Mission Accomplished: Most Dangerous Road Trips in India

As Robert Frost mentions in his 1916 poem "A road not taken" that the less traveled road has made all the difference, it stands out very well at least in terms of travel and I am glad that I could take most of the less traveled roads in India today!

Roads are meant to lead you to your destination, but there are some roads in the country that provide the most thrill - though dangerous - rather than the destination itself. Heavily experiencing nature's fury frequently, these roads often are termed to lead travelers to their death bed rather than their destination.

These roads are dangerous and tough due to their location in mountains and remote forests with extreme weather conditions, which make them the 'a road less traveled'. Here is a compilation of the top most thrilling and dangerous roads in India and my check list.

All photographs from deliberatecaptures.wordpress.com (My photography blog) and Videos from the Youtube channel - A Timeless Wander 

1. Leh - Ladakh - DONE

The destination has two roads leading to it, both which are closed in the winter seasons. One road leading from the West, Srinagar side and other from South, Manali. Both roads are considered dangerous though Manali leads from the two. The high mountain passes and the steep valleys, one of the highest motorable roads in the world (Khardung La), the rich Buddhist culture and a feeling of being in heaven, when you ride through the passes, makes this ride a truly once a lifetime experience

While planning a ride here, one is spoilt for choice. The Khardung La top, the sand dunes of Nubra Valley, the path along the Zanskar river in Zanskar valley, the Buddhist monasteries of Lamayuru, the high altitude lakes like Pangong Tso, the beautiful city of Srinagar, they all look equally worth visiting.

Best time to go: April to September

Look out for: Acute Mountain Sickness, Dust and Rolling stone from cliffs

2. Spiti Valley -  DONE

The Spiti Valley route in the east of Himachal Pradesh is geographically not far away from Ladakh, but it is not that famous as the above route, however the route isn’t any way behind in terms of the beautiful landscape and awe-inspiring roads. The Hindustan-Tibet highway is the road that leads into Spiti valley and to keep you up on your adrenaline, there are gravel roads which are paved regularly given the frequent landslides in the region. Video on Youtube about the latest trip to Spiti

This drive leads to one of the highest villages in the world. While Kaza, Tabo, Spiti and Pin valley make up for the real wilderness and inhabitant world, the Baspa and Kinnaur regions show a world full of eye-catching apricot and apple orchards added with Satluj river views and snow-capped mountain peaks in the background

Best time to go: May to October, though Shimla side road stays open all year round

Look out for: Acute Mountain Sickness, Dust

3. Zoji La pass - DONE

Zoji La is a high mountain pass in India, located on the Indian National Highway 1 between Srinagar and Leh in the western section of the Himalayan mountain range. Though often referred to as Zojila Pass in the foreign press, the correct English translation is Zoji Pass or simply Zojila, since the suffix ‘La’ itself means pass in several Himalayan languages.

The road is very narrow and easily gets muddy during rains and becomes impassible during or after rain storms. The heavy snowfall, violent winds and frequent landslides make it one of the riskiest passes in the Himalayas.

Best time to go: May to August

Look out for: Acute Mountain Sickness

4. Rohtang Pass - DONE 

Rohtang Pass is at an elevation of 3,979 mt above sea level and is located on the eastern Pir Panjal range of Himalayas. The path is situated about 53 km from Manali and is crossed by Leh-Manali Highway. It connects the Kullu valley with the valleys of Lahaul and Spiti.

The meaning of Rohtang, ‘Ground of Corpses’ would itself suggest a lot of evidence about it being dangerous. The pass encounters huge inevitable traffic jams and is usually open from May to November. The path could be closed for infinite time due to heavy snow fall with inevitable land slides.

Best time to go: May to August

Look out for: Acute Mountain Sickness

5. Khardung La  - DONE

A road that is listed in The Guinness book of world records, Khardung La pass is the highest motor-able road in the world. Local inhabitants and some sources claim that its actual height is 5,602 mt while its actual height is 5,359 mt above sea level. It is situated in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir State in India.

