Himalayan circuits

Luck has been quite the lady with me as far as finding winter is concerned. Often, over the last few years, I’ve had the pleasure of throwing open the curtains of a cozy inn to find a land whitewashed by overnight snowfall.

The thrill of feeling a chill in the air and the excitement of travelling in a snow-topped car on a white road through an icy forest, make the Himalayan circuits enchanting places to visit in winter.

All of these circuits (except Harsil) have cozy digs. And I’m talking about log huts, windows with snow capped views, warm quilts, roaring fireplaces and hot chocolate — get the idea?

Kharapathar — Tani Jubbar Lake — Thanedar

This circuit is my favourite, and I discovered its charms quite by accident last year. A friend and I had driven from Mumbai to the Himalayas in Uttarakhand. Fed up with the city’s hot winter, we’d decided to migrate northward to the cold.

On the road

We’d turned off the Grand Trunk road from Delhi to Chandigarh at Pipli, driven past Yamunanagar and started the climb into the mountains at Paonta Sahib. We then spent the night at Chakrata and entered Himachal Pradesh, driving past the village of Hatkoti.

That night, due to heavy fog, we ended up taking the wrong road (the one to Theog) and reached Kharapathar. We’d wanted to go to Rohru on the road to Narkanda.

It was bitterly cold and gloomy and at that moment, the impulsive drive across 1,800 km seemed rather senseless. But it all changed the next morning when I threw open the curtains of my room at the Giriganga Resort in Kharapathar. The landscape was white and the view was veiled by the heaviest snowfall I have ever seen.

We gingerly drove on to Theog, since the road to Rohru was now iced out. Luckily we had snow chains for the real tricky iced out sections.

Snowed out

From Theog we headed to Narkanda on NH22 — the main Shimla-Rampur road — because Kufri and Chandigarh were snowed out. Luckily, a friend runs an idyllic retreat in Thanedar, so we weren’t stranded.

The next morning we all walked six kilometres to the Tani Jubbar Lake. The snowfall had stopped and the sky was a cloudless blue. The lake and the adjoining Nag devta temple looked like an artist’s freshly painted canvas.

Though I’ve been here during the summer, the snow lent to this place an altogether different charm. Standing there on the ice-covered grounds, I thanked my stars for that wrong turn and snow-logged roads that forced me to come here. And the beauty that surrounded me made the long drive worth it too.

Dalhousie & Khajjiar

“Oye, what are you hiding in the house for? Come out and enjoy the snow!” That’s the alarm call that will most probably rouse you as you lie snug between a quilt and an electric blanket in Teddy’s Lodge. The booming voice would be Teddy Singh’s, who is a knowledge bank of local lore. Back in the day, Dalhousie, a charming old hill station, was to Lahore what Shimla was to Delhi. Fortunately it hasn’t gone the Shimla way with hillsides hived with houses.

Spectacular walks

When I was there in March, the last snowfall had happened four days ago and the skies were blue and clear — the ideal weather to try the four-kilometre walk in Upper Bakrota. The levelled path goes around the mountain and has some fascinating views.

If you’re up for a challenge, then head to the Dainkund temple located on top of a hill. Snow can be encountered on this walk right uptil mid-April. There is also an invigorating walk from Kalatope to Lakarmandi. But the grand daddy of them all is the strenuous walk from Kalatope to Khajjiar. Don’t be too surprised if you come across bear prints in the snow.

Behind the wheels

For more thrill, try driving on the snowed out roads, especially the one to Dainkund and from Kalatope to Khajjiar. Just remember to fit snow chains to the tyres.
Khajjiar makes for a good day visit and you can try your hand at Zorbing — strapped inside a giant sphere and rolled down a slope. Sounds like fun? Don’t try this though, if you’re prone to motion sickness or if you are not keen to see your breakfast gush forth spectacularly.

Kanatal & Harsil

There is a narrow ridge with a motorable road that runs from Mussourie to Chamba in Uttaranchal. Google Maps doesn’t show it, but trust me, it’s there. And, perched on this road, 35 km from Mussoorie, is the Himalayan hamlet of Kanatal.

It’s a road that is rarely used by tourist traffic, and there are clear views of snow-capped ranges. You don’t have to dodge an electric cable or look between two telecom towers to get a view. It is there in cinemascope. Views that are ideal for long lazy days curled up with a book.

But for me, one day of reading fiction was enough and the next day I drove to the Kaudia forest (four kilometres away), which is known for occasional fox and leopard sightings. We met Madheo Ram Singh instead — an authority on the interesting places around. It is he who told us to go to Harsil, 170 km to the north.

Up we went

The drive to Harsil goes through Uttarkashi and Nakuri village, home to Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman to stand on the summit of Mount Everest. But this road is noisy.

Harsil is just 25 km short of Gangotri and the pilgrim buses believe that the volume of the devotional songs is a measure of the piety of the devotees within. Each bus passes by calling out to the Gods at top volume. But thankfully they stay away from Harsil, a town so quaint, you’d feel you’ve travelled back in time. The narrow lane that runs through the village is bordered by wooden houses made in Garhwali architectural style.There are little streams with dainty wooden bridges across them and forest trails that we followed to our heart’s content.

When it snows, the drive up to Gangotri (provided the road is open) is a must do, as the whiteness lends an ethereal feel to the whole place, and you’re left feeling as if you’re heading into celestial peace.

Getting there

To get to Kanatal you can either take the Dehradun and Mussourie route or take the Haridwar and Rishikesh route. Closest rail head is Haridwar (2.5 hours) and taxis are available from here. Harsil is quite a drive from Haridwar though.

For Kharapathar, it is better to drive to Theog on NH22 via Chandigarh and Shimla. Kalka near Chandigarh is the nearest rail head. At Theog turn right towards Kharapathar which is 45 km away. From Theog, if you continue on NH22, then Narkanda is 32 km further and Thanedar is 20 km on the little forest road from Narkanda. The Tani Jabbar Lake is on a offshoot of this road 6 km before Thanedar.

Where to stay

To stay at the Terraces in Kanatal, visit www.theterraces.biz. There is a Forest Rest House at Harsil (Ph: 01374-222444) or stay at the Chardham Camp (predominantly occupied by pilgrims). Visit www.leisurehotels.co.in.
For Kharapathar, you can stay at the  Giriganga Resort (01781-251139 or visit www.hptdc.nic.in/cir0106.htm) or the Banjara Orchard Retreat (visit www.banjaracamps.com). If you want to stay closer at Mashobra, you can stay at Violet Hill. Call Prhabdip on 09815442233 or email him at pavitkaur@yahoo.co.in.

Teddy’s lodge is 4 km from Dalhousie on the Khajjiar Road. Taxis can be hired from Pathankot (68 km away), which is well connected by trains too. Write to Teddy Singh at teddysahib@hotmail.com or better still, call him on 09417191243.

Travel tips

* When driving on ice, hard acceleration or braking will send the car into a scary slide. Drive very gently.
* Don’t attempt steep slopes if they are completely iced out.
* Maintain three car lengths distance from other vehicles always.
* Reducing tyre pressure improves grip.
* Use snow chains. You can get them at Motoworld in Shimla (call Vijay Parmar on 09816004137).