Brahmatal Trek

A cold shiver ran through my spine as I sensed some chilly air making its way into my sleeping bag. That's weird, I thought. I am inside the tent and completely wrapped up! Where this stupid air is coming from!. Somewhere somehow a cold wave of air seemed to find its way down my ears and spine. It was still pitch dark. I checked my phone, 6am! Woh! Doesn't look like a 6am morning! 2 hours till we start for the summit.

Overlooking the majestic Mount. Trishul

We were at the Brahmatal. Brahmatal is a lake that sits pretty at an altitude of 10,000 ft, nestled in the Himalayas in Uttarakhand, India. Our tent was pitched just a few yards away from the lake. There were only three tents in that area. The rest of the campsites were a little far away. Perfect solitude!

A little stony temple in the middle of nowhere.

Listening to my shuffle and rustle inside the sleeping bag as I woke up, our guide, ‘Nari’ gave a shout, ‘Madam, Chay!’ (Madam, tea). Ah, bless him! Nari was always on his toes, taking care of everything we might need. This is my favourite tea in the whole world - Kadha - black tea with whole spices boiled in it. It’s perfect for a chilly winter morning like this. 

Approaching Brahmatal

It was the month of December, so Winter was at its peak. We had trekked up to the Brahmatal and camped by the lake the day before. Having had the only snowfall of the season, It wasn’t yet completely carpeted with thick snow. Rather, the slopes of the mountains were half snowy with patchy browns here and there. The lake was frozen. A couple of people kept throwing snowballs on the hard surface of the lake in a relentless manner to see if they could put a crack on it. The icing on the lake seemed to be stubborn though. It would only melt for the sun. 😇

The Brahmatal

Our journey started 3 days back. We had our pickup from Rishikesh (another lazy hippie place of my liking!) at 6:30am in the morning. ‘Be ready by 4am, I will be there’ said our pickup driver. Woh that’s some serious pickup time! We called him at 4am - ‘Yes ma’am I am right on my way.’ The morning at Rishikesh was extremely windy and cold. ‘Who knows what’s going up there!’ - we chuckled to ourselves anticipating a harsher cold in the higher altitude. Our pickup car finally arrived at 6:30AM! But boy did he make up for those lost hours! I have never been driven so fast on the tricky mountain roads! He overtook every other vehicle that came in our way and we arrived at our destination an hour earlier than usual! Thankfully we were alive! 😵

The first view of Nanda Ghunti from our base - Lohajung

Destination was Lohajung. This is where our trek started from. It is a small Himalayan village at about 7600 ft from the sea level. It was a bustling village where being a trek guide appeared to be the main occupation. The entire settlement worked towards it - someone worked towards getting the accommodation ready, someone worked with the mules to carry stuff, someone worked to get the food supply in. There was farming being done which supplied food for the trek. Lots of jeeps were around to drive in and drive out trek enthusiasts. The shops had trekking gears hanging from them and a few low hanging tea shops sold simple hilly food,like - maggie, soup, omelette, paratha and my favorite black tea (Kadha). This village served as the base for two treks - the Brahmatal Trek (which we were going to start from the next day) and the Roopkund Trek.

And we set off...

Where trekking is a primal source of income for many of the locals, you could imagine what a loss they might have suffered during the peak of the Covid pandemic. With everything shut down and no trekkers around, they had a tough time and they were eager to make it up now. We talk about our lockdown inconvenience and then I look at these local mountain people. It makes me reflect. One of our trek guides, Ranjeeth lost his job and worked on his house, started farming and put more thoughts into trekking. The local shop owner who made us omelette and tea told us how he returned from the city life to take care of his own people. The local woman I met on one remote mountain path stopped and made pleasant conversation with me whilst carrying a huge load of forest wood on her back. Their actions spoke of grit and survival but they never failed to smile. They weren't looking for sympathy. What amazes me is even after all the hardships they go through (climatic, political, natural, economical, etc.), they still remain the warmest people I have ever met! To an IT professional doing a desk job like me who loses her temper and peace of mind having attended some pointless chaotic meetings, I can only but salute the people of the mountains. My heart goes out to them every day, every time.

I scribbled this sketch thinking of the woman I met on the way. She inspired me. But I don't have a picture of her.

