Travel along to Kaza: Spiti Valley Part 3

"Aur thoda rice doon bhai" (Shall I serve some more rice) was a voice that stood out quite clearly in a quite hut which was almost full with travelers but busy savoring the delicious rajma chawal on a hot afternoon. The only settlement in the radius in Batal called Chandra Dhaba, run a family who provide only the standard basic food to travelers on the Gramphu-Batal-Kaza road in Himachal Pradesh, India. People going along the route stop here as this is the place right at the mid-day meal time in the middle of nowhere and also given that the travelers have no other option on the route. The dhaba is quietly nestled besides the gushing Chenab river and is operational only in the summer's; winters can become unbearable as well as with the road closed it would not have any visitors. The rajma chawal was delicious and was served piping hot to the travelers along with other options like maggi and wai wai (the local ready to eat noodles)

Having started way early in the morning and making our way through the arduous state highway 505, we badly needed a break for our growling stomachs. As soon as one crosses over from the deadly 'Rohtang pass' which literally means 'pile of bodies' given to represent the people dying due to the bad weather trying to cross the pass, you would hit more barren lands stretching miles into the horizon. The Manali side of the pass is pretty green with ambient weather supporting its growth however once you cross over, it is completely opposite with hardly any vegetation around. Though beautiful passes make you forget the pain the journey elucidates, the roads can be a havoc for people averse to road travel!

We start again on our journey after the lunch and a good ginger tea towards the next hurdle on this highway which is the Kunzum La pass, another dangerous road prone to regular landslides and traffic snarls! Atop the Kunzum La pass is an adorable Gompa, blessing the travelers on their way through the pass. Accompanying peaks covered with snow year round is another bliss to watch, atop the mountain pass. After probably 8-9 hours of absolutely no road - just a pathway - one hits upon a tarmac road and the blessings are suddenly all answered!

Kaza is the main village base where we had to reach by end of the day counting on the endless views of the peaks and valleys along the way and a glorious sunset in the Himalayas - trust me it's a blessing to witness one. Kaza is a village with ample accommodation avenues including zostel - which is an economical place to stay for solo travelers and for those on a tight budget. Kaza situated along the Spiti river - we left the Chenab river when we started climbing the Kunzum La, is a quiet hamlet with a population of 3,000 people and most of the others being visitors to the place and is situated at an altitude of 3650 meters (11,980 feet) above sea level.

Kaza hotels for your booking: http://app.makemytrip.com/162tqy-d2
Homestays are also a good option: http://stayzilla.com

Gear for the travel:

• GoPro Hero http://amzn.to/2juGCL1
• Nikon D3200: http://amzn.to/2jEQTH3
• 35 mm Fixed lens http://amzn.to/2iQBr5U

A glimpse of the road can be found in this video, shot during the travel:

  

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.