Trek - Deo Tibba Base, Manali (May 21/June 02)

Trekking is an addiction! !...Once you do it and you are hooked...Only one needs to go with an open mind..no luxuries / no expectations.....end result is the "immense satisfaction".....people have always asked me, what happiness you get by climbing mountains, not taking baths for days, staying in tents / schools/ dormitories.....I just smile and tell them to experience only one trek...and they themselves will realize...no-one can describe the happiness which we get, but one has to experience on their own ...I manage to do one trek a year...this year it was Manali.....went with a "Zhep adventures", Pune..Trek was from Delhi -Manali - Delhi....My friend (Mukta) and myself booked rajdhani...We both prefer taking a train rather than flying....you get to meet people on the train...journey becomes quite enjoyable...Our fellow passengers were  interesting lot...one family with 3 kids and one guy who happened to be on a trek to Manali...of course not from our group...

We joined our group at Delhi....From Delhi we went by bus to reach the base camp at Manali...It almost took 18 hrs to reach the bus camp...normally it takes 14 hrs to reach Manali. Since the vehicle was a local bus..had difficulty in climbing the mountains.....Everyone who treks to Himalayan mountains..they have only one thing in mind..to see the snow clad mountains and the journey thru greenery / pollution free roads! ! ! the view of the mountains is so magnificent that you feel you are in HEAVEN!!!!!!

Finally we reached our base camp (Prini village, 3 kms from Manali)..we freshened ourselves..had a good dinner....instructions were given for the next camping sites..and the minimal things that we would carrying for the next 6 day trek...

Day 1 of the trek: Thakshak Nag, Arjun Gufa to Tilgan....(10kms)

• reached Sharban temple...beautiful wooden structured temple...surrounded by huge trees..almost 200 yrs old.... en route to Tilgan, via Shuru Gaon..crossed many farms & gardens...plums / cherry / apples/ apricots / spring onion / garlic,/ variety of roses. .Reached Tilgan camp (2100 ft) around 1pm. View of the camp site was superb...all the tents had a good view of snow clad mountains...view was breathtaking..it was worth the trek...we were given a welcome drink , followed by soup and then lunch....food was too good....later there was an net climbing activity followed by tea and snacks.....followed by soup..dinner..day ended with a campfire with hot chocolate....

Day 2 of the trek: Sarra Bhogi (10 kms) (2900 ft)

• started for the 2nd camp at 8am..after a sumptous breakfast we were given energy packets....we crossed mountains / lakes, snow falls, walked through forests....mostly there were pine and deodhar trees... reached the camp around 1pm..every camp had a menu set...welcome drink, followed by lunch, tea & snacks, soup, dinner, hot drinks....it is very essential to have liquid drinks since the intake of water is less as you go higher & higher....and one activity....we did valley crossing...

Day 3 of the trek: Kharimindiyari (10 kms) (3100 ft)

• en route, took halt at a place Jogi dug ...this was the place where people worshiped Bhajwan Fali Nag..This Nag is the smallest one out of the 18 Nags.. Every three years people take procession of the Nag idol through the villages....reached the camp at 12.30pm...every camp was better than the earlier in terms of the breathtaking view.....we did Rappelling...
• Passing thought: do these mountains enjoy visitors???or do they think we are nuisance!!!they need to be left alone???

Junifer leaf

Day 4 of the trek: Zameer (12kms) (3050ft) 

• camp was too good...surrounded by mountains,  water falls.. deodhar trees, bhoj patra trees 9ancient people used their leaves for writing) Junifer trees (used for agarbattis),  .these are used instead of agarbattis at the temple...reached the camp at 12.45pm.... experienced snow fall in the evening..did rock climbing...

Day 5 of the trek: Deo Tibba base (3900 ft)

• this was our last camp site....it is said that gods reside on this mountain..that is why the name Deo Tibba...one can actually visualise the mountain image..it was just like Lord ganesh resting on the mountain.....site was simply superb....one has to see to believe it...one could actually feel the positive energy....we could actually feel we were in heaven....our tiredness just vanishes after seeing the beauty of the mountains.....one interesting observation I made...right from the first camp till the last camp, one  particular bird gave us company ..that was the CROW!!! is that the reason why it has so much of importance in religious rites, I wonder!!!!Looking at the mountains, one is forced to think whether these mountains play any role in protecting US!!!..the answer is YES....they withstand all the seasons... .they protect us from all the natural calamities....it is very essential that we save them...
• .had a lovely time on the glacier.....in the evening it rained heavily...it was too cold.....we actually had to borrow additional clothing from the organizers to survive the cold....

Day 6 of the trek: Ooching Bihai (10 kms) (2900 ft)

• started our return journey...since the camp was at the lower lever, climate was slightly better....did river crossing...could do only half the crossing..was scared stiff looking at the river...

Day 7 of the trek: back to Base camp

• en route to the base camp, crossed Allain Duhagan Hydra power project (192 MW)...
• Pandu Ropa...it is said that Pandus stayed here..
• Reached base camp...

Noticed that all the houses had two horns on the top of the roof..considered to be an auspicious ...and every house had apple and apricot trees and rose shrubs.....

They even have a festival in which they throw apricots in each other's garden....reason being too much apricot cultivation.....

We started our return journey from Delhi.back to Mumbai...was feeling very bad leaving all the nature behind...however was already planning for the next year trek....told you, trekking is an "addiction" ! ! !