We stuffed ourselves with 'aloo paratha' and started the trek the next morning. The initial few steps are always the toughest. And funny enough, the initial path always starts steep. Weird, isn't it? Few meters into the steep start, I stopped. ‘Don’t tell me it’s only 500meters and I am already huffing and sweating!’.I took off the puffy jacket I had on me and started again. It gets easier as you go along.

On the way to Bekaltal from Lohajung

Another few meters and we crossed the initial steep bit and suddenly there it was! A big proud snowy peak! Our guide, Nari told us, ‘that’s Nanda Ghunti’. This peak played hide and seek with us all along our way. A little further into the way, another snowy tip started peeping. ‘That’s the tip of Mount Trishul’ - we were told. We walked through ridges and open valleys and tricky rocky bits with big bold tree roots jamming the way. The dry December winter made the path dusty and full of loose soil in places. 

A sudden ice sculpture. Courtesy - Mother Nature.

As we started approaching our stop for the night, some white fluffy snow started appearing. They led our way into our first campsite. The first look of the snow is always fresh and brings out the weird funny child in you! ‘Oooh snow! Pictures please!’ To us city people, living life in a concrete jungle, this is a rare pleasure indeed! How I hate cities, ughh! 😓

Approaching Bekaltal - our first campsite.

I put my jacket back on as it started getting a bit colder now and continued the walk with a foolish childish grin on my face. After about 7KMs of easy to moderate walk that took around 4-5hours, we reached our first campsite at an altitude of about 9200 ft.- the Bekaltal.

As the name goes, 'tal' means lake and Bekaltal also had a pretty lake, surrounded by dense trees and lots of snow.

Bekaltal

It was one hilarious, slippery walk down the icy, frosty slope to the lake. Our guide helped us through these bits, showing us how to have a grip on your foot and place it at an angle as you step forward.

Struggling with the slippery snow!

But once that phase is over, it's like a perfect christmas wonderland. What better way there could be to spend a Christmas - away from the city, away from the Santa craze, right in the lap of snowy Nature where the real merry lies! 😊

Bekaltal surrounded by Pine and Oak (Kharsu)

In addition to the Bekaltal, there was another little lake, right in front of which our tent was pitched. Bekaltal campsite was pretty. Many tents of different size and shapes and colours were pitched all around the slopes circling this not-so-popular lake in the middle.

From inside the tent!

An array of long oak and pine trees surrounded the campsite. Oak is also called 'Kharsu' in the local 'Garhwal' language. That’s one addition to my lean vocabulary! 😁

Bekaltal Campsite

As soon as we reached the site, I dropped my bag and sat on the grass with a content sigh. Our guide who was always at our service, brought us a simple, hot and 'oh so yummy' meal of rice, daal and some veggies. This was the staple food for all the five days of the trek. I gulped the whole lot and asked for some more. I loved it. Sitting at the higher edge of the campsite and gulping down some warm rice & dal, I sat observing everything and everyone in the valley below. This is what life should be like. Walk amidst nature in the morning and relax with some good food in the afternoon. Happiness!

Peek-a-boo!

Being in the mountains is funny. It's all hard work during the day and the laziest of time the moment the sun goes down. People start hustling around from the first light of the dawn - running, cooking, getting the mules ready, fetching water, etc. and then the sun goes down and everything comes to a sudden silent stop. With no light pollution around, the stars started popping up in the night sky, creating yet another magic. I had my 'sky view' app on my phone. I took it out to figure out a few constellations on the sky and the star names. The great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn 2020 happened when we were up there. With the app, I could see them aligned right beside each other! We could spot Orion and Aries and beetlejuice and Mars but then my hands started freezing soon. So, I quickly went back inside the tent and straight into my sleeping bag. Goodnight Bekaltal! 😀

Sunset at Bekaltal

Next morning, we started from Bekaltal to Brahmatal. It was another 7KM trek but the views were now even more mesmerizing now. From Bekaltal, we climbed up to this top called the 'Telangi top'. This climb was steep. My tummy roared a couple of times to my anxiety but it was okay in the end. I made it to our first rest stop.

At Telangi Top

From here onwards, the rolling valleys of white, brown and green spread across as far as our eyes could see. It was extremely windy at this top.

