A Perfect Weekend Getaway Just A Few Hours Drive From Delhi!

Tip tap tip tap... as the drops of rain fall on the ground, on the leaves and on the slate roofs, we sit in a cozy balcony of our cottage sipping hot tea. We are surrounded by forest all around with a few village houses in the vicinity. Just a few moments before the golden rays of setting sun  had engulfed the whole valley creating dramatic patterns on the sky together with clouds.

Just 8 hrs drive from the capital city takes you to this tiny village Nathuakhan. It is a quiet place located at an altitude of 1940mt in Kumaon range of the central Himalayas. Just a kilometer before the market of Nathuakhan is a beautiful cottage that we had booked to spend a weekend in the lap of nature.

The drive from Delhi was enjoyable. We got to experience it all... sunny sky, clouds, rain, fog and again sun. We had no idea what the place will be like, all places look good online in pictures. But we were sure we will have good experience the moment we entered the place. There was warmth in everything. Ever-smiling staff to take care of every little thing; tastefully done interiors, nick-nacks placed in the outdoors; the cozy sitting areas inside and outside the cottage... that's exactly what we needed for a relaxing holiday away from the city.

A nice cup of tea in the lap of nature after 8 hrs long drive refreshed us

It's a paradise for bird watchers

Evening was spent exploring the surroundings. Small meandering path through fruit trees took us to the village. A small village with just a few houses with farms and the livestock. Just a kilometer away from the cottage was the local market.
A short drive little further took us to Sitla from where we got a breathtakingly beautiful view of the Himalayan ranges - Trisul, Nandadevi and Panchachuli. There's a shop here where you can buy locally made stuff that includes spreads, jams, juices, handicrafts etc.

Once back to our nest, we picked our corners to just relax and soak in the serenity of the place. The music from the wind chyme was the only sound we could hear. After a refreshing cup of tea, we all got together and enjoyed chatting in a cozy balcony lit by candle lamps creating a mystic effect.

We picked our corners to relax and soak in the serenity of the place

Had sumptuous dinner cooked and served with lots of care and love.

The living area became our favorite place. The wide range of books and music collection, the wooden interior, cozy couches made it a place you would want to spend days relaxing at. Just a night was not at all sufficient.

The living area 

I woke up to chirping of a bird on the window sill of the attic I stayed at. It was very early in the morning. The same lazy me who would not get up early morning for anything in the city, was up and straight at 5.30 am with no intentions to go back to bed again. Sitting in the small sit-out area of the attic sipping my morning tea, I could see the forest slowly getting lit and the life getting started in the village. The deep breaths of cool fresh air refreshed my body and soul. I was rejuvenated to take on the stress of busy city life again.

Bid goodbye to the team with a promise to be back again

It was a perfect getaway - "A home away from home" in a true sense!

----THE GUIDE----

HOW TO REACH:

On Road: New Delhi to Nathuakhan: 340 kms via Moradabad, Rampur, Rudrapur, Haldwani, Kathgodam, Bhowali, Malla Ramgarh, Talla Ramgarh. The journey takes approximately 8 hours. Parking lot available.
Other distances from Nathuakhan: Nainital - 40 km, Bhowali - 30 km, Mukteshwar - 14 km

By Train:

Ranikhet Express runs daily; Departure from Old Delhi at 10:40 PM, Arrival at Kathgodam at 5:20AM.

 Indian Railway Information available here

Khatgodam AC Express runs on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday; Departure from Delhi Anand Vihar at 6:00 AM, Arrival at Kathgodam at 11:55 AM. Indian Railway Information available here
Take a taxi from Kathgodam to Nathuakhan, a hill journey of 60 km.

The Village Stay - Home away from home

THE STAY

The cottage has 5 rooms and an attic.

The Attic: Perfect for a group of 4-5 friends. The attic has an attached bath.


FOOD

Meals are scrumptious and home-cooked. Local produce sourced from home garden or the neighboring farms is used.
Breakfast is a hearty affair, complete with eggs, porridge, flakes, bread, jams and spreads, and even poha or idlis or upma or parathas.
Lunch is usually an Indian vegetarian spread. Kumaoni/ Gujrati/ Bengali etc. The spread consists of a daal, vegetables, yogurt, salad, rice & chapati/ puri.

Indian, Continental, Mediterranean or Chinese cuisine is served as per choice in dinner. It starts with soup, main and side dishes and dessert. Bar-Be-Que too can be arranged. Non-veg is served for dinner for those who prefer it.

You can book your stay in this cottage at Homestays of India

If you also know places like these, do share in comment section. Would love to know :)

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Chopta - Tungnath Trek

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.” ~ John Muir

We started our journey with this thought in mind with a lively bunch of people from Delhi. Our first halt was at Rishikesh where we reached late in the evening. The walk absorbing the silence and beauty of the starry night brought us out of the humdrum of city life. A perfect start to a holiday in the lap of nature.

We woke up to a beautiful wet morning. Earth was fresh as dew and atmosphere was filled with the fragrance of flowers and foliage. Morning tea never felt so refreshing like it did that day.

Refreshing morning at Rishikesh

Singing, chatting, laughing and enjoying the drive through dense forests and Himalayan villages we reached CHOPTA. Clean roads, sweet breeze carrying the fragrance of nature and chirping birds welcomed us.
We had driven deep into the pines to reach this remote place where there were no mobile signals and no electricity. Such a respite it was to be cut off from the world in this paradise. We were awestruck to see the lush green meadows and dense forest. Everyone just refused to settle in rooms and were out in the woods. Some were walking silently just enjoying the serenity while others were chasing birds and clicking while some others were just sitting with their feet dipped in chilled water. It took some time to get them all together to enjoy the tea.

Evening tea in the lap of nature, literally

It was a breathtakingly beautiful, dark yet glowing mysterious full moon night. The clouds were playing hide and seek with the moon. The trees were standing tall trying to reach out to the moon while the meadows silently lying down enjoying the glow of moon light.  The only sounds in this dark night were of the stream nearby and of howling wolfs that were adding to the mystic feel to the night. The sky was studded with numerous big and small starts shining bright giving competition to the moon. Never before have I witnessed a night so beautifully mysterious.

A short break during the trek

We started our trek on this gorgeous hilly terrain early in the morning. While take careful steps on the wet, a bit slippery paved path through thick forest of rhododendrons and oak, it was difficult to imagine our life back in the
city.
The deep valleys, the lush green open meadows and the magnificent Himalayan ranges make you feel so tiny. We were transported to a different world altogether.
Different plantations - algae, mushrooms and what not attracted our fancy. We were going pretty slow enjoying and absorbing each step and turn of the trek. 4 hrs trek would take the whole day it seemed. But whats the hurry, we took our own sweet time to climb up and reached Tungnath in the later half of the day.

Different plantations attracted our fancy

We were all hungry when we reached. After having maggi as an appetizer we had nice local dal and rice. Once our tummies were full we looked around and realized where have we reached. A small place with couple of shops, very few people... rather just a few shop owners around, and a temple, TUNGNATH.
High above the clouds lay this quaint place called Tungnath, the highest Shiva temple in the world. We went a little farther and reached the end of a cliff. Surrounded by the curtain of clouds we found ourself standing on the edge. On one side were the snow covered peaks and on the other side was this deep valley.

At The Edge of The Cliff

In no time fog engulfed the whole valley and everything got out of site. We were not even visible to each other. One wrong step and we would have gone deep down the cliff. We decided to settle in the temple guest house for some time to regain our energy.

It was all so quiet when we came out after a few hours . The area was still under the cover of fog, when we heard the temple bells ringing. It was evening aarti. The thick fog started to disperse and visibility kept increasing with increasing volume of ringing bells. We could see the blue sky appearing magically from behind the clouds. Sun was about to set and there was amazing play of evening light in the sky. The golden reflection of setting sun on snow covered peaks made them glow like gold. and the sky turned orange with the spread of evening colors.

The Magical Evening

Can't say if God exist or it's just the faith of people, but the magic moment I witnessed up there makes me believe in the Ultimate power that created universe - the magnificent nature and its miraculous beauty. We were all mesmerized by the nature's show that we just witnessed. The ringing of bells stopped and gradually darkness engulfed the whole valley. The whole universe seemed to be in synchronization.

Night was no less engaging. It was more than 12 of us in a small kitchen cum sitting area of Raju hearing his stories over dinner celebrating life and rejoicing our togetherness. He is one of the survivors of the Kedarnath tragedy that happened a year before. Talking to him we realized how connected these people are to nature and how well they have understood the zist of life while we city people are still stuck in the frantic race of life.


Plan it with Chaloletsgo!

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CELEBRATING THE SILENCE - Prim Resorts, Ramgarh

Waking up was never so pleasing… the birdsongs, the tinkle of wind chimes, and the warm sun-rays filtering through the huge glass windows adorned with beautiful art curtains; open the curtains and your eyes will land upon the snow covered misty mountain range lit by golden sun rays. The bell rings in a school far away in the valley, the tree pie and cuckoo sing in synchrony, the bumble bee is busy buzzing on beautiful pink flowers... Welcome to Prim Resorts, Ramgarh Valley.  

View from the rooms of the resort

Nestled in the heart of Kumaon Himalayas (village Nathuakhan, Ramgarh) at 6200ft this heritage property oozes with tranquil old world charm and warmth. The beautiful estate has lush fruit orchards, a renovated bunglow and dense oak and pine forest cover.  There are eight aesthetically done cottages, and each room has its own distinct appeal.  The paintings, the little artifacts and the antique wooden pieces add pulse and character to the place. Wines climbing up the old trees, walls and the ceilings give this place a rustic charisma.

The rooms are very well maintained and have a beautiful old world charm. In spite of the seemingly rustic aura, all basic amenities like attached modern bathrooms are taken care of. A wood fire bukhari in every room keeps you warm and cozy the traditional way

Aesthetically done rooms

 The cook conjures up a variety of meals that one would least expect in a place like this. If you are visiting in summers you have the novelty to pick and relish fresh fruits like plum, peaches and apricot off the trees. What makes this place truly unique is the personized service and care from the staff. 

Catch up on your writing

This is a great place for a quiet repose. Lie in a hammock and read a book with breathtaking panoramic views of Himalayas for company, sip tea under sun umbrella overlooking the mountains, write that letter you have always wanted to at a little desk on the garden porch or stroll around the beautiful garden full of fruit trees and colorful flowers.

At any point in all directions is a stunning view of lush green hills that you will not be able to take your eyes off from. And it all comes wrapped in serene silence.

And when all that languor gets too much, ramble through the woods or village hamlets. Thirty minutes and you are in the tranquil courtyard of an isolated medieval temple; an hour and you can be beside a cool, gurgling stream - Sufi River. While you are walking towards this stream, soak in the Kumaoni life. Simple villagers will invite you for a cup of tea. Nathuakhan village is worth wandering through.

If you have some more time in hand visit Mukteshwar. The drive through Sitla Estate takes around 30 min through dense woods of deodar, silver oak, green oak and occasional rhododendrons. Take a forest walk by the side of the temple and check out the 180 degrees snow-covered Mountain View from the PWD bungalow which is famous for being associated with Jim Corbett when he had come to Mukteshwar to kill a maneater. On the way do visit Kilmora Shop for handicrafts and other local produce. 

The place is a paradise for nature lovers

Spend an afternoon basking in the sun and exploring the surroundings. This place is a paradise for nature-lovers and bird-watchers. The bunglow is located in midst of beautiful trees of deodar, Rhododendrons and oak and are frequented by birds like yellow vented bulbul, Asian koel, white crested laughing thrush, spotted dove and many others.

Fireplace makes a perfect setting for an evening drink

Join other people in the lounge for some adda in the evening. With the fireplace going, it makes for a cozy place for an evening drink or a cuddle up with your favorite thriller.

At sunset, bonfire will beckon from the sit-out outside the lounge. Witness the golden evening transforming into dark night. The silent valley, the twinkling stars, the rusty scent of the woods and some light music will touch your soul while fire warms your body.

This place is a perfect blend of chilly, silent air and warm hospitality!

PRIM RESORTS is a Collection of Boutique Resorts in most beautiful offbeat locations. For details and bookings visit their website http://www.primresorts.com/.

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A WILD ESCAPE - Corbett

With stress levels increasing in today’s competitive life, weekend getaway in the lap of nature is the best way to rejuvenate you. Corbett is one of the most sought after places for a quick escape. Just 6hrs drive from Delhi takes you to this beautiful place close to nature. While Corbett has plenty of accommodation options available finding a neat boutique hotel that is located in the heart of the jungle and moderately priced is not an easy task. Below is a brief of my stay. I hope my experience will help you make your search and decision-making easier!

