24 Treks for 12 months of 2017 - Part 1

2016 was a life changing year for me. I quit my job and changed the stream all together, started this blog, traveled to and explored around 10 new places and moreover I did my first trek in May 2016 and that has changed me completely.

Having started my trekking journey with Deoria Tal - Chandrashila in May followed by Kheerganga in August and now Triund and Jalori Pass - Serlosar Lake in December, I thought of compiling a list of 24 trekking destinations for the 12 months of 2017,  in India which one should definitely think of doing as suggested by travelers and trekkers themselves.

January

Chadar Trek

By Amrita & Agni ( Tale of 2 backpackers )

 A trek in January definitely involves extreme cold temperatures and hiking in the snow. But Chadar Trek is unique in itself as here you are walking over ice. The Zanskar River that flows with such aplomb during the summers calms down and freezes during this time of the year. A blanket of ice or 'chadar' forms over the river, and you have a trek route that can be an experience of your lifetime. Surviving temperatures as low as -10 degrees in the morning and -35 degrees at night is no mean feat. 

24 hours in McLeodganj, India

McLeodganj is a very popular travel destination in Dharamshala. Being just 250 km (5 hours) journey from Chandigarh and around 475 km (9-10 hours) journey from Delhi, McLeodganj has become a hotspot for weekend trips and is frequented by travellers but usually jam-packed with tourists specially on long weekends.

McLeodganj has a lot to offer to all kinds of travellers alike. Triund trek – a 9 km trek from McLeodganj main square; and it is a foodie’s haven with all kinds of foods and cuisines available in the many cafes spread all over the town.

McLeodganj is best explored on foot and to enjoy the city it is recommended to park your vehicle in the parking lot near the bus stop for the duration of the stay .This does two things – Less traffic on the narrow roads and making your effort to keep the town pollution free.

The buses from Delhi usually arrive early in the morning by 6-7 AM which is the perfect time to start a day long food trail in the streets of McLeodganj.

5 places near Delhi to satisfy your Snow – lust

Shimla

Shimla also known as ‘The Summer Capital of British India’ is the capital and largest city of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is a district which is bounded by Mandi and Kullu in the north, Kinnaur in the east, the state of Uttarakhand in the south-east.It is unarguably one of the most popular hill stations, buzzing with Indian vacationers all year long.

Traffic is banned from the central part of town, so walking is pleasant – even when huffing and puffing uphill. The long, winding main street, the Mall, runs east and west just below the spine of the hill. South of it, the maze-like alleys of the bustling bazaar cascade steeply down to traffic-infested Cart Rd.

From mid-July to mid-September, Shimla is frequently wreathed in cloud, and in the winters it gets engulfed in a white blanket of snow. It is also home to a number of buildings that are styled in the Tudorbethan and neo-Gothic architectures dating from the colonial era which attract a lot of tourists all through the year.

#Snowflakes #Shimla #Snowfall

A photo posted by ⏺A S H I S H K' BHARDWAJ⏺ (@imashishkbhardwaj) on Jan 7, 2017 at 2:56am PST

McLeodganj

Triund, McLeodganj - A Must Do Trek for beginners

Triund a small hill station in the Kangra district in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India is definitely a must go to place for everyone who visits McLeodganj. It is at a height of 2,828 m and is a part of Dharamkot. Unlike McLeodganj where one can reach via Bus, one has to trek a minimum of 6 KM to reach Triund.

A walk to Gallu Devi temple through the forests

Eco Tourism - The need of the hour in India

In the past few years, the travel and tourism industry has been on an exponential rise in India and abroad, primarily because of the vast knowledge sharing happening via social media like Facebook, Twitter. A lot of other factors like better transport connectivity, a rise in luxury budget hotels have also supported the growth of the travel and tourism industry.

A lot of Startups have come up and are offering various perks and discounts to the customer in the form of promotional e cash, flight miles, voucher coupons if the customer books through their website. This all provides a win-win situation for both the company and the customer, and the customer slowly gets bitten by the travel bug.

Once the customer comes out of his shell and starts travelling, he starts exploring the unexplored beauty of different places, becomes an extrovert and starts socializing with the localities and fellow travelers. This unleashes a wide range of possibilities to travel and explore without creating a hole in the pocket.

McLoedganj for the budget traveler

McLoedganj is a very popular travel destination in Dharamshala. Being just 250 km (5 hours) journey from Chandigarh and around 475 km (9-10 hours) journey from Delhi, McLoedganj has become a hotspot for weekend trips and is usually jam-packed with tourists on long weekends.

McLoedganj has a lot to offer to all kinds of travellers alike. There’s Bir Biling – The paragliding capital of India ; roughly 70 km away , Triund trek – a 9 km trek from Bhagsu ; and it is a foodies haven with all kinds of foods and cuisines available in the many cafes spread all over the town.

McLoedganj is best explored on foot and to enjoy the city it is recommended to park your vehicle in the parking lot near the bus stop for the duration of the stay .This does two things – Less traffic on the narrow roads and making your effort to keep the town pollution free.

Being a traveller’s paradise the town has a lot of budget hotels ranging from INR 500 – 2000 per room if booked in advance and dharamshalas. Dharamkot is a better location as it is a bit away (1-1.5km) from the Mall Square and the view of the mountains can be enjoyed from nearly all the rooms in Dharamkot. The plus point of the town being a traveller’s paradise is that there is WiFi in almost all the cafes and none of the café owners force you or pester you to leave the café or vacate your table because you have paid the bill. For all the bibliophile's, order a cup of hot chocolate or some peach Tea and read a book all day long without being bothered by anyone. That my friend is true relaxation and rejuvenation.

4 places that should be there on every Foodie's list for the McLoedganj Foodtrail

Someone has rightly said “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” and this was proved true when we went to McLoedganj in October 2015 to do nothing but to Eat and Relax.

Mcloedganj is a foodie’s paradise as it has so many good eateries to offer with a variety of cuisines, such that one can’t have it all. The place has everything Indian food, pizzas, Tibetan food, Italian food and what nots.

Had read about a lot of places and dishes to eat before going, was disappointed with some and was more than delighted with some. Everyone should go on a food trail in Mcloedganj at least once and satisfy their taste buds.

1. Clay Oven

Clay oven is a quiet café located just 100 m from Mall Square on the Dharamkot Road. This place is a hidden treasure with down to earth staff and very relaxed seating. They have their own WiFi like other restaurants and one can just sit and relax endlessly in this café. In a span of 2 days ended up here more than 3 times at different times. The rates are super economical and the quantity is more than justified.

Thukpa

a.       Thukpa

Undoubtedly the best thukpa in town.The serving was more than generous. Taste was spot on and dint need to add anything else to make it better. The best part about thukpa is that it fills up your stomach fast and at the same time gives nutrition as well as it has a lot of veges in it.

b.      Cheese Omlet with Tibetan Bread

Cheese Omlet with Tibetan Bread

We had a hearty breakfast here with Cheese Omlet, Peach Tea, Oreo Shake, and Tibetan Bread with peanut butter on our table. Indeed it was a King style breakfast. A breakfast in Clay Oven should definitely be on every foodies to do list.

2. Carpediem

Had the best Pizza of my life in this place. The seating is very relaxed and people from different countries and background were sitting, enjoying and having a hell of a time. The French fries is also a big hit in this place.Turned up here and had pizza and thukpa as well. The thukpa was not that good as compared to Clay Oven, but the Pizza was simply the best. The yummy taste still linger in my mouth.

The best PIZZA

3.Tibet Kitchen

This is more of a restaurant than a café. It is always full and there is a waiting. That itself bears testimony that how good the taste of the food is. Unlike other cafes, you can’t sit here and relax, it’s more of a hush hush affair. This place has a lot to offer.

a.       Thentuk

Flat noodles served in a soup like dish like thukpa. Thukpa has long noodles, and thentuk has flat noodles. That’s the only difference between the dishes. It was something new for me which I enjoyed thoroughly.

Thentuk

b.      Momos

Tibetan cuisine is incomplete without momos. The filling was very good but it was a bit spicy. If you wasn’t to enjoy momos, it’s better to have it on the road as they are homemade and the taste is very different. Spending INR 100+ on momos in a restaurant is definitely a waste of money.

c.       Noodles and Fruit Beer

The hakka noodles were good and tasty and with just the right amount of spices. Fruit Beer and Peach Beer was something which went very well along with the food.

4.Street food

Any food trail is incomplete without exploring the street food options, and Mcloed has a lot to offer. Be it Bread omelet, maggi or momos, this place has it all. One should also try the cakes and pastries from the bakeries which are in abundance.

The yummy bread omlet

McLoedganj has a lot to offer to everyone with different experiences every time one visits.