Jhandi Top at the distance

We rested for a bit and then continued again. Having already done the steepest bit of the day, the rest felt like a cake walk. Walking over the rolling slopes of the mountains, we could see the very famous 'Jhandi top' in the distance. 

Approaching Jhandi Top!

Jhandi top opens up a panorama of beautiful snow peaks before you. You can see the huge, white wall of the Mount Trishul massif. It's a jaw dropping beauty. Just to the left of the Mount Trishul, stood the proud Nanda Ghunti who had been enticing us the whole way. And between Trishul and Nanda Ghunti, a series of three peaks peaked from behind them. This was called Ronti Saddle. The names are quirky and the sight mind blowing. It felt like - just one big leap from the Jhandi top and you can touch the Trishul. 😃

Nanda Ghunti, Ronti Saddle and Mt. Trishul from Jhandi Top

Jhandi top gave us the first mind-blowing view of the peaks, giving us a trailer of what to expect at the summit! Our campsite at Brahmatal was a few kilometers from the afore-mentioned Jhandi top. Our tent was pitched by a little crack in the mountain that got repurposed as a drinking water fountain.

Just a Sunny Snowy Walk

A few yards from our tent was the famous Brahmatal. If you ask me what was the best bit about this amazing 'tal', I would say, the single tree that perched from the top and had its shadow on the lake all day long! 😇

Brahmatal with its very own tree!

We were at a height of about 10,440 ft. now. As it started getting darker, the cold started creeping in. Our guide and his companion were so sweet, they would bring our dinner to the tent so that we wouldn't have to step out in the cold. Here is a golden tip for all the winter camping enthusiasts - If you stop drinking water (or any liquid) by 5PM in the evening, there is a high statistical chance that you wouldn't have to visit the toilet tent (which is, by practice, always a few meters away - feels like miles away in those dreaded cold nights though!) in the freaking cold nights. So that’s what I did, anyway and it worked! I slipped inside the sleeping bag by about 8PM in the night and stayed there until the morning! It was about -6,-7 degrees in the night. I was wearing six layers and double socks and could still feel the occasional chills with my fingers and toes getting numb! 😬

The Himalayan Folds spread

We started for the summit at 8AM in the morning. This summit was the Brahmatal top at an altitude of 12,200ft. There is an array of peaks at the top which put you on a higher pedestal from where you get an even more magnificent view of a range of famous, snow capped Himalayan peaks. Generally, many people would start for this summit at about 3 or 4 in the morning and watch the sunrise from the top. This is a must if you have lots of snow because the moment the sun rises, the snow starts melting and it becomes difficult to walk the slopes. But when we were there, the snow was manageable. So, our guide advised us to start about 8 in the morning and spend a quality day up at the top. It was amazing. 

From the Brahmatal Top!

We climbed two top peaks that day, one of them being a narrow ridge. The first one with only a tiny bit of space at the top to stand on, is a lesser visited peak. Since, we had a sunny day to ourselves and our guide deemed us fit ( 😉 ), we climbed this peak first. There were a series of huge boulders and precarious rocks at some of the bits. Our guide was smoothly gliding through those rocks as if he was walking on air! Meanwhile, I had to do a lot of circus moves to cross these tricky bits. With a very serious face and holding my breath and gritting my teeth, I, however, made it to the top of the ridge. ‘Pahari ban gaye aap toh’ (You have become one of us, mountain people, now) - Nari joked as we crossed this difficult terrain. Once I made it to the top and looked around, my foolish grin was back again! 😁

Made it to the Top!

We didn't see anyone at this ridge top. Not that there was much space to stand either. Only three of us could stand on this ridge at a time and take in the view. The same three peaks with many others unfolded before our eyes. Mount Trishul, Ronti Saddle and Nanda Ghunti glistened at us, bathed in the morning light. Along with them, others showed up - Hathi, Pangarchulla, Shivling, Chaukhamba. We could also see the Bagchi Bugyal (Valley) and Bedni Bugyal and the Roopkund Trek route from up there. 

From the second peak at the Brahmatal Top!

We got off the ridge and made our way to the next peak. This was the more popular one. Quite a few people climbed to the top here, everyone thrilled at the massive snowy peak-show performed by the Himalayas in the front. It was a treat to the eyes and to the heart. With fresh, cold wind blowing and the sun showering us with photons, there stood a neat 180 degree view of a range of Himalayan peaks, so close, so huge, so fascinating!

