July 8, 2024
An adventure trekking at Kasol, Himalaya for 6 days and 5 nights. It was a moderate level trekking with 42 km which is 13,850 feet. Nishali U, Sana, Namitha, (final year BA), Preethi Imbali (final year BSC) students from Kundapura and Deepanjali HM, Samhitha Ramaiah (third year LLB students), Pooja Raj (Final year BA ) student from Bengaluru have completed this trek successfully and has been certified by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF). This trek was a package by Kailashrath Treks with 30 members including us. Lalit Thakur led our company, who was supported by two proficient and skilled guides. Our trek batch included people from Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab, and Gujarat.
With no network, no vehicle, no pollution, no toxicity, no mood swings, overall no negativity and just us in the mountains with minimum facilities. A little lost, a lot found. With all new faces and with new experiences. All set to unlock a new achievement.
Starting at Kasol, which was at an altitude of 5,183 feet, we went trekking. From there, the second day's hike to Grahan, an altitude of 7,700 feet, began. Set off for Grahan Camp by 8 AM on your walk. The 9 kilometre journey to Grahan took 5–6 hours, making it an easy trip. The path is very picturesque, with breathtaking woodland vistas, and it passes close to Grahan Nala. Take an acclimatisation stroll to explore the picturesque village of Grahan after arriving at the camp. Spend the night at Grahan in tents.
After breakfast, set out for Min Thach camp at 8 AM. The journey includes a modest hike through the Kanwar Wildlife Sanctuary's deep forest, where one can discover the stunning local flora and a few rare birds. About six hours are needed to get to Min Thach Camp. From the camp, you may enjoy an incredible view of the Nagaru mountain and the Grahan valley. Spend the night in Min Thach Camp in tents.
Set out for Nagaru by 8 AM for your journey. The day's journey to Nagaru Camp takes around five hours and is short but steep, going above tree line. The walk begins with a moderate ascent before switching to a zigzag pattern to navigate the valley's steep climb up to Camp. With its elevation of over 3,900 metres, Nagaru provides breathtaking views of both the Parvati and Tosh valleys. Spend the night in tents in Nagaru.
In order to benefit from the hard snow's firm texture, go to the pass by 4 AM. The walk begins with an hour-long difficult climb, then continues for three hours on a nearly level ascent that gradually gains altitude until the pass is reached. Because of the altitude, snow covers the entire trek route to Biskeri Thach. The breathtaking views of the towering peaks of Tosh Valley may be seen from the pass. The most enjoyable portion of the hike is the Glissade (snow slides) descent from the pass. After another hour of descent through lovely rhododendron bushes, you will arrive at Biskeri's expansive, verdant meadow. Spend the night at Biskeri Thach in tents.
A breathtaking view of the towering mountains, pine trees, and attractive grasslands can be seen from Biskeri. It takes around five hours to complete the moderate descent through a dense pine forest that is part of the walk from Biskeri to Barshaini. The trip passes through Pulga before arriving in Barshaini, and then it continues to cross the Parvati River. 90-minute Jeep journey from Barshaini to Kasol. Leave the Kasol Base Camp by 5:00 p.m.
It was not just about the destination, it was all about the journey. The garba dance we did at nights with the Gujrati people, the Jain food we got to eat every day, the games we played, falling down and getting up again to climb higher the hill. Two of our clan members were sent back from Nagaru as their oxygen level was too low for the next altitude's weather. Moreover, the scariest part was me sliding in the snow nearly 80 meters away from my clan. But thankfully the trek ended up with no one getting harmed in any way. This was the most adventurous yet best decision of my life going here. All our hard work paid off when we received the certificate in our hand. Making myself and my parents proud gives the most amount of happiness.