By the time we checked-out from our hotel and hurried towards the SBI ATM at Mall road, the meeting point assigned to us, we were already late by more than a couple of hours and almost all other trekkers of our group and another have already left save for four others and us. Soon we were on our way to Jobra taking exciting switchbacks with 39 hairpin bends. With each turn, even though all of them were in shambles, the views seemed to get better and better.
Snow-covered peaks on the right across the valley below, Deodars, Oaks and Maple trees standing tall on the slopes, apple-laden trees on both sides of the road, a small Himachali house on the slope of the hill below us, standing all alone and by itself.
The actual trek starts from Jobra which is at an altitude of 9800 ft, some 3100 ft higher than Manali. Jobra is the place where you handover your bags to the porters if you do not wish to carry them yourself. We had decided one bag to be given to the porters so I left my big back-pack there and picked-up the other one myself while Ruchi carried the camera bag.
I had heard and read about this trek being a very beautiful and that is what I was witnessing all around, right at the start of it. As soon as we started walking we found ourselves in the company of very tall trees some even more than 100 feets in height! The muck below our feet did not bother us at all for that was made up by the views of the tall mountains and the beautiful clouds hovering on top of them on the other side and the lush green valley below.
The first day according to me has one of the most all round beautiful views if not the best in the entire trek. The beautiful Rani river, the virgin greenery all around and the playful clouds make the entire view nothing short of heavenly.
Soon after we began the walk we were crossing our first wooden bridge over a pahadi nadi (mountain river). Even though small, it was sort of rickety which, coupled with the roaring river made it all the more exciting.
Okay, let me confess one thing before I proceed any further. Within the first five-ten minutes of walking up in the dense woods I started to have serious doubts about being successfully able to complete the first day of the trek, forget about completing the entire trek. Even though I was walking at a very relaxed pace, I felt I was panting badly (which I was not actually). I started questioning my self. Was the preparation I had done for the trek not enough? Should I have done more? Should I have not tried to be a hero and must have left both the bags for the ponies to carry. Over the next half an hour however, all these apprehensions faded away and I found myself maintaining a good pace and almost at the front of the group 🙂 !!.
By the end of today, we had a lot of people whose shoulders and backs were badly sore and they decided to off-load their bags on the ponies from the next day onwards. This according to me was a really good decision because, I believe you come to a trek to enjoy and experience and not somehow just make to the other end. If you are not fully confident about carrying your bac-pack on your own, don’t. There’s no need for that. For me, I was feeling just fine with my backpack 🙂 .
We had some wonderful chit-chat session with our team-mates over hot tea followed by steaming rounds of soup and then an heavenly dinner!
Disclaimer: I was hosted on this trek by Renok Adventures but the views as always, are mine.
Have you been to any Himalayan trek, how has your experience been? Would you like to go on one?
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Lovely!
Thanks!
Lovely… so your very strong… you should show us the ponies that did the carrying the bags… It’s no use saying this is beautiful, it is very very beautiful and nice pictures… ur gone biking here before correct?
Haha… I did just fine is all I can say. I have been in Himachal on bike but not in this area and areas away from too much interference are always more beautiful.
BTW, if I may ask you why do you use different names while commenting with different website URLs? Are all these sites your’s?
Well I am obligated to comment for those links… they are not mine, blog commenting for site promotion is pretty ok right? as long as the comment is relevant and not spam, no blogger would mind it (:… well anyway since you ask, I work online for my employer updating his site and had lot of chat interections with him… light chats and such things, you share some aspects of yourself with your thoughts and life happening and things and yesterday I was surprised he did not even know what category of gender I am):… well… I understand people can get fake impressions of another online but not on someone’s gender… worst he even saw some snap of mine in skype I put briefly and this spite that he got my gender wrong!!… and that is surprising since you and some others are able to identify, the person who commented even with different names are the same here… anyway I guess I am not even a master of disguise in the internet world, never intended to be too…goodday
Haha… As long as it’s relevant, there’s no problem
🙂
I understand words are not enough to carry your experience but certainly you are doing the best to get it across to us visually. So happy for you that you could make such a strenuous trek comfortably. Kudos to your preparation and waiting for your next. Seeing the Rani river in the first pic and the roaring river in the other, Nature is simply unfathomable.
Best
Katie
Thanks a lot Katie! And you know what? The rivers in the two separate photos are actually the same. The Rani river in two different moods 🙂
beautiful start Rajiv. Valley looks amazing… Not carrying bag when option of pony is there is wise decision. Waiting for second part. I am surr we will see lot of white gold…
Thanks Ankur bhai. White gold is on second and third day 😉
Beautiful views! The trek in the lap of nature must be refreshing and enlivening!
It was a very very refreshing experience Somali, just like it always is in the Himalayas. Every single time. So glad that you liked it 🙂
Should we go to hampta pass in August month. I have booked but confused
Nilesh soni
Why confused? It is a beautiful trek, you should go!
But don’t forget to do the preparation part. Read the posts about How to prepare for the trek I have written on this blog.
Good luck!
Hi Rajiv,
I was going through your stories as I am planning for this trek in coming months. So I was just wondering if going for this trek by my own without any package would be at all possible. I have trekking experience in Garhwal region and have traveled in Valley of Flowers and Tunganath by my own in previous years. Please suggest!
Hi Dipayan,
I am not quite sure if doing this trek at this time of the year would be a great idea. In all probability, you will not be able to cross the Hampta Pass. It’s a bit late for this trek.
About doing it on your own, given that it’s a multi day trek, if you can manage your food and stuff, there’s no reason why you can’t do on your own. But to be sure you are on the right trail, you will have to keep an eye on other groups which again, I am afraid, won’t be possible this time in the season.
Thanks,
Rajiv
Hi Rajiv,
Thanks for your reply. I am not exactly planning at this time of the year, but was just considering this route of trek as my next venture. My primary concern is whether going for this trek by my own would be at all possible since we have to carry tents and rationing stuffs with us. Will there be porters available for hire if we plan to do it by our own so that he can serve as the guide as well. Asking this question as you have experience of this route. I do not have any experience of trekking in Himachal and don’t have any contacts either.
In that case, you will have no problems. You can always hire porters on your own. Polu Ram is the person you should look for. I think I have his mobile number somewhere, will pass it to you here if I find it.
Good luck!
Cheers,
Rajiv
Thanks a lot for the suggestion. Let me know the mobile number when you find it.. I am not in a hurry by the way.. 🙂
Sure, you are welcome.
Hey Dipayan, You can contact local guides on http://www.sherpafeet.com
Thanks Joy.. This would be very helpful!
Hi. Planning to Visit Manali in June end and decided to do one day trek with overnight Chika stay in tent starting from Jobra. Is it worth it? I thought of doing Triund hill but I think this place is less crowded. Are the views good considering I m visiting doing the Chika part?
The views are pretty good. You can sure do it as a one day trek from Manali.