Hi guys, I made it back alive! I’m back from the 10-day backpacking trip, and I’m writing this blog post from Hanifl Centre, safe and sound. Let me tell you, it was quite the adventure—tougher than I expected, but the views were absolutely to die for.
Day 1: We drove for 10 hours to reach a village called Khanyasani. By the time we got there, it was pretty late, so we set up camp, made some dinner, and crashed for the night. Simple enough, right? Little did we know…
Day 2: The routine began: wake up at 6:30, breakfast at 7, and start hiking by 9. We walked over 6 miles daily, setting up camp and cooking dinner before sunset. Sounds easy? Ha! I wish. The second day started with a literal pain in the back. My waist belt wasn’t tight enough, so all 50 pounds of my pack was on my shoulders. Ouch. I adjusted my waist belt and that made it somewhat bearable. We hiked to a village called Bhitri and faced a dilemma: camp where we were with an unknown water source or hike another 3 miles where there might be water. As darkness fell and tempers flared, our leader for the day, Nischal, made the executive decision to stay put. Cue a night of Nutrella, rice, and stargazing (while wearing every piece of clothing I had because it was freezing).
Day 3: The worst day ever. Uphill. Sun beating down. Dehydration. Rocky path. And then, the cherry on top—a landslide. We took a shortcut that involved tiptoeing through a landslide area. It felt like every step was a life-or-death decision. Just when we thought it couldn’t get worse, it started raining. We rushed to set up camp, and just when we thought we could rest, wild horses decided to charge at us. Vipul scared them off, but for a second, I was ready to be trampled.
Day 4: Rest Day! Finally, a break! We woke up a bit later, had a nice breakfast, and just relaxed. Highlight? Gourav draining my blister with a safety pin. Painful, but oddly satisfying.
Day 5: Another steep hike. Rain. Lightning. Seeking shelter under a tarp. But the mountains after the storm? Absolutely stunning.
Day 6: We reached our highest point at 12,000 feet. The sun was relentless, and with no shade, it was brutal. Fetching water involved a mile-long downhill trek, carrying heavy water drums back uphill. I nearly passed out from heat exhaustion.
Day 7: Rest Day Again! Homesickness kicked in hard. Missing my family, my dog, and my bed. Reflecting on the trek made it worse, but I reminded myself that this was about stepping out of my comfort zone.
Day 8: We started our descent! Physically easier but mentally exhausting. Slippery paths, unstable rocks, and the constant fear of falling. The highlight? Finding a lake and skipping rocks. I got four skips! Also, I made some delish Chow Mein for dinner.
Day 9: Rest Day! We had a feedback session which turned out to be an incredible bonding experience. I learned more about my trekmates in one day than in the previous eight.
Day 10: We walked down to Raju’s village, Rala. After setting up camp early, we got a tour of the village, which was fascinating. It was a different experience talking to the villagers.
Day 11: The final descent to Kasla, where we hopped on Jeeps for an insane off-roading adventure to Sankari. We reached our hotel, and oh, the joy of a real bed!
Today: We woke up at the crack of dawn, 3:30 AM, and hit the road to Mussoorie by 5 AM. We arrived at Hanifl Centre around noon and finally got to relax.
Phew! This trek was no joke, but it was an unforgettable experience. Thanks for following along, and stay tuned for more adventures!
Here are some pics:
