Reasons you must visit Pushkar

There’s a lot more to the oasis town of Pushkar than just the Camel fair that it is mostly associated with. Walk through the labyrinth of alleys and lanes, its bazaars and the ghats to discover the magic of this tranquil town. Below are a few things I love to do when I am in Pushkar.

#1.  Spend Dazzling Evening at Pushkar Lake

The aura around the lake, the reflections of the evening colors of setting sun and the music flowing around all adds up to making a memorable evening. Spending an evening at Pushkar lake always fills me with energy.

Sip hot coffee by the lake side andatch the day bidding adieu and a beautiful evening taking over. As the golden sun dips behind temples, lake water mirrors the changing hues of the sky from blue to orange and then red and slowly black takes over transforming the day into a beautiful night. Spend some quiet hours sitting on the stairs of the lake listening to the music coming from all directions - hymns and bells from the temple, nagara beats from the ghat, strumming of guitar from some cafe and sound of Ravanhatha being played by some bhopa musician sitting just next to you. While you are lost in the music, the lake turns gorgeous with reflection of town lights and numerous stars. I love watching the day end by the lake side and being just with me; slowly pilgrims leave temples, tourists go back to the market or the hotels, sanyasis go hiding into their kutiya and you are left alone on the stairs gazing at the glittering sky and the lake. The calm cool air from the lake fills you with tranquillity.

#2.  Camel Safari

Riding through the desert atop a camel is an amazing experience. I love to have a chat with enthusiastic camel men who are always happy to share their stories. If you want to know about the life in a desert village, he is the best person to talk to. Hear the stories while sitting 10 feet above the ground sailing through the desert. The slow moving camels will take you through dunes to a point from where you can watch beautiful golden ball dipping down beyond the horizon and the sky changing color from evening red to violet and then slowly darkness engulfing the whole expanse.

You can hire camels from the fairground or can ask your hotel to arrange for one. There is an option of camel cart too if you want to enjoy the ride with your friends or family. The best time to go on the safari is before the sun sets.

#3.   Hot Air Balloon Ride

If you are in Pushkar around the fair you must take a balloon ride. I love to glide gently above the crowd over the vast expanse of the dunes to get an amazing bird’s eye view of the fair and the desert.

The balloon ride is usually organised towards the end of the fair. The best time to take a ride is at sunrise when the soft rays of sun slowly lit the temples, ghats and the ancient buildings surrounding the lake. It’s an once-in-a-lifetime experience and capturing it all in morning light is a dream-come-true for any photographer. Advance booking is recommended to get the best time slots.

#4. Drive to Ajaypal ji

Ajaypal ji temple is located 10kms from Pushkar. Raja Ajay Pal, the founder of Ajmer City, founded this temple in 11th century AC. The temple is surrounded on all sides by boulders of marble which makes the site amazingly beautiful. I find the drive to Ajaypal ji one of the most scenic drives around Pushkar. It passes through the forest for initial 3kms which is replaced by the sand dunes and then the valley surrounded by the hills. I like to stop and spend some time with simple villagers talking and clicking. Most of the times when I do so, I am offered tea and local snacks. A mud house, huge veranda, a well, giggling kids, smiling ladies in their vibrant attire busy with house chores and cattle is what a typical home will comprise of. And men folk with colourful turbans can be seen sitting on a platform below a tree having hookah and chatting.

Rent a motor bike or a scooter from Pushkar market; look for the Bitumen road leading from the base of Savitri hill that takes you towards Kharekdi village. This road leads you to Ajaypal ji Temple. Rainy season (August- October) is the best time for this drive when the greenery is at its best and you can see springs, streams and waterfalls all through the drive.

#5.   Evening Aarti

Evening aarti is a not-to-miss experience for everyone, believer or non-believer. People in thousands assemble in the temples across the ghats. As the chants begin the atmosphere gets filled with the fragrance of incense sticks and roses. The sound of ringing bells comes in chorus from numerous temples surrounding the lake. The whole ambience feels divine and transports you to a different world altogether. While the evening sky fills with gold of setting sun, the lake looks gorgeous with numerous floating diyas.

