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TREKKING TALES FROM KHEERGANGA: THE FIRST HIGH

EXPERIENCES, HIMACHAL PRADESH, INDIA

Pine trees and picturesque rolling hills surrounded us. Somewhere while trekking the treacherous hills a cute boy, must be 5 or 6 years old, hopped to the middle of the rugged path – we stopped as he approached us for buying apples that came straight from the tall trees. With an endearing yet mischievous smile, he convinced us to buy the yummiest apples of Himachal (had to be) :).

Anyone gripped with wanderlust is always on a lookout for offbeat places where new experiences await. One such place is Kheerganga which is quite possibly, Himachal’s best-kept secret. Getting to it entails an exhilarating trek which is completely worth the effort (can vouch for that now).

The unique beauty of the hilly wilderness will leave you mesmerized and desiring for more. But that’s not all; Kheerganga has countless alluring charms which will push it to the top of your travel list right this moment.

We both finally materialized our first plan to go to Kheerganga – a mystical place in Kullu conducive for an uphill trek. If you want to go to a faraway destination in a gorgeous corner of India – peppered with scenic beauty at every step, to sample yummy apples on the go and meet cutest red-cheeked kids – go for Kheerganga trek in Himachal Pradesh.

Is there anything cuter than Himachali Kids?

We love magnificent peaks, expansive green meadows, as well as striking blue skies. The high altitude terrains tucked in the Himalayas help break the monotony and rejuvenate one’s senses. This time, we really wanted to sink our teeth in and apprise ourselves with Himachal Pradesh’s charming landscapes up close and personal. CHECK THAT IN OUR VIDEO: 

THE LOGISTICS OF BOOKING A TOUR

The decision to get onboard with a group for our first trek was taken in the last minutes before the departure. The package we booked included transfers, food, accommodation, and a walk through the 14-kilometer walking trail. It also included a DJ night and a short visit to Kasol – the land of hash!

After weighing all the pros and cons, we eventually decided to go with a group called ‘Travel Syrup’, which had deftly organized a 2N/3D Kheerganga trek Himachal Pradesh. The coordinators were friendly and they did manage to answer all our queries dexterously. Here I must add, the tour organizers were quite prompt and attentive to needs of all the group members, which overall made for a happily successful trek! 🙂 Cheers!

THE JOURNEY

On a rather pleasant note, let’s regale the tales from our first trekking experience. 😉

As we sat in the semi sleeper Volvo, reserved for our group, it was about twilight, and we didn’t even know at what time we dozed off. When we woke up the next morning, we were near our hotel, certainly quite high on excitement quotient.

As we reached, I started examining the floors, ceilings, and reception of the hotel, pretty sure about the fact that I had been there before. ‘Mashoo Resort’ – Yes, I had stayed there with my parents during New Years 2013 and I even recalled the amazing valley view from the terrace of the hotel. It was a long drive so we quickly had our meals and after introductions with some like-minded travelers, we went to our rooms.

The gorgeous terrace at the hotel – terrace with a view!

After a short nap, we got dressed up to visit the hippie destination ‘Kasol’ that is famous for Marijuana. Travel Syrup had organized our visit in their ‘Innova’ and we with 7 other members went for an evening out. It was a 45 minutes car drive from the hotel, and once we reached there, we were left awestruck by the unabashed bohemianism of the quaint township.

Once we got back, a DJ party at the terrace of the hotel awaited us. We spent some fun moments with the group, had drinks, shook our booties a bit, and interacted with each other. All-in-all, everything was well organized and the day went by quite well.

Early next morning, we got up to sunlight glinting through windows of our room and the tender chirping of birds. We had our breakfast with the other group members and quickly got ready for the Kheerganga trek.

Ready for Trek – Hell! I am super excited! 🙂

HOW TO REACH KHEERGANGA TREK’S STARTING POINT?

  • After grabbing our backpacks, water bottles and lots of sugary food items, we hopped into our bus, which dropped us at Manikaran.
  • Everything about a trip to Kheerganga is an adventure unto itself. Even reaching the base Barshaini will most likely involve a journey with multiple modes of transport, meeting all kinds of people and fun-filled rides through the Himalayan countryside.

Now if this doesn’t excite you, what will? Well, we were taken to Barshaini in a Sumo, and I must say the way was extremely coarse and bumpy. It wasn’t cold at that time and we felt comfortable in a half-sleeve T-shirt and lowers.

