Ravenous Legs

Markha Valley Trek in Ladakh - a trail through the most colourful mountains

2/17/2018

Markha Valley Trek in Ladakh has been one of my most favourite trek, for the most colourful mountains of Ladakh and the traditional Ladakhi culture I got to explore on this route. On one of my initial treks to Roopkund, I had got inspired by a French lady who was trekking alone with a guide. Solo Trekking then became high on my priority list. I trekked frequently since 2013 and after gaining experience with few treks - Roopkund Trek, Chadar Trek, Kashmir Great Lakes Trek, I gathered enough courage to plan a solo trek (with a guide) for me in 2014. I chalked out my route, booked my flights and informed a few friends about my solo venture. As the date came closer, my confidence started building up higher. I also got motivated to climb Stok Kangri in Ladakh, the highest trekking summit of India, after completing Markha Valley. The adrenaline rush the high altitude mountains gave me had become and addiction and the challenge of trekking solo to Markha Valley and Stok Kangri was building on my mind uncontrollably.

Purple and Teal green coloured mountains on way to GandaLa - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

Difficulty level: Difficult
Route: Zinchen - Yurutse - Ganda La Base Camp - Ganda La - Skiu - Markha - Thachuntse - Nimaling - Kongmaru La - Shang Sumdo
Total distance covered: 90 km
Passes crossed: Ganda La (4800m/15750 ft), Kongmaru La (5200m/17060 ft)
No. of trekking days: Planned - 7 days (including one rest day at Markha Valley), Actual - 6 days.
No. of acclimatisation days in Leh before the trek: 2 days
Dates I trekked on: 25 Aug 2014 - 30 Aug 2014
Best time for Markha Valley Trek: July - Aug

Acclimatisation in Leh before Markha Valley Trek

Acclimatisation is the most important part of any trek in Ladakh. When you fly to Leh you directly land at 3500m / 11500 ft. To avoid any chances with altitude sickness, I planned to acclimatise in Leh for a couple of days before I start the trek. The day I landed, I spent some time at the hotel eating fresh apricots and sipping ginger lemon honey teas. I ventured out in the evening to local market to looked around for a local guide. Luckily I got a call from a guide I'd previously trekked with in Kashmir. He was on his way to Leh and wanted to explore the Markha valley route, and we called it a team!
I then headed to Shanti Stupa (not recommended, but I couldn't resist). While climbing the fleet of stairs to Shanti Stupa, I felt dizzy. I stopped, sipped some water and carried on slowly. I spent my night gazing at the sky and being lucky with 3 shooting stars! The next day I head out to explore the monasteries at Likir, Alchi, and Lamayuru.

Shanti Stupa in Leh, Ladakh

Day1: Zinchen (3380m/11090 ft) - Ganda La Base (4540m/14900 ft) : 8 km / 4 hrs

After a 45 min drive from Leh to Zinchen, the taxi driver escorted me and my friend towards the start of the trail and wished me luck. We walked steadily and gradually on the dry trail through barren mountains of Ladakh, curious to find out what lied beyond them.

Zinchen - starting point of Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

I was happy to find a teahouse at Rumbak and few people who were walking on the same trail. I chatted with them while gulping down the noodles and bid adieu to the monk who served me. After a gradual climb, we arrived at Yurutse which had a homestay. We checked with the locals if we could go ahead to Ganda La Base Camp.

Yurutse - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

We found a fixed campsite and a teahouse at the base. I had a little headache when I reached GandaLa Base Camp as I had gained more than 3800ft of height on the first day. I took a tablet with a few glasses of water and slept. The campsite owner woke me up for dinner post which I slept again.

GandaLa Base Camp - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

Day2: Ganda La Base(4540m/14900 ft) - Ganda La(4800m/15750 ft)
- Skiu (3400m/11160 ft) : 22 km / 8 hrs

The next day I woke up fresh with preparedness of crossing the Ganda La pass at an altitude of 4540m. The caretaker at the campsite directed us towards the route and it looked quite steep. The kaleidoscopic landscape with the dramatic Trans-Himalayan Range of Ladakh kept me engaged on the entire route. I was mesmerised with every new colour the mountains showed me.

The very well marked trail led us to Ganda La pass. We celebrated my first feat with a packet of teacakes. GandaLa pass was supposed to give beautiful views of Stok Kangri, but the cloud cover didn't work in our favour.

GandaLa pass - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

The descent from Ganda La pass looked straight forward. After a couple of hours I took a break at a tea house at Shingo village. I met few trekkers there who called it a day at this village and didn't go further. I had planned to walk up to Skiu. The trail was a never-ending stretch and I made it to Skiu just before the sunset. My RavenousLegs didn't want to move even an inch after this and I settled at the homestay. The lady served me my favourite ginger lemon tea that soothed me down after a long tiring day. I woke up early the next day to observe the sun rise behind the stunning Skiu monastery.

Skui monastery - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

Skiu monastery - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

Day3: Skiu (3400m/11160 ft) - Markha (3400m/12370 ft) : 20 km / 8 hrs

After a hearty breakfast, we were prepared to walk for long hours again. I was quite thrilled on this day as I was to reach Markha Valley. Markha river started adding glamour to the barren trail. We crossed the river twice on the bridge and the third time we had to actually wade through the icy-cold river with bare feet. The follow trekkers on the route and we helped each other cross the river.

Markha River - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

Today's lunch break was at the teahouse at Narding village. It was again a long long day before we made it to our destination of the day. The lush green Markha valley looked atleast as beautiful as I had heard about it, if not more. My initial plan was to spend a day exploring the valley and give some rest to my legs. But honestly, I had started enjoying my journey more than the destination. My body and mind was getting used to the long strenuous walks each day. My thighs had pained a lot for 2 days, but after the third day, my body stopped sensing the pain. My legs were used to walking with the pain and we planned to continue walking the next day.

Markha Valley - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

Day4: Markha (3400m/12370 ft) - Thochuntse (4010m/13165 ft) : 13 km / 6 hrs

We spent sometime with the locals of Markha Valley in the morning and started walking again. The route never failed to surprise me with its diversity. From ruined Tacha Monastery (Kunkhan Gompa) to interesting german art of balancing stones to the beautifully carved Mani stones with Tibetan Buddhist symbols, this route had a lot to offer.

carved Mani stones with Tibetan Buddhist symbols - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

I gradually started soaking in the exquisiteness of this side of Ladakh. I started appreciating the little things about Ladakhi people and culture. The ruins started impressing me as well.

on the way to Thochuntse - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

I took 2 breaks - one at teahouse at Umling village for lunch and one at teahouse at Hankar village. I was in no hurry to reach the destination as it was relatively a shorter walk and my speed had started picking up as I was well acclimatised. I reached the campsite at Thochuntse in the afternoon.

Thochuntse campsite - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

Day5: Thochuntse (4010m/13165 ft) - Nimaling (4730m/15520 ft) : 7 km / 3 hrs

Another day of a short walk on the trail gave me enough time to flip over the alluring landscape. I could sit by the pond and observe the yaks graze around me. I could leisurely enjoy the the views of majestic Kang Yatse peak in the backdrop. I was feeling very adventurous to climb the peak as well, if only it wasn't technical.

yaks grazing with Kang Yatse peak in backdrop - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

We walked ahead on the orange coloured terrain towards Nimaling falling for the vividness of the mountains again.

on the way to Nimaling - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

It is extremely important to sleep a night in Nimaling before crossing the high altitude pass of Kongmaru La. The temperature at Nimaling generally drops to 0-5 degrees. I was lucky to have settled in my tent before the hailstorm struck Nimaling. I was enjoying the brown landscape turning into white.

Nimaling campsite - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

Day6: Nimaling (4730m/15520 ft) - Kongmaru La (5200m/17060 ft)
- Shang Sumdo (3730m/12240 ft) : 18 km / 7 hrs

Kongmaru La pass looked easy from Nimaling, but it was a little difficult to climb. It was the first time that I was crossing the height of 17000 feet. The weather had turned bad just when we were 15-20 minutes away from the pass.

Kongmaru La pass - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

I was overjoyed when I made it to the KongmaruLa pass. I had actually made my dream of trekking solo come true! We celebrated our second feat with another pack of teacakes I had kept in reserve for this day.

Kongmaru La pass - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

The descent to Shang Sumdo from KongmaruLa was a little long. But the mountains didn't stop enticing me with the striking colours. I felt exceptionally content on the achievement of successfully completing my first solo trek.

Homestays and teahouses on Markha Valley Trek

The locals in every village or settle on the route have opened their homes to trekkers. The rooms are dormitory style with clean beds and blankets. The homestays have local dry-toilets, common to all. They also serve delicious home cooked meals. The accommodation rates are standard across the valley. There are enough signboards on the route guiding to the homestays in Markha Valley. It is very convenient to break your journey at any of the homestays on the route and walk ahead the next day at your comfort. The homestays also let you pitch your own tent in their camping area for a nominal rate. GandaLa base camp, Thochuntse and Nimaling have only fixed campsites and no homestays.

Homestays - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

Many locals welcome the trekkers to their tented teahouses near their homes on the Markha Valley route. They serve basic food - maggi (noodle), tea, dal (lentil soup) and rice. The trekkers can let their hair down and dry their shoes while relishing hot served lunch.

Teahouses - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

Wildlife spotting on Markha Valley Trek

I was ignorant to wildlife before I started observing the fascinating creatures on the high mountains. Getting a chance to be up, close and personal with the Bharals (Blue Sheep) was an experience of its kind.

Bharal (Blue Sheep) - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

Even the Chukars looked enticing.

Chukar - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

My exposure to Ladakhi culture & lifestyle on Markha Valley Trek

Markha Valley trek had completely changed the way I looked at mountains. Before this trek, mountains for me was all about "Myself", Achieving the heights, proving my strength to myself. It was on Markha Valley trek that I got a chance to live in the authentic Ladakhi homestays with the locals. I started learning about their life which was so different from ours. I started cherishing my simple conversations with them. The kindness that each one of them showed had blown me away. For the first time, I exposed myself to the cultural side of travel, though it was never planned for. This was my first step towards getting involved with the authentic mountain lifestyle, which later became a deeper part of my life. I started living a basic lifestyle in the Himalayas.

Ladakhi lady - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

Tacha Monastery (Kunkhan Gompa) - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

Ladakhi kitchen - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

Ladakhi school kids - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

Ladakhi kid - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

Colorful mountains in Ladakh on Markha Valley Trek

I just cannot get over the psychedelic mountains of Markha Valley! I couldn't stop talking about the colourful mountains to everyone after the trek.

Trans Himalayan Range - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

Golden Trans Himalayan Range - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

Riot of colours in Trans Himalayan mountain range - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

Kang Yatse peak - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

Friends I made on Markha Valley Trek!

I met interesting people on the trek who were walking on the same route with the same pace as mine. We started our day together, motivated eachother, took breaks together, laughed together and even shared tents.

Kongmaru La pass - Markha Valley trek in Ladakh

Everything was just so perfect on this trek. I realised how much I loved my freedom to walk at my own pace, without anyone asking me to slow down when I felt very energetic or hurry up when I wanted to soak in the nature. My confidence grew multiple folds after the successful completion of my solo trek to Markha Valley trek, I was ready to take my next adventure to Stok Kangri head on!

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Paragliding with Nirvana Adventures at Kamshet, Maharashtra - best place to learn paragliding in India

2/4/2018

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Paragliding is the latest adventure I've added on my list after trekking and scuba diving. The thought of being able to fly like a bird in the endless skies had always fascinated me, but also given me jitters. Being an adventure traveler, I started climbing the mountains that covers 6% of the earth's surface. After that I started diving in the oceans that cover covers 71% of the earth's surface. It took me a while to venture into the infinite sky. I had presumed that it's going to be difficult. However, I kept my inhibitions away and learnt to jump off the cliffs with a paraglider.

Paragliding course in Kamshet, India - Nirvana Adventures

Paragliding courses in India

Nirvana Adventures is the pioneering paragliding school in India which offers courses in paragliding following the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (BHPA) standards.. They had discovered an ideal paragliding site in Kamshet, near Lonavala in Maharashtra in 1996 and setup a paragliding school which offers. A few more schools have opened up in other parts of India (Nandi Hills near Bangalore, Munnar in Kerala, Bir in Himachal Pradesh)

Elementary Pilot course (4 days): This course is for beginners who are serious about taking paragliding as a hobby. After this course you will have learnt to take 2-3 minutes solo flights.

Club Pilot course (5 days): This course is for Elementary pilots who have logged a minimum of 15 solo flights and want to fly longer and higher. After this course you will have learnt to take extended solo flights upto an hour.

Paragliding course in Kamshet - Nirvana Adventures

Ground Handling - Learning Paragliding

My course started with theory and videos and I relearnt physics (aerodynamics) for my adventure. How I wish I had learnt all the subjects in the school through practical implementation in adventures! I was then taken to the Ashram paragliding site for Ground Handling. I learnt to use the equipment and launch the canopy. I was made to run multiple times on the ground just to learn to handle the glider. Running into the wind with an open glider was not an easy task and I was still scared to jump off the cliff the next day!

Ground Handling - Paragliding course in Kamshet, India - Nirvana Adventures

Bunny Hops - Learning Paragliding

The second morning I was taken to another site called Shinde Hill for Bunny hops. I soon started taking short flights from the height of 20 metres on the cliff. The instructor constantly gave me instructions on the walky-talky for a smooth learning process. After multiple bunny hops I learnt to take-off and land smoothly. Of course I had my own tumbles and bruises while learning to take-ff and land in different wind conditions. But it started building up my confidence, I had actually started flying smoothly for 30-40 seconds. After each flight, I had to hike up the cliff with the glider for the next one. I had the double pleasure of hiking + flying with this exercise which continued on the thrid day as well and I had taken 9 bunny hops in total.

Paragliding course in Kamshet, India - Nirvana Adventures

Short Solo Flights - Learning Paragliding

In the second half of the 3rd day I was taken to the top of the cliff at the height of 45 metres. The instructor asked me if I was ready to fly from there. For the first time, a cliff looked high to me and I wasn't sure if I would land at the landing site and not on any of the trees or walls around. But that didn't stop me from jumping off the cliff! I learnt to take turns while flying so that I would land at the correct spot. My first solo flight of 2 mins seconds was a "dream-come-true" moment for me. I was a pleasing smile on my face while flying! I practiced flying on my fourth day from the same cliff, completed a total of 10 solo flights under direct supervision and got certified as an "Elementary Pilot".

Paragliding course in Kamshet, India - Nirvana Adventures

Where to stay in Kamshet - Native Place overlooking Vadivali lake

Native Place, overlooking the Vadivally lake in Kamshet, is is the eco-friendly dream house of the owners - Sanjay and Astrid. Native Place had taken its existence even before Nirvana Adventures was conceptualised. It was Astrid's wish of having a home which her kids can call a native place, where she would grow different trees and plants which she rightly feared her kids won't get to see in Mumbai once they grow up. Every inch of Native Place is build with love which is felt in the air the moment you enter.

Scarlet Clock Vine - entrance to Native Place, Kamshet

Native Place is now a homestay with 4 dorm rooms for the paragliding learners who generally opt for budget accommodation, 8 private rooms for the ones who wish to enjoy the positive vibe of Native Place and serenity of Vadivali lake. For the ones who like to camp under the stars and enjoy their barbecues under the skies, they also have a camping ground with tents in the garden.

Camping in the garden at Native Place, Kamshet

A small courtyard makes one of the most beautiful dining areas I've ever had my dinner at. They sometimes arrange barbecue dinner at the roof-top with the view of Vadivali lake. It makes a lovely ambiance to interact with pilots with different experiences. During my visit to Native Place, I met some very experienced pilots from Sweden who travel every year to fly with Nirvana Adventures. Expect some farm-to-table lip-smacking fresh food in the menu. The positivity of this place was so high that I didn't want to go back to Mumbai. Astrid rightly calls it a native place.

Dining in courtyard at Native Place, Kamshet

Astrid has grown indigenous trees and plants in her garden that attract variety of birds and butterflies. She follows permaculture principles to grow organic food in her garden. Take an early morning walk with her to feel her passion for her garden. She served me a purple coloured tea made from a flower called Clitoria which she picked up from the garden during the walk. She couldn't have made my day better!

Fresh tea made from Clitoria flower

Review: Nirvana Adventures Paragliding

I can't thank Nirvana Adventures enough for building the confidence to fly in me. Paragliding sounded as a deadly affair to me until I came to Nirvana Adventures. They have highly experienced instructors trained by the Swiss instructors. They follow high standards for their equipment. They have simulator training at their accommodation. Their teaching pace is as per the comfort of the learner. They would let you take as many flights as you want under favourable weather conditions. Nirvana Adventures would make sure that you return as confident pilots only wishing to come back to practice and enhance your skills with them.
I'm equally tempted to go back to Native Place just for the positive vibe and the garden. I'll surely visit this place often to practice flying and complete my Club Pilot course.

Native place overlooking Vadivali lake, Kamshet

How to reach Kamshet

Nirvana Adventures and Native Place are nestled between the Sahyadri Mountains, 30 kms from Lonavla, off the Mumbai-Pune express highway.
You can take any bus to Lonavla either from Mumbai or Pune. From Lonavla you need to hire a taxi to reach Native Place / Nirvana Adventures. I had driven down 125 kms from Mumbai to Kamshet.

P.S. I was invited by Nirvana Adventures to do the Elementary Pilot course with them and was hosted at Native Place.

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Backpacking trip to Vietnam - Mekong Delta, Nha Trang, Hoi An, Sapa

2/2/2018

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I gifted myself a backing trip to South East Asia (Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia) after taking the bold step of quitting my job as a software engineer. I chose budget destinations for my backpacking trip as I wanted to travel for 5 long weeks, without having any income in my account for almost a year since then. I was very excited about spending maximum time in Vietnam as I could relate the diversity of this country to India. From north to south, Vietnam has diverse landscapes ranging from mountains, deserts, heritage sites, dense forests, river delta, coastal stretches, islands and tropical lowlands. While exploring the rich diversity and culture, adventure was also on my top list. I flew to Ho Chi Minh City and traversed from south to north covering the following destinations:

1. Vinh Long - River Island in Mekong Delta

Mekong River Delta in the south was my first pick in Vietnam after I landed at Ho Chi Minh City. There are 3 provinces frequented by tourists on the Mekong Delta - Bến Tre, Vĩnh Long and Cần Thơ. I chose to explore Vinh Long, approachable by bus from Ho Chi Minh City. A short ferry ride took me to a river island named An Binh on Tien river, in Vinh Long province. An Binh is a beautiful green island, inhabited by the ethic Viet. I stayed with the locals in a homestay, walked around the island to observe the simple lifestyle of locals there and took a boat ride to floating market of Cai Be.

2. Scuba Diving in Nha Trang

The seaside town of Nha Trang was a must-visit for me as it is the Scuba Diving centre of Vietnam. Nha Trang is one of the cheapest destinations for Scuba Diving certification. Being of the prime fishing location, this part of the country is heavily fished, and doesn’t offer great marine life sightings while scuba diving. But since I am already an advanced open water diver, I would love to take a dive in different parts of the world to upgrade my diving skills and experience. I was already spoilt by diving in the islands of Indonesia, Andaman and Lakshadweep. I was very happy to explore the dive sites of Vietnam that enhanced my experience of diving in strong currents. Nha Trang town has a laid back vibe with a beautiful bay, white sand beaches, bars and boutiques.

3. Hoi An - UNESCO World Heritage Site

To explore some heritage side of Vietnam, I headed to Hoi An - a UNESCO World Heritage Site influenced by Chinese, Japanese and Dutch architecture. I had a “love at first sight” affair with this chic town decorated with creative Vietnamese lanterns. It had chic garden cafes serving the Vietnamese coffee, which I rate the best I’ve ever had. I stayed in a homestay on the banks of a beautiful river that runs through the town. A short walk from my homestay through the fields took me to scenic beach with pretty mountains in the backdrop. The boutiques in the central town sold tailor-made first copies of all high-end brands, I was spoilt for choice! The central part of the town has charming cafes overlooking the river where artists play live music under the lantern-lit streets. I someday wish to go back to this town to live there for a few months admiring the beauty!

4. Trekking through rice terraces in Sapa

Sapa highlands in the north was another adventure destination for me in Vietnam. Located in the mountain range close to the Chinese border, Sapa is a picturesque town inhabited by Hmong - the ethnic Vietnamese tribe. I trekked upto Taphin village in the mountains and stayed overnight at a homestay with the ethnic Vietnamese locals, who looked like Chinese as it is very close to Chinese border. The family cooked delicious local food. This is where I learnt using chopsticks as it was the only available option! I had been escaping using chopsticks on all my trips to South East Asia all this while! The family walked me around the village showing me cherry blossoms and beautiful view points in the mountain range. The lady walked me to the main trail from where I hiked down to the town of Lao Can to take my bus to Laos.

Backpacking in Vietnam gave me varied experiences of trekking, scuba diving, heritage, culture, food, homestays and picturesque locations. I haven’t done justice to the country as the country has a lot more to offer than the destinations I visited.

How to Travel to Vietnam:

I had taken the low-cost Air Asia flight from Mumbai to Ho Chi Minh City with a layover in Malaysia. I would also recommend to explore Kota Kinabalu if you wish to spend some time in Malaysia before heading to Vietnam. Budget Hotel in Kota Kinabalu can be booked through reliable hotel booking platform.

Visa requirements for Vietnam for Indians:

Vietnam has Visa on Arrival for Indian passport holders, with a visa approval letter which can be obtained through online application with any of the online agent platforms. Once you have the approval letter, the visa will be stamped on arrival. The agents have fixed application fee, however they can charge a surcharge if you need the approval letter during any of their holiday season (mainly during the Chinese year holiday season).

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A rejuvenating getaway to Thailand

11/5/2017

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Thailand has been a choice for short rejuvenation trips for Asians and long vacation stays for many others due to its warm tropical climate and the energetic vibe of the country. I'm back to corporate-life, this time, working for my passion in adventure travel. I clearly miss those days when I was slow traveling in Himachal Pradesh after quitting my job, but I certainly don't miss out on any opportunity to travel. Travel brings an everlasting smile on my face and keeps me forever young. A quick rejuvenating getaway to Thailand from Mumbai was most welcome to take a break from my work. Thailand welcomed me with enough warmth for that smile! ?

Rejuvenating in the Thai way

The first thing that attracted me after I landed in Thailand was the famous Thai massage. The glow on my skin after being pampered with a massage followed by a luxurious time in the jacuzzi was unmatchable. I was rejuvenated to enjoy my trip ahead.

Jacuzzi with swimming pool at Grand Sukhumvit Hotel, Bangkok

Vibrant nightlife in Bangkok

Bangkok exactly matched my expectations of vibrant city coming out alive in the night. The entire city is lit up to give a memorable night life experience to everyone who visits the city. Taking a cruise ride in the night on Chao Phraya river gives a beautiful view of the city's sky line and the historical landmarks along the river. Needless to say, hop on the bar streets for a few Chang or Singha beers.

Night cruise on river Chao Phraya

Wat hopping in Bangkok

Wat hopping in Bangkok is the best way to feel the vibe of the kingdom of Thailand. It was a calming morning for the early riser when I went Wat hopping in Bangkok. Taking a boat ride on Chao Phraya river is also an exciting way to hop on to the historic landmarks of the city.

Shop till you drop in Bangkok

Having lived minimalistic in the mountains, I hadn't updated my wardrobe in last 3 years. The huge shopping malls in Bangkok offered me wide range of trendy clothes, footwear, bags for my selection. Bangkok would be every girl's delight for shopping therapies. This is the first time I went shopping on my travels and I don't regret spending my time in the malls there.

Shopping at Pratunam mall, Bangkok

Exploring local life at Floating Markets in Bangkok

The floating markets of Thailand have were traditional market setups for locals where water transport was an important part of the daily life. People living on the river side used boats to barter and trade goods. Now, they have become popular tourist attractions, where the outsiders can take a ride in the boat, buy goods and food made by the locals and experience the traditional way of life. These markets sell creative handicrafts, souvenirs, traditional clothes and accessories, food items on their boats. On one of the early mornings, I visited the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, 100 kms away from Bangkok. The long tail boat took me through narrow canals with traditional houses on the sides. I love to explore and learn about the local life at different places I travel to and this was clearly my best experience in Bangkok.

Damnoen Saduak Floating market, Bangkok

Tuk-tuk ride in Bangkok

Tuk-tuk ride was one of the most fascinating experiences I had in Bangkok. Here, high speed bikes are converted into tuk-tuks. I could sit back in the comfortable seats with my legs stretched while the tuk-tuk rider took me around the city. Hiring tuk-tuks in Bangkok is quite expensive, but, highly recommended as it is one of an experience. I enjoyed the ride so much that I kept taking rounds in the tuk-tuk till midnight before I hit the bar streets. Bangkok is absolutely safe for women travellers.

Tuk Tuk Ride in Bangkok

Pampering with luxury in Phuket

After the shopping, tuk-tuk rides, vibrant night life of Bangkok, I needed my "me" time. I flew to Phuket for few days to pamper myself with luxury. Phuket welcomed me with luxury resorts overlooking the tranquil beaches. I could freely walk around this peaceful island as opposed to the busy city of Bangkok.

Amari Patong Resort

Street food in Thailand

I would love exploring the local food served by the locals at any new place I visit. While strolling around in Patong, I chanced upon some fresh street food at the Banzaan market. You would choose your own lobster or king prawns and get it cooked in front of you as per your taste. This place is a delight to sea-food lovers.

Street Food at Banzaan Market

Apart from the quirky food, you can try some pad thai, muslim style pancakes, khao pad, salad, noodle soup, grilled chicken and pork, shrimps and a huge variety of thai steamed dumplings. I found my favourite muslim pancakes cooked by one of the sweetest women I found in Thailand. This is exactly what I travel for!

Muslim pancake at Banzaan Market

Beautiful sunsets at Phuket

The beaches of Phuket turn into fairylands in the evening when the sun sets down leaving behind a riot of deep soothing colours in the sky. Just when you are winding up your day at the beaches after swimming, snorkeling or scuba diving, nature gives you more reasons for admiration. I could feel life unfold as I sat on the soothing white sand beaches during the evenings and enamoured the changing shades of the sky.

Sunset at Patong Beach, Phuket

Sunset at Kata Beach, Phuket

White sand beaches at Phi Phi Island

Phi Phi Islands look glamorous with its myriad shades of turquoise blue waters and pretty white sand beaches. The limestone cliffs and the flamboyant long tails boats in the Andaman Sea adds on to the glamour.

Limestone cliffs and long tailed boats at Phi Phi Islands

Phi Phi Islands have wide range of luxury resorts on the beach and is a very popular party destination among the youngsters. I wish I had more time to spend at this island! Nevertheless, I bid adieu to Thailand with beautiful memories, only wanting to come back again for Scuba Diving to explore the underwater life in this part of the globe.
Thailand offered me a perfect rejuvenating holiday with shopping therapy, relaxing spa sessions, soothing beaches, Thai luxury and hospitality, vibrant nightlife, delicious sea-food and lovely people.

White sand beaches at Phi Phi Islands

P.S. My trip was organised by Getaway Goddess in association with Tourism Authority of Thailand.
My pictures have been clicked by Mohit Khushlani

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How solo driving on Indian highways and Himalayas empowers me as a woman

10/29/2017

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Breaking myths has been my favourite pastime since ever and driving has fascinated me since I was a kid. The first thing I ever wanted to possess after I start earning was a car. As a kid I used to fantasise about owning 7 cars, 1 for each day.
I come from a typical Indian family where my parents wanted me to buy a car only after I get married. They feared me being rejected by guys for marriage if I break my bones or suffer from physical dysfunction on banging up my car.

Celebrating my freedom with my car

After I started earning, I had many heated up arguments with my family about my desire to buy a car. But that didn’t stop me. Some day, I gathered enough money and courage to buy a small hatchback car, just enough for me. I celebrated my freedom by driving it for a week to various destinations before I “informed” my parents about my new possession.
They were of course not happy, but they had no option except warning me to use the car only in the city and not take it on the highways. Little did they know that the car was on highway everyday for the entire week.
I was a social butterfly when I lived in Pune. I had started enjoying my freedom as I could be out for parties till late, without the worries of availability of public transport, I could explore beautiful destinations around Pune on the weekends.

Driving my new i10 to Shrivardhan beach

Breaking egos

I started going out on long road trips with friends. I had to constantly fight the egos of my male friends who always wanted to show that they are better drivers than me, but still, didn’t have the guts or permission to take their dad’s car on road trips. I even learnt to be patient on the roads.

Driving my new i10 on Worli sea link

Taking safety measures on road for woman solo driving

Gradually I got so immersed in solo traveling that I wanted to enjoy my long drives solo. I started taking my car to Mumbai to meet my parents (of course, without letting them know about it). Having driven to Goa various times with friends, I gathered enough courage to drive solo to Goa from Pune. I had lot of apprehensions about executing this plan.

The evening before, I went to a mechanic to understand the basics of the engine.
I got all the tyres fixed and even learnt to jackup my car to change the wheel.
I got up very early to target reaching Goa by afternoon, keeping enough time before dark for me if anything goes wrong on the way.
I drove with the windshields rolled up and car locked all the way.
I dressed modestly on the road trip.
I didn't want to be noticed driving alone. I avoided taking any break on the way and landed in Goa after 7 hours of drive.

Thanks to the low-cost carrier flights of Indian Airlines, my sister took the Ahmedabad to Goa flight to join me in celebrating my little victory of pulling this off smoothly.

My first solo drive to Goa

Making car my home when I lived location independent

There came a stage in my life when I’d taken the biggest decision of my life of quitting my job as IT professional to give myself a chance to pursue my passions. I decided to take a break from work for a year and slow travel in Himalayas. I had started living minimalistic to have the freedom to move around easily. I donated most of my belongings, packed only what I needed into my car and drove all the way to Himalayas. Being location independent, I explored and lived in different parts of Himachal Pradesh. I had made my car my home. All my belonging were packed in my car for 1.5 years and I used them as and when required when I traveled to different places. I had the luxury of parking my home anywhere as per my comfort if I went on any trek or took flights for any other travels.

Living out of my i10 for 1.5 years in Himachal Pradesh

Solo driving in Himalayas

Once I realised my capabilities, I never wanted to stop. For my first drive to Himalayas, I had a guy by my side, to pacify my parents. The sheer hate of being dependent on anyone for my needs lead to me driving solo in the mountains. I still remember the day when I had encountered a huge bus on a single lane road with a steep valley on my side. I completely froze with the sight of valley on my side. I tried to reverse my car to give way to the bus, but I was just too scared, I requested the driver to reverse the bus and give me way. I practised and perfected those narrow roads looking down the valley where I didn't want to encounter any bus, and those sharp blind turns and got very comfortable with the scary sounding drives in the mountains. I traveled extensively in Himachal Pradesh and moved my base to 3-4 different places. I drove frequently to Delhi from Himachal Pradesh whenever I had to take flights to go to another destination. After living in Himalayas for 1.5 years, when I had to move to Mumbai to take up a job in adventure travel, I drove solo all the way from Tirthan Valley (Himachal Pradesh) to Mumbai covering 2000 km in 3 days, making sure I end my drive before dark everyday.

Off-roading my i10 in Himalayas

Feeling empowered as a woman while driving solo

Each time I took my car off on long road trips in the mountains, I felt intensely empowered. The feeling of being able to do something that every female is stopped from, made me bolder with each drive of mine. I eventually started getting comfortable with roads and people in Himachal Pradesh. I no longer felt worried if I had to take food and pee breaks on the way. I started off-roading my i10. I even learnt to drive my i10 on the snow-covered roads. My adventures of solo drives helped me build my confidence on many other things in life. I have never observed any female driving on the highways. And I feel glad I could break this myth in my own head.

Driving my i10 on the snow

Encouraging woman empowerment

The locals in the mountains trusted me with their sisters and wives whenever they needed a lift. The local community where women were never exposed to the idea of going out without any male, got comfortable in sending their ladies with me on short trips as well. Few mothers were happy sending their daughters with me on my morning jogs. The lady from my local family in Tirthan Valley would proudly tell me, “You can fail all men with your driving”. I would always consult the man in the family before taking my car on any new road to which he would say, “You have driven in entire India alone, why should you be scared of the roads here?”
My friends' parents and my relatives started trusting me with their daughters for any drive on highways. I wish they start trusting their own daughters someday.
My parents too have stopped questioning me and started showing confidence in my driving on seeing me safe and sound after my solo drives.

My sweetheart i10 has been the best travel companion of mine. Buying a car was one of the best decisions of my life. My car has seen places with me and I feel blessed to have taken those chances which I didn't want to regret later.

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Road trip to explore Konkan beaches of Maharashtra

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Beautiful weekend destinations and adventures near Mumbai / Pune

10/25/2017

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Weekend getaways & adventures from Mumbai & Pune are most sought after by the corporate-infested city dwellers. Apart from its romantic weather, Pune had attracted me towards it by promising me a lifestyle I choose for myself. It had everything to offer from work opportunities, sports, dance, music, nightlife, friends, outdoor adventures. Having lived in Pune and Mumbai, I’ve had the chance to explore many destinations and adventures in the western ghats over weekends. Maharahstra’s long Konkan coastline hidden behind the Sahyadri range makes diversified landscapes. Monsoon and post monsoon are my favourite seasons to travel in this region as the clouds come down to kiss the lush green mountain range and beautiful streams of water adorn these mountains by making their way through them.

1. Kaas Plateau - Valley of Flowers

Kaas Plateau is Maharashtra’s very own valley of flowers. With over 850 varieties of flowers that bloom in the area of 10 sq. kms. across seasons, this biodiversity hotspot boasts as UNESCO World Heritage Natural Site. The most colourful site in the Sahyadris is full-blown right after the monsoons, towards the end of September. Located around 125km from Pune and 280 kms from Mumbai, towards Satara, Kass Plateau also known as Kaas Patthar in local language is a perfect weekend destination. Along with the valley of flowers, you can enjoy your time at the Thosegar waterfall and camp at the Kaas lake. Kaas Plateau is home to many endangered specie and it is responsibility of every visitor to protect them and avoid extinction.

Kaas Plateau / Kaas Patthar - Valley of Flowers

2. Hike to Lohagad Fort

One of the most popular monsoon destinations of Maharashtra is Lohagad Fort. Nature lovers of all ages from kids to senior citizens, are found hiking up to the beautiful fort on monsoon weekends. It is approachable from station called Malavali on Lonavala train route. You can start walking from the station itself, either by following the crowd or by asking the directions from locals. A simple hike of couple of hours takes you to the fort. Climb the stairs of the fort to get the beautiful top view of the fort. A further hike to the scorpion tail gives breathtaking views of the Sahyadri range. Carry enough rain covers if you are hiking in monsoons. On return, you can stop for home cooked local maharashtrian meal - zunka bhakhari and mutton. The residents of villages on the route serve food in their own homes. It is a short and sweet hike of half a day. You can choose to spend the rest of your weekend at Aamby Valley near Lonavla.

Hike to Lohagad Fort

3. Waterfall rappelling in Igatpuri

I had one of the most memorable experiences on monsoons in Sahyadris, when I had gone for waterfall rappelling. It is 15-20 minutes activity where you hike up to the waterfall from the backside and descend through the waterfall. There are climbing experts who organise these activities in monsoons when the waterfalls are in their best forms. It is quite challenging to navigate through the heavy fall of water when the rocks are slippery and the only sound you hear is that of the gushing waterfall. Vihigaon in Igatpuri has one of the best waterfalls suitable for rappelling.

Waterfall rappelling in Igatpuri

4. Trek to Rajmachi

Trekking in Sahyadris is a very popular activity in the monsoons. Rajmachi fort is one of the many historical forts in the Sahyadris. Rajmachi Fort consists of twin fortresses of Shriwardhan and Manaranjan. The hiking route to Rajmachi starts from Lonavla. It is very picturesque route and can be ideally done in 2 days. You can hike on 1st day, spend the night at one of the homestay on the top, explore the forts and descend the next day. The best attraction of the Rajmachi trek is the waterfall. The pair of waterfalls are one of the pristine falls I’ve ever seen.

Rajmachi waterfall

5. Camping in western ghats

Western Ghats make the best camping grounds for some fun-filled weekend. On one such monsoon weekends, I went on a long drive with my friends towards Tapola lake, found a perfect spot, pitched my tent and spent the evening witnessing the changing colours of the sky. We kept chatting for the entire night as we heard the rain pitter-patter on the roof of the tent. It was a great way to connect with my best buddies, as we were completely disconnected from everything else for the entire weekend.

Camping in Sahyadris

6. Drive to Konkan Beaches

I have made umpteen trips to the diverse stretches of Konkan beaches in Maharashtra - Kashid, Harihareshwar, Dapoli, Guhagar, Ratnagiri, Ganpatipule, Malvan, each offering its own uniqueness. While exploring the stretches, I’ve come across some pristine beaches which are unbelievable beautiful. Some beaches were so desolate that I could take my car to the beaches and drive through the splashing waves that were softly dousing the beach. Most of these beaches don’t have any fancy cafes or shacks. The offer very basic food and accommodation options and thats what helps them remain pristine.

Drive to Konkan beaches - Dapoli

7. Paragliding in Panchgani / Kamshet

I had my first paragliding flight in Panchgani, my first ever experience of spreading my wings and flying like a bird. The trained pilots take you on a tandem flight over the beautiful valley. It feels heavenly to appreciate the beauty of mother earth from 1000 feet high. The paragliding courses at Panchgani and Kamshet are already tempting me to learn to glide on my own.

Paragliding in Panchgani

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Exploring Konkan Beaches of Maharashtra

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Handy guide to Everest Base Camp Trek in Nepal

10/10/2017

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Everest Base Camp is the most popular trek in the world. The trekking route to Everest Base Camp is very well marked and well facilitated. Many companies organise Everest Base Camp trek, however this trek can be attempted as a self-supported trek or solo trek if you are an experienced trekker.

Route to Everest Base Camp:

The 12-day itinerary is generally the standard route followed for trekking to Everest Base Camp. This route ensures you gain height gradually to reduce the chances altitude sickness.

Day 01: Fly to Lukla (2800m) and Trek to Phakding (2660m) - 6 kms, 3 hours.
Day 02: Trek to Namche Bazaar (3440m) - 13 kms, 7 hours.
Day 03: Rest and acclimatization day at Namche Bazaar.
Day 04: Trek to Tengboche (3870m) - 11 kms, 6 hours
Day 05: Trek to Pheriche (4200m) or Dingboche (4410m) - 9kms, 5 hours.
Day 06: Rest and acclimatization day at Pheriche / Dingboche.
Day 07: Trek to Lobuche (4910m), 7 kms, 5 hours.
Day 08: Trek to Gorakshep (5160m) - 4.3 kms, 3 hours
Trek to EBC (5364m) - 3.7 kms, 2 hours and back to Gorakhshep 1 hours
Day 09: Steep ascend to Kalapatthar (5555m) - 2.4 kms, 2 hours and back to Gorakhshep 1 hour,
Trek to Pheriche / Dingboche - 11.3 kms, 5 hours.
Day 10: Trek to Namche Bazar (3440m) - 20 kms, 7 hours.
Day 11: Trek to Lukla (2800m) - 19 kms, 8 hours
Day 12: Fly from Lukla to Kathmandu

However, if you are already acclimatised (if you have done another high altitude trek just before attempting EBC), you can cut down on the acclimatisation days and can walk longer hours in the initial days. You can complete the trek in 5-6 days too, depending on your fitness, but be very careful when you choose to do this.

Also, keep 2-3 days extra when you plan Everest Base Camp Trek, as the flights to and fro Lukla are subject to weather conditions. The flights get delayed and cancelled very frequently.

Route to Everest Base Camp

Difficulty Level of Everest Base Camp Trek

Difficult. The maximum height on this trek is 5360m for EBC and 5555m for Kala Patthar. These heights are not to be taken light. EBC is a long route and the hike to Kala Patthar is quite steep.
I would not recommend EBC trek for first time trekkers. Ideally one should have experienced 4500m to 5000m high-altitude treks before attempting Everest Base Camp.

Steep hike to Kala Patthar at 5555m

Physical fitness required for Everest Base Camp Trek

Everest Base Camp Trek can get very exhaustive even for the seasoned trekkers, as one needs to walk very long distances everyday. Each day will take you through continuous ascends and descends before you reach your destination for the day.
It is advisable to follow regular workout routines including heavy cardio and strengthening for 1-2 months before the trek.

Best time to trek to Everest Base Camp

April-May and October-November is considered to be the prime trekking season for EBC when the skies are generally clear and the views are fantastic.
If you want to avoid the crowd, you can consider trekking in late March, early June and early December. The weather might not be the best then, but it could be the best bet if you want to enjoy your "ME" time in the mountains.

Candid moments with the mountains on way to Lobuche, Everest Base Camp trek

Accommodation on Everest Base Camp Trek

There are countless tea houses on the EBC route. You will find tea houses at intermediate locations too. You can conveniently walk till your body allows you to, and the moment you want to stop, you should be able to find a tea house around.
The tea houses have single and double rooms with shared toilets and shower rooms and are available for NPR 250-500. These cheap rates come with a condition that you need to buy your meals in their restaurant. If you don't, they can charge you higher.
The tea houses have their own charges for hot shower, drinking water, wi-fi and charging and are very strict about all of it.

Amongst all these tea houses, there exists a chain of Lodges "Everest INN - Your Home in the Himalaya". They are currently operational in Lukla (Shangri-La), Phakding (Sherpa Eco-Home), Namche Bazaar (Hotel Everest) and Pheriche (White Yak) and are trying to mark their presence at other locations too. I found Everest INN to be the best lodges on the entire route as they lived upto their tagline of "Your Home in the Himalaya".

They don't charge extra for hot shower, drinking water and charging the gadgets.
The wi-fi rates are very nominal compared to the other lodges.
They provide fresh and healthy food with good portion size. It is a very important criteria as many restaurants on EBC disregard the fact that trekkers need fresh food to keep in good health. I had seen many trekkers falling ill due to stale food they had taken on their way.
More importantly, the hosts and managers at these lodges welcome you with the widest smiles and actually make you feel at home. They go out of their way to cater to the need of their clients - a very rare attitude on the EBC route.
Sherpa Eco-Home at Phakding has charging points even in the room, Hotel Everest at Namche Bazaar has attached toilets, White Yak at Pheriche has a sun-room which keeps you warm in the low temperatures, Shangri-La at Lukla is located right in front of the runway which gives you fantastic views of the flights landing and taking off.

Everest Inn - White Yak Lodge & Restaurant with sun room, Pheriche

Everest Inn - Room with attached toilet at Hotel Everest, Namche Bazaar

Food at tea houses on Everest Base Camp Trek

This could be one of the treks where it might get difficult for you to lose calories even when you walk more than 100 kms. The tea houses on Everest Base Camp route have proper restaurants with multi cuisine menus menus offer burgers, pizzas, parathas, daal bhat, macaroni, rosti, steaks, sizzlers, chowmein, choupsey, soups, salads and desserts on their menu.
I would suggest to avoid breads and meat after Namche Bazaar, as the higher altitudes don't have fresh supply of these items and the stale food can harm your health when digestion is anyways difficult at these altitudes.

Everest Inn - Restaurant at Sherpa Eco Home, Phakding

Evererst Inn - Sample menu at Hotel Everest, Namche Bazaar

Everest Inn - Nepali Breakfast Set at Hotel Everest, Namche Bazaar

Water on Everest Base Camp Trek

Tap water on Everest Base Camp is potable at least for the locals and Indians. However, you can buy filtered water for NPR 100-150 per litre and hot water for NPR 250-300 per litre from the tea houses. Mineral water bottles are equally expensive. Other option is to carry your own water filter and use the tap water. There are water purifying tablets too that can be carried.
I used the normal tap water and it was totally fine for my body.

Alcohol on Everest Base Camp Trek

Alcohol, specially beer, is available on the entire route on Everest Base Camp Trek. There are a lot of tempting pubs serving happy hours at Lukla and Namche Bazaar. The world's highest Irish Pub is at Namche Bazaar at the height of 3440m. I would strongly suggest you to celebrate only on your way back.

Worlds highest Irish Pub at Namche Bazaar, Everest Base Camp Trek

Phone and internet connectivity on Everest Base Camp Trek

Ncell network has good connectivity on the EBC route. You get signal and 3g connectivity till Pangboche. Ncell also works at Gorakshep, but this connection isn't very reliable.
Almost all the tea houses have wi-fi connectivity. They can charge you anything between NPR 200-500 for an hour. From Tengboche onwards Everest Link is the only internet connection available. This connection is very expensive, you need to buy wi-fi prepaid cards costing NPR 600 for 200MB data. You can use this card on the entire route as long as your data lasts, but only on 1 device.

Buying trekking gears for Everest Base Camp Trek

Thamel in Kathmandu has huge market for buying and renting trekking gears. You will be able to select from wide range of local to branded gears. Lukla and Namche Bazaar also have lot of shops selling from where you can buy and rent trekking gears at quite high rates. You would want to buy from there only in case of emergencies.

Permits required for Everest Base Camp Trek

You need 2 permits for trekking to Everest Base Camp:
1. Trekkers Information Management System (TIMS Card)
TIMS cards can be obtained from the offices of Nepal Tourism Board in Kathmandu and Pokhara, TAAN Secretariat at Maligaon and TAAN Pokhara Secretariat in Pokhara. You need passport and 2 photographs. TIMS Card fees: Group trekker: NPR 1000 and Free individual trekker: NPR 2000
For SAARC countries: Group trekker: NPR 300 and Free individual trekker: NPR 600

2. Sagarmatha National Park permit:
This permit can be obtained from the entrance point of the National park at Monjo.
Sagarmatha National Park fees: NPR 3390 per person per entry
For SAARC countries: NPR 1500 per person per entry

If you are trekking with any agency, they'll arrange these permits for you.

AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) on Everest Base Camp

EBC trek is attempted by lot of people as it is the most popular trekking route in the world. Since it is commercialised and well facilitated trek, it is easy to attempt. But the altitude of Everest Base Camp (5300m) and Kala Patthar (5555m) needs to be taken seriously as lot of people tend to get hit with AMS on this route. The flat desert land at Gorakshep also calls for serious headache and AMS symptoms as well.
It is advisable to drink lot of water, eat healthy food, avoid junk food and alcohol, take proper rest on the trek and spend a couple of days acclimatising at the mentioned points on the route. Even then if you get hit with AMS, the only solution is to descend to lower altitudes ASAP. Many people take AMS light and take it to their ego to complete the trek and put their life at risk. Chopper evacuation is available at most of the places on the route, but it is subject to weather conditions. Always listen to your body on high altitude treks and if you feel discomfort, analyse the symptoms and take appropriate action.

Rescue operation being carried out at Gorakshep

My take on solo trek to Everest Base Camp

The trail is broad and well marked. There are ample of tea houses on the way even between the stop points mentioned on the regular route. Food, water, shelter, directions and other facilities are so easily available on this route that it's very easy to trek all by yourself. All you need to carry is your clothes and water. You can carry only 2 pairs of clothes and wash them at the tea houses.
However, I would suggest to do this trek solo if and only if you have prior high-altitude trekking experience. Only if you understand the symptoms and seriousness of AMS, only if you can listen to your body and can totally rely on yourself in the worst situations. Don't expect the locals to help you on your way, everything is way too commercialised there.

Trekking with a company or an agency has many benefits over solo trekking:
1. They provide you with travel insurance that can be very helpful in case of rescue operations. (Please make sure that the company you are trekking with provides you with one).
2. They have tie ups with airlines and in case of flight cancellations at Lukla, they can smoothly help you for alternative flights in the coming days. If you are trekking alone, you need to carry this burden on your head all the time, be at the airport for first-come-first-serve boarding in case of rescheduling.
3. The experienced guides can help you in case of health issues or natural calamities.
4. Negligence can lead to spending more on solo trek than what the companies would charge. But make sure you go in smaller groups. Treks are enjoyed the best when the group size is small (8-10).
5. You don't need to take the overhead of arranging the permits as they would take care of it.

Whichever option you choose, make sure you are safe and totally ready for that.

P.S. I had trekked with Explore Himalaya and stayed in the Everest Inn Lodges at Lukla, Phakding, Namche Bazaar and Pheriche.

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Trek to Everest Base Camp and Kala Patthar

9/30/2017

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Everest Base Camp trek or the EBC trek as it is popularly known, was never in my checklist of treks. I had always imagined it to be too commercialised and crowded. However when I was in Nepal in June to attend the International Travel Bloggers and Media Conference, I wasn’t ready to leave the country without witnessing the glory of Nepal. Ofcourse I’m not ready to climb the Everest yet, but I had a strong desire to see the highest mountain on the planet - up, close and personal.

Khumbu Glacier at Everest Base Camp

Flight from Kathmandu to Lukla

After my conference, I made a quick visit to Thamel to buy some gears that I needed for the trek and I flew to Lukla the next early morning. The flight from Kathmandu to Lukla is known to be the most dangerous flights in the world. Lukla at the height of 2843m is the most dangerous airport with a tiny 527m long strip of runway. I was never too scared of these facts until I saw the locals bending down to pray for a safe flight before boarding. The 40-minute flight was a delight to my eyes as the little chartered flew between the snow clad mountains. The entire flying time kept me engaged as I felt close to the mountains even before I started trekking. The landing was very short and quick as the Lukla airport is at height.

Flight taking off at Lukla Airport - Everest Base Camp Trek

Day 1: Lukla (2843m) to Phakding (2660m) - 6 kms, 3 hours

The anxiety about the trek was building up in my mind while having breakfast at the Shangri-La Lodge at Lukla. I had heard that it is a difficult trek, but never knew what makes it difficult. Keeping all the worries aside, I started walking through the market of Lukla. The first 40 minutes from Lukla was a descend through quaint villages, monasteries, chortens and zillions of lodges.

Mani stones on the way to Phakding - Everest Base Camp Trek

For a moment I thought I could rent out a home surrounded with radiant flowers and spend few months of doing nothing. The next 1 hour was almost a flat walk and then 80 minutes of gradual ascend. It took us 3 hours to reach Phakding. We checked in to Sherpa Eco-Home which had clean beds and toilets and a hot shower. The rest of the day required a good diet and a good sleep.

My mantra to keep fit on the trek - “Eat Right, Drink Right and Sleep Right”

Tea houses at Everest Base Camp trek

Day 2: Phakding (2660m) to Namche Bazaar (3440m) - 13 kms, 7 hours

Phakding to Namche Bazaar was a long day of 2 hours of gradual ascend and 5 hours of steep ascend, covering 13 kms. This day was very interesting as we entered the Sagarmatha National Park (Mt. Everest is known as Sagarmatha in Nepal). Out of the many suspension bridges built on the EBC route, I was eagerly waiting to cross my favourite one that leads to Namche Bazaar.

Suspension bridge on way to Namche Bazaar - Everest Base Camp Trek

Though I hated the commercialised part of the EBC route, I fell in love with the colourful town of Namche Bazaar. The mountains wrapped up the entire town and gave glamorous views at different hours of the day. The sight of golden mountains at the sunset was enough to energise me after a long tiring day. I stayed at Hotel Everest, which served the most delicious meal on the entire route.

Mountains shining golden at sunset at Namche Bazaar - Everest Base Camp Trek

Day 3: Acclimatisation day at Namche Bazaar

This day is extremely important to prepare your body for the higher altitudes in the coming days. Thanks to the digital nomad life I have been living, I had to carry my MacBook all the way to EBC to work on the assignments I had committed to before I planned EBC trek. After a long working day, I head out to explore the town. Namche Bazaar has a charming little monastery, vibrant market with shops selling essential trekking gears and souvenirs, bakeries serving freshly baked breads and cakes, lots of pubs offering happy hours and the topmost attraction being World’s highest Irish Pub at 3440m. However tempting these pubs sound, I would recommend to celebrate only on return.

Shopping market at Namche Bazaar - Everest Base Camp Trek

Day 4: Namche Bazaar (3440m) to Tengboche (3870m) - 11.3 kms, 6 hours

I hiked up from Namche Bazaar for around 20 minutes and my guide pointed at a mountain and called it Mt. Everest. I first didn’t believe him, but when I looked closely, it stood there with pride, radiating unbelievable energy. I couldn’t believe I saw the tallest mountain of the world. The first sight of the majesty Everest was so emotional and inspirational that I felt tears in my eyes and the desire to climb higher.

First view of Mount Everest ahead of Namche Bazaar - Everest Base Camp Trek

All my calculations were failing on EBC route. It was only 400m of height again today, but the route was extremely tiring and long. It took 20 mins of ascend, followed by 2 hours of gradual flat walk, followed by 40 mins of descend and finally 2 hours of steep climb to reach Tengboche. Tengboche welcomed us with artisitic wooden prayer wheels and the largest monastery of the Khumbu region. I missed out the magnificent panoramic views of Mt. Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse and Ama Dablam from my room as they were all hiding beneath the clouds.

Largest monastery of Solu Khumbu region at Tengboche - Everest Base Camp Trek

Day 5: Tengboche (3870m) to Pheriche (4200m) - 9 kms, 5 hours

Another long day started with half and hour descend through the rhododendron forests and then gradual and steep climbs of 4.5 hours. The weather went bad this day and we hiked in snowfall through the fog. It was a good relief from the hot days.

Everest Base Camp Trek

Day 6: Acclimatisation day in Pheriche

Yet another extremely important day to prepare the body for the 5000m+ altitudes in the coming days. I again got chance to catch up on my pending work while I enjoyed the views from the dining room of the lodge. I also took a small acclimatisation hike up the mountains. The hosts at the White Yak Lodge made me feel at home with their warm hospitality.

Acclimatisation hike in Pheriche - Everest Base Camp Trek

Day 7: Pheriche (4200m) to Lobuche (4930m) - 7 kms, 5 hours

Today’s hike took me through heavenly landscapes of yaks grazing in the meadows.

Yaks grazing on the meadows near Pheriche - Everest Base Camp Trek

and the stone huts of nomads just after Pheriche.

Stone huts of Nomads near Pheriche - Everest Base Camp Trek

After crossing the suspension bridge to Thukla, a steep hike took us to the Lobuche pass adorned with strings of colourful prayer flags. There is Khagan chorten, a cemetery ground with hundreds of cairn memorials for those who died on the mountain. After 5 hours of gradual and steep ascend, we rested at a lodge in Lobuche.

Prayer Flags at Lobuche Pass - Everest Base Camp Trek

Day 8: Lobuche (4930m) to Gorakshep (5130m) - 4.3 kms, 3 hours

The real test of EBC starts from here as you cross the height of 5000m, walk long hours from Lobuche to Gorakshep, Gorakshep to EBC and back to Gorakshep and wake up in the wee hours the next day for the toughest climb of the entire trek to Kala Patthar. This route was heavenly as I got closer to the panorama of highest peaks in the world. Khumbu glacier started appearing to make the views more attractive.

Mount Nuptse on way to Gorakshep - Everest Base Camp Trek

Gorakshep (5130m) to Everest Base Camp (5340m): 3.7 kms, 2 hours

Gorakshep is the last stop point for the ones trekking to Everest Base Camp. EBC is on the Khumbu glacier where the climbers attempting the summit setup their base camp. It is at 2 hours of gradual ascend from Gorakshep. I trekked to EBC after the climbing season when the campsite was empty which otherwise looks like an international carnival ground. Everest Base Camp is a plethora of stories and emotions. I found a note there saying "Dad, I Miss You" and I imagined all sorts of stories behind it.

Everest Base Camp

I spent some of the most exciting moments at the magical Khumbu glacier. The irony is that Mount Everest isn’t visible from the EBC. The most beautiful things come with their own price tags. One needs to climb to Kala Patthar for the views. I returned to my lodge at Gorakshep and prepared myself for the early morning climb to Kala Patthar.

Khumbu Glacier at Everest Base Camp

Day 9: Gorakshep (5130m) to Kala Patthar (5555m): 2.4 kms, 2 hours

I started at 4am to be able to reach Kala Patthar during sunrise. It was a very steep climb and difficult climb and the weather was unpredictable as the mountains were playing hide-n-seek in the clouds. Luckily I got a clear view of the peaks when I made it up to the top of Kala Patthar. There I saw the Mount Everest again - up, close and personal.

Mount Everest and Mount Nuptse as seen on the way to Kala Patthar

Kala Patthar is a small mountain in the middle of the 360 degrees panoramic high altitude mountains. Standing on Kala Patthar actually made me feel incomplete, it just made me crave for more heights.
After I was done with relishing the mountains, I descended to Gorakshep, picked up my backpack and started descending towards Pheriche.

Panoramic views of the himalayas from Kala Patthar

The next 2 days I retraced my steps to Lukla, this time covering twice the distance in a day. The way back to Lukla was continuous ascends and descends, just the way it was while going towards EBC.

Day 10: Pheriche to Namche Bazaar

The skies were clear and gave fantastic views of Everest till Tengboche. Namche Bazaar’s vibe called for a celebration of a successful trek with Everest beers on the table.

Mount Everest view from Tengboche - Everest Base Camp Trek

Day 11: Namche Bazaar to Lukla

This was the first trek which ended with an ascend. The last stretch to Lukla was actually an ascend, exhausting the every ounce of energy in me.

Ascend to Lukla - Everest Base Camp Trek

Day 12: Flight from Lukla to Kathmandu

The host at Shangri-La lodge at Lukla offered a khata (traditional ceremonial scarf in Tibetan Buddhism) around my neck and bid us farewell and safe journey back home. As we walked down to the airport, the sudden overcast caused us waiting for our flight for 4 hours. When I landed at Kathmandu, I felt difficult to acclimatise in the plains, yet again!

Ending Everest Base Camp Trek at Shangri-La Lodge

I must confess that I had under-estimated the potential of Everest Base Camp trek. Though I stayed in lodges, had fancy meals and daal bhat in restaurants, pampered myself with hot-showers and was connected to wi-fi on the trek, EBC trek turned out to be a unique and glamorous experience for me. More so, because I trekked in the off-season and I could get immersed in the culture of the Solu Khumbu region and enjoy my solitude with the mountains.

Nepal you are right - “Once is not enough". I wish to build strong ties with you, mainly because you are home to 8 out of 14 8000m+ peaks of the Himalayas!

P.S. I had trekked with Explore Himalaya and stayed in the Everest Inn Lodges at Lukla, Phakding, Namche Bazaar and Pheriche.

Related Posts:

Handy Guide to Everest Base Camp Trek

How to prepare for Chadar Trek

Auden's Col Expedition

Comments

How my friends reacted and supported to my decision to quit my job

8/26/2017

Comments

I have been blessed with some real gems in my life. I'm cutting the philosophies short to give real examples from my life.

Friends who have motivated me to pursue my passion in travel:

Pankaj - a biker and a pure hippie at heart with the most ordinary looks (wears studious spectacles, wears normal t-shirts and no-torn denims, no piercing, no visible tattoo, no show-off on his bike, and talks complete sense). He was one of the first few friends I’d made in Pune. I was desperate to travel and try out the adventures around Pune. When he talked to me about all his bike trips and biking groups, I expressed my interest in traveling with him as no other friend was interesting in any such activity but the weekend parties. He told me clearly that bikers generally don’t like taking pillions and if I'm keen on traveling, nothing should stop me and I should just go ahead. I found a lot of sense in his words, and then was born a solo traveler.
(He might not even know that I owe my solo travels to him).

Sagar - a chilled out, adventurous traveler, who would never say no. I had met him on one of the treks in the Sahyadris. We got along with our crazy travel ideas and thought we could do few trips together which we eventually did until he got busy with his family business. The best part about him was that though he had to stop traveling, he would keep giving me new ideas for my adventures, and would encourage me to take them up on my own. I would keep him updated with all my travel itineraries and local contacts and would ask him to check on me periodically on my solo travels. He performed his duties towards me religiously. He was the first person I would call if I was stuck with any misadventures on my travels.

Somya - we shared a flat in Pune for a couple of years. While I was the north-pole, she was the south-pole. She would wake up at 4am to meditate when I would disturb her with the sound of my heels while heading back from some party. She would spend all the after-office hours at home, while I was never found at home. But, whenever we caught up, we’ll connect over deep spiritual conversations. We both accepted each other with very open minds. I would narrate all my crazy travel stories to her first hand, and she made me realise that my stories and narrations were really interesting and I should find a way to start sharing them with others. She got married and shifted to the US, she would still make sure to wake me up for my early morning flights by calling me from the states. She would keep strategising on how could I work towards my passions. She supported me in all possible ways she could.

Dhiraj - he was my classmate during my engineering. While most students in my college were sincere and studious, I was seen as someone who was outrageously outgoing. After getting exposed to cosmopolitan culture in Bangalore, Dhiraj comes to me and says - "You always knew how to live and enjoy your life. We were all stupid and most of us are still stupid. Continue being what you have always been, be as wild as you want. If you need any help, I'm just a call away."

Bhavani - my Senior Account Manager in IBM. He pulled me into a project which had odd-working hours to overlap with US timings. I was very upset about it and I tried to protest. He assured me that he would try to help me in all possible ways, if I tell him why I’m not comfortable with those timings. I then opened up my cards of passions to him. He probably had a word with my reporting manager - Rahul (the only manager in my life whom I’ve respected so much). Rahul and me had unsaid high regard for each other. I would never give him chance to question me about my responsibilities and deliverables, and in turn, he wouldn’t question my leaves! It was out of my respect for him that I never said no to him if he wanted me to work on weekends. Rahul and Bhavani, indirectly helped me a lot for my travels by not questioning my leaves and getting my trekking and badminton achievements published in company’s newsletters.

Kevin: the best sound recordist of India, who freelances and works only 100 days a year. I had met him during one of my treks in Sahyadris and I was totally jealous of him! I was inspired by him as he is the first ever guy I met who was following his passion and working 100/365 days. He knew that I could follow my heart too, and counselled me at regular intervals on how I could pursue it. A year before I planned to quit my job, he had asked me 2 questions - "Do you have enough money to survive for a year without salary? Can you get back to IT job after a year?" and I never knew I was so much influenced by this, until I took the bold step.

Different reactions my friends gave when I shared the idea about quitting my job:

Pankaj: Yeah, go ahead and try it out, no harm in that. Keep experimenting and I’ll live my life through your eyes. (He had quit his job, gotten married and taken up his family business by then. He still blames me for not trying enough to stop him from getting married and persuade him towards his passions :) )

Sagar: DON’T do that. I’ve done it once and I don’t want you to suffer. (He had quit his job, taken a break and had to eventually accept his family business which he was then reluctant to)

Somya: (Applied all her business analysis that she had learnt in MBA as she didn’t get a chance to apply them in Infosys, interrogated me for 45 mins on Skype from the states) Ok, I think you can take this risk and if plan A doesn’t work, this can be your plan B and this could be the plan C.

Dhiraj: Lets meet and raise a toast to that, you have said a very big thing

Bhavani: All the best, I’m sure you will do well. I wish I could be like you. Proud of you! (He wasn’t my manager anymore, thankfully, else I wouldn't have found the need to quit)

Kevin: I’m so happy for you, it’s finally happening!

Bikash: Just because you are saying it, I am convinced. Had it been any other person, I would have given him one tight slap and asked him to continue with his work

Rinkal: I have always known you as a wild and adventurous girl, I know nothing can stop you from chasing your dreams.
Rinkal’s husband (Project Manager in IT whom I was meeting for the first time): What?!!! You want to quit your job? Without any backup plan? With all this years that you’ve invested in IT and when you are at the peak of your career? What if you don’t get the same salary / position later? What/How/Why???
Rinkal: I’ve known her for years, don’t worry, she has immense potential.

