First section Bir to Utrala to Kugti - start at Kangra valley end at Chamba valley

Trek gradient; Moderate
Terrain; Pass crossing at about 3400 metres

Day 1; Bir to Utrala to Khotdru Dhar

We all planned an early morning start with the cab picking us up one by one and we were on our way. The weather changed today to thick cloud cover, it was all set to rain after a break of 1 week. We decided not to wait for weather to clear up as being peak monsoon you never know when the next dry spell would start. It was a good decision as rain continued to wreck havoc in Himachal but we were able to maintain our lead. So off we were....

Our cab driver took us ahead of Binwa power station and reservoir too. The road ahead from reservoir is not paved but decent for a Sumo to take you little ahead. Our goal for the day was Prei. By the time we were out of the cab it started to rain. We got ready with our rain jackets, covered our backpacks with rain covers and decided to take rains head on. Somehow we were all geared up with the attitude to not stop for rains.

 Rainy start...Nagaraj all set with the Indian flag and a flag in the name of Hanumanji.       

                           

The beginning of the trail is wide and we noticed a lot of abandoned cows and carcasses all around. Apparently people are leaving their cows here once they stop giving milk and are of no use to them. There seemed to be little human movement here as we were able to spot lots of Jungle-fowl without much fear of us. The clouds were low and that unfortunately blocked our view of the valley in front. Our local friend, Viren was our guide for the first section as he has been on this route before.

The trail is full of leeches during this time of the year and in no time me and Amit had few sucking on our blood. We were wearing floaters keeping in mind the wet weather, well it seemed like a good idea in the beginning. So we had to stop a few times to get rid of our blood sucking companions.

Little ahead we left the trail to take a short cut, which turned out to be a definite wrong idea during rains. The grass was tall and we lost our way. Navigating ourselves on slippery, steep mountain with overgrown vegetation was not what we were hoping for on the first day of our long trek. It was an unnecessary risk which could have been avoided. Nagaraj was finding it very difficult to move around with his poncho and flags. Some of us had some falls but we finally managed to reach the trail without any unfortunate incident. We also lost over an hour trying to figure out the right way. Lesson learnt stick to the main trail.

 Lost and struggling to move ahead. Low cloud base was making matters worse.  photo credit; Nagaraj

By now the rain had stopped and the sky cleared up a bit. We were finally on the right trail and we made it to the much awaited first stop at Bakluddu. The interesting cave shop made under a big boulder. Its a good place for water, tea and some snack. You can get food too and a place to sleep in the night if required. We were carrying food with us today for breakfast but never got around to eat it due to bad weather.

After giving ourselves a good wash as most of us were dirty with mud due to falls on the way and removing the new batch of leeches from our bodies, we enjoyed the hot tea with packed paranthas from home.

The weather had improved by now and we started to get glimpse of the mountains we were surrounded by. Lush green dense vegetation, small and big waterfalls. Clouds were busy orchestrating there own dance routine.

We were hoping to reach Prei before the sunset. After a small break, we started from Bakluddu and soon the climbs started. Trail was full of small streams due to monsoon and were full off leaches, waiting for next unsuspecting visitor. But they are not much of a problem, just remove them and move on. Your feet gets bit bloody but it is all part of monsoon trekking.

Our plan is never to rush as that takes the fun out of the trip. Relax soak in the sights and move on. Our friend from Hyderabad, Nagaraj, was facing little problem with the rocky terrain and heavy back pack. His first mountain trail trekking experience which was taking its toll on the first day. He had few falls on the way on the rocky trail and he hurt his leg a little. He is a long distance walker on plains and once was ‘Guinness world record holder’ for cycling, 14000 kms in a single country. But as it turns out mountains can throw a different challenge at you.

Enjoying the first views once the weather cleared up. 

There are small sections of climbs at regular intervals with either downhill or rolling terrain after. Slowly and steadily we all made it to the next chai shop at Khotdru Dhar at around 3.30 PM.