Bus dropped us at Manikaran – rest of the journey was done in a SUMO

Be prepared for a bumpy ride till Barshani

  • The walk through the desolate hinterland is long but easy. It is full of uphill hikes, jagged forest trails, and so much more. Within 3-4kms of a trek from Barshaini, there’s a beautiful village called Kalga wherein one can relax and enjoy scrumptious food at cheap price. After a few more kilometers is another little, rustic village called Rudra Naag, which is marked for its temple and waterfall.

Starting point – gorgeous views abound

You are not far from creature comforts when trekking to Kheerganga

The stunning landscape urges me to trek more!

The Himalayas have its own zones for drinking and boozing 🙂

Mind having an adobe right here – I don’t! 🙂

And finally the Rudra Naag Temple.. Such a respite! Om Namah Shivaay!

Hiking, climbing, and more waterfalls – this trek is super entertaining!

  • The moment we saw Rudra Naag temple, we were ecstatic as the exquisite waterfalls made us feel like we were in an altogether different world. We took a break at that very point and found a little corner to enjoy some peacetime and sensational panoramas from the valley. After 20 minutes, we got up and started our trek again.
  • After trekking past plenty of rivers and rolling hills, we were really devoid of energy. Moreover, it kept getting difficult as the waterfalls made the narrow paths extremely slippery. The slopes kept getting steeper and the roads got blocked by huge rocks, leaving no place for us to walk.

Please be nice to the mountains. They keep us alive.

It involved lots of hiking and walking through gorgeous backdrops

Can never say ‘NO’ to this bowl of happiness

You’re sure going to meet many saints during this trek! One photograph, please? Oh, Sure!

We reached Kheerganga after ascending through thick pine forests, a meadow, whose claim to fame is meditation done by Lord Shiva for 3000 years. It is a temporary village which remains operating for a period of 6 months, and during the remaining 6 months (off-season), it gets clad in snow and thus the locals shift their base to villages on lower altitudes.

If you stay over at a local home or in tented accommodation, of course, you’ll try some hilly gastronomic specialties. And as you trek further and reach the top, you’ll come across stalls selling familiar junk food including Maggie, biscuits, tea, coffee and more. Sometimes, these simple (and rather unhealthy) indulgences can be wonderfully satisfying.

Trek accomplished within 4 hours! I’m all smiling 🙂

FIRST GLANCE OF KHEERGANGA

Once you reach the summit and are finally one with Kheerganga, the magnificence of the panorama beyond will render you speechless.

So we walk towards the dramatic landscape of Kheerganga, the sun has almost gone, and I get hopeful that it doesn’t appear again to take away the much-needed respite.

What I don’t realize is that I haven’t packed any woolens and it gets really cold when the sun goes down. 🙂

You are welcome to Kheerganga’s expansive grassland where shepherds are tending to their cows. It looks like something straight out of a storybook just the ones we read during our school days. I feel really cold so I seek accommodation in my tent quickly. Thankfully, both Harsh and I could manage to reach to the top within 3:30 hours timeframe 🙂

Though the eyes are shutting, I clutch the tea cup with frail hands and with a calm demeanor, once again look at the gorgeous panoramas that Kheerganga behold. Solitude, greenery and the soft chirps of woodland creatures all around. Most visitors develop a new bond with Mother Nature here; the pull of the wilderness is truly strong at Kheerganga!

Stunning views welcome you the valley!

Didn’t take me long to get comfortable with my accommodation 😀

Meet my new friend here; say hello to this munchkin :*

HIKE TO THE HOT NATURAL SPRING

I was almost drained out of energy at this point, feeling a bit feverish, but the urge to go further up to check out Hot Springs was real strong.

And after a session of ‘Yes’ and ‘No’, I finally picked my costume and got all charged up to take a dip in the hot, holy water spring (the prime attraction of Kheerganga). As it turns out, this is one of the most pleasurable parts of all.

Ever imagined bathing in the open, atop a mountain is warm, cozy pond? Well, that’s what you get to enjoy if you make it to the top. So anyone who gets tired after the hard trek – think about bathing in the hot spring; it’s an instant motivator! It remains occupied most of the time and remains shut between 8 PM and 6 AM.

Holy water spring – The prime attraction of Kheerganga

The best time perhaps for a dip in the hot spring is the early morning hours. 

PS– Don’t forget to take your costumes and towels along with you as there are two separate pools for men and women. Isn’t that awesome? Well, it was an experience like no other – bathing in hot spring in open and that too at an altitude of almost 2,960m. Ah! Himachal – You beauty!

CAFES IN KHEERGANGA

After coming back from our royal bath, we spent some time in the local cafes set amidst the wilderness. Nature can surprise you in more than one ways! There was Lonely Planet’s tented accommodation available as well, which ascertained the fact that they are suckers of everything surreal and gorgeous.

While we were peeking through the cafes, one of them really draw my attention and I quickly went inside to get seated on a lovely hammock. That more than made up for the pain in my legs!

Rather amusing to find ‘Lonely Planet’ at such a remote location

For us, Travel Syrup had already made arrangements for the Kheerganga trek Himachal Pradesh, which were just about good. There were English toilets in the wilderness; we were served English breakfast (eggs and bread) with mouthwatering chai; evening snacks were tasty; the bonfire party was just what was needed. To us, at

There were English toilets in the wilderness; we were served English breakfast (eggs and bread) with mouthwatering chai; evening snacks were tasty; the bonfire party was just what was needed. To us, at Wanderers Hub, it was just perfect!

Our group at the camp base – a lot of fun was had!

Note: There are two ways to trek up the hill (Kheerganga) and come down, of which one we have already mentioned. The other one, which we took to come down to Barshani, was a bit longer one, but for me, it was a better one. With the lesser crowd, more shade, though more challenges, the second way we took was much easier to descent down.

We could hear the roar of Parvati River echoing in the forest while we made our way down through the Parvati Valley. On this way, we met a few Israelis – some going uphill and some coming down. The return was indeed quick.

Looks cute – but cross it carefully!

Even a moment of carelessness can cost you life – Be careful

This is where villagers shift base when it snows

Last stop before reaching Barshani – The Taanish Cafe

As the trek concluded, there were a few things that got stuck in my mind and touched my heart deeply, and those I’d like to share with you all:

  1. It is tough living at an altitude of 2,960 meters, in a neighborhood with not a lot many households, which is 3-4 hours away from the mere signs of civilization. Life at Kheerganga is perhaps not easy. Nonetheless, the beauty of the valley will leave you in astonishment. So make it a point to preserve the beauty and keep it as clean as possible.
  2. You will mostly see locals working hard enough to earn their bread and butter. During our stay, I did not find even a single one of them getting impatient or being impolite. In fact, they tended to our needs and requirements properly. As a responsible traveler, it is of utmost importance for you to be appreciative of their efforts, and reward them with a big smile and thank them each time they do something for you. 🙂
  3. People living in hills have wooden houses with just about basic amenities and even the weather conditions are not favorable. Kids have cracked red cheeks that look too pretty to see but are a result of inappropriate weather conditions. Those cheeks hurt all the time. Even to go to school, they have to walk miles, and all you can do is be a bit hospitable to these ever smiling kids. It is an extremely humbling experience to meet these little munchkins.

2 responses to “TREKKING TALES FROM KHEERGANGA: THE FIRST HIGH”

  1. Nischay says:

    Sure looks like one hell of a place to go to 😀

  2. Latika says:

    What a post.. i was lost, literally, into the wilderness of your trekking experience. Think I am soon going to be a regular on this page..

  3. Naomi says:

    A lovely read. Makes me want to pack my stuff and come to India now! 😉

  4. Tami says:

    A fascinating journey with much to learn and experience! So glad you shared all the details and the photos with us! It may be a place I never get to.

  5. Chris says:

    When people talk of the Himalayas, the mind usually wanders to images of the highest heights and snow capped peaks.

    So lovely to see this different perspective

  6. I’ve never been to India, but enjoyed your post about Kheerganga. I don’t think I’ll get there though, as the trek is probably too much for my ailing knees. Thx for the post.

  7. neha says:

    What a wonderful read and what a wonderful trekking experience you had. The upper himalayas is full of naturally scenic places like these. How much one gets to see is totally up to the courage of the explorer.

  8. Mimi says:

    This inspires me a lot to go for a trek there! Will bookmark to consult and see what are our options to go do that journey of yours!

  9. Lewi says:

    Sounds like an amazing journey that was full of wonderful experiences and endless gems of scenery! India here we come!

  10. Thanks for showing us how trekking in the Himalayas can be accessible for normal folks. The very idea of hiking through the Himalayas was always inspiring but also intimidating. It seemed liked it was something you needed lots of training and preparation for, but it’s great to know that there are rewarding hikes that regular people can do in a t-shirt. How far is Kheerganga from the nearest airport?

  11. Ami says:

    Kheerganga is absolutely gorgeous. Lucky you that you could do this . Loved all the snaps, including that of your new friend 😀 .

  12. Alessandra says:

    Oh wow what an amazing experience! Trekking the Himalaya must have been unforgettable and judging by your post and pictures it’s something not to be missed!

