Trekking from Kullu to the Greater Himalayas

One of the treks I did in the Himalayas

I traveled for days up here with a group of 5 Belgian ballet dancers. It was amazing! Going up was super hard work and some of the steps cut into the rock were like they were made for giant's boots. My knees ached for weeks afterwards. We slept in all sorts of strange places, the worst being an isolated mountain village where we got cocky and drank the water and got soooo sick because when we checked the water tank there were turds and dead animals floating around in it. We had put iodine and water purifying tablets in but it didn't make much difference. The views were the best in the world. At one part we stayed with Tibetan Buddhist monks. They taught us mantra and meditation and we taught them breakdancing. Funny! No wonder they call parts of Kullu where I started from 'Valley of the Gods'.

Trekking at Great Himalayan National Park

IANS Jun 18, 2012, 12.00AM IST

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• trekking|
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• Sai Ropa|
• Park director|
• official|
• AUT|
• Ajay Srivastav

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(Trekking at Great Himalayan…)

If you are a professional trekker and want to test your nerves in the rugged and inhospitable terrain of the trans-Himalayas, the Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) in the picturesque Kullu Valley is the perfect challenge for you.

Park authorities say it's an ideal getaway for professional trekkers as it takes one from an altitude of 1,700 m to 5,800 m.

"The park offers a number of trekking routes, but for professionals only", park director Ajay Srivastav said.

He said every year over 1,000 trekkers, mainly from European countries, trudge the park from May to October.

The GHNP, spread over 754 sq km and totally untouched by the road network, has four valleys -- Tirthan, Sainj, Jiwa Nal and Parvati. The boundaries of the park are connected to the Pin Valley National Park, the Rupi-Bhawa Wildlife Sanctuary and the Kanawar Wildlife Sanctuary. The valleys offer moderate to strenuous treks.

More than two dozen trekking routes in the park have been identified and local youths have been trained to assist the trekkers, he said.

Park officials said a trek of the Sainj-Tirthan valleys is quite popular among the mountaineers.

"An eight-day 85-km Sainj-Tirthan trek is both moderate and strenuous", an official said.

Some trekking routes like crossing the Jiwa Nala-Parvati river and the Pin-Parvati pass demand excellent physical health and stamina, serious trekking experience and snow walking.

The Jiwa Nala-Parvati river valley 110-km trek is a seven-day hike, crossing the passes at Kandi Galu (3,627 m) and Phangchi Galu (4,636 m).

Likewise, the Pin Parvati pass (5,319 m) via Pulga is 90 km long and requires eight days.

There are 14 inspection huts inside the park where the trekkers can camp.

Srivastav said for those who don't want to trudge arduous treks, the eco-zone areas adjacent to the park provide a combination of natural and cultural experiences.

"The trails in the eco-zone go through villages and are generally easy to moderate. The treks offer an opportunity to interact with the villagers and observe their daily activities, including weaving, basket making, cooking and farming", he said.

The eco-zone contains 160 tiny villages with a population of about 15,000.

"Generally, Indians prefer to trek in the eco-zone. Around 20,000 trekkers come every year mainly from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi and Karnataka", he said.

More than 50 travel agents are based in Sai Ropa in Banjar tehsil for conducting activities in mountaineering, backpacking, skiing, trekking and rafting for students, families and corporates.

There is no entry fee for trekking in the eco-zones but for the GHNP, Indians have to pay Rs.50 per day and foreigners Rs.200.

Kullu

Heading up the slopes

Higher and Higher