We treated overselves again with hot tea. Here we also noticed that Nagaraj is not feeling well. His leg was hurting and his energy was low. We all decided to call it a day and stop at Kothdru Dhar for the night. We spoke to the couple running the place and they offered us a room to stay. There is no place to camp here. The place also offers hot home cooked meals and good company for the night.

Day 2; Khotdru Dhar to Jalsu base camp (Kharli)

Shared rooms are not our thing. I did not get much sleep in the night with snoring all around. Amit did not sleep much either. I believe rest had a decent rest and we started to get ready for the day.

Morning also brought in rain and our local host suggested that if the rains do not stop than the Binwa stream ahead would be a problem to cross. We might not be able to go ahead. So we decided to move bit fast and try n cross the streams before the things would get difficult. After breakfast and packed lunch (which we requested last night) we were ready to leave. The rain had stopped and we started to tackle the climb straight ahead of Khotdru Dhar, which is not much. You cross the mountain and the valley opens up the other side. It even gives you an impression of a small pass. We were unable to get much views as the clouds were really low. We were walking with the stream and reached Prei in about 45 mins. There are couple of shops in Prei which offer you tea, snack, food and a place to stay. Again we were unable to spot any place for camping. Maybe if you have a free standing tent then can park yourself on one of the chai shop’s porch.

The trail upto Prei is full of big rocks made slippery by the rain. At some sections it opens up next to the stream and again you find yourself navigating on the rocks. Little ahead of Prei Amit had his first fall. No damage just some embarrassing laughs!

We were told of a small log bridge to cross the stream but due to low cloud base we were unable to spot it. We then looked for a shallow section to cross. Thankfully the rain was not continuous and we were able to cross the stream without any hiccups.

Amit after crossing the stream for the first time. 

The weather started to open up by now. Sun was not out but the rain stopped and we got a much needed relief. After the stream, we started to climb and soon Amit spotted 2 snakes on the rock waiting for the sun, unable to move due to cold conditions. We all had a good view of the snakes. Spotting wildlife is always a highlight for us.

Nagaraj was doing much better today did not have any fall! An improvement in his walking skills in the mountains!

The valley was full of flowers of different varieties. The vegetation started to change, we were amongst deodar trees now.

The trail had climbing sections followed by downhills and rolling terrain. There was rocky terrain as well. Couple of small breaks later we were once again up against the Binwa stream. This the third time we were crossing the same stream. Twists and turns of this stream makes you cross it 3 times before you start to climb for Jalsu. Viren our local friend was a lot of help while marking the trail or while stream crossings. He was the fastest amongst us, ready to show us the shallow part of the stream. Once again the shoes were off and all of us crossed the stream.

The rain was on to us again and we reached a small stone Shepard shelter at the base of Jalsu. The climb to Jalsu pass starts from this place onwards. There is nothing or nobody here except for a small stone temple. So having your own food is a must if you plan to stop here for the night. We could also see a tent pitched by the ‘Gaddis’ - local shepherds further down. Though on close inspection the tent was empty but was stocked with wood.

It is common to come across Shepard shelters or Shepards all over Himachal during summer months. Sometimes you can also find some food to cook in these shelters. You may use it is and leave some money in exchange. They are extremely helpful people. Maintaining the trails is one of the things that they do which makes it easier for trekkers to navigate these places. If you are stuck in a situation you can always look upto them for a helping hand. 

We decide to stop for lunch and got the fire going. Viren's fire making skills were very handy and we were all sitting around the fire trying to get some heat. Slowly the chai went on the fire and later coffee. One of our friend Sachin was carrying steel mugs which were very handy for making tea and instant noodles. 

We started to discuss our options about crossing the pass today or tomorrow. It was about 1 PM and for locals it is a couple of hour climb but for us it would be a different story. Me and Amit, we do not prefer to walk after day light and like to settle down before sun goes down.  

We had enough food to sustain us for dinner and breakfast. The rain was still on and we got little cosy in the stone shelter. Finally everybody agreed to spend the night here and we decide to start next morning. 