We spent a good few hours there, sitting idly, nibbling on chocolates and apples and sipping water and soaking ourselves in this Himalayan magic.

At the Brahmatal Top again!

Being there at the top, nestled amongst these majestic peaks, I realize there is so much more than just petty human problems, how lucky I am to be a part of this cosmic evolution and how spiritual Nature can make you! I sat there brushing my funny philosophical mind and suddenly my phone chimed! My Airtel phone network had been off since I started the trek from Lohajung. But here at the top of Brahmatal, the signal was back and the phone started beeping! A foreign, unpleasant sound - it felt! 😂

While climbing down from the top to the Brahmatal

We climbed down from the top in due course and spent the rest of the day sitting by the divine Brahmatal. If I must brag, I think we found the perfect seat - a flat rock (the only flat rock) just by the edge of the lake. As it started getting darker, we climbed up a little hilly mound beside our tent and experienced the sunset hues. The sun went down and the stars and moon were back again. ‘Need more layers now’ I tiptoed back to the tent to shiver through the night! 

Sunset at Brahmatal

Next day, we started to trace our way back. We climbed back up to the Jhandi top and from there descended through a forest path back to Lohajung. It took us about 5,6hours and we were back at the base. Lohajung with a temperature of about 3,4 degrees felt tropical now! The locals helped us with two buckets full of hot water and we freshened up before going out again for some hilly fodder and an amble. 

The view that stays with you - View from Jhandi top

The following morning, we bid goodbye to Lohajung. Our Brahmatal trek came to an end. It is time to look forward to the next one now!

Until the next one...

Sandakhphu - Phalut Trek

Now call me a savage or an ape but it stifles my breath to keep myself contained within the four walls of concrete. Hence the desperation to make it up with Mother nature. Year 2020’s Covid 19 was the biggest obstacle on the way. A couple of weeks’ of intense confusion and uncertainty finally lead me to the amazing Sandakphu-Phalut Trek.

Sleeping Buddha on the way from Sandakphu to Phalut

I have never really wanted to do this trek because of the immense popularity and the surge of tourists it sees every year. But I realise this now - what a fool I would have been if I never did this! This year was different. There was not a single soul to be seen on the way. Our guide had four of us on his trail and apart from us, I could spot another group of three and that was about it. Perfect!

On arriving at the Bagdogra airport, things started to feel normal. Covid seemed to be a distant nightmare and trekking seemed to be a jolly good possibility. I took a ride to Maneybhanjan where the local Highland Guide and Porter’s office was located. After a brief enquiry, things were sorted – a guide, couple of other loners like me and a ticket to the Singalila National Park.

Map of Singalila National Park Trek Routes

We got into an age old classic Landrover to drive up to Tumling. This drive was terrifying. The jeep road all along this route was steep, narrow, rough and broken enough for an atheist like me to start praying for life. Thankfully, I was half asleep the whole time. An overnight stay at the airport, early morning flight, 4hours journey to Maneybhanjan and then another hour of this bumpy ride to Tumling – nothing could keep my eyes open.

Garibas Village on the way from Tumling to Sandakphu

Reaching Tumling was a refresher. We stayed at the Shikhar Lodge. It was a comfy accommodation on the side of the mountain slope with a view of Kanchendzonga in the distance. You can also see the Tonglu top from here. To our dismay, the fog blocked the view of the mountain peak that day but to my delight, I enjoyed the eerie mystic feeling of a foggy mountain evening. We walked to the top to check out the sunrise viewpoint and pottered around aimlessly along the grassy meadows and few randomly placed stupas.

Greens and Blooms at Tumling

The next morning, we woke up sharp at 4:30 and went out for the sunrise. It was bluish dark and colder than I expected. With locked knees, we started climbing up the road and just then a couple of dogs started barking ferociously at us. We ran back to our room. The guide later told us we made a good choice because that dog apparently had a habit of biting people!

On the way from Tumling to Sandakphu

After a sumptuous breakfast of homemade Tibetan bread, we started our walk from Tumling to Kalipokhri. It was a 13KM walk along the winding roads of hilly jungles full of silver pines, rhododendron bushes, magnolia trees etc. There were glimpses of blue misty sky enticing us with the hidden jewel of Kanchendzonga behind the fog. We stopped at Garibas – a Sashastra Seema Bal camp for a cup of black tea before starting the steep climb up to Kalipokhri.

KaliPokhri

In Kalipokhri, the scene changed completely. It greeted us with a lake (pokhri) that’s assumed to be sacred. Apparently, the tale tells that the water in this lake never freezes, no matter how cold it is. The Buddhists consider this as a holy lake and have a few colourful flags tied along the lakeside with a few incenses filling the area with an aroma. The rugged green slopes circled around the lake. We were chilling by the lake just when a bright ray of sun hit us amidst the otherwise foggy weather. Ah, the sun had peeked, finally, gifting us the beautiful sunset view amongst the green mountains and the white fluffy cloud!

Sunset at Kalipokhri

The night at Kalipokhri was freaking cold. The hunger made it even colder. After the 13KM walk with no lunch on the way, tummy was growling for some fodder. We were staying at a little homestay called Pandim and the owners were the usual warm hilly people. I can’t say this enough – how much I love the people up in the mountains – smiley, warm, always eager to help and they treat you as their own. They prepared a piping hot meal for us. I don’t care much about the taste (it wasn’t the yummiest to be honest) but it was hot, filling and served with care.

View at Kalipokhri

The morning at Kalipokhri was what we had been yearning for - clear blue sky with bright sunshine. I peeked through the window and the view made me jump out of bed with a newfound enthusiasm. We started our 2^nd day of 6KM climb from Kalipokhri to Sandakphu. The start of this stretch was a slow gradient, getting steeper and then quite steep towards the end. But ah the reward!

1KM climb to Sandakhphu

After making it through the final stretch at Sandakphu, we made ourselves comfortable in the Sherpa Chalet – a proper hotel at the top. I was hungry like a hound. I fumbled through my backpack and gobbled down half a bag of nuts, a pack of biscuits and then ordered an omelette and tea and was still thinking of what to eat next! It was pretty cold up here. I slipped under the duvet and sat by the window. Almost knowingly, the Kanchedzonga peeked from behind the cloud just on time. The Sleeping Buddha made its magical appearance.

Kanchendzonga!

We walked half a KM in the afternoon to enjoy the sunset. The yellow orange glow on the snowcaps of Kachendzonga was mesmerising. And this view stayed with us all along the rest of the trek. The next morning when we woke up at the dawn break, the same orangish light reflected from the snow peak. The orange turned to yellow and then as the daylight broke, the white blue jewel of the snow-covered peaks started glistening. It was breath-taking.

The Peaky Horizon of Phalut in the Morning Glow

The 3^rd day of the trek was the longest. It was a 21KM stretch from Sandakphu to Phalut. We started early in the morning. The usual carry on pack on this walk was boiled eggs and potatoes! We gathered some of that from the hotel and started our walk. This bit of the walk was mind-blowing.

On the way to Phalut

I know Sandakphu is probably more popular, but I would be damned if I didn’t do Phalut. You turn your eyes at any direction and its just magic all around. We walked amidst rolling green hills and meadows. There were vast stretches of spectacular undulations with a constant reminder of the sparkling snowy peak up in the sky. On the way, we saw a few local shepherds, a few yaks and also spotted a wooden makeshift room which the guide told us was a cheese-making area. Apparently, they make cheese from Yak’s milk there.

Green zest - Way to Phalut

Our first stop on the 3^rd day was Thakum. In the middle of nowhere, this place boasted of a single forest cottage and a view of wilderness. We had our boiled egg and potato pack and some black tea. After spending some time there and catching our breath, we continued the walk. 

Near Thakum - On the way to Phalut

The next stop was Sabargram – which was at the mark of 14KM on the day. After this we headed towards Phalut. The views started getting more and more beautiful. Our legs were cramping up now. Nearing the end of 3days walk and a big stretch of the day from early morn was starting to take a toll on us. We kept dragging ourselves up and then suddenly a view of the Phalut top unfolded before our eyes. Bathed in the yellow light of the setting sun, the green solid mound of the Phalut top was enticing. This last stretch was again getting steeper, but we kept going.

