When I surrendered myself into the laps of the ranges of Sikkim!

The wind struck squarely on my face, and I knew I was in Yumthang Valley, the valley of flowers, with Rhododendrons all around, And I was all ready to wrap my arms around this beauty. 

Yumthang Valley, Sikkim

The thin branches of the trees was stooping down on either sides, laden with fresh snow. The sky was crystal clear all around, giving me the views of the truest blue I had ever seen. It was like the sheath of snowy mountains rose all around to greet me silently. Yumthang Valley was unfolding in front of me in all its majestic splendour. The mountains were flanked by thick forest cover, the lush green trees were visible beneath the white canopy. Wherever I looked the sheer beauty of nature numbed my senses.

Lachung, Sikkim

Heaven is not the place where one would land when one dies; for me it is that moment when I feel alive and fresh with myself, and Zero point in Sikkim has been one such place for me. I was looking forward with each passing moment to have those fascinations come to realization where I would be seeing the last point for civillians. 

The landscape throughout the journey to this point is mesmering to the core and one cannot be spared with the awe of the amazement that this place offered. Through the curves in the mountainous areas here amidst the rugged piece of terrain of this splendid geographic region and has been a lifetime experience.

Zero Point,   Sikkim

Lachung is one of the remotest destinations in India and offers stunning views of the Himalayan beauty. majestic snow-covered mountains all around that tempt every tourist. It is one of the most beautiful town I have ever been to, which has several streams, peaks, amazing waterfalls and much more on its platter to offer to everyone who comes to this idyllic destination.

Gangtok, Sikkim

The splendid scenic beauty warmly greeted me at every bend on this serpentine road. While crossing the roads, my eyes and my lens captured the glorious view of the majestic Himalayas. I was watching the time pass by me in the paradise.

Yumthang Valley, Sikkim

It is quite difficult to imagine such a beautiful lake cut out of this size situated in the middle of this majestic cold desert. Once I captured the sight of this lake, all my fatigue of traveling several kilometres vanished.

Gurudongmar Lake, Sikkim

The snow- fed milky water of the lake was evidently and clearly visible. To the back, I saw kanchenjunga Range which was encircled all around by snow-clad mountains.

Gurudongmar Lake, Sikkim

Wandering into the Tirthan Valley!

As a kid, I used to look up in the sky and ask for wings to fly up to the mountains and wish they will call me one day to make me feel alive and on top of this world and Today , here I am standing at the top of the mountains and appreciating the majestic panoramic view of mesmerizing Himalayas and believing in a quote that Yes " Dreams do come true". Undoubtedly, I was living my dream standing amidst the mountains, wandering into the mystified and beautiful landscapes, walking into the woods, besides the Tirthan river.

It was the moment when after hoping around the world, my eyes were gazed looking at Tirthan Valley and it gave me the feeling that my dream has been sketched and nature is my artist putting  everything alive right in front of me in more wondrous ways than ever. I witnessed things what ancients would have called miracles, but unfortunately they are not miracles, It was a product of my dream and this only happens when you crave badly for it. Undoubtedly I was just a molecule around those tall sheltering trees  but I am reliving the best days of my life.

There were beautiful clouds below and above me, and there were mighty mountain peaks emerging from those clouds all around. The peaks shining in blue sky among the white clouds looked like glittering diamonds. The view of the large lush green meadow surrounded by mountains under blue sky circling the horizon has put me in a state of tranquility. As the sun started drowning in the horizon, the sky had began to boast of its mystical colours. The beautiful mix of pink, orange and red looked like creating a perfect twilight saga. And there I opened my both arm and took a deep breath to entwine myself with the nature.

Raising myself towards the moon made me to sense the flood of memories which I wanted to long unleash. The cool breeze around the valley lifted me up. I closed my eyes and breathed deep as if I wanted to let myself know that I was finally there. I was in joyous mood for I was living my dream. The feelings kept rolling up and down within me while I was waiting to unleash the memories that I was storing within me. 

It’s not a usual feeling when you wake up to a breath of fresh air gushing through your face after tiring overnight journey in the bus from Delhi. But that was the moment when I left all the fuss behind and entered a different world altogether. What I see is that how tiny place I occupy in this world, and this Tirthan valley jaunt is widely turning me into a storyteller. 

