Wildflower Tours
A
varied nature trek in little explored Kinnaur
Our
tour visits the Bhabha valley in Kinnaur, the Tirthan
valley in the Saraj and the Hampta Valley near Manali.
With different levels of rainfall, altitude profiles
and degrees of human or animal intervention, a tour
combining the three valleys will maximize our chances
of seeing the greatest numbers of wildflowers for
which these valleys are famous.
The
walking is gentle and will suit any body in a
reasonable state of fitness. Adequate time for gentle
acclimatization is built into the tour and we will
never be at altitudes likely to cause discomfort
most of the trekking will be between 7000 to 9000 ft.
There will also be the option of not having to walk
between camps and to remain at base doing day walks
exploring the area thoroughly
With
wildflowers as our primary objective, this tour will
not visit the strongly Tibetan influenced dry valleys
of Spiti, Lahaul and Ladakh. However, everyone will
have the option of extending their stay to drive along
the 450 kms long Manali - Leh road crossing the
second and thirdd highest road passes in the world
into Ladakh and spending a few days there visiting the
colourful gompas(monesteries) of the Indus valley
before flying back to Delhi.
For
all, there will be interesting side trips to visit
important cultural sites, whether it be the
spectacularly situated Bhimakali temple at Sarahan
built in an Indo-Tibetan style, the quaint pagoda
style houses and temples of the Kullu Valley or the
day tour to Agra to see the Taj Mahal and the
awesome Moghul city at Fatehpur Sikri.
ITINERARY
| Days
1 & 2 |
Fly
to Delhi |
| Day
3 |
After
arriving in Delhi in the early hours of Day 3, we
are met on arrival by the Peak Adventures
representative and driven about 20 kms to the
comfortable Kanishka Hotel. There is time to catch a
few hours sleep before lunch followed by a 5 hour
sightseeing tour of some of Old and New
Delhi's places of interest. Included in the tour is
the impressive Moghul built Red Fort, the
Grand Mosque, the colourful Hindu
Birla Temple and a drive along New Delhi's spacious
tree lined avenues past the Lutyen's designed
government offices and President's House to
Humayun's Tomb. Return to the hotel by 7 pm.
|
| Day
4 |
There
is a brief ride to New Delhi station where we take
the early morning Himalayan Queen Express to Kalka
at the foot of the Himalayas. Arriving at 11 am, we
are met by our bus and crew for the 4 hr climb up
the lush green foothills of the Himalayas to
Simla-the summer capital of India during the British
Raj. We will stay either in the Chaplsee or the
Eastbourne Hotels, both within walking distance of
the town. The evening is free. |
| Day
5 |
We
travel northeast along the old Hindustan-Tibet Road,
initially following a ridge through a green
landscape of forests, terraced slopes and apple
orchards. We reach the high point of the day at
Narkanda (9500 ft) and then drop some 6000 ft to
the floor of the Sutlej valley, as we work our way
upstream the scenery becomes less green as the rain
shadow effect of the hills to the south becomes
apparent. Passing the important market town of
Rampur, the gateway to the district of Kinnaur, we
climb steeply away from the main road to the village
of Sarahan where we stay in the splendidly located
Himachal Tourism hotel with good views over the
valley below. |
| Day
6 |
In
the morning we visit the finely constructed wooden
Hindu temple of Bhimakali with ornate brass and
silver doors. The Tibetan influence on the
architecture is apparent in the pagoda style roofs.
After breakfast, we descend to the main valley floor
and drive upstream through a gorge to Wangtu bridge
where our 'Restricted Area' permits are inspected.
Leaving the Sutlej, we turn off northwards on the
spectacular side road up into the Bhabha Valley. At
the small village of Kafnoo, the road ends and here
we set up camp. |
| Days
7-10 |
We
have 4 days to explore the Bhabha valley, part of an
area only opened to outside visitors since 1993. The
trail runs gently up the valley through meadows and
thin forests finally crossing a high pass into the
Pin Valley- known to have snow leopards and ibexes.