Phalut top at Sunset

The sun started setting. It was a walk amidst a display of different colours on the sky and on the slopes of the mountains and then gradually it became dark. We put our headlamps on and trudged along. When we reached the top, the dark night with twinkling stars welcomed us.

Horses grazing the foggy meadows

There were only two places to stay at the Phalut top – GTA dormitory and A forest cottage. The forest cottage was already occupied, so we made our way into the GTA dorm. There was no electricity at this place. They lit a single candle in a huge dorm room. The whole area was spooky and to top it, it was frigging cold. I sat in the bed with my hands and feet shaking in the cold and fought hard to keep my eyes open until dinner. At about 8 in the evening, we went out into the kitchen. I was wearing three layers and yet my body was still trembling out of cold and hunger and tiredness. The kitchen felt warm with the oven burning and hot food getting prepared. There was rice and dal and papad and some veggie. I mixed them up and slurped the whole lot in a jiffy. Hot and filling – that’s the only two things I was looking for, I presume!

Phalut abode in the middle of greenness!

The next morning in Phalut was exhilarating. We started climbing up to the sunrise viewpoint at 5 in the morning. The golden glow welcomed us at the top as it slowly started spreading its warmth on the entire stretch of the Himalayas. 

Stupa marking the Indo-Nepal border at Phalut

The Kanchendzonga, Kumbhakarna and Pandim peaks forming the Sleeping Buddha at one end and the chunk of peaks along with neatly shaped equilateral triangle like Mt Everest at the other end with the three peaks of Seven Sisters in the middle created the most exciting horizon I have ever seen! The colours of the rising sun added the extra spoonful of spell to the range of peaks.

Phalut top with Sleeping Buddha at the backdrop

I didn’t want to come back from Phalut. Some places are meant to be stayed and soaked in. Phalut was definitely that kind of a place. 

Stupa marking the border between India & Nepal

Another such place was our next day’s stopover – Gorkhey village. It’s the prettiest village sitting cosy in the lap of the mountains. After a 15KM climb down from Phalut through tricky mountain canopy, the path suddenly opened to the view of this postcard pic village of Gorkhey. 

Glimpse of Gorkhey village before we climb down there

As we climbed down the steps into the village, we could see loads of home farming done at each step. There was an abundance of blooming flowers of different shapes and colours along with different veggies being grown at every nook and corner of the village. The most commonly noticed veg grown was the – Ash Gourd (chalkumro).

Gorkhey home farming !

Once again, the people of the mountains took my heart away. We were yearning for some aloo paratha as the guide had promised earlier. On arriving at Gorkhey, we realised, they were running out of potatoes. To bring some potatoes from the market was a humongous task as someone would have to do go down to the mountain base and get some and then climb all the way up to the village. But as usual the villagers were the sweetest. They did some internal exchanges and loaned some potatoes from a fellow villager to make us aloo paratha! Oh, the gesture and ooh the taste! Melt my heart!

Pretty stream cutting through the Gorkhey village

I didn’t want to leave Gorkhey either. The small cutesy village with a small stream of river cutting through the middle, a wooden bridge across the river connecting the two zesty green meadows, small cottages adorned with loads of flowers and veggies, the tall pine trees surrounding it gave me jelly legs. With a heavy heart, I said adieu to the village only to be captivated by the next village on the way – Samanden. 

Samandan village view

Visit the classy green looks of Switzerland in the Summer and it looks exactly like this not-so-well-known village of Samanden. I could not take my eyes off the green vast rolls and could not take enough of the fresh crisp smell in the air. Along with this freshness, you could also see stretches of corn fields here, making it even more endearing. Damn my limited holidays!

Smitten at Samanden !

Climbing up and down the hilly roads from Samanden, we gradually approached Srikhola which marked the end of our 5days trek. With another 16KM walk on this last day (which surprisingly took only 5-6 hours), we made it to Srikhola.

With the promise of Next time

With throbbing calf muscles, dry and sunburnt skin and a smitten heart full of loveliest memories, I got into a car to spend a last leisure day at Darjeeling before heading home. The hangover of the amazing Sandakphu & Phalut mountains stay with me until the next one…Sayonara.