To enter the Tirthan Valley one deboards the bus at the Aut tunnel. Here on, one might want to worry about the world that one leaves behind or one might want to miss the pizzas that fattened the tummy, or maybe one might want to search for networks in their phones, but it’s not for long before one forgets all this. Sooner one finds oneself in the orchards of trees, apricots, almonds, streams of fresh water along the way, and fields lush with the cereals and vegetables that have touched sky high prices in the city where one comes from. The entire route is quite panoramic, with Tirthan river and Beas river flowing along the road. There also comes a point where both the rivers meet each other, and the magical views is a must do when coming to Tirthan valley.

One can do a Tirthan Valley home stay, like at the Mudhouse experiential hostels at Jibhi that I stayed at, a popular mode of accommodation in this beautiful valley. It is like an experience where most of us aspire to have a home in the hills, along a beach, in a remote village, a small cottage with a lawn and a kitchen garden to feast on, an open space for our pets to run around. The homestays in the Tirthan valley offer that very experience of unwinding in a lovely setting as guests to warm, friendly people, who have opened their traditional as well as modern homes to guests. They are scattered in various parts of the Tirthan Valley and they are a great way to mingle into the culture of a region, explore nature in its raw form, and a great option for an extended budget stay.

So this valley definitely assures one to be rich and a free bird for the next few days.

If one really stands for the crazy ventures on the trip one is onto, here in the Tirthan Valley one can try fishing here, which requires taking a permit which costs 100 INR, a fishing rod that one can rent for 500 INR, and tons of patience, most importantly. It took me approximately 4 hours and still was unable to catch any trout. Here, I started from upstream and walked all the way downstream searching for fishes. It took me a lot of energy and patience, but nevertheless, I’ll have another experience to share in my bucket list. Jumping over the rocks, standing still amidst water and watching for the fishes patiently, is worth an experience I gained at Tirthan.

The visit to the waterfall is a must do for all coming to this valley. It’s half a km walk as one feels majestic gazing at the panoramal sceneries, feeling the air gushes crossing the body, hear the chants of the animals and birds around, and moistened one's skin in the water vapours erupting from the waterfall. This waterfall is definitely one of the many highlights of the trip to Tirthan Valley. The magical walk is steep at places though one is bound to be rewarded with the hidden jewel.

Exploring the Tirthan Valley further, there is Jalori Pass comprising of a drive and a trek. The drive to Jalori pass crosses the quaint villages of Jibhi & Ghyagi. Though only 10 km from Tirthan the drive easily takes around 2 hours as there is a steep incline towards the pass. From here one can either venture into the depths of one of the biggest oak jungles towards Serlosar Lake or trek to the highs of Raghavpur Garh.

I ventured towards the Serlosar lake from Jalori Paas, the most amazing adventure is the 5 km trek to this beautiful lake. Serolsar lake is also a pilgrim site for the people local people as they pray over there, located at about 3,050m. This lake offers tranquility and has been known for being the seat of local goddess Budhi Nagin. Pilgrims walk around the lake, pouring an unbroken line of ghee. This is one of the good camping ground with small caves to explore. The area is surrounded by dense forests interspersed with meadows of wild flowers and tall pine trees. 

The next I experienced was the trek to Balo temple which started from the Bahu Village, another 10 kms from Jibhi. Bus services are easily available to Bahu village. The 2 km trek is an amateur level trek, and provides a beautiful sight of the meadows. There are no directions and signs to reach the Balo temple in particular. There is just one deviation in the whole way from where one just has to move onto the right direction. 

On reaching the Balo temple, one can see several small temples with simple yet beautiful architecture and a tree surrounded with some tridents known as Trishuls. It is a clean grassland with a small lake and beautiful sight of the pine trees. One can sit over there and have a pleasant experience of the breeze.

For me to sum up, I would clearly stand right to the remark that the Tirthan valley is one of the most beautiful virgin valleys of Himachal & an amazing destination by the side of the amazing Tirthan river. Treks, bird watching , waterfalls, and a host of other adventure activities are a lot refreshing here.

- Hardik

Towards The Tirthan Valley- A Wondrous Getaway!

Have you ever thought that being lost is your destination?

Yes, I have. For me, the key to a wonderful life is to never stop wandering into the wonders.

