MY TRAVEL IN INDIA, NEPAL & BHUTAN

TREKKING OVER LIPULEKH PASS (5334 m), INDIA – TIBET BORDER

A brief sketch of my travel and adventure in INDIA, NEPAL & BHUTAN

In india, I have traveled to the following states: - Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Rajasthan, New Delhi, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim, Jharkhand, Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram. I have covered these states during several stages.

KARNATAKA

Backpacking

Ø Bangalore - Bannerghatta National Park, Shivaganga, Mekedattu, Pearl Valley, Sangam
Ø Mysore, Mandya & Chamrajnagara - Srirangapatna, Nanjungud, Cauvery fishing camp, Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary, Shivanasamudram
Ø Hassan - Belur, Halabedu, Sakleshpur, Shravanabelagola
Ø Chikkamagalur & Udipi – Sringeri, Udipi, Mangalore, Horanadu, Murdeshwar, Muthodi Wildlife Sanctuary
Ø Shimoga – Agumbe, Jog Falls
Ø Coorg - Madikeri, Abbey Falls, Nisargadhama, Tibetian Camp, Bhagamandala, Talakaveri, Nagarahole Game Sanctuary
Ø Dhakshin Kannad - Kukke Subramanya, Dharmasthala, Jamalabad Fort
Ø Chittradurga – Chitradurga Fort
Ø Bellary - Hampi, Hospet

Hikes & Treks undertaken
Ø Bangalore Hikes – Nandi Hills, Ghati Subramanya, Savandurga (1450 ft), Rangaswamy Hills
Ø Mysore, Mandya & Chamrajanagara Hikes - Chamundi Hills, BR Hills, MM Hills, Gopalaswamy Betta (4365 m), Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary
Tumkur Hikes -Devarayandurga, Madhugiri (3930 ft), Siddharabetta
Ø Chikamagalur Treks
Mullaingiri (6317 ft) - Baba Budangiri – Kemmangundi
Kudremukh Trek (5676 ft) = 42 km
Ø Dhakshin Kannad Treks
Kukke Subramanya - Kumara Parvatha (5478 ft) – Kukke Subramanya = 27 km
Kukke Subramanya – Bisle Forest - Kukke Subramanya = 20 km
Ø Coorg Trek
Thalathmane – Kootuhole – Abbey Falls - Thanthipala – Mukkodlu – Kote Betta (5400 ft) - Mandalpatti Peak - Kalur – Aggimotte Peak - Vanachalu – Nishane Betta(4395 ft) – Thalathmane = 80 km
Ø Chitradurga Treks – Brahmagiri (24 km), Jogimatti, Dhoddahote Rangappana Betta
Ø Shimoga Trek - Kodachadri Hills = 23 km
Ø Agumbe Trek – Narashima Parvatha = 46 km

Tandem Skydiving
Ø Successfully performed a tandem parachute sky diving adventure from 10 500 ft on 23rd November 2003 at Jakkur Airfield, Bangalore, India. The jump was performed in accordance with basic safety regulations of the ‘United States Parachute Association’.

TAMIL NADU
Backpacking
Ø Chennai, Madurai, Mahabhalipuram, Ooty, Tanjore, Hognekal Falls, Pondicherry, Madhumalai National Park
Hikes & Treks undertaken -
Ø Paravathamalai (8 km), Thiruvannamalai (14 km circumbulation), Nilgiris

KERALA
Backpacking
Ø Kovalam, Guruvayur, Wayanad, Mannarkadu, Palakad,
Hikes & Treks undertaken -
Ø Thadiyandamol (15 km, 5729 ft), Silent Valley National Park (35 km), Wayanad

HIMACHAL PRADESH
Backpacking
Ø Shimla, Manali, Manikaran Hot Spring, Kullu, Mandi, Dharmsala
Mountaineering
Ø Successfully completed a 26-day Basic Mountaineering Course during July 2003 conducted by the Directorate of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, Manali, Himachal Pradesh, India. The course included basic mountaineering techniques like rock climbing, river crossing, high altitude trekking, camping, snow and ice crafting and also height gaining to 16,500 feet.

Trekking
Ø Beas Kund and Chamba Valley trekking; Rohtang Pass (3980 m) and Chandertal (4480 m)

KAILASH MANASAROVAR TREK

I successfully completed a 28-day trekking expedition in India and Tibet organized by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. A brief itinerary of the trek undertaken during July 2006 is given below.

Overland Route – India
Ø Bangalore - New Delhi – Kathdodam – Bhimtal – Almora – Dharchula - Mangti

Trekking Route – India to Tibet
Ø Mangti – Gala – Budhi – Gunji (3500 m) – Kalapani – Navidang (3370 m) – Lipulekh Pass (5334 m) = 87 km

Overland Route – Tibet
Ø Taklakot – Zaidi – Parakha – Darchen

Trekking Route – Tibet – Circumambulation of Mt. Kailash
Ø Darchen – Deraphuk - Foot of Mt. Kailash – Deraphuk - Dolma La Pass (5550 m) – Zongzerbu – Darchen = 55 km

Trekking / Bus Route – Tibet – Circumambulation of Lake Manasarovar
Ø Darchen – Qihu – Qugu – Qihu = 35 km

Trekking Route – Tibet to India
Ø Lipulekh Pass - Navidang – Kalapani – Gunji – Budhi – Gala – Mangti = 87 km
Overland Route – India
Ø Mangti - Dharchula – Jageshwar – New Delhi – Bangalore

The total trekking distance was approximately 264 km.

During July 2007, I took a break from work and backpacked to the following parts of India covering a large number of states over a period of eight months.

MAHARASHRTA & GOA

Backpacking
Ø Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Aurangabad, Elephanta Caves, Mahabaleshwar, Ajanta & Ellora Caves, Panaji, Mapusa, Dona Paula, Calangute, Vasco da gama, Madgoan, Kolva,
Hikes & Treks undertaken -
Ø Lonavala, Khandala, Dhudsagar, Ratnagiri.


NEW DELHI, UTTAR PRADESH & BIHAR

Backpacking

Ø New Delhi, Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Allahabad, Varanasi, Gaya, Bodhgaya, Parasnath, Patna, Gorakhpur

PUNJAB, CHANDIGARH AND JAMMU & KASHMIR

Backpacking
Ø Amritsar, Jammu, Kathra, Chandigarh

Hiking & Trekking undertaken undertaken

Ø Kathra – Vaishnodevi - Kathra = 26 km

RAJASTHAN

Backpacking

Ø Bharatpur, Sawai Madhovpur, Ranthambor National Park Jaipur, Alwar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Mount Abu.

Hikes & Treks undertaken –

Ø Mount Abu Walking Trails – Tiger Path, Craig’s Path, Beyley’s Walk, Sunset Point – Sakora, Honey Moon Point – Anadra – Devangan, Bridal’s Path
Ø Bharatpur – Hiking and biking in Keoladeo Ghana Water Bird Sanctuary
Ø Desert Hiking and camping in Sam Sand Dunes, which is part of Jaisalmer, desert national park.
Ø Camel safari in the deserts of Jaisalmer

GUJARAT

Backpacking

Ø Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Jamnagar, Junnagad, Koteshwar, Porbhandar, Rajkot, Surat, Somnath, Gandhinagar, Bhuj, Bhavnagar, Diu, Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, Lasundra Hot Spring, Tulsishyam Hot Spring, Gir National Park

Hikes & Treks undertaken

Ø Girnar Hills, Rann of Kachchh

UTTARANCHAL

Backpacking

Ø Haridwar, Rishikesh, Dehradun, Mussoorie, Uttarakashi, Devaprayag, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Auli, Badrinath, Joshimath, Almora, Jageshwar, Kathgodam and Dharchula

Hikes & Treks undertaken -

Ø Rishikesh - Nilakhant – Jalmil Gufa – Ganesh Gufa - Rajaji National Park – Rishikesh = 20 km
Ø Mussoorie – Gunn Hill, Kempty Falls, Lal Tibba, Scandal Point, Sunset Point, Cloud’s End.
Ø Kedarnath Trek: Sonprayag – Gauri Kund – Rambara – Kedarnath (15195 ft) - Gauri Kund = 35 km
Ø Gobind Ghat – Ghangria - Valley of Flowers - Hemkund Saheb (12987 ft) - Ghangria - Gobind Ghat = 46 km

WEST BENGAL & SIKKIM

Backpacking

Ø Kolkota, New Jalpaiguri, Siliguri, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Gantok, Tsomgo Lake, Nathula Pass, Lachung, Namchi, Samdruptse, Geyzing, Pemayangtse

Hikes & Treks undertaken -

Ø Darjeeling - Tiger Hill (7770 ft) – Darjeeling = 22 km

Ø Yuksom(5839 ft) – Bakhim(9000 ft) – Dzongri(13221 ft) – Thangsing(12467 ft) –Chemathang(15748 ft) – Goecha La (16404 ft)- Chemathang - Thangsing - Dzongri – Chowrithang - Dzongri - Bakhim - Yuksom

Ø Kalimpong – Daelo Hill – Sun City – Buddha Cave – Raleigh – Palla – Kalimpong = 10 – 12 km

Ø Lava – Rishap – Tiffindara – Ladam – Mariabastha – Logeggaon = 15 km

Ø Gantok – White Hall – Enchry Monastry – Hanuman Tok – Bulbaly Zoo – Ganesh Tok – Tashi View Point = 15 – 18 km

Ø Ravangla – Maenam Peak – Bhaladhunga = 17 km


NEPAL, BHUTAN AND NORTH EAST INDIA.