After a lovely drive of around six hrs from Delhi we reached Ramnagar. An exciting drive started just a few minutes after we crossed the Kosi barrage that took us through the dense forest passing the grasslands and crossing the river beds. While we were driving through this magical land, a friend Pankaj who has already been here many times told us the tales of the area. He has witnessed a lot of wildlife here on this drive. Be it spotting beautiful little Himalayan birds or bumping into a herd of wild elephants or spotted deer one can expect anything. This drive is no less than a wild safari.

A beautiful drive through the Jungle that takes you to the resort

We passed through the uneven terrains enthralled and captivated by the beauty of the jungle. Shy golden rays of sun could hardly reach the wet bushes and leaves longing for its warm touch. We were mesmerized by the sight, sounds and scent of the jungle when we realized we have reached our destination - The PRIM Resort, located at Kyari - the buffer zone of Corbett National Park. Just outside the resort gate is a river bed that fills with water during monsoons. 
A warm welcome by the well trained soft spoken staff immediately made me feel at home. Just a walk around the nicely maintained beautiful resort was enough to assure me of a comfortable stay in coming days - hospitable staff, clean spacious tastefully decorated rooms with nice big bathrooms and hot water available 24hrs, enough green space and well trimmed gardens to walk around and a well maintained clean pool to relax.

A comfortable stay in midst of the forest

After relaxing for an hour, I pushed off to explore the village Kyari. Mud houses and the green fields, ladies working in the fields and carrying fodder, kids playing with sheep and old lady with her grandson sitting in the courtyard – I felt like I have been transported back to my childhood days. An elderly lady in one of the houses courteously invited me for a cup of tea. We sat in front verandah of her house looking at the sky. The sun was setting and the reflections of the setting sun on clouds created magical spell of colors.

Exploring life at village KYARI 

My group was relaxing by the pool side with some drinks and nicely prepared snacks when I reached back. I could not resist and joined them. The hotel staff deserves a mention here. They were extremely accommodating to our requests and went an extra step to ensure they are met. Delicious dinner was served absolutely on time.

A relaxing evening by the side of the pool 

Next day was dedicated to the adventure activities that the resort had organized for us. We did jungle safari in the first half of the day that was full of excitement while rappelling, rock climbing and river crossing at River Khichdi and body surfing satisfied our adventurous souls later in the day. I was quite skeptical in the beginning to try all this but as I met the expert and spoke to him, his assuring and comforting talks made me do it all. And now I thank him for instilling the courage in me else I would have missed the entire thrill.

River-crossing, Rappelling, Surfing and Jungle Safari to satisfy your adventurous soul

The guided lantern walk in the jungle after dusk was what the resort people offered us to do in the late evening. Though we were dead tired, could not resist it. Walking through the jungle at night was like a musical spell. The sound of cricket and occasional calls of deer mixed with the sound of rain drops on the saal trees resulted in a mystic effect beyond the darkness. Though we could not stay out for long due to rain, I decided to visit the place again just to do more of it. 

I wanted to spend the next day at leisure. It started with a hot cup of masala tea while watching mesmerizing sunrise. Post breakfast I picked up my book and walked up to the machaan (watch tower). PRIM is the only place around that has a machaan where you can sit and enjoy reading or keep an eye on the surroundings for some wildlife or sit at night with friends and chat.  Around the resort are many river beds. Spending some quiet my time on a huge boulder, feet dipped in water sitting in middle of the jungle refreshed me.

River beds with huge boulders all around offers an ideal setting to spend some quiet time with yourself

It being a pleasant weather I took a walk in and around the resort and tried to capture as much as I could in my eyes and camera. 

My tired city soul was now fully refreshed to start my journey back to the city

Important Information:

1. The resort is just 6hrs drive from Delhi through Gajrola, Moradabad, Kashipur and Ramnagar (around 240 km.) and is located at Kyari, the buffer zone of Corbett.
2. Resort Amenities: Swimming Pool; TT table; Library; 50 ft. high Machaan to enjoy the forest; Beautiful dining area overlooking the landscape and 60 seated conference hall.
3. Room prices for this resort starts at Rs. 4000 with meals for two. They give the best rates at www.primresorts.com'. 
4. Room Amenities: Tastefully done rooms with big sit out areas and gardens; TV; Intercom; AC/Heaters
5. Activities like River crossing, rappelling and body surfing can be organised on request
6. Jeep Safari to Corbett National Park can also be arranged. Pick and drop from the resort at no extra cost.

PRIM RESORTS is a Collection of Boutique Resorts in most beautiful offbeat locations. For details and bookings visit their website http://www.primresorts.com/.

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Himalayan Paradise - Kausani

One of my fond childhood memories is a visit to a small town with breathtaking view of Himalayan range. The picture of Snow clad Himalayan peaks rising to caress the sky, clouds hovering over the valley below, changing colours of the sky is still fresh in my mind. I was quite excited to visit Kausani after around 25 years. Has the place been able to preserve the beauty I witnessed then, has it changed its colours with changing world... there were many such questions lingering in my mind.
We were a group of five driving an Alto. Cutting through the dense fog enjoying the fulness of nature we drove through Hapur, Joya, Rampur, Haldawani, Kathgodam and Bheemtal

Serene Saat taal:

We had time in hand so we decided to stay at Saat taal over night. Welcoming owner, Cordial staff and perfect location made Maple leaf resort a good option to stay. Quickly the staff got the rooms ready. We were informed that there were heavy rains from past few days. After settling down we decided to go out for evening walk. We were cautioned by Mr Lalit, the owner not to go far off as there may be some wild animals roaming around and its not safe. But we, the explorers, were looking for some adventure. We could easily make out that the woods are full of activity that we could only hear in the dark night. We thoroughly enjoyed our walk through the mysterious woods with night sounds of wolf howling, frogs croaking and crickets chirping

Lovely quiet morning is what we could ask for after a tiring day and an adventurous night. Nothing can be as refreshing as morning walk through the full bloomed nature. Took a walk around, clicked some best pictures of the trip and then resumed our journey to Kausani at around 7AM. Driving through beautiful valleys, water streams and tiny villages, we reached Kausani at around 2PM.

Kausani ...beyond the horizon

We were mesmerized to see the pristine beauty of the place. It hasn't changed at all... A small town untouched by the modernity. Except for a few more hotels here and there (architecture in sinc with the simplicity of the town), the place look almost as it looked some 25 years back.

 That time I remember there were just 2 probable places to stay - the Government guest house and the Gandhi Ashram. I wanted to stay at the rest house where we stayed those 25 years back. And we were lucky enough to get the permission to stay there. It being monsoons, we were the only guests and that made our stay even better. Care taker, Cook, Mali, Variety of birds, Insects, Monkeys, a Dog were sharing the place with us.

That evening was spent sipping hot coffee and gazing at the snow bound peaks playing hide and seek with clouds. We started identifying the peaks - Chaukhamba, Nandachunti, Trisol, Nanda Devi, Panchuli ranging from the height of 21 to 25 thousand feet. The sun rays reflecting from clouds were creating a drama of colors in the sky. Slowly the darkness took over and turned the beautiful evening into a quiet night. The valley below looked like God has sprinkled sparkle on a black sheet. Home cooked dinner followed by a session of sharing spooky experiences over a drink in the dark night completed our day.


Baijnath, Tea gardens and more...
We woke up to a fresh lazy morning with a cup of hot tea and mesmerising view of sun rise over Himalayas.

The first half of the day was spent roaming around the town, talking to locals, and exploring the place. There are many old buildings with red and green tin roofs that adds to the beauty of the place. Thabli devi, mother of 6, working as mali in the guest house gets Rs 1500 salary and walks down for 2 hrs to reach her workplace. Life is not easy for her and many others in the area. But people here know how to live with limited means and being content with it.

In the second half we planned a trip to the tea gardens nearby and Baijnath. We were guided by Thabli Devi. She took half day off to roam around with us and get a car ride. Exceited she was to sit in a car for the first time. It was a bright sunny day with soft clouds here and there.

Our first stop was Baijnath, 19kms from Kausani town. This old group of temples consisting of main shrine of Lord Shiv and 17 subsidiary shrines is build in Nagra Style in 12th century AD. The temple holds significance because, according to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva and Parvati were married at the confluence of River Gomati and Garur Ganga. Situated on the left bank of the Gomti River at an elevation of 1126 mts, the temples are constructed in stone. The temple is approached from the riverside by a flight of steps made of stones.