The pollution in Delhi was beginning to get to me and I was aching to run away to the hills, breathe some fresh air and enjoy the slow paced life. The traveller inside me was in search of an offbeat place away from the hustles of the Delhi life.

So here I was at - Tirthan valley, the lush green forests, all covered with deodar and pine woods, the best decision I ever took, I guess, while knowing very little about the place, I embarked on a journey to uncover this lesser known paradise in the immediate vicinity of Himachal Pradesh. The closer I got to Jibhi, the fonder I grew of this hidden treasure, unadulterated by the outside world, it still breathes afresh.

Here in the wilderness I dare you, ofcourse with optimistic viewpoint, to walk where you have not yet walked and notice that life is as beautiful as the dreams that dance in our imagination. We don’t have to try in getting anything out of it, because we won’t, we don’t have to try to make use of it, because we can’t. And that’s the point I believe, to just walk, see, sit down, and be. Just be, whatever one is with, with whatever one has, and realise that there is enough to be happy. There is a whole world out there, right outside our window, and we would be a fool to miss upon it.

Mudhouse experiential hostels - Where life gets a meaning. When a housing structure is built in mountains, it definitely takes a toll on the ecology.  This pretty little homestay with an attic room seems to be straight out from a fairy tale book. Since it is not on any of the main roads, it is surrounded by trees and you can easily hear the water stream just behind this homestay. I walked near to the stream, near water, the most peaceful company and place I would ever know. There I sat and stayed, with nothing and everything on my mind, cleansing my head. Nature with its silences as offering, I learned, is sometimes the most beautiful sound. 

Mudhouse has given me memories of lifetime, the opportunities to explore a better side of myself in the laps of nature, mingling along with the alike minds, exploring the parts of self existence, with lots of offerings in form of activities such as bonfire, fishing, camping, trekking, walks and the live music time, amongst many.

The taught have often showed me that great things have to be done bit by bit. Nothing that means anything happens with the blink of an eye--we only think it does. The motion of drawing back a bow and sending an arrow straight into a target takes only a split second, but it is a skill of several years in the making. So is with the life, anyone's life for that matter. I may list things that might be described as my accomplishments in these last few years, but they are only the shadows of the larger truth, the fragments separated from the whole cycle of becoming. And if I can tell an odd-time story, it is because I have spent many years walking-wayfaring-wandering about myself, listening to voices that came not just from the people but from animals, birds, streams, trees, stones, and everything wild.

For nature lovers and art enthusiasts, this place can bring the best out of you as well as enrich you in the most unimaginable way. They also have a whole lot of games in case you are travelling with friends or kids and want to spend the evening playing ludo, jenga or monopoly. My favourite part of the homestay was the fireplace where one could sit through the evenings, curled up with a book or some music.

I was thrilled that the wifi signal wasn’t great because I desperately was in a need of digital detox. I could feel my stresses just melt away and all those siestas, delicious food and restful sleep at night gave me the break I needed. I was happy, rested, satiated and felt ready to take on whatever life had in store for me.

I would suggest to not worry yourself, because as I started walking and kept walking until I no longer knew the road like the palm-lines of my hand, what I realised was that when we walk the same roads day in and day out, to the places in an outside world and back home and we often cease to understand the world around us. It is like walking in the sleep and teaching our muscles to work without thinking. Nature knows the secrets, it knows no boundaries.

The beauty of this property is that it feels like a ‘home away from home’ where you can have absolutely everything you want. The rooms were very comfortable. I was pretty upset about leaving this gorgeous place with all the warmth and hospitality that the host had to offer. 

Rahul and Anu - they stand true to their name 'experiential', the vibes of the hosts and the place around is unexpectedly amazing, the perfect host, very prompt, attentive and went out of their way to make sure all my needs were met. A truly unbeatable and unmatchable experience with the hosts. One is for sure to fall in love with the place and hosts.

I cannot wait to be back and highly recommend that you check out their soon to be opened property in Jibhi only for your next vacation with friends. It was a great place to connect with the fellow travellers. Everything is hospitable at this place and if ever you are around in this part of Himachal, do not miss out on this place.

They say Alexander- The Great slept with 'The Iliad' beneath his pillow. Though I have never led an army like him, but nevertheless, I am a wanderer. During the waning moon, I cradle Homer’s 'Odyssey' as if it were the sweet body of a woman. 

- Hardik