You can attend aarti ceremony at any of the ghats but evening aarti at Varah Ghat is highly recommended. It commences at 7:00 pm during summers and 5:30 pm during winters.

#6.   Nagara lessons at Gangaur Ghat

Music is in the soul of Pushkar. While strolling around the lake in evenings, you can find many people learning and playing their favourite instruments. Around Gangaur ghat, look for coke-studio-fame Nathu Lal Solanki, the master drummer teachiing the beats to drumming enthusiasts. You can join him and learn to play these local drums called Nagara. He still charges a negligible amount that he used to charge some 20 years back To teach Nagara. He considers this place his karmabhumi from where he has achieved the name and fame and it’s his tribute to the place and the art.

#7.  Hiking on Ratnagiri hill to Savitri Devi Temple 

Do hike up the Ratnagiri hill in south-west of the lake if you have time. It’s a moderate hike of around 1.5kms and takes around two hours to reach the top. Located on the top is Savitri Devi Temple dedicated to the wife of Lord Brahma. The breathtaking panoramic view of Pushkar town from here is worth the effort. Evening hours are best for this trek as you get an amazing sunset view from the temple.

If you like hiking and are game for some more, on a smaller hill on the northern side of Pushkar town is Gayatri Devi temple. It takes around 45 min for this trek and offers a lovely sunrise view.

#8.  Shopping

Go for a good retail therapy session once you are done with all other planned activities. A good mix of ethnic and hippie culture reflects in Pushkar market. There’s a lot to shop for, so keep at least half a day exclusively for shopping. Pushkar is known for its traditional silver jewellery, ethnic clothes, leather bags and rose products. T-shirts, harem pants, wrap-arounds, kurtis, bandhanas and funky accessories are also available in abundance at a very reasonable price. Do not forget to bargain to get the best prices. You can also shop for souvenirs like puppets, antique silverware or pottery stuff.

The main shopping places are Baza Bazar, Sarafa Bazar, Sadar Bazar and Kedalganj bazaar.

#9.       Pushkar for foodies

Pushkar is heaven for foodies with a range of roadside restaurants, rooftop cafes and eateries serving wide variety of food. Some of not-to-miss foods in Pushkar are malpua and kachori at Sarweshwar at mithai wali gali, Gulkand Lassi near the steps of Brahma Temple, lafa and falafel at Ganga restaurant near Rangji temple, muesli and fresh fruit juice at Sonu juice near bus stand and pizzas at La-pizzeria.

Pushkar is such a place where you can spend days just having good food and relaxing in cool cafes. Some of Pushkar’s most popular cafes are Honey & Spice, Funky Monkey Cafe and Out Of The Blue Cafe.

#10.  Kalbelia dance performance

The best way to unwind after a fun filled day is to enjoy the Kalbelia dance performance. It is one of the most sensuous dance forms of Rajasthan performed by lively Kalbelia tribe, a nomadic community who were snake-charmers until it was outlawed by the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. With their charm, unbelievably flexible serpentine shimmying and their lovely traditional black attire they have the talent to absolutely mesmerise you. The beats and the movements will surely instigate you to join them in their dance.

Many hotels arrange the dance performances in their premises for their guests.

And if you want to experience it all with the experts, you might want to join the group trip PULSATING PUSHKAR with Indian Terrains.

Connect with me on Instagram and Facebook for more responsible travel adventures.

Recommended reading:

The Calm in the Chaos - VARANASI

In the Shadows of Dhauladhars - KANGRA VALLEY

CHANDRASHILA - Where the Magic Starts

Read More »

Get the best from your group travels

"I don't have friends who are as passionate about traveling as me"
"My partner is always busy working, he has no time to travel"
"I don't feel safe while traveling alone"
"I like to travel with like-minded people"
We hear all this so often these days. And glad there is a solution to all these problems - THE GROUP TRAVEL. It is the best way these days to do a trip. Just book your holiday and forget about the rest. Everything starting from your transport, permits, stay and food is taken care of by them. And the best thing is you are accompanied by passionate travelers and photographers who understand your passion and needs.

But how be be sure you are traveling with the right set of people? How to make the group travel experience a good one? What all to be careful about? Below are a few pointers that'll help you get the best from the group trips.

#Chose the travel group carefully.

Don't just go for any group that is organizing a trip to the destination you want to explore, do some research. There are many big and small groups these days to chose from. The popularity or the size of the group does not ensure a good experience. Many big groups fail to provide the experience that a smaller groups can because of the personal touch they give to their trips. Here are the pointers on how to chose a group and the trip:

• The organizers should be travelers themselves then only will they be able to understand your needs.
• Talking to your trip leader once before the trip is a good practice. Check his/her profile on fb.
• Check the itinerary thoroughly and make sure it includes everything that you want to explore in a destination. 
• Chose the group that gives you the flexibility of exploring on your own too in the safety of a group.

Fun of traveling with a like-minded group

> Once you have chosen the group, have confidence in your choice and trust in your organizer, you are going to have time of your life! 

# Set your expectations right.

 Take all important information before starting your journey. Below is the list of things you can ask:

• Detailed Itinerary with the amount of road travel (km wise)
• What type of food will be served - veg/ non veg, simple/ elaborate, local?
• What mode of transportation will be there?
• What type of accommodation hotels/ camps/ homestay?  

Be very clear on what you want... do you want to visit tourist spots and shop and are looking for fancy resorts to stay or are you looking for unusual and rich travel experiences. And it's very important to communicate it to your organizer so that he can explain what you can expect.

Be open to new experiences, it can be you best one

> At times you tend to be extra careful and might miss out on some experiences... like staying in a camp can be an experience of lifetime. Don't be too rigid on your expectations and trust that your organizer will do his best to provide you the best experience. Always remember, he knows the place better than you.

# Be a part of the group. 

Always remember you are traveling in a group and how you behave will come back to you. Be a team member. Cooperate with others and others will reciprocate. Everyone is out to have good experience and create pleasant memories. So help yourself and others in doing so. Here's how you can do that:

• Don't separate yourself from the group by asking for extra favors from the organizers like front seat in vehicle, better view room, food other than what is being served to all.
• Don't be a cribber. No one likes the company of one. If you are signing in for a road trip there will be long road journeys, if you are traveling in summers be prepared for hot weather... cribbing about the heat or long road travel will not change anything but others attitude towards you.
• Don't be too rigid. At times there are situations that can't be controlled like due to some landslides the itinerary might have to be tweaked a bit. Being understanding and accommodating in those cases will help you and the group make the best of the situation.

Group travel can be the best experience of your life 
if you are a good team player

> Be a good team player and enjoy the experience.  

Read More »

How to approach strangers

Nothing has changed my perspective towards life more than taking the risk of saying “Hi” to people I don’t know. Fellow travelers, photographers, shop owners, locals… we meet so many people while we are on the move. And believe me I have made some of my best friends on the road only. And also some of my best pictures are of strangers.
If you are a shy person, the biggest concern is how to initiate talks. And believe me its not just you but many of us face the same. Here are a few tips:

The hardest part of talking to strangers is getting started. Start with making an eye contact with strangers and smiling at them. Smile is contagious, they are surely going to get a smile back.

This cute couple was basking outside their house in Nathang valley, Sikkim. Just a quick eye-contact and smile got me going with them. I spent almost an hour after that talking to them about their life.

A quick “Hi” once you have caught their eye followed by a compliment on something remarkable you see is the best ice breaker. Compliment on their dress, smile, appearance or whatever catches your eye.

These Rajasthan ladies were very shy in the begining to talk to us. The moment we complimented them on their dress, they were all excited and wanted to be clicked.

Be genuinely interested in their culture. Asking questions regarding their culture works best with locals in case you are in some other town, city or country. Ask about local food, language, costume etc. You’ll find that not only will they be happy sharing it they might as well invite you to their place experience it.

Met this lovely girl in a village of Himachal. I was just roaming around, our eyes caught we smiled and she invited me in. I was curious to know about their tradional attire. looking at my interest she took no time to take her wedding dress out and wore it just for me. 

Smile at the kid and ask his name politely. Kids are never camera shy; they always love to get clicked. So if you are carrying a camera, click their picture and show it to them.

This sweet kid was playing with her mates somewhere near Mulbek in Kashmir. This picture was just a begining of my long talk with her while our vehicle was getting repaired.

Spending time with kids give me immense pleasure, especially when I am traveling alone.

Go there… talk to the strangers… You have nothing to lose but your shyness!

Read More »

5 reasons you would want to consider traveling with Strangers

In this generation of solo-traveling, I feel happy and proud to have traveled with strangers who I connect to - people whom I don't know personally but our love for travel brings us together and we decide to explore a particular place. FAMILIAR STRANGERS is what I call them. In course of our journey, I not only explore the place but also get to know these strangers in depth, some of whom become my good friends. Though it's not a very common practice yet, I find traveling like this very interesting and safe. 

Here is why you might also would want to consider traveling with strangers...

#1 Travel in budget

One advantage of travelling in a group is all your costs get shared. Say for instance, you want to explore the countryside and only way to reach there is hiring a cab. If I am solo I would think twice but being in a group all I do is share my idea and get a few people interested to do the same.

#2 Freedom to explore solo with safety of a group

As these people are not your close friends or your family, you are not bound to stick with them for the whole day or get their nod in all your plans. So be solo and explore your way... and while you are on your own you are aware that there are familiar people around in case of any emergency, so you travel with a sense of safety.

#3 No feeling lonely

Good thing about traveling with a group of strangers is you have people to come back to and tell your stories to. While you get enough time to delve deep into your inner self you also get the company of strangers whom you can chat endlessly about almost anything without hesitations

#4 Get your countless pictures clicked 

Clicked by a photographer traveling with me

All of us want to be clicked while travelling... Travelling in a group give you enough opportunities to be clicked.

I still wonder how solo travelers get their beautiful pics, who clicks it for them so perfectly  ;)

#5 Celebrate life and make friends for life 

Make memories with other travelers and celebrate the event called life. Since you get enough time to chat with lovely strangers, it might open a whole new world to you. Traveling with familiar strangers give me that opportunity to connect with interesting people.

I get awestruck to look back and realize how many different familiar strangers I have made friends with in these couple of years. 

An ever-excited old retired scientist who never want to be called old, has lost his life partner when he needed her the most and now travels to steal some lively moments with co-travelers; 

a young loving couple who’s full of love and appreciation for each other and is traveling to understand life from each other’s perspective; 

a middle aged strong single lady who is self-dependent and living her life on her own terms for whom traveling is a part of life; 

an ambitious young man who draws inspiration from “himself-some-years-from-now” and is traveling as he finds a sense of accomplishment by ticking it off his must-visit list; 

a young chirpy independent girl who has perfectly learnt to hide her sorrow behind her smile and for whom travel is a good way of understanding herself a little more;

an old couple who wants to explore together the maximum while they can. 

And I can relate to each one of them. Some remind me of my loneliness, some of my urge to be independent, some of my romantic self and some of my hunger to live life to the fullest. I wonder how similar we all are… going through similar emotions, sentiments and passion to live life in a best possible way in given conditions. 

Though there are so many benefits, you need to be little cautious while chosing your travel mates. Will discuss what all needs to be taken care of, in the next post.

Till then keep traveling and celebrating life!

Read More »

Step-by-step guide to packing efficiently

Are you planning a bag packing trip and having sleepless nights just thinking what and how to pack? Facing difficulty of not able to make it light?
Don't worry you are not the only one. We all travelers have faced this problem some time or the other. Below are the steps I follow to pack my bags for any trip.

There are 3 major categories of things you would need on your trip:

• Appropriate and just sufficient clothes, shoes and accessories; 
• Toiletries and 
• Medicines. 

Lets first concentrate on clothes, shoes and accessories. Follow the below steps... This might look like an elaborate way but believe me follow these steps to pack for a few trips and you will be a packing expert!