By the fire at the Shepard shelter. Much needed relief from the rain. 

We set up the camp by the stone shelter which was laid with stones. Except for me and Amit, everyone's tent was free standing. Viren and our other friend Prithvi, decided to sleep in the stone shelter by the fire. So we got their tent to sleep in.

Other then the paved place, we could not find any other place to pitch the tent. All through the trail so far we have seen very little places to pitch the tent. Free standing tent would surely be an advantage if you prefer your personal space.

Amit is not happy as he is yet to pitch his baby!

Day 3; Jalsu base camp (Kharli) to Yada

No sound of the rain on the tent gave me a good feeling about today. It was raining the whole night but as we started to come out of our tents the clouds were clearing. 

Surrounded by mountains this valley was no less than a fairy tale. Full of pink flowers, low clouds moving up showing off the big mountains with coniferous trees, flock of birds singing and passing by. Right in the middle you have Binwa stream flowing, which reminds of the numerous paintings or rather the only landscape painting you have drawn all your school life 😃😃

Well after a quick morning routine and breakfast we started to walk at about 8 am. Straight from the base the climb to Jalsu Pass starts. At 3500 metres Jalsu connects Kangra and Chamba districts. We are climbing from Kangra and were looking forward to scale our first pass of the trek and also the first district change. It is considered the easiest of the passes in Himachal. The trail is pretty much marked so no chance of getting lost. The climbs are continuous but not steep. 

Water is scarce here, even during the monsoon. So fill from the stream below. On the way, there is just one small stream from where you can refill. So carry enough. 

The low cloud base again made it difficult for us to navigate. I am sure we missed some amazing scenery as well. 

It took about 3 hours to reach the top. Our first pass was conquered and we were happy with the time that we clocked. Rain was on to us again along with the strong winds. It was cold on the top and the pass was surrounded by clouds. We stopped at the first shelter we saw which was a 'Gaddi dera'. Couple of old men tending to their flock of goats and sheep. The shelter a typical stone structure with plastic roof. They made us much needed tea and offered us blankets and hookah to make us feel warm.  And warm we were, ready to move on!

Something serious is on. This is at Jalsu pass stopping for tea at 'Gaddi dera'. The blue effect from blue tarp as roof.

After making the offering of stones at the temple we quickly started to come down.  The cold and wind was making it difficult to spend another minute in the open. Trying to be fast we took a little wrong trail. Thankfully we quickly realised the mistake and corrected our course.

On the way - somewhere

Rain had stopped by now. Sun was trying to come out which made us feel at ease in Chamba.  Surrounded by flowers this is another stunning valley. Big open meadows, small streams running all around. Famous for medicinal plants, this place has exotic Himalayan herbs. Well we did not understand or couldn't identify any, so for us they were pretty flowers.  The downhill is not steep, so easy to come down. 

We stopped at the base of Jalsu on the Chamba side for food. There are couple of shops here and again can offer food and stay. Here you can also find enough place to camp. The wide meadows offers ample place. The views again are beautiful! 

The guy running the shop was fast in cooking lunch for us (one of the best meals so far) andwe were done with our break in about an hour. Viren was quick to arrange some hot water for himself to take a bath which kind of irked the feeling in me to take one myself. I thought of trying in the evening at Yada. After the stop we started for Yada, which is about couple of hours from here. The trail is rolling no major climbs or downhill. It is pretty easy to follow the trail as just one trail going uptill Yada.  No more rain and we reached Yada in time for Tea. 

On the way to Yada.. Photo credit by Nagaraj

Yada has one shop and a forest guest house, which is really shabby. The guest house is falling apart. The roof of one of the rooms have caved in and seems like livestock is being kept here as it is full of poop. The other room has two wooden beds. If you want to sleep 
here,  it is must to have your own sleeping bag as place is really dirty. There is no forest guard here and it is left open. The shop offers better option for sleeping. Clean and well stocked it is a good place to stay. Well me and Amit decide to sleep in our tent. Amit finally got to pitch his tent in the guesthouse's yard. There is no other place to pitch the tent. Sachin managed to lay his tent in front of the shop. Viren and Prithvi slept in the shop. Nagaraj managed to sleep in rest house's room. 

