Hiking in the Himalayan region is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, and I feel myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to do it. Among the beauty of the imposing Himalayan range, I observed some of the most stunning vistas of the valley. Sar Pass Trek is one of the many famous Himalayan trekking routes. The journey begins at the small town of Kasol, which is located in the state of Himachal Pradesh at a height of 13,800 feet above sea level.
Starting:
Because the trekking route passes through high altitude terrain, I had to go through an acclimatisation programme before starting the trek. This programme begins with a light workout of jogging around an open field, followed by rappelling and rock climbing, which I rather enjoyed. I had lunch after the exercise and then just relaxed and prepared myself for the gala evening.
1. Grahan
The trek began when we left Kasol and drove the 9 kilometres to Grahan, our next destination. This stretch took me nearly seven hours to complete. Almost the entire journey was spent walking through dense forests with the river Parvati by our side. This was the easiest section for me because the terrain is not difficult. The Grahan camp is located near a small village.
2. Padri
Padri was our next stop after Grahan. Because the path is not extremely steep, this is probably the simplest stretch; it took us around six hours to complete. I had plenty of time to play games and bond with my group once I arrived at camp.
3. Ming Thatch:
Because of the steep path, the stretch from Padri to Ming Thatch is one of the most difficult. Our group took eight hours to complete this 11.5-kilometer course, with many pauses. There was a section of the path where we had to walk on ice and snow that was pretty treacherous, and we had to be extra cautious. Our travel was very difficult by extreme weather conditions, but it was well worth the risk!
4. Nagaru:
From Ming Thatch to Nagaru, the road is mostly covered in snow. The air became thinner and I could only see snow-covered mountains around me, but the sense of reaching the highest campsite at 12500 feet was thrilling.
5. Biskeri:
As we crossed Sar Pass on our way to Biskeri, we had accomplished what we set out to do on this day. The ascent is fairly steep, and we had to descend by sliding on the snow. Fortunately, there was no blizzard, and we arrived at the camp without difficulty.
6. Barsheni:
The camp in Barsheni is at a lower elevation, and after a while, we noticed human settlements and a massive dam on the Parvati River. When we saw our sunburned skin, I comprehended the magnitude of our success, and the proof was obviously visible on our faces. On the seventh day, we completed our walk, and I felt a sense of accomplishment that is difficult to define.
I’ve never been so exhausted in my life, and I took advantage of the much-needed rest at the Sterling Resorts in Manali, which is only 88 kilometres from Barsheni.
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