First of all keep everything that you want to take on the trip - clothes, matching accessories, shoes, woolens and undergarments in one place.

Then make different stacks. Keep lowers like jeans, trousers, salwar and churidaar in one, tops and kurtis in 2nd, night ware in the 3rd and woolens in 4th. Keep all accessories separately.

Now pull out/shortlist tops and kurtis equal to the number of trip days and a pair or 2 of jeans, a skirt and a churdaar/ salwaar from the respective stacks. Keep minimum and comfortable nightware. And enough woolens. Usually what I do is keep 2 pair of jeans, a skirt and a salwar or churidaar with a couple of t-shirts and kurtis for a trip of around 10 days. Along with that some scarves and stoles. That gives me enough choice to make various combinations and look different everyday. 

After this sorting comes packing. Take a comfortable bag-pack with enough space. You would not want to make 2 bags in case you are going on a trekking trip where you might have to carry your bags.

Pack each stack in separate small poly-bags. The problem I  faced on my initial trips was that all my stuff used to get mixed up in a heap inside the bag and I had to go through all my clothes just to find one top. So the solution I found was to keep lowers, uppers, nightware in small cloth bags or poly-bags. And believe me it really helps.

Now all you have to do is arrange these small bags nicely in your bag-pack. Pack your footwear - not more than 2 pairs one pair of sandals/floaters/slippers and one pair of shoes, in a separate poly-bag and keep it in one of the side pockets. Similarly put all your accessories in one separate pocket.

And that takes care of our first category.

Next important thing is toiletries. Always keep atleast basic things like soap, shampoo pouches, a small toothpaste tube, moisturizer, a small towel etc with you (preferably in a pouch that can fit into your hand bag) even if you are sure you will get it all in the hotel. Many a times it all has come very handy when we are stuck in landslides or long traffic jams. You might have to stay in places you have not planned and you don't get these things there. 

This all hardly takes any space but really save you in emergencies.

And the most important thing that people usually ignore is medicine. You should always be ready with your little medicine kit that has some basic medicines like crocin, a pain killer, an anti allergic, some tablets for  stomach infection, digene, something for headache and some bandaids. 

Don't forget to keep camera to capture your beautiful memories, charger to charge your camera and mobile, power bank (helps in long road journeys and trekking), and enough memory cards. I like to keep it all handy in my hand/ camera bag.

This is my luggage for a 10 days road trip

Read More »

Preparing Yourself for Winter Trekking

1.       The rule of thumb is to be in five layers for a temperature that goes down to -5°C or lower. With every subsequent increase in temperature by 10 degrees (say from -5°C to 5°C), you can strip off one layer. But keep in mind that during the day when the sun is out and you are trekking, it actually gets very warm with the layers of clothes you have on so don’t over-layer yourself and be prepared to peel off layers depending on the heat.

An example of five layer clothing for -5°C would be:

·         1 thermal inner

·         2 T-shirts

·         1 full sweater

·         1 jacket

But you can make your own variations of this. For example, I wear one sweater with a fleece jacket and then add a windcheater jacket over it. It keeps me warm for any situation.

2.       The choice of SHOES is very important. You need a shoe that protects you from the elements and gives you grip on snow. It’s always good to have water proof shoes if you are trekking on snow.

3.       For your legs, one thermal inner with a track pant is usually enough. Keep an extra track pant handy for an additional layer or in case it gets wet in snow.

4.       Your head, fingers, toes, ears and nose need extra protection. To make sure they stay warm and dry do carry the following:

·         Woolen cap

·         Water proof gloves

·         Woolen socks

·         Scarf - It is something that can protect your neck and nose or work as an extra glove. This multi-utility gear is a must for a winter trek.

Read More »

5 reasons you should trek to Chandrashila Summit in monsoons

#1. Nature at its best.

During the monsoon months, the region is absolutely covered with fresh greens and the meadows are at their best. The greenery of Chopta will welcome you and you can enjoy sipping your cup of tea with simple locals while gazing at the snow capped peaks. 