Evening tea and jokes at the Yada Shop 

I was finally able to arrange little hot water from the shop and took a much needed bath. I have started to develop couple of blisters. Walking with wet socks filled with mud was not a good idea. No choice but to burst the bubbles and remove the liquid as these would not let me walk tomorrow. 

Evening was spent relaxing while enjoying the peaks of Mani Mahesh and Kuja. Cloud cover was broken and evening sun rays spread orange, pink and red shades. 

Dinner was served at the shop and we requested for some breakfast for the next day.  

Day 4 Yada to Lakki Wali Mata

Rain rain go away....little johnny wants to play or rather trek! Last evening was promising, we were hoping for a better day today. 

In the morning though it was a different story. Rain was on and so were we to move on with our day. After our breakfast, we started to march. We were told that little ahead due to landslide the main route is closed and we need to climb up a little to skip the slide area. Which wasn't much of a hassle just a curve up to avoid the slide area. We could not locate the landslide though.  

The start was little difficult. Rain had turned the trail into a mudslide. We were trying to balance with our walking sticks and walking over grassy patches where we could find. For more than a km it was a struggle to keep steady feet. With hopes that this would be over soon we continued on the trail. Thankfully the muddy patch was over and we were soon on the rocky section. The trail again is pretty visible so no chance of getting lost. 

Due to monsoon we crossed through overgrown vegetation reaching upto our heads. Rain was showing no sign of retreating but due to high cloud base we could get the views of the valley. The valley after Yada becomes narrow. Stream at the bottom which was in full swing with the monsoon rain. 

First few kms are rolling and then downhill upto Channi. This place has a chai shop and can offer a place to sleep and eat. You can find a place to camp here and food at the shop. 

We stopped here for some tea. The plan was to reach the temple today so after a quick tea break, we started to walk. Rain was showing no sign of retreat. The climb to Surai village starts from here. The trail is little scary with a sheer drop to the stream if you slip. It was slippery at lot of places, we had to be cautious to where we keep our feet. 

We were treated with some stunning views and mesmerising waterfalls on the way. There is a point on the trail where it bifurcates into two. Left one is towards Lakke wali Mata, the right one maybe to the village. 

Once we could see the temple on the opposite ridge, we had to come down to the bottom of the mountain that we had climbed. Cross the bridge on one of the tributaries to Ravi and we were facing the sheer wall of a climb to Lakki wali Mata. The trail is narrow, zigzag n little steep at few places. But slowly and steadily we reached the road head and 100 metres ahead, to our destination of the day.

   Lakki Wali Mata Temple..  Photo credit;Nagaraj 

As usual Viren was first to reach and he spoke to the temple management, which is run by the shop owner next to the temple. He opened up a hall below the temple for us to sleep for the night. This is a newly constructed part of the temple and some of the mountain has been used as a one of walls giving it an impression of cave. There are no hotels or guesthouses around the temple and we did not see any spot to camp. The shop next to the temple is the only one here and offers chai, maggi and snacks. Meals needs to be ordered in advance. 

As soon as we reached the temple the rain stopped. Rain gods must have had a good laugh! We were all wet with the full day of walking in the rain. Quick change of clothes and we hogged on hot maggi and chai. It was no less than a gourmet meal!

Sun came out to give its blessings in the evening. Some of us got their sleeping bags and clothes wet as they were not kept in plastic bags. Our rain covers do not offer protection against the full day of rain. 

Rains are gone relaxing outside the temple. 

Thankfully the shop owner offered some blankets for the night. It was strange though Naga got bedbug bites while sleeping in his sleeping bag. Looks like bugs preferred Naga's blood and moved from blankets to his sleeping bag in the night.  

One can also see the work being carried out below on the controversial dam on Ravi, which is on 24 hours. With the flood lights turning night into days. 

