The Himalayas have always been mystic and serene—a place for devotees and travel enthusiasts alike. Trekking in the Himalayas gets the blood racing. The spectacular mountain ranges, remote villages, and the sense of adventure combine to create a truly unforgettable experience. 

An electronic engineer living in Mumbai plans an impromptu trip to the Himalayas with a preparation of 15 Days. After quickly booking the Trek with India Hikes, Mayur started preparing. The trip will last for 6 days and start from Rishikesh. 

Can Mayur Gurule from Nasik, Maharashtra scale the Trek? 
Read on to find out about his extraordinary trip to the Himalayas and his experience of trekking.

Day 1: Rishikesh to Saari base camp

Reaching Rishikesh – started from Nasik to Rishikesh via Delhi. 

A little sneak on what Rishikesh holds for. If you want to visit the spiritual capital of India, Rishikesh, it’s best to plan your trip for at least a month, as the best time to visit Rishikesh is between October and March. The journey to Rishikesh takes about 3 to 4 hours from New Delhi. You can either take the Rajdhani Expressway to the National Highway 8 or National Highway-24 to reach Rishikesh. 

Coming back to the Himalayas, Mayur made sure he had all the necessary equipment like trekking shoes and warm clothes. As there is always an option of renting out things like trekking poles, poncho, etc. The base camp was situated in Rishikesh in a small village named Shes. Along the trip to Rishikesh, you can view Ganga, scenic views, and exquisite nature laced with immensely beautiful waterline.

Day 2: Saari basecamp to Deoriatal campsite

After reaching the base camp, we move on to the real trekking expedition. Before embarking on this journey, you will have to give fitness tests to complete 5 km in 30 mins. Mayur had completed this enduring task in 30 mins. After reaching base camp, you will start the trek at 8-8:30 in the morning. The first trek was pretty easy as Mayur and the group covered only 5-6 km and reached an altitude of 2000 Ft. 

The campsite was beautiful, with one tent for two occupants and sleeping in sleeping bags, located alongside Deorital Lake. The temperature maintained a steady 2-5 degrees. The group reached the campsite at 3 p.m. In the afternoon I went to sleep around 9 p.m.; to start an early morning trek.

Day 3: Deorital to Syalmi campsite

The intensity rose with the steep mountain ascend and trail. The distance covered was 10 – 11 kms in a single day. As the group had started trekking at around 8 a.m, they could reach the campsite of Shalmi at 5 p.m. They could experience the enthralling scenic view of Leh Lake, Chandrashila Mountain, and Kedarnath Dome.

The journey so far has been clear and green, but Mayur saw snowy patches in the end length of the trek. The temperature was chilling -1 to 0 degrees. The group played out an exciting match of cricket and also played board games in the dining tent.

At around 10 p.m it started to snow. The sublime scenic view is hard to explain words as Mayur says. It snowed the whole night and they had to wake up every 2-3hrs to shake the tent so that the snow would fall out. In the morning, the temperature had sharply dropped to -5 to -4 degrees. It was all a white abode of snow.

Day 4: Syalmi to Baniya kund campsite

After breakfast. Mayur and the group started the trek at 7 a.m. One of the experiences Mayur shares is the freezing task of washing utensils with bare hands with cold water. Day 04 was the most scenic trail trek.

The view had completely changed with the snow. While the group was trekking it didn’t snow. There was clear weather. They all wandered into the forest and all was covered in snow. Mayur built the snowman that he is proud of and also played in a snow fight. They even crossed freshwater rivers, now and then. Reached the campsite at around 4 p.m, again we played snow fights and frisbee. Then, it snowed again at night. 

Mayur slept at around 8 p.m. as the next day was summit day and they will have to get up at 3 in the morning.
Won’t wanna miss the sunrise, will you?. 

Day 5: Baniya kund to Chandrashila peak

After a simple breakfast to keep them moving, the group had started their trek in the dark, from 4-6 a.m with only one headlight per person. Slowly the sun rose. They could see multiple mountain peaks glowing in the golden color of the rising sun. The group completed trekking around 16 to 17 km.  In the beginning, the group size was 18. Some got health issues, didn’t make it to the last point of the summit and 15 people reached the summit. 

They also could see the world’s highest Shiva temple Tungnath. They reached Chandrashila peak at 8:30 in the morning. A small temple is also situated there. The total height covered is 12083 Ft. The view from the peak of Chandrashila Mountain is simply breathtaking. You can see the Eastern Desert stretched out before you, and on a clear day, you can even spot the ocean on the distant horizon. 

The mountain itself is an impressive sight, too, rising high above the desert on the far side of the oasis. It’s a spot where you can truly appreciate the scale of the world and marvel at the engineering that has brought us to where we are today. The peak offers a stunning view of the mountains, valleys, and the sky. Chandrashila is often called “The Mountain of Eternal Delight.”

Day 6: Saari village to Rishikesh

For traveling back to Rishikesh, the pick was scheduled from Chopta village and going to Saari campsite. Due to snowmelt, the roads were slippery so the group had to walk more than 5 km to reach a small village further from Chopta point. After reaching Sari Village basecamp they played cricket as it was the last night in the camp. The group sat down to relive the trekking experience and share their stories of the journey.

Day 7

After starting for Rishikesh at 7:30 a.m, Mayur reached Rishikesh at 3 p.m afternoon. Here, Mayur visited local tourist spots and Haridwar. Rishikesh, the Land of the Yogis. The name conjures up images of serene Yoga ashrams, of long meditative walks along the River Ganges, and a myriad of cultures and religions peacefully coexisting. Haridwar is known as the ‘Rice Bowl of India’. Here, you will find numerous temples and gurudwaras.

So this was the travel story to the Himalayas! To enjoy more amazing pictures and videos, check out Mayur’s page @mayur.gurule.

And for more such unique and authentic stories stay tuned and follow us on our Instagram handle @indiachalk.