Driving through cheer and deodar trees our next stop was a local government school. It being a Saturday, school was closed. Slogans, a map of Uttarakhand and one of India and national anthem writen on the walls of the school... The place reminded me of my childhood days.

Then was the much talked about tea gardens and the tea factory The tea produced here is rich in flavor and of export quality. Kausani is the only place away from the traditional tea plantation areas in India that produce organic orthodox tea. This high-flavored tea is exported to many countries, including Australia, Germany, Korea and the US. Quite impressed we were. Picked up few packets of tea from an outlet just outside the factory.

Tempted to go... check out our trip in May 2013 here

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Chakrata - A Paradise for Nature Lovers

I was not very excited to go this time untill Agni sent some links describing the place.

98 kms from Dehradun at an elevation of  about 7500 ft Chakrata is known for its serene environs, virgin forests and pollution-free atmosphere. The town has a magnificent view of the Greater Himalaya and everything around is delightfully green — deodar, Himalayan oak and rhododendron cover the hills. The only built-up area consists of some of the prettiest colonial army buildings, green- and red-roofed gables complete with rambling roses and wisteria. All this was enough to get me excited.

It was a 3 day trip. Going by Agni's antique Esteem. 

The Gang: Agni, Anirban, Manas, Aunty, Uncle (Agni's parents) and me

Agni - On driver's seat, driving the car and the trip

Anirban -  A photographer lost in the nature... want to utilize every single minute of the trip. First one to get up every morning and go for bird watching.

Aunty and Uncle - The most energetic and adventurous couple I have ever met. "Aapki energy se 

aapki umar ke pata hi nahi chalta". They are in their 60s in guess.

Manas - Sitting next to driver’s seat… cute kid supporting Agni in every possible way. The luckiest one to get the most comfortable seat

and Me - Bubbliest of all. They call me 'The Expense Manager'. Whenever camera is spared, don't leave the chance to click. 

Way to Chakrata from Delhi: 

Chakrata is about 330 km from delhi. There are two routes one is via panipat and kurukshetra and the second one from Ghaziabad via Loni, Baghpat, Badaut, Shamli and Saharanpur. The route via Saharanpur is less crowded. After Sahanpur the road has dense forests on both sides. Just before Herbertpur there is a left turn which goes to Gurudwara Paonta Sahib which is 10 km away and is in Himachal Pradesh. From Herbertpur another 10 km and you reach Vikasnagar. From there you start driving in the hills. Chakrata is around 60 km from Vikasnagar via Kalsi and Sahiya. The road is narrow but in good condition. 

Its important to mention here that there is no petrol pump beyond Vikasnagar. One should have enough petrol in the tank to drive about 150 km in the hill. You may get petrol paying a premium at Chakrata but that will most likely be adulterated.

We started on 22nd evening, halted that night on the way and restarted next morning.

Day 1 (23rd Jan '10) - 

In anticipation:  

The most I recall about our journey from Saharanpur to Chakata was Janta Hotel. A nice dhaba with a mango orchid at the back. I was more keen on clicking the old ladies basking in the orchid than having my meal. 

It was a nice drive with smooth roads and a wonderful view of  tall oak and deodar  trees.

This time we had booked a Hotel in advance knowing this place has only 2 renowned hotels - Hotel Snow View and Hotel Himalyan Paradise. Based on the reviews from the visitors we chose the later. 

After a drive of around 6 kms from the main town we reached "Himalyan Paradise". Beautiful place in the lap of nature with a wonderful view of Greater Himalyas.

A warm welcome by Bittoo ji and staff, we felt quite at home. The place looked nice and cosy. A huge terrace in front of the rooms was ideal for basking in the sun in these chilly winter days.We were told that more than 40 species of birds have been identified here. the most common we saw around were brown dippers and tits.  

Rest of the day was spent talking to the locals and planning for next 2 days. Places we decided to visit are Deoban, Tiger falls and Kanasar. 

Day 2 (24th Jan '10) 

Darun Deoban:

Started for Deoban at 8 in the morning. It is some 15 kms away. Fresh, chilly air caressing our faces and bright sun warming our bodies... we were delighted to experience this chillness and warmth at the same time.

Deoban is around 10000 ft above sea level, we were feeling on top of the world literally. 
There is an extensive dense jungle with dispersed villages of the Jaunsari tribe around the area.