  13. Robert says:

    Looks amazing! We just returned from traveling throughout India, but missed further north in the Himalayas. Definitely must return! Thanks for sharing the great story and excellent photos. Rob

  14. Vicky says:

    Wow this looks so incredible!!! looks like you had a lot of fun!

    ❥ Vicky | The Golden Bun – Instagram TGB

  15. Stephanie Fox says:

    Reading this I honestly felt like I got lost in your story it is so well written! The waterfalls sounds absolutely idyllic! What a memorable first trekking experience!

  16. Nomadic Foot says:

    I m in really love of trekking but could not do many of them except some trekking in Rishikesh. This one is looks so good and perfect for first time trekker. Nice detailed post. love it

  17. Teddy says:

    I always love reading about places that are off the beaten track. Would you consider this safe for a solo traveler (especially a woman traveling alone)?

  18. India is a land of contrasts, who would’ve thought there were such gorgeous, green and serene places like this one to visit! I hope I get to visit one day.

  19. Dmitriy says:

    Thank you for sharing so many details about your trip/hike to this magical place Kheerganga in your post. Not that long ago I was blessed with an opportunity to visit India for 4 days and during that time we have stayed in New Delhi and we took one day trip to Agra to visit Taj Mahal. After that trip, I thought that I became an expert on India but after reading your post I realized that I know nearly nothing about this beautiful, unique and mysterious country full of places like Kheerganga.

  20. This was quite an informative read! I particularly liked how there were so many interesting spots and details along the way. (The signs reminding people to take care of nature and the dog are ♥!) Also, that hot spring sounds lovely! What an experience indeed. I’ve never trekked like this but I do love some outdoor activity and camping. You guys sure had fun. 🙂

  21. Joanna says:

    I would love to do the same trek as you did, the scenery it’s so beautiful! You are right, when you go on such an experience you do have to chose wisely the guides because your life will be in their hands. They should also know the mountains and the treks really well. I am happy to see that people are responsible as well on the trek and they try to keep it clean. Responsible tourism is so important these days, we have only one planet, we should protect it.

  22. Emily says:

    India looks so beautiful! The hot springs sounds like the perfect end to a long day trekking. I’ll definitely try to go on a hike here when I get back to India. And you’re so right about being appreciative of locals’ efforts to welcome tourists.

  23. SindhuMurthy says:

    I have heard of Kheerganga before but I never knew you could cover it within 3 days and 2 nights. I would definitely love to do this trek some day. Given the proximity of the place to Delhi, I guess this trail ould always be crowded. Which is the best time to avoid crowd? Also, if we have to extend our trek in the region, are there any more places to explore?

  24. I love your video of the trek! Looks like parts of it were pretty tiring but overall looks like a lot of fun – esp where you cross over the waterfall on the wooden bridge. I’ve never trekked with a tour group before but sounds like you had a great experience! Was the DJ reserved for after the trek or during the trek too?

  25. Sheena says:

    Wow, Kheerganga looks like a gorgeous place to trek, and I’m sure it’s not just because of your amazing photos! I definitely would like to do this on my next visit to India but I’m not a big fan of organised tours – do you know if you can do this yourself?

    • admin says:

      Yes Sheena, you can totally do it on your own and the trek is quite safe! We were part-sponsored by the travel group and that is the reason we took this up. But in any case, it was nothing but fun!

  26. sumita says:

    thank you for your great article, any chance you can share contact details for any of the accommodations in Kheerganga?
    warm regards, Sumita

    • admin says:

      I am so sorry, Sumita. I kinda skipped reading through your comment. But you don’t worry about accommodation over there as there are numerous tented accommodations for shelter once you reach the top. Anyway, if you want to go through a travel company, please let me know. I’d share a contact number 🙂

  27. Neha says:

    AWESOME! I love how you’ve detailed everything. Also, a video along with every article AMAZING!!

  28. Abhishek Taneja says:

    Thanks for the detailed info about Kheerganga.
    Can you please tell me is it possible to attempt this trek without guide.
    Thanks in advance.

    • admin says:

      Yes Abhishek, you can absolutely do it without a guide! There will be many fellow trekkers on this trail so it’ll be perfectly fine!

  29. Parvesh Jain says:

    Wow. Great article, It’s quite descriptive. Your trip experience sounds amazing although I too recently did Kheerganga Trek up and down in just 6 hours. And with my experience I jotted down some tips to do the trek swiftly than other trekkers and I am sure you can add some good tricks to that list.

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