Climbing a Mountain: The Kuari Pass Trek
I know, I know. You probably read the title and thought, “Treks are too difficult. I’m never doing that.” Well, I’m here to change your mind.
Now understand that I’m not a seasoned trekker. I don’t think that the mountains are my calling or that the hills are alive with the sound of music. But here’s what I do think:
- The mountains will make you appreciate the true meaning of nature
- Trekking can be peaceful, mindful and energising
- The sunsets and sunrises are unparalleled
I did the Kuari Pass Trek back in October 2019, before Covid – 19 had ruined all our hopes and dreams of travelling. I was actually looking forward to the trek because I had just finished my mid term exams, and projects, and the never ending pile of work on my desk. I was excited about being away from the hustle bustle of the city and experiencing nature in its truest form (Going to a park does not count as “experiencing nature” guys). The best part about going to the mountains? No network!
So, our usual group of 5 set off bleary eyed at 6 a.m. to the train station in Delhi, waiting for the train to arrive. The Kuari Pass Trek starts at a small village called Tugasi which is near Joshimath in Uttarakhand. The other option is to catch a flight to Dehradun and then drive go Auli. We were already in Delhi so we just took a train from there. Then starts the 9 hour drive from Haridwar to Auli.
Auli is known for its many ski resorts and scenic mountain views. It’s only a two hour drive away from Tugasi which is where the trek begins. Auli also serves as the perfect glimpse to the upcoming trek because of its beautiful view of the Himalayan mountains. We usually book our treks with Great Indian Outdoors. Their camps are set up in very nice locations and the staff is quite exceptional and well trained.
The next day, we started trekking from Tugasi at around 9 am. We passed the village and continued to go up, up and up. It took us about 2 – 3 hours to reach our base camp – Gulling. This was where we pitched our tents for the next two nights. Now the trek from Tugasi to Gulling was easy but it was not so scenic since it took us through the village. Although it was interesting to see how the villagers managed to climb up and down as if it were nothing while we huffed and puffed our way to the base camp.
The next day was D-day. It was the day of the climb. We started out as early as we could. Let me tell you why. Have you ever seen the movie ‘Everest’? Well, in the movie, a bunch of people climb Mt. Everest (duh!) but end up in life-threatening situations while climbing down. This is because they start climbing rather late in the day. Mountains are notorious for their changing climatic situations. A general thumb rule to follow is to reach the peak and start to descend before 1pm. After that what happens to the weather is anyones guess. So, to avoid being stuck in bad weather, we started our trek a little bit after sunrise.
The trek led us through a forest-y region where we hopped over babbling brooks, held onto large, old trees for support and walked over crunchy dry leaves. The forest was covered in hues of orange and gold and the thick canopy of trees made it seem like we were the only people in the whole world. Eventually, the forest gave way to a meadow which gave us our first peek of the peak (get it?) we were climbing. Then started the very steep ascent to Kuari Pass. I’m not going to lie, it was very difficult and the land was barren so it wasn’t even pretty to look at. There were clumps of snow everywhere and because of the altitude, we had to take a break every few minutes. At this point I was starting to question my decision making skills. Why on Earth would I voluntarily do something so difficult?
Well, I got my answer soon enough. The view. Boy oh boy the view. For someone who wants to write for a living, I can’t find the words for how spectacular the view is. Snowy peaks surrounded us on all sides. The sun’s rays made everything glow a beautiful orange colour and we were so high up that the world and all its problems felt tiny and insignificant. It hits you with a wave of overwhelming appreciation for nature.
We spent a little time soaking in the clean air and amazing views before beginning our descent. We went down the same way we came up. All in all, the trek took about 8 – 9 hours to complete.
The next day, we trekked back down from Gulling (base camp) to Tugasi after which we drove to Jayalgarh to stay for a night before we went back to Haridwar.
It was a beautiful trek but there a few things you should keep in mind:
- It is steep. So make sure that you are prepared to do quite a bit of climbing.
- Carry good trekking shoes. Normal walking or running shoes will not work. It is always a good idea to invest in some good trekking shoes. It can make a lot of difference.
- It’s at a high altitude. Walk slowly, its not a competition. Take frequent breaks and remember to keep drinking water.
- Respect the mountain. Don’t carry anything that is non biodegradable and definitely do not litter.
I truly recommend this trek for anyone who is looking to get away from the city and spend some time with nature. Standing on top of a mountain is something you should definitely experience at least once in your lifetime.
We booked our trek with Great Indian Outdoors. We find their staff highly skilled and safety standards are quite good. They also have their own camps set up in most places unlike the others. You could also look up India hikes as another option.