#2 . One of the easiest and shortest well-paved trek to reach the altitude of 4000 mts.

 The trekking distances are short and first timers with reasonable level of fitness can also complete this trek quite easily. The way is well paved so no monsoon worries.

 Chandrashila peak at an altitude of 4,000 meters. The trek to the peak is 5 km. The trek route that starts from Chopta takes one to Tungnath (highest Shiva temple in the World), from here it is a kilometer long trek.  It can be done on pony if you can't trek for some reason.

#3. It is an impressive vantage point that offers 360 degrees panoramic views of the mighty Himalayas.

From the summit you can see big Himalayan peaks (Nanda Devi, Trishul, Chaukhamba and many more) and surrounding valleys in all directions. one gets wonderful views of the Himalayan giants including Bandarpoonch, Kedar, Chaukhamba peak and many more. 
The hide and seek of sun and clouds during monsoons make it even more interesting. And if you are lucky... you'll get to see multiple rainbows.

#4. Chances of Spotting Monal and Mountain rats increase:

There are high chances you get to spot Monal when they come out in the meadows after rains. Mountain rats also make frequent guest appearances on the way.

#5. The Drive

Driving through thick fog and lush green washed forests will leave you spellbound.

Can't wait to do this trek? Check the trip details here-  http://chaloletsgo.com/hidden-beauty-in-himalayas-chopta/and call me @9999731115 to register

Read More »

What all to pack on a road trip to LADAKH

Now that you have decided to explore Ladakh on road, how and what to pack is very important. Needs of every individual will vary but  the following things shouldn't be missed out on.

CLOTHING: In Ladakh it is best to dress in layers, since majority of coldness is due to wind chill and temperatures can change rapidly depending on the place, time and weather. Hence dressing in layers will allow you to add/subtract layers as and when needed. So make sure apart from your regular clothes, you are also carrying a sweater, gloves, cap (protect head and ears from cold winds), warm inners and if possible, air/water resistant jacket. Pack separately for the road travel and for leh and surroundings.

MEDICINES: Carry Diamox if you aren’t allergic to sulfur drugs as it helps reduce the symptoms of altitude sickness. Additionally, carry general medicines for headache, fever, stomach ache, cold and cough syrup. Also prescribed medicines you are on.

PERSONAL ESSENTIALS:

• Sunscreen lotion: UV rays at high altitude can be quite damaging to the skin, even during the harshest of winter, so don’t forget to carry a good quality sunscreen lotion
• UV sunglasses: Having decent quality UV sunglasses (Fastrack ones are available for as little as Rs. 800) is quite essential, especially if you are traveling early in the season or during winter, when mountain passes have a lot of snow cover and sunlight reflecting from the snow can be even harsher.
• Lip balm: Dry and cold weather of Ladakh will make your lips dry, which can get quite painful due to cracking and skin coming off, so make sure to carry a lip balm or Vaseline.
• Mustard oil: Mustard oil can be used for moisturizing skin, putting it in your hair and for lubricating insides of nostrils, which can become quite dry and painful due to dry and cold winds of Ladakh.
• Other essentials like Soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, toilet paper, shaving kit and face wash.

FOOD ITEMS:

• Water: Water is the most essential thing while traveling in Ladakh, since dehydration can further complicate health issues at such a high altitude. So make sure you are carrying at least couple of liter of water per person all the time and drinking at regular intervals.
• Glucose: Carrying water mixed with Glucon C/D is a good idea while traveling at high altitude, as it provides instant energy on the move, when your appetite is likely to be reduced due to AMS and at the same time, doesn’t act as a diuretic, like most caffeinated energy drinks. Carry couple of small packs with you, which you can mix in water, at the beginning of the day.
• Chocolates, biscuits and nuts: Carrying couple of chocolates, a pack of biscuits and few hundred grams of almonds, raisins and cashews is a good idea, as these provide instant energy and easy snack and don’t take up too much space. Those who love spicy food, make sure to carry pickle or sauce, since Ladakhi food is a bit bland.