These roads are not paved given the heavy snowfall and landslides accompanied in the region and are slippery due to the frozen ice and dirt mix. The road has a narrow trail with deep valleys on one side. There are steep drops along the entire route and weather conditions. At times, these conditions might be harsh but that's what is called 'adventure'

Best time to go: April to October

Look out for: Acute Mountain Sickness

6. Kunzum La - DONE

PIC CREDIT: KALPESH

Kunzum Pass is another high mountain pass located in the eastern range of Himalayas in the Kunzum Range at about 4,590 meters. It connects the Kullu Valley and Lahaul Valley with the Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh, India. It is on the route to Kaza the subdivisional headquarters of Spiti. For the adventure seekers, this pass is also a base for a 9 km trek to the Moon Lake of the Chandratal from the Kunzum Pass. 

With barely any paved roads, these roads are only traveled on from April to October. Other times it is inaccessible with heavy snowfall and extreme weather conditions. Winter temperatures reach upto -45 deg C with the wind chill even making it worse.

Best time to go: April to October

Look out for: Acute Mountain Sickness

Still on the bucket list are other dangerous roads in India - 

7. Nathu La - Sikkim 

8. Leh - Manali Highway

9. Meghalaya

10. Kolli Hills - Tamil Nadu

Hope you guys liked the list and you too have that flavor of adventure which will take you to these places! Do comment on what you think of the list and if there are any adventures I have missed. 

Adios.

Pangong Tso: Highest Salt Water Lake

The best part of being to the northern most part of India, just few kilometers away from the International Borders, would be to witness the pristine beauty of the Pangong Tso (Lake). Its the highest lake situated at 4,350 meters (14,270 ft) in the Himalayas. Since its an endorheic lake, the water is salty thus making it the highest salt water lake in the world ! An endorheic lake would basically mean that the lake waters do not have any exit or drainage to the oceans or any other rivers.

The lake extends from India to China with almost 60% of its length being in China. It is about 134 kms by length, 5 km at its broadest point and covers a total area of around 604 square kilometers. Despite being a saline water lake, it completely freezes in winter. The 6-7 hours drive from main Leh city to this lake is completely worth it and a overnight stay adds to the worthiness.

We decided to stay back for one night as we did not want to grab only a couple of moments of this beautiful lake after travelling so far. There are camps setup by the local people as well as commercial business men who setup the camps purely during the so called ‘Summer’ of that region which spans from April to late September every year. We found the temperature to be super chill – atleast for us as we have been acclimatized to the ‘hot & humid’ city weather’s. Though there wasn’t any accurate method to check the temperatures we guess from the local people that the least temperature that night was close to zero – accompanied with the wind chill. Its a splendid experience to move from Air-conditioner temperatures to close-to zero temperatures !! The camp was well – equipped to provide us with enough blankets to keep us warm on that cold night ! The excellent food in the midst of nowhere is also a boon !

Images and a royalty free video below.. 

Schedule at the base camp: Spiti Part 2

"Sahab, jara utar jao" (Sir, can you get down) said the rickshaw driver as his vehicle chugged and knocked out on the steep roads of Old Manali. We had reached Manali just a few minutes ago after an overnight bus journey from Delhi. We were blessed as there were no major hiccups in the travel given the treacherous Himalayan roads and our air travel to Delhi shortening our overall travel time to half! After the rickshaw picked up on the steep road, we jumped back in to get on our way to the hotel we were supposed to check in - Dragon Inn situated in Old Manali.

Tip: If you are planning a trip to Manali, look for hotels in Old Manali. Tons of options including economical home stays are abundant. OYO rooms further help reduce the lodging costs.

Once we checked in the hotel, it was time for some good hot water bath and a relaxing sleeping time to cope with our backlogs. Evening is when all were back to their senses when our companion & guide for the trip joined us in the hotel - Motu Bhai, is what he is called. An introduction with him was also a good ice-breaker for all the others too as most of them didn't knew each other prior to this trip. I, of course, on the other hand knew a couple of them given the coincidental meetup on the flight to Delhi. There were a couple more solo travelers like me in the group and all were super enthusiastic about the trip and what we had to look forward to. This was very well explained by our guide, which is here for your reference:

Day 1: Reach Manali and relax
Post the 12-16 hours of journey from your home town including an overnight journey, this day will be to get you to acclimatize to high altitudes. The day is meant to relax and not overexert in any condition. Nearby points of interest can be Manu Temple hot springs, innumerable cafes and their delectable coffees by the river.