NEPAL

I backpacked across the border from Sanouli in UP.

Backpacking in Nepal – Lumbini, Narayangad, Sauraha, Royal Chitwan National Park, Mungling, Mankyanama, Pokhara, Kathmandu, Botikoshi, Tatopani, Kakkarbitta

Ø Lumbini Park – Biking in the Lumbini Park Crane Sanctuary = 15km
Ø Activities in Royal Chitwan National Park
Biking and bird watching in ‘Twenty Thousand Lake’ = 15km
Elephant Safari
Canoeing and Nature walking

Ø Hike to the top of Mankyanama temple: Abukhairanin – Mankyanama – Kuriantar = 15 km

Ø I biked to the following attractions in and around Pokhara: David Falls, Gupteshwar Cave, Tibetian Refugee Camp, Buddha Stupa, Bat Cave, Seti Gorge = 20 km

Ø Boating and bird watching in Pokhara Lake.

Ø Biking in and around Kathmandu – Patan, Lubhu, Panauti, Banepa, Bhaktapur, Boudha, Pashupathinath = 35 km

Ø Bote Koshi Bungee Jump, Bote Koshi, Nepal – Bungee jumped from a bridge into the Bote Koshi river organized by the ‘Last Resort Camp.’

Ø Trekking the Tatopani Loop: Pokhara – Phedi – Dampus – Pothana – Deurali – Bherikharka – Tolka – Landruk – Tatopani – Jhinu – Ghandrok – Kimche – Syauli Bhiati – Naya Bol – Pokhara = 45 km

I backpacked across the border from Kakkarbitta (in Nepal) to Silguri (West Bengal) in India.

BHUTAN

I crossed the border from India to Bhutan via the Jaigon (West Bengal) – Phuntsoling (Bhutan) border crossing.

Backpacking in Bhutan

Ø Phuntsoling – Paro - Thimpu – Dochula Pass – Punakha – Wangdue – Phobjhika – Trongsa – Mongar – Trashigang – Samdrup Jongkar

Biking in Bhutan

Ø Thimpu – Paro - Tiger’s Nest – Drukgyel Dzong - Paro - Thimpu = 156 km
Ø Thimpu – Dochula Pass (9150 ft) – Thimpu = 60 km
Ø Bumthang – Membartsho – Tang Valley – Thrumshingla – Ura Valley (9300 ft) – Bumthang = 85 km
Ø Hiking: Tiger’s Nest hike to Taktsang Monastery = 10km
From Samdrup Jongkar in Bhutan, I crossed back into India entering the state of Assam.

NORTH EAST INDIA

ASSAM

Ø Backpacking – Guwahati, Silchar

MEGHALAYA

Ø Backpacking - Shillong, Umiam Lake, Cheerapunji.
Ø Waterfall Hikes
Shillong and surrounds - Sweet Falls, Spread Eagle Falls, Bishop Falls, Beadon Falls and Elephant Falls
Cheerapuji – Nohsngithiang Falls, Dainthlen Falls and Nohkailikai Falls

Ø Caving – Krem Mawmluh, Krem Phylutt, Soh Shympi, Krem Dam

MIZORAM

Backpacking

Ø Aizwal, Flakwan, Dampa, Tamdil Lake, Vatawng Waterfall, Champai, Lunglei, Phawngpui National Park, Ngengpui Wildlife Sanctuary, Lawngtlai, Saiha, Palakdil Lake Reserve Forest

Hikes & Treks undertaken -

Ø Hiking in Dampa Tiger Reserve = 15 km
Ø Mount Phawngpui – Trekking in the Blue Mountains Range – Sirchankawn – Vambuk – Blue Mountain Peak – Far Park – Sangau = 25 km
Ø Trekking and caving: Aizwal (Laungmaul Base Camp) – Vaipuanpho – Ailawng – Dialdawk – Nghalchawm – Sihhmui – Aizwal = 62km

TRIPURA

Backpacking

Ø Unakoti, Agarthala, Jampui Hills, Kamalasagar, Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary, Udaipur, Matabari, Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary.