A popular winter destination and a ski resort in India, Auli is known for its snowy slopes. From snow-capped mountains to wooden cottages, it is not less than a perfect European country village. Situated at an astonishing height of 2,505 meters, it is brimmed with everything that an ideal tourist would dream of! From the panoramic view of the crescent Himalayas to Meadows surrounded by coniferous and oak forests, adventure activities, and much more, Auli will not disappoint you.
I planned a trip along with 2 of my friends to get away from the usual momentum of life and try something new and adventurous!
But fate had -plans otherwise, let’s see what came our way, and was nature merciful to us?
Ghaziabad to Rishikesh 7th January, 10 pm
The original plan was to trek to Kuari pass, which is also known as the Lord Curzon trail and so we booked a bus to Rishikesh. Situated in Garhwal Himalayas, this trek gives a chance to view the impressive skyline of the mighty mountains from close quarters. It is one of the few treks that are open during winter for trekkers. Kuari Pass is also considered as only pass that is trekkable in winters.
Rishikesh to Joshimath 8th January, 3 am
We reached Rishikesh the next day and booked a trekking package with the Uttrakhand Trip Trek company. They picked us up from Rishikesh by 9 in the morning and dropped us at Joshimath at 6 pm.
In the cab we met other trekkers that were comming along for the same batch. We were a group of 12.
Having already spent the daylight travelling, we retreated for the night to Birla Guesthouse. Not to mention it was bitterly cold and the temperature dropped to 0℃ at night.
Joshimath to Dhak village 9th January, 10 pm
After the cold night, came the day. Post breakfast, we resumed our journey and left for Dhak village. This was the starting point of the trek. Witnessing large amounts of snow was breathtaking at first. After 4 hours of trek, we finally made it to Chitrakantha, the first base camp by 5 pm. We set up our camps, had warm supper, and called it a day.
But it doesn’t take much time for things to go sideways. 2 in the morning, Our Trek leader announced that we have to sleep in intervals and we have to dust off snow from time to time from the top of the camp to avoid getting buried in snow as it was snowing heavily and the temperature was dropping exceedingly.
Return journey to Joshimath 10th January, 10 pm
Next morning Post breakfast, Our trek leader announced that we couldn’t go ahead with the trek, because it was snowing heavily since 9 hours and now any further passage will be dangerous. With the temperature dropping exceedingly; We started trekking downhill, back to joshimath, disheartened by the change in plans. It took about 7 hours to reach the ground and by that time it was already dark. Birla Guesthouse was yet again our stay for the night.
Exploring Joshimath 11th January, 10 pm
To make the most of the situation, we decided to explore the local area at Joshimath. Strolling around the town,
Later in the evening, we had a bonfire by the guesthouse and enjoyed the night under the starry night!
Joshimath To Auli 12th January, 9 pm
Me and my friends planned to explore Auli, next on our list, and hired a cab to take us to Auli "The skiing destination of India 🇮🇳. Unfortunately the way was very slippery due to excessive snow and the cab driver dropped us 7 Kms before Auli and we had to trek the remaining distance to reach Auli. During our stay at Auli, We explored Chenab lake. It is one of the world’s highest man-made lakes at an astounding elevation of 3,056 m above sea level. Decked up in pine, oak, rhododendron, and conifer trees, it is quite near to the ropeway. Offering picturesque views, it is a must-visit destination for travellers. Upon reaching the lake, We found the lake was completely frozen and the view was breathtaking. It was around 2 PM we reached Chenab Lake. We stayed a night at Auli, temperature at night was -3℃.
Gorson Bugyal trek 13th January, 10 pm
Leaving early, we started our trek to Gorsal Bugyal. It is 3 km uphill from Auli and is a short one; which can easily be completed within a day. Being the Himalayan Alpine meadow, it has a large expanse of grassland that covers several hundred acres of land. Land of green pastures surrounded by coniferous forest and oak trees will certainly amuse you.
During this trek you will witness the rare view of 'The Nanda Devi'. Nanda Devi is not a mountain you see easily. It is 2nd highest mountain of India.
There are hardly any trek from where you can see nanda devi. I have also visited Chandrashila. You can spot Nanda Devi from chandrashila but it is very far.
From Kuari Pass or Gorsal Bugyal you can see Nanda Devi standing right in front of you.
Not only Nanda Devi you also see big mountains like Mt. Dronagiri, Mt. Neelkanth & Mt. Chaukhamba and all are pretty close.
After completing the amazing trek, we headed back to Joshimath and stayed at Birla Guesthouse for the night.
Joshimath to Rishikesh
The next day, the trekking company dropped us at Rishikesh and we stayed there for the night. The next morning, after starting fresh; the day was dedicated to fun, adventure, and thrill. We opted for local sightseeing and sports that give an adrenaline rush. Triveni Ghat, Lakshaman Jhula, and Ram Jhula are some of the beautiful tourist spots in Rishikesh. Later came the highlight of the day, River Rafting and cliff jumping. I recall feeling ecstatic the entire day! This was the end of our journey, and just like that, it was time to head home.
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