Day 2: Manali to Kaza
An early morning start to an entire day's journey through one of the most challenging routes in the country to reach Kaza by evening. This route is filled with scenic beauties changing from the green valley of Manali to the desert region of Spiti and Lahaul. This 220 kms route takes about 10-12 hours depending on the road conditions and comfort. On the way, one passes through Rohtang, Kunzum La pass - both one of the highest and dangerous roads in India.

Day 3: Kaza to Key to Kibber and back to Kaza
Visits to the Key monastery and one of the most beautiful villages nestled in the hills - Kibber are the highlights of the day. This day is pretty relaxed given good tarmac roads for most part of the journey and a scenic village to add to the memories

Day 4: Kaza to Dhankar, Tabo and back to Kaza
The spiritual trip continues with visits to the 1000-year-old monastery at Tabo, followed by a monastery situated atop of a hill in the Dhankar village. If time permits, this day also includes a short trek to the serene Dhankar lake. The day ends back in Kaza.

Day 5: Langza - Hikkim - Komic - Langza
We pack our bags from Kaza and move towards Langza - one of the highest villages at 14,000 feet, a hamlet nestled just below a peak always covered in snow called the Chau Chau Kang Nilda peak (21,000 feet). We move one to visit Hikkim which has the highest post office of the country, hosted by a hospitable family. We move on to the highest habited village of 114 people and visit the Komic monastery. This village is situated at 15,087 feet. The day ends in a comfy Langza home stay.

Day 6: Langza to Chandrataal
This day brings you to the most serene location of this trip - the Chandrataal lake. Traversing through the most difficult roads I have ever been to, one reaches the base camp with tents setup. This is because the area becomes inhabitable for humans in the winter and the setup is only done for summers from July - October, which can be still chilly!!

Day 7: Back to Manali
This day is just includes backing up all photographs and reminiscing all the wonderful memories captured on this trip, while on your way back to Manali. The evening is free for you to visit the amazing cafes. Cafes like 1947, Drifeters Inn and Dylan's are famous amongst others in Old Manali.

To be continued with more magic..  

Journey to the Himalayas - Spiti Valley Part 1

"We would like to offer you the job" said my current boss to me, post grilling me for more than an hour in the conference room of the office! Moving no further into the details, I was all happy to accept that job offer and make a move finally after 7 years from my earlier firm. Once the thrill and excitement settled down, it hit me as to why not take a break in between these two jobs and enjoy a life far away from this regular routine. It had been a long time of service, I deserved a break! Not that I was going to get a long holiday in between the jobs, and also giving a long break would mean a considerable break in the career making it look wild on the CV as well as loss of pay! Eh?

At first it seemed like I was going to be left with no holidays in between the two jobs but with the support of my now ex-bosses, I managed to get an early exit and planned for a complete 2 week holiday. I always wanted to do the Spiti Valley having heard about it from a long time ago, since I had done Ladakh a few years ago. Going to the same place didn't make sense and this was always going to be equally beautiful as the one I thought about when I said 'a break'. Though this time it was going to be different, I was going to do a solo trip with maybe a group of strangers! A google search led me to several travel groups organizing trips in Spiti and the dates that I was looking at were bang in the middle of the season for travel. Crossed fingers, I was worried if I would get a chance of doing this trip altogether.

All said and done, I finalized Incredible Spiti to go ahead with, through their curated group plans and the last one of the 3 group trips that they arrange annually. Though just 5 days to go for the trip, Vishesh, the organizer was nimble enough to accommodate me in the group at the last minute. I quickly managed to huddle up some air tickets and bus tickets to reach Manali, the base location for the trip. Though they were last minute, I was lucky to get space on both these modes.

I got to know that one of my co-travellers of the trip will be on the same plane as mine, but had never spoken to them or ever interacted or for that matter knew how they looked. With all the excitement of reaching a place so serene, I was early on my flight that day taking the aisle seat comfortably. Both the adjoining seats were empty for a while till a boy in his 20s came aboard with his trekking bag. At first it felt that he is on to an expedition with a huge trekking bag, almost on the brink of the cabin baggage size limits, but I wasn't sure. Coincidently, he took a seat right besides me and then what happened was history:
Me: Hey, you seem to be going on a trek?
Him: Oh yeah, to north in the Himalayas
Me: Himalayas? Like where in the Himalayas?
Him: There is some place called Spiti, I dunno, my friend suggested and he is taking me along in this trip with 7 other strangers!