With complete silence all around only thing we could hear was chirping of birds. We were lucky enough to get sight of Himalayan Woodpeckers, white collared blackbirds, Brown Dipper and Green Backed tit. 
Milky white snow all around... undisturbed and untouched, we were happy to have started early to view this amazing sight.Uncle aunt chose a quiet corner to sit and enjoy the view, Agni and Manas, excited like small kids... were running around on the big patch of snow, and Ani and me, the explorers, decided to go further deep into the hills. 

Whoa.... what an amazing place it was... snow all around, the deeper you go more beauty you find. There was a place where we could see the foot steps starting from the top of the hill towards deep down the valley... seemed like bear's foot marks. little further point where there is no sunshine, chilled air numbing your nose, fingers and every thing exposed. 

Came back frozen and satisfied.

Day 3 (25th Jan '10)

Towards Tiger falls:

All young folks decided to trek on the 25th morning... early morning. We were all set to visit Tiger falls where we have to walk down 5 kms to have a glimpse of the falls and climb up the same distance. The starting point is some 10-12 kms away from our hotel. Manas decided to give Agni some rest and take the drivers seat now. After crossing some villages and villagers we reached the trek start point. 

We were told that there is a small market where we will get something to eat. But to our bad, there was only one shop there - Chauhan Tea stall, that also is about to be closed because the shopkeeper had to go shoping some stuff for the shop. We took 2 packs of biscuits and started off. 

While we were talking to the shop owner, Anirban had befriended a group of some 6-7 local kids ready to start their cricket match. The self made bat looked like "thapi" we use to beat clothes while washing them.

Praveen, the eldest of all, was happy to accompany us till the falls. Down down.... down we go... Led by the little energetic kid. They are 8 brothers and sisters. He is the eldest.

The walk was a treacherous one down the hill, and could be lethal if one does not watch his steps and slips. We kept walking on & on, but there was no sign of waterfalls.     
Finally after we had walked almost the entire trek, we caught the first glimpse of this miraculous creation of Mother Nature, very nicely hidden from view completely until you reach the exact spot. All the fatigue vanished looking at one of the highest waterfalls in India, originating at a height of about 312 ft. 

The view of water falling from such great height was truly breath-taking. We stayed there for almost an hour, while Ani clicked some pics, Manas and Agni got busy discussing the fall... its source, height, depth, etc. I silently enjoyed the gentle water droplets on my face sitting by the side of the fall. Although completely lost in the charms of this place, we soon realized it was time to make a move and start the uphill trek. If the downhill was lethal for the fear of slipping, uphill was a total nightmare, steep 5 kms climb. 

We somehow managed to reach the top where an old man was waiting  with 4 glasses and a pitcher full of cold water. He was apparently Praveen's Grand father. Praveen had told us that his family would have loved to feed us but only his old grand father is home and he might not be able to cook. His mother had gone to fetch medicine for his younger sister. 

Time to say good bye to the young chap and his grandpa in this wonderful land of nature and manly beauty. I was awestruck by the simplicity of people and nature both.

Koti Kanasar

Agni drove us back to the hotel where uncle and aunt were all ready to go. We got some paranthas packed and started for Koti Kanasar, as the locals call it. Some 26 kms from our hotel. Kanasar is on the Chakrata – Tiuni road. The road was good with amazing view of deep valleys on one side and high hills on the other. 

Patches of snow on the way made it all the more dramatic and interesting. One very peculiar thing about the place... we saw many locals eating the balls of snow. They were picking it up from the ground and eating it. But they were too shy to let us know the reason and it remained mystery as to why were they relishing those balls of snow

The place was breathtakingly beautiful with tall Deodar trees all around. It is indeed nature's paradise with untouched beauty. Some of the trees here as really old with trunk circumfrence more than 6mtrs.
If you are a nature lover like me, do visit Koti Kanasar. Highly recommended!

Ended the trip with Bonfire. Warming our bodies with fire and discussing the trip over moongfali.Nothing can be better.




Way back was as interesting as the trip. Travelling on the 26th of January. A bright sunny day... School kids going to and then coming from school after flag hoisting, A slow day with not much of activity seen on the roads. Smooth drive back home. 

The discussions while coming back were around the destination for our next trip. 


Cost of the trip: Rs1800 per person. Thanks to our efficient 'Expense Manager' ;)

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