Taking the adventurous jeep safari in the scenic locals of the Himalayas has been the long cherished dream for me. When I was recently invited by 'J. Srikant' of 'Visit Himalaya Pvt. Ltd' to undertake a safari there was nothing more I could ask for. I was supposed to travel from Manali passing though the Kullu valley in Himachal Pradesh to the region of Lehm which is definitely one of the biggest fascinations for the one wishing to have an adventure thrill. The region takes you through the most spectacular mountain terrains, exotic places such as the ancient temples and monasteries, isolated deserts and glittering lakes criss-crossing through the challenging mountain roads.
Manali situated at the spectacular height of 2050 m in the Himalayas is a gateway for the trans-Himalayan highway for the near legendary two day journey to the Ladakh's capital Leh. Manali is one of the most favorable destination in India to indulge in high altitude adventure. During the winters the mountains of Manali remains clad with snow; thus transforming the area into perfect skiing slopes. However in summers the region embellish with apple orchards and all round greenery.
The tour started with an early morning 50 km ascent to Rohtang Pass in the Pir Panjal range. The pass connecting the Kullu valley with Spiti and Lahaul valley of Himachal offers the array of numerous sightseeing places. You will love to take the nature walk along the bank of Dashohar lake amidst the snow capped peaks of mountains. I can never forget the magical spell cast on me by the pristine environs and the mighty mountains. The panoramic view of the pass with its extravagant beauty of the lakes and glaciers was the experience of the lifetime. We were greeted by the numerous glaciers across the pass, one of them being Bara Shigri Glacier which let you witness the solid ice swimming on its surface.
The declivity from Rohtang to the floor of the Chandra Taal affords vibrant glimpses of the valley below. After getting bewitched with the exotic beauty of the valley we planned to move towards the Gramphoo in the Lahaul valley. Gramphoo is a bustling town with lot of shacks offering
momos and thukpa. Here I witnessed the the most beautiful view of the sunset and I captured the moment in my camera.
The next day we moved towards the Gata Loops - a series of 22 hairpin bends loops that take you to the Tanglang La - 17,000 ft pass into Ladakh. Now the climate was getting really cold. But we were enjoying the every bit of it. From the pass we proceeded our journey to the Moray Hills, a 45 km long plateau encircled by rolling hills and spectacular white Himalayan peaks.
Now the Jeep Safari adventure tour to the Himalayas was in its full swing. Today we reaches the Indus Valley - the great river, which was the life line of India for the thousand of years. From here Leh was just 40 km from Upshi. The route now was marked by the high peaks in the horizon and the isloted villages boasted of many white washed chortens, which were built in the earlier times in order to wash away one's sins.
We finally reached Leh. We decided to stop at various monasteries and praying wheels to thank God for the safe journey. I have brimful of pleasant memories for this tour; which I can still cherish.
Aparana Chauhan
No comments:
Post a Comment