DOCUMENT AND IDs: It is essential to carry at least one government issued identity card and couple of photocopies of it, since it is needed while applying for inner line permit and at certain places, to register at the check post. You should also carry your medical insurance card (if you have one), your printed itinerary, couple of copies of your flight ticket (if traveling by air) and list of important contacts (useful in case your mobile phone stops working).

BATTERIES AND MEMORY CARDS:

• Spare camera batteries: Carry at least one spare set of batteries required by your camera, since in cold environment, batteries can die quickly.
• Car charger or battery bank: If you are an avid smart phone user and planning to log your route on your favorite GPS App, then make sure you are carrying car charger or a power bank with at least 4000-5000mAH capacity to keep your mobile phone running throughout the day.
• 3 socket Belkin Surge Protector: While it is a little large in size, 3 socket Belkin Surge Protector will not only keep your gadgets protected from power surges, but will also allow you to charge multiple devices simultaneously and at the same time, provide the crucial cable length to safely place your gadgets in rooms with idiotic power socket locations that sadly many hotels have.
• Enough memory cards to last you the entire trip: Doesn’t matter if you are carrying a laptop or planning to burn CDs/DVDs at Leh, carry enough memory cards to cover your entire shooting duration in Ladakh. If needed, borrow from friends but don’t depend on laptop HDDs or worse still, virus infested cyber café computers to copy and save your photographs.
• Torch: Not really needed if your mobile phone has one, but if in case it doesn’t, carry a small LED one.

MONEY: While our recommendation would be to carry enough cash you need, to avoid wasting time withdrawing cash, it may not be feasible for everyone. So please keep in mind that ATMs beyond Srinagar and Manali are only available in Kargil and Leh and they too are few with often long queues in front of them.

I personally recommend Himalayan Vogage – An Ultimate road trip to Ladakh . being organised every year by INDIAN TERRAINS - perfectly chalked-out itinerary and an understanding trip leader.

Read More »

Making up your mind for LADAKH

You want to go to Ladakh but have some queries? Read on... 

What is the best time for Ladakh?
June to September is the good time to explore Ladakh. 

Whether to fly to Leh or do a road trip? 
In today’s zipping lifestyle, all it takes is to take a flight to Leh, hire a cab, and visit the exotic locations following the established routes. Now that is not the right way to explore Ladakh...

Take time out from your busy schedules and do it on road enjoying the drive through lush green pine forests; passing through numerous old monastic complexes; witnessing drastic scenery changes from green pines to rocky mountains that change color at every turn… grey, blue, pink, purple, violet… it reflects all shades at some point. 
Its once in a lifetime experience so don't settle for anything less than a road trip just because its difficult to take much time off from your busy schedule. The smooth drives gets difficult and then dangerous on the rocky terrains of high Himalayas, but then every second and all the effort will be worth it!

Weather or not my body will be able to sustain high altitude?
We know mountains are not the same as the plains. Temperature, humidity, oxygen content, air pressure etc, all work in various ways on your body; a body that is not acclimatized to these conditions. A condition that, many a times, hits travelers is AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) also known as Altitude Sickness.
This condition can easily be avoided. The key to avoiding AMS is a gradual ascent that gives your body time to acclimatize. Spend at least one night at an intermediate elevation below 3000 meters. At altitudes above 3000 meters, your sleeping elevation should not increase more than 300-500 meters per night. So be very careful while finalizing your itinerary. 
I personally recommend INDIAN TERRAIN'S Himalayan Vogage – An Ultimate road trip to Ladakh .  I am an asthma patient and I did Ladakh in 2012 without any Altitude Sickness.Thanks to their well planned itinerary. 

Things to avoid: Alcohol, Sleeping pills (acetazolamide is the sleeping tablet of choice at altitude) and Narcotic pain medications in more than modest doses. Respiratory depression (the slowing down of breathing) can be caused by various medications, and may be a problem at altitude. 

Take rest for a day (don't involve in anything that exerts you) after reaching Leh.

More tips like what all to pack, how to make the best of the trip etc. in the next post. Keep reading.

Read More »