Small world - two travelers from the same group landed together on adjoining seats and we ended up knowing each other very well even before we started the trip! Today, I am happy that I took that decision of going with this tour with strangers - they are no more strangers to me!

Spiti Valley - An Introduction

I am doing a lot of introductions today but it is well worth, ain't it? So let's talk about Spiti valley and how it all started:

Spiti Valley is a desert mountain valley situated in the Himalayan mountains in the north-eastern part of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The name 'Spiti' means 'The Middle Land' i.e. the land between Tibet and India. This valley has small villages based all along the Spiti river which runs along the valley as its spine. It is surrounded by high mountain ranges with the Rohtang pass at 13,054 feet (3,979 mtrs) and the Kunzum pass at 15,059 feet (4,590 mtrs).  The sub-divisional headquarters is in Kaza, Himachal Pradesh and situated at 12,500 feet (3,800 mtrs) - and this was our first halt in the trip of the valley.

Reaching Spiti is not easy - You have to reach Delhi to Manali and then to Spiti valley. The last leg of the tour took us an entire day. In total it took us all the well 30 hours to reach Kaza, the base in Spiti - considering a flight time of 6 hours to Delhi! Within these 30 hours, one has to take care of the acclimatization with well-planned layovers in between these altitude's - especially if you are coming from a low-lying city like mine - Mumbai. I hope my best to accumulate all these experiences in a video for which a trailer is already up:

How and why Spiti Valley?
Having done Ladakh a few years ago I was always mesmerized with the culture and the people in these areas that line up with our neighbor. Also to the fact that Ladakh was now commercialized to such an extent that it feels to be another city, just with the difference of the altitude and weather. Not denying that the superb landscape and picturesque Pangong lake still leaves a mark! Spiti was different and it had come up a couple of times in my mind of picking my bags for this place. Spiti seemed beautiful and also gave me a chance to look at the other side of this valley! To sum up, I brought along tons of memories and an ever-expanding knowledge about his sparsely populated valley.

What do you look forward to?
More information on the travel plan, schedules, contacts to get in touch with and the entire experience of those 5 days in the valley.. Stay tuned and meanwhile enjoy the trailer..  Adios

Introduction

Hey, this is one of the first posts on this blog and would like to take this first post opportunity to introduce myself and the blog purpose. Frankly speaking, it does not take me or anyone for that matter to register a new blog address and punch in a few words for posting on it. It is work of the few who are either idle - like really nothing better to do - or the few who want to let the world know about their thoughts!!
I am writing this blog to support my new Youtube channel A Timeless Wander. Let me just talk a few sentences about me and the channel along with of course, the purpose.
About Me:
Well, my parents decided to call me by the name Chirag and then I also inherited the family surname of Murdeshwar. Yeah, it's a small hamlet in South India and I hope I will bring it to you one day through the channel. I started off using a camera, rather a DSLR, when a sales guy literally pushed his sales effort towards it. That day was a turnaround when I stepped outside to create wonderful memories. Memories that will last forever. Since then, I have a Nikon D5200 with a couple of lenses and a Gopro to support the videos.

About the Channel:
I happened to visit Spiti Valley and the serene picturesque place made me realise that this place is never going to be brushed from my memory - it will always be a reality. Of course, I dont stay there forever but I tend to take off that time dimension when I refer to this place. Time is relative, flexible and according to Einstein "the dividing line between past, present and future is an illusion". I hit upon an idea of a place where I can put whatever I got back from there in the memory cards in an easy and cool looking video for all of you out there! And none could beat Youtube in that.. It makes sure it reaches you in that corner of your world.. !

You are yet to probably visit this heaven on earth and realise that this place is for true.. Earth does have splendid places beyond our imagination. Having said that, the videos on this channel would be restricted to the places I visit and able to shoot for you, unless there are collaborators who are listening to me right now!!

You will find all the details about all the videos that are upcoming or already around on the Youtube channel, on this blog. We will talk, interact and open up the news on this blog. Travel schedules and plans are all going to be up here too..

Stay tuned on the blog and do enjoy the videos.. Adios !!

Channel: A Timeless Wander
Blog: atimelesswander.blogspot.com