Savandurga Hill Trek

I checked the time. It was 2:59 a.m. The alarm was due to buzz at 3.00 a.m. Impressed with my bio-clock, I got up to get ready for the cab. Nature’s call is always a trouble at this weeny time of the morning. But c’est la vie. The cab was right on time and so was my friend. We both set off right at 4’o clock for our Savandurga Trek.

Savandurga Hill, view from the side

When we left the city and took a right turn towards Savadurga, the scenery changed drastically. It was a narrow road surrounded by forest on either side and there were no other cars to be seen. Our driver stopped suddenly. “You see there is a bhaalu (bear) standing there?” Eeek! Both of us sat bolt upright and narrowed our eyes. We couldn’t see anything in the dark but just then the driver ran over a big rat and the ambience was starting to get a little spooky, especially with the road signs saying ‘Drive Slow. Leopard Crossing’!  

Whilst climbing..

It was about a 50km drive. We arrived at the beginning of the trail at around 5a.m and started the walk right away. Savandurga is one of the largest monolith hills in Asia. The single massive rock coupled with the darkness and the silence set a unique atmosphere. 

Savandurga Hill

The climb at the very start was steep and the slope ran two ways - downwards as well to the right. This made walking harder. I had my headlamp on. But since we were blinded by the darkness around and couldn’t really see too far ahead, our confidence dropped. We wanted the sun to be up soon. There was a couple and a group of four who already looked like they were stuck. We laughed nervously, discussing ‘what the hell’ but we trudged on.

Boulders on the way

The climb didn’t get any flatter. There were places where we had to go on all fours to crawl up, jump up the big rocky bits, sort of hang from tree branches to get from one boulder to the other, walk in between a tiny gap formed by two boulders. At times, we wanted to stop so much to catch a breath, but we couldn’t because our ankles were precariously angled, we felt we shouldn't stop. 

Hanging off the branch :D

The hill is very bare and has an uneven rough rock surface. The coarse surface is the only reason this climb is possible. Had it been any smoother, it would have been very challenging. Also, starting to climb early is advisable. It can get very tiring with a strong sun directly overhead. The hill looked very brown and bare with a few cactus and cherry blossoms along the way up. I was very surprised to see the white and red cherry blossom trees on such a bare rocky surface! Towards the top, there was much more greenery and we could also hear a lot of chirping birds. I spotted a few chameleons as well.

Cherry Blossoms!

The trail continued to be steep until it got to what’s known as the Savandurga Peak Fort. It looked like a ruined brick wall of the fort. Just before we got there, the climb shot up from an angle of 45 to 50 degree or so it felt like. 

Savandurga Peak fort at the distance

But the most magical part of this was – we somehow made it to the Fort, found some solid ground, turned back and the red sun just peeked out of the cloud. Ah, the timing! We stood there, watching the sun rise over the Arkavathi river flowing across the Deccan plateau before us. 

View from the top

We were told to follow the electric posts and the arrow marks. This was a puzzle in itself! Often, we couldn’t find the arrow marks and the posts were laid out on tricky surfaces at places. It was only later while descending that we realized that there was a much easier route on the side.

The Peak Fort view from the top

We made our way through boulders and finally saw the little white Nanda Fort Temple at the top of the peak. It didn’t look like there was any path to that top. But there was, hidden amongst trees and rocks and boulders. 

Nandi Fort Temple at the Peak in the distance

We made it to the top finally. The view all around was mesmerising. The rocky spread of the plateau with hills, rocks, greens and the river at one side looked beautiful in the soft glow of the sun. We sat there, soaking in the view, munching our summit-celebrating ‘snickers’ for a while.

At the top.

Whilst we were there, this one person came to the top, bare foot. He sat there, meditating. When we began our descent, we started following him as it looked like he knew the route better. It was so humbling to see him, bare-foot, strolling down the hill with lazy effortless steps and a look of ‘nirvana’ on his face!

The Nandi temple at the top.

Anyway, the Saturday early morning trek to this massive monolithic rock came to a lovely end. The descent was not that difficult, and we were very pleased with ourselves. We visited the Manchanabele Dam on our way back and then took the liberty to make a stop at UB City. We were conscious of our smelly sweaty clothes as we entered the big mall, but we didn’t care. I’m pretty shameless anyway when it comes to food. We called it a day after gorging on plates full of chicken and fish and baklava.

Sweat it off and then hoover it up! Ying and Yang, until the next one!