We checked on our options of taking the bus to Bharmour. Due to rains the road little ahead was broken and buses and other heavy traffic was unable to come through to Lakki wali Mata. We were advised to walk 6 kms to the bus stop in the morning to catch 8 am bus. On further enquires we came to know we could take later buses from the stop ahead which would take us to Bada Mukh and from there we can connect for Kugti via Bharmour.

Day 5 Lakki Wali Mata to Kugti via Bharmour
We woke up at 6 am and headed to the the Shop for breakfast. 'Maggi' for breakfast - ewww...sick of it but there is no alternative. The owner of the shop came little early today for us as we had to return his utensils from the last nights dinner and pay him for the food.  There is no charge on the use of temple premises or belongings. You may choose to make a small donation at the temple box. 

Weather was clear and we start to walk on the road. Our first walk on the road. Nagaraj was in his element today. Road walking and he sprinted ahead. First it was a quiet and forested road but little ahead the road was broken. Heavy vehicle movement of trucks catering to the power plant project kept the noise and traffic levels high. Rains had turned the soil to mud. This was not a pleasant walk. On the way we were informed by the locals that we would be able to catch the bus from 16 kms ahead. Well as we had no choice we continued on the road only to be further demotivated by bad roads. My blister also started to show its ugly face and I had stop for some bandages. 

Walk on the road, at first it looked very inviting.

The group was spread out everybody was able to pace faster than usual on the road. After walking for 12  kms, four for us managed to get a ride till the bus stop. The car owner made a little extra journey for us but he happily dropped us at the bus stop. As we were getting out of the car, the bus crossed us heading towards Lakki wali Mata. We came to know it would go fruther 6-7 kms and would return to take us to Bada Mukh in couple of hours.  Phew........ Well all this extra walking made us hungry and we decide to walk another couple of kms to next available restaurant for much needed food. 

As we waited for the bus, a brunch of eggs n roti gave us relief from hunger. The bus arrived on time and we were on our way. Himachal state transport buses offer 20-25% discount on tickets for ladies on internal state routes. This is a good find. 

Bad roads yet to come.  

We were off board at Bada Mukh. Here we decide to share a taxi to Bharmour which was about 14 kms form here. The taxi charged us Rs. 400. Bharmour is busy small town and is also the starting point of Manimahesh trek. We arrive at Bharmour, shop for some groceries at the market as we have been asked to bring veggies/ groceries with us. Kugti does not offer any vegetable/ fruit shop. We stocked well for 2 days. Hired another taxi for Kugti. There is no bus service to Kugti. On the road from Bharmour to Kugti there are no other villages and it is not financially viable for transport department to run buses. I missed how much we paid for the taxi but I have a feeling maybe about Rs. 700 to Rs. 800. 

The drive to Kugti is very beautiful. Dotted with some wonderfully high waterfalls this place is straight out of a movie. It gives you of a feeling of entering an adventure land. Taxi dropped us 4 kms before the village as the road has been washed up by the rain. Walk upto the village is gradual and there are couple of shops that offer tea and other knickknacks. 

Our stay at Kugti was at Forest guest house. Booked by our friend. There is no other guesthouse or hotel here but you can either arrange to stay in the village at someones house or find a place to camp. To eat, there are couple of shops at the centre of the village. They can make you the  staple food ' Maggi' or eggs. Food needs to be ordered in advance. There was a small snack shop below our guesthouse which served our tea requirements from time to time. Later we discovered the 'NoName' cafe by the stream, what they serve is a mystery to us as we did not get a chance to visit it. 

Kugti was famous earlier with trekkers but has lost popularity for reasons not known to us.  

Kugti a hidden gem. 

Kugti is a hidden gem. Loved the setting of this village. Wooden old houses even the new construction is the same as old. We have not seen this type of construction in Himachal before. Ugly concrete has not yet made it here. Welcome relief! The structure is wooden with  stone walls, pillars are filled with rocks and a mud plaster. The ground floor is generally covered by snow in winter so all the houses have first or second floors. We fell in love with the place straight away. 

