This year for my birthday, I decided to do what I love doing the most. Exploring Isolated untouched places. I heard about the Magic of Magic Valley, and I had to go.
1. Took a bus from Delhi - Bhuntar
2. Took a local bus Bhuntar - Jari
3. Shared a cab with fellow travellers Jari - Malana
For those who have been to Malana, you would know that there is the Malana gate that you walk down from to get to the village. But if you keep going straight on the road, that's the way to Magic valley.
Walk straight from Malana gate for another 2-3 kms. You will reach a dam. This is the starting point for the Waichin valley and Magic valley trek.
After crossing the dam, take right. And start walking. In another 2 kms, you will come across a few shops (selling tea). Ask them for directions towards Waichin valley.
Now there are a few ways to get to Waichin valley (which I got to know after I had reached Waichin).
There are 3 routes that I know of. We had crossed the first one, so it made no sense to go back there and try to take that route.
We were at a crossroads. Go right and take the route which would take 2-3 hours to get to the top. Or climb the mountain, and be there is 30 mins.
If you would know me, I love saving time. And climbing mountains. But this was something I wasn't prepared for.
We started climbing the mountain. It got STEEP! After a point, I was catching my breath, and climbing again, with all 4 limbs. We had to use our hands to climb, it was SO STEEP!
With constant efforts, we reached the top. And it was BEAUTIFUL!
There was NO ONE around us. We were the only travellers in the entire valley. We got the tent which was for 6 people (but paid only for 2 people).
Relaxed, lit a fire, and called it a night. In the morning, we met a local and he told us there are a few hidden waterfalls in the area, that not a lot of people know about.
Something hidden and isolated? I couldn't say no to that. So we went out to find these hidden waterfalls. Walked around for 30 mins, and we found 2! Glad that we walked in the right direction.
Relaxed by the falls, we actually wanted to take a dip in them but the current was too fast and the water was extremely cold.
Came back to our tent, packed up our stuff, and left for Malana.
The way back (which was the 3rd route) was the most scenic. Walking thorough fields, with a dog, through jungles, through waterfalls, it was a great trek back.
Made it back to Malana, and took a cab to Kasol, to embark on our next adventure.
Waichin valley is now closed (some problem for illegal land use) and I am glad I visited this place while it was still functioning.
At the same time, I heard news about Malana shutting down for tourists (I was there at the time) and then it came in the news a few weeks later, that it was indeed shutting down.
Happy to have visited these places.