Leaving the last household at the start of our walk
we will have the meadows to ourselves apart from an
infrequent shepherd. The trail is never steep and we
will aim to walk only as far as the alpine upper
meadows so as to see the full range of wildflowers
whose numbers amazed a recent team from the British
Alpine Club.
|
| Day
11 |
Having
spent the night back at base camp, there will be
time after breakfast to wander through Kafnoo and
see the unhurried pace of life in a remote Hinmlayan
village the support crew strike camp and load the
bus. We drive down to Wangtu and then to the town
of Rampur. Stay will either be in a simple lodge in
town or else in tents set up near the start of the
trail leading to the Saraj area. |
| Days
12-14 |
Over
the next three days we ascend to the Bashleo Pass at
just under 12,000 ft and cross the watershed of the
Sutlej river to the one feeding the Beas river.
descending to Bathad in the Tirthan valley, we set
up camp and wait for our support bus which will
take a circuitous route in order to meet up with us.
As we will be in the area during the monsoon, we can
expect some rain here but this will also be the time
when the wildflowers are at their best. The trail
over the pass is used by shepherds taking their
flocks from one valley to the next to trade and, as
we enter the Tirthan , we will see the influence of
the Kullu Valley in the distinctive pillarbox
embroidered caps of the men and the geometric
patterned wrap-around blankets of the women. |
| Days
17-19 |
A
brief 10 kms drive to the village Of Prini On the
other side of the valley where we meet our crew for
the walk into the Hampta Valley. The trail ascends
to Hampta village and then to the camping
ground of Chikka where we will aim to set up camp.
In the shadow of the 20, 100 ft high Indrasen peak
the Hampta valley is well known for the large
numbers of flowers that cover valley floor and the
alpine meadows. There will a full day to explore
this area before we walk back to Prini and return to
our hotel in Manali. |
| Day
20 |
Leaving
after a dawn breakfast, there is a long drive back
to Delhi. We stop in Chandigarh for lunch before
heading back to Delhi. Overnight in the Kanislika
Hotel. |
| Day
21 |
Today
we join the tourist trail taking the early morning
fast train to Agra . Met by an experienced local
guide and coach on arrival at 8.30, we drive to the
Taj Mahal and then to the Red Fort. After lunch,
there is a tour to the awesome abandoned Moghul
capital of Fatehpur Sikri about 40 kms distant from
Agra. Preserved in mint condition with its sandstone
carvings intact, the enormous town was abandoned
after only 17 years of occupation in the late
sixteenth century when its water source dried up.
There will be time to see the artisans making
intricate nmrble objects in the evening before
returning by train to Delhi. |
| Day
22 |
With
an early morning transfer to the airport to take our
return flight, our tour ends. |
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This Tour Now
TEMPERATURE
AND WEATHER
Northern
India receives about two third of its rain during June
to September. Although there are breaks in the monsoon
rains, sometimes lasting for a week or more, it is
realistic to expect some damp days. The Bhabha valley
and, to an extent, the Bashleo Pass, are so deep in
the Himalayas that the monsoon clouds contain little
moisture by the time they reach these areas.
Daytime
temperatures will vary from 15- 25 C with night time
temperatures at our higher camps falling to about 5-10
C. Manali. Simla and Sarahan will have daytime highs
of about 20-25 C. Delhi and Agra will he hot and humid
during August with daytime highs of around 32-35
although it can be cooler if the skies are overcast as
is often the case during the monsoons. We will use
airconditioned hotels in Delhi And the train to and
from Agra also offers airconditioned seating.
FOOD
Apart
from Delhl and Simla where only breakfast is included,
all meals are usually in the cost. Lunch on the day
trip to Agra is not included. Allow about $5-8 per
meal.
TOUR
HIGHLIGHTS:
