’s final bliss and for an adventure seeker rafting is in itself a pilgrimage and the path leading to salvation definitely lies in the wild and turbulent river rapids!

Setting aside the extreme monsoon months, September to December and March to June are the preferred seasons to go wild at the Ganges. Brhampuri Shivpuri, Byasi ,Kaudiyala near Rishikesh are the best spots to enjoy and explore the great Ganges abundant with rich flora and fauna by its sides. For the beginners it is the starting of an infatuation with thrill and for those already addicted, it satiates the hunger for adventure. This is because rafting stretches in Rishikesh include all types of rapid from grade I to the tougher grade V rapids with enhanced rafting facilities suitable for all types of adventure enthusiasts.

The challenges involved in tackling the wild rapids are the most thrilling part and the lure of the wilderness is so intoxicating that challenging the great force of nature seems worthwhile for a change. The experience entraps one into a trance born out of sheer adrenaline rush and people come rushing all around the year just to discover the magic of rafting in the Himalayas. As they say, those born to be wild never mind experimenting.  Then, “…Darling’ go make it happen…..Like a true nature’s child, we were born, born to be wild…..” .The gurgling rapids you will encounter only represent your wilder side- rough and unyielding, yet deep and powerful at the same time. Moreover camping in Rishikesh is also famous with other adventures activities.

Carnivalesque Camping by the Ganges

River Rafting Rishikesh

Finding a green, serene and exotic location near Rishikesh is not a big task since the whole region is nestled in the best of the Himalayan trail. But, it becomes difficult to choose one from the myriad of such beautiful locations strewn all over the holy city of Rishikesh. Our brains went through this painful exercise once we reached this city of senses. The purpose was to relish the great religious fervor centered on the city of Rishikesh`. God forbid us from skipping such sacred places in the beautiful stretches of the Himalaya. But, secretly, we were contemplating a great river rafting exercise in Ganges. That would have meant our sacred dip at the holy Ganges! Thus, began our search for a perfect rafting in Shivpuri and camping location and finally we zeroed on a beautiful camp site near Shivpuri with a spectacular river bank to compliment the style of the arrangements.

The white sand upon the bank resembled that of a beach and the atmosphere around was no different from a beach side carnival. The sand that shone like gold when we arrived soon changed color like a chameleon and the beach looked like a sheet of silver as soon as the moon appeared at the horizon. The green hills no longer looked green and the darkness outlining those majestic hills gradually descended upon this well maintained camp site. But, the evening was lit up with a warm bonfire and never for a second did we curse the lanterns by our bed sides. At times, the absence of electricity can be welcoming too! There was no dearth of things we required for that special night by the Ganges -food, music and warm hospitality! A bunch of friendly fellow campers to our company the camp felt like a comfortable party. This was just because, almost by 13 kilometers upstream from Rishikesh on the road to Deoprayag, there we found our route to salvation. An ideal stress busting exercise we would like to call it.

Shivpuri Camps

But, do we need to mention how romantic it is to stare at the sky and hear the sound of the mighty Ganges in a moonlit night? You will understand it better when we tell you how we spent the rest of the night- clean Alpine tents with roll up windows and warm blankets to beat away the river side chill.  But, we couldn’t sleep away that exciting night as a completely new experience awaited us in the violent rapids of the river nearby.  It’s not that we are born adventurers but what’s the harm in trying out a mild rapid like Sweet Sixteen (Grade-1)?

But, till we encountered the rapids, River Rafting Rishkesh and the camps offered us an ultimate opportunity to go private with nature at its best. Our best camp site treat was the beach volley ball game we that we enthusiastically took part at but saluting the game spirit we never cried on our defeat. We won in any way because nothing can go wrong at such a beautiful place. The only thing that vanquished was our tempered bodies and souls! And to a certain extent our fear of the wild, untamed rivers! Some rejuvenation amidst the Himalayas was necessary and the camping happened just in right time. Right here at Shivpuri!