Amrita: How can you quit your IT job when you have degree in Computer Engineering? What if you don’t find another job in IT again? What qualifications do you have to get hired by travel companies / startups? It is a very bold step!

Jyothi: Try it out, you are anyways the adventurous one. IT job is for us who don’t have any passions and are happy with regular routines. You are a misfit to this industry anyways.

How my friends supported me when I wasn’t earning:

My closest buddies in different cities had opened up their arms and doors for me. Whenever me or my car needed a home in the cities, they went out of their way to help me with that. They also made sure that I don’t take up the bills when we went out for dinners.
Harpreet, Pratik, Bharti, Dhiraj, Jyothi, Somya, Amrita, Kiran, Sagar - I can't thank you guys enough! I love you all till the moon and back.
Bharti traveled all the way to meet me at Tirthan Valley. She also helped me materialise on my idea of personalising trips for interested travellers by getting me started with her own group of friends.

I received numerous messages from my school friends and college friends to help me in various ways - some kept their eyes wide open for any opportunity they thought I might be inclined towards, some kept scratching their brains to suggest me business ideas, some of the closest ones made me comfortable to ask for financial help if I ever needed it. They would call me once a while to check if I was doing ok.
Khyati, Anand, Dipak, Jaydeep, Nehal, Abhijeet, Dhiraj, Shanky, Aalap, are you listening?

My trekking buddies - Ninad, Suryaveer, Vivek, Pamposh and Raju (the trek leader and co-owner of Grand Adventures) contributed to sponsoring my expeditions with them to Kalindi Khal and Garuda Peak, only because these were too expensive for me to take up without my regular income. Do I need to mention how much I love them?!

Motivation from my mentors:

There are very few people I've known in my life whom I really listen to, for my immense respect for them. Gradually motivational messages started flowing in from them too. The limited set of people whom I’ve been inspired by, started telling me how I have inspired them and how much they appreciate and want to live the way I do. Few of them even offered help for investment if I wanted to start up something of my own.

Receiving messages from my school teachers (Chhaya Ma’am, Viral Sir) and mentors (Anupam, Biswaroop Sir, Yakub Sir, Deepak Sir, Darshita, Milan) meant I was doing something right.

Love from all over:

I was already getting quite a lot of messages from the long lost friends, classmates and colleagues that I was inspiring them in some way. The count of these messages doubled after I quit my job and moved to Himalayas.

My readers and followers (whom I’ve never met) showered love from all over.
Each time I read their comments on how I was inspiring them, I felt good about blogging and making my voice reach out to them. What touched me the most were those countless messages from unknown girls thanking me for motivating them to embark on their solo journeys. They felt more courageous on breaking the myths around female solo travels.

Knowingly / unknowingly each one has played a great role in keeping me motivated during my hard times. Most of you might not know how much you have encouraged me to continue with what I am doing.
I look forward to that continued support with all thankfulness.

Related Posts:

How do I finance my travels and other passions

How scuba diving encouraged me to quit my job

How trekking changed my attitude towards life

Comments

Travel Blog of Medhavi Davda (from India)Adventure Travel ~ Responsible Travel ~ Experiential Travel ~ Solo Travel

​Acclimatisation in Leh before Markha Valley Trek

Day1: Zinchen (3380m/11090 ft) - Ganda La Base (4540m/14900 ft) : 8 km / 4 hrs

Day2: Ganda La Base(4540m/14900 ft) - Ganda La(4800m/15750 ft) ​ - Skiu (3400m/11160 ft) : 22 km / 8 hrs

Day3: Skiu (3400m/11160 ft) - Markha (3400m/12370 ft) : 20 km / 8 hrs

Day4: Markha (3400m/12370 ft) - Thochuntse (4010m/13165 ft) : 13 km / 6 hrs

Day5: Thochuntse (4010m/13165 ft) - Nimaling (4730m/15520 ft) : 7 km / 3 hrs

Day6: Nimaling (4730m/15520 ft) - Kongmaru La (5200m/17060 ft) - Shang Sumdo (3730m/12240 ft) : 18 km / 7 hrs

Homestays and teahouses on Markha Valley Trek

Wildlife spotting on Markha Valley Trek

My exposure to Ladakhi culture & lifestyle on Markha Valley Trek

Colorful mountains in Ladakh on Markha Valley Trek

Friends I made on Markha Valley Trek!

​Paragliding courses in India

​Ground Handling - Learning Paragliding

​Bunny Hops - Learning Paragliding

​Short Solo Flights - Learning Paragliding

Where to stay in Kamshet - Native Place overlooking Vadivali lake

​Review: Nirvana Adventures Paragliding

​How to reach Kamshet

​1. Vinh Long - River Island in Mekong Delta

​2. Scuba Diving in Nha Trang

​3. Hoi An - UNESCO World Heritage Site

​4. Trekking through rice terraces​ in Sapa

How to Travel to Vietnam:

Visa requirements for Vietnam for Indians:

​Rejuvenating in the Thai way

Vibrant nightlife in Bangkok

Wat hopping in Bangkok

Shop till you drop in Bangkok

Exploring local life at Floating Markets in Bangkok

Tuk-tuk ride in Bangkok

Pampering with luxury in Phuket

​Street food in Thailand

Beautiful sunsets at Phuket

White sand beaches at Phi Phi Island

​Celebrating my freedom with my car

​Breaking egos

​Taking safety measures on road for woman solo driving

Making car my home when I lived location independent

​Solo driving in Himalayas

Feeling empowered as a woman while driving solo

Encouraging woman empowerment

​1. Kaas Plateau - Valley of Flowers

​2. Hike to Lohagad Fort

​3. Waterfall rappelling in Igatpuri

​4. Trek to Rajmachi

5. Camping in western ghats

6. Drive to Konkan Beaches

​7. Paragliding in Panchgani / Kamshet

Route to Everest Base Camp:

Difficulty Level of Everest Base Camp Trek

Physical fitness required for Everest Base Camp Trek

Best time to trek to Everest Base Camp

Accommodation on Everest Base Camp Trek

Food at tea houses on Everest Base Camp Trek

Water on Everest Base Camp Trek

Alcohol on Everest Base Camp Trek

Phone and internet connectivity on Everest Base Camp Trek

Buying trekking gears for Everest Base Camp Trek

​Permits required for Everest Base Camp Trek

AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) on Everest Base Camp

My take on solo trek to Everest Base Camp

​Flight from Kathmandu to Lukla

Day 1: Lukla (2843m) to Phakding (2660m) - 6 kms, 3 hours

Day 2: Phakding (2660m) to Namche Bazaar (3440m) - 13 kms, 7 hours

Day 3: Acclimatisation day at Namche Bazaar

Day 4: Namche Bazaar (3440m) to Tengboche (3870m) - 11.3 kms, 6 hours

Day 5: Tengboche (3870m) to Pheriche (4200m) - 9 kms, 5 hours

​ Day 6: Acclimatisation day in Pheriche

Day 7: Pheriche (4200m) to Lobuche (4930m) - 7 kms, 5 hours

Day 8: Lobuche (4930m) to Gorakshep (5130m) - 4.3 kms, 3 hours

​Gorakshep (5130m) to Everest Base Camp (5340m): 3.7 kms, 2 hours

Day 9: Gorakshep (5130m) to Kala Patthar (5555m): 2.4 kms, 2 hours

Day 10: Pheriche to Namche Bazaar

​Day 11: Namche Bazaar to Lukla

Day 12: Flight from Lukla to Kathmandu

Author

​RavenousLegs on Facebook

RavenousLegs on Instagram ​

Travel Blog of Medhavi Davda (from India)
Adventure Travel ~ Responsible Travel ~ Experiential Travel ~ Solo Travel

Acclimatisation in Leh before Markha Valley Trek

Day2: Ganda La Base(4540m/14900 ft) - Ganda La(4800m/15750 ft)
- Skiu (3400m/11160 ft) : 22 km / 8 hrs

Day6: Nimaling (4730m/15520 ft) - Kongmaru La (5200m/17060 ft)
- Shang Sumdo (3730m/12240 ft) : 18 km / 7 hrs

Paragliding courses in India

Ground Handling - Learning Paragliding

Bunny Hops - Learning Paragliding

Short Solo Flights - Learning Paragliding

Review: Nirvana Adventures Paragliding

How to reach Kamshet

1. Vinh Long - River Island in Mekong Delta

2. Scuba Diving in Nha Trang

3. Hoi An - UNESCO World Heritage Site

4. Trekking through rice terraces in Sapa

Rejuvenating in the Thai way

Street food in Thailand

Celebrating my freedom with my car

Breaking egos

Taking safety measures on road for woman solo driving

Solo driving in Himalayas

1. Kaas Plateau - Valley of Flowers

2. Hike to Lohagad Fort

3. Waterfall rappelling in Igatpuri

4. Trek to Rajmachi

7. Paragliding in Panchgani / Kamshet

Permits required for Everest Base Camp Trek

Flight from Kathmandu to Lukla

Day 6: Acclimatisation day in Pheriche

Gorakshep (5130m) to Everest Base Camp (5340m): 3.7 kms, 2 hours

Day 11: Namche Bazaar to Lukla

RavenousLegs on Facebook

RavenousLegs on Instagram

RavenousLegs on Twitter

Quitting My Job series