View from the forest guest house was stunning. Small mountain top with a temple in between the big mountains. Somehow the terrain and setting gives you a feel of China. The kind movie Kung Fu Panda showcases 😀

The guesthouse like any other government entity comes with its own character.

There was no electricity no water. Electricity was missing for couple of days for the whole village though. The rooms and toilets were dirty. Seems like it has never seen a duster or a broom since its inception. The guard did not know, we were to arrive today. No kitchen staff. General teething problem with these establishments. Soon enough confusions were removed. We booked 2 rooms but the guard was kind enough to offer another room for the boys. Kitchen staff arrived and cooked us dinner. This is the first and last time we would see them. Noticing 2 women in the group the old man decides to go on a vacation himself. 

This turned out to be the most tiring day so far. With the walk on the road, bus and taxi travels later we were all ready to hit the sack early. 

Break Day 6 and Day 7 Kugti - 2500 metres

Kugti is pretty. Apple orchards, walnut trees, high mountain tops, traditional wooden homes made us discuss the plan of shifting to Kugti for summers. If that would happen I do not know but for now we were happy to be here!

Cleaning, drying, washing and relaxing were how the days were planned. We were also looking for a guide cum porter (for food) for the next leg of the journey. From Kugti Village to Lahual there are no villages in between and crossing the Kugti pass is a tricky business. Well it turned out hiring someone at the village is a 'tricky business'. 

2 people turned up in the morning. Trying to take an advantage of the last minute arrangements, they asked for 2k per person per day non negotiable and we need to pay for 6 days even though the trek would be over in 3 - 4 days. This was a complete surprise from what we have been told earlier. The forest officer told us that the cost of hiring someone is Rs. 600 per person per day. After wasting 4-5 hours on the discussion which was not leading us anywhere we finally asked them leave. Lesson one; it is better to arrange things in advance. 

Beautiful Kugti village.

Something simple that should have taken half hour took half of our day. This was turning out to be a stressful exercise. We spoke to couple of the people in the village but it seemed like the whole village was conspiring against us. Villagers had some excitement in otherwise mundane life. There were group of men discussing the situation. Someone is trying to justify the demands, someone is supporting us. In no time, we were the talk of the town or rather the village. 

After wasting our morning we headed out for some brunch at one of the shops in the village. A group of men were huddled here and apparently the hot discussions were on about our trip.  Some of them came to speak to us while some were standing outside the shop listening. We were not ready for any further conversation on it and finally asked them to leave us alone. 

The shopkeeper heard the conversation and offered to guide us to Lahual. He was ok with the price of Rs 600 per person per day. But as per him we would need 2 people and we pay for 6 days. He offered to come to the guesthouse in the evening to further discuss the plan.  We agreed and headed out on a tour of the village. 

Enjoying the sunshine. 

Evening came with its own surprises. One of the helpers at the guesthouse told the shopkeeper that we have already booked his brother in law as the guide and he does not need to bother. Yet again the whole evening was lost in clearing up the confusion that it is all a lie and we have not yet booked anyone. 

Finally it was decided that we would take the helpers brother in law along with the shopkeeper as our guide cum porters.  They would buy the required ration, we made a list and they picked up the things from the village. 

Next day we headed to the shop for breakfast. It was time for another curve ball. The brother in law was not in Kugti , he was supposed to arrive last night but did not turn up. The shopkeeper was insisting on one more person as porter on the trip. As per him 2 people would be too less with the ration. Well we finally gave in thinking he might be telling the truth and lets not burden them with too much weight. 

Men at work - gear stitching.

The whole day and evening passed without any information on the alleged brother in law who never turned up. The shop guy arranged his own brother in law in place of the one before. Finally by night time of day 2 it looked like that we would be able to leave Kugti village next day.  

By now we started to feel that this whole situation could have been avoided. We had to prepare little better with our food. Me and Amit decided, we would never get into hiring guides or porters ever again. Its like hiring a car with driver and then the driver takes over your holiday deciding where he would take you.